Party not so hearty in RBC

3/27/08

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

New suites will be available for students 21 and older in Rita Bole for the fall semester, which will allow upperclass students the chance to consume alcohol in their common area.

The new suites in RBC are being made available to all eligible students for the 2008 fall semester. The suite arrangements have been in the plans for a while Jonathan Davis, interim director of student life, said. RBC is the most practical choice for having the 21 and older suites since there are more regulations for students to be able to live there, Davis said.

In order to be eligible to live in RBC you must have a minimum GPA of a 2.0 and have a clean judiciary record from the previous school year.

The residential life staff and the school administration are aware that there is the potential for people to abuse the new privileges but, “we’re confident it will work out well,” Davis said. Previously, students who were 21 or older would only be allowed to drink in their rooms and any alcohol in the suite refrigerator would have to be labeled with their name. The new suite arrangements would allow students the opportunity to consume alcohol in the suite area as long as they didn’t engage in inappropriate drinking habits, Davis said.

Any inappropriate drinking includes binge drinking, and any drinking games, Davis said.

Since the 21 and older suites are a new addition to the housing plans, adjustments will be made from year to year to address any issues, Davis said.

Students who are interested in living in a suite designated for anyone 21 and older are required to fill out an application and then they will go through a group interview with their other suite members, and a group signing of the housing contract, Davis said.

Even if a suite has all students over 21 but they don’t have the approved 21 and over status, then they are able to apply for it at any point during the school year. However, students must apply for the 21 or older status in order to be considered a suite that is designated for people over 21, otherwise they wont’ be allowed to consume alcohol in the common area, Davis said.

The 21 and older status can be revoked at anytime due to students abusing the policy or in a worst-case scenario, a younger student is put into the suite because there isn’t room for the person anywhere else on campus, Davis said. “We’ll do our best to not allow a person under 21 in a 21 or older suite,” Davis said.

The hopes for the new housing are that it will teach people how to drink responsibly because, “we know across the campus that we could never say no to alcohol,” Davis said.

The 21 or older suites will most likely not be formed until the school year begins again in the fall but the number of students who are 21 or older is known so the appropriate number of spaces can be made available. RBC has 132 spaces available among 23 suites.

LSC's alcohol and substance use policy

3/27/08

By Joey Stewart
Special to the Critic

According to Vermont State College’s Manual of Policy and Procedures, policy number 306, that pertains to alcohol and substance use on campuses, states:

1. Alcohol shall be sold only by a licensed vendor approved by the Office of the Chancellor of Vermont State Colleges and only as authorized by the Statutes and regulations of the State of Vermont and/or any other appropriate authority.

2. Scheduled use of alcohol on the premises of Vermont State Colleges shall be appropriately supervised and subject to reasonable control.

3. Use of Vermont State Colleges controlled funds, premises, personnel, facilities, services or equipment in connection with any function or event which involves the unlawful use of alcohol, is prohibited.

4. Any use of alcohol, legal or otherwise, which results in the disruption of the academic and/or social climate of the individual institution will be subject to an appropriate disciplinary response.

Yet even with such procedures and regulations in place, many of the incidences that are deemed disruptive on college campuses are usually alcohol related.

Ryanne Ayers, a Residential Assistant in Wheelock for Lyndon State College, stated that, “All of the incidences of disruptive behavior that I have personally dealt with on campus were alcohol related, but then again, I have not really dealt with all that many.”

“Many of the offenses that we deal with involve alcohol,” said George Hacking, director of Public Safety at LSC.

Violations of school policies, as well as violations of state law on campus are normally all alcohol related, Hacking said.

According to the “Statement of Policy” in the Manual of Policy and Procedures, “Consumption of alcohol by any person upon Vermont State Colleges controlled premises shall be only as authorized by statutes and regulations of the State of Vermont and/or any other appropriate authority and shall conform to local institutional and town policies and/or regulations.”

“Our rules on campus coincide with Vermont State laws,” said Ayers.

Gary Thorne, a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC, stated in an article for USA TODAY, titled, “Alcohol-related incidents take joy out of sports 'celebrations'” that, “Binge drinking is an enormous problem on college campuses. Such drinking often occurs around college sporting events. Alcohol and athletes are united and show up at every level of sports in bar brawls and parking lot shootings.”

“Every college has its share of drinking and it seems like there is more here because our campus is small, but I don’t think it’s any worse here than anywhere else,” said Ayers.

George Hacking stated that he doesn’t support the drinking age being lowered to 18, because he has seen many 18-19 year olds on campus who can’t handle alcohol, “Twenty-one isn’t a magic number, but if one has to be set, it’s a good one.”

“I would eliminate it from the residence halls,” continued Hacking, “and I would not be opposed to an on-campus pub-type club that had food, but served some alcohol.”

Students could sit and drink, but take alcohol to their rooms, no under age people would be served, and it would teach people how to handle alcohol in social settings—Hacking said.

When asked what he thought about LSC becoming a dry campus, Hacking stated, “I don’t see where it would change anything. People would still break the rules. They’re doing it now, so what’s one more rule going to do.”

Crunch Time

3/27/08

By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff

The semester is at its half way point, and those with poor grades are stressed and wondering whether they will make the final passing grade.

There can be multiple reasons for poor grades including not understanding the material that is being taught, not trying as hard as you could have or not understanding how to study. All is not lost. There are ways to improve those poor grades!

“I have always had a hard time in math. I am struggling to keep up and understand the material that is being taught in Basic Algebra,” Annie Hinman, a Human Services sophomore, said.

“When people have certain beliefs they only accept things that reinforce that, and that can make for hostile environments, and many times that can affect a students grade,” Joseph Rieckman, a Human Services sophomore, said.” I could be doing better in my classes; but part of the reason that I’m not is due to the fact that I have different views and opinions on moral matters.”

No matter what the reason for doing poorly, there are useful tips to help improve your semester grades, to better understand course material and to bring that poor grade up to a passing grade. Midway in the semester is not too late.

“The three most important things that students can do to improve their grades are one, go to class, two, ask questions and three, keep track of what they are expected to do, rather than waiting for reminders from the professor. Students need to understand that college courses generally require about two hours of studying for each hour in class -- about six hours a week for a three-credit course; if they don't know what they should be studying during those six hours, they should ask,” Andrea Luna, professor of English, said.

These tips from our own professor are reinforced in the website How to Improve Midterm Grades by the End of the Semester.

According to the website, How to Improve Midterm Grades by the End of the Semester on about.com: College Life a way to improve your semester grades is to:

“1) Get organized.
If you don't have an assignment book, get one (and use it).”

“2) Talk to your professors.
Make sure they know that you are committed to improving. Ask if there are any extra credits or practice problems that could help boost your performance.”

“3) Do not miss class.
Students who actually go to class perform better grades than those who don't. Being in class gives you regular access to your professors--this is good because you want them to notice your effort. It also reduces the need for cramming and makes studying a lot easier.”

“4) Identify your weaknesses.
Something went wrong during the first half of the semester, and it's important to figure out what it was. Maybe the essays really killed you, or perhaps you partied too hard. You can't begin to fix a problem until you know what it is.”

“5) Get extra help.
There's no shame in stepping up your game. Study with a friend. Look into tutoring programs. And whatever you do, if your classes offer recitations or study sessions, do not skip them.”

If your grades are not what you would like them to be, following the tips provided can help. With five weeks remaining in the semester, extra effort and work can make the difference. Poor grades can be made better.

Is it the flu?

3/27/08

By Amanda Wozniak
Critic Staff

LSC Senior, Michelle French recently came down with a cold.

“I think I got it from school, just being around everyone else that’s sick,” French said. She has had it for about a week and is going to see a doctor. Her symptoms include a sore throat, runny nose and cough. She is also getting headaches.

She has missed two days of school due to her cold. Her roommate, who also attends LSC is sick as well. “I have what’s going around,” French said.

That’s not all that’s going around, however. “This year there is something else going around. It looks a lot like the flu,” Sue Duckett, a R.N. at the Brown House said.

About five to seven students arrive at the Brown House each day with the same thing. Students started coming in with these symptoms in November then it turned into a “tidal wave” of students, Duckett said. It peaked in January and February.

The students’ symptoms include body aches, fever, a dry cough, headaches, severe tiredness, and chest discomfort, all of which are commonly seen in the flu. Students’ symptoms also include nausea and diarrhea, which is not typical of the flu. Some students are even having a hard time getting out of bed because their body aches are so severe.

“I don’t know how many kids we’ve seen with it, tons and tons,” Duckett said.

