It’s no secret that most of CCSU operates on a go to class, go home basis. While it’s hard to blame students who work full time and go to school full time for opting out of campus activities, it’s also true that you can only get out of a school what you put into it. It’s no surprise that students so often lament and complain in class, on Twitter or or on Facebook about how CCSU is a below average school. It’s because no one is doing much to get involved.

The club drive this week offers students the opportunity to build something from what is often nothing and make CCSU a true college community. That’s exactly what CCSU’s new athletic director plans on doing. Athletic Director Paul Schlickmann speaks heavily about increasing not only the on-campus community but also the community in the surrounding New Britain neighborhoods.

Schlickmann even managed to get incoming freshmen to move in one day earlier than they normally would so he could hold an event on the football field trying to gear up freshmen for the upcoming fall athletic season. Schlickmann’s extra attention to a fresh group of students who haven’t yet been touched by the doldrums of CCSU student life should hopefully pay dividends in the near future as he attempts to turn football, men’s and women’s basketball and other Blue Devil sports into a true event again, much like other college campuses have been able to create. It seems like the only time anyone cares around here is when the men’s basketball team is vying for a March Madness birth.

But Schlickmann brings a positive attitude and good energy to the CCSU campus, one that should help push forward Blue Devil pride that will hopefully extend far past sports and into academics. Too often are students not proud of where they go to school. Sure, it’s not UConn, but just because one student goes to a larger, more prestigious school doesn’t mean they automatically are going to reap more benefits than a student who goes to a lower regarded school. What a student gets out of their school is relative to how much they put into it.

It’s not all doom and gloom on the CCSU campus. There are students on this campus that have recognized that, starting clubs and organizations to support their beliefs and protest other ones. And because of that their resumes will look pretty good come graduation time. An immediate example of proactive students that should spring to mind is the CCSU chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Whether you agree with their stance or not, it can’t be denied that their efforts thus far are outstanding. They’re a relatively new group and already they’ve organized two large on-campus events, one being a rally on April 20 and the other being a marijuana laws debate featuring a former magazine editor and an ex-DEA agent. This commitment to their group and campus life should be commended and modeled after.

It’s never too late to join a campus club or media group. There are plenty of opportunities to be had and they’ll be presented at Wednesday’s club fair. And if you have enough undergraduate time left, you can even attempt to start your own group. The opportunities are out there, you just have to want them.

Having just read the newest edition of The Recorder, I have to say that I am strongly displeased with the publication in the opinion section, due to the article entitled “Devil’s Advocate: Anti Mosque”.  Although I recognize there is the name of another paper under the author’s name, I feel that because this is such a sensitive subject that the author clearly knows nothing about, it shouldn’t be published in our campus paper.  By including this, it leads the reader to think that this accurately expresses the opinion of CCSU campus, The Recorder, and the editor.  The author of this article generalizes an entire religion as terrorists. Being an International Studies major, focusing on the Middle East and having lived in New York City, I see the judgement that Muslims and people of Middle Eastern origin face because of a few groups of people’s decisions. It’s not like they’re building a tribute to the terrorists, they’re simply building a place of worship because in America, they have the right to do this. Publishing this piece is offensive to Muslims here on the campus and I am very disappointed in the decision of our paper to allow circulation of it. I just hope that the staff of The Recorder, and you, as the editor will be more careful in the future when publishing such ignorant articles written by people who know nothing of what they speak.

Respectfully,
Gina Dinoia

As we’ve reached an age where the news in this country has come to be more personalized to the individual, certain changes have happened and are currently happening as you are reading this sentence. The need for a printed paper seems to be less with each passing day. With almost every media outlet having a matching counterpart on the web, you can still access the news from the syndicate you want, but on your own terms.

Social networking has created a culture where it is acceptable to express yourself freely on the web. What a newspaper offers is very linear. It can only be printed once and can’t be an ongoing conversation like a website can be. On nearly all websites you can find a comment or discussion section. In this section you can usually find so many different opinions that, in the end, it may even be overwhelming. However, because you can see every comment, the reader can pass their own judgement on the topic at hand. No longer is the reader subjected to the comments from only a few who have written to the editor.

