Highlander News

MARCH 1, 2011

highlandernews.net

Ins ide

Rock for the Red, the Red Cross, that is Exclusively on highlandernews.net

Students Fall for Slick Sport

Rub-a-dub dub, there are drugs in your tub, page 2

Let’s Talk Fashion: Dancing her way to sartorial success PAGE 3

By Ellen HoffmanReporter

(Continued on page 4)

Boredom Busters: Area rich in history makes exciting excursion for buffs PAGE 3

Video footage and photo slideshow

PHOTO BY ELLEN HOFFMAN / THE HIGHLANDER

MU offi cials say they will uphold all that is sacred about the university and expect changes that come with foot-ball will be for the better—particularly for other sports programs. The Board of Trustees asked students to fi ll out a survey last semester to receive feed-back about what they expect to see with the addition of a football team and what they would like to remain as it is. The study revealed that stu-dents did not want a culture change, and if it is inevitable they did not want it to be signifi cant. Offi cials say the student/fac-ulty ratio of 15 students per professor will remain as it is. They say this enables student to develop and maintain closer relationships with faculty and receive more individualized attention. The school board intends to maintain the rate even as the university adds at least 110 students. The Health Sciences majors have reached capacity and both Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology are approaching their limits.

President Michael MacDowell believes with the addition of a team, more students will apply for other majors such as Business, Education, Psy-chology, Biology, Law, and Government and National Security. Both MacDowell and Vice President of Student Affairs Sister Jean Messaros empha-sized that football players will not be handled differently from other athletes. Students will be expected to maintain acceptable grade point averag-es. “As a D3 school, we focus on academics fi rst and athlet-ics second. Our fi ne coaching staff knows this and each and every one of them does a great job in the recruiting of new students,” said Messaros. But there are two changes that President MacDowell looks forward to. “I am hop-ing this will keep students on campus on weekends, and build a bigger student section-not just for football, but for the other sports as well.” Offi cials looked for coaches who value and practice the same charisms as the univer-sity, and those who will work

to maintain the high stan-dards of MU academics. New football coach Mark Ross says he knows academics will come fi rst with his future athletes, and knows that before stu-dents are offi cially accepted, the school will take a look at the prospective students’ character. Offi cials expect that the school community will support the football team. They hope this will lead to a trend in which fans support multiple sports teams—just as the school enjoyed in the past. MU once had a group of dedicated fans called “The Lake Street Elite” who attended every home basketball game and cheered for both men’s and women’s games. Messaros remembers the inspirational student section and she said she would love to see some-thing similar. “I’m hoping the football team gets students into rooting on different sports and not just football. The school offers 23 different sports in which students can get together and cheer for. I have not seen much since the Lake Street Elite,” she said.

Mark Ross has been an assistant coach at Lafayette, East Stroudsburg and most recently Ithaca University. However the Athens, PA na-tive no longer has “assistant” in his title. MU introduced Ross Monday, January 17 as the fi rst head football coach in school history. “Anyone in the profession of coaching football strives for an opportunity like the one Misericordia has given me,” Ross said. The challenge of building a football program from the ground up does not scare Ross. In fact, he is very excited to be in this unique position. He feels as though he and the school are writing a new book together. “We will take an open book approach,” Ross said. “We’re not starting at chapter 37. We’re starting at chapter one and we’re going to make his-tory every day and we’re going to do it the right way.” Ross already has quite a challenging chapter before him: recruiting for a brand new team. But he believes

that he will have many unique advantages, including the ability to have a student regis-ter this fall and be able to red shirt one year before the 2012 season begins. “Misericordia offers many fi ve year programs such as physical therapy and sports management,” Ross said. Another aspect that Ross will use to his advantage is playing time. Many players from the 2012 season will be freshmen and will have an op-portunity to get into the game. “I think it will be a big advantage to be able to tell a player he has an opportunity to be a four year starter,” Ross said. “It is very rare to start all four years in college football.”Although the majority of Ross’s experience comes as a defensive coach, he believes a strong offense is just as important. He feels as though in order for the Cougars to be successful they will need a total team effort. “I know they say that defense wins champions, but if you don’t put points on the

By Arthur DowellReporter

Football to preserve cultureBy Josh HortonSports Columnist

First coach since 1924

Mark Ross has been an assistant coach at Lafayette, East Stroudsburg and most recently Ithaca University. However the Athens, PA na-tive no longer has “assistant” in his title. MU introduced Ross Monday, January 17 as the fi rst head football coach in school history. “Anyone in the profession of coaching football strives for an opportunity like the one Misericordia has given me,” Ross said. The challenge of building a football program from the ground up does not scare Ross. In fact, he is very excited to be in this unique position. He feels as though he and the school are writing a new book together. “We will take an open book approach,” Ross said. “We’re not starting at chapter 37. We’re starting at chapter one and we’re going to make his-tory every day and we’re going to do it the right way.” Ross already has quite a challenging chapter before him: recruiting for a brand new team. But he believes

By Josh HortonSports Columnist

First coach since 1924

(Continued on page 4)

Officials intend to maintain current culture on campus as football nears.First ever football coach brings excitement to MU.

