SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2020
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VOLUME 103 - ISSUE 3
SA Executive Council speaks with SUNY SA BY ADEEB CHOWDHURY Staff Writer
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Two SUNY Plattsburgh University Police officers are on patrol. Officers must wear a mask at all times when interacting with individuals on campus.
Campus crime continues for UP lation and quarantine, helping students move into isolation and quarintine and assisting students who need medical help.” But despite their new responsibilities, UP is still dealing with campus crime. An official report from UP’s crime log stated a fire was started inside of a dumpster outside Moffitt Hall Aug. 29. The fire department and city police were called to respond. “It was around 10:15 at night,” said sophomore Olivia Parrillio. Parrillo lives in a seventh floor suite in de-
BY DREW WEMPLE Staff Writer
COVID-19 has reshaped SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus, but it’s also changed its University Police. UP Chief Pat Rascoe believes he and his team have been critical for the reopening of campus. “We’ve been wearing a lot of hats,” Rascoe said in regards to what the duties of UP have been since students returned. “We’re assisting in the management of the campus’ iso-
Fredenburgh Hall. Her and many of her suitemates had a perfect view of the fire from their suite window. “We first heard some yelling and screaming, and then we smelled something burning,” added Parrillo. UP has launched an investigation into who or what started the fire. “It appears it was intentionally lit by somebody,” said University Police Chief Patrick Rascoe.
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Leadership and its accompanying responsibilities were a common theme in the Student Association Executive Council’s meeting Sept. 15. The council discussed the upcoming SUNY Student Assembly elections, spoke with an eager candidate, and contemplated opportunities for greater student involvement. James Kinney was a candidate for the role of secretary of the Student Assembly. This organization is composed of students from all 64 campuses of the SUNY system, representing almost one and a half million students. Their upcoming elections are scheduled to be held online at 5 p.m. on Sept. 25. Kinney is a human development major from SUNY Albany and strives to “uplift student voices from all corners” of the university system through commitment and leadership. His previous roles include serving as the student body president and associate director of academic affairs, as well as the deputy director of engagement for the SUNY SA. “In unprecedented times like these, we must unite our voices. And when we are united, we become truly unstoppable,” Kinney said.
Kinney outlined his 10-point advocacy plan, which SUNY Plattsburgh is the first institution to be officially introduced to. He promised to promote system-wide accountability and hold the SUNY administration responsible for tending to students’ needs. The plan also advocated for greater support for minority students through mandatory implicit bias and cultural sensitivity training. “There are no if ’s and but’s about it,” he said. Kinney then emphasized the need to support students through the pandemic, noting that not everyone has access to a safe, healthy location to take part in remote learning. Next on the plan was the prevention of on-campus sexual harassment and abuse. Kinney noted that 11.2% of all college students experience sexual assault, and that only 24 of the total 64 SUNY campuses have necessary evidence-based prevention programs. Kinney also emphasized encouraging more accessibility within the Student Assembly, promoting statewide diversity and inclusion, supporting non-traditional students such as adult learners and transfer students, expanding upon and properly carrying out the duties of the secretary and advocating for higher funding for the SUNY and CUNY systems.
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Learning Center tutors students with Zoom BY NATALIE ST. DENIS Staff Writer
Since its start in 1989, The Claude J. Clark Learning Center has remained focused on serving the students of SUNY Plattsburgh through numerous services. These services were discussed Wednesday at a Zoom informational session put on by The H.U.B. (Honoring, Uniting, and Belonging). Claude J. Clark was a highly respected SUNY Plattsburgh College Council member and attorney. The Claude J. Clark Learning Center was named in his memory. Tutoring is the main service offered at The Learning Center and many students take advantage of it to better themselves academically. All peer tutors are SUNY Plattsburgh students. Training and other requirements vary depending on the course and tutoring type. The staff are always well trained in the area in which they tutor. The Learning Center tries
to match students with a tutor who they pair well with. They make sure to be open to feedback from students that utilize their services. Content tutoring is for assistance in specific courses. Whether it’s preparing for a test, reviewing a certain chapter in the textbook, or just having someone other than a professor explain the content in different words, The Learning Center will provide a tutor to fit students’ needs. A session may be with one or two other students who also expressed a need for assistance in the same course. If students need to do any sort of writing for a class, writing tutoring is readily available regardless of skill level. An appointment could be used to brainstorm ideas, work on citations, research, or simply understand the assignment. AUDREY LAPINSKI/Cardinal Points
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Despite the pandemic, the Claude J. Clark Learning Center in the Angell College Center continues to tutor students this semester.
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News Editor Emma Vallelunga
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NEWS
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
Sept. 7
University Police located an individual unaffiliated with the college in a vehicle parked in the east lot by the Field House in possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Sept. 8
A UP officer identified a student publicly urinating in Lot 25 near Adirondack Hall. The matter will be handled through Student Conduct.
Sept. 11
The fire alarm went off in Wilson Hall. Two students under the age of 21 were subsequently found in possession of alcohol and referred to Student Conduct.
Weekly Cartoon
JASON PARENT/Cardinal Points Photo Illustration
feels to be the biggest adjustments for them. “We just had to get used to wearing the masks. We can’t have everyone in the office at the same time and if we have meetings not everyone can be there,” Zielinski said. Zielinski also discussed how UP has taken a more educational approach to teaching students about new COVID-19 guidelines. “The more people we can get to buy into what we’re doing, the longer we can all be here on campus,” Zielinski said. The police have reacted to COVID-19, but it’s still unclear if the crime
POLICE Continued from page one Aside from dumpster fires, UP has had to adjust to new COVID protocols. All officers are required to wear N-95 masks when approaching a vehicle roadside and trained in contact tracing. Contact tracing is where the police can identify the original positive case in a large group of a COVID-19 test. “It fits perfectly with what we do,” Rascoe added. “We investigate.” One UP officer Eric Zielinski shared his thoughts on what he
COUNCIL Continued from page one SA President Rudaba Ahmed then made sure to inquire about the voting process for students who are not members of the SUNY SA. Kinney explained that each college within the system is allocated a certain number of delegates based on their student population. SUNY Plattsburgh likely receives three delegates, which include the SA president and vice president. All voting delegates will meet on Zoom for the election next week. SA Advisor Jacob Avery then suggested that the SA should interview all the candidates running in the upcoming election, not just one. He explained that ROBERT SANCHEZ/Cardinal Points this would give students a far stronger picture of the election and who’s involved, allowing them to make a more informed choice. Avery also pointed out that another election is approaching as well — the U.S. presidential election. Avery argued as the election cycle reaches a climax, it is essential for students to recognize their personal biases in order to better understand themselves and the political process. He then went on to en-
Campus COVID-19 Tracker
will too. Mustafa Demir, an assistant professor of criminal justice at SUNY Plattsburgh, concured that certain criteria must be met before we can see the effect. In this case, COVID-19 affects crime. “The dependent variable [crime] must be impacted by the independent variable [COVID-19], COVID must also occur before crime, and there has to be an established cause,” Demir said. Demir believes it is still too early to monitor the effects considering students just returned to campus. “We need around six months of data,” Demir added. “It is still too ear-
ly to assess.” UP however is focusing on what’s happening now, and that’s keeping our campus safe. Jessica Facteau, a UP investigator, stressed the importance of the campus community doing everything possible to assist them. “We’re all in this together. Without the students, the faculty, the staff, the police and the Plattsburgh community, we wouldn’t be able to do what we need to do,” Facteau said. “It takes all of us.”
