Students spent fall break tending to gardens and pre-paring for winter—in Rhode Island. They visited New Dawn Earth Center, an or-ganic farm run by the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Holy Cross in Cumberland, Rhode Island to participate in a service trip. Students, who were ac-companied by chaperones Dr. Lynn Aldrich, associate professor of Physics, and Scott Woolnough, a Learning Spe-cialist in the Student Success Center, worked in the gardens and experienced some of the vegetarian cooking the sisters whip up with the crops. They also attended a midnight hike and a drum circle on the grounds. Students say they were struck by the modernity of New Dawn. Senior Mark Werger said he expected to be “roughing it” on a farm with various animals and pastures, so to find a building with showers and a kitchen was a nice surprise. They said working the land was a new experience because while many had some prior experience with small home gardening projects, they had never worked a large scale farm. The enthusiasm of the group was high. “[Everyone was] willing and eager to get dirty and do what needed to be done,” said senior Shannon Kowalski. For three days the team of 13 worked to accomplish tasks, which included weeding the garden, planting garlic for the spring, cooking the foods they harvested, and painting a deck. Sister Denise Turcotte, CSC (Holy Cross), Director of New Dawn, was impressed by their determination. She

loves seeing the excitement of people who come to the center and watching how the work “touches something deeply within them.” She stressed to the group the relationship they have with earth and the responsibility they have to care for it. She believes when people acknowledge that they need to work together an energy that allows the earth

to prosper is created. Turcotte has been the director of New Dawn since it opened in 2006 and in that time has brought in many school groups and several adult programs. She hopes to promote change and involvement with earth in the local community. She has established connections with schools that allow kids

to walk through the woods, play in the ponds and learn about something new. She remembers with a laugh that some students even expressed apprehension when they ar-rive because they think there are sharks in the pond. She wants them to come so she can teach them how to have a relationship with the earth and not be afraid of it.

New Dawn is a place where relationships can be formed. Through the close work with the earth each person begins to relate to the world in differ-ent ways. Because the work is so involved it requires a group to come together and work as a team. Sophomore Sarah Nelson noted that everyone in the group felt they became a family. This was Nelson’s first service trip and decided to participate based on the prompting of friends. She said it was something she wanted to experience before she graduated and this was her first opportunity to go. At first she was cautious because she had never been to a farm, but she was excited to experi-ence something new. Similarly, Shannon Kowal-ski attended because she had never experienced this type of service before. She kept an open mind and in the end she really loved the work in the garden and the opportunity to prepare the ground for next year’s harvest. “It was fulfill-ing to know that you were helping to grow good, whole-some food for people to eat even after you’ve gone.” Sophomore Megan Lage was originally supposed to go on a service trip to Schenectady, New York, and admitted she was a “little upset because I was looking forward to work-ing with the homeless but the Rhode Island trip still allowed me to go and serve.” For her, and many others, a night hike allowed them to take Turcotte’s message to heart and connect with their environment. The hike was silent with no lights or cell phones, using only the stars as a guide. Students walked

October 25, 2011

Students on Rhode to earthly connection

Different fashions trending by major...P3 Students concerned about lack of parking ...P6

By Catie BeckerReporter

Vegetarians Feast on CampusRecipe for Disaster

Vegetarians and vegans stand out on campus with different health benefits

page 5 Exclusively on highlandernews.netBoiling Points

Hoover experiments with a blood recipe made with choco-late right in time for Halloween - page 3

Horton discusses how Clemson is poised to rid them-selves of the nickname ‘underachiever’ - page 4

Where the grass shouldn’t growhighlandernews.net

OFFICIALS ENFORCESAFETYPROTOCOLBy Morgan HardingWeb Master

A notice of sexual assault on campus was sent to the Misericordia community via e-MU on September 16 and was retracted four days later, on September 20. University officials say the posting was in accordance with law that requires notification of campus crime. The warning came from Campus Safety and was a “timely warning,” according to Kit Foley, Dean of Students. “We are required by law to put out timely warnings if we believe that something has happened on the campus. We must make an assessment that if in fact it is something that is an eminent threat, etc. etc.,” said Foley. The announcement that was posted to the targeted cam-pus announcements section of e-MU stated that someone had engaged in inappropriate physical contact for the pur-pose of sexual gratification. It is classified as an aggravated indecent assault according to the crimes code, which is the book which contains the con-solidated statutes of this state. It is the written law regarding criminal offenses - definitions, specific elements of a crime, classification and penalties for violations. The “timely warning” was sent in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998, which requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The notification stated that, “On Sept. 10, 2011 an incident at Gildea Hall was reported to University personnel indicat-ing that a male guest of a resident student engaged in inappropriate physical contact with a female resident student. Residence Life and Campus Safety staff responded at the time of the incident and took appropriate measures to insure that circumstances did not escalate and no additional threat or harm was experi-enced.” Foley and Campus Safety chose e-MU to distribute the notification because it reaches the entire university commu-nity quickly. When a targeted announcement is made on e-MU there is a start date and an end date. “So if it started on the 15th it would come down on the end date. I’m not sure what that end date was or if there is a specific requirement of how long that should be posted,” said Foley. There is no set amount of time that the Clery notification must remain live according to Bob Zavada, Associate Director of Campus Safety. Foley explained that the university wanted to notify the students about this and let them know that they needed to be aware of who was in their living areas and be careful. “Be sure to only allow people into the dorms who should be in the dorms and to remind people to take responsibility for their community,” said Foley.

By Amber GullaReporter As they look around the Blacktop Lounge, three students point to the water-stained ceiling in the bath-room. “There’s water in the fireplace. And it smells like mold, a ton of mold,” said sophomore Kaitlyn Moran. “There are more [problems] than we can even see.” “There’s grass growing inside the foundation of the building,” said sophomore Scott Kresge. “The fire alarm goes off at least once a week and flashes for no reason,” added sopho-more Kaileen Metzger. Because many students echo these observations on the con-dition of the commuter lounge, the Commuter Council formed a petition and posted it on the bulletin board inside the building. “It’s for everything,” said Cory Chikowski, junior and Council vice president. “Our petition is to not just have it remodeled. It’s not really specific. We’re trying to have the university be aware and be willing to help us with the situation.” Chikowski talked of the musty smell of mold and the flooding in the fireplace. “[It’s] absolutely outdated. It is kind of dilapidated. The walls aren’t attached to the floor in spots. The ceiling leaks everywhere. Everything is ripped apart, stained. It

does not fit with the rest of the campus. And we definitely need something better.” He said the space is “an end-less list of problems.” Sister Jean Messaros, Vice President of Student Affairs, is aware of the lounge’s condi-tions and that some of these needs need to be brought to the attention higher authori-ties who are capable of taking action. “I have been aware of [the conditions] for quite some time,” said Messaros. “So we’ve tried to address that issue and I keep bringing it forward at meetings with the administration.” She said both the Student Government Association and the Commut-er Council have been trying to bring the issues forward to the school’s administration. Messaros agrees that the petition could be beneficial for those who create and/or signed the student-made document. “I think a petition is important because it gives those of us in the administra-tion a sense that there are many people who are con-cerned. In my experience and all my time here, peer advo-cates have brought issues for-ward, always using petitions and actions, and have gotten things like recycling. They have worked through student government as well.” She also agrees that even

though students are not necessarily professionals when it comes to fixing build-ing issues, they are able to easily spot them with sight and smell, which proves that something needs to be done to remedy the problems. English professor Dr. Pat-

rick Hamilton said students’ voices have power. “I think the petition is a good idea. I think things tend to get done around here when the students start to take action. We didn’t have recycling until the students started pushing for it.”

