Ben Holbrook
Critic Editor
LSC professor holds youtube contest.
“The most important issue is that it matters to you.”
That is how David Plazek, professor of social science, opened his lecture on national debt to students gathered in the Alexander Twilight Theater. Plazek’s presentation dealt with the issues of having a large national debt and how it affects everybody.
“I got sent to D.C. and got all schooled up on the national debt,” Plazek said. For every new child, that child is immediately $175,000 in debt, Plazek said.
The U.S. “Spends more on defense than all the other countries in the world combined,” Plazek said.
Plazek explained the difference between a debt and a deficit. A deficit is an unbalanced budget due to greater expenditures and less revenue. A debt is an accumulation of deficits over time.
The nation’s debt especially effects college students because “You can’t have lower student interest rates on loans,” Plazek said.
In order to address the problem, Plazek is offering students the chance to compete for cash prizes in a YouTube video contest.
The contest requires students to make a video that addresses the issue of national debt in a creative way. It must also illustrate the problem clearly so that people understand what is going on, and offer solutions as to how to solve the issue.
“Power is about getting people or states to do things that they wouldn’t otherwise do, Plazek said.”
First place winners receive $300, second place $150 and third place $50.
Plazek ended his lecture by challenging students to get involved because “Democracy only works if people are involved.”
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fountain shows recession
Eric Downing
Critic Staff
Budget cut causes pond to recede.
Where did the pond go?
Last week, students may have noticed something odd about the pond in front of Stevens Dining Hall.
Fountain pond, as it’s called because of the stream of water that shoots straight up in the middle of it, was looking a little low for a few weeks. The water level appeared to be approximately two feet below its normal depth.
“We’re trying to save town water,” Tom Archer, the director of physical plant, said.
In past years, the fountain had been filled continuously with water from the town. This year’s deficit forced LSC to look for budget cuts, and supplying the fountain constantly seemed like an obvious choice.
Currently, the fountain is on a monthly schedule to fill it. The fountain itself does not supply water to the pond, but actually just re-circulates the water already in the pond.
Fountain pond’s town water supply was turned off to “make sure we don’t have any major leaks,“ Archer said.
Archer cited evaporation as playing a key role in the fountain’s decline. Water shot into the air is much more likely to evaporate. The speed of the fountain’s drop might suggest that there are holes in the liner underneath the pond.
If the fabric is indeed leaking, Archer said that it would have to be dug up and replaced. Students who look forward to seeing the “ice sculpture” the fountain forms in the wintertime shouldn’t worry. Archer was positive that it would be seen again this winter, even if it may be a bit smaller. “It’s a nice nostalgia thing,” Archer said.
Critic Staff
Budget cut causes pond to recede.
Where did the pond go?
Last week, students may have noticed something odd about the pond in front of Stevens Dining Hall.
Fountain pond, as it’s called because of the stream of water that shoots straight up in the middle of it, was looking a little low for a few weeks. The water level appeared to be approximately two feet below its normal depth.
“We’re trying to save town water,” Tom Archer, the director of physical plant, said.
In past years, the fountain had been filled continuously with water from the town. This year’s deficit forced LSC to look for budget cuts, and supplying the fountain constantly seemed like an obvious choice.
Currently, the fountain is on a monthly schedule to fill it. The fountain itself does not supply water to the pond, but actually just re-circulates the water already in the pond.
Fountain pond’s town water supply was turned off to “make sure we don’t have any major leaks,“ Archer said.
Archer cited evaporation as playing a key role in the fountain’s decline. Water shot into the air is much more likely to evaporate. The speed of the fountain’s drop might suggest that there are holes in the liner underneath the pond.
If the fabric is indeed leaking, Archer said that it would have to be dug up and replaced. Students who look forward to seeing the “ice sculpture” the fountain forms in the wintertime shouldn’t worry. Archer was positive that it would be seen again this winter, even if it may be a bit smaller. “It’s a nice nostalgia thing,” Archer said.
Club Budgets
Aimee Lawton
Special to the Critic
Where the 94 dollar student activity fee goes.
If you ever wondered about how your $94 student activity fee is used, you need not wonder any longer.