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courage the executive council members to develop a strong PR plan to market themselves and ensure all students are aware of upcoming events and opportunities to get involved. Ahmed also discussed her plans to help improve the shuttle and dining services, as well as a follow-up meeting with the SUNY Chancellor to raise awareness about career opportunities at SUNY Plattsburgh, such as through a career fair. Ahmed expanded upon the idea for a mentorship program, which will connect alumni with current students. Other executive council members described projects and initiatives they are currently working on. Coordinator of Student Affairs & Diversity Mariam Kebe is aiming to assist students register to vote for the November election. Coordinator for the Arts Rickell Larose plans to use Instagram to promote and collect student input regarding future art programs. Treasurer Ha Nguyen is collaborating with clubs to ensure they understand the revised budget for the semester and the process for securing additional funds.
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Number of active COVID-19 cases within SUNY Plattsburgh community:
0 Number of recovered COVID-19 cases within SUNY Plattsburgh community:
2 CP Corrections There are no errors to report this week. If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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NEWS
News Editor Emma Vallelunga
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
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JASON PARENT/Cardinal Points
University Police Chief Pat Rascoe said UP is assisting in the management of the campus’ isolation and quarantine plan during the coronavirus pandemic.
This Week in Photos: Police
SUNY Plattsburgh’s University Police’s mission every semester is to keep the campus community safe, but COVID-19 has brought a whole host of new challenges, leading UP officers to play new roles in their effort to help combat the spread of the virus.
Photos by Jason Parent & Audrey Lapinski
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We’ve been wearing a lot of hats,” Rascoe said in regards to what the duties of UP have been since students returned. “We’re assisting in the management of the campus’ isolation and quarantine, helping students move into isolation and quarintine and assisting students who need medical help.”
JASON PARENT/Cardinal Points
AUDREY LAPINSKI/Cardinal Points
Despite its new responsibilities, UP is still tasked with its ordinary duties like responding to loud parties, dealing with drug possesion and even the ocassional dumpster fire this semester.
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NEWS
News Editor Emma Vallelunga
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
AUDREY LAPINSKI/Cardinal Points
A poster inside the Learning Center encourages student to pop into good study habits with helpful tips and possible study locations. All appointments for the Learning Center will be virtual through Cardinal Star.
LEARN Continued from page one “Writing is not a oneway street,” said assistant director and writing specialist Regan Levitte. “My degree would have not happened if I didn’t use writing tutoring.” Through this Levitte expresses the importance of utilizing writing services because even those who are good
writers struggle at times. General academic issues such as organization, note taking skills, or time management can be addressed as well. Setting up academic personal training appointments can help students get on track. These are always one on one and specifically tailored to the student. Due to COVID-19, all appointments must be virtual, but appointments can still be made in the Learning Center on the provided com-
puters or at the front desk. An appointment can be made through Cardinal Star found on the MyPlattsburgh portal. Cardinal Star also offers a more general “Request Help” option for students. Here, you can reach out for help in a number of areas such as, support with a financial hardship, librarian assistance, or bias/discrimination claims. The staff are there for students even in non-academic situations. This affable nature of the
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Learning Center is recognized by SUNY Plattsburgh students who take the time to find out what the Learning Center is all about. “I think it is great that SUNY Plattsburgh provides students with so many resources for success,” said junior computer science major Rebecca Moore. “It makes me feel like the college really cares about me and my academic journey.” During the Zoom information meeting Wednesday,
The Learning Center staff still made sure to engage with students virtually. An activity called “Zoom Around The Room” got participants out of their seats to find a nearby object related to the category given. Everyone took turns sharing their item of choice. One category was something from your childhood. This offered a chance for those involved to feel connected, even through a screen. Currently, The Learning Center is serving as a quiet
study area, since in-person tutoring isn’t permissible. The Claude J. Clark Learning Center is located in the back of Feinberg Library. But the main goal of the establishment still remains, “to make sure that students are able to be successful in their careers here,” said director Karin Killough.
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NEWS
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
Professors named editors, council members to serve communities STAFF REPORT Cardinal Points
Two SUNY Plattsburgh professors were asked to go above and beyond within different social issues of their respective fields. Dr. Breea Willingham, SUNY Plattsburgh associate professor of criminal justice, was named managing editor of the “Journal of Higher Education in Prison.” The journal was established last year and will be published biannually. “The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison invited me to join as managing editor and help get this brand-new journal off the ground,” Willingham said. As managing editor, Willingham will serve under two executive editors while also working with nearly 30 other professors on the editorial board. The editorial board consists of professors from across the country from colleges such as University of California at Berkley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard University. Willingham has an extensive background in higher education in prison, focusing much of her
Dr. Breea Willingham
career researching and teaching about education and incarceration. Along with specializing in the impact of incarceration on families and women in the criminal justice system, her interest stems from personal experiences as a Black woman with incarcerated relatives. Her past experience as a journalist covering crime and murder trials in the Carolinas and Upstate New York for a decade also makes Willingham suitable for the managing editor position. Before that, Willingham earned her Ph.D. in American studies from SUNY Buffalo. “I’ve worked in the field, reporting and teaching, etc.,” she said. She and higher education in prison colleagues founded the Jamii Sister, an organization that of-
fers a safe and innovative space for Black women in higher education in prison and provides professional development in equity, cultural competency and race relations to education professionals. She and her Jamii co-founders held a successful webinar in May with more than 300 registrants worldwide. “We think you are the ideal person for this position,” wrote Dr. Mary Gould, director of the alliance, in Willingham’s invitation. “You have published extensively in the field, you are actively engaged in the work of building the field, and you are someone that both Erin (Dr. Erin Castro, co-executive director) and I know that we could collaborate with and be thought-partners.” Her first charge as managing editor was a call for papers and manscripts with an early deadline of this Tuesday, months before the first issue is scheduled for publication this winter. The journal will then publish two more time in 2021 in order to keep a biannual publication schedule. Information on submitting manuscripts for the journal can
be found at The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison official website. Similarly, SUNY Plattsburgh’s director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Support Initiative was also given a position on the State University of New York’s Alzheimer’s Advisory Council. Dr. Richard Durant, associate professor of clinical neuropsychology and director of neuropsychology clinic and psychoeducational services in the college’s Center for Neurobehavioral Health, was asked to serve on the council by Dr. Grace Wang, senior vice chancellor for research and economic development with SUNY. “This council of eminent experts is being formed to collectively develop a vision, strategy and action plan to accelerate SUNY’s contributions and impact in the critical area of Alzheimer’s research,” Wang said. “The unique perspectives and insights that you would bring to this conversation, as a leader in this field and as a representative of your campus, would be highly appreciated and valued.” Durant said he was humbled to serve.
Dr. Richard Durant
“It is certainly a validation of the hard work that we are engaged in at the center and the commitment from SUNY Plattsburgh to support our work,” he said. Durant also said that as a local clincal scientist, he looks forward to learning from his colleagues across SUNY, and he looks forward to providing the council with industryand regionally specific recommendations. He anticipates that the experience will be useful for SUNY Plattsburgh as well. “We’ll be able to enhance and strengthen dementia research and care collaboration across SUNY campuses,” he said. This honor comes on the heels of the Caregiver Support Initiative being nationally recognized for the services provided in
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Northern New York. The initiative, which provides free support services to caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, was cited as a 2020 Rising Star by the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, one of only five nationwide to receive this distinction. “Our services support caregivers no matter where they are in the journey,” Durant said at the time of the National Respite Network citation. “It is important that caregivers know they are not alone and that resources are available to them as they navigate the obstacles of caregiving.” The SUNY Alzheimer’s Advisory Council will meet four times virtually during the next few months to produce a recommendations report that will look topics including grand challenges or gaps in the knowledge of the disease, SUNY’s strengths and gaps in its Alzheimer’s expertise, capabilities and research capacity, vision, goals and objectives, its resources and infrastructures.
