the merciad, feb. 2, 2005

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On Monday, Jan. 31, Dr. AbdulMawjoud Dardery, Fulbright Scholar atSeton Hill College, spoke to Mercyhurststudents regarding his idea of A Clashof Civilizations.

Dr. Dardery is an assistant profes-sor of cultural studies and criticaldiscourse at South Valley University inEgypt and is currently spending several

weeks teaching English as a secondhand language at Seton Hill College inGreensburg, Pa.

The Global Issues Forum wasresponsible forenabling Dr.Dardery to visitMercyhurst, ashe spent twodays speaking

with studentson a number oftopics.At 4 p.m. on

Monday, theprofessor spentover an hourmeeting with a small group of studentsfor a comprehensive discussion about

several different topics, most notablythe clash between the American cultureand the Islamic culture of his nativeEgypt.

He also spoke at a lecture open tothe Mercyhurst and Erie communitiesMonday night in the Mercy HeritageHall.The lecture was followed by an hour

of intense questions and answers on avariety of related topics.

The Clash of Civilizations is a waragainst all God is not going to stop it, wemust intervene, said Dardery, duringthe afternoon session.

When the winter term began at Mer-cyhurst, students at the Zurn Buildingfor Science had a new place to workand conduct research: The Donald and

Judith Alstadt Laboratory for Molecularand Cellular Research.

According to Dr. James Adovasio,Dean of the Zurn School of Science,This new lab is named after the

Alstadts for their contributions, as wellas for contributions from the The Alden

Trust, Phillips Trust and the Mercyhurst

Archaeological Institute.The addition of this new lab places

Mercyhurst in league with major aca-demic institutions focusing upon thesciences.

Four years ago, the college in per-sona of Dr. Garvey, made a lot ofcommitments to create and renovate thesciences, Adovasio said. These com-mitments lab and classroom renova-tions for forensic science, anthropology,archaeology were only the first in a

wave of reconstruct ion for Zurn. Now,with the addition of the new lab, Zurnranks among top science schools.

The lab is like no other kind between

Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo, saidAdovasio.

It was built after looking at otherinstitutions.

One institution which Adovasio andothers, including Biology Director Dr.David Hyland, toured was John Carrol lUniversity in Cleveland.

We went to investigate to ensure adesign that was state-of-the-art and upto date, said Hyland. This was a keypart in our four-year plan for the biologydepartment and intended for a varietyof classes, along with the creation ofnew classes.

inside

this

issueNews

Need some tips on how to find

a job after graduation? Check

out what career services recom-

mends.

Page 2

What are you doing for spring

break? See what other students

have planned.

Page 3

OpinionThe stress of a ten-week term leads

one student to question the trimester

system.

Page 6

Arts & Entertainment Rapping sensation Kayne West

dominates Grammy nominations.

West is predicted to sweep the

awards on Feb. 13.

Page 8

Index

News.....................................2

News.....................................3

Features.................................4

Features.................................5

Opinion..................................6

Opinion..................................7

A&E.......................................8

A&E.......................................9

Sports..................................10

Sports..................................11

Sports..................................12

MERCIADVol. 78 No. 13 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie, Pa. 16546 February 2, 2005

TheTHE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929

FeaturesDo you want to escape Erie? Read

some great trip suggestions if you

need a getaway for the day.

Page 5

SportsWomens Hockey dominates another

conference foe, outscoring Niagara

10-1.

Page 12KatieMcAdams/Photoeditor

As spring term approaches, facultymembers of Mercyhurst are hard at

work preparing for the annual LiteraryFestival in April.This year, Dr. Kenneth Schiff and Dr.

Jeffrey Roessner Associate Professors ofEnglish, along with Dr. Alice Edwards,Chairperson of World Languages andCultures and Dr. Thomas Forsthofel,

Associate Professor of Religion Studies,are working to bring three high profilespeakers, Robert Bly, Grace Paley andMartin Espada to Mercyhurst.

Robert Bly

On April 12, Robert Bly will speak at7:30 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall.This event is open to the college com-

munity and the public.Bly is known for a list of achievements

including writing Iron John: A BookAbout Men, which has become an

international best seller.He also co-founded American Writers

Against the Vietnam War, spent twoyears in the Navy and attended HarvardUniversity. As a follow-up to his speech,Bly will hold a special creative workshopon April 13, which will only be open tocreative writing students.

Grace Paley

The second session of the LiteraryFestival will be held on April 19.

Grace Paley will hold a creative writing

workshop for creative writing studentsin the morning, followed by a speechin the Walker Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m,

which is open to the college communityand public. Paley is known for threehighly acclaimed collections of shortfiction and poetry.

She has been involved with anti-war,feminist and anti-nuclear movements,along with teaching at Columbia Uni-

versity, Syracuse University, City Col-lege of New York and Sarah LawrenceCollege.

Martin Espada

Martin Esada will close out this yearsLiterary Festival on April 28.

He will hold a workshop for creativewriting students in the afternoon, whichwill be followed by a speech in the TaylorLittle Theatre at 7:30 p.m.The speech is open to the college and

Erie community.Espada is known for his poetry. He

is currently a professor at the Universityof Massachusetter-Amherst.

By Jonelle DavisNews editor

In response to the disaster thatdevastated vast areas of Asia, theMercyhurst community is donat-ing money to help the hundredsof thousands of families that losteverything.

President of MSG, Michael Man-cinelli, said, We want to see thestudents and MSG come together

as a community and do what we canto help the people who have beenaffected by the tsunami disaster.

Recently MSG sent student repre-sentatives to on-campus housing tocollect donations.They were able to collect a total of

$680. Student representatives will nolonger be collecting donations, butstudents are more than welcome tobring donations to Mancinelli, MSGtreasurer, Dan Schuler, or they candrop off their donations to the MSGoffices, located on the second floorof the Herrmann Union.

Donations in any amount wouldbe greatly appreciated.After many organizations were

considered, MSG has decided that all

donations will go to Mercy Corps.

Mancinelli said, We are stillresearching organizations and the

web to select the non-profit orga-nization we will give all of thedonations to. They are all greatorganizations and it is hard pickingthe best one.Amanda Orendorf, senior fashion

merchandising student, said, I gavemoney to the American Red Cross toassist with the tsunami relief efforts.I think it is important for studentsto give what they can, every little

bit helps.Clubs on campus have the option

to use a philanthropy line whichallows the club to raise moneyfor a non-profit organization andMSG will match the donation upto $500.

First, the request needs to beverified by the Executive Board andapproved. MSG will then vote on therequest and, if passed, the matcheddonation money will be turned intothe MSG treasurer.

Sean Gates, senior HRIM student,said, I donated and I think everyoneshould, whether it is 50 cents or $50.If 3,000 students donated just 50cents we could raise $1500. That isenough money to help a great deal

of people.

Tsunami relief update:MSG collects donationsAshley BreenContributing writer

Global issues: The clash of cultures

Alstadts make research lab possibleBy Josh WilwohlStaff writer

By Ryan PalmSports editor

Dr. Dardery

Literary festival set for AprilThree high-profile authors will speak and host creative writing workshops

From left to right, Rober Bly (will speak on April 12), Grace Paley (will speak on April 19) and Martin Espada (will speak on April 28).Photos courtesy of Dr. Kenneth Schiff

Please see Alstadts on Page 3.

Please see Global on Page 3.

Please see Literary on Page 3.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

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PAGE 2 THE MERCIAD February 2, 2005

To contact: [email protected]

The pressure is on earlier thanusual to prepare an operatingbudget for the next fiscal year.

According to Executive VicePresident for Administration

Tom Billingsley, the deadlinehas been moved on account ofthe upcoming change in admin-istration. Budget directors havebeen asked to start work early inorder to speed up the process ofdrafting a preliminary operatingbudget for 2005-06.

The preliminary report isscheduled to be prepared beforethe end of February for reviewby Dr. Michael McQuillen, who

will begin his presidency on

March 7.Budget request forms, usu-

ally issuedto budgetdirectorsin March,must nowbe com-pleted andreturnedby Feb .14. Bud-ge t andsalary rec-o m m e n -dations must be approved byPresident Dr. William P. Garveyprior to submission to Billing-sley.

The completed preliminarybudget will be presented to theBoard of Trustees in May or June

for official approval. Numberscannot be finalized until actualstudent enrollment is determinedin early fall, making more reliablerevenue predictions possible.

Preliminary budget projectionsare used from the fiscal new yearof July 1 until the budget is final-ized in October.

Budget proposals are limitedby strict guidelines which aim tokeep expenses in check. Eachreport must include comparativedata, broken down by line item,for the past two years.

Directors must also include abreakdown of their portion ofthe budget, along with an analy-sis of their ability to perform

within it. Total budget increases are

limited to four percent. Billing-

sley said, When you go out ofbounds on that you had betterbe prepared to explain why.

All new personnel, equipmentrequests and significant increasesin operating expense must bejustified in writing.