This fee, paid by every LSC student at the beginning of each consecutive school year is used to fund the many clubs and organizations offered on campus. Each year, a student activity fee budget is developed, and smaller budgets for the clubs are developed from there.
Half of the overall budget goes to the Student Government Association (SGA), who distributes the money to themselves and the other clubs. The other half is given to the Campus Activities Board (CAB) to make bus trips, movies, guests, and their many other fun activities possible; both on and off campus.
You may now be asking yourself how a budget is determined for a club. Every year, each club makes specific requests for funding based on supplies and expenses that need to be paid for to keep them running. These requests are then reviewed by SGA representatives, and modified if necessary before the final budget is published.
Clubs are allowed to request additional money not specified within their budget if unforeseen expenses appear.
“Anyone can come to SGA meetings on Wednesday nights and request money,” President Andrew Chapin said, “You do not have to be part of a club, or a club that is published in the budget.”
There are four clubs that have been added to the SGA since the budget was published at the beginning of the year: Rotaract, Students for Global Change, Assist, and the Lyndon Strikers. Even though these clubs do not have a set budget, they are still allowed to request funding at the meetings.
Chapin said that they take advantage of this opportunity. In addition to this, there are also scenarios in which requests for funding are made by individuals on a personal basis if they plan to host an event or activity that could benefit others on campus. The money for these requests comes from a general fund containing money left over after budgets have been completed.
Of course, fundraising is always an option as well. All clubs are given several opportunities to host and participate in various fundraising events both on and off campus to earn their own money. Some clubs are also required to pay dues, which are used to pay for other things not listed within their budget.
“As far as club membership goes, we do not have exact numbers for you yet,” Chapin said, “We are currently in the process of collecting this information.”
Chapin said that it is tough to obtain membership information at this point in the year because some clubs are seasonal, such as High Society, and have not yet kicked in to action. Since the budgets for clubs are developed before membership is counted, it is evident that the money is not distributed based on a membership ratio.
There are 23 clubs published in the budget for the current school year. The projected budget totaled $200,000.00, while the requested budget totaled $211,852.21. Aside from CAB and SGA, clubs such as hockey and AMS are receiving some of the greatest funding, while clubs such as RPC and LPC are receiving little to no funding at all.
Special to the Critic
Where the 94 dollar student activity fee goes.
If you ever wondered about how your $94 student activity fee is used, you need not wonder any longer.
This fee, paid by every LSC student at the beginning of each consecutive school year is used to fund the many clubs and organizations offered on campus. Each year, a student activity fee budget is developed, and smaller budgets for the clubs are developed from there.
Half of the overall budget goes to the Student Government Association (SGA), who distributes the money to themselves and the other clubs. The other half is given to the Campus Activities Board (CAB) to make bus trips, movies, guests, and their many other fun activities possible; both on and off campus.
You may now be asking yourself how a budget is determined for a club. Every year, each club makes specific requests for funding based on supplies and expenses that need to be paid for to keep them running. These requests are then reviewed by SGA representatives, and modified if necessary before the final budget is published.
Clubs are allowed to request additional money not specified within their budget if unforeseen expenses appear.
“Anyone can come to SGA meetings on Wednesday nights and request money,” President Andrew Chapin said, “You do not have to be part of a club, or a club that is published in the budget.”
There are four clubs that have been added to the SGA since the budget was published at the beginning of the year: Rotaract, Students for Global Change, Assist, and the Lyndon Strikers. Even though these clubs do not have a set budget, they are still allowed to request funding at the meetings.
Chapin said that they take advantage of this opportunity. In addition to this, there are also scenarios in which requests for funding are made by individuals on a personal basis if they plan to host an event or activity that could benefit others on campus. The money for these requests comes from a general fund containing money left over after budgets have been completed.
Of course, fundraising is always an option as well. All clubs are given several opportunities to host and participate in various fundraising events both on and off campus to earn their own money. Some clubs are also required to pay dues, which are used to pay for other things not listed within their budget.
“As far as club membership goes, we do not have exact numbers for you yet,” Chapin said, “We are currently in the process of collecting this information.”