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FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2020
Thorne cuts deep into OnlyFans creators BY JESSICA JOHNSON Opinions Editor
Close your web-cams and your wallets — Bella Thorne is on the loose once again. Childhood Disney Channel star Bella Thorne made headlines Aug. 19, after joining OnlyFans, an adult website that allows its users to make and sell their own adult content, by being paid by members through a subscription-based service. Racking up a reported $1 million in one day, Thorne set the record for the most earned by any OnlyFans creator on their first day. Within the next week, she had earned $2 million by charging each viewer $20 to access her page, according to The Guardian. Within her OnlyFans page is suggestive imagery such as bikini photos, her eating a hot dog — but nothing explicitly graphic, reported by The Times. So, nothing too racy. The problem with this? Well, another big celebrity — with an estimated net worth of $12 million — may have ruined the livelihood of young sex workers on the platform. “To witness a celebrity gentrifying a platform and making obscene amounts of money without acknowledging the plight of sex workers is truly a slap in the face,” Aussie Rachel, a sex worker and OnlyFans creator, said in a Rolling Stone interview. Many female sex workers rely on OnlyFans as thier main source of income, and a way to have control over their own bodies pertaining to who can see it online. OnlyFans is a platform filled with passionate and controlled content, without a manipulative industry that benefits from exploiting women. After Thorne pulled
a stunt that put restrictions on these workers’ careers, the fury from the public was a fire no one could put out. Thorne began charging subscribers for pay-per view nudes, claiming she would post full nudity photos priced at $200 to more than 50,000 subscribers. The main issue is many of these subscribers believed her and bought them. In reality, they were just photographs of her wearing risky lingerie. It remains a mystery, the reason behind why this many people would spend that sum of money to see Bella Thorne naked anyway. Of course, customers complained and demanded refunds, causing OnlyFans thousands of processing fees and chargebacks. Due to the overwhelming amount of backlash OnlyFans received from subscribers, the company created new restrictions including putting limits on creators to charge up to $50 for exclusive content and accept tips up to only $100. Before Thorne’s detrimental mishap, there wasn’t a max amount on either fee. There also wasn’t the rule that creators would get paid monthly instead of weekly, a policy that now puts a strain on sex workers’ wallets. Creators on OnlyFans receive only 80 % of their subscription revenue. Lowering the price ceiling of sex-workers content limits thier main income, as well as cheapening the value of thier individually produced content. It sends a message to women that their bodies aren’t good enough and that a max value should be put on how one may look. This also makes it difficult for subscribers to show their amount of individual support. Many women who have been laid off from their
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jobs amidst COVID-19, have turned to the app as their main source of income to stay afloat. “Previously, the funds you made on OF were only pending for a week, so most creators get paid at least once a week,” twitter user and OnlyFans creator Erika Heidewald said Aug. 28. “Imagine suddenly going from a weekly paycheck to a monthly paycheck. That’s what’s happening to 450,000 content creators.” Another Twitter user felt passionately disgusted by Thorne’s actions. User @ Sairaspooks stated Aug. 27: “Bella thorne f—d over so many sex workers, I am so sick of celebrities. The entire tipping system just changed and got a huge price cap because she scammed thousands of people. Absolutely ridiculous.” There was no reason for Thorne to make an OnlyFans account, when she has enough income to be comfortable practically for
the rest of her life. Now, amongst an active struggling community of young adult workers, many have spoken out on social media platforms such as Twitter concerning their disgust with Thorne’s actions. In turn, she defended herself Aug. 28, by tweeting: “I’m meeting with OnlyFans about the new restrictions to find out why! This is f—d up, and I’m sorry. Comment any ideas or concerns you want to bring up to OnlyFans! And send me your links and a pic so I can promote you guys!” What gives Thorne the right to speak on behalf of actual sex workers? Maybe the issue wouldn’t be an issue in the first place, if you weren’t so selfish Thorne. Instead of Thorne discussing Only Fans and coming up with a solution for workers’ pockets over the last two weeks, she has instead been promoting her new performance in the Netflix film that premiered
Sept. 10, “The Babysitter: Killer Queen.” “The babysitter is number one on Netflix! I love you guys, thank you,” Thorne said Sept. 11. The popularity of the film is not because of your performance Thorne, that’s for sure. Before her tweet exposing her new success of The Babysitter: Killer Queen, there has been nothing discussed on her account @ bellathorne of how she has helped the situation. “Bella Thorne, quick to tell everyone she’s looking into the issue with OnlyFans, and then post about her movie with no response since her hiatus,” online sex worker Vera Mambi tweeted Sept. 13. “So are we pretending this never happened now?” And still, nothing has been publicly stated by Thorne. Celebrities need to learn to take accountability for their mistakes, not make
excuses for why they happened. Thorne’s excuse for her sudden presence on the platform was due to her desire to collect research for a future film role, she stated to Los Angeles Times. She also revealed that she was developing a film that chronicles how OnlyFans affects people’s lives in a Tweet Aug. 28. After claiming to be working with director Sean Baker, the filmmaker posted a statement on his account @Lilfilm debunking it. “I would like to make it clear that the news of me making a film about OnlyFans and using Bella Thorne as research is false. I’m NOT attached to this project,” Baker said. “I’m an ally and have literally devoted my career to tell stories that remove stigma and normalize lifestyles that are under attack. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt the community.”
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Prude’s death parallels killing of George Floyd BY MATAEO SMITH Contributor
There are parallels between the George Floyd case and the Daniel Prude case. Has anyone noticed how both men died in an abnormally outrageous fashion? Let’s take a look at George Floyd who was arrested and killed May 25 over an alleged counterfeit $20 bill. Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes despite having the man handcuffed. Floyd pleaded with Chauvin to lift his knee off his neck to no avail. The confrontation attracted a lot of attention from bystanders who recorded Chauvin quietly pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck. Unlike Floyd, Prude’s death only ignite protests in Rochester. It happened in the middle of the night when no one was around. Daniel Prude’s death was awfully similar to Floyd’s, however. Prude’s arrest was pretty tame before an unexpected turn occured. Officers found the man running in the middle of the street naked at 3:16 a.m. with blood on his arm. Bodycam footage shows Prude complying with officers to the fullest extent until they placed a bag over his head. With Prude under the influence of angel dust, aka PCP, he went ballistic yelling, “the officers are trying to kill me.” Later, he was placed on a gurney and sent to a Rochester hospital where he was declared braindead. Prude died a week later on March 30. It’s worth noting the idiocy of the officer’s decision given their knowl-
HANNAH DOWNS/Cardinal Points
edge of the drug Prude was influenced by. Angel dust is a powerful drug capable of stripping one of every basic bodily function. It may render the user immobile for several hours. For all we know, Prude could have forgotten to breathe with the bag over his head. One cannot fathom the reasoning behind covering his head with a bag. Maybe it was some kind of gag for the officers. Maybe it was a new tactic they wanted to try out on the night shift. Whatever the case may be, there is no article, press release or public
statement of any of the seven officers explaining the purpose of the bag. Black men are killed because of peculiar acts of police brutality that are extremely unnecessary. These events are strange because explosive confrontations between white officers and black men are prevalent in the media. To see Floyd and Prude die so slowly by callous law enforcement officials is infuriating. There’s something much more sadistic about Prude’s death though. This man was killed in March and the
footage was released about two weeks ago at the request of the Prude family’s attorneys. The officers must have known their actions were disgusting because the mayor was ignorant of these actions. It’s like the Rochester police thought less of him because he was dealing with drug abuse problems with PCP. Officers are becoming more heartless in these types of situations. It’s one thing to shoot an unarmed black man and claim self defense. It’s another when one is knowingly cutting off oxygen to another human being and ignores their cries for help. These officers watched the light of Prude’s soul flicker until it blew out. Chauvin was the last face Floyd saw before he died. These officers deserve acute punishments far beyond suspension with pay. However, this is the same old song we’ve all heard a million times before. It’s been more than 100 days since Breonna Taylor was fatally shot due to a botched police raid with zero charges against the officers. It’s such a desolant time we live in. Unarmed African Americans can be killed at the fault of the officers with no ramifications. The five nights of protests have only managed to get the officers suspended with pay. If you think getting fired is a sufficient consequence for the death of another human being, please re-evaluate your sense of humanity and morality.
