Writing SNHU’s Story
VOLUME XXVII
ISSUE 4
DECEMBER 11, 2020
PENMENPRESS.COM
Why SNHU Is Not Returning To Campus In The Spring
SNHU Archway. (image source: TFM) Andrew Wilson News Co-Editor An official decision has been made, and according to an email sent by SNHU President Paul LeBlanc on October 30, SNHU will be continuing with mostly remote courses in the 2021 spring semester. This decision was the result of a student
survey, sent out on October 13, with the goal to gain as much information as possible about student’s thoughts on returning to campus. The COVID 19 Taskforce wanted to know what student concerns were, how the online semester has been going for students, and what students wanted in the coming semester. The survey received
the most, and fastest, responses of any survey that SNHU has ever put out, with over 2,100 students filling out the survey by the time a decision was announced only 17 days later. “Students wanted open transparent communication, wanted all the details about policies, most specifically a majority of students were highly concerned
about the cost.” Said Heather Lorenz, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students. “Only half of our students wanted to come back in person.” Said Lorenz, and while the quantitative data such as a direct yes or no question was useful, “I don’t think those questions gave me as rich of an information
base as the qualitative questions. The amount of thought and effort put into the feedback from the students was so incredible, and it was everywhere...it was raw, it was insightful, it was thoughtful, it was gut-wrenching.” According to Lorenz the student survey’s responses were a “significant part of the decision making process.”
The student survey was not the only outreach that SNHU did to gauge student feelings regarding the current and upcoming semester. A “call campaign” was set up and executed in late September, where SNHU representatives called students to see how things were going. Surveys were also sent out to faculty and staff to receive their input.
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news
tHE PENMEN PRESS STAFF 2020-2021 CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Grace Mage grace.mage@snhu.edu CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Daniel Hopler daniel.hopler@snhu.edu ONLINE MANAGER Ryan Barrett ryan.barrett3@snhu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Julie Armstrong julie.armstrong@snhu.edu EVENTS MANAGER Eliza Fandel eliza.fandel@snhu.edu MARKETING MANAGER Kyle Griffin kyle.griffin@snhu.edu LEAD COPY EDITOR Bailey Arnold-Fuchs bailey.arnold-fuchs@snhu.edu NEWS CO-EDITOR Stefan Karlberg george.karlberg@snhu.edu NEWS CO-EDITOR Andrew Wilson andrew.wilson8@snhu.edu LIFESTYLE EDITOR NOW HIRING: email penmenpress@snhu.edu RTS & ENTERTAINMENT/ A Talib Williams OPINION EDITOR talib.williams@snhu.edu SPORTS EDITOR Sofia Barassi sofia.barassi@snhu.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Hailey Tremaine hailey.tremaine@snhu.edu FACULTY ADVISOR Jon Boroshok j.boroshok@snhu.edu
The Southern New Hampshire University Penmen Press is a news publication produced by Southern New Hampshire University students and funded largely by the Student Government Association of the University. It is our responsibility to inform the SNHU community about events on and around campus. The Penmen Press will print any material found to be factual and in good taste by the editorial staff of the paper. The views published do not necessarily reflect the views of Southern New Hampshire University. The Penmen Press is published biweekly during the academic year and is printed by the Concord Monitor. To contact the newspaper, please email us at penmenpress@snhu.edu.