There was a certain point when the world realized that every individual can have a voice, but there wasn’t yet a clean outlet to be able to express it. The next logical step was to take the editorial section and combine it with this new mass medium known as the Internet. What was born was a lovechild named ‘blog’. A combination of the words ‘web’ and ‘log’, its title only tells us part of the story. A blog is a place where anyone can express their opinions to people beyond their coffee shop. If someone in Wichita, Kan. has an opinion on my latest entry about our political system they can contact me without having to buy stamps.

To further bolster this idea, a study by the New York Times done several years ago showed that websites such as LiveJournal were gaining an average of 1,100 new bloggers a day. That may seem like a staggering amount of bloggers and audience members that you could reach especially when you consider where they are coming from. The United States has the most bloggers in the world followed by, of all countries, Brazil.

Blogging is connecting our world in more ways than ever. As the globe is getting smaller, our voices are getting larger. We are no longer dependent on the printed paper to have our opinions heard. If you haven’t done so already, take advantage of the colossal audience you can reach. Get out and blog.

Facebook is one of the most popular social networking websites, as well as one of the most popular ways to keep in touch with friends, family, classmates, coworkers and people you knew way back when.  Ever since it was launched in February 2004, Facebook’s popularity has grown substantially, now with more than 500 million active users.

Facebook is everywhere.  This social networking global giant is so popular that you can now access it through your smart phone and receive status updates and notifications about your friends anytime you want on-the-go.  Although Facebook is one of the most popular resources for social networking, it still has its ups and downs.

Facebook gives you the freedom of speech, to say or share whatever you please with the rest of the Facebook community.  Whether you want to gossip about the kind of day you are having or just want to brag about the new, high-priced, latest and greatest electronic gadget on the market that you just got, Facebook gives you the opportunity to do so.  And if you ever feel the need to talk urgently to any of your friends, Facebook gives you the power of instant messaging through live chat.

One of the great things about Facebook is the fact that talking to your friends is right at your fingertips.  I think this is the one area where Facebook shines.

Facebook is useful because it displays live news feeds about your friends as they update their profiles to notify you about themselves.  You always know what your friends are doing, their likes or dislikes and what is on their mind.  You also have the option to say that you like their status, or give your own opinion on their status by commenting on it, creating a living conversation before everyone’s eyes.

I like the different kinds of features Facebook presents.  Not only are you able to share messages, but you are also able to share photos, videos, events, links, ads and pages, and you can even create your own group.  Facebook has plenty of games and applications, and it even acts as a marketplace where you can purchase things too.

Facebook can be a helpful tool for employers.  Some businesses use Facebook as a guide when viewing information about potential employees.

Facebook supplies you with a lot of great stuff, but it does have its downside.  Having the freedom to speak your mind is great, but only to a certain extent.  You must always watch what you put on Facebook because it could harm you in the end.  Once it’s on the internet, it’s on there forever.  So, if you get into an argument with one of your friends, for example, don’t fight them on Facebook because everything you say may be there forever, which could ruin your reputation or your chance to get a job from a future employer.

The biggest issue with Facebook is privacy.  Your privacy is never safe on Facebook.  When you put personal information in your profile for others to view, it could serve as a problem.  You don’t know what kind of people might be looking at your profile.  Facebook does give you the option to make your status updates, uploads, birthday, contact information, comments and posts private.  However, just because you set your profile or certain information in your profile to private, does not mean that the people you don’t want to see will not see it.  People still find ways of getting that information.  I do like the block list application and the fact that Facebook is committed to protecting minors until their eighteenth birthday.

It is possible for someone to hack into your account or see your information through other people’s accounts with whom you might be friends.  From time to time I will see my friends post in their status that their Facebook profile got hacked into, or that something in their profile was changed that they didn’t remember changing.  It’s quite hard to stay private on Facebook.  Protecting your privacy and identity is very important, especially on the internet.