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CARDINAL VOICE
Opinions Editor Jess Johnson
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
Scorpios hide in the shadows BY ABIGAIL AZADIAN Contributor
Scorpios spend so much time trying to keep their walls up. As a water sign, Scorpios put out the fire. Sagittarians and Scorpios both contain depth, but their outlooks are fundamentally different. Sagittarians are too happy-golucky for Scorpios. On the other hand, Scorpios are too negative and bring Sagittarians — and everyone else — down. Even Leo’s warmth can’t get Scorpios out of the shadows to crack a smile. Scorpios remain cold and distant when Leos just want affection and attention 24/7. Aries and Scorpios are both ruled by Mars, but JASON PARENT/Cardinal Points
they deal with conflicts very differently. Aries being recklessly impulsive will fly off the handle just to fly off the handle. They love to start drama for entertainment. Meanwhile, Scorpios will strike to kill. Scorpios are paranoid, and then spend the rest of their time taking mental notes on the people around them so that if they even need to pull out receipts they can. Maybe if Scorpios unpacked their trust issues they could have meaningful relationships. Imagine if…. Let me make this clear to Scorpios — your folder of screenshots isn’t proving anything, except that you look for reasons not to trust people and push them away. Scorpios around Earth signs are just swimming
around in murky waters. Scorpios want commitment instantly and Earth signs like to take their time. Earth signs’ slowpaced nature will drive Scorpios nuts. Scorpios and Virgos are too manipulative for anything happy, sweet, and caring to go on. Y’all love to be miserable and it’s not a good look on either of you. Scorpios with Capricorns are either a war zone or an echo chamber, because they both love to be right and only one of them can be at a time. When they’re not going at each other’s throats, they pit themselves up against the world together and glorify their self-isolating skills. ZODIAC l A8
Janitors clean up amid COVID-19 BY OLIVIA BOUSQUET Staff Writer
SUNY Plattsburgh dormitory bathrooms are high-traffic areas. Students rush to and from the bathrooms trying to get ready for the day: brushing their teeth, showering … and well, partaking in other bathroom duties. During a pandemic, bathrooms should be cleaned regularly to ensure safety for students throughout the week. Is SUNY Plattsburgh doing its part in keeping the dorm bathrooms clean? Most students seem to think so. “It’s been pretty clean so far, but I think that has to do with older students living here,” SUNY Plattsburgh sophomore Daniela Raymond said. “Everyone is more mature, as opposed to living in Whiteface, in freshman housing.” Raymond lives in Mason on an all-girls floor with fewer residents, which can be attributed to the cleaner bathrooms, but she noticed the janitorial staff clean in the bathrooms almost every day. In a recent floor meeting this week, Raymond said no one had anything negative to say about the bathrooms.
However, on Aug. 31 SUNY Plattsburgh sophomore Emily Feinburg sent an email to Mason’s head Cimmunity Advocate about how dirty her bathrooms were. Water flooded the floors, gobs of toothpaste were in the sinks and urine was around the toilet seats. According to her community director’s email, the building’s only two janitors were out for the week. The bathrooms were spotless when they returned, but only for a short while. A week later, the disgusting bathroom conditions were back. “Our bathroom gets cleaned from 10 to 10:30 a.m., so I went in at 10:30 because I assumed the bathrooms would have been cleaned, and the bathroom was dirty,” Feinberg said. SUNY Plattsburgh students are not allowed to enter the bathrooms while it’s being wiped down. Janitors will not clean for the day if students are in the bathroom during their allotted cleaning time. Cleanliness should be a top priority for staff and students. Masks must be worn unless students are at a sink or in a bathroom pod, in order to reduce potential contact. Students have varying schedules, wake up times and hy-
giene routines that help reduce foot-traffic in the bathrooms for one time of the day. In Macdonough Hall, bathrooms have signs up about which bathroom sinks can be used, when the janitorial staff will be cleaning and COVID-related symptoms to be aware of, such as fever, fatigue and sore throat. Transfer student and junior Olga Muka has been surprised at how clean Mcdonough bathrooms are. “Everytime I’m up in the morning, I see [the janitor] go in to clean it,” Muka said, “And she always says, ‘morning.’” Kent Hall’s Head CA James Faraci has expressed how seven-day cleaning was implemented last week, which is important for their single janitor. Community Living saw the weakness in one janitor and hired a second full-time cleaner. “We are certainly grateful for our cleaners for the job that they’ve done,” Faraci said. Sinks have signs above them reading, “Please Use Every Other Sink.” However, without the sinks being physically blocked off, students still have access to using all sinks. This would put students less
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than six-feet apart which is against social distancing guidelines and puts them at high-risk for COVID-19 contact since masks do not need to be worn at the sinks. Freshman Lily White lives in Whiteface Hall, where the biggest problem with cleanliness is other students. Hair clinging to the shower walls, toilet paper piled on the ground, gobs of toothpaste in the sinks and shaven hair on the countertops would make anyone feel disgusted. “Whenever I’ve gone in there, like in the morning and [janitors] just cleaned it, it’s fine,” White said. The water’s been drained, toi-
lets have been wiped down and the trash has been emptied. Students just have a poor standard of living when it comes to shared bathrooms. The janitorial staff at SUNY Plattsburgh has been keeping up their part in cleaning dorm bathrooms for students, especially during a time when good hygiene is more important than ever. The students, however, need to be considerate of others using a communal space. Simply — clean up after yourself. Email OLIVIA BOUSQUET cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
‘She Dies Tomorrow’ puts tone before story BY CAMERON KAERCHER Staff Writer
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‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ ages with next generation BY MAHPHARAH KHAN Contributor
“I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that.” Yes Charlie, every teen has felt like that many times. Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie, a freshman in high school. He writes to us, the reader, staying anonymous while also being deeply personal about his life and how it has affected him. He is kind, diffident and a bit socially awkward but when he meets seniors Patrick and Sam, they take an interest in him. They befriend Charlie and make him feel seen and loved for the first time since he was a young boy.