Completion of the preliminarybudget by the end of February

will leave time to prepare a solidbudget for presentation in frontof the Board of Trustees. Ac-cording to Jane Kelsey, Vice Pres-ident of Finance and Treasurer,Trustees certainly take their rolein this very seriously.The Boards Budget and Fi-

nance Committee is responsiblefor looking over the proposedbudget and questioning theadministration to ensure thatmoney is being well spent.

The current budget, in use forthis school year, exceeded the$75 million mark, indicative offinancial growth well beyond theprojections of the colleges for-mal strategic vision. Billingsleyestimates that the budget beingdrafted now will work out to becloser to $80 million.

Major contributors to thegreater revenue necessary tosupport such growth are risingtuition combined with an ex-panding student body.

Recent years have called fortuition increases around sixpercent.

The effect that the new budgetwill have on tuition is yet to bedetermined.

We are very sensitive to tu-ition fee increases because we

know that it comes right out ofyour (students) pockets, Kelseysaid.

Billingsley expects next year tomark the beginning of a stabiliz-ing period in which the budgetcan increase at a lesser rate than

we have seen in the past. Thatsthe beginning of leveling off,

we arent going to have thatrapid growth in the foreseeablefuture, he said.

According to Billingsley, thecollege has, for the time being,reached certain limits for growth,for example the size of the cam-pus and the number of studentsthat can be accommodated. Theemphasis right now is on improv-ing the quality of the college,he said.

The Mercyhurst CollegeCounseling Center is pleasedto announce Alison Malmon,president of Active Minds, who

will give a presentation entitled,Depression and the College

Student on Thursday, Feb. 3 at8:15 p.m. in the Walker RecitalHall. A d m i s s i o n i s f r e e .On Feb. 4, the Mercyhurst Col-

lege Counseling Center will offerfree, confidential screenings fordepression where you can fill outa quick self-test and talk with acounselor about your personalsituation.

Even if you dont have depres-sion and are just going througha couple of bad days, you areinvited to come take advantageof the program and learn about

what services are available oncampus.

You may learn somethingthat will help you or a friendor roommate in the future.The screenings and informationsessions are being held Feb. 4 atthe Mercyhurst College Counsel-ing Center from 10 a.m. until3 p.m.The Center is located at 4118

Briggs Ave in the Cohen Student

Health/Counseling building justnorth of the campus bookstore.Contact the Counseling Center at824-2431 for more information.Active Minds on Campus is astudent-run mental health aware-ness, education and advocacyorganization designed for thecollege campus.The groups mission is to uti-

lize peer outreach to: increasestudents awareness of mentalhealth issues, provide informa-tion and resources regardingmental health and mental illness,encourage students to seek helpas soon as it is needed and serveas liaison between students and

the mental health communityBy planning campus-wide eventsthat promote awareness and edu-cation, the group aims to removethe stigma that surrounds mentalillness and create a comfortableenvironment for open discus-sion of mental health issues.

Active Minds, Inc. is the na-tional headquarters for all Ac-

tive Minds on Campus chapters. The headquarters is located inWashington, DC, with chapterson college campuses across thecountry.

Each chapter is affiliatedwith Active Minds, Inc., butalso obtains status as a studentorganization on its campus.Active Minds offers a solutionto this problem.

Student advocacy lessens thedemand on Counseling Centers,and capitalizes on the role ofpeers to make students awareof their mental health and

where they can go for help,before it reaches a tragic stage.

Mental disorders are reali l lnesses that are as d is-abling and serious as cancersand heart disease in terms onpremature death and lost pro-ductivity.

Whether you are a freshman orsenior, these years spent at Mer-cyhurst should be preparing youfor the competitive workforcethat lies ahead. The problem isthat many students are not awareof the opportunities that theschool provides.

According to Robert Hvezda,Director of Career Services,the goal of Career Services isto provide students and alumni

with information to enhanceskills in securing professionalemployment.

While all students are encour-aged to visit the Office of CareerServices on a regular basis toreview the continuously updated

recruiter list, it is especially im-portant for seniors to maintainclose contact with the office.

During senior year, the Ca-reer Services Office assemblesresume data for prospectiveemployers. The transition fromstudent to an employee or gradu-ate student can be overwhelmingfor some. That is why the CareerServices staff does their best tomake the job searching processmore pleasant as students ap-proach graduation.

However, the earlier one pre-pares the better Hvezda en-courages all students to start aresume.

The first thing people seeabout you is your resume, Hvez-da said. So, it is important tomake a good impression.

Any student, freshman throughsenior, can visit the Career Ser-

vices Office to start a resume bypicking up a resume instructionsheet in the Career Service Officelocated in Main 204.

One of the unique thingsabout our office is that a studentcan bring back the constructionsheet and we will assemble itfor them free of charge, saidHvezda.

Once the office has assembledyour resume data, they will eitherdownload the resume onto a disk

or email the resume to the stu-dent to enable better access to it.The way the economy is right

now, we want to make sure Mer-cyhurst students are prepared forit, Hvezda said.

So, what advice does Hevzdagive students? He says one ofthe first suggestions he makes tostudents is to try to maintain atleast a 3.0 GPA if possible.

One excellent way to build upa resume is by getting involvedin a variety of activities and by

holding leadership positions. Volunteer work is yet anotherextra bonus that employers willnotice.

Hvezda also said he recom-mends students get as muchpractical experience as possible.Internships are just one of themany ways students can gain ex-perience as they encourage themto apply what they learned in theclassroom to the real world.

Junior year is the best timefor students to consider intern-ships.

By working an internship, ju-niors can experience and confirmcareer choices before having tofinalize it during their senioryear.

Whether an internship is a re-quirement for your major or not,employers will only look at an

internship as an additional ben-efit and are, therefore, stronglyrecommended to everyone.

To take part in MercyhurstsInternship Program for credit,students must at least be comingout of their sophomore year.After filling out the necessary

paperwork, a student must get theapproval of their academic advi-sor before the process continues.If selected, a 45-minute dress-upinterview will take place.

To receive three credits from

the school for the internship, astudent must put in a minimumof 200 hours over a 10-weekperiod. Four-hundred hours ofservice will earn a student sixcredits.

Hvezda also suggests thatstudents consider who to ask forletters of recommendation.

Letters of recommendationare very important to employersduring hiring process.

The Career Services Office op-erates Monday thru Friday from8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

It doesnt matter if you arean archeology, dance or businessmajor, a suit should be worn,

said Hvezda.Another bit of advice offered

by Hvezda is that students shouldalways wear a suit for any kind ofinterview.

You only get one chance tomake a good first impression.

By Zoe ContesContributing writer

Career Services FrankRizzone advises Nicole Shelc.Katie McAdams/Photo editor

Career services provides opportunities

By Josh West

Contributing writer

Administrators prepare budget for incoming president

Dr. McQuillen

Mercyhurst students will besurprised to hear that they havetheir own radio station.

Students have been buzzingfor a station of their own foryears and have finally gottentheir wish.

But, as some students mayhave noticed, WMCE hasnt

gone anywhere. An entirely newstation has been made with theexpress purpose of entertainingthe student body.

AM 1570 has been broadcast-

ing for the past two weeks, unbe-knownst to the student body. BillShannon, in charge of WMCE,Mercyhursts classical radio sta-tion, recently purchased a trans-mitter and has set up an antennaand studio with a five-disc CDchanger for the new station.

The station is located in theWMCE offices, across from theStudent Union. The stationssignal is fairly weak and doesntextend much farther than a few

blocks past campus. However,this is all the power the stationneeds. As Shannon stated, Itsfor the students.

The station will be run by a yet-

to-be-formed Radio Club. Theclub will draw its members fromthe general student population.

The new station is not restrictedto Communication majors, al-though Shannon noted that hisSports Broadcasting class hasbeen using it, and will continueto do so.

The station will add somecolor and culture to life at Mer-cyhurst. Even the sports broad-casts will be something new; the

Sports Broadcasting class willdo play-by-plays for sports likefield hockey and volleyball, whichnormally dont receive muchcoverage.

The Communications De-partment will supply the equip-ment and training and will alsoclosely monitor the content toensure that FCC regulations areenforced and followed. The sta-tion, unlike WMCE, will not beaccessible on the Internet, unlessbandwidth is enlarged, which, asstudents know, is unlikely.

The stations format will bedesigned by the Radio Club,and Shannon noted that with

the exception of following FCCregulations, any and all music canbe broadcasted.

It doesnt matter if we haveno listeners or a thousand, said

Shannon, adding, The station istotally for the entertainment ofthe students.

There is no timetable for thefirst student broadcasts, as the

whole enterprise is driven whollyby the interest of the students.However, the broadcasts will belimited to WMCEs timetable,

which runs from 10 a.m. to 10p.m., though Shannon noted thatif there is enough interest in thefuture, Radio Club members may

be able to broadcast later in theevening as well.