Duckett explained that it is difficult to know whether or not these students actually have the flu. If a patient is not tested in the first 24 hours of the onset of symptoms it’s likely to come back negative even if it is present. “It seems like whatever ‘it’ is it’s pretty severe and pretty infectious,” Duckett said.

Almost all of the students that are arriving at the Brown House showing flu-like symptoms did not receive the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine protects against very specific types of the flu (groups A and B). This means that even with the flu vaccination people can still be infected by a different strain. Because viruses have the ability to mutate it can’t protect against all of them.

Duckett recommends getting the flu vaccine in late fall but says it can be taken anytime. The vaccine takes two weeks to become affective. She estimates that there is still about a month of the cold and flu season left.

The flu is an overwhelming infection in your body and can become pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs). Pneumonia can be bacterial or viral. In viral pneumonia antibiotics don’t help.

Duckett also works at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH). She added that people with the same symptoms are overwhelming the hospital. Most people with symptoms didn’t get the flu vaccination while some did. A young healthy woman recently died at the hospital of influenza, something Duckett had never seen before.

Some new strains of viruses can be attributed to travel, which causes a wider spread of illnesses. “Viruses that used to be a little slower to travel around the world are fast,” Duckett said.

Viruses cause dehydration so people with flu-like symptoms or a cold should increase fluid intake. Fluids, rest and Tylenol for pain are three things that will help your body fight a virus. Antiviral medications can be given but they will only shorten the infection by about 24 hours and may lessen symptoms. People with asthma, emphysema, or HIV should take them.

Hand Washing is the best way to prevent a cold or flu. Avoid direct contact with people that are coughing or sneezing and try not to let yourself get run down.

Cooking with Cook: Pizza

3/27/08

Gwen Cook
Critic Staff

So I was getting ready to make pizza for dinner one night last week. My boyfriend suggested doing a couple different pizzas, sort of as an eating contest. I originally was dead set on only the regulars like pepperoni and ham but we started to get creative. Long story short, they were all super delicious and I thought I would share them with you.

Stuffed Crust Hawaiian Pizza
1 pre-made pizza dough
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
8-9 mozzarella sticks
1 jar of diced pineapple, drained
6 slices of ham, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional*)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Flour your hands and begin rolling out the pizza dough on a lightly floured regular sized pizza pan or a 13in. by 9in. cookie pan. Don’t stop until the dough is hanging over the edges. Take the mozzarella sticks and place them about 1 inch in from the edge of the dough. Roll remaining dough over them and pinch to a close. *Lightly brush olive oil over the crust/edges.* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dough. Spread pizza sauce over the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese next followed by the pineapple and ham toppings. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

Broccoli Alfredo Chicken Pizza
1 pre-made pizza dough
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 jar of alfredo sauce
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 cups of fajita chicken, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped and boiled
1 tbsp. olive oil (optional*)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Flour your hands and begin rolling out the pizza dough on a lightly floured regular sized pizza pan or a 13in. by 9in. cookie pan. Don’t stop until the dough is hanging over the edges. Fold the overhanging dough over its self to make the crust. *Lightly brush olive oil over the crust/edges.* Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dough. Spread alfredo sauce over the cheese followed by the shredded cheese. Scatter broccoli and fajita chicken pieces over the top. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

They both require a stove to make but I’m sure the recipes could be changed so that they could be cooked as mini pizzas on English muffins. Be creative.

Intramural Floor Hockey

3/27/08

By Brian Howe
Special to the Critic

Students at Lyndon State College have once again found the delights of intramural floor hockey. The recreational sport almost didn’t happen this year but thanks to Dave Marks and Andy Saltarella they worked together to make it happen.

Every Sunday and Wednesday night from eight to eleven, six teams get together in the Rita Bole gym to play floor hockey. Two teams at a time play for an hour each. Before spring break they play a round-robin tournament, where the teams play each other an equal amount of times. After spring break they have a double elimination tournament. The formats for the tournaments change each year due to the turnout of students that want to participate.

Intramural floor hockey almost didn’t take place this year. Not many people wanted to take on the responsibility of making teams. Mark Evans, a freshmen and a television studies major said, “I found enough people to start six teams. It’s a lot of fun and a great program,” Mark is also the captain of the team Rush. Andy Saltarella, a freshmen and a Business major said, “I am glad we were able to put a league together,” You can find him refereeing while the teams play. They are both very big into hockey, they live together in the same town and wanted a team there but are now happy they can enjoy floor hockey here at the college.

Now that there are more afternoon and evening classes the gyms are used more which made a difference when they needed a facility to play floor hockey. The years prior to this year haven’t been that strong and many students didn’t want to play floor hockey. Sports go in a cycle, a few years they are very strong and sometimes they aren’t. Sue Henry the intramural director for twenty years strong said, “I am very pleased with this year’s turnout, this is one of my favorite activities.” She hopes that the turnout continues in the following years.

Students here at the college also voiced their opinion about intramural floor hockey. Nora Barney, a freshmen and a natural science said, “I think it is lame, to be completely honest it should be on ice.” Rocco D’Amato, a freshmen and a Graphic Design major said, “I would like to play but I have too much work to worry about.” If you would like to play intramural floor hockey it meets every Sunday and Wednesday night at the Rita Bole gym. You can also talk to Sue Henry, the intramural floor hockey director. It is not too late to sign up.

Hornets softball set to take off

3/27/08

By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor

So far, the only thing that’s been holding back the Lyndon State softball team has been the weather.

The team still has yet to play its first game this season, as last weekend’s games at Mass. Maritime Academy got rained out. But that hasn’t dampened the players’ enthusiasm to get back on the diamond.

“I’ve never seen a team with this much desire to be with each other, and to get out and play,” said senior outfielder Angel Phelps, who enters her second year as a team captain.

“I want to lead by example this year, lead with a positive attitude,” Phelps said, noting that she tends to be a little hard on herself at times. She says that the heart on this year’s team is something that outsiders might not notice about the team.

Phelps is looking forward to playing for one more year under Jen Kirchoff, whom she played with as an underclassman.

“Having her as my coach brings back desires for me to push the team,” Phelps said. “Jen pushed me for sure.”

Kirchoff is also looking forward to watching her team play this year as she enters her first full season as the head coach. She likes the leadership her captains will offer to the team, as well as the players’ dedication.

“We have some good bats and a young team,” Kirchoff said about her squad. “Our fielding is going to be key.”

The Lady Hornets will be led by senior Ashlea Bourdon, who is the top pitcher on the staff, along with sophomore infielder Lauren Potter and senior outfielder Erica Kelleher. But there are some freshmen that Kirchoff says we should pay attention to.

“Mary Gagne is a big hitter. She puts some power behind the ball,” Kirchoff said, also praising the work that freshman infielder/outfielder Natalia Shams has done in practice.

Kirchoff thinks her team has a pretty good chance of contending for the USCAA tournament this year.

“If all our heads are there, we should be there, or pretty close to it,” Kirchoff said.

The team will look start that road to the postseason by winning its first games of the year this weekend when they play a pair of doubleheaders against Briarcliffe College and St. Joseph’s College-Brooklyn in New York.

LSC slideshow

Which English Professor has the most books?

By Blair Wolston



LSC students invade New York

By Aimee Lawton

Dean of Mailroom retires

3/27/08

Catherine Story
Business Manager

Harry Swett takes pride in having a good attitude.

“Thanks for paying my bills,” said Swett “If it wasn’t for students I wouldn’t have a job.”

Harry Swett has passion for the students on campus. His son was a LSC sophomore when he was killed in a snow machine accident.

“That’s when I really realized how good the people here are,” Swett said. “I have met some of the kindest nicest people I have ever met in my life.”

Swett has been working at LSC for just under 17 years. He will be retiring on May 18

“I get to graduate from the college mailroom,” Swett said.

Harry Swett spends a lot of time laughing in the mailroom. He grinned for the camera wearing fake teeth covered in bling.

“Sometimes if I know a student is coming I’ll put my hand in their mailbox and when they open it I’ll try to grab them,” Swett said.

“Humor is the grease that keeps the wheel of life turning,” Swett said

“They’re a great student, good attitude,” Swett said pointing to a fake rate he had put in a students mailbox.

“This job has allowed me to be a real good spectator of the next generation,” Swett said. “It’s been so nice to see kids come in as kids and grow up to be mature adults.”

Swett had some comments about troubles he had with the way LSC has changed.

“We are more than a business,” Swett said. “I don’t think students get what they deserve.”

“We are so much becoming a big business rather than caring about people,” Swett said. “If it wasn’t for students none of us would have jobs.”

Swett talked about students who needed help not being able to find the outlets to get it on campus.

“I see a huge disconnect going on,” Swett said “There are three big areas of communication, phones, e-mail and the mailroom.”