Chbosky’s novel resonates among young audiences because of its honesty and relatability; it is an ultimate reflection of life’s realities. While the novel does carry heavy emotions, it is essential for teens to read because of its candid discussions around trauma, new experiences and dealing with friendships, love and heartbreak. This novel is especially conscious of toxic familial patterns and the difficulties that are involved with one’s mental health. Problems with masculinity arise not even 10 pages into the book. The men in Charlie’s family are not allowed to show emotion; if they do show emotion, it is in private — meaning that vulnerability is a secret. “I walked to the kitchen, and I saw
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One aspect horror films do not get enough credit for is how they can act as a reflection of our society at that time. David Cronenberg’s version of “The Fly” came out during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the goopy body horror of Jeff Goldblum’s titular transformation is a symbol of the fear of our body failing us. The rise of conservative values in the eighties is reflected in the “Friday the 13th” films, as the sexually promiscuous teenagers are bloodily reprimanded by the hockey mask-wearing killer. With the current pandemic affecting all of our lives, more films about disease and fear of running out of time are going to be right around the corner. One film seems to have seen the storm coming and proactively struck.
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“She Dies Tomorrow” stars Kate Lyn Sheil as Amy, someone who thinks she will die tomorrow. There is no reason she feels that way, but the reasons are not the story, it is the emotion itself. For better or worse, she is not alone, as this thought is contagious and spreads to her friend Jane, played by Jane Adams. When it comes to plot, that is about it. The main plot acts as a framework to hang the atmosphere on, which can be
understandably frustrating for those who prefer more narrative-driven cinema. The intangible feeling of dread present in “She Dies Tomorrow” would make it a fine pairing to last week’s “I’m Thinking of Ending Things.” Both films also radiate an undeniable stylistic influence from David Lynch’s filmography. Kate Lyn Sheil bears an uncanny resemblance to Lynch’s frequent collaborator, Laura Dern. ANXIETY l A8
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CARDINAL VOICE
Opinions Editor Jess Johnson
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
Editorial
Shame nose people
You’ve seen them. You’ve probably rolled your eyes at them, and by now, are probably sick of them. Nose people — you know, those people who wear masks just below their nose — who act like improperly wearing a mask is enough to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, are actually presenting a risk to SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus. The campus underwent three pool tests so far with two yielding zero COVID-19 cases, but that doesn’t make it impervious to the virus. Wearing masks incorrectly, such as wearing it just below your nose, can increase the risk of infection. Studies have shown that covering your nose can be just as important as covering your mouth with a mask. A University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill study pin-pointed locations in the respiratory tract to find where COVID-19 is most likely to infiltrate the body. Researchers from that study found that cells lined in the nose were more likely to become infected and spread the virus than cells in the throat or lungs.
PAYMENT Continued from page six Baker also explains that he had a conversation with Thorne earlier that month about a future film collaboration that would focus on her life and the circumstances leading her to making an OnlyFans. Not a documentary about causing the downfall of sex workers’ lives. It honestly seems like Thorne is just trying to cover her tracks. Meanwhile, workers have been trying to swim out of the economic turmoil she put them in. OnlyFans worker Kai Chi, had a rapid decrease in her weekly income. The new OnlyFans policy changes meant a reduc-
ZODIAC Continued from page seven Scorpios and Taureans are basically the same sign, but Taureans have a cottagecore aesthetic and Scorpios think wearing black all the time is a personality trait. Scorpios don’t like to be around other water signs… in public. Scorpios secretly love Cancer and Pisces but hate how emotionally open they are with everybody. One may need them though, because they are the only other signs who understand your emotionality. Scorpio needs Cancer because Scorpios
tion in income, and a delay in payments for many sex workers on the site, which she unfortunately experienced almost immediately. The pending $3,661.70 in tips Chi received from doing two private shows the week prior, was charged back to her subscribers due to OnlyFans new limitations. Her account began to suffer greatly, with a remaining pending balance of $186.60. “How could you let this happen to your content creators @bellathorne?” Chi tweeted. “This is the aftermath of your actions. This is how a real sexworker is affected.” In order to help the situation, Thorne claims she’ll be dividing her OnlyFans account profits between funding her production company — for a film that isn’t happening — and to charity.
will completely justify whatever revenge Cancer commits against people who have wronged them. Cancers would give you their own kitchen knife to stab in someone’s back if Scorpios said it would help them. Scorpios roll their eyes whenever Pisces start talking about how we are connected and should really just learn to get along. Y’all hate it when someone reminds you to have empathy and show forgiveness to another person. Maybe it’s because if you realize what you’re doing is wrong, you’ll have to apologize? Newsflash, apologizing doesn’t make you weak or a coward.
ANXIETY Continued from page seven Writer-director Amy Seimetz perfectly conceptualizes the scenes when a character feels the end of their life is just around the corner. Time slows down, and the backgrounds go out of focus as the actor stares directly into the camera. Then, the lighting changes. Oftentimes, the art of cinematography is explained as painting with light. In this film, cinematographer Jay Keitel paints with a roller brush, bathing the characters in neon blue and red during their moments in which they feel they are about to die. Her portraiture work is mesmerizing, and these moments of impending doom feel beautiful due to the craftsmanship on display. Moments in the film are also bolstered by the haunting
COLLEGE Continued from page seven my dad making a sandwich… and crying. He was crying harder than even my mom,” Charlie states. “And I couldn’t believe it. Then, he walked up, patted my shoulder, and said, ‘This is our little secret, okay, champ?’” Throughout the novel, Charlie is evidently emotional and is not afraid to show it. This is a great example for young boys now, because it conveys to them that emotion is not a weakness. Charlie’s sadness stems from his trauma that we learn about later in the story, but he shows that he is able to make friends and have fun without pretending to be a “manly man”–– in other words, a man with little to no emotion. “I walked to the kitchen, and I saw my dad making a sandwich… and crying. He was crying harder than even my mom,” Charlie states. “And I couldn’t believe it. Then, he walked up, patted my shoulder, and said, ‘This is our little secret, okay, champ?’” Throughout the novel, Charlie is evidently emotional and is not afraid to show it. This is a great example for young boys now, because it conveys to them that emotion is not a weakness. Charlie’s sadness stems from his trauma that we learn about later in the story, but he shows that he is able to make friends and have fun without pretending to be a “manly man”–– in other words, a man with little to no emotion. Another pivotal lesson Chbosky teaches us is the kind of treatment we accept from others. “Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve.” Charlie’s English teacher, Bill, says this to
The study also found that COVID-19 infects cells with tiny hairs on them called cilia that usually helps protect from pathogens. The study claims that is the reason COVID-19 can infect more easily through the nose. While the science surrounding COVID-19 is ever-evolving, what has remained mostly consistent is the fact that wearing a mask properly is important to combatting its spread, which is why it’s never a bad time for a refresher on how to do so. On top of wearing masks securely and covering your mouth and nose, the Center for Disease Control recommends you wash your hands before putting on your mask, washing it regularly, only handling the straps of the mask when taking it off and washing your hands immediately after taking off your mask. Although SUNY Plattsburgh has had a successful start to the fall semester, it will take nonstop commitment to its health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. So when you see a nose person out and about, shame ‘em. The craziest part of it all, is that’s her only solution. And, probably won’t happen. OnlyFans confirmed to Vulture, an online publication, that any changes to transaction limits are not based on any one user and that transaction limits are set to help prevent overspending. This allows users to continue to use the site safely. Yet, it sounds like Thorne still needs to take responsibility for making OnlyFans into some kind of joke, so much so that “all of a sudden,” the company had to set severe restrictions. Put down the blue eyeliner and open your purse, Thorne. There’s hell to pay. Email JESSICA JOHNSON cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Scorpios, to have a long-lasting relationship you’re going to have to suck it up one day and learn to admit when you’re wrong — which is probably more than you think. Scorpios love to talk about how much they love loyalty, but are hypocrites for being the first to hop on the Cancers and Pisces are too-emotional-bandwagon. Air signs are too harmonious and happy for Scorpios to ever get along. Geminis have too much energy for Scorpios. Plus, Geminis like to laugh at people’s jokes and Scorpios like to overthink them. Geminis change their minds too much which will only cause Scorpios to over-analyze every change. It is simply
too exhausting for Scorpios to be around Geminis. Aquarians bring a more peaceful demeanor to Scorpios and Scorpios are only at peace when they are by themselves. Libras find the best in everyone and Scorpios find the worst. Plus, Libras are always trying to bring people together while Scorpios are busy stirring the pot. Why are Scorpios like this? Well, because they never and can’t come to terms with the idea that they mess up, so they blame everyone else.