The studio also has a phone, soa request line will be accessiblefor students who have specific

musical cravings. The Radio Clubwill offer not only a reason toturn the radio on, but the experi-ence of being a DJ and exposingstudents to new music. AM 1570

will provide a soundtrack for lifeat Mercyhurst, one created solelyby and for students.

Students interested in joiningthe Radio Club should be on thelookout for fliers announcingdetails, or they can contact BillShannon at x2264. Mercyhurst

students can look forward tohaving their own place on theairwaves, at least as far as thecampus, in the near future.

By Jason EndressContributing writer

Mercyhurst students finally have student radio station on campus

Special to the Merciad

Health clinic hosts depression clinic for students

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Adovasio said new classesmight include organismic andmolecular or cellular biology.Students with these kinds ofinterests can come here and usea lab second to none, Adovasiosaid.

In addition to the creationof new classes, Adovasio saidthat the new lab also opens newfaculty positions. When I beganhere in 1990, there were fewerthan 20 professors. Now thereare more than 40, said Adovasio.The creation of this lab is a fo-cal point in adding to that searchfor faculty.

The lab itself is divided into

three sections: the preparatoryroom, the main room (class-room), and the clean room.These rooms were designed

with the intention of the forensicscience, anthropology and othersciences in mind, said Hyland.The main room consists of

high-tech gadgetry includinga smart podium that is able toaccommodate a microscope orcamera for viewing on lecturescreens.The clean room will be used

primarily for DNA studies.It (the clean room) has its

own systems that are properly setup for use by the forensic science

department, said Hyland.The lab, built by Crowther

Construction Company of OilCity, Pa., took about three-and-a-half months to build, accordingto Ernie Crowther, of CrowtherConstruction.

Everything in the lab is cus-tom made from solid oak, saidCrowther.

Both Adovasio and Hylandfeel that this new lab will helpto improve students academicrecords. Undergraduates cannow access the same kind ofequipment if they would be ingraduate school, said Adovasio.

Most undergraduates do nothave experience in labs like thisand with this kind of experience,it will make finding a job a loteasier.

Hyland agrees, The lab willbenefit students with new oppor-tunities to gain a much broaderand richer program in biology.It will do nothing but advanceMercyhurst and attract morestudents to the sciences.

Adovasio feels that the lab willadvance Mercyhurst into a newrealm of science. A lab like thisbecomes a centerpiece for pro-

vided disciplines and becomes

an access point in moving theschool to the next level, he said.It will improve the school ofscience to the same level as ourhighly recognized programs inIntelligence and Archaeology.To make all of this possible,

during the Alden Science Chal-lenge, 327 donors contributedmore than $332,000 in eightmonths. That money paid for thenew lab and other science proj-ects and improvements in theZurn School of Natural Sciencesand Mathematics. To match what

was raised, the George I. AldenTrust added another $100,000.

Continued from Page 1

Donald and Judith Alstadt cut the ribbon to formally open the new molecular research

lab in Zurn Hall.

Katie McAdams/Photo editor

Alstadts make new molecular lab possible

Financial aid is becoming aproblem for Mercyhurst students

with a lack of aid, problems withthe FAFSA form and nowhere toturn for help. The Merciadand theStudent Financial Services Officehave the answers students need.According to James Theeuwes,

the Director of Student FinancialServices, FAFSA forms must berefiled each year by the March15 deadline or students will losetheir aid.

Filing these forms online canbe much easier, faster and thecomputer does not let studentsskip questions. This means it

would be difficult to miss a sec-tion of the form.Another plus to filing FAFSA

online, Theeuwes says, is the timeit takes to get to Mercyhurst.

When doing it over the Net itonly takes 24 to 48 hours to gethere.

However, when done by paper,it can take three to five weeks.When asked for advice on fill-

ing out the FAFSA, Theeuwessaid it is simple. Make sure yourSocial Security number is cor-rect and you have as accurate asfinancial information as you can,and read the directions.

The most important part of theFAFSA, states Theeuwes, is toremember that deadline, March15. The Pennsylvania deadline is

May 1, and if you miss that youlose your state grant. For Ohio,the deadline is Oct. 1, and forNew York the deadline is May1 as well.Theeuwes said that students are

notified three times to fill out andsend in their FAFSA. They arenotified twice by postcard and athird time by email.

He also added that when de-termining the amount of aid astudent gets, the expected fam-ily contribution is looked at themost. Mercyhurst then takesthat number and adds aid to it,but they wont make up for itentirely.Along with paying your tuition,

the FAFSA form needs to be

filled in order to pre-register forthe fall term.Theeuwes also confirmed that

the financial aid Mercyhurst givesstudents their freshman yearnever increases, unless a studentssituation changes and then he orshe are eligible for federal andstate grants. Students financialaid does not drop after theirfreshman year either, as it wasrumored to do.

He added, however, if a stu-dent does not maintain his or her

grades to the academic standardsthen they will lose money fromtheir aid. As long as they filetheir FAFSA and keep up their

grades from one year to the nextthey will continue to receive theirsame aid. The Mercyhurst grant is an-

other reason students may feelthey lose money after their fresh-man year. This grant is a slidinggrant, said Theeuwes. It is cutback every year. Thats how itsbeen since it was created.

One way students would re-ceive more aid is if their situationdrastically changes, such as theloss of a parent, Theeuwes said.

They can then fill out a specialcircumstances form, which willthen be reviewed by the StudentFinancial Services. Theeuwes also recommended

that students should access

the endowed scholarships andawards located on the Office ofInstitutional Advancement pagefound through Lakernet. Thereare many scholarships availableto students; however, they are

very limited and have severalrestrictions. Theeuwes continued to say

that besides scholarships, thereare several other ways studentscan get help. Both the RA and

Ambassadors positions offerhelp to a student. Becoming an

RA will get a students room andboard taken care of, while the

Ambassador program will get astudent another scholarship.

A few students are having hardtimes attending Mercyhurst dueto financial issues. Theeuwessaid, Communicate with yourparents, because when a studentmakes the decision to come hereits a four-year plan, and theyshould think it out.

Most students have problemswhen they drop a class, drop andthen retake a class, or overload,says Theeuwes.

He also added that studentsdo not consider what droppingand retaking a class really means.First they pay to drop the class,and then they pay to take it again.If a student were doing poorlyin class, it would be financiallybetter to accept the grade than

to simply drop the class.Theeuwes added that overload-

ing can do a student financialharm as well. The cost of the tu-ition is based on 30 credit hours.If a student overloads and has 33credit hours, the cost goes up. According to Theeuwes, the

best advice for a Mercyhurst stu-dent would be to keep the gradesup, always be on the lookout formore scholarships and be careful

when dropping or overloadingclasses.

By Heather HuesdashContributing writer

Most students probably seesun, beaches and bathing suits

when they think of springbreak. But that is not what allMercyhurst students are think-ing about for their upcomingbreak.

Winter term seems to dragon and on. The snow doesnot stop piling up. And mostof our friends were still homeon break when we were hittingthe books.

Of course, Erie or the sur-rounding areas will not bringsun either. This spring break,students will travel all acrossthe country for this long-awaited break.

Campus Ministry is provid-ing a number of alternative

spring break opportunities.Many students are giving theirfree time to serve others.

Twenty-eight students alongwith the new campus minister,Paul Macosko, are travelingto Dade City, Fla. to partici-pate in Habitat for Humanityprojects.

Habitat for Humanity is anorganization that helps lowerincome families build a placethey can call home. Volunteers along with the

eventual homeowners take thetime to build or rehabilitatehomes.

Macosko, a graduate ofMercyhurst 2003, was named

campus minister this past No- vember. He graduated witha degree in Hotel, Restaurantand Institutional Managementand chose a different path forhis life.

Its all hospitality, thats howI look at it, said Macosko. Heis busy planning this trip that isless than one month away.

The students, who are most-ly freshmen and sophomores,plan on taking Mercyhurst

vans on their trip down theeastern coast.They are busy collecting soda

cans everyday around campusto raise money for their trip.

Macosko was happy withthe young turnout of students.Hopefully they will want tostick around for a couple more

years, he said.Four other Mercyhurst stu-

dents have service in theirmind but are taking anotherroute.Ashley Gabriel, Stephanie

Prohaska, Regina Scagnelli andJessica Zajac are traveling toCamden, N.J. to participate inthe Urban Challenge.

Graduate student, Jen Rusakis working with the RomeroCenter in New Jersey to deal

with a number of topics thatthey can be of service to. Ru-sak is the AmeriCorps VISTArepresentative at Mercyhurst.

The students will be volun-teering in Camden as well asin Philadelphia. They will be

working alone and in groups.At night they will share theirexperiences and reflect onthe day.

For each of the seven days,

the students will pick a dif-ferent topic like education,hunger, homelessness or HIVawareness, and they will go outto different places to deal withthese topics.

Every spring break, CampusMinistry offers many experi-ences like these. Students canbecome involved in a numberof different ways.