Facebook does not have any limitations on what you post, whether they are photos, videos or a status update.  Facebook obviously does not want you to post any inappropriate material, but that’s not to say that you can’t physically upload any video you want.  People can flag you for the material you post, which goes to the administration’s choice to take it off of Facebook or not.  However, you still have the capability to post whatever you want, appropriate or not.  There is no age limit to who can or can’t have a Facebook account, which means that minors could be watching uploads you are posting.

I am a Facebook user and overall, it is a great socializing network.

A growth of 414 more undergraduates, totaling 7,859 enrolling in fall 2009 compared to fall 2005, measures the strong demand that exists for people looking to get an affordable education. President Jack Miller attributes this to professors providing incentives for students to stay.

This may be true, but it also comes from a new generation of students who are showing greater concern for their campus community.

Students are now becoming more involved with extracurricular activities, as seen with 63 percent participating, a large jump from the 47 percent in 2007. Perhaps the university may need to look into extending the hours that the fields and Kaiser Annex (“The Bubble”) are available.

The administration has already shown though that they’re looking to meet these rising numbers by beginning the plans to construct a new dorm. Housing has become a growing problem on campus, and it’s only expected to grow with each succeeding year. A new dorm would allow more breathing room for the university when it comes time to send out letters to students on acceptance into the dorms.

It may seem unfortunate to students that the cafeteria at Memorial Hall has moved to trayless dining, which began in the final weeks of the spring semester and has now been permanently implemented, but it may be for the best. The administration has already said that thousands of pounds of food waste has been saved by taking away the trays.

Having the option of throwing on as much food as people want onto their trays removed forces students to think more responsibly about what they’re eating and how much they’re tossing out. There may be a factor of inconvenience, but it will be worth it in the long-run for better sustainability.

Miller’s memory of arriving to CCSU in 2005 and not having a place to recycle a soda can indicates that it wasn’t long ago that the university had hardly any system for recycling waste. Now that the administration has proven they have greater care for sustainability, students must equal it by doing what they can to embrace the current system.

The newly elected Student Government Association president Matt Vekakis must be a leader in pulling together students to improve what they can of the university, and if needed, question university policies. With an increasingly tighter university budget, Vekakis will need to monitor expenditures for clubs and events, and make sure every dollar is accounted for and used wisely.

As a whole, CCSU has vastly improved within recent years, but in order to keep a hold on those advances, all members of the campus community must look to themselves to pitch in what they can and ask what needs additional development.

It is students’ responsibility to stay informed through August so that they return up-to-date in September.

As previously covered in The Recorder, the SCSU faculty senate’s concerns regarding the non-continuation policy to terminate university presidents is still forefront. Their request to join forces with the CCSU faculty senate hit a speed bump last week when the CCSU did not vote to endorse a letter to governor Rell which would have asked for the resignations of the CSU Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Trustees.

There are sure to be hearings and news surrounding their quest and students should stay in the know regarding the status of not only CCSU faculty senate’s opinion on the matter, but what is happening within the whole CSU system.

In regards to the status of the governor, it is also in students’ interest to keep a watchful eye on the race for office. November will roll around quickly, and as constituents and students, we should be educated on the issues surrounding the race that include the state budget (especially what the CSU system will experience in cuts).

CCSU also has a small stake in the race: a former professor of political science here, Ned Lamont. is in the running along with nine other candidates.

Directly on our campus, students should also stay aware of the status of textbook options. The school bookstore is about to establish a textbook rental system, which would provide potentially good savings for students and maybe more flexibility in the super-rigid, pricy textbook trade. The rental system should take effect come fall, so students should plan out their textbook purchases, shop around and plan out the best course of action to buy and save on CCSU textbooks.

Students should also be cautious in selling back their used books – it is entirely possible that some textbooks may be required again, so student should also factor in the material of fall classes into their book purchases plans. Some classes, such as those in English department have a tendency to use the same book for a different class several times over (for example, the Norton Anthologies).