Chapin said that it is tough to obtain membership information at this point in the year because some clubs are seasonal, such as High Society, and have not yet kicked in to action. Since the budgets for clubs are developed before membership is counted, it is evident that the money is not distributed based on a membership ratio.
There are 23 clubs published in the budget for the current school year. The projected budget totaled $200,000.00, while the requested budget totaled $211,852.21. Aside from CAB and SGA, clubs such as hockey and AMS are receiving some of the greatest funding, while clubs such as RPC and LPC are receiving little to no funding at all.
LSC Hockey
Sebastion C. Lury
Special to the Critic
Club looks to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
The Lyndon State Hockey Club is preparing to begin their 2008 campaign.
Though Lyndon State does not have a varsity hockey team, the college does have a hockey club that plays roughly 20 games per year. According to head coach Jonathan Davis, the team will play around 22 games this season.
The club is in the New England College Hockey Association Division II, a subset of the American College Hockey Association.
The club is primarily funded through the Student Government Association due to its non-varsity status. Davis says the club is “extremely appreciative” of all the support they receive from the SGA.
L
SC hockey will take place in the Fenton W. Chester Arena, down the hill from the college. However, before beginning play there, the club has been traveling to Stanstead, Canada to practice and play scrimmages.
The reason for this is that the Fenton W. Chester Arena only has ice seasonally. The team will be moving from Canada to the Fenton W. Chester Arena beginning the week of Oct. 13.
The regular season begins on Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Thompson Arena in Hanover, NH, as the LSC club matches up against the Dartmouth College Club team. LSC Hockey opens at home on Halloween, Oct. 31, against Daniel Webster. Davis says that if the club had any true rival, Daniel Webster would be it.
The club looks to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The previous three years, the club has been unsuccessful in advancing past the first round of the playoffs and hopes to reverse that trend this year.
The club does not consist only of players, but also include statisticians, announcers, first responders, and a variety of other positions. Also, players don’t have to compete in games, but can join for the fun of hockey practice and scrimmages.
It is not too late to join the club, according to Davis. Davis recommends that those interested contact him via email, Jonathan.Davis@lsc.vsc.edu, or by phone 626-6419.
Davis is encouraged by the progress of returning players as well as the addition of new players and says that LSC will have a “great team this year.” He also encourages students to continuously check the schedule at www.lyndonstate.edu/hockey.
There is no charge to LSC students for home games.
Special to the Critic
Club looks to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
The Lyndon State Hockey Club is preparing to begin their 2008 campaign.
Though Lyndon State does not have a varsity hockey team, the college does have a hockey club that plays roughly 20 games per year. According to head coach Jonathan Davis, the team will play around 22 games this season.
The club is in the New England College Hockey Association Division II, a subset of the American College Hockey Association.
The club is primarily funded through the Student Government Association due to its non-varsity status. Davis says the club is “extremely appreciative” of all the support they receive from the SGA.
L
SC hockey will take place in the Fenton W. Chester Arena, down the hill from the college. However, before beginning play there, the club has been traveling to Stanstead, Canada to practice and play scrimmages.
The reason for this is that the Fenton W. Chester Arena only has ice seasonally. The team will be moving from Canada to the Fenton W. Chester Arena beginning the week of Oct. 13.
The regular season begins on Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Thompson Arena in Hanover, NH, as the LSC club matches up against the Dartmouth College Club team. LSC Hockey opens at home on Halloween, Oct. 31, against Daniel Webster. Davis says that if the club had any true rival, Daniel Webster would be it.
The club looks to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The previous three years, the club has been unsuccessful in advancing past the first round of the playoffs and hopes to reverse that trend this year.
The club does not consist only of players, but also include statisticians, announcers, first responders, and a variety of other positions. Also, players don’t have to compete in games, but can join for the fun of hockey practice and scrimmages.
It is not too late to join the club, according to Davis. Davis recommends that those interested contact him via email, Jonathan.Davis@lsc.vsc.edu, or by phone 626-6419.
Davis is encouraged by the progress of returning players as well as the addition of new players and says that LSC will have a “great team this year.” He also encourages students to continuously check the schedule at www.lyndonstate.edu/hockey.
There is no charge to LSC students for home games.
WWLR goes Indy
Steve Cormier
Special to the Critic
WWLR looks toward playing music that can't be heard on "commercial" stations.