How SNHU Approaches Course Registration
Taylor Posik Staff Writer
Students registered for their 2021 spring semester classes during the week of November 16 at their assigned Eastern Standard Time (EST). As soon as the clock strikes their given time, a large number of students click the submit button and wait for results. Amid the stress of getting the classes they need, students may not realize what goes into the registration process. Before selecting courses, students are required to schedule a meeting with their academic advisor to discuss course registration plans. In order to graduate, students must obtain at least 120 credits or more, depending on their program evaluation. Most students will register for a minimum of 12 credits per semester. When scheduling sign up times for students, one of the aspects that is taken into account is the number of credits each individual possesses. Typically, those with the least amount of credits left - seniors and juniors will be scheduled in the beginning of the week to register for classes. As the week progresses those with more credits left, which commonly consist of sophomores and freshmen, will follow in the course selection process. “Class level...is determined by [the] number of credits and not the number of years at SNHU,” says Kristen Harding, Associate Registrar of Records and Registration. “Early registration allows pre-
determined groups the ability to register the day before their assigned time.” One group that fits the needs for early registration are those participating in athletics. This allows for “coordinating 30-plus student athletes’ schedules for practice or game travel,” says Thomas Wilkins, Director of Athletics and Recreation. Allowing athletes to register early will help to “avoid common practice time windows or days of away travel.” Freshmen go through a different process during their first semester. They are originally enrolled in classes based on their major, placement in mathematics and English, and their interests. In their second semester, they will have the chance to build their own schedule. All students will then have the chance to adjust their schedules until the end of the first week of the new semester. When enrolling in classes, students need to be aware of prerequisites, which are classes they need to take beforehand. Degree-in-three students also have to go through the trial of course selection, where they must sign up for at least 20 credits per semester in order to graduate in a timely manner. “As a degree-inthree student, course registration can be very difficult. We often get placed at odd times with a lot of misinformation on what classes we need to take and the ability to register for them due to delayed registration times,” says Katie Roy,
Inter-Greek Council President. “This semester, I was placed on Monday morning at 7:30 am. When I had spoken to someone from Academic Operations, I was informed that I was lucky as a second-semester senior that is a degreein-three student to get a Monday time slot. After speaking with several of my peers that I know are degree-in-three students, they all had Tuesday timeslots. This was very interesting to me as these students were also second-semester seniors. It often appears that SNHU has a lot of inconsistencies when it comes to the degree-in-three students, specifically in course registration.” The scheduling for course registration week has been marginally affected by remote learning. As classes are now identified as synchronous or asynchronous, students have the chance to choose whichever form works best for them. Course registration week was also pushed back by a week to give students more time to choose which courses to take in the spring. “It’s really all hands on deck. There’s a bunch of us: success coaches, advisors, me and a few others on a chat thread. As soon as a student calls, somebody’s messaging and we’re picking up the call,” says Leah Richards, Assistant Dean of Student Successes.
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news
Semester In The City And Washington Programs Canceled For Spring Semester
The Boston skyline. (image source: Willem Van Bergen) Talib Williams A&E/Opinion Editor On November 3, SNHU announced that they would be canceling the Semester In The City and Washington programs for this upcoming spring. With COVID-19 on the rise across the nation, SNHU was forced to halt all in-person classes and meetings on campus grounds. This also involves the hiatus or cancelation of most
clubs, sports, and programs that SNHU was running, including the Semester In The City and the Washington programs. Similarly but separate from the study abroad programs at SNHU, the Semester In The City program allows students to take their semester classes in Boston, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the Washington program has students take a semester in Washington, D.C.
The programs both invite two students to spend a semester in their designated locations where they take academic classes as usual during the week, while also working with an internship that is specific to that student’s major and chosen career. Both programs have students spend thirty-eight hours on internships while taking only two academic classes a week. The Semester In The
City internships are focused on social change, implying that students will be working with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or for-profit organizations that have a mission revolving around social change. The majority of The Washington internships are more policy-based, which entails working with government agencies or lobbying organizations. The two programs are run by the Chandler
Center, the group responsible for many of the service-learning opportunities on campus. They also help assist student voting, help plan volunteer work, and oversee the alternative break program. “Tactical experience helps anybody,” says Elizabeth Richards, director of the Chandler Center. “Getting real experience in a workspace where you are there 38 hours a week doing the kind of work you hope
to be doing someday I think is helpful for anybody.” These programs give students the unique opportunity to both learn and work on the career path they envision themselves following. “My hope is once it’s safe to be back on campus and we’re able to reopen and be fully in-person again that well be able to start thinking about running these programs again,” says Richards.