The school is also renovating the women’s soccer field as well as doing some work on the football field; the university will soon implement a tuition increase and Memorial Hall will see a little drop in tray use with trayless Wednesdays – they will become regular for fall.

In the next couple of months CCSU and CSU system will be keeping themselves busy and students should attempt to stay updated on these changes in order to be better prepared for Fall 2010.

Now, I’m packing up my life for the second time in a year, and trying to figure out where the time has gone. Granted, a lot of it has been spent travelling around the states and seeing as much as I can. The most of it though, has been spent right here on campus: doing homework, making friends, and of course, working in The Recorder office.

For me, the hardest part about coming to America was adjusting to the differences in our cultures. This might sound stupid, coming from a Brit – a lot of people seem to think that our countries are very similar, but I still had to adjust to people turning up to class in their pajamas, ending every question with “…right?” and a lot of other things that might sound trivial but were hard to get used to.

Being offered a job at The Recorder while being at CCSU has been one of the best opportunities I could have been given. Not only have I spent the past two semesters with a group of people that appreciate the use of good wordplay, the vital role Facebook rape plays in life and that five hours is a good night’s sleep on layout night, but I’ve made great friends while doing it. I might not have been here long enough to go on any trips with the staff, or get a lot of experience in the journalism field, but I have learned a lot more about editing and what it is like to work for a newspaper. It has been fantastic to be able to get paid to basically hang out with a group of friends, watch SNL skits and correct other people’s grammar, while continually gaining experience. Sure, I’ve been the butt of a majority of jokes in the office but hey, I’m the token Brit – it’s to be expected, I guess.

The best advice I can give to any exchange student is to get involved on campus. This semester, I have spent a lot of time in the theatre department, was involved in a couple of shows and have made so many friends that I’ll miss more than I can say. By making the most of all the chances that CCSU has offered to me while I was here, I can go home without regretting any part of my year.

To those members of staff that are leaving The Recorder: good luck in whatever you’re going to do in the future. To all the other friends and colleagues I’ve met here: Thank you for making me feel right at home at CCSU. I’m going to miss it here.

Elizabeth Mitchell

So maybe, the last thing my put my name on for The Recorder should be forward-thinking? I have no future issues of the newspaper to ponder, so let’s talk about the print newspaper and The Recorder’s website for next year. We’ve got current Managing Editor Michael Walsh to take over for next year and he will oversee, as all Editors-in-Chief do, the weekly print edition. It has fluctuated in page length, but I expect that it will even out as it usually does around 12 to 16 pages.

He will also oversee a mini Web revolution, because the newspaper is about to emphasize its role online – something many newspapers have already done and must do to continue. The Recorder will see a vastly improved Twitter account to bring students the latest headlines and 140-character bits of information, as well as more videos, blog content and simply better , frequent website updates. It is not only my hope that the newspaper will take on these new, web-forward ways, but an expectation because, really, these are the tasks that need to be accomplished in order for the paper to continue as it has been.

The paper will be in good hands, no doubt, and I’m aware that many Editors-in-Chief before me have said the same as they pass the baton, but I’m confident that next year’s staff will use their resources and experience to put out the best Recorder they can.

It has truly been a pleasure working with this year’s group of editors, and last year’s, and the two years’ before that. At least a few of them moving on into next semester will have the benefit of having experienced controversial firings and questionable newspaper content during my tenure, so they will be equipped with the knowledge that only this experience can give them. I realize that mine may not be the greatest legacy this newspaper has known, but I’ll say that my staff has probably seen or heard about a little bit of everything and they are qualified to make lasting improvements. They have sound journalistic judgment, and I expect them to use it.

Best,

Melissa Traynor, CCSU ‘10, Editor-in-Chief 2008-2010

I have gone from a pretty bad writer with a lot of ambition to nearly every position at the paper, to the Sports Editor position that I am writing from today. It’s pretty wild to think that the vast majority of my time in college has been stuck with a small group of like-minded, aspiring journalists putting out a print issue every week. I wouldn’t change a thing.