Other students will be trav-eling to a Navajo Indian Res-ervation in Arizona and others

will participate in the BorderExperience.

A number of educationmajors do not even have aspring break.

After winter term ends, stu-dent teaching begins. Eachstudent has to complete 12

weeks of student teaching. Therefore, they start beforethe rest of us and finish afterthe term ends. And of course there are

students going home to relax,to eat home cooking and makesome money to last for the restof the year.

Some will also travel to seetheir significant others andothers, will travel to see theirfriends at different colleges.

Either way, students will betraveling all over the countryspending money, getting a tan,helping out the less fortunateor just hanging out.

Do you need financial aid?

Unveiling of the 2005 Lumen

The 2005 Lumen will also beshowcased on April 28.The Lumen is a compilation

of writings submitted by Mer-cyhurst students. The writingsthat will appear in the Lumen arechosen by an Editorial Board ofStudents and Volunteers. The

writings are then judged and thewriters of the best poem andshort story will be awarded cer-tificates along with a cash prize

of $1,000.

According to Dr. KennethSchiff, they received more than100 pieces of work, which ismore than ever before. Thisyears lumen will include 21 po-ems and six short stories.

Festival Importance

When asked to comment aboutthe Festival, Schiff said, I ts

wonderful for students to getdirect exposure to some of thebest writers of our time and tohave the opportunity to work

with them in a workshop set-

ting. I also think the public

acknowledgement for studentscreative work is a very importantpart of their development and itcontributes to the creative andintellectual part of the college.

Schiff also added that the Lit-erary Festival has made majorimprovements since last year.

The improvement stems fromthe fact that they were grantedmore money to put on this yearsfestival.

The Literary Festival is fundedby a grant from the office ofthe President. This year were

better funded so we could bring

in three speakers instead of justtwo. Were very thankful thatDr. Garvey has given us this op-portunity, said Schiff.

Schiff also mentioned that lastyear was the first year that they

were able to have the Lumenavailable in hard copy as wellas CD-Rom. He feels that thisyears CD version of the Lumen

will be of higher quality thanks Jodi Staniunas-Hopper and theGraphic Design department.Attendance at this years festi-

val is expected to be an all time

high.

Literary festival set for AprilContinued from Page 1

He is adamant about reducingthis clash between the two cul-tures and specifically points outtwo key components to accom-plishing this lofty goal, educationand critical thinking.

Dardery just recently returnedto the United States from Egypt,and will be heading back to con-tinue his professorship in several

weeks.While describing the return trip

to the states, Dardery spoke ofhow he was detained for threehours due to his Middle Easternappearance, causing he and his

wife to miss their flight and staythe night in the airport.

Dardery speaks persistentlyabout the need for Americansto realize that Islam is not just areligion, it is an entire culture for

those who practice it.To take a Muslim out of

Islam is like to take a fish out ofwater Islam includes everything,even giving my wife a bouquetof flowers is a form of worship,he said.

Darderys primary hope andgoal through his public speak-ing and teaching is for studentsto work toward creating a newparadigm, enabling students to

be able to connect to one anotheracross the world and not havesuch a strong barrier of languageand culture. The Global Issues Forum

brings the students and the com-munity to experience first handthe opinions from the interna-tional front, allowing studentsone-on-one speaking time as well

as the free lectures.

Global Issues: Dardery speaks at HurstContinued from Page 1

By Jaime MyersContributing writer

How will you spend your time off?

Students relax in Daytona Beach, Fla.KRT photo

Spring Break

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

4/12

FEATURESTo contact: [email protected]

February 2, 2005PAGE 4 THE MERCIAD

I n nWinter Term

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Laker

I will gladly share the recipewith anyone, Katy Leisering saidabout her g roundhog cookies.

Leisering started sendinggroundhog cookies to school with her children and peoplessweet tooth for them escalated.

There are still people thatwent to school with my son who Igive groundhog cookies to every

year. People start asking me rightafter Christmas if I have startedmy baking yet, she said.The groundhog cookies are a

type of spice cookie that Leiser-ings family and friends enjoy.

Leisering grew up in Punx-sutawney, which is the home ofPunxsutawney Phil, the famousGroundhogs Day rodent.

Every Feb. 2 there is a Ground-hog Banquet where groundhogcookies are served with vanillaice cream.

Chocolate is drizzled on top ofthe ice cream to make it look likea shadow.

Leisering first started baking inher high school home econom-

ics class.I remember in high school our

group had to make hot chocolatefrom scratch. We mistakenly putsalt in instead of sugar. It tastedreally terrible. To this day I havenot had any problems while bak-ing, everything turns out well,said Leisering.

Baking runs in Leiserings fam-ily. Her grandfather was a goodbaker and her mother had a talentfor making desserts.

I really enjoy being in thekitchen baking different thingsfor my family and friends, Lei-sering said.

Leisering enjoys making coffee

cakes, different types of cook-ies, apple cinnamon puffs and

pumpkin pies.My daughter helps me bake

when she can. My only grand-child is three years old, but I hopein the future that she will help mein the k itchen.

Leisering has never thoughtof taking her baking to the nextlevel. Ive never really thoughtabout it, although some peoplehave suggested that I make mycookies and sell them, she said.

Leiserings husband is the Di-rector of Sports Information atMercyhurst.

Every year he brings ground-hog cookies to colleagues inhis department, Dr. William

Garvey, Thomas Billingsley, theemployees at the bookstore, the

ladies he eats lunch with and hiswork-studies.

Katy Leisering comes to thesporting events at Mercyhurstand brings cookies for the pressboxes at hockey and basketballgames.

She still takes cookies to theteachers at Sacred Heart andPerry School, where her childrenwent to school.

What started as a small projecthas now grown to where I ambaking between 1,200 and 1,500cookies every year. They are notmy favorite cookie, ironically,but everyone else seems to enjoythem, which makes me happy.

For those with an adventurousspirit, SPAN Club is the solutionto Erie boredom.

Do you know what SPANClub stands for? Students forthe Protection and Appreciationof Nature.What does that mean? It means

we love the great outdoors. Wedo a trip every month and every-one is welcome to come along.

Heres an update of our latestadventure.This past weekend we drove to

Cleveland Rock Gym and for $14and had a blast climbing, scalingand rappelling down the indoorrock walls. There were varying degrees

of difficulty on each wall, thisdepended on the placement ofwhere to grip was or the angleof the wall.There were free climb walls and

there were walls that you neededa harness, but all of it was chal-lenging.When we first arrived, we all

looked at the building with abit of confusion, since most ofus hadnt been there before, we

werent expecting it to be locatedin an industrial area.From the parking lot the build-

ing looked shabby and there wasa tiny sign for us to follow. Butonce we had gone inside wefound the gym to be rather largewith all of the walls covered withrock climbing handles. We all received our special

shoes, but everyone noticed howsmall they felt.

Thats the point, said the manbehind the counter. You wantthem to feel small so you havethe ability to climb without yourshoes getting in the way.

So we put them on and figuredthat they could do the job.

We spread out and some wentautomatically to the free climb wall, and others sat looking atthe different colored handlesor knobs, as we inexperiencedclimbers called them.The free climb wall meant that

you did not need to be attachedto anything, which also meansyou have the ability to fall.There were large, soft cush-

ions to catch us when we didfall. Each of us eventually gotto the point where we had tofall because we couldnt grip anylonger or we lacked good options

for foot placement. With the free climb wall theobjective was to move morehorizontally across the differentangled wall. The different anglesmade it extremely difficult be-cause at times you couldnt seearound the corner.

In that case you had to have aspotter tell you where to put yourhands and feet. The walls were at different

angles, so sometimes gravitywould take its toll.

There were also other wallscalled belaying walls. Theyreached all the way to the ceilingof the gym.

On these walls we had to be

strapped in and could climb tothe top with ease.On the way down we just sat

back with our feet straight outagainst the wall and were loweredto the ground.The rappelling action was a

bit scary at first because theperson belaying was in chargeof the ropes, not the personrappelling.This took a little bit of getting

used to.There was a 12-year-old girl

that had been going to the rockclimbing gym for two years be-

cause her dad used to be a rockclimber and had gotten her intothe sport. The wall she concentrated

on was a vertical climb then ahorizontal one, or what ended upbeing a hanging climb, followedby another vertical climb.

She was so quick in pullingherself up the wall we all hadto stop and watch. After threeof four times on that particularwall she switched over to somefree climbing. After watching her climbs, I

decided that if she could do it,then I could do it.

For those of us that went, itwas a great time. Afterwards

many people asked, Whatsnext?We are planning a weekend

snowshoeing trip next month,and then some outdoor hikesin March. At the end of April we are

planning a weekend white-waterrafting trip in West Virginia.

In early May we might do somekayaking if it is warm enough.Otherwise we will probably dosome more hiking.

If you are interested, lookfor our meeting fliers or [email protected] or

There is rock climbing in the winter?