Students in Professor Alison Piatt’s Western Civilization classes know about her obses-sion with the sport of curling. When she started talking about it in class, some stu-dents became interested and she invited everyone to try her favorite sport. She said they would win extra credit in her heart forever. Piatt was pleased they were willing to try. “Some of my students came out on a Satur-day night to give it a shot and they actually really liked it,” she said. And soon after that, a curling club was formed. Curling was offi cially ap-proved in January. Secretary Lindsay Buss wanted to try it because it was out of the ordinary... “I joined to meet people outside of Misericordia and to learn a sport that’s not as well known or popular,” she said. “I didn’t expect it, but it’s actually a lot of fun!” Maria Maas also came out to try for another reason. “My father curls and I thought this could be something we could do together,” she said. “When I fi rst found out about it, I thought it could be some kind of father/daughter bonding experience if I liked it. Turns

out I loved it!” She said a bonus is that most anyone can do it. “It’s something different sports-wise where athletic abil-ity isn’t really required that much, which is good and I think will help get more people out to try it.” Curling, a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice toward a targeted area, requires a good deal of focus, however. “You can learn the bare bones of the game in an hour or so, but perfecting the game takes a lot of practice in order to get the hang of it,” said Piatt, The objective of the game is the stone closest to the center of the targeted area without the other team’s stone getting in the way. Players must invest at least 45 minutes to prepare the ice for the game. After cleaning and then drying it, they spray it with water droplets to help the stone move farther and straighter. They then take out markers and measuring tape to draw targets onto the ice. “It’s quite extensive prep, but it’s necessary,” said Piatt. Piatt, who has been curling since 2006 with the Anthra-

Western Civ professor introduced her students to an entirely new activity and spread the curling craze.

Above from left, First Year Cassie Foy, Junior Lindsay Buss and Sophomore Maria Mass practice their curling.

Football Construction

PlansMangelsdorf Field:-Field will be returfed-Bleachers will be relocated to the back of the field-A new Field House will be constructed

Baseball Field:-Will be relocated next to Mangelsdorf

Multi-Use Building:-Will be constructed across from the Anderson Sports & Health Center-A playground will also be constructed to accompany the new building

MARCH 1, 2011 highlandernews.net2

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Busters

Viewfinder

Women’s

Month

Faculty

Speaker Series

‘Exceptional Nurses’March 16

Roundtable Discussion: Teaching Gender-Based Courses

March 23

‘What Women Value’March 30

Women in Poetry

Black Top LoungeMarch 22 8:30 pm

Walk a Mile in

Her Shoes

Brownbag Lunch Events

McGowan Room

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Insalaco Hall LobbyMarch 26

12:00 - 2:00 pm

Strap on your high heels and strut to raise money for the

Panzi Foundation. Registration cost is $20.

‘Looking Back to

Forward: Revisiting in

a Different Voice’

For more information contact:Dr. Amanda Caleb

[email protected]

Lemmond TheaterApril 1

7:30 pm

McGowan Room12:00 - 1:00 pm

This non-profit organization helps raise awareness and

provide treatment to women who have been sexually

assaulted and raped in the DR Congo.

A reception will follow the event featuring Dr. Lee Ann de Reus of the Panzi Foundation.

Dr. Carol Gilligan, noted psychologist and academic, speak. A book signing and

reception will follow this event.

A new drug with candy coated names such as Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave and Bliss, looks like typical bath salts. It can be found from places such as smoke shops and simple mini marts, but its effects are not sweet. Side effects are much the same as those caused by methamphetamine, a drug that often causes hal-lucinations, rapid heart beat, muscular twitching and even suicidal thoughts. A small packet of the chemical costs about $20. Sophomore Kayla Turonis has seen the drug’s effects, “I know people who have actu-ally used bath salts and it just seems bizarre. My one guy friend snorted bath salts once and called me and said that he felt like his heart was go-ing to beat out of his chest and that he kept seeing streaks of blue and red.” Turonis said the use of bath salts is foolish because it is a chemical drug and you never know what people put in it before you use it. According to a report by AOL Health, people are snort-ing, shooting and even crush-ing the drug into their food and beverages. So far, experts

say, acute toxicity is the main risk and there have not been enough case studies to prove what damage may be caused from long term use. Katrina Kmtez, a manager of Bath & Body Works at the Wyoming Valley Mall, said she is not sure which ingredi-ents in typical home products could cause a high. “There is a lot of alcohol in some of our products. People may get a high from some room sprays,” said Kmtez. She also said that if the use of these new drugs becomes widespread and people begin to die from overdoses, she would not be surprised if the companies were tempted to pull bath salts from shelves. According to doctors who participated in a study by WebMD, pyrovalerone, an ingredient found in average bath salts is used and altered by illegal street chemists in the bath salt drug. There have been discussions by some state officials about banning the sale of all bath salts to help prevent the drug from being circulated. Louisiana is the only state that has banned the sale of bath salts in an emergency order after the

state’s poison centers received more than 120 calls involving their use. Bruce Riley, Assistant Director of the Student Suc-cess Center, said the drug might be a fad and fade out just as quickly as it seems to be coming in, but it should be combated just like any addic-tive drug because it has the potential to grow in popular-ity. “I don’t think that there is a certain type of person who would automatically use it but rather a person who is easily influenced and swayed towards using it,” said Riley. AOL Health reported that one man slit his stomach and face with a skinning knife after taking the drug, and a woman in Mississippi took a lethal overdose of bath salts. There have yet to be any available reports of people using ‘bath salts’ within the areas of Dallas, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton. Students who know anyone using bath salt drugs or any other drugs can refer others to campus resources including the MU Addictions Counselor or the Counseling and Psycho-logical Services Center.