Hamilton feels students should stand up for what they deserve. “I think you should always push for the best possible situ-ation,” Hamilton said, “rather than already settling in what you’re asking for.” Not only is the facility for the use of commuters in between classes, but it is also used for the English social, held early in the fall semes-ter, as well as other club activi-ties. “People were mainly talking at the events about the giant puddle in the fireplace,” said Hamilton. Many other organizations and clubs used to hold meetings in the lounge, but

over time found a new location. The

English department faculty would rather hold events in another location as well. Most any room will do, he said. “Somewhere that didn’t have standing water.” But his preference is for an improved lounge. “I really, really hope

Above, students net for tadpoles and crayfish in a pond in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Above left, sophomore Sarah Nelson and senior Molly Hear-ity plant trees and bushes at the Earthdawn Center to prepare for winter. Above right, Laurita Moscatelli, an advisor at the Mercy Center, tends to the garden.

CATIE BECKER & ARTHUR DOWELL/THE HIGHLANDER

Continued on page 3Continued on page 5

Grass grows inside the Blacktop Commuter Lounge through the foundation.MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER

Continued on page 5

Pete Decides who Hits the Right Note

Introducing a new music feature!

October 25, 2011highlandernews.net2

CONTACT US

STAFFThe Highlander is a free, biweekly publication produced in conjunction with

MU Communications Department. Any full-time student is encouraged to join the staff. We are a member of the American Scholastic Press Association,

Associated Collegiate Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.

INTEGRITYThe Highlander works to produce up-to-date, clear, accurate reporting. If any information is inaccurate or not covered

thoroughly, corrections and information will appear in this area. Opinions and views expressed in The Highlander in no way reflect those of Misericordia University or the Sisters of Mercy. The Highlander Staff welcomes students, faculty and reader response. The Highlander reserves the right to edit submissions for grammatical errors and length. All submissions must be signed. Letters to the Editor and/or materials for publication may be submitted by any reader. Items can be sent via e-mail.

Katlin Bunton - Editor-in-ChiefEllen Hoffman - Print EditorApril Dulsky - Web EditorJulia Truax - Content Manager

Audra Wehner - Business ManagerMorgan Harding - Web MasterMelissa Sgroi - Advisor

Misericordia University301 Lake StreetDallas, PA 18612

COUGAR NEWS

Mary Bove - Photographer

highland@misericordia.edumsgroi@misericorida.edu

570-674-6400570-674-6737

buntonk@misericordia.edudulskya@misericordia.edu

CONTRIBUTORSCatie Becker Amber Gulla Dominick Dellos Hilary Hoover Arthur Dowell Josh HortonMichele Drago Shawn KellmerPeter Falvey Gabriella LengyelLauren Gorney Gia Mazur

Where the sidewalks end Students say their call for sidewalks on Lake Street is a matter of safety and security as a result of expansion to the lower Passan campus. Junior Kayla Attig wears a road identification tag every time she goes out for a run. “I get really nervous [going down Lake Street]. The bridge is the worst part. Cars just fly past you on the road,” she said. She mostly runs on campus be-cause she feels it’s safer, but when the track team goes for a run, Attig and her friends are forced to start and stop their on-road workout to wait for traffic. Dave Schweitzer, Resident Director of Alumnae and Mc-Gowan halls, also has to make frequent stops for cars during his runs. Schweitzer runs in the evenings to avoid end-of-day traffic rush. “I used to run along Lake Street, but I now I cut through campus because of constant nervousness.” Senior Dustin Wojcicki, a townhouse resident, believes the Dallas community and MU should work together to make the area a safer place. “There should be a school zone in place from the Arches to the North Gate between cer-tain times.” He also suggests more crosswalks. Leonard Kozick, Dallas Township zoning officer and tax collector, said most neighborhoods share the predicament. “All of Dallas Township has no sidewalks or street lamps,” he said. “It was considered a rural area back

when the college first began.” Kozick encourages students and the community to bring their concerns to a Township Supervisor’s meeting, which is held on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 7:30 p.m., to get an ordinance passed for more pedestrian-friendly walking spaces. The problem isn’t confined to Lake Street. The campus is in need of pedestrian-friendly places to walk, students say, because construction has lim-ited available parking space, making mornings a mad dash for a prime spot. Townhouse resident and senior Sean Vitale worries every time he walks to and from class down the one-way from Mercy Hall. “There’s nowhere to walk. You are either pressed up against cars or walking in the middle of the road.” Behind Alumnae and Mc-Gowan, students are faced with a similar situation as passing cars force them against a guard rail on the sharp turn at the rear of the building. It’s difficult to see around the corner, Schweitzer said. “Other college campuses seem to be more pedestrian-centered. Students are always walking to and from classes.” Director of Facilities and Campus Safety, Paul Mur-phy, says he understands the concern and strongly encour-ages students to run within campus and to use the side-walks. “The speed limit within

campus is 15 mph and that applies to both students and faculty,” said Murphy. Crews have installed temporary sidewalks in front of Ander-son and down to Mangelsdorf Field. Flaggers are stationed around campus to keep a watchful eye out for traffic. “We’ve tried to keep people away from the construction by anticipating the traffic concerns with the temporary walkways,” said Murphy, pointing to the construction. The condition of the roads is made worse by construc-tion to complete the new dorm, athletic complex, and the renovation of the practice field. Recent flooding has also caused the need for repairs. “With construction, one of the areas of concern is along the side of McHale. More truck traffic is dangerous and worsens the condition of the road,” said Schweitzer. “The cars behind Gildea and McHale are covered in dust.” Vitale, who is also a member of the track team, recalled a time when he was covered during a track workout. “We were running up the hill towards Mercy and this car whips by and covered us in puddle water,” he said. “It’s important to raise aware-ness,” said Vitale. “It’s a joint responsibility for the commu-nity and the college.” “The shuttle runs on demand by calling Campus Safety. I would encourage stu-dents to use the shuttle dur-ing those high-traffic times,”

said Murphy. The shuttle runs from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thurs-day, and 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. He said use of the shuttle has increased this year due to the restric-tion on parking permits, the Machell Avenue Residence, and increased traffic to Pas-san Hall. During the weekend, the Student Activities shuttle takes students to the grocery store, Wilkes-Barre shops, and Movies 14. Vitale began riding his long-board to get to class faster, and he made an interesting observation about traffic safety. “Cars will wait for me to pass on my longboard, but they make pedestrians move out of the way.” Wojcicki and his housemate Mark DeStefano ride their bikes up to campus daily for class and work-study jobs. “I know who’s in the gym and who’s at their job when I see my friend’s bikes on campus,” Attig said with a laugh. Riders Credit the University for providing bike racks so they don’t have to chain bikes to lamp posts and benches. “It’s great to see that people notice,” said Wojcicki. DeStefano added that the cost of safety should be included in the construction price tag. “You can’t weigh out a person’s life to the price of concrete,” he said. “I’d like to see it safer for kids after me.”