“Students aren’t using any of them,” Swett said. “I see that as a big issue.”

Swett was also interested in making a place on campus for people to sit and meditate or pray or simply reflect.

“Life happens, death happens, there is all kinds of stress,” Swett said. “Having a place to go that is private will benefit everyone.”

Swett calls this proposed room the reflection room to avoid being politically incorrect.

Swett has worked in many fields in his life. He worked at the Fairbanks in St Johnsbury, a paper mill, he sold life insurance and he worked for GE in Burlington.

It was at GE that Swett met his wife of almost 38 years.

Swett finally ended up at Northeast tool where he was laid off one week short of a year.

That’s when he started putting in applications. What was suppose to be a temporary job as a janitor progressed in just a few short months into a full time position as the mailroom supervisor.

LSC’s Jiu-Jitsu Club

3/20/08

By Amanda Wozniak
Critic Staff

LSC’s newest club, Jiu-Jitsu, has already gained the interest of 23 members. The club was formed at the Feb. 6 house meeting where its constitution was passed. With house already underway in the budgeting process for the fall semester, the Jiu-Jitsu club is currently operating without a budget.

LSC student, John Shanks, is the founder of the club as well as an instructor. He decided to start the club when he learned his instructor was moving out of town. “It’s a good club to have at the school. There is a lot of interest in this type of sport right now,” Shanks said.

Shanks’ dedication to this combat sport is displayed during his four day a week practices lasting one and a half hours each. He is a white belt and has been studying under Adam Laclair who is a purple belt.

Due to the lack of funding Shanks is beginning to look towards the future. He is contemplating submitting a budget request to get new mats for his club members to practice on. “We’ll probably just finish up the semester using these,” Shanks said, referring to the old torn mats found in the bole gymnasium.

Shanks is planning to attend a week long grappling instructor course to improve his skills as an instructor for the club. His instructor at the course will be Roy Harris who is a fourth degree black belt.

He also hopes to hold a women’s self-defense seminar in the fall, provided he can get funding. The seminar would be instructed by Roy Dean (student of Harris’), and would be free to LSC students.

Myles Hacking, also a white belt who studied under Laclair is assisting with the instruction of practices. However, he finds it difficult to attend practices during the week due to his work schedule.

Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art/combat sport. The sport’s emphasis is on ground-grappling techniques. When sparring a person tries to gain a dominant position using joint-locks and choke holds in order to force their opponent into submission.

Just as in other martial arts, jiu-jitsu uses belt rankings to distinguish the level of technical knowledge a person has as well as their performance in sparring and competitions. The rankings are as follows: white, blue, purple, brown and black. When training recreationally one can expect to train for two years in each level before being promoted to the next belt. A back belt can take anywhere from 6-12 years of training to achieve.

The club meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for recreational classes instructed by Shanks. These practices focus on basic techniques needed to move up in belt rankings. Another class is held on Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This class focuses on takedown techniques needed for competitive fighting, instructed by both Shanks and Hacking.

Gas prices on the rise and no end in sight

3/20/08

By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff

Rising gas prices are yet one more obstacle in the way of getting an education for a single mother and student at LSC.

“The increase in gasoline prices is ridiculous. It makes attending college as a single mother commuter very difficult. It’s one more obstacle in getting an education,” Audrey Perry, a senior majoring in early childhood and elementary education, said.

It is costing everyone a small fortune to fill up their gas tanks. In the Northeast Kingdom the average price for one gallon of unleaded gas is between $3.22 and $3.29.

The increases in gasoline prices are hitting many people hard. “I am not traveling as much as I normally would due to the increase in gasoline prices, Jennifer Lavoie, a transfer student, who is majoring in nursing, said.

According to USA Today, “gasoline prices are predicted to increase another 24 cents a gallon in the next few days, as the USA scrambles to keep up with big jumps in the prices of oil and wholesale gas.”

Many students are making sacrifices in order to afford gas and to continue to further their education. “I bought a “new” car that is better on gas. Any money I make goes into savings in order to afford the 45 minute commute five days a week from Bradford to Lyndon State,” Perry said.

As the warm weather approaches the gasoline prices are expected to increase due to the fact that it will increase demand with no end in sight.

Gas saving tips from ABC News.com:

1. “Stay in Tune – Make sure that your vehicle has routine maintenance checks. Vehicle maintenance saves gas. Use the recommended motor oil, replace dirty air filters, keep tires -- including the spare -- inflated to the proper pressure, and tune up your engine.”

2. “Cool it—Drive at a consistent speed. By accelerating at a fast speed at every green light, then slamming on the brakes at the last minute, uses more gas. By driving at a consistent speed can save over 30 percent of the gasoline you use.”

3. “Lighten Up – When traveling keep the luggage off the roof rack and carry as little weight as possible. The extra pounds in the trunk or backseat make the engine work harder and consume more fuel.”

4. “Lose the Lead foot – By driving the speed limit you can save up to 14 percent of your gas.”

5.”Take a Cruise -- Using cruise control keeps you at a consistent speed rate and can save on fuel.”

HPV at LSC

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3/20/08

By Amanda Wozniak
Critic Staff

Six LSC women tested positive for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) last year of the 48 women that had a Pap test conducted at the LSC Health Services Department.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s research shows that by the age of 50, at least 80% of women will have acquired at least one type of HPV. None of which are curable.

“Our numbers are not huge but my suspicion is there are people that are not being tested because they feel safe that they are using birth control,” Sue Duckett a R.N. at the Brown House said. Since the number of students who had a Pap test in the past year is so small Duckett does not feel that the 12.5% of women that tested positive is an accurate sample of the college as a whole. She added that many students use other facilities such as Planned Parenthood.

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is passed through skin-to-skin contact with a person who has the virus on their skin. According to the Planned Parenthood website there are 40 types of HPV that are STIs. There are two types of HPV within the 40 types, Low-risk and high-risk. According to

Low-risk HPV may cause genital warts. High-risk HPV can cause cell changes that may lead to cervical cancer. There are also many types of HPV that have no harmful affect at all. It’s a common virus infecting about 20 million people in the U.S. Between 50% and 75% of these cases are high-risk.

For the past seven years the nurses at the Brown House have conducted a Colposcopy on any patient with HPV as a routine follow-up. A Colposcopy is a closer examination of the Cervix to evaluate potentially cancerous cells. If potentially cancerous cells are present a biopsy of the cells is performed for verification.

Recently Health Services received a new guideline from Fletcher Allen Health Care stating that if a Pap test detects abnormal cells in females under the age of 21 they should follow-up with another Pap test in 12 months instead of a Colposcopy. This is the average time a woman would wait if the Pap test showed that no abnormal cells were present.

The FDA recently approved Gardasil, an HPV vaccine for girls and women ages 9-26. According to the Gardasil website it protects against 4 types. Types 6 and 11 are reported to have caused 90% of genital warts cases. Types 16 and 18 account for 70% of cervical cancer cases. There are approximately 15 high-risk types.

Women that get this vaccine “should still use barriers like condoms” because it does not eliminate the chance of infection entirely, Duckett said. The school’s insurance will cover the cost of this vaccine for students under the age of 19. Gardasil is a series of three shots.

HPV is not the only STI that affects LSC students. From Fall 2007 to the present 8 people tested positive for Chlamydia. “In this day and age it does not make sense not to use condoms,” Duckett said. The Brown House also tests less than 10 students a year for HIV none of which have been positive.

Cooking with Cook: Party!

3/20/08

By Gwen Cook
Critic Staff

College parties aren’t exactly known for their smorgasbord of appetizers. Just trust me on this when I say that they usually consist of mostly drink and no food. This is completely understandable when you consider what college parties are actually for. Most students typically aren’t rolling in the money either. So in this column I wanted to share some good party appetizers that will appeal to your guests without robbing you blind.

Cheese Nachos
1 container of salsa
1 16 ounce container of sour cream
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 bag of tortilla chips

Combine the salsa and sour cream in a medium container. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.

Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
1 package of microwavable chicken nuggets (pre-cooked)
1 cup honey
½ cup Dijon mustard

Cook chicken in microwave according to directions on the package. Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl. *Note* honey mustard sauce tastes best when prepared a day or two in advance.

Fruit Platter with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
1 container of strawberries
2-3 apples
1 small bag of grapes
1 bundle of bananas
1 container of microwavable chocolate dip

Arrange strawberries, cored and slices apples, grapes, and bananas on a tray. Heat the chocolate dip in the microwave according to the directions on the package.

Meat Roll-ups
1 container of sliced chipped beef
1 package of cream cheese

Spread cream cheese over slice of chipped beef. Roll up. Repeat procedure until the jar is empty and the cream cheese runs out.