By Kaitlyn MolteniReporter

Bath salts unlikely drug

In an attempt to make recycling an everyday activ-ity, Cougars for Change (CFC) has instituted a few programs this year to make it easier for students to preserve the environment. These include post-it notes around light switches that remind everyone to turn off lights when they leave the room. Other programs include the placement of boxes in dorms for the recycling of paper and plastic shopping bags. The group has also posted informational signs about recycling. The club will also hold a special event to mark Earth Hour, which will be marked worldwide March 26. CFC member freshman Auraleah Grega is passionate about the club’s work. She said she noticed an immense amount of waste around cam-pus.” Seeing students abuse the innocent nature around them as a dump, makes me want to help the most,” she said. Grega hopes CFC will help students to understand that their actions impact the world around them. Members also hope to see the installation of hand dryers

in the bathrooms, and the use of energy efficient light bulbs and reusable water bottles. Helping students to become more ecologically conscious is the club’s goal this year. Coordinator Brittani Brown said she got involved with the Cougars for Change because she wanted to help the environment. “I realized a while ago that humans are going through resources at such a rate that we might actually run out in the future. And that the negative impact we have on the Earth today could negatively impact us tomorrow. If we can’t help our Earth, it can’t help us,” said Brown. Sister Jean Messaros, Vice President of Academic Af-fairs and Cougars for Change advisor, similarly expressed Brown’s sentiment. She said the group is trying to “call attention to saving the carbon footprint and working towards environmental sustainability.” These changes cannot hap-pen if the student population does not get involved, said Messaros whose fear is that when influential students, such as Brown and the other coordinators, leave the enthu-

siasm will also leave. “Stu-dents should have a genuine belief that you’re [joining] for a serious purpose and that what we don’t do affects us,” said Messaros. The club began two years ago when a group of students went to a conference in Chi-cago and identified wasteful-ness as the biggest problem on campus. They immediately started instituting changes once they returned. This included “Trayless Tuesdays” in the cafeteria, which eventu-ally resulted in the elimina-tion of cafeteria trays. Dining services provider Metz also began using biodegradable products. Students have also participated in Earth Hour, a worldwide event during which buildings go dark for one hour to conserve energy. This notion of “environmen-tal sustainability” is stressed by the Sisters of Mercy. Their list of critical concerns in-cludes “work more effectively toward the sustainability of life and toward universal rec-ognition of the fundamental right to water.” To join contact Brittani Brown at [email protected].

By Catie BeckerReporter

Cougars for Change grows initiative

Household items altered to create effect of methamphetamine and is sold legally.

Environmentally conscious student club continues to expand enterprise.

SCENE ON CAMPUS

Above, ice freezes over everything on MU’s campus during a cold winter.PHOTO BY RICH BALDOVIN / THE HIGHLANDER

Marchuan Ramen noodles are a staple in the life of a col-lege student. This instant dish is inexpensive to purchase and only take a few minutes in the microwave to make. This time we take a whole new spin on these Japanese noodles and create a dessert, which is definitely not soup, and guaranteed to be a recipe for disaster. We first covered the bottom of the frying pan with vegetable oil. We then warmed the pan using medium heat on the stovetop. After feel-ing that the pan was warm to the touch, we added an equal amount of brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon as we turned the heat up another notch. Stirring the mixture gently, we waited for the sugar to fully melt within the oil. When you’re making this dish, be very careful not to burn the mixture as it should not be boiling at any point. We opened the package of ramen and removed the foil spice packet. This recipe does not call for the typical chick-en, beef or shrimp flavoring, so we decided to save our spice packet. Half of the spice pack-age in hot water makes for an excellent bouillon, especially when you’re feeling under the weather with a scratchy throat. We crushed the dried noo-dles until all of the big chunks were broken up into small spirals. This can be done by closing the package and beat-ing it against a table within the original packaging.

We then carefully poured the crushed noodles into the frying pan and stirred until the sugar concoction was thoroughly mixed through. Be sure that all of the noodles are entirely coated. If some of the noodles are not coated, proportionately add some more brown sugar and oil and continue to stir. We discovered that since

ramen noodles are dehy-drated, it is very easy to burn them. Scent is key way to tell if you’re heading towards a recipe for disaster. Burnt sugar has a distinct, acrid smell. If you smell

that something is awry, turn down the temperature im-mediately. Once the noodles have fully absorbed the oil and sugar, we removed them from the stovetop to allow them to cool and harden. You may want to pour your caramelized ramen onto a cookie sheet to save hours of scrubbing your pan. Surprisingly, this dessert turned out rather tasty. It was sweet and crunchy, like the sleeves of almonds and pecans at the fairgrounds. We used our batch with some fresh mango as a topping for ice cream-- completely delicious. However, eating it right out of the bowl became rather addicting. This is definitely a fun, unexpected treat that will defy your image of instant noodles forever.Comments? Recipe sugges-tions? Email [email protected] or [email protected]