By Hilary HooverReporter

Women on campus are as passionate about their future careers as they are about their own style, especially when the two elements come together. When Patricia Polito Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard founded Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. in 1982, they hoped their bags would become a favorite among young women. Their soft, brightly colored pat-terns are now the sta-ple of MU’s prestigious nursing department. Female nursing stu-dents seem to be always toting some-thing Vera, whether it is intentional or not. “I didn’t even realize I did it,” said junior nursing major Taylor Titus, when asked about the abun-dance of patterned accessories in the department. “Now that I noticed it, I see Vera Bradley everywhere.” Female nursing majors have taken a particular liking to Vera Bradley and sport these designs on bags, lanyards, or ID cases. “Everyone has something Vera Bradley,” said junior nursing major Olivia Goble. “Even something as small as the lanyard to put their name badge on. I’ve seen three people in my clinical that have those.” MU’s future nurses are constantly on the move, going from their clinical rotations or classes during the day to study sessions at night, which is why Vera Bradley’s collection of Weekender bags with multiple pockets and compartments is perfect for them. “It’s my school bag,” said Goble. “It’s just easier to carry my stethoscope and all that kind of stuff from place to place.” Another staple style item for nursing majors is a watch. Nurses wear their watches for practical reasons on duty, like to time a patient’s pulse, but many of these future health care professionals choose to wear their watches all the time. “It’s just habit for me now,” said junior nursing major Tiffany Freuler. “I never used to wear one because I never needed one, but now I feel like I use it all the time, even when I’m not at clinical. I’m always looking at my watch.” Nursing majors don’t mind wearing their required uni-forms, which usually include

scrubs and a lab coat. Titus explained that the nurses are obliged to wear lab coats when they are entering or leaving the hospital and on lunch breaks to minimize bacteria that can gather on scrubs. Scrubs are considered to be “cleaner” than other clothing, with minimal places for dirt to hide, and their ease and comfort is an added bonus.

“Scrubs are so easy because you don’t have to worry about pick-ing out an outfit,” said Titus. “And they’re just so comfort-able.” These nursing majors said that even though they all have to look the same on the job, they turn to acces-sories to

be different. “You all have to wear the same thing,” said Frueler. “So, you’ll see that everyone has their own colored watch, or their own colored stethoscope. You can’t wear jewelry, so that’s how we show our own personal style.” Future nurses are not the only group on campus that can be identified by their fashion faves. Business majors are almost always dressed in professional attire because it’s part of their course require-ments. Some professors noticed students who dress up for class are more attentive and consequently have higher grades, so they ask that students wear business attire each day. Becca Fagnano is one such business major. She is required to wear certain clothing to her Management of Human Resources class. “I had to buy around $150 worth of business clothes to last me the whole semester because I have to dress up for the class,” said Fagnano, a junior. “I don’t mind dressing up, though. It’s actually kind of fun.” Some majors don’t neces-sarily require their students to dress a certain way, but the students choose to do so on their own. Junior Gabby Giello is studying Government Law and National Security, and she feels she is prepar-ing for the workforce with her outfit choices. “I like to look professional,” said Giello, a junior. “And in a government job you have to look professional, so why not

Fashion by major?Students in nursing, business and other majors adopt fashion fingerprints.

By Gia MazurReporter

Nursing major Tamara Bradley sports her Vera Bradley tote and wristlet.

KATLIN BUNTON/THE HIGHLANDER

Supporters bring denim out of the closetBy Lauren GorneyReporter MU students, faculty, and staff teamed up in support of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) com-munity on October 11 simply by donning jeans. The campus Ally group organized an event called “Gay Jeans Day” that invited all members of the MU commu-nity to wear blue jeans in cel-ebration of supporting GLBT individuals. Hilary Hoover, an Ally member, helped orga-nize and promote the event. “‘Gay Jeans Day’ was a popu-lar thing on college campuses in the early 90,” she said. Dr. Becky Steinberger, English professor, acknowl-edged that the name “Gay Jeans Day” may have drawn negative attention to the event. “‘Gay Jeans Day’ doesn’t define it. It’s actually National Coming Out Day,” said Steinberger. Steinberger, who wore jeans on Tuesday, was concerned that people may have been thrown off by the title. “I think the message may have been lost.” She does believe the event was a positive way to support GLBT individuals. “It was really nice to see all the students and fac-ulty show up in their jeans,”

she said. Some students on campus also took notice to the name. “I was surprised that Miseri-cordia was okay with that,” said senior Jen Gallagher. “But I definitely think it was a cool thing to do. I saw a lot

of people wearing jeans that day.” Others thought that jeans weren’t the most obvi-ous way to show sup-port. “Most people were already wearing jeans,” said junior Grace Rik-er. “I think they could have done something else, like a certain color. I

don’t think jeans had that big of an impact.”

But Hoover was pleased with all of the responses she received. “I was surprised, but I’m glad, because this raises questions and gets people talk-ing and that’s what we need — to talk about it.”

Ally is a program that serves multiple purposes. It provides a platform for faculty, staff and students to provide sup-port, raise awareness, offer opportunities for confiden-tial discussion, and provide resource information. MU was only one of many college campuses across the nation to hold an event recognizing the national celebration. GLBT cultural events have been sweeping the nation with the legislative trends permit-ting gay marriage. Organizers hold events like “Gay Jeans Day” in the hope of what Ally calls “showing support for your GLBT friends and your opposition to prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation.” They believe people show support because “they think it is wrong for people to be harassed or discriminated against because they are GLBT…because they want their closeted friends to feel comfortable enough to come out to them…because they are proud to be who they are.” According to the National Conference of State Legisla-tures (NCSL), six states have legalized

The Ally group called on campus to pull on a pair of jeans to show support for the GLBT.

Students show concerns about the lack of paths around campus and in the Dallas community.

Junior Tori Flormann, freshman Melvin Jay Busi and sophomore Jasimine Busi volunteer at the ALLY table in the Banks Student Life Center.

MICHELE DRAGO/THE HIGHLANDER

Continued on page 4Continued on page 4

This Halloween, your costume can be made easy by zombie-fying any outfit. I browsed the Internet looking for authentic-looking blood recipes and found an assort-ment, which use things like Jell-o and crushed berries. However, an especially inter-esting recipe that I saw used chocolate, flour, red food dye and cornstarch, which sounds an awful lot like red velvet cake. So this week I’ll be plot-ting a delicious murder—cer-tainly a recipe for disaster. It’s always wonderful to find a sale any time of the year. During the holidays, cake mix always seems to be reduced. I picked up a box of Duncan Hine’s Red Velvet mix for $1 in the grocery store, which was especially nice seeing that I paid for it in spare change from the depths of my wallet. After getting “drink-quiv” where one gets all drinks in-stead of food, I came home with three Honest-Teas. The key to fake blood is consistency. It can’t be too thick or too watery or else you end up with a range of product looking any-thing from pink lemonade to a deep, red mud (which has its merits in whatever you are us-ing it for). By mixing it into a water bottle, it allows you to contain the product and judge its thickness without having to get everything dirty. Upon combination of the mix with water and vigorously shaking, I noticed that it ap-peared a little grainy at first and the blood was a bit bub-bly. However, the color was unmistakably crimson. The chocolate provided a depth of color that turned the plain red

dye into a rich mixture.The only way to test the blood was to stage a murder at the White House. So, I gathered a few friends and began to plot. Sophomore Mikayla Gillette has done makeup for two theatre productions at Misericordia, so I thought she would be the perfect person to turn her roommate, Jackie Paluszek into a corpse. They brought along Nick Kestler to do the dishes. An old white shirt was torn using a serrated knife and ripped to make abused and worn. Next came everyone’s favorite part and the mo-ment of truth: How would the concoction fare as a legitimate

makeup tool? Perfectly. The cake mix was applied with an old turkey baster found in the depths of a White House kitchen. It made applica-tion easy and the drippings were col-lected in a bowl. The mix was applied very realisti-cally from the mouth, scalp, and exposed skin amidst the drippings.