required to take the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, a nasal swab used to detect Covid. Up until recently, residents had to take and test negative for a COVID test every other week. If students lived outside of New England, they were required to quarantine for up to 2 weeks. However, starting the week after Thanksgiving, groups of students are going to alternate taking the test every week. “We are going to in-
crease that testing to 50 percent of the population, so 50 percent one week, 50 percent the next week,” says Karen Estabrook, Assistant Director of Health Services. Beginning next semester, the tests will increase to a weekly occurrence. When a resident tests positive, they are required to isolate in their campus apartment and they must undergo contact tracing, during which public safety contacts them and compiles information on
who they talked to and where they have been. Other residents will also be asked to take another series of PCR tests. Should the number of positive cases surpass the suggested level, everyone would be asked to go home and the campus would be shut down. Recently, the student who tested positive has come off quarantine. “Younger people tend not to be very sick, people are more bored than anything else. And lonely,” says
Estabrook. The Wellness Center wants to remind students that they are open for Telemedicine for New Hampshire residents as well as Telecounseling, which are both virtual methods for patient care and services. In the future when SNHU returns to classes on campus, staff and students will want to know about the plans regarding the developing Covid-19 vaccine. “The Covid vaccine requirement is not a rule-
especially since no vaccine has come out for the public use as of this date. We will have to look at the data once it has been released before requiring it,” says Estabrook. In order to prevent contracting Covid, everyone should wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance. If anyone is experiencing symptoms listed in the CDC guidelines, immediately contact your medical provider or the Wellness Center at 603.645.9679.
Student Resident On Campus Tested Positive For COVID-19 Taylor Posik Staff Writer
A student in the Monadnock building on campus recently tested positive for the Coronavirus. They have been required to isolate in their dorm and be put under medical monitoring. After the recent positive test, a new plan of action for requirements on campus have been spurred into action. Before coming to campus, students are
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lifestyle
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How Does The 2020 Presidential Election Affect College Students?
Vote 2020 Buttons (image courtesy: WQKT) Elizabeth Lemieux Staff Writer College students are a very large demographic in the United States of America. When they all show up to vote, they have the power to sway the election results. So, who did they vote for in the 2020 Presidential Election? How do they feel about key issues facing the country? On November 4, a voluntary survey was sent
out on social media for SNHU students to fill out. Students were asked to disclose who they voted for. Out of 15 people, 10 voted for Vice President Joe Biden, four voted for President Donald Trump and one voted for Dr. Jo Jorgensen. In the survey, students were asked what they believe is the biggest issue facing the country right now. Four students mentioned the pandemic, four wrote about racism, and
three mentioned the division in our country that has become more clear in recent years. “Racial disparity and misinformation [are some of the biggest issues facing our country],” says Lauren Treitman, (‘21), a senior at SNHU. The survey also asked participants if they believe the election results will affect college students and how. “Yes, Joe Biden will get the virus under control
and college students back in school and back enjoying college life. He will ensure we graduate into a safe world with respect restored to the US,” says Emily Albright, (‘23), a sophomore at SNHU. A few participants indicated that they weren’t sure if or how their demographic would be affected by the election results. Surely, the entire population is affected by the results of a Presidential election, but how will the college students of America fare? The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) provided information on how each presidential candidate felt about higher education and what they have done or plan to do for college students and alumni. Trump proposed to cut funding for the Department of Education in the past. He has tried to abolish public service loan forgiveness and subsidized loans, NASFAA says.
However, in August of 2019, Trump signed an executive order which forgives student loans for any US veteran who is permanently disabled. He also signed an executive order this year to extend the CARE Act, an act that paused payment and interest accrual on all federal student loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden plans to make several changes to the financial aid program and repayment process to help low-income students afford college and/ or pay off their student loans. This plan includes doubling the Pell grant award and working towards making college tuition-free for those with a family income of less than $125,000 as the College for All Act of 2017 proposes. It also includes putting conditions in place for those making less than $30,000 after graduation so they are not required to make monthly loan payments until their annual income increases,
NASFAA says. There is much more to both Trump’s history and Biden’s plan moving forward. Both of their higher education plans can be found on the NASFAA site. By the end of November, Joe Biden was confirmed to be the future 46th president of the United States. The results were called by several news sources including the Associated Press, NBC, and Fox News. The Trump administration, however, fought these results by demanding recounts and threatening to sue several states with the claim of a lack of transparency and legality, says NPR. College students can greatly affect any election. In turn, any election can greatly affect college students. It is recommended that everyone do their own research, find unbiased news sources and exercise their right to vote when the time comes.