MARCH 1, 2011 highlandernews.net3

TALK

By MICHELE DRAGOFashion Columnist

LET’S

FASHIONBoredom

Busters

By JAKE RAKESTRAWEntertainment Columnist

The recipe:

1 pkg Instant Ramen NoodlesBrown SugarVegetable OilCinnamonFrying PanSpoon

A Collegiate

By CAESAR RIVERA and HILARY HOOVERCulinary Columnists

Recipe for Disaster::

ColumnCulinary

Occasionally The Highlander prints new columns. Please send feedback

online at highlandernews.net or email The Highlander at

[email protected].

Mary Kintz Bevevino Library

Mon. – Thu.: 8 a.m.– 11 p.m.Fri.: 8 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Sat.: 10 a.m.– 7 p.m.Sun.: 11 a.m.– 11 p.m.

Students ServiceinA CAMPUS COMPACT

AMERICORPS PROGRAM

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: KRISTEN SAMUELS

CAMPUS MINISTRY OFFICE 570-674-6754

Helps students pay for college while participating in community service.

MU was one of the first campuses to host a Scholars in Service Program.

Students must complete 450 hours of community service in order to qual-ify fo an AMERICORPS Education Award of $1250.

Shana Weinstock walks in to the Cougar’s Den covered in Tory Burch. Whether it’s her black Rowan boots, her Tory tote or her blue trench coat that accentuates her black legging—a style must---this girl has serious style. It’s that style that qualifies her as a fierce contender in the fash-ion world at Misericordia. Weinstock isn’t your typical fashionista. Not only does she study the styles of celebs and pay close attention to what’s new on the fashion scene, but she also juggles the classes of a Communications major, shimmies her days away with the dance team, acts in the play Sweet Charity and teaches dance classes on the side. I’d like to know when this girl has time to spree away to some of her favorite shopping spots that include two cities filled with style---Philadel-phia and New York City. Weinstock has a method to her fashion madness, one that consists of Keeping up with the Kardashians, getting fashion tips on E! and reading the lat-est cheap finds in Elle magazine. Every true fashionista has one thing in com-mon---an addic-tion. A shop-ping addiction. “Whether it’s Friday, Satur-day, or Sunday, I’m at the mall and I never leave empty handed.” There’s only one problem. Shop-ping in Dallas is like shopping on Canal Street---it’s easy to find fakes and the real retail is never in sight. Shana heads to online shopping for her desire for designer labels. She alternates between Bloomingdales and Nordstrom’s because of the selective stock and numerous name brands. And when worst comes to worst, like every fashion expert, Shana searches the sales at TJMaxx and Marshall’s. I know Weinstock has her style down as soon as I heard about her closet, which sounds like a fashionista’s version of heaven. Uggs, Tory Burch, Juicy Couture, oh my! If you’re an Ugg’s addict, she’d be the go-to girl on any style because Weinstock has more Ugg’s in her closet of

wonderfulness than Hum-phrey’s has in stock. Just how many is the real shocker. 15? Not even close. Try 50. Yes, over 50 pairs of Uggs have a shelf life in her closet. Tan, black, brown, sequined, leop-ard, puppy dog, fur covered, grey, tall, short, pink, purple. You name it, Shana’s got it. “They’re so comfortable and you could even wear them in the spring time with dresses.” Besides the furred out boots, Weinstock’s closet is loaded with the big brands. I definitely wouldn’t mind trad-ing closets or even cocktail ring collections---one of my other personal faves--with this fashionista She can’t go a day without a ring. “If I don’t have on a big ring, I feel naked.” The question on my mind is how does one girl pull off new styles and incorporate fashion into her busy days when she hardly has time to grab a quick meal? She’s

got her schedule and style down to a T, T for Tory.

“I try to balance my week. Three out of five days, I try to look nice, but

Wednesdays are the worst.” Shana describes her

style in as little as two words: com-fort-able and ap-pealing.

While she

hardly has time to

sleep, her style incorporates her love for dance with the newest trends

for her busy days. “I try to keep in

mind that I should get flowy tops that I could wear with leggings that way I could wear them to dance as well.” While her style incorporates newest trends with college classics---leg-

gings and Uggs---she knows her stuff. She offers advice for the style conscious. “Don’t overdo it and don’t even dress to im-press. Try to make it natural, but still make every outfit fun.” One thing Weinstock and I have in common: we both can’t wait to pack in the tall boots and bring out the fun flats. Spring is on its way and trends are on the rise. I chat around campus to find out students’ favorite spring trends---next time.