Jody Mello/ Contributing photographer

What will you be doing after graduation? Consider VISTA

Local baker enjoys spicing upGroundhogs Day with fun cookies

Katie McAdams/ Photo editor

Katy Leiserings labor of love is baking from 1,200 to 1,500groundhog cookies every year for friends and family.

Its less than four months tograduation: What are you goingto do after your journey throughMercyworld ends?

Last year at this time, I wasfaced with the same question-what exactly HAD my fouryears of college prepared me todo (besides live off of Ramennoodles and caffeine)?

How was I going to find a jobin the human service field with-out any more experience than a

three-month internship? Winter term came and went,

and suddenly I found myself threeweeks from graduation,without ajob and faced with the prospectof having to move back in withmy parents.A friend of mine had seen a

poster for a job in Union City,Pa. to fight teen pregnancy andtold me I should stop into Sr.Michelles office and talk to someguy named VISTA.

Nearly a year later, I look backand laugh at how inaccurate thatjob description was.

It should have read:

Adventurers wanted!Looking for a job unlike any

other? Still unsure what to do with the rest of your life? Doyou really like Ramen?Then weve got a job for you!

Join AmeriCorps VISTA for ayear and give back to your com-munity!

Even that barely describes whatthe last year has been for me.

I have spent the last sevenmonths doing things I neverthought I would do.Things such as helping design

a skate park, trying to startyouth programs, meeting with

school and business leaders,writing grant proposals, leadinggroups of adults and youth andchaperoning kids at a nationalconference.All of that is only a glimpse of

everything I do, and my job isonly one of thousands of Ameri-Corps VISTA projects across theUnited States.

For one year, you live and workin a community faced with pov-erty and other hardships and tryto make a difference.This has been one of the most

difficult and yet rewarding expe-riences of my life.

I work with wonderful peopleand Ive met others like me whoare trying to make a difference intheir communities.We cant all find our dream job

right out of college, but some-times you get lucky and get to dosomething really rewarding whileyoure looking.

If you would like more infor-mation on the AmeriCorps VIS-TA programs currently runningin the Erie area, please contact Sr.Michelle in the Service Learningoffice or email Jennifer Kramin Union City at [email protected].

By Jennifer KramContributing writer

By Jody MelloContributing writer

By Courtney NicholasContributing writer

For one

year, you live

and work in a

community faced

with poverty and

other hardships

and try to make

a difference.

Group of students took a trip last weekend to Cleveland to scale the walls

Senior Jill Rutledge takes her time on a rock wall at theCleveland Rock Gym last weekend.

- Jennifer Kram

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

5/12

FEATURESTo contact: [email protected]

February 2, 2005 PAGE 5THE MERCIAD

Cafe Diem

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Hammermill Library

If Mother Nature has ag-gravated you enough for oneseason, take a break from themonotony and check out thesedestinations.

For a money-saving outing,every Wednesday the Erie ArtMuseum is free to all visitors.

The cost is normally $2 for astudent.

Upcoming exhibits includeMexican art at the turn of lastcentury, abstract and modernart, and a new animation exhibitopening on the fifth of Febru-ary.

If art isnt your interest, Pr-esque Isle offers different crosscountry skiing adventures on

weekends.Rentals are available at shelter

one on Beach Seven. When night falls, Splash La-

goon is open until nine exceptfor Tuesdays and Wednesdays inthe off season. There is also the option of

Laser Tag, which is $10/personfor a half hour. It is located insideof Splash Lagoon for those who

wish to stay dr y.If you need to get out of Erie,

one option could be to drive toPittsburgh.

In the Burgh, the CarnegieScience Center offers exhibitsranging from the EarthquakeCaf to Laser shows.Admission of $10 with a school

ID and also pays for parking andexplorations at UPMC Sports

Works. You can experience an array

of virtual sport activities includ-ing: hang gliding over the GrandCanyon, shooting hockey pucksat a virtual goalie, and design-

ing your own roller coaster thatyou can ride on.They also have a 25-foot climb-

ing wall, and if youre brave youcould ride a unicycle 15 feet inthe air! They are open until 5 p.m.Friday through Sunday, and from10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Pittsburgh also offers fourmajor downtown departmentstores, city malls and severalhobby stores.The Benedum Theater in Pitts-

burgh will be the venue for singerPatti Lupone and the CLO The-ater has a range of productionsusually on weekends.Ticket prices vary for each

show. Showcasing a variety ofmuseums, including the Andy

Warhol, Pittsburgh is not a baddestination for a weekend trip.Its roughly two and a half hoursfrom Erie and moderately expen-sive, depending on your level ofbeing a shop-o-holic.

Ohio has a lot of interestingplaces to visit also. The Rock and Roll Hall of

Fame is a mere two hours fromErie.Admission is $18 with college

ID. Parking in the Great LakesScience Center Parking Garage

will take $2 off the total price.To ease hunger pains, the Mu-

seum has a caf that serves lightmeals and refreshments, but itdoes not accept credit cards.Afterwards, visitors can go to

Tower City downtown or Coven-try Road on the east side, verifi-able Meccas for shoppers.There are several concert ven-

ues including the Agora, theGrog Shop, the Odeon andGund Arena. Upcoming showsare listed here: http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/con-certs/.

If interested in staying over-

night, an assortment of hotelsare located near the Rock andRoll Hall of Fame, but the pricerange is over $100.As the drive is reasonable, the

best option may be to drive backto Erie.

Finally, if leaving the state isntenough, you can always leave thecountry.The Niagara Falls area in Cana-

da has a plethora of casinos andmuseums worth checking out.The original big casino, Casino

Niagara, offers an impressive ar-ray of games and the contribut-ing atmosphere.

If youve never gambled be-fore, the Casinos homepageoffers helpful tips for beginners.Check it out at http://discover-niagara.com/casino/main/.

Not into gambling? The Ni-

agara area also offers Hauntedhouses, Fun houses, RipleysBelieve It or Not, Wax museums

with visages from Al Capone to

Jeffrey Dahmer and an excess ofplaces to eat.Admissions for each attraction

vary, but they all center around$15.A good idea would be to have

four people in all, because itis more cost effecient when itcomes to the hotel.Another important thing to re-

member when traveling roughlytwo hours to Canada is to bringyour birth certificate. A passportis not necessary.

So pack up your roommatesand put some gas in the car, be-cause traveling might be just whatyou need this weekend.

Calling all stressed Mercyhurstgirls!

Feeling the winter blues? Testsstressing you out? Boys beingconfusing? How about an allgirl de-stressing plan? A nightduring the week, with just thegirls.

Girl nights can involve any-thing, so just use your imagina-tion. But in case you need some

help getting started, here is ashort guide line to planning agirl shin-dig!

Have a pamper night! ~ Begirly! Do manicures and pedi-cures, face masks and nail paint-ing, put on some cute PJs, andfor comfort food rememberthe five Cs: Chocolate (Anything) Chips Cake Chinese food CookiesHave a 8os night! (my per-

sonal favorite)Dress in crazy 80s clothes,

put massive amounts of hair-

spray into your hair, put on eyeshadow up to your eyebrows inbright colors (like hot pink orneon) and put on your favorite80s music such as: Michael Jackson (Thrill-

er, Beat It.) Pat Benatar Madonna Cyndi Lauper (How could

any girl go wrong with the fa-vorite girl anthem - Girls JustWanna Have Fun!)

Or an 80s movie night!

Say Anything Sixteen Candles The Breakfast Club Pretty in Pink Footloose Flashdance 13 Going on 30 (Ok, ok

it wasnt made in the 80s but itssort of about the 80s and theydance to Thriller in it, so ittotally counts!)

Have a romantic movie night!Even though everyone I askedseemed to have different opin-ions of their favorite romance,the movie that came up themost was, drum roll please... The Wedding Singer

How could cute Robbie Hartgo wrong? And its another 80smovie.

Other suggestions for ro-mance movies are as followed Love Actually A Walk to Remember How to Lose a Guy in

Ten Days Sense and Sensibility The Sweetest Thing Moulin Rouge 10 Things I Hate About

You

Romance not your thing?Dont feel like being girly? Howabout hours of comedy?

Get your friends together, vegout on the couch with plentyof pill ows and blankets andrent your favorite funny boneticklers.

Everyone needs to take sometime to laugh, so here are someblockbusters that that will haveyour eyes tearing and stomachcramping! (All pleasant feelingsI assure you.) Bruce Almighty or any

Jim Carrey movies Billy Madison or any

Adam Sandler movies

Dodgeball Austin Powers (one and

two) Waynes World Sorority Boys Mel Brooks movies (my

personal favorites: RobinHood: Men in Tights, Space-balls, Blazing Saddles, TheProducers or Young Fran-kenstein. American Pie(s) Monty Python and The

Holy Grail

Romance, comedy, 80s, or justbeing a little crazy for a nightcan be all you need to let offsome steam.

If all else fails you could al-ways put on some classic ArethaFranklin and rock out.