Email ABIGAIL AZADIAN cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
choral and orchestral score by Mondo Boys. The composed music fits so well, that it is disappointing when one scene is structured around Mozart’s, “Requiem - Lacrimosa.” While the song’s classical power is tough to downplay, it feels cliché. On Spotify, the movie’s soundtrack isn’t even twenty minutes long. It would be better for the film if Mondo Boys were given more screen time to really show off their clear musical talent for scoring. “She Dies Tomorrow” is a mood piece, therefore one must be in the right mood to watch this. One probably won’t enjoy it on a Tuesday afternoon, while snacking on something from the Sundowner. However, if you do give this film some time, and not a lot as it comes in under an hour and a half, you will find a powerful work of art.
him when he expresses concern about his sister’s boyfriend. “My sister goes crazy if you eat the wrong kind of tuna, but here was this guy hitting her, and she didn’t say anything. She just got soft and nice. And I could see my sister putting up with it.” Chbosky reveals that Charlie’s family has a history of domestic abuse. His Aunt Helen has numerous boyfriends that hit her, and with Charlie’s dad, his parents hit him and his siblings when they were children. When one experiences this physical violence, they internalize it and subconsciously start to believe they deserve it. This is because by some, hitting or slapping is seen as a means to “correct bad behavior” from childhood. Through Charlie’s family, Chbosky emphasizes the danger in being unaware of toxic familial patterns, as well as how easy it is to fall into it. It’s crucial to be aware of the patterns one can easily repeat because it will save them years, or perhaps decades of pain. Although The Perks of Being a Wallflower does talk about heavy subject matters, there are funny, loving and lighthearted moments. Charlie is learning how to navigate high school while trying to cope with his own demons, and with Sam and Patrick’s friendship, he is able to cope with the troubling parts of his life. It can be especially hard to adapt to new experiences when one is thrown into an environment where they don’t know anything about anybody or their surroundings. This is not only relatable to teens; it is also relatable to young adults entering college for the first time. The lack of a high school structure and entering a new place, meeting new people can be intimidating for many college freshmen.
Email CAMERON KAERCHER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Nina Serafini is an English Literature, Creative Writing and Language Arts major. She entered her freshman year fall 2019 and relates to feeling misplaced, much like Charlie did his freshman year of high school. “I had zero friends basically. I hated being away from my house and my parents. I hated my roommate. The only thing I liked were my classes,” Serafini said. “Honestly, the whole reason why I’m so into getting my work done the best I can is because that was what I put myself into freshman year because I had nothing else to do.” Serafini explains that the best way one can confront their nervousness about new experiences is to try everything: “I hate to say this but I think the best way to handle this is to just get yourself out there. So I think being around other people will get you comfortable enough,” Serafini said. Throwing oneself into a new social crowd can be daunting, but it can also hold us back from forming genuine connections with each other. The Perks of Being a Wallflower demonstrates this nervousness through Charlie; the novel is an ultimate reflection of life’s difficulties and how we are able to overcome them. In the end, Charlie conveys that life cannot be purely happy and magical at all times –– the good times are what makes us appreciate our existence, and for the time spent in those good moments, it is enough for the time being. “So, if this does end up being my last letter, please believe that things are good with me, and even when they’re not, they will be soon enough. And I will believe the same about you.” Email MAHPHARAH KHAN cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Fernando Alba Opinions Editor Jess Johnson
News Editor Emma Vallelunga
Graphics Editor Nghi To
FUSE Editor Alana Penny
Multimedia Editor Sareem Jabbar
Photo Editor Audrey Lapinski
Managing Editor Jess Johnson Mataeo Smith Web Editor Faculty Adviser Shawn Murphy Advertising: Maureen Provost Peter Taylor Luka Tsiklauri
Contact CP Editorial Board: 518.564.2174 Advertising: 518.564.3173 Fax: 518.564.6397 118 Ward Hall SUNY Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY 12901 cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Award Winning
Cardinal Points has received the following awards from the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP): ACP Hall of Fame Inducted in Fall 2010 All American Spring 2018, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2016, five Marks of Distinction Spring 2014, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2012, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2011, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2010, five Marks of Distinction Fall 2009, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2009, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2008, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2005, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2004, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2003, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2002, four Marks of Distinction Pacemaker Recognition Fall 2010, Honorable Mention 2006-2007, Newspaper Finalist
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FUSE Editor Alana Penny
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
Weiner shows dedication on, off pitch BY ANGELICA MELARA Staff Writer
The SUNY Plattsburgh soccer team is filled with many members who are driven to win and work hard. One of the athletes that shows his dedication to the sport on and off the field is sophomore criminal justice major Cole Weiner. Weiner started playing soccer the moment he knew how to kick a ball. “My parents signed me up for it, and ever since I was younger, I’ve just continued playing,” Weiner said. Coming to Plattsburgh as a freshman, Weiner was able to jump right into his collegiate soccer career. “Everything about the team and athletics have been great, and I can’t really imagine myself anywhere else right now,” Weiner said. One of the many reasons why Weiner chose Plattsburgh to continue soccer was because of head men’s soccer coach, Chris Taylor. “He was a great recruiter, he was a great coach, and I love playing for him,” Weiner said. Taylor explained that on his recruitment visit, Weiner was a great person to visit because he was not shy and quiet. He is a person that asks a lot of questions and shows his personality. “He is definitely very comfortable with himself, and he’s a big time joker. The greatest thing about Cole, I believe, is that he can laugh at himself,” Taylor said. Taylor was able to see who Cole was during his recruiting process. “He was open and honest and wasn’t afraid to ask difficult questions about himself as a player,” Taylor said. “Weiner wanted to know why he was wanted as a player on the team, and once he got here, it was easy for him to make friends.” “He’s not afraid to strike up a conversation with anyone. He’s very outgoing and immediately settled in,” Taylor said. “When I went on my recruiting visit before freshman year, all the guys on the team, most of them are still here now, they were