McGowan's art

3/20/08

By Norman Johnson
Special to the Critic

On a bright day last week retired LSC art professor, Dorian McGowan sat down in the sun-splashed college library to paint junior Joey Stewart's portrait.

"I've always done portraits of people because I like people," said Dorian, as he poured a spot of dark acrylic paint onto a white porcelain pan, dabbed a flat brush through it and in broad sweeping strokes outlined Stewart's face, nose, and mouth on a white panel. Rinsing the brush in a small glass of water, he washed the brushstrokes into a blur. As he painted he talked.

Dorian, as he is generally known, came from North Fairfax, Vt. "Mostly Holstein cows," he said. "My father drove me every day to Catholic school in St. Albans. All the art was very controlled. The nuns considered art a sin." But several sisters gave art lessons for 75 cents a lesson. They used still-lives, plaster hands, busts of Caesar and such but with such a passion for art, Dorian didn't care. "One nun brought in a sauce pan, 'Here draw this,' she said. I was so excited," Dorian said.

As he brushed flesh tones into the portrait, he continued. "I was given $1 for lunch everyday." Dorian said. Every day he'd have an art lesson for 75 cents then go into the village and buy crackers with what was left. He did this from second grade to his senior year. Drawing for Dorian was as important as eating.

"I got a scholarship to go to St. Michael's." Dorian said. "But I didn't want to be a priest. I wrote to Norman Rockwell out of the blue and he wrote back. It was a very sweet letter," Dorian said. Rockwell encouraged him to look beyond Vermont and he wrote to the well known art college, Pratt in N.Y.

"It was pretty intimidating. Brooklyn was terrifying." Dorian said. He took the entrance test and was accepted. "Because the nuns were teaching academic drawing. Nobody was doing it in those days. Everyone else was doing Jackson Pollack like stuff, here I was doing figure drawings." At Pratt most of the students majored in industrial design or fashion, Doran was dedicated to teaching.

Dorian extensively uses "found" materials in his artwork. He transforms detergent bottles, machine parts, and wood scraps into portraits, scenery, and mythical gods. He knits wool into arms, legs, and other forms. He beats tin can tops into domes, works worn out bicycle parts into sunbursts of gears, and loops of chain become hair or kinetic sculpture. Dorian doesn't brag about being a recycler in its popular form, however. "I'm a cheapskate." He says matter-of-factly. "I hate spending a lot of money on supplies. I was the cheapest faculty member on campus."

A story goes: a copy machine was malfunctioning in the art building one week; printing bar-code-like stripes down each page of paper. Dorian and another artist rearranged the copier mistakes into birch bark designs and had an exhibit. "What Happens when Faculty Members Play Together." They called it.

Dorian came to Lyndon State College in 1959 and taught until two years ago. "I liked our type of student," he said. "Some of the best were from recreation, excited about what they were doing. You don't get that from art students." With finishing strokes of his brush he added: "Kids should be allowed to express themselves. Who are we to silence other people's songs. Right?" Dorian said as he washed in a blue background to Stewart's finished portrait.

New beginnings coming to the SGA

3/20/08

By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff

With spring just around the corner there are new beginnings that are coming from every direction.

In the beginning of April elections will be taking place for new representation for the Student Government Association (SGA). With new representation on the board, the SGA can move forward and put to rest past issues that the SGA have had.

The SGA’s main responsibility is to ensure that the clubs have adequate amounts of money, and that the student body is represented when deciding the actions that the school takes. “The committees that are sat on by the SGA help things get done for the students. We as students pay tuition, and we the student pay activities fees. The tuition pays the professors and the administration. Student activity fees that we as students pay should be spent on the students’ wishes”, Stephan Gingras said. Gingras is a 4th year senator on the SGA board.

In April there will be many positions that students can run for. There will be 4 executive board positions and 19 elected representative positions. “I hope to see an active student body running for the executive board and elected representations”, Jonathan Maciel said. “We need people who are motivated and dedicated to making the campus a better place as a whole for everybody that goes and works at LSC.”

In order to hold a seat on the SGA candidates must meet certain requirements. There are different requirements for the executive board and for the elected representatives. For the executive board students must carry a 2.5 GPA

President - Requires one year of SGA experience
Vice President - Requires one spring semester of SGA experience
Treasurer - Requires approval from the SGA and Business Department
Secretary - Requires one semester of SGA experience
To be appointed and be an elected representative you must carry a 2.0 GPA

On the SGA board there are
Elected Representatives:
3 Representatives for each LSC year (5 through 1)
2 Non-Traditional Representatives
2 Commuter Representatives
“There are many committees and issues on the campus that require our attention and we need a strong supporting cast to get things done. I would hope to see a full board of petitions for people running who are aware that they shouldn't be taking it lightly”, Maciel said. “The students should take power and make sure they have power over the judicial board”, Gingras said.

Hornets prepare for spring sting

3/20/08

By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor

Fresh off their trip to Florida over winter break, the Lyndon State baseball team is busy preparing for the season as they wait for the snow to be cleared off the field.

With eight seniors and six juniors on this year’s roster, the Hornets return plenty of experience and leadership from last season, which could lead to some more wins this season.

Head coach Ryan Farley believes that senior leadership and offense are some of this team’s strengths.

“Our bats are a strong point,” Farley said. However, he did admit that since the team is practicing in the gym, the players are limited in what they can do, and he won’t know for sure what guys are capable of until they can start practicing outside.

“Everyone looks good in the gym,” Farley said.

One of the pitfalls for the team is how the weather combines with their schedule to make for some long days. Most of the team’s game days consist of doubleheaders, which can affect how the players think during the course of the games.

“One of our weaknesses is staying in the game mentally, especially in the second game of a doubleheader,” Farley said, adding that players sometimes make poor decisions at the plate in those situations.

Farley has very high praise for the teams that the Hornets will play this season. He says that there are no easy wins on the schedule.

“There are no gimme games,” Farley said, mentioning that Castleton State has become a very strong baseball team.

“Castleton has built a good program. They’re fun to play against,” Farley said.

Farley, who has been the head coach for four years, thinks this is the team’s best chance to contend for postseason play. He says there’s a good possibility of going to the USCAA tournament if the team can avoid injuries and make the plays they need to make. He also believes the team’s hitting and pitching can carry them into the postseason.

The Hornets will be led by their senior captains, outfielders Adrian Guyer and Rob Malloy, and catcher Matt Lapham. Lapham spent the summer with the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Guyer will finally have a chance to play a full season after battling injuries each of the last two years.

“Hopefully I can stay healthy,” Guyer said about his final season of college baseball. “I had to do a lot more to prepare myself because of injuries.” Guyer hasn’t played a full season since his sophomore year due to a hamstring injury last year and shoulder surgery the year before that.

Junior lefthander Matt Picard will be looked upon to be the ace, the leader of the pitching staff. While he’s pleased with the honor, he believes there are several other candidates for that role.

“It’s great that Coach thinks I’m at that level. Any one of us could be the ace of the staff,” Picard said. “I’m glad that Coach sees that leadership in me.”

Picard believes that the schedule could be a pitfall when it comes to the pitching staff staying healthy. The team has to play 13 doubleheaders in order to get all their games in before the end of the season in May.

“We just need to stay healthy, pitch well, and take care of our arms,” Picard said. “And hopefully our offense will give us some support.”

The Hornets will open their season this weekend with a doubleheader at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Mass. Their home opener will be on April 15, a doubleheader against Daniel Webster College.

Cab cuts cause for concern

3/20/08

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) recently found itself on the receiving end of budget cuts during Wednesday night’s house meeting.

For the first time during a house meeting, CAB had their budget cut in order to prevent the other clubs from having their budgets be further reduced. CAB has an advantage over most clubs since it is guaranteed that the club will receive 50 percent of the student activities fee.

CAB’s budget for the 2008-2009 year was originally $119,000 but after the recent cuts it was reduced to about $100,000. “Based on this year’s costs we’ll have to adjust,” Kate Murphy, CAB adviser, said in response to the budget cut. Due to rising costs, especially with gas prices will be forced to scale down, Murphy said.

One of the more expensive events for CAB is the number of bus trips to different places because a bus typically costs about $3000. CAB increased the number of bus trips this year because of their popularity on campus and not because President Carol Moore requested they do so as some believed, Murphy said.

If CAB’s budget had been cut below 50 percent then the money would be taken from elsewhere such as, the general fund, Murphy said. “I understand why the cuts needed to made however, the cuts hurt CAB’s ability to host activities,” Murphy said. “We’ll have to make do with what we have,” Murphy said.