New music, both local and global, faces the challenge of trying to be heard and college radio is up to the task of giving it an audience.
At WWLR, Lyndon State College’s radio station, student disc jockeys and faculty advisors alike are looking towards less mainstream music and more independent tunes to fill the airwaves.
“The role of college radio is not playing anything that’s played on other commercial stations,” said Paul Searls, Indy music director at WWLR and assistant professor in the department of history at LSC.
Nick Phelan, music director at WWLR, agrees with the need to play music that’s not getting playtime anywhere else. “Musicians that live off of crackers and ketchup packets because they aren’t on a major label, that’s the kind of people that we want to play.”
“I got here 4 years ago and it boggled my mind, the musical cowardice that was going on at the station,” said Searls. “People were playing the same things that they heard on all the other stations in the area.”
When Searls came to LSC and WWLR he began looking to create a more diversified music format. “It’s been a slow long haul to really make the station do what college radio’s mission is supposed to be, which is to play the 99.9 percent of music you don’t hear on the commercial stations.”
Phelan says the different students behind the mike with majors ranging from meteorology to television studies and business to environmental studies will help.
“We really like the idea of students coming in and playing whatever they want,” Phelan said. “That’s college radio.”
Looking to the community and playing music from local musicians is also important.
“We’re trying to bring in some local and independent music and getting people into the mood of listening to music that no one’s ever heard of and supporting local bands,” Phelan said.
WWLR is putting on a Fall Music Series through November at LSC with new bands from Vermont and New York to try and get students involved, said Phelan. “Another reason we wanted to do that is because there is nothing to do on a Tuesday night.”
Phelan says WWLR is also looking into the possibility of working with Vermont Public Radio and seeing how that could benefit the station, though any deal is still up in the air. “I think internships would be an awesome get,” Phelan said.
Special to the Critic
WWLR looks toward playing music that can't be heard on "commercial" stations.
New music, both local and global, faces the challenge of trying to be heard and college radio is up to the task of giving it an audience.
At WWLR, Lyndon State College’s radio station, student disc jockeys and faculty advisors alike are looking towards less mainstream music and more independent tunes to fill the airwaves.
“The role of college radio is not playing anything that’s played on other commercial stations,” said Paul Searls, Indy music director at WWLR and assistant professor in the department of history at LSC.
Nick Phelan, music director at WWLR, agrees with the need to play music that’s not getting playtime anywhere else. “Musicians that live off of crackers and ketchup packets because they aren’t on a major label, that’s the kind of people that we want to play.”
“I got here 4 years ago and it boggled my mind, the musical cowardice that was going on at the station,” said Searls. “People were playing the same things that they heard on all the other stations in the area.”
When Searls came to LSC and WWLR he began looking to create a more diversified music format. “It’s been a slow long haul to really make the station do what college radio’s mission is supposed to be, which is to play the 99.9 percent of music you don’t hear on the commercial stations.”
Phelan says the different students behind the mike with majors ranging from meteorology to television studies and business to environmental studies will help.
“We really like the idea of students coming in and playing whatever they want,” Phelan said. “That’s college radio.”
Looking to the community and playing music from local musicians is also important.
“We’re trying to bring in some local and independent music and getting people into the mood of listening to music that no one’s ever heard of and supporting local bands,” Phelan said.
WWLR is putting on a Fall Music Series through November at LSC with new bands from Vermont and New York to try and get students involved, said Phelan. “Another reason we wanted to do that is because there is nothing to do on a Tuesday night.”
Phelan says WWLR is also looking into the possibility of working with Vermont Public Radio and seeing how that could benefit the station, though any deal is still up in the air. “I think internships would be an awesome get,” Phelan said.
Soccer update--Mens
Sam Monroe
Special to the Critic
LSC bags another soccer win.
It took the Lyndon State Men’s soccer team 12 extra minutes, but the Hornets handed Norwich its first loss of the season on October 8 with a 2-1 win.
“It was real exciting,” said Darren Roberge, a junior striker for the Hornets who scored the game-winning goal just two minutes into the second overtime period.