Afterwards, Gillette imme-diately went to work applying dark contours in brown and purple to Paluszek’s cheeks and eyes, then highlighting with a white makeup crayon. Completely zombie-fied!We took the crime scene outside and staged several “accidents” around the White House. This recipe is probably one of the most realistic and pocket-friendly fake blood concoctions that I’ve seen. A fun fact: The black and white classic movie “Psycho” used chocolate syrup in the blood scenes. Enjoy Hal-loween with this spook-tacular recipe for disaster!

The recipe:

3 tablespoons red velvet cake mix

4 ounces of water

Combine in a water bottle, cap, and shake until mixed.

A Collegiate

By HILARY HOOVERCulinary Columnist

Recipe for Disaster:

ColumnCulinary

TALK

By MICHELE DRAGOFashion Columnist

LET’S

FASHIONCOUGAR NEWS

October 25, 2011highlandernews.net 3

CAPSCORNER

At the CAPS Center, support is available and no con-cern is too big or too small. Counselors are available

to support you in a non-judgmental way using a holistic perspective - attending to mind, body and spirit. Our

hope is that through counseling services you are able to create more balance, peace and serenity in your life.

We invite all students to utilize CAPS Center services including individual therapy, group therapy, consultation

services, referral services, psycho-educational pro-grams and/or crisis intervention. Services are free and available to all full-time matriculated students. For more information about the CAPS Center and resources visit

us on the e-MU tab “Campus Life.”

Are you interested in exploring health, happiness, and well-being?

The CAPS Center is running a personal growth group that will run for six consecutive weeks.

The group will be open for 6-8 people, membership will be on a first come, first served basis, and the time of the group will be determined based on the members’ schedules. This group will focus on the needs of the members in relation to

increasing health, happiness, and well-being.

NEW Wellness Group:Health, happiness, & well-being.

The CAPS Center is creating a wellness group, but we need you to get it started!

The group will run for 8 weeks, and the day/time will be determined based on member schedules. Sign up ASAP because spots are limited!

Free Online Screenings:Did you miss the CAPS Center screening event? Don’t

worry; you can still check your moods! Just go to the CAPS Center’s page at https://emu.misericordia.edu/group/myc-ampus/caps and click on On-line Screenings. This screen-

ing is ANONYMOUS & FREE, and it will help determine whether a professional consultation might be helpful to you.

If you have any further questions,please email Megan ASAP at mtucker@misericordia.edu.

College is the time in your life when you get to truly figure out who you are and where you want to go in the future. It’s the time when you experiment with everything from your eating habits to your style. But how are you supposed to add to your fashion sense when you’re working with a college stu-dent’s not-so-friendly budget? Desperate times call for des-perate measures. It’s time to take part in Shopping Thrifty 101: my basic steps on how to achieve the runway looks even with under $20. Don’t take this shopping method as an insult. Sure, it’s a few steps below Neiman’s or Bloomie’s, but shopping for steals and deals has ultimately created the hipster fashion sense and a smarter way to survive college. As I hit the local Salvation Army, Goodwill, and end-less consignment shops I was beyond excited at the prospect of what I could possibly find and how I could arrange it into something so glam you wouldn’t even be able to tell I’ve purchased it with a pile of pennies. The thrill of the thrift hunt is one of the reasons why I now prefer this kind of shopping. If you could walk into a store and buy a blouse for $2.99 and turn it into something you’ve seen on the catwalks of Jason Wu and Alexander Wang, then that’s fashion. The potential finds are definitely worth enduring the over-whelming number of racks and the smell of an elderly woman’s perfume mixed with old cheese, so deal with it. First, start with shoes. It’s unlikely you’ll ever find a pair you’d purchase since the selection is quite limited, unless what you’re looking for is your grandma’s Fashion Express heels that perfectly match that shoulder-padded dress she owns---you know what I’m talking about. I did find a pair of Chinese Laundry magenta pink jellies with a bow for $5.99 that I would be bragging about if I could have actually fit into the size 8’s. I’ve been looking for jellies for quite some time, so you can imagine how disappointed I was (insert sad face here). If you are looking for shoes for less, Plato’s Closet in Dickson City is the place you want to be. In comparison with Sal Val, the shoe selection is more organized, there’s a better variety, and oddly you may end up paying less. Yes, I said it. Prices at Plato’s Closet are comparable to those at Sal Val. Let’s get back to the Sal Val. Don’t - and when I say DON’T I mean it - don’t trust their ‘Vintage’ and ‘Designer Name/Brand Labels’ sections. It’s a trick. As I eagerly ran over to these sections expecting to find the best of the best, I found the worst of the worst. Unless you’re looking for overalls from the 90s with Tweety Bird on them (found in the ‘vintage’ section) or a Jacqueline Smith by Kmart padded suit (found in ‘name brands’) then this is not the place you want to be. It seems as if the vintage section is more of a miscellaneous mockery to any vintage style. The real hidden gems are actually found mixed in with the average items people don’t think of checking. FYI, my love for anything

Erin Fetherston, an interna-tional designer who now de-signs a clothing line for Juicy Couture, has evolved into an obsession. Her stylish past collections sold at Target are feminine and come in colors that match that of anything Chanel. I headed to the “Jack-ets” section and after much searching I found a brand new, tag still intact, Erin Fetherston ebony coat with velvet hearts and a whole lot of perfection with no price tag. I believed this to be heaven-sent as I’ve been on the search for a jacket of such beauty for quite some time. The $20 purchase was worth the wait, and it was just as memorable as the Trina Turk cardigan found by my fashionable friend and blogger, Morgan Harding. It would have left any Fashionista speechless as it was in perfect condition and cost only $7. Seriously, steals of the day. These were just a few of the brands we found. Some others worth mentioning were the popular vintage Members Only jacket that is making its comeback in Macy’s stores, and a Christian Dior leather jacket that had too much of a resemblance to Judd Nelsons 80s look in the Breakfast Club. While the search for name brands is extensive and not something to do if you’re shopping short on time, the best finds are sometimes those that aren’t name brands. Rummaging through the shirt rack, I had found a flattering

feminine beige blouse with black buttons for a penny-pinching price I couldn’t deny---$2.99. Harding had