I started out as Assistant News Editor, then moved up to News Editor. That’s where Melissa Traynor, our wonderful editor started, under me. Can’t say that I’m not proud of her; she accomplished quite a lot in a shorter time period than me while she was here, and she should be applauded. I also was Managing Editor, Business Manager and Assistant Sports Editor.

My time at the paper has not been without bumpy roads. I was still getting a feel for the work when the controversy of 2007 occurred, something that is burned into my mind, as it was one of the most turbulent things I have experienced. Also, I had the honor of getting my picture in every major paper in the United States when the Associated Press took a photo of me at a Media Board meeting, soon after our paper printed the “Polydongs” comic. Can’t say it was my proudest moments, but to explain to the photographer that it wasn’t my idea wouldn’t have gotten me very far. Having experienced these times though, as stressful and frustrating as they were, I feel it was necessary to prepare me for the world of journalism that lies ahead for me.

In my years as a member of this paper, I hope that I inspired at least one person, or helped them to become a better writer. If I did this, then my work here is truly done.

I consider myself pretty spoiled when it comes to what I have been able to do while at the paper. I have gone to conferences in Washington D.C., New York City, San Diego and Austin. Even getting stranded in Chicago with no winter coat wasn’t terrible, either!

In addition to this, I have covered men’s basketball in the Northeast Conference tournament, an FCS bowl game in Indianapolis, as well as Division I soccer. Anyone who knows me best knows that me just being at a soccer match is my favorite way to pass the time, so every time doing that was an absolute joy.

I have also had the pleasure of traveling all over New England and the Mid Atlantic to cover games. Many of these were long road trips that took away a lot of weekends throughout college, but in hindsight, it was worth it.

I have interviewed Senator Joe Lieberman, Ned Lamont, former NFL head coach Jim Haslett, former NFL defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, as well as numerous former professionals and college athletes.

Of all of my interviews, I have to say the best interview I have ever done is with CCSU men’s soccer captain Robert Cavener. There is no other person that I have interviewed who is as personable and as he is. Cav, you made my life a lot easier over the past could years.

I would like to wish everyone who is a member of The Recorder the best of luck in the future. I think you will all be fine, but a little luck never hurts. More specifically, I would like to congratulate Michael Walsh for becoming the new Editor-in-Chief, and I think he will certainly excel at the position. Also, I would like to thank Brittany Burke, my Assistant Sports Editor, for her work, both before she became my assistant and after. She really helped us hold the back end of the paper together this year, and I cannot thank her enough for it. Both Burke and Walsh will be important parts of the paper in the future, as they are now.

My time at The Recorder may be coming to a close, but I have learned quite a lot here, and I will use this knowledge every day for the rest of my life. Thanks for everything. I won’t be too far, so if anyone ever needs any advice or help, I got you.

Christopher Boulay, CCSU’10-’11, Sports Editor 2009-2010

As we’re on our way out the door, now is the perfect time to take a look back and do a little recap of what it was like to sit through the worst of classes and have the privilege of attending the best. This is by no means a comprehensive list of the best and the worst classes and professors, but the accounts of two graduating seniors and their experiences over the last fours years at CCSU. While it is a purely subjective selection process, we’ve attempted to evaluate professors and courses on the content as well as the delivery, and it probably goes without saying that these lists are limited to only the classes we have taken. We hope our bests and worsts lists will steer you in the right direction as you prepare for courses in the future.

Melissa Traynor (English and Journalism, CCSU ‘10)

I’ve been lucky enough to survive two majors without running into a single professor whom I could not stand – just a few duds. On the flip side, that means my transcript is marked by more good professors than I have room to talk about. For example, everyone loves Prof. Brian Folker in English, so he needs no additional praise. The same goes for Prof. Robert Dowling. But I think there are less recognized professors who are gems, and similarly off-the-radar professors whom everyone should avoid.