Norwich University struck first, scoring with more than 39 minutes remaining in the first half, and showing why they had yet to lose on the season. The rest of the game would prove to be very defensive.
Lyndon goalie Jeff Giroux made 10 stops, often stealing the show with aggressive and acrobatic saves; while the rest of his team played sound defense in front of him.
The half started to turn towards Lyndon’s favor when a Norwich player was called offside with 20 minutes left.
Lyndon had several good chances and made the best of it with two minutes to go in the half when freshman Devin Bugbee was fouled inside the Norwich defensive end. On the free kick senior Kyle Hessler placed the ball perfectly between the goaltenders hands and the left corner post of the net, knotting the game at one a piece.
The second half proved too much like the first half with hard defensive play and the goaltenders often stealing the show. Both teams had several scoring opportunities, and several shots that either went just high or just wide of a wide-open net.
With just over four minutes to play, Norwich University had a chance to put the game away when a player headed the ball in the direction of the net. It appeared as if it was going in until Lyndon goalie Jeff Giroux got his finger tips on it just enough to change it’s course sending it right over the top of the net. That would prove to be the best chance for either team in the second half as regulation play ended tied at one.
In the first overtime Giroux would have a similar save tipping this one as he fell to the ground changing the course of the ball once again, and forcing the ball to tip off of the cross bar and allow the game to continue.
A minute into the second overtime goalie Jeff Giroux drop kicked the ball about half way down the field. A Norwich defender jumped up to head the ball but hit it in the wrong direction, allowing for Lyndon’s Darren Roberge to take it on a break away and score the winning goal, sending the entire Lyndon team off the bench and into celebration frenzy.
The victory improved Lyndon State’s record to 5-5 while the loss was Norwich’s first knocking its record to 10-1-1.
Special to the Critic
LSC bags another soccer win.
It took the Lyndon State Men’s soccer team 12 extra minutes, but the Hornets handed Norwich its first loss of the season on October 8 with a 2-1 win.
“It was real exciting,” said Darren Roberge, a junior striker for the Hornets who scored the game-winning goal just two minutes into the second overtime period.
Norwich University struck first, scoring with more than 39 minutes remaining in the first half, and showing why they had yet to lose on the season. The rest of the game would prove to be very defensive.
Lyndon goalie Jeff Giroux made 10 stops, often stealing the show with aggressive and acrobatic saves; while the rest of his team played sound defense in front of him.
The half started to turn towards Lyndon’s favor when a Norwich player was called offside with 20 minutes left.
Lyndon had several good chances and made the best of it with two minutes to go in the half when freshman Devin Bugbee was fouled inside the Norwich defensive end. On the free kick senior Kyle Hessler placed the ball perfectly between the goaltenders hands and the left corner post of the net, knotting the game at one a piece.
The second half proved too much like the first half with hard defensive play and the goaltenders often stealing the show. Both teams had several scoring opportunities, and several shots that either went just high or just wide of a wide-open net.
With just over four minutes to play, Norwich University had a chance to put the game away when a player headed the ball in the direction of the net. It appeared as if it was going in until Lyndon goalie Jeff Giroux got his finger tips on it just enough to change it’s course sending it right over the top of the net. That would prove to be the best chance for either team in the second half as regulation play ended tied at one.
In the first overtime Giroux would have a similar save tipping this one as he fell to the ground changing the course of the ball once again, and forcing the ball to tip off of the cross bar and allow the game to continue.
A minute into the second overtime goalie Jeff Giroux drop kicked the ball about half way down the field. A Norwich defender jumped up to head the ball but hit it in the wrong direction, allowing for Lyndon’s Darren Roberge to take it on a break away and score the winning goal, sending the entire Lyndon team off the bench and into celebration frenzy.
The victory improved Lyndon State’s record to 5-5 while the loss was Norwich’s first knocking its record to 10-1-1.
LSC adjusts to NAC play
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Hornets make a smooth transition into a new conference.
Coming into this semester, the Hornets coaching staff knew that they were going to face a stiff challenge in the North Atlantic Conference. What they didn’t know was how well some of the teams would adjust to competing in a new conference.
The Hornets soccer teams each earned their first conference wins last weekend, with the men scoring a 2-0 win at UMaine-Farmington, while the women earned a closely contested 1-0 win at Thomas College.
Despite having sub-.500 records in the NAC, both soccer teams currently have .500 records overall, and are in good position to earn conference playoff bids. The women’s team is in fifth place of the eight teams in the conference, while the men are sixth.
Wins in their final two conference games could help the teams host first round playoff games. To do that, they first have to get through Johnson State on Saturday.
“These are important games this weekend,” Chris Ummer, director of athletics, said. “They’re both in the mix. It just depends on how they play down the stretch.”
Ummer said that since two of each soccer team’s final four games are conference play, they must win those games. He feels that each team has a good chance at finishing the year above .500.
The men’s team is coming off a huge win last week against Norwich, a 2-1 double-overtime thriller. Ummer says that win should be a big help to the team.
“It’s a big boost. It gives them a lot of momentum. They realized the level they can play at.”
Ummer says that while the soccer and volleyball teams may have struggled early on in NAC play, his cross-country teams have done very well against their conference competition. He said the men’s team has beaten both conference opponents they’ve faced so far, and the women’s team has only been beaten by Castleton up to this point in the season. Ummer is very confident about how his runners will do in the upcoming NAC Championships.
“I think the men will finish either first or second, and I fully expect Lyndsay (Calkins) to win the NAC championship,” Ummer said.
As for Lyndon’s coaching staff, opinions vary as to how well they’ll do in their respective inaugural seasons in the NAC. Some teams did very well against NAC competition last year, when Lyndon was still in the USCAA.
“The coaches feel different about their teams. Some feel they can come in and be competitive right away. Some feel that they’re going to have an uphill battle,” Ummer said, adding that baseball and softball both did very well last spring against NAC teams. The baseball team went 4-1 against the NAC on their way to the USCAA National Championship.
Ummer says that Lyndon State can’t wait to be good in the future. He feels the teams need to find ways to be competitive right away, because he believes the future is now.
Sports Editor
The Hornets make a smooth transition into a new conference.
Coming into this semester, the Hornets coaching staff knew that they were going to face a stiff challenge in the North Atlantic Conference. What they didn’t know was how well some of the teams would adjust to competing in a new conference.
The Hornets soccer teams each earned their first conference wins last weekend, with the men scoring a 2-0 win at UMaine-Farmington, while the women earned a closely contested 1-0 win at Thomas College.
Despite having sub-.500 records in the NAC, both soccer teams currently have .500 records overall, and are in good position to earn conference playoff bids. The women’s team is in fifth place of the eight teams in the conference, while the men are sixth.
Wins in their final two conference games could help the teams host first round playoff games. To do that, they first have to get through Johnson State on Saturday.
“These are important games this weekend,” Chris Ummer, director of athletics, said. “They’re both in the mix. It just depends on how they play down the stretch.”
Ummer said that since two of each soccer team’s final four games are conference play, they must win those games. He feels that each team has a good chance at finishing the year above .500.
The men’s team is coming off a huge win last week against Norwich, a 2-1 double-overtime thriller. Ummer says that win should be a big help to the team.
“It’s a big boost. It gives them a lot of momentum. They realized the level they can play at.”
Ummer says that while the soccer and volleyball teams may have struggled early on in NAC play, his cross-country teams have done very well against their conference competition. He said the men’s team has beaten both conference opponents they’ve faced so far, and the women’s team has only been beaten by Castleton up to this point in the season. Ummer is very confident about how his runners will do in the upcoming NAC Championships.
“I think the men will finish either first or second, and I fully expect Lyndsay (Calkins) to win the NAC championship,” Ummer said.
As for Lyndon’s coaching staff, opinions vary as to how well they’ll do in their respective inaugural seasons in the NAC. Some teams did very well against NAC competition last year, when Lyndon was still in the USCAA.
“The coaches feel different about their teams. Some feel they can come in and be competitive right away. Some feel that they’re going to have an uphill battle,” Ummer said, adding that baseball and softball both did very well last spring against NAC teams. The baseball team went 4-1 against the NAC on their way to the USCAA National Championship.
Ummer says that Lyndon State can’t wait to be good in the future. He feels the teams need to find ways to be competitive right away, because he believes the future is now.
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