also found a few no-namers worth

mentioning, from her old school coat that would suit Nancy Drew to the

laced blouse that could have been

found in a Forever 21 catalog. Our day of thrifting was almost com-plete. Our next stop was Plato’s Closet in Dickson City. If you’ve never been there and want a cheap ward-robe, drop what you’re

doing and go now. You can find everything from

Juicy to True Religion for more than half-off the original price. The

best part of all is that you can bring your old wardrobe here and get instant money for whatever they accept. Bring your old wardrobe, earn cash, and buy a whole new closet all in the same day. As I searched to find bottoms to match my blouse, I found an Ann Taylor skirt from last season’s winter collection for just $12. Brand new it would have cost me $70 – major score. This store has not seen the last of this Fashionista. I plan on packing up my old duds and purchas-ing new ones ASAP. The key to finding good stuff at Plato’s is to spend time really search-ing the racks. You’ll find the perfect pieces for an outfit in no time. In a matter of 5 hours, I pur-chased an entire outfit for the price of $16. Okay, I may have cheated a little bit since I’ll be pairing my skirt and blouse with black tights and my own flats, but $16 for the basics is an awesome feeling com-pared to the one I get during my usual shopping ventures. Shopping thrift is adventur-ous, cheap, and a necessity for any Fashionista wanting to have some left over cash. Why not shop thrift to avoid the latest MU fashion epidemic? It’s become quite the sweaty situation. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Next time!

The alleged perpetrator was not an MU student. Other than identifying that the inci-dent happened on campus and making sure that the person who reported it was fine and comfortable, it is the universi-ty’s responsibility to keep that person off campus, according to Foley. Once the university does its part, the incident is in the hands of the victim to take any further steps. “You can report it to the university which is normally through me or you can go to SAPE or access the SART Team, or you can go to the police or go to campus safety or do a combination of several things. We don’t force anyone to do anything. Whatever they feel like doing at that time. We encourage counseling,” said Foley. Options for what the victim/survivor of a sexual assault can do is listed in the campus safety handbook that students receive each year when they register their vehicles. An entire section of the handbook is dedicated to the procedures that someone can follow if sexually assaulted. Handbooks are available in the Campus Safety office. “We encourage students to come forward. We encourage an investigation. It is their choice,” said Foley. Foley also explained that the university tries to do program-ming with all the first year students to let them know about all the options they have when it comes to sexual assault. They also acquaint them with the Sexual Assault Peer Educators (SAPE) and the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), both of which are resources for victims of assault. “What happens is that there are rumors and people say things. We can only report what is reported to us. If a stu-dent goes to other people, like the Counseling Center, they are not mandated to report sexual assaults because they have specific confidentiality

agreements. They cannot re-port it unless it is the student’s wish. I am only aware of one assault on campus this semes-ter,” said Foley. Information about crimes on campus is available on the Mi-sericordia website in the safety section. This information is based on a January-to-January year, not academic semesters. “Students cannot gather data from a semester-by-semester basis. They can access the daily crime log in the campus safety office. They are retained three months back and can be accessed by anyone,” he said. Zavada explains that each incident must be looked at on a case-by-case basis so nothing is misconstrued, and officials then act in accordance with the Clery Act. “The alleged perpetrator was identified, and that puts somewhat of the element of the unknown out of the equation. Our purpose of this was to comply with the Clery Act and to inform the campus that we did have a incident that is still under investigation and also to add informative information to other students that the impor-tance of limiting access to your residence hall to let students reflect on what could happen if you let someone into your building,” Zavada said. Both Foley and Zavada are unsure of why the “timely warning” did not remain on e-MU for the full amount of time. It was scheduled to come down on September 30, but for many the message disappeared after September 20. “We are all about trying to disclose this information. Nothing would have been generated from this or any of-fice saying to destroy any and all notices. We were trying to make this a bigger notice by whatever means we needed to do,” said Zavada. The incident was still under investigation by both MU Campus Safety and the Dallas Township Police Department at press time.

Continued from page 1Safety protocol, cont’d

Hoover tests out her fake chocolate blood recipe on ‘victim’ Jackie Paluszek before it’s needed for Halloween.

RELAY FOR LIFE KICK OFF PARTY!All are welcome to come celebrate the kick off for our biggest

fundraising event!

Thursday, November 3rd, 20118:00 – 9:30 p.m. Banks Student Life Center

Team recruitment, information about Relay For Life, fundrais-ing, entertainment and more will be featured.

Don’t miss out on all the fun!

We've got what NEPA has to offer.

Check us out!

WBSNightOut.com The premiere website for planning your

evening. Whether you want to hit the clubs, catch a concert, see a movie,

or just chill out at a bar.

Don’t forget to check out our weekly contests – you can win some really cool stuff,

including dinners, trips, concert tickets, sports tickets and more!

BOILINGPOINTS

By JOSH HORTONSports Columnist

October 25, 2011highlandernews.net4

The old saying goes a little like this: Defense wins cham-pionships. The good news for the Clemson Tigers football program is their game against Maryland wasn’t a champion-ship game. Although there were no tro-phies or rings handed out af-ter Clemson’s 56-45 win over Maryland, the game was as big as any the Tigers played in recent years. The win was far from easy for undefeated Clemson Tigers as they trailed Maryland 28-17 when the teams departed for the locker room at half time. Dabo Swinney is in his third year as head coach of the Clemson Tigers football program and he is known as a tremendous recruiter. Howev-er, there is more to the game of football than recruiting. Clemson has had some terrific teams who were supposed to play in one of the elite bowl games in college football. With sports, we know one thing. Just because an “expert” says it is going to happen, doesn’t mean it is actually going to happen. The perfect example would be the Boston Red Sox, or the Phila-delphia Phillies in baseball. Perhaps baseball isn’t a good enough sample size, take the Philadelphia Eagles, the supposed “Dream Team” who currently sits at 2-4 and is trailing the New York Giants in the NFC East. The reason these teams are relevant to the current topic is one word has always been echoed around the Clemson University Football team--underachiever. According to dictionary.com, the word underachiever is a noun for a person or thing that achieves below expectations. The word was perfect for the program considering under achieve was all they did for the past 10 years. When Swinney took over the program three years ago, he wanted so badly to rid the program of this horrible word. Although he lost his first game as Clemson head coach,

he has won all of them in 2011. The Tigers haven’t just beat cupcake teams either. They currently sit unde-feated at 7-0 and are 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Of seven victories, three have come against ranked opponents. They beat the Auburn Tigers 38-24, Florida State 35-30, and perhaps their most impressive win on the gridiron came against Florida State at 23-3. Holding the pesky Florida State offense is never an easy task, but the Clemson defense did just that by holding them to a field goal in the contest. The impressive defense the Tigers showed in their victory didn’t necessarily show up in their most recent victory against the Maryland Ter-rapins. The Tigers took the road to College Park, MD and almost came back with a blemish on their record as their defense allowed 45 points. The good news for the Tigers is, their offense scored 56 points. The Terrapins held a 35-17 lead in the third quarter, however the lead didn’t last very long as the Tigers offense awoke like a dormant volcano suddenly deciding to erupt. Erupt is just what their of-fense did as their star running back Andre Ellington maneu-vered his way past the Ter-rapins defense for 212 yards. It was the most rushing yards Ellington has had in one game since joining the Tigers. Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd contributed to the score-board as well. Watkins caught eight passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns and also played a big role on special teams with 207 return yards. Clemson’s star quarterback Boyd completed 26 passes for a whopping 270 yards and four touchdowns. The fact of Clemson having a great offense is no secret, but if they want to remain undefeated they will also need to play some defense. After all, defense does win champi-onships.