CAB asked for more money for next year in order to offset the rising costs associated with the variety of activities that are done. CAB’s budget for this year was around $82,000, which was just enough to cover costs, Murphy said. With the bus trips CAB paid a $200-$300 surplus to cover the cost of fuel, Murphy said.

The areas of CAB’s budget that were cut include their large venue section, which covers any events that are held in the Alexander Twilight Theater. These events cost $1,000 or more. The opening weeks section was also cut which would cover costs for the large number of events that are hosted during the first full week of the fall and spring semesters.

Money was cut from CAB’s commuter day funds however, funding will be taken from other areas in order to still host some commuter events, although there won’t be as many events, Murphy said. The commuter day events were targeted at students who couldn’t attend events later in the evenings.

Fund raising could be a future task undertaken by CAB although, it is very difficult to raise the amount of money CAB lost through fund raising alone, Murphy said.

In the future Murphy would, “love to se people come to the meetings so that they can better understand why CAB gets so much money.” If students have any suggestions they are encouraged to email either Murphy or Brandon Buckley.

CAB meets at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights in the CAB office in the student center.

Homeless speak with Critic reporters in NYC

By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
Critic Editor

Abdullah Hakeem Muhammad Rasheed is homeless; his only job is selling copies of The Onion in and around Times Square, NYC for $3 a copy, (of which he said he collects $1.50 as his commission) he'll also take any food you haven't eaten if he happens to find you sitting inside the nearby McDonald's.

"Some days it's good, some days it's hard," Rasheed said about the newspaper selling business. "The winter is hard."

Rasheed said he's been homeless for the past three years. He doesn't care for the homeless shelter system in NYC, and prefers to sleep on the subway.

"They didn't want to give me a job," Rasheed said. "I have seizures."

Rasheed, 35, said he was born with epilepsy, and that his dream job is to be a rapper.

While being interviewed by The Critic inside the McDonald's on Broadway, Rasheed would stop and listen to some of his favorite singers on the radio. Tracy Chapman is a favorite, so is Tupac Shakur, Run DMC, Ice T, Ice Cube, and Nice n' Smoove.

Both Rasheed's parents have passed away, most recently his mother in 2000, something he doesn't normally talk about, Rasheed said.

Rasheed's plans for the future are to "Keep on doing good things for Allah."

He also has some ideas on how to make life for the homeless better in NYC. "Give us our own lockers, with locks on it so other people can stop stealing from others."

Above: The McDonald's Rasheed sometimes sells papers in.

The faces behind SGA

3/13/08

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor


With a relative lack of knowledge about the role of SGA on campus, its two advisors work quietly behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly.

Brandon Buckley and Kate Murphy, advisors to SGA, are a driving force behind the club. Both advisors are required to be involved in the club as part of their residence hall director contracts.

Even with previous experience with organizations similar to SGA, both advisors still encounter problems, Buckley said. “I have a background heavily in student activities and student governments,” Buckley said. One of the biggest issues is getting the SGA group to understand the role that both advisors play, Buckley said. Another issue is with “people trusting our input,” Murphy said.

Another serious issue is the difficulties encountered with trying to increase awareness about SGA’s purpose, “it is an uphill battle to get information out there,” Murphy said.

As advisors, both Murphy and Buckley are there in order to interpret SGA’s constitution, take care of the nuts and bolts, and to “put out fires,” Murphy said. Murphy and Buckley also act as a sounding board for ideas from the group.

One advantage for SGA is the fact that “we have a lot of insight into the school,” Buckley said. “Ultimately we may offer different perspectives on issues,” Murphy said.

With three years of experience in SGA, both Buckley and Murphy have seen numerous changes including a more recent change to a unified system, which has increased the overall efficiency of SGA, Murphy said.

This year there is a larger variety of representatives, which generated much greater discussion, and consideration of the issues,” Murphy said. Both advisors like the new system but “I would like to get students to the point where they feel like it [the system] will succeed,” Buckley said.

Buckley and Murphy do not serve SGA exclusively, “we’re not just here for students but also for the community,” Buckley said. Buckley and Murphy have been involved in community-based programs such as a Santa fund, Oxfam, and a shelter walk.

“We’re here to support anyone in whatever they want to do,” Buckley said. Students are encouraged to drop by the SGA office and propose any ideas they have for something they would like to do either on the campus or off campus, Murphy said. Students are also welcome to voice any concerns that they may have.

Since neither Buckley nor Murphy will be advisors to SGA forever, both would like to see that after they leave, “we hope that we have instilled enough respect to do it [SGA] justice.”

Buried Car in Stonehenge Parking Lot

3/13/08

By Joey Stewart
Special to the Critic

A vehicle in the Stonehenge parking lot has recently become visible with the melting of snow after being buried and repeatedly plowed in over the past two months.

The car had been completely covered over with snow, and has yet to show itself in its entirety, although a small portion of the vehicle is now in plain view.

“I first noticed it over break,” Sara Marquette, a sophomore, said. “It was pretty covered, but you could still see that it was red. I think that it has been there since the first plowing that was done in that parking lot.”

“I don’t know what the deal is with that car,” Charles Forest, a Public Safety Officer said. “My boss told me that it was fine where it is. I don’t really know who it belongs to, or whether it belongs to a student or a faculty member. We are not liable for any damage that has been done to the car. George Hacking sent out multiple e-mails, letting students know about plowing being done in that area.”

“They e-mail you when they want you to move your car, and will give you a set time to do so,” Marquette said. “And say that they will tow your car if it is not moved. The owner of this car probably either did not get the e-mail, or maybe their car would not start.”

The vehicle actually belongs to Rebecca Paskell, a sophomore, and it is a 1994, burgundy, Ford Mercury Sable.

“I had it towed up here in January when I moved into the dorms. I rolled it over a year ago and ever since then it has real problems,” Paskell said. “It lasted me about a year before it crapped out. I was in the middle of a class when I got the e-mail, and I could not go out and move it in time, so it got buried.”

Public Safety does not know why the car was not towed instead of being plowed under the way that it was and said that maintenance is in charge of the plowing and snow removal, Forest said.

“I don’t think that they should have plowed all that snow up against it,” Marquette said. “But I don’t think that Public Safety or Maintenance is responsible for any damages to the vehicle. It’s the student’s responsibility to move their cars when they get the e-mails.”

“I don’t really care about any damage done to my car,” Paskell said. “What are they going to do, damage it worse than it already is? It is a storage locker for right now, it’s filled with all kinds of crap. I am going to see if I can get some burly men to help me dig my car out because I think that I am going to need the help, or maybe I will talk to Maintenance and see if they will help me with some of their equipment.”

Cooking with Cook: St. Patrick’s Day

3/13/08

Gwen Cook
Critic Staff

St. Patrick’s Day is a time for celebration and party’s. Here are a few traditional recipes to try and serve at your own celebration.


Tipsy Cake,
1 pound Stale cake (pound -- angel)
3 tablespoons Jam
5 fluid ounces Sherry
1 pint Warm custard
10 fluid ounces Whipped cream
Break up the cake or cakes and gently mix the jam through -- the mixture does not have to be completely even. Place in a glass bowl. Mix sherry and whisky and sprinkle over cake. Press down lightly. Pour custard over the cake, and chill. Then spoon whipped cream over top and serve.

Frozen Black Irish
1 Part Coffee Liqueur
1 Part Irish Cream
1 Part Vodka
1-2 Scoops Chocolate Ice Cream
Mix ingredients in a blender and then add ice. Blend until smooth.

Bubble and Squeak
5 Medium Potatoes; peeled, boiled, and diced
1/2 Pound Bacon; broken in to 1 inch pieces
1 Head cabbage -- cut 1/4" slice
1/2 Cup Water
Salt to taste
Extra water
In large iron skillet, brown bacon. Remove bacon. Pour off all grease except 2-3 tbsp. Add cabbage and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes.
Add potatoes and cabbage along with the bacon. Add salt to taste. Cook another 10 minutes. Extra water may be added while cabbage is cooking, but during last few minutes let mixture brown.

Wireless goes private

3/13/08

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

A change in Federal laws forced LSC to tighten security on their wireless network.

Eight months ago, a Federal law was changed in order to allow the government to monitor all network traffic. Initially, all educational institutions were asked to install new software, which would cost thousands of dollars, Mike Dente, head of IT, said.

The educational institutions lobbied against having to pay for new software and instead, they were simply required to limit the accessibility of their networks, Dente said. “Someone could drive into a parking lot and hop on the network,” Dente said. Now that authentication is required to access the network, it will slow people down who try to use the wireless network who don’t attend, or work at, LSC.