Lip syncing R-E-S-P-E-C-Tis probably the coolest song tosing with your chicas.At least, in all my all girl insan-

ity moments, I have found thatAretha is my girl and never letsmy friends or me down.

So stay in this weekend andsing, munch or just loaf aroundfor the night -- youll feel thestress melt away.

Christopher Knestrick, a 2004graduate of Mercyhurst, hasmade service to others a priorityin his life.

Chris spent the summer work-ing with the Los Angeles Catho-lic Worker Community, Sr. GeriRosinski said.

There he helped to serve1,000 meals to people daily.

Rosinski said that when Knes-trick returned to Ohio, he con-nected with the Cleveland Catho-lic Worker Community.

Knestrick wrote an article,Learning to be a Servant, that was in the Autumn of 2004edition of Inherit the Earth,

which is a publication of theCatholic Worker Community ofCleveland.

In his article, Knestrick de-scribes how his experiences inservice to the poor has madehiim more strongly committedto those who are needy.

In the past, my work at soupkitchens and hunger shelters hasallowed me to feel that I havedone my part for society andfulfilled my Christian obligation,Knestrick wrote. However, asI continue to grow in faith and

experience, I am coming to adeeper understanding of theGospels.

Last May, Chris received theSister Carolyn Hermann Service

Award. This award is very pres-tigious, and it is only awarded tograduating seniors.

Clearly, Chris is continuingto serve those who are poorand in need, Rosinski said. Hecontinues to live the works ofMercy that this college holds upas its mission.

Through the Gospels, I haverealized that being a servant of

Jesus means being a servant ofthe poor, Knestrick wrote.

My experiences taught me thatthis is often a difficult task, hecontinued. We must be preparedto give our time and ourselves

with a willingness to suffer onbehalf of the poor

The more times I meet thepeople of the soup lines, beginto learn their names, and come toshare in their struggles, the morethings change in me, Knestrick

wrote.It is wonderful to see that

Knestrick has not changed frombeing the committed and faithfulservant he was when he attendedMercyhurst, Rosinski said.

Had enough of this place?


All it takes is a few friends and 20 dollars and you could be

on the road for the weekend. Pack up and go!

By Melissa BrandtContributing writer

By Summer SaracinielloContributing writer

Kick those winter blues


These students settle in for a snuggly night of movies. Its a great idea to de-stress this weekend. That way, you

will be relaxed and ready to study for and take your finals.

Way to go!Graduate continues colleges morals

By Jen HelbigFeatures editor

Do not let your dietget thrown for a loss

Super Bowl Sunday is ap-proaching, and if youre notcareful youre likely to pack in 10times as many calories munchingon buffalo wings, nachos andpizza as the teams gain in yardsduring the big game.

If youre throwing the party,eDiets.com offers these 10 foodtips so you and your guests cansnack without guilt:

Go with baked chips instead offried. Youll save 40 calories and7 grams of fat per ounce.

Substitute bean dip for sourcream dip. The bean dip has only46 calories per serving. Anotheroption: salsa, which has fewcalories and fat but offers a lotof flavor.

Use a packet of dried dip mixto make your own low-fat ver-sion. Add 1/2 cup of nonfat sourcream, 1/2 cup of nonfat may-onnaise, 3/4 cup of diced freshtomatoes, 1/4 cup of choppedgreen onion and 1/4 cup ofchopped ripe olives, rinsed and

drained. Mix and refrigerate fora half-hour before serving.

Instead of nuts or microwavepopcorn, serve air-popped pop-corn. Spray it with butter-fla-

vored cooking spray and sprinkleit with a dehydrated powderedbutter product. This has only60 calories for three cups, only atrace of fat and about 10 gramsof sodium.

Instead of fried finger foods,skewer some baked or grilled

chicken. The skewers make foreasy eating, and the chicken hasonly 52 calories, 4 grams of fatand 24 milligrams of sodium

Use whole wheat hero rolls asthe foundation for a healthy sub.

Add some turkey breast, leanroast beef or ham, lettuce, toma-toes, pickles and onions. Serve insliced 2-inch portions.Want some hamburgers and

hot dogs? Try those made fromlean ground turkey. Serve low-fatmayonnaise and naturally low-calorie ketchup and mustard onthe side.With these little changes, you-

will not look like a football whenthe game is over.

By Phyllis StoneKnight Ridder Newspapers

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

6/12

OPINIONPAGE 6 THE MERCIAD February 2, 2005


The Board of Trustees is out of touch with the

student body.Deans and presidents and directors shuffle

about Old Main making decisions that will affecta campus full of people who seldom have any ideaof what is about to hit them. If the recent yearshave accomplished anything, they have revealedstudents frustrated with their estrangement fromthe decision makers.

But specific wrongdoings and oversights aside, itisnt the decision makers that fall short week after

week. You might ask about estranged students. Oryou might ask, What students?

Mercyhurst College is not made up of distinct oreven interested voices.

We are a collective sigh. We are a shrug of theshoulders.We are complainers and cynics, though strictly in

only the most passive of ways.Our views have never been nailed to the door of

Old Main. They are passed around classrooms and

forgotten over the weekend.The faculty, without putting their necks too far

out, are often supportive of such dissent amongstudents. But how often does classroom outrageever grow into anything more than a means to makea martyr out of innocent class time?

It takes so little to get a rise and so much to geta response.There are so many willing to complain and so

few willing to do anything.We pass our on-campus political obligations on

to Student Government, leaving them to representa body of students that cant be bothered to rep-

resent themselves.Mercyhurst is embodied not in the spirit of its

students, but in the ambitions of the Board ofTrustees.

The Board has its own agenda and appears tomake it a negligible priority to concern themselves

with a student body that is uninformed, unmoti-vated and largely silent.

And why should they? We rightful ly expect to beacknowledged and accommodated as the lifeblood

of this college community and the reason that thisplace exists.

But, beyond the virtue of being the all impor-tant student body, we have done nothing to makeourselves stand out as any sort of entity with apurpose.

Spirit, debate, outrage, activism, passion: allhallmarks of the college scene at its best, and allpainfully lacking around here.We need to take ownership of our own school.

That doesnt (necessarily) mean picketing boardmeetings and debating school politics. We needto start out by becoming a student body that is a

volatile, breathing animalexcited and alive.Art, music and literature were each born to feed

such a beast.There are people on this campus who are about

something. They are writers, musicians and genuineintellectuals. As a student body, we have marginal-ized people like this.What is worse is that they have also marginalized

themselves.Mercyhurst has cultivated a climate where it isnt

cool to be passionate. School spirit is for footballgames and artistic expression is for paint splattered

hermits that stalk the east end of Zurn.Reality television celebrities and touring come-dians will pack the Union to capacity while someof the best of our own talent performs for a smallbut loyal group of fans in a remote basement near

Value City, off campus.Our best work is outsourced to academic con-

ferences far away and we act as if we are satisfied

in letting our music scene come exclusively fromDAngelo. There are a few people out there, active and

alive.It isnt exactly as if we owe them anything, but we

do owe it to ourselves to support campus culturewhen it attempts to take a foothold in any form.

We need to support each other. We need to befans and we need to be critics. We need to showup.We need to get upset, riled up and ticked off.The campus is on autopilot and there are days

when it seems like it is all that we can do to goget our ticket stub so that we can secure our extracredit.

Life and college are both too short to spend themon autopilot.

The students need a voice. The Merciad needswriters. And the Freedom Zone needs a prayer.

We need to get over the apathy, intimidation andprocrastination that keep us talking only out of thesides of our mouths.

Sometimes all we need is a little push.A letter to the editor can be the beginning of

something beautiful.

By Josh WestContributing writer

Dear Madam Malarky,

Why does it appear that this campus has many lets

just say loose women. Yet, somehow I cannot find one. Anysuggestions?

From,

Unlucky Fellow

My dear unlucky fellow, what has come intoyour fogged mind is that women simply have twoextremes when it comes to gentlemen such as

yourself.O n e t y p e

women go foris one that re-quires no stan-dards to be met.

A male can begreasy haired,

wearing holesin their jeans in

order to struttheir boxers and have nothing to offer other than

themselves.The other extreme is that the standards are fartoo high.

Certain qualifications from these type of womeninclude: being well dressed with touchable softclothing, not wearing too much cologne, wear-ing hole-less jeans (ultra rare around here), hav-ing neatly groomed hair, but yet not to stiff toplay with, being intelligent (another rarity), being

confident but not full of themselves, having tiesto money also doesnt hurt, and lastly not have asingle track mind. Those are the top credentialsthat jump to my mind.With the two extremes defined, perhaps women

in general need some more explanation. Women, as previously stated in some articles

from the past, can be needy, clingy, generally inse-cure, money-wasting creatures that require almostthe same amount of attention that a newborn

requires.Its a wonder why males are attracted to females

at all with this very basic description. So ladies,

consider yourselves lucky if you have a boyfriendwho provides your every need.