Best:

Barry Leeds (English): As one rateyourprofessors.com commenter posted, “Any man that recites poetry and shoots guns on weekends is worth a chance.” I absolutely loved the Norman Mailer class because it felt like we were just sitting around, hanging out and talking about books (which is about the best experience you can have as an English major).

Braden Hosch (Institutional Research & Assessment): If you’d like someone to show you the purpose, beauty and intricacies of poet John Milton’s  Paradise Lost, he’s your man. If you need someone to take you through Milton’s dry, preachy prose and hold your attention, he’s also your man.

Laurent Gareau (Music): I took History of Jazz with him a few years ago and would take the class again if possible. Beyond the novelty of it (he literally taught us one or two-note melodies by asking us to sing or hum along to Count Basie’s “Jumpin’ at the Woodside”), the class provides a great perspective on American history into the early twentieth century. And the music is great.

Clementina Verge (Journalism): Much like Professor Cannella, Verge’s experience in hard news reporting really brings a lot to the table. Not only does she teach she teach things that aspiring writers need to know, but her own clips and resume do well to demonstrate the importance of theory and good execution of journalistic judgment.

Worst:

Andrew Moemeka (Communication): The only good thing about my COMM 230: Intro to Mass Media was that I got it over with in a three-week span during winter break. While I admire the professor’s background and skills in the field, he is living proof that experience does not always translate to the ability to teach or pass on said skills.

Cheryl Chatfield (English): Her Intro to Composition course wasn’t difficult, but Chatfield was a little condescending and frustrating. Also – maybe because of her – I think that when a textbook is written by the professor, it should automatically be disqualified from the course required materials list. Especially when it adds nothing to the class whatsoever.

Jack Heitner (English): To the senior English majors: if you have some open elective spot, or world literature requirement, avoid this class at all costs. Yes, it is relatively easy, maybe too easy for a 400-level course, but you’ll also need a very open mind to appreciate it. It’s kind of like if all of the paranormal activity/religious TV programming became one entity, and is also now a college course.

Kim Scroggins (Journalism, CCSU ‘10)

Throughout my four years I can only think of one professor whom I consider one of the best and the worst that I’ve had. Dr. Brian Kershner was the one who pushed my decision to drop out of the music department; he made me feel like an idiot who would never have made an effect music teacher. However, I still remember everything that man taught me. He’s brilliant and really strives for perfection from his students.

Best:

Campbell (Music): I took her Fundamentals of Music class before she left during my freshman year. She knew what she was doing but when she got pissed off, you knew it, and I absolutely loved her.

Anthony Cannella (Journalism): His classes and teaching methods are rather dry, but he’s always been able to give me a good laugh… it must have been all the folk music.

MaryAnne Nunn (English): Her class on British literature drove me to really think about literature and not to settle for anything that’s easy. At first I wasn’t thrilled with the thought of being forced to think when I read but I actually got more out of it that way.

Gerard Rosa (Music): This guy was a riot. In class it was easy for him to get off-topic, but was an easy teacher as far as music history is concerned. Give him a violin and he’ll school you. He’s brilliant.

Worst:

Thomas Mione (Biology): The biology class itself wasn’t too bad but he really creeped me out most of the time. I respect anyone who has a passion for something but sometimes he took things a little far.

Sylvia Schindelman (Mathematics): I hate math, but her class was pretty easy. However, she wasn’t a very pleasant woman and often favored the guys (she called one “delicious” once) and if she can’t hear you, she’ll yell at you until you’re basically yelling back at her.

John Adamian (Journalism): He was an adjunct from Wesleyan who taught Covering Arts and Media. I learned absolutely nothing. All we did was read articles from websites. It was a waste of three hours.

Samia Elsafty (Math): As previously stated, I hate math but it was impossible for me to really understand anything in this class because I had a terrible time trying to understand her. Nice woman, but I just couldn’t get through her thick accent.

Commence backlash in 3… 2… 1…