“Generally we don’t have a problem with people jumping on our wireless,” Dente said.

If LSC didn’t comply with the new guidelines on protecting the wireless network then it would be taken down.

The only problems encountered so far with the changes to the wireless network access are that many students deleted or simply skipped over the e-mail that had the new password, Dente said.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is the fact that many students have wireless routers in their dorms that aren’t protected, which is in violation of the new federal law, Dente said. In order to deal with this, IT would conduct an audit either later this semester or in the fall and any routers that aren’t protected, IT would help to protect, Dente said.

“It’s not a problem as long as they [wireless routers] are secure,” Dente said.

Equipment is being put up that would allow for students to have wireless access in their dorms in which case, students with their own routers would be asked to remove them, Dente said. “I don’t want to have to take it [wireless routers] away,” Dente said.

It is a possibility that the password to access the wireless network would be changed in order to slow people down who aren’t part of the LSC community from using it, Dente said.

Drag ball nearly canceled

3/13/08

By Andrew R. Koch
Critic Staff

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) has offered their services to the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) group to put on their annual Drag Ball.

With their numbers dwindling, GSA was nearly forced to cancel their annual Drag Ball, easily their most popular event each year. The GSA is still looking to get some of its members to help out with the event, specifically with setting up and breaking down. However, getting members to show up to their meetings has been a problem this semester.

“Last semester, some of our old members dropped out due to personal issues,” said GSA President Khristina Jaborek, adding that one of the former members was about to be placed on academic probation.

Jaborek admits that the group’s meeting time isn’t the most convenient for its members. On Wednesday, only five members showed up to the meeting as they prepared for the most recent Student Government budget meeting later that night.

“We have 30 members. We’re trying to set up a second meeting time during the week so more of our members can attend,” Jaborek said. She also said that some of the group’s members just couldn’t be depended on to attend the meetings.

Jaborek says that the GSA hasn’t received a good name or reputation in the past.

“People don’t really know what it is,” said the club’s advisor, Hope Abarno. She says that a lot of people simply assume that the group is for gays only. It turns out, however, that this isn’t actually the case.

“Most of our members are straight or bi (sexual),” Abarno said.

It is unknown at this time when the Drag Ball will be held.

Birth control prices rising throughout the country and Lyndon State

3/13/08

By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff

There are millions of college students that are facing the fact that birth control prices are skyrocketing.

Prices for oral contraceptives or birth control pills are nearly doubling at student health centers, the reason being the complex changes in the Medicaid rebate law.

Nationwide students are paying nearly $20 per month for prescriptions that were costing them $10 only a few months ago. Due to the increase, college students are starting to have to make tough choices regarding birth control such as, purchasing cheaper brands of birth control, or all together not using birth control.

When the Deficient Reduction Act went into effect in 2007, one of the downsides was that birth control costs for colleges has skyrocketed. “A case of birth control used to cost $400. It now costs $4000. Students costs used to be $3 a pack and now it’s gone up to $10,” Miriam Simon said.

According to the article, Birth Control Prices Soar on Campuses, about 39 percent of undergraduate women use oral contraceptives, according to an estimate by the American College Health Association based on survey data.

The rising cost of birth control has many health professionals worried. According to the University of Iowa, worries include unintended pregnancies by women who are less likely to consistently take a daily pill.

There are many college health centers that say the increase in birth control prices are threatening the quality of services that they can provide due to the fact that the increase in prices has eaten into their profits that they can make.

Planned Parenthood is planning a nationwide, college awareness protest/ petition-signing event that brings attention to the issue of the increase in cost.

The Real Russia

3/13/08

By Shandi Barclay
Travel Correspondent

I’ve traveled to Russia twice now as part of the school trips with our social science professor, Alexandre Strokanov. I went, most recently this January with a group of eight other people.

In America we see a certain image of Russia; how cold and uninviting the culture seems or how they have poor health care, etc. However, all of those ideas have no merit at all when you actually have a chance to experience Russian culture firsthand, which most Americans will never get. They don’t get to see the yelling of jokes across delicious and massive dinners, nor do they see the beautiful buildings, the rich historical districts, or the country’s advancing modernity.

The LSC cadre consisted of our teacher and leader Dr. Strokanov, his good friend and our driver, whom we dubbed “Alexandre Two”, Katie Gilbert (LSC alumni), and fellow students; Jennifer Driver, Caitlin Murphy, Amanda Winter, Avery Williams, and Aimee Bathalon.

We did some of the usual tourist sightseeing; the Kremlin, St. Basil’s, a couple museums, but for the most part, every night we had an experience with the Russian culture and different people.

One of our first nights we had a dinner planned with Alexandre Two’s brother-in-law, a Russian Muslim and former military general. We got there and sat down for dinner and drinks; and the food never seemed to stop coming. As the evening progressed everyone loosened up and soon we were all laughing, joking, and telling stories. We asked the general questions about his life in the military, how he met his wife, and about why he was a vodka-drinking, pork-eating Muslim (to which he jokingly responded “the Communists make me do it”). Toasts were made every five minutes with each toast taking double that time to announce and translate. Five courses and about a dozen toasts later we had to tell the general’s wife to stop cooking because we couldn’t eat anymore. We made final toasts to them being such wonderful hosts and they responded back with one about how great we were as guests. We learned that night that Russian hospitality was much more generous and warm than most Americans can ever know.

The next morning we visited a beautiful church, where the highest archbishop in the region took an hour of his time to guide us through the church and described to us the significance of every fresco, icon and story behind the church’s history. We went out that night to a giant mall complex for a very ‘traditional’ Russian dinner and activity of pizza and bowling. There were hundreds of stores and a huge arcade. This seemed like the epitome of modernity, that as Vermonters, we don’t even really see in the United States. Once again, the view some Americans have that Russia is a very poor and collapsing place, void of any luxuries, was completely disproved.

For our next stop, we drove on back roads for a long time until it seemed like we were on a narrow, snow-covered logging trail. Our cabin was one of probably seven houses on the entire road, only two of which were inhabited year-round. It was very rustic with electricity that only worked when the wind wasn’t blowing. Despite that, we just reminded ourselves that very few people get the opportunity to do what we were experiencing, and had a great time. Our hosts cooked us a large dinner and before long we were all around the table singing, eating, toasting, joking, and telling stories; very reminiscent of our dinner with the military general in Vladimir. During our stay there, we learned quickly that singing was a large part of their culture. They sung folk songs often and everyone would join in. The next day we played some traditional Russian winter games, which gave us a look at how some of the more village-style people live during the harsh winters. That day was also their Christmas Eve, so to celebrate we went into the nearest small village. There was a talent show going on with different local people singing and dancing on stage. Their version of Santa Clause was giving out “presents” to different audience members. Later they got a bunch of us up on stage with them, dancing with St. Nicholas and gave each of us different traditional Russian instruments to try. It was fun and proved once again how energetic and exuberant their culture was. We got back that night and our hosts had set up fortune telling for us. Christmas Eve was special in that one could find out who their future husband would be. It was interesting and we got a chance to learn about some Russian superstition and practices, which we otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to experience.

We had our last dinner at Alexandre Two’s house in a suburb outside of Moscow, where we toasted to a wonderful trip with a lot of cultural understanding and many memories. As a group, we learned a lot about Russia and its people. As I said before, the culture we experienced there was far different than what a lot of Americans perceive it to be, mainly because they’re lacking that firsthand knowledge. I feel that many Americans would have a very different image of Russia if everyone was just able to spend some time in their culture and have a chance to experience what we did this January.

Rail Jam

3/13/08

Catherine Story
Managing Editor

The Rail Jam at Burke Mountain was started by the LSC Daggers and has become a tradition.

Steve Mahon, an LSC alumnus who majored in ski resort management, organized the event.

“The spirit of shred is stronger than ever. Each year, the course design gets more technical and the skiers and riders get even gnarlier,” Mahon said.

The winners of the event were divided into two groups snowboarders and skiers.

The snowboarders placed as follows. Braedon Bellavance an LSC ski resort management major placed first followed by Sean Guyer a senior at Lyndon Institute. Third place went to Seth Demers a Jay Peak local.

The skiers placed as follows Nate Bevelaqua an LSC ski resort management major won the competition. Currie Broadrick from UVM placed second and Jeff Scarpino an LSC ski resort management major placed third.

“Videos of previous rail jams can be found on YouTube.com if you search ‘Dagger’s Rail Jam’’,” Mahon said.

A video of the rail jam can be viewed at http://www.iheartsnowproductions.com/

Lyndon State transfer brings Big Apple flavor to NEK

3/13/08

By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor

Lyndon State has a number of students from the New York Tri-State area, but not so many students from the city itself. That’s what makes Cesar Martinez’s journey to Lyndon State very interesting.