It is a common belief that women are not as su-perficial as guys are. Unfair as it may be, its the waythe world works. Only a Jennifer Aniston type couldget a Brad Pitt, then break up with them withoutconsequence. Painful to realize, isnt it?

Now to find a woman that lacks any specificat ions.Simply asking another male how they managed tohook up with a woman is just far too easy.

My suggestion is to observe a lady or a groupof ladies.

Remember not to be a stalker. Bury your headin your unopened English textbook if she glancesin your direction. Use the classic befriend one ofher friends to get close to her scheme.

Be as sly as possible. Dont stand out in the crowd.

Continue wearing your torn jeans and stain splat-tered t-shirt. Your intentions wont be known then,

which is what youre going for.After a few days, if she seems to be the type that

goes for any male imaginable then your chances arehigh. Be brave, have some minuscule confidenceand go talk to her. Genuine appropriate compli-ments are helpful.

However, if you want to find a woman with realclass, that requires a lot of time, money and effort.

For a reminder, just look to the first paragraph.Pretending to be someone youre not is not going

to last long. The veil will be pierced so to speak.Furthermore, the one you have strived for will

be infuriated.Be careful of what you wish for. Chances are that

youre going to once again strike out. But thats arisk everyone has to take.

D o n t f o r g e t t o e m a i l M a d a m _ [email protected] or AIM mmalarky04

your questions. Its impossible to be shy, thats thebenefit of cyberspace.

Bursting bubbles one article at a time,Madam Malarky

MadamMalarky

Schedules dominate our lives, inside and outside of Mercyhurst.In the broader sense, were all on the four-year schedule that takesus in and out of Mercyworld. Within these walls, trimesters rule

the day.Life goes by at an unbelievably fast clip here. So much so, infact, that its nearly impossible to express it to those who haventexperienced it firsthand. Were stuck in a revolving door, that per-petual cycle from midterms to finals. And thats when things runon schedule.

The reality is that the terms dont always go away quietly whentheyre supposed to.

Life doesnt function in 10-week bursts. It doesnt allow us to con-tinue, uninterrupted at our chosen pace when the unexpected occurs.Even within our system incompletes happen, carrying the burdenof the last term into the next. At our best, without any surprises, 10

weeks goes by at a blinding pace.So, things move along and that has its advantages. Trimesters work

well for some of the sports teams on campus.Having three terms per year allows us some flexibility in managing

the core. It gives us the privilege of paying for books with threesmaller checks rather than two big ones, a bonus for those on abudget.

Academically speaking, longer class periods allow topics to be dis-cussed with more depth. On a less noble note, the core requirements

that we dread can be put to rest with only brief pain and suffering.The adult students benefit, too. The nontraditionals can enjoy

taking six classes per academic year as opposed to the average fourcompleted at a semester school. However, adult students arentthe majority of the student body and while providing a unique op-portunity for them is nice, it comes at a high price literally andfiguratively.The list of pros puts up a good fight, but the cons of the trimester

system are too many for them to match. We have to ask: Does ithave to be this way? Must we function in this cesspool of stress

and anxiety?Nope. Other schools the world over find 15 weeks to be just about

right for a term. However, this is neither the time nor the place forcomparison. This is meant as a review of trimesters on their ownmerit, not in contrast to any other system. You know how it goes,there just wasnt time for that.

In order to function here, we must all sacrifice at the great altarof the trimester.

For professors, this means again coming to the realization thatthe term is about to end and they must choose between testing and

teaching. Subject matter is reluctantly cut out of syllabi as they resignthemselves to the system.This isnt to say that the fault is theirs.Far from it, in fact.Experienced, competent professors run into this problem on a

regular basis. With every effort towards efficiency and a course

schedule written in stone, the 10-week course still eludes them. LikeNew Years resolutions, the best of intent ions are defeated each term,given up in favor of getting through. Ten weeks of real time nevermatches 10 weeks of bullets on a timeline.The first step is admitting and accepting.Say it together: Ten weeks just isnt enough time.Students feel it as sorely as professors. Readings are skipped and

assignments are done with minimum requirements in mind. Thepush to excel is stamped out by the need to see a G.P.A. thats abovethe wind-chill at the end of the term.

Professors look over mammoth stacks of papers to students stand-ing before them asking for extensions and mercy. We are so caughtup in the perpetual flow of work that digesting the material takesa backseat. The weeks disappear, and soon were all just trying tomake it through another one unscathed.

In a few short weeks, well start the cycle again. Midterms will behere before we know it, and we arent even finished with finals yet.

Our schedules are subject to change without notice - or maybe thatsit, we werent supposed to notice that 20 minute shift.

Our term system is the subject of much debate right now. If theres

a time to start expressing our preferences, its now.Talk to each other, talk to professors, e-mail the administration.

Make it our schedule, functioning the way we want it to.We are the customers, and as we all know, the customer is always

right. Take ownership of the situation; speak loudly enough and youwill be heard. Theres more, but this is late, and we all know the fateof those who fall behind the trimester shows no mercy.

For the past three years I have been purchasing items from CVS, giving them my business andspending quite a lot of money.

Recently, after a dispute over my identification, I asked to speak with the store manager. Shecame out and the problem was still unresolved.

It did not appear as if CVS cared for me as a customer or for my business, so I informed themnot to expect my business in the future.

To this the manager replied, Go elsewhere; we dont make anything from your schoolanyway. I asked, Not even from your pharmacy? and received a quick and short, No!

Obviously it is clear that CVS does not appreciate business from Mercyhurst College students.With their high prices and negative attitude toward us, it is a surprise to see the banner above

their doors welcoming Mercyhurst College students back at the beginning of each school year.This banner now stands as a symbol of contridiction.

Sincerely,Richard Willson

What women wantTrying to figure out females isnt an easy task

Letter to the editor:CVS leaves customer feeling unappreciated

Its about that time ... reflection on trimesters

On the hill and out of touch

By Amy SterlingContributing writer

Photo Courtesy of Katie McAdams

CVS Pharmacy, located convienently on the edge of campus, has been profiting from

Mercyhurst students for years. Now, its appreciation for Mercyhursts business isbeing called into question.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

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In relationships there are numerous times whencouples have told each other lies and half truths.These deceptions may be small or large, ranging

from the No, your butt does notlook fat in thosejeans to larger falsehoods such as lying about whatyou and your friends did the other night to coverup infidelity.The most frequent lie occurs, however, when

couples break up. T h e i n -

evitable wecan sti l l befriends is themost ridicu-lous statement

that couplestell one anoth-er, and what ismore absurdis the fact thatpeople actually fool themselves (for a short periodat least) into believing that this situation might hap-pen in the near future.

Im not going as far as to quote When HarryMet Sally and claim that women and men cannotbe friends. Im simply claiming that when couplesbreak up, the illusion that the relationship willcontinue on a platonic level or revert back to the

way it was previously is completely impossible andjust plain stupid.When a relationship ends, why is it that couples

attempt to remain friends, therefore making aneffort to continue the relationship? Isnt that adirect contradiction to the term break up?The dictionary defines this term as To discon-

tinue an association, an agreement, or a relation-ship, which also mean to break all communication,contact and to generally MOVE ON.This common lie may simply be an attempt to

soften the end of a relationship. Then again, thecommon reason that people in relationships at-tempt to maintain a friendship boils down to onething: the ex-factor.The ex-factor is a measurement of the amount

of emotion and feeling people still retain for theirexes.These two words carry a ton of weight in rela-

tionships and people should never underestimatethe power of this indicator or it will only causefrustration and disillusionment.The ex-factor depends entirely upon the context

of the relationship in question. The longer the re-lationship, the more co-dependent the participants(the unofficial extra roommate in your apartment

was the boyfriend/girlfriend of one of your room-mates) and the amount of drama surrounding thebreak up, the more substantial the ex-factor.The size of this measurement can help determine

whether or not someone you are dating has, in fact,moved on from their previous relationship, or isstill obsessed and unwilling to face the reality thattheir ex is not coming back.Although this may sound harsh and callous, we

all have had a friend that was hung up over an exand lived in a state of constant hope that somedaythey would magically get back together.At first we sympathize and commiserate with

these people, but as time goes on, what they reallyneed is a good slap upside the head to help themrealize that the relationship is over and to stop

wallowing in a glass case of emotion.At this point in our busy lives, a prolonged

mourning period after a break-up is just a vast

waste of time.When dating or entering into a relationship with

someone new, there are numerous indicators of thesize and magnitude of the ex-factor.Warning bells should begin to go off if your new

love interest references or makes a comment abouthis or her ex during a first date or in the early phasesof a relationship.

Now dont get me wrong, Im not implying thatafter a relationship has ended people should erasetheir ex entirely from existence and memory.

However, when you meet someone new andyou are really into this person, your thoughts arefocused on them, not your ex (unless you are mak-ing comparisons between the two, which is anothersign of a potentially significant ex-factor).To detect the magnitude of the ex-factor in this

case, you need to be aware of the extent and contextin which the ex is referenced.