Having only lived in “the valley” for two years, I had never heard of the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art, that is until recently when I came across the news that it had an exhibit on the Civil War. Im-mediately my inner historian awakened and my interest piqued. I can remember going on school field trips to Civil War battlefields in Ten-nessee as a little Southern dude, so I couldn’t wait to head to Scranton to see what I could discover. Most have learned in his-tory lessons of Robert E. Lee’s exploits and Harriet Tubman’s adventures on the Underground Railroad. Historians have taught us about the major battles and the most important figures. Nezka Pheifer, Curator at the Everhart Museum, explained how these important people often overshadowed the quieter, more faceless people. But as we found at the Everhart, countless unsung heroes played a huge role in the Civil War, too. I couldn’t help but think about the long processes involved in putting to-gether such an interesting and educational exhibit. Pheifer, who has worked at the Everhart for five years, says it was a collaboration of many throughout the past two years. “We identified the partners we worked with, looked at their collections, read their research and then started putting the narra-tive together for the exhibit.” She says a variety of people helped, including interns and private collectors who “gener-ously lent their objects to the exhibit”. Many of the objects show the daily life of soldiers - we saw uniforms, tools, books, even a piece of tobacco! One of the most fascinating as-pects for Pheifer is the many stories “of all the African-American soldiers, as well as the abolitionist families in the Lackawanna Valley.” Captions of these stories and more, including ones about family members of soldiers and women on the home-front, lined the walls with photographs and paintings from the era that depicted everything from portraits of generals to the plights of famine and battle. Among those objects is an amputation kit from 1861 that includes a tool called a “tenaculum” used for lift-ing arteries! My personal favorite was the many rifles and guns that lined the walls

and filled the glass cabinets. One pistol was even the same type John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate President Lincoln. Amanda loved an elegant wedding dress from 1859 worn by a woman who called the Wyoming Valley her home. While the exhibit was entertaining and educating, its purpose was to “present the stories [of these people] that many may not know about, and to highlight and showcase the important work done by all of the regional historic societies who collect and preserve the history,” said Pheifer. As classic battle hymns and music from the Civil War era played in the background, we saw firsthand what preservation looks like. One of the artifacts featured was a jar of candy from 1865 sent to a soldier in battle who died before the candy reached him! Should I start saving my bag of Smarties? While the exhibit and its content were remarkable, it is only a small part of the Everhart Museum. After we finished experiencing the Civil War for a little while, we browsed throughout the Everhart and saw rooms filled with fossils, paintings, and (to my surprise and ex-citement) a stuffed penguin! I’m talking taxidermy, not teddy bears. If anyone gets a chance to visit the museum, make sure a stop at Coney Island Lunch is part of your his-torical afternoon. This classic Scranton restaurant serves local favorites like the “Texas hamburger” and has been opened since 1923! Prices, much like the entrance fee to the Everhart Museum are steals - I’m talking $2.20 for a Texas Weiner topped with mustard, onions, chili, and cheese. To see the menu and to learn more about its past, head to www.texas-weiner.com. Prepare for the mouth watering to begin. Admission to the museum is $3 for students and in our opinion that is quite the bargain. For more informa-tion on Everhart, check out the website at www.everhart-museum.org. The exhibit “With Bullets Singing all Around me-Reginal Stories of the Civil War” runs until July 17. Next time, we, with the help of one MU senior, are go-ing to learn more about some-thing many people, including Amanda, turn to for a little guidance every day.

MU Shuttle Schedule

Tues 6-10

Fri 6-12 am

Sat 2-12 am

Sun 1-7

-Walmart

-Wyoming Valley Mall

-Movies 14

-Downtown Willkes-Barre

-Frances Slocum

MARCH 1, 2011 highlandernews.net4

BOILINGPOINTS

By JOSH HORTONSports Columnist

COUGAR SPORTS

Baseball bats bang, lacrosse balls ping on the pipes, quick feet hustle over hurdles and tennis balls fail to make a fault. The snow and biting wind continue to haunt Dal-las, PA, while eight athletic teams are preparing indoors for this year’s spring training. All these teams will soon travel to the southern part of the country, to tropical ecstasy with sunbathing and a warm place to play. The warmer weather not only allows ath-letes to shed a layer of cloth-ing, but it can also entirely alter a player’s performance on the field. The transition from cold to hot temperatures and then back again is not an easy one for many players.

“Since it is so cold up here, my muscles tend to get tight while sitting on the bench or during a game when I’m on the mound,” said Pat Clark, a junior starting pitcher. “Down in Florida, it’s easier to get loose, get more velocity on your fastball, and sometimes off-speed pitches can even break a little harder.” Even though all eight teams will only be competing and sipping on sweet tea for one week, spring training and the good weather that it offers can serve as an enormous confi-dence booster for teams and individuals at the beginning of the season. Preparing for the upcom-ing season in a gymnasium is

difficult for teams because it does not simulate the sce-narios that outdoor game play presents. “The speed of the game changes once you get out on the field,” said Kenny Ferrier, a freshman midfielder on the men’s lacrosse team. Many teams resort to playing with softer balls and modified equipment while practicing indoors, and this can slow the game down. “It is better to get out there in the warmer weather and get some early experience on the field. Everyone can then get prepared for what the game will actually be like. Howev-er, it’s going to take some time to make the switch from in-doors to outdoors when we’ve

been doing it for the past six weeks,” said Ferrier. A change in climate changes the game as well. A phi-losopher once said that the sun was the highest object of knowledge and truth. It seems as if those warm rays of light reveal the true abilities and what an athlete is capable of when exposed to the proper playing environment. The baseball, softball, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s track and field, women’s track and field, men’s tennis and women’s tennis teams are given one week to spend in paradise. After that, they just have to pray for the snow to melt back in PA.