Khan Academy was created by experts who cover math K-12 and early college preparation as well. Grammar, science, history, AP and SAT are also covered in this online tool. Students can expect to see tangible benefits from using this resource. Its website reports that, “in a recent study, students were over twice as likely to meet grade-level standards with Khan Academy.” Remind is a free online application that was built to make it easier for educators to reach out to their students. If a professor already uses
Remind, downloading the app is highly recommended. During times where everything is online, it is easy to miss assignments and important announcements. Remind is a great way to make sure assignments are no longer being overlooked and that students don’t get behind in homework. Though virtual semesters may be unique challenges for campus students, especially with continued quarantine, there are resources to make it manageable. Students should take advantage of these services to complete their classes strong.
Online Tools Students Can Use to Become More Successful Elizabeth White Staff Writer
Because of the nationwide increase of remote learning in colleges and universities, students have had to adapt to learning from home. Students have found resources including Grammarly, Khan Academy and Remind. These programs all aim to assist students with struggles they may have academically and help them see greater success in their classes. Grammarly is an online tool that strengthens what we write, whether it be an email or a paper for school.
This tool supports clean and mistake-free writing. It also makes suggestions to the user that may make the writing much stronger and clearer. Their mission statement, “to improve lives by improving communication,” really summarizes how it helps students. Through assistance in emails and assignments, Grammarly helps students in many aspects of their academics. By setting up a free account, students can progress their everyday writing. Grammarly can also easily be added to web browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari
Online Tools graphic. (image source: RTG) and Microsoft Edge for free. Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization that provides free education for anyone
around the world. It allows students to learn and work at their own pace and enhance their understanding of a topic.
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sports
SNHU Athletic Department Focuses On Mental Health
Christopher Kelly Staff Writer
The SNHU athletics department has turned its attention towards the mental health of athletes with the current situation of SNHU being online as well as sports not being played. With teams unable to practice, play, or workout together on campus, the mental health of student-athletes can deteriorate. “As a team, we’re used to training every single day and games. We haven’t had that. We haven’t seen each other in person since early March so that’s a long time away after seeing each other for so many hours over the course of the year,” said Joshua Taylor, the men’s soccer coach.
Being away from people they once spent every day with can take a toll on the mental health of the people involved. Julie Munson, the coach for the women’s field hockey team, has further elaborated on the focus of mental health with members of the team. They are working with Hope Happens Here and The Hidden Opponent, an advocacy group for student-athlete mental health. Along with routinely asking mental health questions, Munson is providing resources for students and placing a priority on controlables. Controlables are the things that one can control such as diet, exercise, attitude, managing one’s schedule and
the ability to step away from everything. “We talked about it with our team as creating a sort of mental health game plan… One day in the middle of the pandemic I sat down and made a mental health game plan of alright, if I’m ever sad, this is what I’m going to do or if I’m having a hard day, these are the things I’m going to think about. I think if everyone can take a moment and figure that out, what works for them, it will be really healthy and helpful in the future.” Munson continues, “At first it’s hard to think about the things you can control then once you get going it’s like, wait a minute there’s way more that I can control, and I just
SNHU Baseball Field. (image source: SNHU Athletics) need to keep focusing on that.” Placing a priority on controlables, making the most out of the situation and focusing on the positives that exist
is a great way to improve the mental health of student-athletes and countless others in the SNHU community. Although the focus for some teams is
mental fitness, there are four-week training packets being released by the Athletic Department for those who wish to maintain their physical fitness.