great. They were welcoming, and I felt like this was home before I even enrolled,” Weiner said. Taylor said that Weiner is very comfortable with himself and doesn’t try to be anyone else and because of this he is able to connect with other members of the team quite easily. Something that Taylor has had to help Weiner understand is that the question is not “How can I succeed?” it’s “how can we succeed?” During a conference game against Geneseo last season, the men’s soccer team was losing 1-0 with 18 seconds left on the clock. “The ball kind of dropped to Cole,” Taylor said. “I think four to five weeks earlier he would’ve just tried to take the shot himself, but he listened to what we’d asked of him, and he took his time and slowed down.” Weiner then made a pass across the box for someone to tap into an open goal, which tied the game with 18 seconds left. The team ended up winning in double overtime with 10 seconds left, and it changed the season. “We only lost one game after that, but that moment was a testament to Cole’s ability to get better,” Taylor said. “A moment in which most people would have panicked, he executed that extremely important moment, which became a testament to Cole’s ability and drive to get better.” After the last season ended, Weiner told his coaches that he wanted to do better, even though he was one of the top goal scorers as a freshman. Weiner came back and noticeably put effort into his physique. “He’s toned up, he’s lost a little bit of weight, and he’s probably in the best shape of his life right now because he’s got an unbelievable drive to be better,” Taylor said. Someone who has helped keep Weiner motivated is senior, health and wellness major Luke Rapaport. When everyone was sent home because of COVID-19 during the spring 2020 semester, Rapaport helped mentor Weiner. He was able to help Weiner change the way he ate, along with the way he exercised in order to help Weiner transform his
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
Cole Weiner has been playing soccer since he was old enough to kick a ball. He hopes to continue playing soccer and pursue a career in the criminal justice feild after he graduates. body into the way he wanted it to be for the upcoming season. Rapaport said that Weiner reminds him of himself. He’s an outgoing person. “When he was a freshman, I was a junior and we brought the new kids in and kind of mentor them,” Rapaport said. “He was the kid that I always had around, and I’ve always liked him.” After Weiner brought it to Rapaport’s attention that he wanted to get in shape, Rapaport started giving him advice on things that might work for Weiner. When he first joined the team, Rapaport said that Weiner seemed a bit immature, but as time went on, the team realized he was outgoing, a hard worker and an intelligent person who showed leadership qualities. “He’s always on top of his schoolwork and likes to motivate other members of the team,” Rapaport said. “He has a bit of a leadership role already, and he’s
growing really fast as a person and really stepping into who I think he’ll become.” When it comes to training, the team still tries to train together, while maintaining social distancing. When he is not training with his team, Weiner trains alone. “[Training] is probably the biggest aspect with everything that’s going on. It’s about staying on top of yourself so you don’t fall behind when the season starts back up again,” Weiner said. “I want to see him take over this team. I want to see him become the main guy while also obviously doing well in school,” Rapaport said. “But as for the team, I want to see him step up and take a leadership role.” From a soccer perspective, Taylor said that he has high hopes for Weiner. “He’s got potential. Physically he’s got some traits that we can’t teach, but we hope that we can
continue to refine him and continue to make him a great all around player, and I just hope he gets better each year,” Taylor said. “Each year just makes it better than the last, and you’ll have a good career. He’s got great resilience and determination and if you have those types of human qualities you’ll be successful in life, and Cole has a lot of skills that will make him a successful person.” Although he is only a sophomore, Weiner said that once his time at Plattsburgh comes to an end, he would love to continue to play soccer, but would also like to do something in the criminal justice field because that is where he feels he can make the biggest impact on other peoples’ lives.
Email ANGELICA MELARA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Counseling center connects students virtually BY ALEXA DUMAS STAFF WRITER
Many students have returned to campus feeling anxious, lonely and even depressed during this time of uncertainty. With new changes around campus and even everyday life, students may need the support of others while having a break to be social after attending remote classes. Finding a safe place to express yourself and have your voice heard is important to students who are feeling overwhelmed, especially if they have been isolated. The campus Student Health Counseling Center has started a weekly online “drop-in” support group for students to voice their concerns and find a sense of community and belonging. This service is more accessible to students than in person counseling, since it is being held twice a week on Zoom. “Mental health concerns are on the rise, as a result of the pandemic,” said Christy Minck, Assistant Director of Counseling Services. “Anxiety is increasing, depression is increasing, so we also wanted to be able
NGHI TO/Cardinal Points
to assist and meet the demand.” The stresses of moving into college, academics, and even the tight living space can all affect a student’s mental health, especially during this time of COVID-19. “I think we have all felt isolated in ways during the pandemic and we are just wanting to find ways to offer safe and accessible spaces for students to get support and validation,” said mental health counselor Kristina Mo-
quin. “We really want to give students what they need right now.” This new safe space was put in place to fill the void of various services the Counseling Center provides, such as individual and couples therapy, group therapy, and crisis services. “We are trying to be flexible in offering general space for people,” said mental health counselor and outreach coordinator, Allsun Ozyesil. “It’s
what’s probably needed right now the most.” The Counseling Center is focusing on creating a community for students with similar concerns and issues regarding mental health. Sharing these common themes may help students toward recovery and normalization. “The whole idea of a peer support group too is that, you know, the students that show up in the space are here for each other
as well,” said Ozyesil. Realizing that you are not alone in your personal experiences might change someone’s perspective on their mental health. “It can be very affirming when individuals know they are not alone in their experience,” said Minck. “That’s a really normalizing experience, but really healthy for people.” The weekly mental “check-ins” not only help students create a rela-
tionship with the counselors but with themselves as well. Students have had to adapt to receiving therapy over telecommunication during the pandemic. “I actually miss meeting with students in person so badly. I feel a huge void actually,” said Moquin. The Counseling Center hosted their first two meetings of the semester at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday. The center hopes to gain more student involvement in this service since it is the beginning of the semester. The more involvement this support group gains is beneficial to students struggling with poor mental health. “Just meeting new people and not feeling this lonely. These are all powerful aspects to the purpose of this,” Minck said. Students who are interested in joining the online support group or seeking more information, can follow the Counseling Center’s Instagram, @healthcounseling_sunyplatts or give them a call at (518)-5643086.
Email ALEXA DUMAS
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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FUSE
FUSE Editor Alana Penny
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
“Unseen” The galaxy is something we cant see well without a camera. Nature is admirable and sometimes, through the lens is the only way you can see that.
“Wanderlust” storytelling and detail oriented image about adventuring.
My name is Alaina Johnson. I am a senior art major with a concetration in photography, I’ve always loved art and when I found photography I knew it was what I wanted to pursue. I do a lot of experimenting with my work in an attempt to morph how we see the world. I like to focus on telling stories, showing detail of things the naked eye can’t see and abstracting the things we think we know.
Student Art Spotlight
“Portrait” this outdoor portrait is intended to tell you about the character of the woman.
ALAINA JOHNSON Senior art major concentrating in photography
“Intrigued” this snake came right up to my lens as I was trying to take its photo. The image shows details we don’t really see much and triggers fear in many people.
“We made it” a storytelling image about finally making it to graduation with your close friend.
“Winter” Docks get stacked during winter and I admired their composition and tones.
“Building a Fire” an abstract view on making a campfire.