By Josh HippensteelReporter

Athletes hot and cold on training

A car, new or used, is an expensive purchase and car care can get pretty pricey, too. Whether your car is parked on campus for weeks at a time or you commute every day, the colder months can be the roughest time of the year for vehicles. Kost Tire General Manager J.J. Sidorek says basic main-tenance including new tires, oil changes and yearly inspec-tions can save money in the long run—and drive. “Keep-ing everything in tune can be the difference between a safe, smooth ride and a trip to the repair shop,” he says. “You can have major breakdowns. You can have no starts. You can go out to your car in the morning and your vehicle could not start possibly.” Some things that Kost Tire recommends are regu-lar checks of tires, battery, windshield washer fluid,

anti-freeze and wiper blades. Regular oil changes are a must, too. Another really good practice is to develop a relationship with your mechanic. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand something, speak up. Auto shops want your business and they want to keep their customers. In addition, whenever you go for your state inspection or tune- ups, make sure you ask about a student discount. Most places have one, and a couple dollars can make a big difference. As for car maintenance, these tips are really as simple as it gets, but they can make a difference with how long your car will last. “Just make sure you’re always checking your vehicle. It’s the main key to keeping it running properly,” said Sidorek.

By Caitlin RoweReporter

Winter months require extra vehicle carescoreboard you can’t win,” Ross said. “I have seen some teams with great defenses that haven’t won. All you can ask of your defense is for them to put you into a posi-tion where you have a chance to win going into the fourth quarter.” Ross was a vital part of the team’s defensive philosophy while he was at Ithaca. Ross was instructed to devise a plan to stop the Springfield rushing attack during their game last season. Springfield was the number one ranked rushing offense in the coun-try at the time of their game. Stopping their ground attack was no easy task. Ithaca University Bomb-ers head football coach Mike Welch remembers their great challenge against Springfield last season, even more he remembers Ross’s hard work and dedication to success-fully help his team. “Coach Ross and the staff came up with a plan defensively and it worked. We held them to under 200 yards and were in a position to make the playoffs if we would have won our next game,” he said. The Bombers did not make playoffs that season, despite overcoming their underdog status that game against Springfield. Coach Welch believes the consistency and preparation he exemplified as a member of the Ithaca staff will transfer to MU. “There isn’t just one thing that sticks out about Mark (Ross),” Welch said. “It was his consistency and his level of coaching. We have gotten very consistent play from our

defense and he understands the importance of preparation. I am sure this will transfer over to Misericordia.” That preparation will lead to a significant accomplish-ment: Ross said students will be making history. “The players will have an opportunity to score the first touchdown in Misericordia University history, or get the first tackle,” Ross said. Ross is looking forward to being a part of MU history as well, and he will look to his past experience as defensive coordinator and assistant coach to help him throughout the 2012 season. “I feel as though I am very fortunate to have been part of such great staffs that did not microman-age the football game,” Ross said. “I had the freedom to execute and when I make a mistake, I learn from it, it won’t happen again.” Ross feels football will provide excitement to every-one on campus. Students will now be able to root for their home team during Saturday afternoon games. “There is nothing like a college football game,” Ross said. “It seems as if everyone is excited for football and it will add to the school spirit of Misericordia University.” Ross said he certainly has the spirit. “There are many positives about football at Misericordia,” Ross said. “I will do my best.” The Cougars will play their home games on the soon-to-be-renovated Mangelsdorf Field. The baseball field will also receive an upgrade.

New coach, cont’d.Continued from page 1

MLB teams have made more than a few surprise moves this offseason. Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from St. Louis. If you have watched any sports coverage over the last few weeks, you would know Albert Pujols’s contract ex-pires after the 2011 campaign. Pujols and his agent set a ne-gotiation deadline of Wednes-day February 16. However, the Cardinals weren’t able to seal the deal with the face of their franchise, which brings me to what I am fired up about in this story – players’ contracts. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Roy Halladay. What do these names have in common? They, along with the majority of MLB players, make way too much money. Judging by the names, you may think I am picking on the Yankees. Trust me, that’s not the case. When it comes down to it, the Yankees are will-ing to spend the money other teams aren’t - which is why they have 27 World Series. But that could be another column in itself, so back to contracts. Most people believe that it is solely the player who has any say in whether or not they sign, but that’s not the case. Yes, an agent plays a role in most negotiations. After all,

players hire agents so they are fairly paid. But sometimes agents get too wrapped up in their clients and make things worse. For example, Alex Rodriguez’s current contract says he will make $275 mil-lion between 2008 and 2017. Recently, Rodriguez has part-ed ways with Boras. People speculate it had something to do with greed during negotia-tions. I believe these reports because when it comes down to it, these guys just want to play baseball. I believe Rodriguez has a passion for the game, as do most other players. Many little kids step foot on their little league fields dreaming of playing professional ball. Ask the kids and they’ll tell you--but I don’t think you’ll hear any of them say they want to grow up and make $30 million a year. I understand baseball is a business, but I wish players, agents and general managers wouldn’t have to sit in a room for days bickering over an extra $3 million contract when the player is already making $27 million. Players should be happy they play baseball for a living and are not stuck work-ing a 9-5 office job.