If the ex is mentioned in a very quick, off-handed

way such as making reference to an activity that theyused to participate in together, then the significanceis relatively small.

On the other hand, beware the angry tirade or bit-ter remarks uttered about an ex; perhaps by callingthem not by their real name but referring to themas a swear word or other derogatory title.Another scenario of this kind may include finding

out that this person has destroyed or gotten rid ofany remaining traces of their ex (such as removingany and all objects that remotely remind them ofthis person). In this case, you need to do but onething: run!

Get yourself away from this person before youget dumped on by their enormous load of personalbaggage.This resentment and anger that your new guy

or girl still harbors for an ex signifies once againthat they still retain emotions, although negative,about the relationship and therefore may still notbe over the ex.A general rule of thumb in any situation where

the ex is mentioned in a new relationship: if theyare talking about the ex, they are apparently stillthinking about the ex; therefore, they may still notbe over the ex.

Be cautious, there is nothing worse than being therebound guy or girl or a warm body used duringthe transition phase after a break up.

Save yourself the time and trouble by taking noteof an apparent ex-factor in the beginning. That

way you can get out of this dead-end situation andleave this person to continue their doomed personalpsychological relationship with their ex and theirmisguided illusions.

Now back to the subject of remaining friendswith an ex.

Lets be realistic here, there is the remotepossibilityof becoming friends, but this possibility can onlyoccur in the distant future.There is this little thing called time that people

recognize in the real world of relationships as a vitalcomponent that must be understood and utilizedin the aftermath of a break up.

Once again breaking up means spending timeawayfrom one another, not just through physicalcontact but through the phone (which means tak-ing your ex off of speed or voice dial and endingall good night ritual phone calls).Attempting to be friends with an ex right after

a break-up, stretches the friendship barrier to itslimits by incorporating too many raw emotions intothe situation, therefore decreasing any chance of ahealthy platonic relationship.Try to look beyond your own sphere of self-wal-

lowing pity and realize that life goes on; there are amillion other people in this world that you are notallowing yourself to meet because you are still hung

up over your former boyfriend or girlfriend.Were all too young to be tied down by the ex-

factor.

OPINION

February 2, 2005 THE MERCIAD PAGE 7


Corrie

Thearle

MERCIADKelly Rose Duttine Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Jonelle Davis News Editor [email protected]

Jen Helbig Features Editor [email protected]

Allison Moore Opinion Editor [email protected]

Ryan Palm Sports Editor [email protected]

Meghan Sullivan A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad@mercyhurst .edu

Katie McAdams Photo Editor [email protected] Jack Production Editor [email protected]

Kristen Piquette Advertising Manager [email protected]

Sarah Dowden Copy Editor [email protected]

Emily Crofoot Graduate Assistant [email protected]

The Merciad is the student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is

published throughout the school year, with the exception of midterms week

and finals week. Our office is in the Hirt Center, room L114. Our telephone

number is 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and

names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters

for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due the

Thursday before publication and may not be longer than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485.

The

While many, especially recently, have spoken ofdissolving the United Nations, or at the very least,getting U.S. out of the U.N., its important toremember not only the importance of the organiza-tion, but of the potential the United Nations has.

Mr. Wests emphasis on the U.N.s public relat ionsdepartment is somewhat accurate, however, in lightof the United States recent approach to the U.N.,its not surprising. If the U.N. does not have thesupport of the United States, it will fold just asthe League of Nations did. It needs to preserveits image as a matter of survival.

Obviously, this government is a fair-weatherfriend of the U.N. - if the Colin Powell pictureshow had garnered the answers the administration

wanted, then yes, President Bush wouldnt haveto keep reminding people, You forgot Poland!

because wed have the U.N. behind us, as we hadin Desert Storm.Should the U.N. have this kind of biblical sway

over world events? Seeing how it is the best repre-sentation of the world community, yes. The UnitedStates has a responsibility to this planet, whether

we as Americans like it or not. The planet is hope-lessly linked as globalization ends any thought ofFortress America isolationism. We have no otherchoice but to play ball. If we purport to stand forDemocracy (yes, big D), then we should start act-ing like it. It is to our advantage as a nation if weplay an active and involved role in the internationalcommunity.The U.N. is by nature and necessity Ivor y Tower

politics, because it needs to maintain objectivity inworld events. If a majority of the member nationswere, for example, all possessing the notion thatPalestinians are not entitled to a nation of their

own, the world would be in an even greater mess.The U.N. needs to maintain its distance and worktowards the greater good; it is not and should notbe any nations personal stamp of approval, and ithas a right to say no.The U.N. is certainly in dire need of reforms;

anytime the bureaucracy of an organization cloudsthe original mission, as Mr. West alluded to withthe loss of UNICEF funds due to organizationalexpenses, its time to reshape things.

However, to charge that the U.N. is seeking togain from Iraqs oil is nothing short of ridiculous.Even if its getting a cut (which would be sur-prising considering their original lack of initiative),it will be negligible compared to the deals France,Germany and yes, the U.S. of A have alreadyworkedout with Iraqi oil.

Obviously, the U.N. is not a utopian system ofgovernment. If it was, the Sudan crisis would beover and done with. But our president should notbe praised for simply bulling through democraticprocesses. He is both denying the role of the inter-national community as well as the U.S. in a situationthat affects every nation. The U.N. is a symbol thatdeveloped and civilized nations like ours shouldbe beyond unilateralism. The U.S., of all nations,should understand the benefits of collective deci-sion making and dissent.

On the point of member nations not adheringto parts of the U.N. charter, however, I could notagree with Mr. West more. These countries shouldnot have been admitted in the first place and a sys-tem of admittance (at least as far as humanitarianissues go) similar to the European Unions shouldbe imposed, as a first step. If the U.N. is to be thebest representation of the greatest of human ideals,then it needs a role call that reflects that.

Given more teeth and a bureaucratic weight-lossplan, and strict guidelines for admittance, to thepoint of removing nations who refuse to upholdbasic human rights, the United Nations can be the

vehicle for an age of security and peace, taking usout of this age of fear. The U.N. should be held accountable for its

shortcomings, just as we hold our own governmentresponsible. The answer is reform, not retreat.

Even cowboys are capable of caring about the restof the world, and the U.S. needs to make it clear thatits prepared to help the U.N. out of what hopefullyconstitutes merely a confused adolescence.

Dont give up on the U.N.:A response to UNimpressivefrom the January 12th issue

By Jason EndressContributing writer

The Good, the Bad & the UglyThe Good

Work has begun on repairs to the problems in the DAngelo School of Music. The buildinghas been plagued with water leaks, which destroyed expensive equipment and caused an outbreakof mold. Maintenence crews are attacking the problem, trying to repair damage and preventfurther incidents. Hopefully, progress will continue to be made quickly so students and facultycan return to normalcy.

The Bad

The term is entering into its final weeks. While this alone is a good thing, the work load andstress is far from comforting. Around this time, papers are due, tests are scheduled and projectsare near completion. The extreme amounts of pressure and stress combined with the dismalErie weather is enough to cause insanity. The only solace we have is knowing that the end is insight. But, in order to reach the the relaxation of spring break, the obstacle of finals must firstbe hurdled. Good luck to all.

The Ugly

Registering for classes can be a daunting task, especially when WebAdvisor is not functioningproperly. Many students have complained that complications with WebAdvisor resulted in delayed

registration time, not to mention added stress and frustration. Technology is supposed to makelife easier, but in situations like this its hard to see the benefits.

I hope we can

still be friends

KRT

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Feb. 2, 2005

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ENTERTAINMENTARTS &

PAGE 8 THE MERCIAD February 2, 2005


FEB. 2. Blake Shelton,Keni Thomas. House ofBlues, Cleveland. On salenow.

FEB. 4. Zo2, Hydra, AlexSkolnic Jazz Trio. House ofBlues, Cleveland.

FEB. 5. Yanni. MellonArena, Pittsburgh.

FEB. 5. Alter Bridge, Sil-vertide, Submersed. AgoraTheatre, Cleveland.

FEB. 5. Tequila Sunrise(with Sean Patrick Mc-Graw). House of Blues,

Cleveland.

FEB. 8-20. Musical. Mov-in Out. Palace Theater,Cleveland.

FEB. 7. Soulless, Destruc-tor, Abdullah. House ofBlues, Cleveland.

FEB. 9. Eric Bibb. A jazz vespers concert. ChristFirst United MethodistChurch, Jamestown, N.Y.

FEB. 11. Ray Lamontagne.Beachland Ballroom, Cleve-land.

FEB. 11. Liquid Soul.House of Blues, Cleve-land. On sale Jan. 15 at

Ticketmaster.

FEB. 12. Comedy. Victoria Jackson, Mark Morrow,plus Erie R&B band ByPopu

the merciad, feb. 2, 2005

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