COUGAR SPORTSPenguins waddle back to Wilkes-Barre

Local hockey enthusiasts flock to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins season opener every year in early October. The metropolitan area became the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins top tier minor league team over a decade ago. The Penguins hosted their East Division rivals of the American Hockey League, (AHL) the Hershey Bears, on October 8 for the 2011-2012 season home opener at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins take imagery from an iconic horror film ev-ery year in October, blending aspects of Halloween and the beloved winter sport. The logo for this season is comprised of bloody numbers and an old-fashioned goalie mask, both stylized after the “Friday the 13th” film series. It seems to already be a fan favorite. Fans all over the arena sported shirts with the Halloween theme at the season opening game. The festivities began pre-game as the Chixy Dix, a country/alternative rock party band, played for the early bird fans. When the band finished and the gates opened, fans walked in to receive free season calendars. In the spirit of the season, the hockey-fueled treats just kept coming. Fans enjoyed a new horror film-inspired pro-mo that promised “bad blood will flow” and fans couldn’t seem to want anything less.Ditching the flames of yester-year, the Penguins came out onto the ice through an inflat-able igloo. Jake Heller, an MU se-

nior and lifelong hockey fan, couldn’t have been more excited for the new show. “I thought the igloo was awe-some. Don’t get me wrong. The fire is cool, but sometimes a little change is welcome.” Even Tux got in on “tough-ening up” his image, adding a biker vest to his hockey jersey ensemble. “‘Being a Sons of Anarchy’ fan I loved Tux’s new vest. He is very creative and the vest made me think of the show very easily,” said Heller. The KISS (Kids Innovating Stage and Sound) Theatre Co., a performing arts group comprised of young people from the area, sang God Bless America and the National Anthem as fans waited for the first game to begin. The presentation of the AHL Regular Season Champions and Eastern Conference and Eastern Division Regular season Championship banner for the 2010-2011 Season was next in the lineup of opening events. The action on the ice went back and forth between the two teams as soon as the puck dropped with very little slack in the game play. Even Penguins Head Coach John Hynes commented, “It was momentous game, both teams were on during the game. Ei-ther they were on or our team was on.” The Bears struck first at 11 minutes 27 seconds when Christian Hanson stole the puck in the Penguins’ zone and hit Kyle Greentree who successfully got a shot past Penguins goalie Brad Thies-sen. Pens Rookie Brian Gibbons

tied the game at 15 minutes 27 seconds in the first period with an unassisted goal after intercepting a pass from a Bears defenseman. Gibbons was signed as a free agent back in April after at-tending the Penguins prospect development camp in 2010 and 2011. He won two NCAA national titles in 2008 and 2010 with fellow Penguins prospect Carl Sneep while both attended Boston College. Heller is really excited for the new rookie. “I’d keep my eye out on Brian Gibbons. Based on what I’ve heard and what I saw that night, the kid has great speed and potential. I can definitely see him getting a call to Pittsburgh within a few years. “ Twenty seconds after the Gibbons goal the Bears retook the lead as Mathew Ford grabbed the puck off of a clearing attempt and got a shot in past Thiessen. Niko Dimitrakos, a winger just signed to the Penguins three days before the home opener, retied the game at one minute six seconds during the second period scoring off of a Colin McDonald pass. Bears center Keith Aucoin scored a power play goal at three minutes 33 seconds in the third period taking the lead that would carry over to win the game for Hershey. “I was waiting for him to pass it,” Thiessen said. “He was looking and looking, and fi-nally I knew he couldn’t make that play so he had to take a shot. He’s a good player and he made a good shot. The Penguins plan to use this early season loss as a motivator for other games.

“It doesn’t feel good to lose. We’ve just got to remember this feeling,” said Thiessen. The team isn’t worried about this game foreshadowing the rest of their season though. “There’s 75 more games, we can’t be done with this as a team. We made a couple of mistakes but it’s a long sea-son,” said Dimitrakos.Fans still have faith in their local team’s season success, too. “I’m not worried about them losing on opening night. Wilkes-Barre’s roster seems to change year after year and they are able to piece together a great team,” said Heller. “What makes hockey such a great sport is the longevity of the schedule.” Also new for the upcoming season is a TV show centering on the WBS Penguins called “Chillin’ With The Penguins.” The show will be hosted by commentators Tom Grace and Mike O’Brien and always will feature two members of the Penguins organization, taped in front of a live audience at the Coal Street Arena. Fans are encouraged to come to the show tapings, as questions will be taken di-rectly from the audience. The next show will be on Monday, November 7 at 6 p.m. Student Activities offers dis-counted tickets for students throughout the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ season. Students interested can go to http://misericordia.edu/events/calendar to find specific dates and times. The campus’ shuttle bus is also available for transportation to and from home games.

By Shawn KellmerReporter

Discount tickets are available to Penguins fans—and you might even get to appear on a TV show.

start now?” Career preparation is the focus for these students. Fagnano thinks dressing in business attire is good practice for job interviews and internships, and it will help students feel more comfort-able in the workplace because they have already gotten used to wearing this clothing. Some majors dress up just for the sheer pleasure of it. Amber Schmidt is a junior Elementary/Special Educa-tion major who said she likes to dress up when she goes

to observe classrooms each week, even though she is not required to. Schmidt feels is it more professional to go into the classroom in nice pants and a pretty top, but she still likes to stay in more comfortable clothes during her classes. “I have 8 a.m.’s every day,” said Schmidt. “I’ll wear my sweats to my morning classes because I don’t feel like get-ting ready that early. But, every Friday when I observe, it’s nice to get dressed up.”

Continued from page 2Fashion by major, cont’dA Look Back at Legends Series

Any true sports fan can agree that there is something special about entering an are-na or stadium where players made history. The hair stands up on your neck, and you feel the excitement and emotion throughout your body. Some say it’s the “ghosts” of players past that cause such electrical tension, legends who left their mark and still linger in the trophy cases. Their jerseys hang from the rafters. The

history of any sports program, especially in college, is closely followed by fans and students alike. Looking at larger Division 1 programs, there remains a sense of pride in the players and coaches who came before them, along with the tradi-tions they instilled. Legends exist at any level, and here at MU there are plenty of them. It’s just a matter of students hearing these legendary tales and build a sense of pride in the Cougars who paved the way before them. The Misericordia Athletics Hall of Fame is the place to start. Athletic Director Mike Mold and Alumni Association President Mike Avery decided in 2002 to create a venue recognizing those who left their mark on MU athletics forever. The Hall of Fame is now located in the Anderson Sports-Health Center, next to the weight room. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, former athletes must be a graduate of at least 10

years and have made a signifi-cant contribution as a player, coach, or friend of the pro-gram. During the induction ceremony that takes place each Homecoming Week-end in the Anderson Center Lobby, Hall of Famers receive watches with their engraved initials, as well as one plaque on the wall and another as a keepsake. The 39 plaques currently hanging contain remarkable stats and jaw dropping ac-complishments that are worth browsing by passersby. “I always stop to take a look,” said first year Joe Busacca. “I just don’t know much more about them.” The Hall of Fame can also be a sense of inspiration for current athletes at MU. “I would love to be up on that wall,” said Junior Nate Bowden, a prospective football player for the new football program. “It’s inspiring to look at the wall and see the his-tory, tradition, and culture.”According to Athletic Direc-tor Dave Martin, the culture

has developed and grown in the last two decades thanks to those up on the wall. “It’s important to realize that there is a strong tradi-tion and there has been great things accomplished,” said Martin. “The contributions made by those on the wall make MU Athletics what it is today.” To share more with the students and community, I’m taking a Look Back at Leg-ends to find out more about the individuals on the wall, and my stories will reveal mo-ments buried in MU Athletics’ history that aren’t spelled out on the plaques. I hope these will help you relate to those on the wall, and take pride in past Cougars who clawed their way to excellence behind hard work, focused dedication, and sound decisions.