cite Curling Club, recom-mends students try it at least once. “Take some time. Don’t be afraid of falling and come out and try it,” she said. The Anthracite Curling Club works with the MU club to help pay for ice time. They also pay dues to Anthracite, making them members of the United States Curling As-sociation and regional curling association, Grand National Curling Club. The club will start league play on Tuesday nights in March. Members have high hopes of playing against other colleges someday. With eight members, the club has enough players for two teams but more are welcome. Ultimately the club would like to be able to participate in “bonspiels”, otherwise known as tourna-ments, against other schools. “We would also like if the other local colleges formed teams so we could have a local, intercollegiate rivalry,” Piatt said. In addition to Buss, officer positions include president

Alyssa Leonard, vice president Maas, and treasurer Cassie Foy. Piatt and the four officers are working on a t-shirt sale and other fundraising events, including a raffle for a chance to win a free night of curl-ing lessons. Tickets are $1. The winner will curl for free, instead of paying the nightly $20 student fee or $25 faculty and staff fee. “I feel like this is an experience of a lifetime that many people can say they haven’t done,” Buss said. “So come out and try it!” The team is also participat-ing in a service project with a Girl Scout troop. Piatt and the Curling Club will be at the Ice Rink at Coal Street Park in Wilkes-Barre April 2, to help scouts earn their winter sports badge. “We are excited about helping out with this badge while hopefully getting the scouts and their parents interested in the sport,” Piatt said. Players expect the club expects to grow. “As we get more members and generate

more revenue, hopefully we’ll be able to get closer and closer to expanding the club,” Piatt said. Students and faculty can try curling March 5 and 19 from 10 p.m. to midnight at the Ice Rink at Coal Street Park.

The Curling Club will offer lessons. For more information visit the club’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/MUCurling or email Piatt or officers with questions.

Curling, cont’d.Continued from page 1

PHOTO BY ELLEN HOFFMAN / THE HIGHLANDER

Above, freshman Lindsey Machemer practices on ice.

Spring sports are quickly approaching; athletes are forced to train indoors while the snow continues to fall.

The below freezing temperatures, salt-ridden roads and piles of snow can take a toll on your car.

Winter Car Care TipsTire Pressure:

Air pressure fluctuates especially when the temperatures change. Checking the air pressure in your tires at least once a

week can improve gas mileage and save money.

Wiper blades/ windshield washer fluid: Visibility is one of the most important things. So if wiper

blades aren’t doing the job they should be replaced. Wind-shield washer fluid is also key to keeping the outside of the

windshield nice and clean. Always check every few weeks to make sure fluid is not low. It’s never good to run out of washer

fluid when you need it.

Anti-freeze:In below freezing temperatures, anti-freeze keeps your car’s engine from freezing. It also helps prevent the liquid in the

engine from over-heating in the summer. Checking levels in your vehicle at least once a month can prevent some

major problems such as engine freezing and possible overheating from happening.

Yale surgery professor returns home to teachBy Kari BreazealeReporter

Dr. Stanley Dudrick is named the medical director of the new Physician Assistant program.

Yale School of Medicine Professor and renowned heart surgeon Stanley J. Dudrick, has returned to Luzerne County to join MU’s faculty as medical director of the developing Physician Assistant program. MU expects to admit the first class in the spring of 2012. Dr. Russ Pottle, Dean of the College of Arts and

Sciences and member of the committee that recommended Dudrick’s appointment, said Dudrick’s presence will help gain national recognition for the developing Physician Assistant program, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the university. “His long career and eminent status in medical education will be an

outstanding benefit to our students and to the university. He is a highly respected teacher and research scientist,” said Pottle. Dudrick is celebrated for his work in the clinical and medical fields for his successful clinical applications of the specialized central venous feeding technique.

Pottle added that Dudrick has been appointed to the Robert S. Anderson, M.D. Endowed Chair and will hold the rank of Professor of Physician Assistant Studies. “The Anderson Chair is the first endowed chair awarded in the university’s history, and we are very excited to have it awarded within the

(Continued on page 5)

MARCH 1, 2011 highlandernews.net5

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History professor Dr. Brian Carso and Religious Stud-ies professor Joseph Curran went head-to-head in a public debate titled “Did the Media Contribute to the Tragedy in Tucson” on Feb 16. The event, moderated by Melissa Sgroi, communications department chair, drew students, faculty, administrators and students from Dallas Senior High School. The debate centered on the media’s role in the mass shooting in a Tucson, Arizona supermarket parking lot, which killed six and wounded many others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was holding a public meeting. Giffords was the target of the attack, police say. Carso began by arguing that the media played the “blame game” in Tucson, Ari-zona by providing a platform from which the local sheriff publicly renounced vicious po-litical rhetoric by former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. He said the media was lackadaisical. To place blame on political fi gures was,