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FUSE Editor Alana Penny
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
FITNESS
Continued from page page 12 The classes provided outdoors are cardio-coreyoga, strength-hiit, and yoga. The cardio-core-yoga class is 10 minutes each of cardio core, and yoga stretching. The strength-hiit class is mostly cardio but with weights. Fesette is not only the group exercise director at SUNY Plattsburgh, she is also a registered dietitian and trains students to become group exercise instructors. She decided to start teaching outdoor classes due to COVID-19, but she has always been interested in doing group exercise classes outdoors during the fall semester. Fesette said that students should be prepared to wear a mask or facial covering to the classes, but once students have reached their spots, they can be removed. She has taken the liberty to set up cones and put red tape down to make it easy for participants to social distance. She has also supplied hand sanitizer for the students. “I think my main goal is to get outside,” Fesette said. “I love being outside, and it is a beautiful area. We also have very limited chances of getting outside to work out. Another goal was to get the students to classes. There are things going on around campus, like these classes, to occupy their time.” One of the student participants, Leah Gallagher, who is a freshman and nursing major at SUNY Plattsburgh said she had always played sports since a young age. Although she has not been able to since the start of COVID-19, Gallagher said, “I work out because I am always so stressed out, and I thought the classes would be a good stress reliever.” Gallagher said it gets her out of her dorm and gets her body moving during her day. Gallagher has gone to the strength-hiit and cardio-core-yoga classes provided. “I have really enjoyed the classes, like a lot,” she said. “I was super nervous to go, because it was one of the first times getting out of my dorm, but the classes were really great, and Connie was a great instructor.” “Connie will absolutely help in making my goals a reality, and she is fantastic,” Gallagher said. The field behind Memorial Hall is where students can go for the classes. However, she has decided to move yoga classes closer to the Saranac River for the scenic view and calming background noise. The classes are limited to 15 participants, and pre-registration is required. To pre-register for classes, students can go to imleagues.com or download the app, IMleauges. Students must bring their own equipment. “When I pre-registered, I had a hard time at first, but I emailed Connie, and she responded quickly and told me all the steps, Gallagher said.” “I bought a yoga mat for school, and I brought my own weights from home.” For her, the easiest method for pre-registration was to go through the app. Connie also teaches virtual classes through the Instagram page, @plattsfitness. Along with those, she live streams the outdoor classes, and saves most of them to the Instagram page. “I was doing the virtual classes through the Instagram page before she started the outdoor classes in my dorm,” Gallagher said. The outdoor classes are reoccurring. Monday has the cardio-core-yoga class at noon. Tuesday has the strength-hiit class at noon, and yoga at 5 p.m. Wednesday has yoga classes at noon. Thursday has the strength-hiit class at noon and yoga again at 5 p.m.
Audrey Lapinski/Cardinal Points
Acadia Pezzolesi has been ballet dancing since she was four years old. She now teaches ages four to 40 at Center Stage and Empire Dance Company.
Pezzolesi commits career to helping others BY ASHLEY ST. JOHN Staff Writer
Acadia Pezzolesi, a senior human development and family relations major, has always felt like she wanted to do something to help others. Her freshman year of high school she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and had to be taken out of school. Because she wasn’t diagnosed right away, her health quickly declined, and she was bedridden for a while. “It had gotten to the point where I almost died a couple of times,” Pezzolesi said. When she was healthy enough to go back her senior year of high school, she was met with bullying for being gone for so long, so she decided to do homeschool full-time for the rest of that year. “It made me a stronger person,” she said. While this was a dark time in her life, it also helped shine a light on what she really wanted to do, and it helped gear her toward a helping profession. She said that because of how much experience she had in the medical field, she wanted to give as much as she could. She thought about being a nurse, but she doesn’t like blood and needles, so she had to find a different option. She was able to find her spot in mediEmail NICKIE HAYES cal social work where she can help peocp@cardinalpointsonline.com ple in the best ways she can.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
You might have felt like you have reached an understanding of yourself, but not going back to see if that’s who you really are. It’s okay if this process is recursive.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
Exhaustion is your theme for the week. But there will also be another feeling of stop and go between your public life/reputation and your need for rest. You are simply being asked to be in two places at once.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
You might feel at odds with your group of friends. You’ll find the words to express how to feel, but it’s best to not bring it up directly yet. Find an outlet that lets you say how you feel, but don’t escalate the situation.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
Pay attention to the people closest to you right now. They are going through a lot of extremes in their lives. They’ll probably be more emotional and will need your nurturing and supportive tendencies this week.
LEO
July 23 - August 22
There’s a strong attention to your routine and daily life right now. You might want to find ways to make your daily routine a bit more enjoyable. It’s okay to treat yourself.
VIRGO
August 23 - September 22
You might feel like you can’t communicate with those closest to you. It’s okay to not have all of the right words immediately. Be patient and work towards understanding.
When Pezzolesi was four years old, she began her ballet career. All throughout her life it was something she was incredibly passionate about, but she had to slow down her training when she got sick. “My doctors told me not to dance, but I still did it anyway,” she said. Once she fully recovered she was able to return to her full-time training for her pre professional career which included 20 to 25 hours a week of intensives. She said that she was all set to go professional but found that the ballet community was “very political and awful.” She still loves ballet so she chose to start teaching. She teaches at Center Stage and Empire Dance Company here in Plattsburgh and Dance Evolution in Malta. She said she teaches all ages from 4 years old up to about 40 years old, but she’s most passionate about teaching 12 to 17 year olds. She found that teaching was what she was meant to do because it was another way she was able to help people. Pezzolesi is currently in a full time internship where she can do what she loves at Families First in Elizabethtown. She was supposed to work in person throughout the week but because of COVID-19, her internship is completely online. The 12 credit internship requires 32 working hours a week. “She’s an extremely hardworking student,” Ona Belser, one of Pezzolesi’s supervisors for her internship said. “She takes initiative and pays close attention to detail.”
LIBRA
September 23 - October 22
You’re going to wear your heart on your sleeve and be a bit more emotional than you typically are. Lean on your friends and those close to you for support. Make sure to be there for them as much as they are for you.
SCORPIO
October 23 - November 21
You might feel like you are regressing. It’s okay to backtrack when you need to and it’s okay to change your mind. Be open to rerouting your plans when necessary.
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 - December 21
Later this week, you’ll feel more comfortable talking about what’s been going on. You have been reevaluating a lot of your habits, thinking patterns, and behavior. Specifically, how to change them for the better.
Pezzolesi also used to work for The Center for Disability Services, which is a “day hab” that provides direct services for 18-years old and up individuals. She said that she would help people through their daily routine and help them with activities that make sure they develop socially and mentally. She also talked about how they usually have Camp Spectacular in the summer, which is a day camp for high functioning adolescence kids who have autism. “It gives them the same experience as other kids without feeling singled out,” Pezzolesi said. Due to COVID-19, they didn’t have her back over the summer, and she isn’t sure when she’ll be able to return because the facilities like that are opening at a slower rate. Pezzolesi plans on getting her masters in social work at UAlbany, St. Rose or SUNY Binghamton. Because she’s graduating this semester, she plans on either working or taking a few classes to fill the spring semester because those colleges won’t accept new students until the fall. She said that once she’s licensed, she would like to do medical social work in hospitals doing intakes. “She’s one of those you know she’s gonna go far,” Belser said. “She’s gonna accomplish a lot.” Email ASHLEY ST. JOHN cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
CAPRICORN
December 22 - January 19
There’s been a lot of changes to your identity and you’ve been more discriminatory about your time. Don’t cut out too much-you might not be able to bring everything back once you realized their value.
AQUARIUS
January 20 - February 18
You’ve been radically changing, but you still feel like a mess. There are things going on behind the scenes that will work to your benefit. Trust the process.
PISCES
February 19 - March 20
You feel like your social life has been more and more restrained and not just because of the pandemic. This has been causing you stress, but it’s okay to take a step back and just focus on yourself.
Student art spotlight, A10
Fitness center moves classes outside BY NICKIE HAYES Staff Writer
At the SUNY Plattsburgh Fitness Center, Group Exercise Director Connie Fesette has started outdoor fitness classes. They provide a way for students to get out of their dorms, enjoy the momentary warm weather and get them moving. FITNESS l A11
Bella Friedman/Cardinal Points