Check back each issue for an update from different mem-bers from the Misericordia athletic wall of fame.

By Dominick DellosReporter

same-sex marriage, with New York being the most recent. New York legislators narrowly voted in favor of gay mar-riage in late June, making it legal as of July 24, 2011. This makes New York the largest state and the closest to Penn-sylvania to approve of this legislation. Although Pennsyl-vania legislators do not have same-sex marriage on this ses-

sion’s voting docket, cultural support is emanating from the tri-state area in the form of events like “Gay Jeans Day.” The NCSL says the states that have legalized same-sex mar-riage are predominately in the New England area and include Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hamp-shire, New York, as well as the District of Columbia.

Continued from page 2Out of the closet, cont’d

among the swaying trees and learned to trust the ground and the people around them. After the hike they partici-pated in a meditative drum circle. This was the perfect pairing because they were able to channel the peace they received during the hike and use that in playing the drums. “It’s a two-fold experience. You perform a task for some-one in need, but you yourself usually are the one walking away with a greater experi-ence,” said Kowalski. Werger, who has also been on many trips, said he found fulfillment working with his team on one main project in which he and three others were assigned to remove knot-weed, a tree like weed that is very invasive and dense. They worked on the project each and cleared nearly 75

percent of it. “[It was] awe-some accomplishing some-thing so big in a short amount of time,” said Werger. The time spent at New Dawn with Lucotte and gardening expert, Laurita Moscatelli, reinforced the idea of family and interconnected-ness for those that went on the trip. They were able to connect with people whom they would not ordinarily meet, and in doing so, create a support group they could bring back to campus. This concept is what they learned all weekend, and without real-izing it they implemented it in their own lives. They became interconnected and dependent upon one another. “Observer, listen, look, be aware. None of us can do it alone,” said Lucotte.

Continued from page 1Earthly connection, cont’d

October 25, 2011highlandernews.net 5

Veggie lovers grow in bunchesBy Ellen HoffmanPrint Editor

Vegetarians and vegans look for different meal options in the Metz dining hall and Cougars’ Den.

While walking into the cafeteria for lunch sophomore Amanda Sutton spots a table and puts her bag and other belongings down while her friends fill in the seats around her. She walks toward the “Signature Entree” station and browses the four options before moving down the line to the “Bravo” and “Corner Deli” areas. After glancing at foods that don’t appeal to her taste buds, she settles on the vegetable of the day and a sandwich made of cheese and lettuce from the deli. Being a vegetarian is one thing, but Amanda is also a picky eater. “I find it dif-ficult to find things to eat on campus solely for the reason that I’m picky and don’t eat meat. I have had trouble find-ing something to eat that isn’t cheese and lettuce on bread or grilled cheese.” Vegetarians and vegans are becoming more popular, but misconceptions about these foodies remain. Vegetarian is the main category, which in-cludes different sub-categories such as vegan which is the strictest of all. Vegetarians do not eat any type of meat, poultry or fish while vegans eliminate all animal products from their diets. Marketing and Retail Man-ager Jan Ashford, and other members of the Metz din-ing team, try to keep things different and interesting for everyone but especially for vegetarians and vegans. “Just because you’re vegetarian

doesn’t mean you want to eat vegetables all the time, but when we try to change it up that doesn’t necessarily mean what we change it to will be desirable either.” She is always looking for new ideas and encourages stu-dents to offer their opinions. When students contact her through email or post ideas and recipes on the Metz Din-ing Facebook page, she can try to offer different dishes that can accommodate everyone on campus. “We are looking into other options especially for people who are vegetar-ian or vegan and want more protein.” Sophomore Hilary Hoover is one student with a taste for sharing her suggestions. Hoover, who has a food column in The Highlander, has been a vegan for three years. She thanks Ashford for listening to her new ideas and helping her with her dietary needs. “I would not be able to eat on campus without her. Having her and her experi-ence in different food allergies and diets is great. I mean, she’s really been the advocate and the go-between for the cafeteria,” Hoover said. One issue Hoover and other students would like to see resolved is the lack of choices for weekend meals. Because the chef is not in the cafeteria on Saturdays and Sundays, options are severely limited—and not only for vegans and vegetarians. “We are working on making our weekends just

as great as Monday through Friday,” Ashford said. “We really are trying.” Hoover and adventurous eater and is always on the lookout for new menus that will correspond with her diet. And after being a vegan for so long, and staying clear of ani-mal products, she has noticed that finding suitable eats is easier now. She does have difficulty eating at restaurants with friends or family, but she’s figured out a way to make the situation more palatable for everyone: communica-tions. “As a college student, it does sometimes pose a problem when I go out to eat with friends. I usually let the server know at the beginning of the meal or else call ahead so that way I can sort of struc-ture what I eat.” Sutton has similar dining di-lemmas. She thinks it’s help-ful to be able to order a salad or sandwich without meat, but frustrating when she has to pay the full price. “Sometimes a restaurant won’t have many options for me, or I’ll have to pay the full price of a dinner when I’m leaving out the main part,” she said. “I don’t find it a struggle to not eat some-thing with meat. None of it appeals to me.” On campus, Ashford has al-ready tried adding new foods to the cafeteria and Cougar’s Den that will hopefully appeal to all vegetarians and vegans. This includes different types of beans, like black and kid-

ney, which have been added to the salad bar. Tofu and spin-ach are now everyday options in the Cougar’s Den for salads and sandwiches. There is also talk of starting to cook with different milks like coconut milk instead of butter. The new chef behind the stove brought new ideas as well. Chef Robert Manfre comes from a diverse Medi-terranean background and according to Hoover “makes a mean Baba Ghanoush.” The protein-rich Mediterranean eggplant dip is just the type of food she is looking for. It’s usually found in the Den or at the “Bravo” station during lunch hours. With different recipes in the mix, Ashford hopes to fix any glitches in the system and keep everyone happy and healthy. “We try to come up with different things but it’s hard to offer as big a variety as what we offer to everybody else. But we do make a very honest effort to accommodate every single person every single day,” she said. She is also cautious about cooking techniques and the or-der in which staff cook them. Cooks must prepare vegan and vegetarian dishes before they cook others to avoid con-tamination. During the frying process, cooks add vegetarian and vegan foods to the pot first and then change the oil for the others. “True vegetar-ians and vegans won’t eat foods out of a fryer because of cross contamination.”