in Carso’s opinion, “utterly ridiculous.” Carso examined a previous shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, and the media’s reaction to that, particularly the tagline it widely attached to that situation: “Don’t jump to conclusions; wait for re-sults.” Carso questioned why the media patiently waited then, a time when there were clear facts, as opposed to the Tucson shooting in which so much was initially a mys-tery. He ended his statement with a word some argue is not heard very often in the political arena: respect. He stressed that it is necessary to dispense with tolerance and turn to respect instead. He admitted that respect must be mutual and will be diffi cult to achieve. The theme of respect contin-ued as Curran took the fl oor. He said the shooting was “an occasion for national self-examination” and a chance to look at how Americans attempt to understand each other. Referring to Presi-dent Abraham Lincoln as a model of rhetorical civility during the Civil War, Curran

stressed an urgent need for mutual respect among those with deeply divided political philosophies. Curran argued that politi-cians who attack the charac-ter of their opponents are “ir-responsible” because rhetoric “doesn’t solve problems” and “makes political compromise nearly impossible.” Curran hopes people will begin to hold politicians ac-countable. “Why shouldn’t we expect the best out of our politicians?” He asserted that citizens should hold people responsible for “violent rheto-ric” and insist on honesty and civility. The debaters provided re-buttals with civility, laughter and passion. Carso stressed the need for education to improve the tone of politi-cal discourse. He also said it is necessary to speak out and “avoid silence.” Cur-ran agreed that education is important, but felt the media bears responsibility, too. Citi-zens need to pay attention to dishonest characterizations of political fi gures and separate that from reasoned discourse.

By Catie BeckerReporter

Respect not up for debateMU professors face off in debate, this time about media’s impact on Tucson tragedy.

College of Arts and Sciences,” said Pottle. Dudrick has earned many awards in addition to the Anderson Chair, including an honorary degree from MU. He has also served on many committees and boards, including the founding chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School and chair of the Department of Surgery at the Pennsylvania hospital. He also served as Department of Surgery and Director of Surgical Education for the

Yale New Haven Health System. Today, Dudrick is chairman emeritus in the Department of Surgery and chairman emeritus of the Program in Surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital. Dudrick has written more than 2500 specifi c reference citations in the journal “Current Contents” and served on more than 14 editorial boards of journal publication. He also has produced several books including “American College of Surgeon Manual of Surgical

Nutrition.” MU anticipates the addition of Dudrick to inspire the MU community. “He will certainly provide an excellent role model not simply for our prospective Physician Assistant students, but all our students interested in scientifi c and medical programs and research. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and we look forward to his work with our students and faculty,” said Pottle.

Professor cont’dContinued from page 4

MARCH 1, 2011 highlandernews.net6

YOUR LAST SHOT

Kaityln Molteni took this photograph of the snowy campus during one of many chilly days this spring semester at MU.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN PHOTOSThe Highlander will publish original, undoctored photos submitted by students, faculty and staff in this sec-tion of the newspaper every two weeks. We reserve the right to reject any photo. If photos appear to have been manipulated, they will not be published. All photos must be accompanied by signed model clearances and captions.

CapsCorner

Meditation MondayThe thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as

the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care.

And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings. –Buddha

This quote highlights the benefits of watching one’s thoughts with care and love for others. By meditating and being intro-

spective one has the potential to develop a positive character and change the world. Psychology Today highlights other benefits of meditation including: spiritual growth, stress

management, lower blood pressure, improved sleep, pain management, longevity and social connectedness. The CAPS

Center is offering Meditation Mondays to support students’ growth and development as they juggle the multiple responsi-

bilities of college life.

The CAPS Center will start the Meditation Monday program on February 7, 2011 at noon in the CAPS Center. Additional meet-ing dates are as follows: February 14 & 28, March 14, 21 & 28

and April 4, 11 & 18. The Meditation Monday classes will run 30 to 45 minutes in length and begin

at noon. The CAPS Center will offer a variety of meditation practices so students can

experiment and find the best practice for them.

To learn more about specific meditation class offerings see below and advertisements posted on Channel 10. If you have

additional questions, contact Courtney Burgess-Michak at [email protected].

MANTRA MEDITATIONMONDAY MARCH 14, 2011

A mantra is the repetition of a word or phrase. In this mantra meditation class, we will use one particular mantra that if repeated regularly has the potential to boost

your confidence and reduce anxiety. Students will also learn additional Sanskrit mantras that may relate more

specifically to their path of personal growth.

CANDLE MEDITATIONMONDAY MARCH 21, 2011

Relax your body and let go of your thoughts through the calmness of candle meditation.

JOURNALING MEDITATIONMONDAY MARCH 28, 2011

Come and learn how to use the practice of journaling to process your thoughts and feelings and gain new

insights about various areas of your life.

COLLAGE MEDITATIONMONDAY APRIL 4, 2011

Through the use of various materials you will learn a different approach to be aware of and process various emotions

and experiences, such as happiness, grief, sadness, transitions, a new job, making new friends,

romantic relationships, etc. You can be as simple or creative as you want!

LOWER LEVEL MCGOWAN HALL

JOURNEY THROUGH THE SENSES MEDITATION

MONDAY APRIL 11, 2011

Turn your focus towards your body’s sensations. Attend to the sights, smells, sounds, and textures around you!