Martinez is a junior guard for the men’s basketball team. A native of East Harlem in Manhattan, he transferred here from Morrisville State College, a two-year school in upstate New York, where he got his associate’s degree in Social Sciences. After graduating from Morrisville, he still didn’t have a school to play basketball at.

“I was getting recruited by a Division II school, but it didn’t work out.” This is when his youth basketball coach came in to help.

“My AAU coach took it upon himself to look at last year’s schedule,” Martinez said. His coach saw that he had a good game against Lyndon State, and then Martinez got a call from head coach Randy Rathburn. He says there’s a stark contrast between where he grew up and where he’s going to college now, and that he really just ended up here.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d end up here, move here or live here. It’s a culture shock,” Martinez said.

Martinez is a guard who plays with a very aggressive style. Even though he can shoot from three-point range, he likes to drive hard to the basket for lay-ups against taller forwards.

Martinez said that at Morrisville State, the coach wanted him to be just a shooter. He didn’t get a chance to show he could drive to the basket, like he’s getting here.

“The New York City style of play is very guard-oriented, so you have to be aggressive. If you’re not aggressive, you’re not gonna make it,” Martinez said.

Martinez was forced into the point guard position this year due to injuries on the team. This was a new role for him because he’s always been a shooting guard. Those injuries contributed in part to the team’s seven-game losing streak that took them out of postseason contention.

That losing streak really got to some of the players, including Martinez, who had some ideas of his own to keep the team from going on such long losing streaks in the future.

“You win games in practice. Every game we won, we had a good practice before. When we work hard in practice, it spills over into the game,” Martinez said, adding that chemistry between the players was a problem for this year’s team.

“It’s our chemistry that killed us. Anyone sitting in the stands can see that we’ve got talent. We just haven’t gelled yet,” Martinez said.

Martinez, who is studying for a degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in physical therapy, clearly has the drive and the passion that will hopefully lead to more success for the men’s basketball team as it moves up to NCAA Division III and the North Atlantic Conference next year.

Aramark renovates

3/13/08

By Brian Howe
Speical to the Critic

In an effort to make the eating experience more enjoyable for students, Aramark recently renovated the dining hall.

Director of Aramark food services told of how the renovations are only a small step in the future. “Takes time, takes money but we are moving in the right direction.” Tom Archer, director of physical plant, along with sub contractors, worked on the wiring so it could support the new incoming equipment. The maintenance staff also joined in to help. They also had to put in a few more tiles on the floor, so look down next time you take a journey into the dining hall.

It took him, along with Aramark, six days over winter break, to make these renovations happen. One of the reasons is to bring the dining hall up to date. Before this renovation, it looked like a 70’s style eating cafeteria but they have brought it into the twenty first century. “Looks great, people that are visiting will find it more appealing, and it is not prison like, but they put the sandwich bar in the middle of a high traffic area” Mark Evens, a freshmen, said.

Some of the changes include cooking on a smaller scale so it won’t be sitting out there to long, also the food is done to order. Next time you stop by ask them for the food you want. The college paid for this renovation but there are still more to come.

Now some say the taste of the food is bad. “Food is not good, they need better variety,” TJ Ramsay, a freshmen graphic design major, said. However, there is good news on the horizon. The staff at Aramark is going to be trained in the future to prepare more tasty food.

SGA ties to manage CAB budget

3/13/08

By Catherine Story
Business Manager

Kathryn Mozer, a senior Meteorology major, and SGA Sigma Zeta Beta Alpha club representative sent an e-mail urging SGA members to cut the CAB budget by $30,000.

“The advisors do not run student government we do. Remember that we all have a say and a voice,” Mozer said through e-mail to the other SGA members.

“I realized that something weird was going on,” Mozer said. “We are supposed to cut $20,000 from our clubs and organizations?”

CAB is asking for over $30,000 more than they did the previous year. All of the other clubs combined are asking for $3,000 more.

CAB’s budget during the 2007-2008 school year was $83,750. This coming school year CAB requested $119,500. That is a $35,750 increase from the previous year.

Mozer said that the other club and elected representatives could cut CAB during budgeting instead of cutting their own budgets.

“The clubs plan to cut $30,000 from CAB” SGA president Jonathan Maciel said.

“An hour before Kathryn sent her e-mail I sent an e-mail to Carol Moore and Jonathan Davis saying that CAB should automatically be cut down to fifty percent,” Maciel said. “The excess would go into the SGA general fund.”

This method would ensure that CAB did not dominate the money provided by the student activity fee. At the same time it would allow CAB to tap into the excess money if necessary.

“The thing about cutting CAB is, say they do get cut. CAB will always get 50 percent even if the figures are larger than expected,” Maciel said.

There are currently 12 out of 24 clubs who are getting less than they received last year.

“We are not complaining about them getting 50 percent. It’s when they’re getting a lot more than that,” Maciel said.

Budgeting is always a difficult time in the SGA and not every club is always satisfied.

“Stuff like this happens all the time during budgeting,” Maciel said. “Cuts happen all the time and everyone is going to get hit with cuts.”

Maciel said that the SGA would work smoother if there were more students involved

“We are all trying to do the best we can to recuperate before next year,” Maciel said. “The more representatives you have the less work each person has to do.”

Maciel said that the meetings would not run as long if there were more participants

“Logic says that if you meet less you meet longer,” Maciel said.

They called it Cunt

3/7/08

By Catherine Story
Business Manager

The Lyndon State College Women’s Group is curious about vaginas.

“I call it cunt,” Vicki Litzinger said during her segment of The Vagina Monologues titled Reclaiming Cunt.

After playing with the word Litzinger coerced the audience into yelling cunt with her. The amusement and the passion were vibrant in the Alexander Twilight Theater.

More giggles were aroused when Kerri Sgarlata explained “The home of the moan.”

Playing the woman who loved to make vaginas happy Sgarlata demonstrated many different moaning moments, from the student moan, to the silent moan, to the surprise triple orgasm.

The Vagina monologues also discussed the difficulties of possessing a vagina.

The ode to Bosnian Refugees who were raped as a form of warfare brought silence to the auditorium.

A teary eyed Jennifer Harris presented the suffering of many women through the experiences of one during her segment titled My Vagina was My Village.

Sometimes humor can mix with valuable lessons.

Melissa Leonard’s portrayal of The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could told the story of a girl who had been sexually abused as a girl. Her mother was very secretive about her daughter’s vagina and refused to discuss it.

Leonard’s character then falls in love with a woman who loves vaginas. It is during this segment that Leonard’s character learns that her vagina may have been brutalized but it is still very beautiful and it is not meant to be a secret.

“I want to taste the fish,” Meg Monette said, “that’s why I ordered it.”

Monette showed the social anger of the vagina in her monologue discussing the desire to change the vagina and to stuff it up with what Monette describes as “a dry wad of f****g cotton.”

Another monologue that brought giggles to the crowd was the story of an eighty-year-old woman who had never had an orgasm.

“It took her over an hour because she was arthritic,” Donna Keely said.

The Vagina monologues are a collection of stories gathered through interviews with women about their vaginas. The goal of the production is to end violence against women and raise money and consciousness.

All you ever needed to know about getting in trouble

3/7/08

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

Getting in trouble is never a pleasant experience but with a little preparation, you may be able to defend your innocence.

The judicial process at LSC can range from a one on one hearing for minor violations to a hearing in front of a panel of faculty and staff members. The hearing panel will listen to the student’s case and then make recommendations to the dean as to the punishment the student should receive, Jonathan Davis, interim director of student affairs, said.

A student is never guilty until there is a hearing, Davis said. “Many students have the impression they are immediately guilty,” Davis said. Students are allowed to bring witnesses, an advocate, or an attorney with prior notice to the school, to the hearings, Davis said.

For minor violations such as drinking, or safety violations, a student will meet with their RHD who would then determine the course of punishment for the student at the time of the hearing.

When a student goes before the hearing panel for more serious violations like damaging school property or drug possession, the hearing panel officer has a checklist of questions to ask the student, Davis said. One of these questions is whether the student would like to challenge for bias, which means one of the hearing panel members may have a bias towards the student because the student was in a class with them, Davis said. Should a student challenge for bias and the bias is proven then the hearing would be suspended until a replacement panel member is found, Davis said.

The challenge for bias rarely happens because, “we try to do our homework beforehand,” Davis said.

If a student is trying to prepare for a hearing then the student should read the handbook because, “it’s about their rights,” Davis said. The student should also be proactive and talk to their RHD or me, Davis said. “Don’t assume you’re guilty,” Davis said.

“We like to think of our judicial system as very educational,” Davis said.

Fines for minor drinking violations, and safety violations have been eliminated due to the fact they were somewhat trivial punishments, Davis said. There is still the possibility of having a fine imposed however, for subsequent drinking and/or safety violations depending on prior violations, Davis said. If there was any damage associated with the violations a fine could also be imposed. “In general though, we have tried to stay away from the fines,” Davis said.

However, the fines for drug possession, damages, and tampering with fire alarms are still in place, Davis said.

For more information on the judicial process, and to better prepare you are, consult your student handbook, which has all of the disciplinary process information in it.

Independence of Kosovo

3/7/08

Catherine Story
Business Manager

Alexandre Strokanov, professor of History, warns students of the dangers created by Kosovo becoming an independent nation.

“The world became a more dangerous place,” Strokanov said about the claim Kosovo made for independence. “It can be mimicked anywhere in the world.”

Strokanov put the independence of Kosovo into perspective when he described it as being “worse than the Iraq war.”

Kosovo is a country that is well known for its drug-based economy. The new Prime Minister Hashim Thaci is a well-known drug lord and previously a terrorist said Strokanov.

The unemployment rate in Kosovo is around 50 percent and the unemployment rate of young people is around 75 percent. This makes Kosovo a hotbed for possible terrorist activity.

“What else will young people without jobs do?” Strokanov asked the small group that sat in the Alexander Twilight Theater. “It will be an Islamic radical area, a hotbed for terrorism.”

Another fear that Strokanov instilled was that the world was beginning to move towards force as a means of accomplishing goals.

“Right is the one with more might,” Strokanov said, ”despite international law.” Strokanov said that Kosovo’s independence is a violation of international law.

“The architecture built after World War II is beginning to crumble,” Strokanov said.

“Kosovo will be independent in their own mine and the mind of the United States but will not be recognized by the United Nations.” Strokanov said it is unlikely that Kosovo will ever be an internationally recognized nation.

“The U.N. is losing moral support,” Strokanov said. “This is certainly another injection of power into terrorism.

Cooking with Cook: Crock pots

3/7/08

Gwen Cook
Special to the Critic

Crock pots are one of the best ways to make warm dishes without having to spend a lot of time in front of the stove. Just put the ingredients in and leave it alone until it is done! This should especially appeal to students because they can just add the ingredients and leave. A guaranteed fresh hot meal is waiting for them when they come home.

Cheesy chicken
3 whole boneless chicken breasts
2 cans cream chicken soup
1 can chedder cheese soup
Remove all fat and skin from chicken; rinse and pat dry, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Put in crock pot and add the three soups straight from the cans. Cook on low all day (at least 8 hrs) do not lift the lid. Serve over rice or noodles.

Barbeque pork sandwiches
1 pork roast
1 bottle bar-b-cue sauce
About 1/2 to 1 cup water
Just throw in crock pot on high for about 6 hrs. or low for about 10 hrs. When it's done, just remove meat from bone and serve on hamburger buns or rolls with more bar-b-que sauce or ketchup, etc.

Ground beef chili
2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 (15 ½ ounce) cans chili beans (do not drain)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
In a skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until no longer pink; drain well and transfer to crock pot. Combine the next 6 ingredients with the meat mixture. Stir well, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese if desired. Serve with corn bread or crackers. Another great idea would be to buy a bread bowl and serve your chili in there!

Live music on campus, nobody cares

3/7/08

By Matt Vercillo
Critic Staff

Friday, Feb. 16 the Lyndon State student center was host to several live bands.

The event, which was originally advertised as four bands in one night, was free so it became the perfect opportunity for a review. The poster that I saw hanging in the hallway earlier that day had assured me of a few simple facts. First it was four bands, one night. Second, it started at 8:00 p.m. So, as I walked into the building around 7:50p.m., I was quite surprised to hear that the show had already started. I was late, but it was no fault of mine. I guess a fifth band got tacked on at the last minute, making it five bands and beginning at 7:30 p.m. Well, I grabbed myself a chair and took in what I could of the first band finishing up their set with a cover of Skynard’s “simple man” and an interesting version of “Fuel” by Metallica with an Eminem’s “lose yourself” tacked onto the beginning.

At this point I was still more or less trying to take in the scene. The place seemed packed. I began thinking about what a great turn out it had been. All of the tables were full and there were about 20 or 30 people standing around in front stage. The second band took about a half an hour to set up which left me to take the atmosphere in a little more.

I was beginning to feel al little uncomfortable. The turnout was good, that is to say there were a bunch of kids there. However, the more I looked around the more I started noticing things. Why were all their pants so tight? Why were these chicks so skinny? What is with that dude in the capri pants over there? Why is everyone giggling and standing in small, cliquish circles? Then, all at once it dawned on me. They actually were kids. High School students. I was really starting to get p****d off.

The next band finally began playing and distracted me from these observations for a bit. The next band took the stage and I was happy that at least they were playing original tunes. They were called Catamaran, and they played songs with a bit of surf-punk indie vibe to them. They played a half hour set, which turned out to be pretty much the format for all the acts.

Then something happened. The crowd started getting really worked up and excited. I noticed more and more empty energy drinks on the tables and more and more chattering shrieks of 15 year-old girls with braces and neon hair. I was beginning to become less than impressed with this whole event. There were maybe a handful of semi-recognizable strangers dotted around that I could picture going to LSC, but the rest were clearly not students here.

Without announcing their name, the third band began whaling away an obnoxious and distorted brand of hardcore metal, with the vocalist simply screaming into the microphone as horridly as he possible could. The less and less impressed I became of the situation, the more and more the crown seemed to dig what was going on. I was beginning to think this would be a waste of a Friday night.

The fourth came on and I immediately recognized them as the idiots who had propped the door next to my table open for twenty minutes while they carried their equipment in. It was freezing outside, so these guys started off on the wrong foot with me. They announced themselves as Astrada, from Manchester, N.H. Although the crowd seemed pretty much super pumped on these guys, I was failing to see the difference from the last band. It sounded exactly the same.

That pretty much seemed to be the theme from that point on as the next band, Our Drowning City, also sucked. They sounded exactly like Astrada, somebody growling into the mic with heavily distorted guitars. Three awful bands in a row was too much for me to handle and I left before the end of Our Drowning City’s set. I walked out wondering at what point music simply becomes noise.

Advantages and Disadvantages to Having Pets on Campus

3/7/08

By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff

In the past, Lyndon had an open policy that allowed faculty, staff, and students to bring their pets to campus. Recently Lyndon has changed their policy and now no longer allows pets on campus which has brought up much discussion and debate. In a recent survey that was done at Lyndon there were many reported advantages and disadvantages to bringing pets on campus.

Advantages
Helping Dogs
In the past there was a professor that had a severe case of diabetes so therefore she brought her dog with her. The dog’s responsibility was to look out for her in the case she ever went into diabetic shock, her dog would be able to get assistance for her.

Helps students feel more at home and secure
Bob McCabe, director of student support services, used to bring his dog to campus. “When I used to bring my dog the students used to come out of their dorms and play fetch. The students loved to play with him because it reminded them of being home at home with their animals,” McCabe said.

Dogs have a calming effect on many people
“I’ve seen the positive effects that the presence of an animal can have on students [and staff] who are stressed out, frazzled, and/or upset,” Deb Bailin, director of student academic development, said.

Accommodated schedules
There are many faculty/ staff and students who have a very busy day, and by being able to bring their pets to campus relieves stress knowing that their pet is properly being cared for. “Most of the time I brought my dog because I needed to be here for a longer-than-usual day, and I couldn’t leave my dog alone for such a long time. I live too far away to zip home at lunch time and take her for a walk, so she regularly spends at least 10 hours alone every day,” Bailin said.

Disadvantages
There are many students that have allergies to pets
When bringing pets onto campus you do not know who you will come in contact with, and the people that you come in contact with may have allergies to pets, and for some it may be life threatening.

Pet owners not taking responsibility for their pet’s waste
“The biggest reason that pets stopped being allowed on campus was due to the waste that they created around campus,” McCabe said.

Dogs provide distractions to their owners and others around them
“I am a dog owner/ lover myself however, I would not bring my dogs to campus because of the fact that I could not properly care for them with the responsibilities that I have on campus,” Diane Tanguay, an LSC senior majoring in elementary/special education and human services, said.

While in class dogs stay in cars
Bringing pets to campus often means that while in class the pet(s) have to stay in your vehicle. There are severe risks to keeping pets in vehicles such as in the winter time, the low temperatures can cause hypothermia and in the summer when the pets are in the car they can get over heated and many times get dehydrated.