Steven Covey Staff Writer
making the most of their time away from SNHU campus. “I know at least once a week some of the players are getting together and holding players’ practices. Some of them are hitting the gym as hard as they can, while others are a part of a men’s league and are able to practice with that team a couple times a week,” said Cole Stewart (‘21). For Stewart and a few other players in Georgia, they get their ice time every Thursday playing against one another in their men’s league. For some players, like Dominic DiMambro (‘22), off-ice training is more accessible. “My local ice rink just opened in Michigan for drop ins, which is free skate for the public. But to hold a practice in the rink is around $250, which you’d need to split to make it affordable. So
I’ve been doing a lot of running, biking, going to the gym, and lifting weights. I’m trying to get involved in anything I can have access to around my house and town,” said DiMambro. Due to the inability to practice in person as a team, one major problem the men face is their lack of communication on the ice. “During my freshman year, you could definitely hear and know where people were. You had the confidence of your buddy being right next to you, but being apart for a long period of time might have an effect on that,” said DiMambro when asked about what the team needs to work on. As the team waits to hear what the NE10 decides to do in January, they’re all looking forward to getting back together and practicing as a team.
SNHU Hockey Skates Into 2021 Season At Home
Penmen Defense Blocking Shot. (image source: Jim Stankiewicz)
SNHU’s Men’s Ice Hockey team is unsure about their winter season due to the Northeast-10 (NE10) suspending play through December. With the campus being closed and students studying remotely, this leaves the Men’s Ice Hockey team to fend for themselves as they try to prepare for a future season. With no announcements of future gameplay this year, the men’s team still finds ways to train. A handful of players are scattered across the United States and internationally; most of them are trying to stay active by following the off-ice training workout programs given by Head Coach Sean Walsh. Whether it’s weight training in the gym or squeezing in ice time at their local ice rinks, the team is
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sports
Men’s Basketball Gears up for Winter Season
SNHU Alumn Ryogo Sumino Making a Shot. (image source: Men’s Basketball Twitter and SNHU Penmen) Sofia Barassi Sports Editor “One thing that’s still the same is the game,” said Corry Long, SNHU Men’s Basketball’s senior guard for the 2021 season. Directly after a competitive 2019-2020 season, the SNHU men’s basketball team has been apart since March when COVID-19 hit the United States. The NE10 decided to suspend winter sports until December 30, pending the team’s return. If approved for January, the Penmen are to begin their awaited season. It’s no secret that
being apart from your teammates after spending every day with each other is an arduous feat, but the team is keeping spirits high and not losing hope on their time to shine. “The hardest part of being at home for me is not being able to play basketball and being away from my teammates and friends at school,” said junior guard Mikey Buscetto. He continues, “A few of my teammates and I have met up in Boston and New Hampshire just to stay connected.” The Penmen are still finding ways to stay linked even when they live all over the country.
Given very little time to bond and begin practicing, a projected return of just one and a half weeks before their first game, the team has a lot to accomplish in a short period of time. They have been working on their individual skills in their respective hometowns for months and continue to work on improving themselves for another competitive season even while they’re apart. “Even with everything up in the air right now we still prepare as if we are having a season so everything we’re talking about is as if we will be on campus
within two and a half to three weeks. We all know it’s a possibility that we can’t play but our mindsets are ‘we’re ready to play’,” said Long. Long continues, “Our mindset is, once we get together, we need to mesh and be able to play with each other as if we were practicing for months. That’s our biggest thing. We’re just waiting to get with each other. We are communicating, we are still staying in touch with each other, but we really need to get as close as a team quicker than ever.” The Penmen have
eight new faces on their roster, making this transition a little more challenging as a team. The biggest piece of knowledge that is missing is the team’s weaknesses since they do not know how they play and work together, said Long. However, what they do know is their strength as a team. “Our biggest strength as a team this season is how deep our bench goes. We have a full roster of guys that trust each other and will mold very well together,” said Buscetto, giving a positive outlook on this year’s new team during an otherwise
negative circumstance. The team has stayed in touch with each other via Zoom and with Head Coach Jack Perri, breaking into groups and discussing the season. Along with the discussion, the team has been following workout and fitness plans to be ready for the winter. “Our coaching staff has done a great job sending us workout packets and conditions packets that we can follow to stay in shape and stay ready,” said Buscetto. With positive mindsets and hard work since March, the guys are ready to tackle the season ahead.