Coffee at Bernie’sBy Gabriella LengyelReporter

Students line up daily for a cup of java brewed by Bernice.

Morning classes end and the students scatter around the halls of Insalaco. Their stom-achs are grumbling but there’s little time before their next classes. They all make a mad dash for the InterMetzo Café for scones, coconut coffees, lattes and all manner of fruits, nuts and granola-like goodies. A petite blonde works from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. serving the students, busy as a bee on the other side of the counter.This dedicated woman who devotedly serves the MU com-munity—and prepares a latte with one hand and throws a bagel in for toasting with the other—is Bernice Ziomkowski. She grew up in Stratford, Con-necticut and now resides in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania with her 22 year old daughter and her pet Pomeranian. She also has a 28 year old son who is father of her grandchildren. Ziomkowski started working at MU seven years ago, start-ing in the Metz Dining Hall and moved to her post at the InterMetzo Café just last year. She previously worked at Holy Redeemer High School. “The environment and staff is my favorite thing about working at Misericordia,” she said. She said the perks also include her boss and cowork-ers. “My co-worker and I get along very well. I love work-ing with her.” Something else Ziomkowski loves about the InterMetzo Café is its location: directly across from the Pauly Fried-man Art Gallery. She has seen four or five exhibits in the gallery so far but the “Mary Wilson Supremes Col-lection” is her favorite. “It’s the nicest one I’ve seen there,”

she said. A typical day starts when Ziomkowski loads up her cart of fresh bagels and other bakery items and ice-cold breakfast juices from the Metz Dining Hall. She gets to the Café by 7 a.m. She is there by herself until her co-worker comes at 10:30 a.m. with the hot sandwiches, pizza, and pumpkin coffee for lunch. Her co-worker stays until about 11:00 a.m. and Ziomkowski’s day ends around 2:00 p.m. when she closes the café. The Café is the busiest any time after 9:30 p.m., so in her spare time Ziomkowski sets up, cleans, and prepares for class intermissions. Ziomkowski noticed the most popular item on the menu is a bagel or a cup of coffee for the many students stopping by for a quick bite to eat. She, however, prefers the hot sandwiches. Ziomkowski also enjoys a nice warm cup of coffee, and she said her favorite food is spaghetti (something she has to get at home, after hours). “Modern Family” is her favor-ite television show and she’ll never turn down a viewing of “The Notebook.” She loves jamming out to Nickelback while she’s on her way to her favorite place to shop: the Wyoming Valley Mall. Playing with her grandchildren is her favorite thing to do. These are just a few things about the lovely lady who works at the InterMetzo Café. If you’re ever walking by or or-dering something, strike up a conversation with this friendly MU community member. And pick up a coffee—pumpkin spice.Scene on Campus

Professor Sheryl Goss teaches outside the sonography lab while the power was out on Wednesday, October 19. From left, Jenn Butchko, Kristy Clasen, Dana Ward and Debra Pepe.

CAITLIN ROWE/THE HIGHLANDER

something gets done about the commuter lounge because it is awful.” President Michael MacDow-ell said that there are two op-tions. “One plan,” MacDowell explained, “is to keep it as a lounge and meeting room and to do repair on it. It would still remain designated as a commuter lounge.” He added that those who use the build-ing for meetings and activities would still be able to do so after renovations. The other option, which is to relocate the lounge, also ad-dresses an expected increase in student population. With the new residence hall that is under construction, 118 stu-dents will be added to the 900 who currently live on campus, and this will cause overcrowd-ing in the dining hall. “Should we extend the dining hall into the bookstore area and have additional dining hall space?” asked MacDowell. The plan would include moving the bookstore to the location of the commuter lounge and creating a new space for commuters. Cost may be the deciding

factor. “We spend about $2 million a year just on what we call deferring maintenance,” said MacDowell. “If you add to the dining area, you’re talk-ing about $1 million easily.” While renovating the com-muter lounge would be least costly, the decision depends upon a decision about the din-ing hall. President MacDowell encourages students to voice their opinions. “I would like to have the input of students and see what they think we should do.” The Blacktop Lounge is not only a place for commuters to go, but it is a home-away-from-home for some students. Residents have the luxury of relaxing in their dorm rooms between classes, but commuters must find public areas on the school grounds. The lounge includes appli-ances such as a refrigerator and microwave for the large number of commuters who do not purchase meal plans. A television and a computer, which is outdated, are also in the room.

Continued from page 1Grass shouldn’t grow, cont’d

October 25, 2011highlandernews.net6

Parking problems push patienceBy Lauren GorneyReporter

As construction continues, on campus parking becomes scarce.

Parking is the hot topic on campus, overshadowing the construction of the new resi-dence hall and the incoming football team. The campus expansion project is coming to life, and along with it, the reality of change. Excavation work, which has forced the closure of many parking spots, has been ongoing for four weeks and will not be complet-ed until early August 2012. This has already raised the concern of students, especially commuters. Junior Kaitlyn Haldeman said her schedule leaves pre-cious little time to commute. “I come straight from working off campus and have to be in class. I can never find a spot and I’m always late,” she said. “Professors won’t accept park-ing as an excuse every day.” Haldeman is not alone. Many students feel discour-aged at the status of the park-ing, specifically concerning the parking permit fee. President Michael MacDow-ell acknowledged the fee of $35, but stands firm on the campus policy to charge for parking permits. He noted that MU has the lowest park-ing fee among colleges in the area, with the exception of Lu-zerne County Community Col-

lege, which is free. Blooms-burg University charges $150, and Kings College charges $200 for the year. MacDowell admits that things are never easy during a construction phase, but he reminds students and faculty that the results will be worth it. “We went through major construction a few years ago with Insalaco. Where would we be now without it?” Improvements include a football field, a practice field, a new baseball field, and a mixed use building where students can live and learn. “The residence hall will host suite-style living and will house 118 students as well as three classrooms,” he said. The residence hall has yet to be named, but MacDowell said the name is for sale for $7 million. Sister Jean Messaros, Vice President of Student Affairs, says that patience is key in times like these. “We’ve placed further restrictions on freshman parking and we encourage students to use the shuttles from Passan Hall.” Passan Hall is located on the lower campus and has ample parking. During school hours, stu-dents can find two shuttles

moving between the Passan parking lot and main cam-pus. According to Messaros, campus security has become stricter in its enforcement of the parking policy. After three warnings, students’ cars will be towed. Contrary to wild rumors on campus, student parking spaces are not being sacri-ficed. “They’ve been switched around,” said Messaros. “No student spaces have been eliminated to accommodate faculty.” Some students are disgrun-tled with the current construc-tion because they won’t get to experience the benefits. In response to students who are disappointed that they won’t get to be a part of the new hall or the football team, MacDowell said, “Join us as alum! There will be more to do on weekends. This will bring camaraderie, visibility, and more students to campus.” Construction will continue through the winter months and is on track to be complet-ed by August 2012. Parking will be limited until that time and MacDowell and Messaros encourage everyone to remain optimistic and patient during this transitional phase.

MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER