Reporter Online | All articles

Contrasting Education: The Other English

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

What learning is like across the pond

by Justin Claire


Mohamed Sadek

The gestation of a brand new calendar at RIT brings the opportunity of a clean slate of how to run things academically. New ways of classroom procedure, instructing techniques, and course immersion are only a brainstorm away. However, like any new process, finding and mastering a system that works at RIT will require learning from programs that have already achieved success.

Every year, the Times Higher Education-QS publishes a list ranking the world’s top 200 higher education institutions. Among the top 10 are six American universities, including the predictable ivy leagues like Princeton, Yale, and the leader, Harvard. However, the other four are from a different part of the world entirely. Wearing their colors proud, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, the Imperial College London, and University College London rank high on this list; the names representing a strong force in the world of higher education worth shining some light on: the United Kingdom.

Neil Hair is uniquely qualified to comment on the differences between academics in the United Kingdom and the United States. A professor at the Saunders College of Business, he hails from Oxford and holds his Ph.D. in Management from Cranfield University. After teaching an exchange program of RIT students in 1998, he permanently moved to the States in 2004.

“There are things I miss about the U.K. system; I miss being able to take my freshmen out for a beer,” Hair said. “If I asked any of my incoming freshmen here if they’d like to go for a beer, they’d probably fire me and send me back to England pretty quickly.”

He laments the lack of social interaction between students and professors outside of class; in America, the student-professor relationship is much more professional. Students hardly say a word to their professors outside of office hours or via email. He encourages a more personal interaction, and with about 80 percent of his students adding him on Facebook or LinkedIn, it seems to be catching on.

But that isn’t to say that he prefers the British system. Hair is quick to sing Brick City’s praises. British professors must endure a tiresome procession of bureaucrats to make any changes to their curriculum, and any deviation from the norm is scrutinized carefully and exhaustively. A simple change to the syllabus in England could take up to a year or more.

“If I asked any of my incoming freshmen here if they’d like to go for a beer, they’d probably fire me and send me back to England pretty quickly.”

The small class size at RIT is also a welcoming change for a professor who enjoys a very personal teaching style; in England, universities with class sizes smaller than 200 students are rare. The intimate, in-class connection that students and professors have at RIT gives rise to a whole host of phenomena that are relatively uncommon across the pond.

“I don’t want to spend 10 weeks training someone to be really good in the workforce, and then never hearing from them again. I want to know how they’ve done,” said Hair. A great professor can be enough to make you take the next class in the sequence, concentrate in his specialty, or even change your major. But if you’re one of 200 students in the lecture hall, that opportunity is all but lost.

However, the small class size can also make students feel singled-out, or personally antagonized; here we have the other side of the coin. You know it as “My Professor Hates Me,” the belief that your grades are unreasonable or unfairly low, and you’re being penalized for some esoteric, arcane reason known only to your grader. Not only does the large lecture size make singling out students a near-impossibility, there is a specific system in the U.K. that virtually eliminates this practice.

“It was not up to me to provide final grades in my class; in fact, I rarely graded any student work in my class,” said Hair. “It was always graded by somebody else who taught in the same program.” This protects the grades of students from being influenced by their personality.

Of course, it’s not without its flaws. As Hair pointed out, the other grader isn’t aware of any personal issues you might be facing or might place greater emphasis on areas that were covered in his section but not yours. In cases where a student’s average hovers between two letter grades, a professor who knows you well is more likely to bump you up, just because he knows you’re giving it your all.

Hair also touched upon England’s reliance on traditional testing. Overseas, it’s not at all unheard of for a final examination to count for 100 percent of your average. If you’re bad at testing, “you’re pretty much screwed.” RIT and similar universities give more opportunities to break up the grading system with things like projects, homework averages, a smattering of quizzes and tests. A gestalt of different work you’ve done over the semester (and it is semesters, not quarters) makes getting an A that much more doable.

In the U.K., all undergraduates have the opportunity to complete a thesis project, a final opportunity to put into practice all the information they’ve learned and all the methodology they’ve practiced. Hair misses this opportunity that is not all-inclusive between majors at RIT. It makes a lovely capstone on a bachelor’s degree, demonstrating practical ability that dovetails with academic excellence.

With each system having its advantages, Hair is ambivalent about which system is better.

“There are aspects that I miss about the U.K. system, definitely, but there are also aspects that I would certainly miss if I wasn’t teaching under the U.S. system,” he said. “Ultimately, I think, like everything else, it comes down to the student, and how committed they are to the work.”

Alpha Phi Omega Shanty Town

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Service fraternity beds down underneath cardboard

by Brendan Cahill


Steve Pfost

Students walking down the Quarter Mile between March 10 and 12 might have been surprised to see a group of students living out of cardboard boxes. It was a rather impressive sight - a set of interconnected boxes filling the space next to the tiger statue. A handful of students stood in front of the large cardboard-and-duct-tape structure asking for donations. This raised questions including: Why would someone do that? Have they fallen on hard times? Or perhaps, have the fraternities finally hit rock bottom?

RIT’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity, decided to build themselves a cardboard shantytown to raise awareness and money for families who have loved ones in the hospital. The fraternity, chartered at RIT in 1963, has a history of making dramatic, visible changes to the campus. They purchased and installed the victory bell rung at RIT hockey games and bought the tiger cub that is currently immortalized in statue form on the Quarter Mile.

The members of Alpha Phi Omega planned to camp out for three days (24 hours a day) to raise money for Harbor House, a Rochester non-profit organization founded in 2008, designed to help families of hospital patients who are receiving care in Rochester hospitals. Prolonged hospital stays can be difficult on commuting patients and their families; therefore, according to their website, Harbor House exists to provide a “home away from home” for these patients. The organization provides the patients and their families with support and temporary lodging. The facility is located on 89 Rossiter Road, which is less than half a mile from Strong Memorial Hospital.

Even though it meant camping in cardboard boxes, Alpha Phi Omega did not seem to have a problem getting volunteers for their event. Throughout the three days, one could find groups of small and large stationed outside the shantytown, patiently waiting for donations. And, judging from the many glances from students, the cardboard houses and colorful signs did seem to serve a purpose: attracting attention for the cause.


Steve Pfost

Student opinion, however, seemed to be mixed. “They’re not even trying to explain what they’re doing,” said Will Kinchelow, a first year Photography major, who saw Alpha Phi Omega while he was walking to class. “It doesn’t seem like they’re doing anything.” This was a commonly expressed opinion heard from people walking down the Quarter Mile. Passersby went about their business as usual, with curiosity in the cardboard town only briefly holding their interest. Indeed, the groups seemed rather quiet at times, perhaps attracting attention with their boxes instead of singing, dancing and yelling, as is often seen at other charity events.

This is an annual event, and it has a history at RIT. “I’ve talked to alumni who were here 20 or so years ago, and they sometimes ask whether or not we’re still doing shantytown, and of course we say yes,” explained Kari Hazzard, a sixth year International Business and Economics major and member of Alpha Phi Omega. “It used to be in the winter, during the middle of the quarter, and ultimately it was moved to the beginning of the spring quarter because it was beginning to pose a safety issue.”

One questions still remains: why a shantytown? Hazzard paused before saying, “I don’t necessarily know why we do this specifically ... Some of the social fraternities sometimes do camping and whatnot. This is what we do.”

Pulling the Big Switch

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

RIT’s Change to Semesters

by Brendan Cahill, Jessica Hanus, John Howard


Lee Fitzgerald

On Feb. 10, in a lecture room filled with students, a psychology professor droned into the second hour of class. The students’ eyes had already started to glaze over when the professor looked up.

“I’m going to be bad,” the professor said, reading a message off her computer screen. “I just heard. RIT is switching to semesters. It’s official.”

From that point on, the campus was abuzz with news and protest. First year students expressed anxieties of not being able to finish college in time; alumni wrote letters; “5 by 3” became vernacular.

A little over one month later, the campus has begun to settle down. The RIT community has divided itself into three distinct groups. Some are hopeful and curious. Others are in downright denial. Many are apathetic, reasoning, “Well, I’ll graduate before then, so it doesn’t matter.” Regardless, the decision has been made. Change will happen, and with it will come a turning point in RIT’s history — for students, for faculty members, and for the Institute as a whole.

The Institute:

“I think the big concern was not so much semesters versus quarters,” explained Amit Ray, associate professor in the RIT’s English department and chair of the President William Destler’s ad hoc Committee on Semester Planning. “The big concern was having a quarter calendar that made sense. And frankly, the one that we have didn’t make sense for a number of reasons.”

One major concern with the current quarter system was the mid-winter holiday break. Having a two-week vacation after three weeks of class has a negative effect on student information retention. Although professors do take measures to accommodate for this problem, the number of withdrawals, D’s and F’s is significantly higher during the winter term. “For example,” said Ray, “What I’ve done is that I teach a sort of mini-course, and then I teach the rest of the course afterwards because it’s so hard to connect back in.”

In the midst of last year’s winter quarter, a series of revised quarter calendars went through governance with no resolution. The current system was not liked in the governance groups, but the alternatives were not well received, either.

“After this had all gone through, and there wasn’t any clear voice at the Institute Council, Bill President Destler decided to just throw out there ‘how many of you would vote for a semester option if it was on the table?’ and the majority of hands went up,” said Ray. The administration came to realize that with so many factors in play: RIT’s students, faculty, RIT’s interaction with other universities; it didn’t make sense not to give semesters serious consideration.

According to Ray, only four other institutions currently have a quarter calendar set up like RIT’s, and they are all small schools without RIT’s national profile.

The change from quarters to semesters is going to bring RIT into unchartered territory. “It’s a huge process,” admitted Ray. “It will be tough. It will be laborious. It will require people at every level thinking.” While Destler and Provost Jeremy Haefner have presented several broad initiatives to aid in the transition to semesters, the details are not yet set in stone. The next six months will be spent gathering feedback from the RIT community and working out the implementation plan.

On Nov. 1, 2009, the Committee on Semester Planning submitted the “RIT Semester Conversion Report” (available through RIT’s website), drafting a plan for RIT’s possible move to a semester-based academic calendar. Most notably, the committee suggested the creation of at least eight new ad hoc committees to work with pre-existing committees and governance groups to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. These committees will have responsibilities ranging from determining the roles of advisors and how they will help students with schedules impacted by the changeover, to modifications that must be made to SIS, to communicating the process to students and staff so that everyone is aware of each step taken.

The Student:


Lee Fitzgerald

Current freshmen in five-year majors, and every subsequent student who enrolls at RIT after 2013, the target date for conversion completion, will be impacted by the change. For those students, Ray offers some reassurance: In addition to lots of advising, the plan is to set up one-time transitional classes that will bridge the gap if you are, say, in the middle of a class sequence or need to take classes in your final year under the new system. Still, if RIT’s quarters are all one is familiar with, it may be difficult to imagine life under the semester system.

Dane Britcher is a senior at St. John Fisher College, majoring in Management with a concentration in General Business Management. He is currently enrolled in six classes, which, at three credits each, total 18 credit hours. He also works anywhere from two to 10 hours per week at his school’s admission office. Some weekends, he even has the time to go home and work 10 to 30 hours.

Students are able to choose from three different types of schedules at St. John Fisher: Classes that meet three times per week at 50 minutes each, classes that meet twice per week at 80 minutes each, or classes that meet once per week at three hours each. St. John Fisher only requires 12 credits to be considered a full-time student but, according to Britcher, the average student takes about 15 credits.

Even with these options, it can still become hectic. Britcher’s busiest days might be reminiscent of a typical RIT day on quarters:

9:30 a.m. Advertising
10:50 a.m. Buyer Behavior
12:30-3:00 p.m. Library time (studying, assignments, etc.)
3:30 p.m. Strategic Management
4:50 p.m. Psychology
6:15 p.m. Professional Selling
9:30 p.m. Done for the day

In regard to workload, Britcher said that each semester, his professors provide an appropriate amount of material, if not more. In the 100-200 course level, the first week is often introductions, but this is not the case in higher-level courses.

“Three hundred level and above, any course will get right into the material the first day,” Britcher said. Even with this quick start to the semester, Britcher finds the workload manageable. However, he said that the semester can feel quite long, especially toward the end. He thinks that quarters may have an advantage in this particular area by being able to break up the year more.

One aspect Britcher does enjoy with semesters at St. John Fisher is how his breaks match up with most other colleges. While he does have friends who attend RIT, he often finds it difficult to meet up with them due to different break schedules.

However, Britcher did point out that his friends at RIT do seem happy with the quarter system and voiced his concern with whether or not the switch to semesters is being done for the benefit of the students.

“If their RIT student body is hoping to stay with quarters, and they switch to semesters I think that kinda stinks,” Britcher said. “I hope they’re doing it for the students and not just for other reasons.”

“It’s a necessary and it’s a good switch, even though it won’t effect me,” said Jake Maynard, a second year New Media Marketing student, planning on graduating in 2012. Most of the concerns that he’s heard focus on classes and scheduling. “They my friends are worried about the number of classes they’ll have to take.”

The Professor:

With such a strong student response to the semester conversation, it’s easy to lose track of the other end of the classroom. And naturally, a new timeline lends itself to new ways of teaching.

Mary Lynn Broe has been RIT’s Caroline Werner Gannett Professor of Humanities since the position was created in 2006. The Caroline Werner Gannett Project brings a series of lecturers to RIT every year. Along with her dedication to the project, she regularly teaches the courses of “Auto/Biography” and “Maps, Spaces and Places.” Compared to the rest of her career as a college-level instructor, Broe is relatively new to the quarter system.

“For over 30 years, I only taught in semester systems, but at a range of different colleges and universities,” said Broe. Those universities include the likes of Notre Dame, SUNY Binghamton, and Grinnell College where she held the position of Louise Rosenfield Noun endowed chair from 1986 to 2002.

Though she admits to some skepticism within RIT’s faculty, which can vary from college to college, Broe welcomes the change.

“I see no problem and only gains,” Broe said.

She looks forward to using the extra classroom time to flesh out concepts and ideas, as well as add learning activities inside and outside of the RIT campus. To Broe, a ten-week term is limiting; courses examining writing across more than one century or even involved areas of psychology can only present a basic overview. In addition, the change would allow room to make use of the arts and cultural resources of Rochester community, bringing in experts for new areas of experience.

Broe is not unfamiliar with both sides of the argument. The quarter system can be beneficial in capturing students’ short attention spans and allowing them to explore other areas of study. However, a looser calendar will not only allow time for more in-class exploration and discussion, but also for personal development outside the classroom and more industry-standard co-op options. Though a quarter system allows time for a greater number of co-ops, most employees prefer more time than 10 weeks, forcing students to double-block co-op slots. However, one of the more overlooked points is the opportunity for cross-disciplinary ventures, which both Broe and Ray can agree is a key advantage.

“Transformative changes in technology, in science, in really any field of human endeavor ... are going to take place across disciplinary boundaries,” said Ray.


Lee Fitzgerald

Ray worries that RIT is currently producing alumni who are very knowledgeable about what they learned, but lack the interdisciplinary skills that the modern world demands. He hopes that as professors examine their classes and curricula, changing them to fit a semester schedule, they will work together and use this change as a paradigm shift making RIT a model university for a rapidly changing era. RIT’s current students are what Ray describes as “digital natives,” (adding that he doesn’t particularly like the vagueness of that term), integrating technology into our lives from an early age, and RIT needs to capitalize on the insights that technology gives us.

Broe emphasized this importance of keeping an eye on the “big picture” in the classroom. The move to semesters will allow a fresh look at how subjects are taught at RIT, and it is important to keep in mind what new techniques — including what is taught, with whom, and where — that were not possible before.

“Some of the ‘trim-the-fat’ diehards may be forced to become more contemplative, more rangy in looking at other disciplines and their impact on the subject being taught,” said Broe.

So is RIT really on track to change to semesters in 2013?

“We will be,” said Ray, “If we’re going to commit to this, we will be committing to it fully, and it will be institute wide.” Plus, he said, President Destler wouldn’t have it any other way. Ray assures the RIT community that the process will not fall behind schedule. Meetings within different programs of study are already taking place.

Commomn Misconceptions:

Ray addressed certain misconceptions students have since the early days of the debate, including:

The voice of the students was ignored.
The co-op program will be changed for the worse.
The expense of this changeover will cause tuition to increase.
This will ruin RIT’s reputation of producing young professionals used to working in a fast paced, rigorous environment.

Addressing them in the order listed above, Ray said the following: Said Ray, “Based on the comments that I saw, it’s sad to say this, but students were woefully ignorant about the change.” This is why, Going forward, Ray hopes for much clearer communication between the deciding committees and the rest of RIT.

According to Ray, there used to be five schools with co-ops and a quarter system, and that three of them have already switched to semesters, laying the groundwork for RIT’s change. According to Ray, employers generally also prefer longer co-ops. While students will not be able to schedule as many co-ops as in the past, they will still get the same or better experience.

“Cost will not increase.”

As far as the pace of RIT’s classes, Ray stated, “I don’t think the culture changes based on the calendar.” RIT students expect to be challenged; even with major scheduling changes, cultural precedents are already in place and will not shift overnight. I think that, ultimately, the cultural precedent for students demanding of faculty a pace of work, that doesn’t ebb and flow, but continues.” And of course, RIT’s faster pace is not always beneficial, as it tends to rob courses of depth.

5x3 model:

Students will take five, 3 credit courses per semester for a total of 15 credits. Some courses will vary number of credits, but the norm is 3.

History:

This will be the second academic calendar switch for RIT and the second time the institute uses a semester system. The academic year of 1954-1955 marked the initial change to a quarter system. Before that RIT ran on semesters. Until 1976 the institute moved from early to late starting quarters until arriving at the current early start system in effect today.

Editorial Cartoon: Hypocrisy

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

by Jamie Douglas, Andy Rees

“I find our hypocrisy endearing.”

SG Update

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Election season is just around the corner

by Mike Burns

SG Elections Timeline

Student Government released a calendar for SG elections outlining when specific events relevant to elections will occur. Applications will be available to all who are eligible and interested in the Campus Center (room 1710) up until March 26 at 12:00 p.m.

On March 18 and 19, there will be a “Meet & Greet” for prospective candidates at 6:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively. Voting will start on April 19 at 12:00 a.m. and will close on April 22 at 11:59 p.m. To cast your vote, go to http://sg.rit.edu/vote. The winners will then be announced on April 23 at the end of the regularly held SG meeting. More information on running and voting for SG can be found via the SG bylaws, accessible from http://rit.edu/sg/media.

Students Speak Up Day Proposal

Students Speak Up Day was proposed by SG to take place on April 7 or April 14. This event would feature a campus wide set of surveys distributed via various media to encourage communication between the staff and student bodies, thusly improving RIT through student feedback. This opportunity could give the students the opportunity to express their opinions and possible improvements.

A wide selection of colleges and committees would be asked to participate in the events, and the information collected would be sent to the respective organizations in order to better suit the needs and requests of the student body. The top three students who are deemed the most helpful in terms of feedback are proposed to have dinner with President William Destler in his residence at Liberty Hill.

More Seats for NTID?

There is concern in Student Government that the NTID Student Congress (NSC) representative and the NTID college senator in SG do not adequately represent cross registered students due to the specialized nature of their needs and culture. While the NSC representative and NTID senator in SG represent the particular needs of students out of class and in NTID, the proposed cross-registered representative would be responsible for the academic needs of the students in other colleges.

Teraisa Chloros, director of Student Relations, argued that this representation would create issues. Other groups such as transfer students (who may also feel voiceless) would then try to achieve representation for their specific groups as well, said Chloros. The intention was to vote during the meeting on the additional NTID representative so that the seat would be in the upcoming SG elections. The issue was tabled until next week so that senators could have time to learn more about the issue.

Book Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Abe Lincoln would not be a fan of “Twilight.”

by Laura Mandanas

Carefully concealed under his long black jacket, Abraham Lincoln kept an arsenal of hunting knives, cloves of garlic, a quiver of stakes, and a flask of holy water. Why? Honest Abe, the 16th president of the United States, the “Great Emancipator,” was one of the greatest vampire hunters of his age.

Alright, alright. We all know that’s not true. But ... think about it. Wouldn’t it be cool? If this batty premise appeals to you, Seth Grahame-Smith’s latest novel, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” is a must-read.

Alternative history Abraham Lincoln’s journey begins with the death of his mother under some very suspicious circumstances. Upon learning the true cause of her death, young Abe vows to kill every vampire in America. Following an encounter with the lone survivor - so to speak - of Roanoke Colony, Lincoln goes on a vengeance-fueled killing spree. His lifelong hunt culminates in the bloodiest war in American history.

Stylistically, the writing of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” mimics the biographical works of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, complete with asterisk-marked footnotes to elaborate on particularly pertinent vocabulary and historical details. Excerpts from Lincoln’s purported long lost personal journals provide the basic plot structure, fleshed out by some rather gruesomely descriptive narration. Though the fiction was somewhat pulpy at times, I really sunk my teeth into the historical bits.

At several points in the story, I had to put the book down and look things up. (Was Mary Todd’s father really a slave trader? Did Lincoln honestly pal around with Edgar Allen Poe?) As one might expect from a book titled “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, the line between fiction and reality was somewhat negotiable. Still, it was clear that Grahame-Smith had done his research; the fact that his writing had me running out to do the same is a sign of how compelling the novel is.

My advice? Go out and pick the book up now. Directors Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov are currently working on a movie adaptation. No studio is involved yet, but - just like any vampire story - we know there are only two possible outcomes: it will be really, really awesome, or it will really, really suck.

While You Were Out: Spring Break Sports Recap

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Spring sports recap

by Alex Rogala

For most RIT students, the spring break was a time of rest and relaxation and a chance to kick back for a week after a hectic quarter. However, for some RIT athletes, this was not the case; with spring break, the crossroads between winter and spring sports, many teams spent their week away from academics either finishing or beginning their season. For those who spent break away from the Rochester chill, here are some of the highlights.

Baseball

The RIT Baseball Team headed off to Phoenix, Ariz. for the RussMat Invitational, where they played a series of seven games.

RIT faced a rocky start in their first match, losing 14-1 against Saint John’s on March 1. Despite some fierce fighting, the team only managed four hits over the course of the game.

The following day, the Tigers faced St. John’s again in another two games, losing 5-3 in the first and 6-3 in the second. During the first game, fourth year Packaging Science major Geoff Dornes became RIT’s all-time career leader, breaking RIT alum Andy Shild’s (1999-2002) previous record of 160.

On March 3, the Tigers scored their first win of the season, a 5-1 match once again against St. John’s. Scoring all five of their runs by the top of the fourth inning, the team managed a season high of 10 hits.

After a day off, they continued this winning streak as they won their second straight game, an 8-5 win against the College of New Jersey on Friday, March 5. The game featured solid plays from the Tigers, who never trailed throughout the course of the game.

Despite this high, RIT closed out the invitational with a series of two losses to Rockford. In the first game (12-5), RIT quickly assumed the lead in the first inning, maintaining it until the third inning. During the second game, the team managed a 10-1 lead by the third inning; yet just when it seemed like a win was in reach, Rockford stepped up the pace, closing the game 20-11. The Tigers’ next game will be a home game against Keuka on March 21.

Men’s Hockey

On February 26, the RIT Men’s Hockey Team defeated Canisius 8-0. Continuing this winning streak the next night, the team wrapped up their season with a 5-4 victory against Canisius on February 27. This was the sixth consecutive game in the streak with five different members of the team scored.

Men’s Lacrosse

The RIT Men’s Lacrosse team lost their first match on March 3 against Stevenson University, 20-10. The Tigers had gained an early lead in the first quarter before Stevenson picked up the pace in the second.

Despite a 4-1 lead during the first period, the team lost once again to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, March 6. Following setbacks in the second quarter, RIT gained goals once again in the third quarter before RPI caught up during the fourth, scoring the winning goal with just one minute left.

Men’s Track and Field

The RIT Men’s Track and Field team wrapped up their season at the ECAC Championship on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. Overall, the team finished 13 out of 49, taking home first for the pole vault and fifth for the long jump.

Among the highlights was third year Michael Dempsey’s pole vault, setting a new record of 5.02 meters (16 feet, 5 inches). Due to his performance, Dempsey was invited to the 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in Greencastle, Ind.

Softball

Like their baseball counterparts, the RIT Softball Team chose a far-sunnier location for their spring break, heading to Orlando, Fla. for the Rebel Spring Games. Here, the Tigers proved themselves to be formidable opponents, winning seven of their 10 games.

Despite an initial 2-0 lead, the Tigers eventually lost their first game - a match against Alverno College on February 27 - when Alverno hit a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, followed up by four more in the fifth. Later the same day, the team faced Ferrum College, winning 4-3.

On Sunday, February 28, the team split again, winning a 8-4 victory over Walsh before a 1-0 loss against York. Although RIT loaded all the bases in the first inning, three outs went by quickly before York managed to score in the second inning.

However, the team quickly recovered from this loss, scoring two wins against Widner on Monday, March 4. On Wednesday, March 6, the team scored two more wins against Clark and Beloit, respectively 6-3 and 5-3. On Thursday, the team won against St. Benedict, before losing 6-0 against York.

The softball team’s next game will be a home game against the University of Rochester on March 25.

Women’s Hockey

The team scored a 5-0 win against SUNY Potsdam on March 27, the ninth in a streak. RIT scored three times in the first 8:40 of the game. The first round of the ECAC West Tournament, this is RIT’s first playoff as a member of ECAC West.

On March 6, the Lady Tigers traveled to Elmira for a 2-1 loss that ultimately ended their nine-game winning streak. Elmira scored early into the game, leaving RIT trailing until the third period, when third year Hospitality major Sarah Dagg scored RIT’s lone goal. Eventually, Elmira scored a second goal 5:10 into overtime, ending the match.

Women’s Lacrosse

In their first match, the Women’s Lacrosse team obliterated North Carolina Wesleyan in a 22-1 win on March 2. Throughout the groundbreaking game, the team shattered seven single-game records: goals, points, assists, fewest goals allowed, fewest shots allowed, fewest shots allowed in a half, and most goals scored in one half. Fifteen different players scored at least one point, with a strong defense that only allowed a single goal during the second half.

The next day, on March 3, the team earned a 19-13 win against Guilford. A fiercely played game, RIT managed 11 goals in the first half and outshot Guilford 47-23.

Women’s Track and Field

The RIT Women’s Track and Field team also spent the weekend before break at the ECAC Championship at Smith College. RIT finished 33rd out of 42 teams at the meet, acquiring five points.

Due to her performance in the championship, second year Jennifer Adams was selected to represent RIT at the 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in Greencastle, Ind.

Word on the Street

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

What beverage would you drown in?

by Alexandra Artusio-Glimpse

"Hawaiian Punch"
Joseph Lugo
Second Year
Electrical Engineering Technology

"Bacardi 151"
Chris Wooten
First Year
Computer Integrated Machining Technology

"Coffee"
Praveen Adivi
Sixth Year, Graduate
Student Information Technology

"Pina Colada"
Venessa Messina
Fifth Year
Communications

"Strawberry Daiquiri"
Lynda Leslie
Fasilities Management Services

“Arnold Palmer”
Chartfield Bliss
Fourth Year
Marketing

“Shirley Temple”
Abby Janson
First Year
Interior Design

"Green Tea"
Moryssa Grossman
Third Year
Biomedical Photo

"Jack Daniel's"
Patrick Shard
Third Year
Biochemistry

“Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch”
David Longo
Fifth Year
Computational Math

“Loganbery Juice”
Auston LeRoy
First Year
Electrical Engineering

"Hot Chocolate"
Meredith Foley
First Year
Advertising Photography

“Gin & Tonic”
Ian Schmidt
Fourth Year
Glass & Glass Sculpture

"Fresh water, like a lake"
Rafael Balatewicz
Fourth Year
Mechanical Engineering Technology

“Spicy V8”
Anna Mack
Third Year
Fine Art Photography

"Apple Cider"
Krzysztof Bojorski
Third Year
Environmental Management

Editor's Note: Farewell

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

by Andy Rees

A little less than three years ago, a 19-year-old kid packed up his life into a 1998 Dodge Caravan. He wore a green hat and was crying, partly because his freshman year was over but mostly because of a severe dust-mite allergy. He didn’t clean his room that often. Earlier that day, there had been hugs and handshakes as his floor-mates, his family, left for the summer, one by one. He stood in the middle of the empty room, sweat soaked and sniffling, looking out the window at the sunset. Because he was the only one on the floor, he said out loud to himself, “Well, that’s one year down.”

That kid was me, more or less. In the intervening years, through a series of fortunate an less-than-fortunate events, that kid became me. Now, I’m getting ready to pack up again. Not my dorm, or my room, but my office. My notepads, my coffee pot, my cough syrup, and a box full of back-up articles.

I will not be doing any crying this time. Because as much as I’ll miss this little closet of an office and this page where I ramble every week, it’s time to go. It’s time to get back to what I really enjoy, what I haven’t had time to do in a year. It’s time to get back to writing, to get back to taking an interview while driving down the highway, to get back to why I fell in love with this magazine in the first place.

While I won’t be graduating until the end of this quarter, I will forever look back at these past 30 issues as my last year of college. This note is my graduation speech, my farewell to all of you wonderful people. Though I have probably poked fun at, insulted or outright yelled at each and every one of you, you, our faithful readers, are wonderful. Because without you, we’re nothing but a stack of colorful toilet paper.

Andy Rees
Editor in Chief

P.S. Don’t worry, I’m not leaving just yet. I mean, what graduation would be complete without a graduation party? I’ll see you kids next week in 2010’s Distorter.

Crime Watch: February 2010

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Days without reported crime: 4

by Daniel T. Mancuso

February 5

420 Kimball Drive. 2:20 a.m. A student was stopped and arrested for driving while under the influence. The student was charged with driving while intoxicated. The case is closed.

February 8

U Lot. Between 12:00 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. A student reported that his GPS was removed from his unsecured vehicle. This theft of auto parts in the third degree case is closed and is pending new leads or information.

February 9

College of Science. Between 10:45 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Unknown person(s) stole an unattended computer from a classroom. The grand larceny investigation is still underway by the Public Safety Office.

February 11

Kimball Drive. 7:50 a.m. It was reported that an unknown person caused damage at a construction site on campus. The criminal mischief case is closed and is pending new leads or information.

Campus Center. Between 12:57.p.m. and 5:15 p.m. A student used his supervisor’s password to alter his access in the computer system. This crime of computer tampering in the second degree now sits with Judicial Affairs.

February 12

University Commons. 3:25 p.m. A student reported that an ex-boyfriend attempted to break into the apartment. In addition to Public Safety responding, a ban letter has been issued.

Booth Building. Between 8:00 p.m. of February 11 and 9:00 a.m. of February 12. It was reported that an unknown person removed two speakers from a lecture room. The speakers were valued between the range of 50 to 199. The crime was logged as petit larceny and is pending new information or leads.

February 13

Colony Manor. Between 2:00 a.m. It was reported that an unknown person kicked in the basement vent panel to a residential building. This fourth degree criminal mischief case is closed and is pending new leads or information.

February 14

Andrews E (Lowenthal-Wiltsie). Between 2:30 a.m. and 2:38 a.m. Several students were observed throwing snowballs at passing vehicles, resulting in an altercation between students and nonmembers who were passing by. The disorderly conduct case was turned over to Judicial Affairs.

February 22

Unknown persons used a student’s RIT ID without authorization. After further investigation on February 24, the Public Safety Department confirmed that several students admitted to using the ID to purchase various items. This petit larceny case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

February 23

Mark Ellingston Hall. A student touched another student inappropriately. The sexual misconduct case is still being investigated by the Public Safety Department.

February 25

Grace Watson Hall. A student was arrested for criminal weapon possession and has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

Information about these and other crimes should be reported to Public Safety at 585.475.2853 in non-emergencies or 585.475.3333 in emergencies.

February Crime Statistics

Petit Larceny: 11
Harassment: 10
Criminal Mischief: 4
Grand Larceny: 4
Alcohol Policy Violation: 1
Driving While Intoxicated: 1
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana: 1

DAYS WITH NO CRIME: 4

RIT Rings

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Underpants

by Amanda Szczepanski, Moe Sedlak

Monday, 10:15 a.m.

Hey Rings, I just saw a kid’s chair roll out from under him and he sat down onto air - it was like god was being a dick and pulled the chair out from under him.
(from text)

Wednesday, 9:46 a.m.


Kathryn DeFeo

I think my underwear is laying on the ground on the Quarter Mile....
(from text)

Wednesday, 5:43 p.m.

So, I’m walking down the quarter mile and I see this pink lace underwear thong... My first thought was who doing the nasty on the quarter mile, and my second thought was where can I find the girl who lost them so I can return them and get a reward?
(from text)

Tuesday, 5:28 p.m.

I hope that’s a typo... Dining Services website says a hard drive panini is 808 calories - that’s without a drink and chips, just the sandwich!
(from text)

Thursday, 6:13 p.m.

Dear Rings, what’s with this Campus Building Identity Committee? Can a building have an identity crisis?
(from text)

Saturday, 7:43 p.m.

I just wanted to apologize ahead of time in case I accidentally send you any sexts, because this new guy I’m seeing is right after you alphabetically in my contacts list.
(from text)

Monday, 8:58 p.m.

So, I just passed a guy in The Commons wearing a shirt that said “May the f=ma be with you.” I feel like it doesn’t make sense... it should say “May the (mass x acceleration) be with you.”
(from text)

Thursday, 2:07 p.m

As a guy, I’ve never felt the need to travel in packs to the bathroom... Except to the third floor bathroom in the library, that place is shady.
(from text)

Friday, 12:20 a.m.

Hmm... study for my 8 a.m. exam or get some midnight dome?
(from text)

Tuesday, 11:34 a.m.

Since when has “dp” meant Dr. Pepper and not double penetration?
(from text)

At Your Leisure

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Shoot ‘em in the face

by Alex Rogala


Jamie Douglas

Stream of Facts

Esperanto, a language invented by L.L. Zamenhof in 1887, was an attempt to create a common language that would be spoken around the world.

Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park in Britain, offers a hypnotherapist to help convince parents to enjoy rides they might otherwise be afraid of.

It is rumored that Marie Antoinette managed to convince King Louis XVI of France to require all handkerchiefs be square.

In London, Trafalgar Square has been a traditional spot to celebrate New Years’ Eve.

In 1991, a Bayport, New York home was invaded by 20,000 bees. Before they were removed, they produced about 10 pounds of honey.

The Beach Boys 1967 release, Wild Honey, surprised fans with its rhythm and blues sound. A far cry from their early surf-rock sound, it foreshadowed the experimental, drug-fueled direction their work would take during the 1970s.

Rather than skipping work one day last year, Scottish hotel worker Steven Reid injured himself with a razor and boulder. The 23-year-old worker then walked to the police station and claimed he had been assaulted.

In June 2001, brothers Daniel and David Dauphinee assaulted police from a 19th floor balcony in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The two former Mounties’ weapon of choice: a massive supply of oranges and onions.

After suffering a two blood vessel stroke in 2001, former handyman and criminal offender Tommy McHugh became an artist savant, painting most surfaces of his house and began writing poetry.

To make the Poetry Foundation’s bestseller list, a book must sell only 50 copies per week.

Overseen & Overheard

“I’m so hungry I could eat a boner!”
— Male student on Quarter Mile

“I wish you could come to Imagine RIT just once.”
— Male student practically in tears

“The Christians are outside!”
— Female student in Campus Center

"Should I give you my cell phone number in case someone finds out there’s aliens on campus or something?”
— Campus tour participant

“If I was editor in chief, there would be a lot more butt slapping.”
— Disgruntled girl at McGinny’s

Send your Overseen and Overheads with the phrase “Overseen and Overheard” in the subject line to leisure@reportermag.com. Now accepting cell phone pics!

Reporter Recommends

“Close Range.”
Remember when video games were simple? Back in the day, before gameplay meant bloated consoles, cluttered controller layouts, and needless online subscriptions? Even in this uncertain and ever-changing world, there is still hope for gamers everywhere. “Close Range” is bringing gameplay back to its basics. A true first-person-shooter, there is only one course of action: shoot. No messy controls, moving, or aiming; simply press a button and shoot. Top notch dialog and an evocative storyline make this game a keeper. Thank you, “Close Range,” for keeping it classy.

Check out “Close Range” for yourself at http://closerangegame.com

Quote

“We’re our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves.”
- Tom Robbins

Album Review: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

by Kyle Hugo

With a mix of rock, punk, and a kicking feel-good sound, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists return with a new album after nearly three years out of the studio. Released on March 9, “The Brutalist Bricks” continues with Ted Leo’s pseudo-falsetto, politicized lyrics and trademark guitar riffs. This time, the album has a mix of songs that exemplify Ted Leo’s musical capabilities, pulling influences from early punk rock and folk.

“The Brutalist Bricks” starts off with a style familiar to any Ted Leo fan: a catchy, infectious sound that makes you feel good to be alive. From there, most songs tend to blend a mix of in-your-face guitar riffs reminiscent of his previous work and a more laid back, subtle mix of guitar and bass. As a whole, the album is remarkably consistent; although most of the tracks aren’t exactly full hits, there aren’t any full misses either. But after a few listens, even the less catchy tunes start to grow on you.

Even though majority of the songs on the album are quite appealing, only a few are actually memorable, and even less, if any, will make it onto the Ted Leo greatest hits list. It tends to follow in the same expressive style that the band is known for, yet lacks any new creative input which would set this record apart from previous albums. Despite these flaws, “The Brutalist Bricks” is enjoyable, giving a more raw sound to Ted Leo’s repertoire. Unfortunately, it provides nothing majorly new or different than what we’ve heard before.

Check out the full album for yourself at http://myspace.com/tedleo

ROC Forecast

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

ABBA never gets old

by James Arn

19 FRIDAY

Atlas
Nola’s Restaurant, 4775 Lake Ave. 10 p.m. Looking to liven up your Friday night? Head to Nola’s to see Atlas, Buffalo’s nine-piece funk ensemble.
Cost: Free.

20 SATURDAY

Pops: ABBA: The Hits
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater. 60 Gibbs St. 8 p.m. Michael Butterman conducts the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra playing all your favorites in a tribute show to the Swedish band that seemingly never grows old. The RPO will also be joined with a few original members from ABBA. A Swedish treat not to be missed.
Cost: 26 - 74.

21 SUNDAY

Families Explore: France
Corning Museum of Glass. 1 Museum Way, Corning.12 p.m. Learn about France through music, dance and glass through the Art Nouveau movement. You even get to paint your own stained glass window.
Cost: 14 adults, free 19 and under.

22 MONDAY

Women in Music Festival 2010 Concert
Eastman School of Music. Main Hall. 26 Gibbs St. 12 p.m. This annual concert celebrates women’s vast contributions to the musical arts. Event showcases many genres from baroque classical to modern jazz.
Cost: Free.

23 TUESDAY

Inside Out Haudenosaunee
Fine Arts Gallery at Nazareth College Arts Center. 4245 East Ave. 1 - 4 p.m. This exhibition showcases a wide selection of contemporary Native American artwork. Artists are both university trained and self-taught, and they share their unique cultural heritage.
Cost: Free.

24 WEDNESDAY

Belly Dance
Goddess Hour Dance and Fitness Studio. 1470 Monroe Ave. 6 - 7 p.m. Belly dancing is one of the oldest forms of dance in the world. Think of this as a physical history lesson.
Cost: 9.

25 THURSDAY

Science Fiction Book Club
Lift Bridge Book Shop. 45 Main St. Brockport. 7 p.m. You’ve always enjoyed some sci-fi, but you’re romance-reading roommate scoffs at your love. Your people are waiting for you in Brockport.
Cost: Free.

Album Review: Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

by Evan Williams

Over the past 14 years, Chicago’s Alkaline Trio has risen to cult-like status with their endearing brand of melancholy punk rock. The band bridges the gap between pop heaven and punk hell with their strong melodic sensibility and devil-may-care attitude. Hyped as a return to their roots, their seventh album, “This Addiction,” trades in the more slickly produced alt-rock sound of the band’s latest efforts for the less-is-more attitude of their early career. The result isn’t their finest, but it’s a record worthy of both the band’s discography and listeners’ attention.

“This Addiction,” the album opener and title track, slams out of the speakers with a quick tempo reminiscent of vintage Trio, complete with rowdy guitar, bouncing bass and rapid-fire drumming. Despite some lyrical shortcomings, this fun, three-chord romp sets the tone for the record.

From here on, “This Addiction” alternates between tight, punk-wrapped rock numbers and darker, bitter-hearted ballads that has guitarist Matt Skiba’s recent divorce as a common theme. Bassist Dan Andriano only sings three of the 11 songs, which is a shame since he seems to be becoming the stronger songwriter. While Skiba’s lyrics rely heavily on gory imagery and pitch black humor, Andriano takes a more honest, introspective approach. It’s a juxtaposition that continues to serve them well.

From the cheeky Ramones-esque “Dine, Dine my Darling” to the bleaker than bleak “Dorothy,” the band keeps things interesting. Standout tracks include the dark and dynamic political anthem, “The American Scream” and “Off the Map,” whose chorus gradually grows more robust.

Andriano closes the record with “Fine,” probably the album’s brightest track. Armed with Derek Grant’s powerful drumming and a sentimental ache, this mid-tempo ode to growing up perfectly captures this band’s unique attitude. “It’s a love that gives me heartburn / it’s a song that makes my stomach turn / and I wouldn’t trade my hand / for all the aces in the deck.”

While nothing groundbreaking, “This Addiction” is a catchy and well-rounded modern punk effort that its blood-soaked sing-alongs should satiate fans old and new until next time. Keep em’ coming.

RIT Forecast

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Spring career fair

by James Arn

19 FRIDAY

Rocky Horror Picture Show LIVE
College of Liberal Arts. Room A205. 9 - 11:30 p.m. We both know you’ve watched Rocky Horror about a bajillion times at home. Now’s your chance to put on your best corset and go see the rock opera in public.
Cost: 4.

20 SATURDAY

Night Of A Cappella
Ingle Auditorium. 8 - 10 p.m. Don’t miss The Brick City Singers’ 10th anniversary of their annual concert. The night will showcase the boys’ latest songs as well as featured groups from various local colleges.
Cost: 5.

21 SUNDAY

The New Energy Jazz Orchestra
Ingle Auditorium. 3 - 5 p.m. RIT music professor Carl Atkins co-leads this local, professional group. He promises to liven up your Sunday afternoon with jazz.
Cost: 3 Students, 5 Faculty/Staff/Others.

22 MONDAY

Nauryz
Ingle Auditorium. 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Nauryz is a traditional Central Asian New Years celebration coinciding with the spring equinox. This celebration, popular in Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Iran, will feature a concert followed by free food.
Cost: Expanding your cultural horizons.

23 TUESDAY

Walk-in Resume Reviews
Building 9. Erdle Commons. 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.12:30 - 2:30 p.m. Whether you’re looking for a co-op or your first post-grad job, you’re going to want a stellar resume. This will give you several opinions on how you present yourself in your industry.
Cost: Free.

24 WEDNESDAY

RIT Spring Career Fair
Gordon Field House. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Now that you’ve got your resume all snazzed up it’s time to show it off. If you’re graduating in May and you don’t have work lined up, this is the place to be. Period.
Cost: Putting your professional face on.

25 THURSDAY

Gallery R Benefit
Student Innovation Center. 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. All proceeds go to Gallery r and the CIAS students involved with the Gallery on Park Ave. Each ticket holder gets take home a piece of their choice in addition to participating in a silent auction. Refreshments will also be served, artfully.
Cost: 100 for two.

Album Review: The Burning Hotels - Novels

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

by Brendan Cahill

Sometimes, we have to do things that we don’t want to. It’s an inevitable fact, part of the mundane ins and outs of daily living. Right now, I’m waiting for hundreds of gigabytes of data to back up as I prepare to install a new operating system on my computer. Times like these are when I reach for something like “Novels” by The Burning Hotels.

The album provides perfect ambiance for almost any task; driving rhythms and melodies that are equal parts haunting and sunny - bittersweet, almost - are the order of the day here. The post-punk use of simple melody and chord progressions means that you can half-listen while working on other things; but when you do devote your full attention to the music, you start to notice the subtleties of the sound and the thoughtfulness of the lyrics. “Novels” is the sort of album that conjures up memories of summer evenings spent driving too fast and eating ice cream on the beach with your friends - moments ending just when you want them to last forever. There’s a melancholy to it, but a fond nostalgia as well.

Song wise, the album starts strong, setting the pace with “Austin’s Birthday” and not slowing down for the remainder. Songs like “First Love” and “Where’s My Girl” are memorable, catchy and innovative.

In all fairness, I have a weakness for post-punk. I went through a phase where Bloc Party, The Strokes, The Rakes, and Hard-Fi were all staples of my music listening, and I still love that music today. But there’s a purity here that I haven’t heard in ages and that really hammered the point home to me: this novel is a gem. If you hear me humming a tune as I walk down the Quarter Mile in the next week or so, this is probably the album it came from.

Two Detained by Deputies Outside of Sol Heumann Hall

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

by Andy Rees


Michael Conti

In the early hours of March 17, RIT students were alerted to a possible threat on campus. The alert, sent via email, text message, phone call and instant message at 1:30 a.m., read: “R.I.T. Alert! Take Cover. Posssible sic Armed suicidal person on campus. Go into nearest room. Lock or barricade the door. Follow instructions from authorities.”

By 2 a.m., students began receiving an “all-clear” message from the university, pointing them to http://rit.edu for more information. However, both the RIT homepage, RIT's Emergency homepage and University News page contained no mention of the incident.

While the event was ongoing, citizen journalists on social networking sites attempted to keep others up to date with the latest “information.” Several rumors circulated, including that two people had been killed in the Colony Manor apartment complex. According to official sources, this was not the case.

At about 2:45 a.m., RIT News Director Paul Stella sent out an email through the university’s message center, stating: “According to sheriff’s deputies, the suspect is now in custody. Nobody has been injured as a result of this situation, and there is no danger to members of the campus community.”

At 4:08 a.m. the Democrat and Chronicle’s overnight blog reported that according to Monroe County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Wagner, the suspect, a male RIT student, was not armed and claimed not to be suicidal. The suspect cooperated with police and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. A second male, identified as Sean McMehemy, 24 of Caledonia, was also charged with harassment, obstructing government affairs and resisting arrest according to the D&C. McMehemy was allegedly interfering with the officers as they spoke with the unnamed male suspect.

The alert message was the result of RIT being advised of a 911 call regarding one of its students, according to Bob Finnerty, chief communication officer for RIT. The call was placed from California by friends who were concerned about the mental status of the student, citing that he may be armed and suicidal, said Finnerty.

Addressing the apparent gap between the time when the "all-clear" message was sent out and when RIT's homepage was updated about the incident, Finnerty noted, "The Public Safety department initiates the first text message, the EMN Emergency Mass Notification Alert, and while they were doing their work, the news team was gathering information. It's true that the messages were not synchronized as best they could. But, our job is to give out accurate information as soon as possible ... The bottom line is we had everyone at heightened awareness."

When asked about the use of social networking sites for emergency notifications, Finnerty admitted that they had not fully explored its usage. "We're going to take a look and analyze all of this information ... We will obviously review and see what we can do better ... when it comes to social media," he said.

A video has been posted by WITR allegedly documenting a person being struck by a Taser at the scene of the arrest. Reporter is currently working to verify its accuracy. At this time, Monroe County Sheriff's office could not be reached for comment.

Reporter will continue to monitor this story. Updates to follow as more information becomes available. Last updated March 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Out of the Closet and Into the Streets

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:02:00 -0400

by Sam Angarita


Sherry Wolf, author of Sexuality and Socialism, closes the day with a keynote speech about organizing and activism to achieve social equality.
Sam Angarita

“Equality on all fronts.” That was the theme for the day as described by third year Fine Art Photography student and member of the Civil Rights Front of Rochester, Joanna Rudolph.

The “Out of the Closet and Into the Streets” conference kicked off on the morning of February 20 in the Campus Center. It began with talk of Proposition 8, the amendment passed during the 2008 elections that overturned same sex marriage in the state of California.

Sessions throughout the day continued with some history on GLBT activism, legislation lobbying, and the issue of being a minority within the gay minority, an issue relating particularly to RIT's deaf GLBT community.

RIT student organizations, RITGA and OUTSpoken, helped in the organization of the event alongside the CRF and other gay and ally groups from around the area such as the Sexual Orientation United for Liberation (SOUL) from SUNY Brockport. But it was the International Socialist Organization at RIT and the Rochester Chapter of Students for a Democratic Society who raised political topics and set the tone for discussion about activism for equality during the event. The number and variety of organizations present at the event spoke to the makeup of GLBT activism in Rochester, which is a collaboration of the GLBT community and their allies.

“We have a very strong ally community in Rochester” said Paul Lauricella, president of SOUL. “That’s our strongest asset.” But Lauricella added that there’s “a split” in activism from the Rochester GLBT community, a speculated 50/50 divide which was a motivating factor for organizing the event.

“We’re here to educate and organize,” said Rudolph. “We want to let people know they do have a voice and that they should have a say in being governed by a majority they’re not even part of.”

Almost a year old, the CRF, a grassroots activist group advocating GLBT equality, has organized the Big Gay Wedding event last fall and mobilized approximately 100 people in the national equality march in Washington last October.

Denise Herrera, RIT alumna and one of the CRF members who coordinated the event, said the conference was building upon efforts from Equality Across Americ. According to the group’s website, “it exists to support grassroots organizing across the United States to achieve full equality.” The conferences join the momentum of regional conferences taking place through the EAA across the country in states such as Massachusetts, Washington and Illinois among others.

“It needs to be more of a national movement,” said Herrera, adding that GLBT activism has an impact beyond the GLBT community. “It coincides with other movements like labor movements or women’s rights. It’s about equality.”

Yet, in the buzz of political conversations and lectures, the loudest was the voice of Sherry Wolf, keynote speaker for the event and author of “Sexuality and Socialism” published last June. Wolf discussed topics straight from her book and her years as an activist. She gave perspective on the current political period, the unreliability of politicians and the need for an independent and cohesive national movement.

The conference came at a time when national GLBT community issues are being stirred in the political realm. The Matthew Shepard Act, which was passed in October of last year, provides increased funding to local and state authorities to prosecute hate crimes motivated by race, color, religion, national origin and gender identity. The act allows the federal government to prosecute upon the state's failure to do so.

President Barack Obama’s announcement during his State of the Union address on the repealing of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, which is the law denying GLBT individuals the ability to serve in the military, is also being kept under close watch. He has made similar claims about lifting the ban on allowing travelers with HIV and AIDS to come into the United States, a policy put in place following massive spread over the last two decades.

“Obama keeps on saying things but not following through,” said Lauricella, a sentiment not unfamiliar to people across America. A sentiment to which Herrera replied, “it’s not about seeing that as a loss. We see that as a challenge to keep organizing.”

Haiti Imaging

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The race to photograph a shattered country

by Chris Zubak-Skees

January 21. 10 a.m. A small, twin-propeller Piper Navajo Chieftain lines up with the runway at Gregorio Lupern International Airport in the Dominican Republic. With the brakes locked, the pilot brings the dual 350 horsepower Lycoming engines up to a roaring speed. The turbocharger spins up, full power is reached, and the brakes release. Jason Faulring, RIT systems integration engineer, is thrown back in his seat. The plane rolls down the runway. It gains speed, and some 4,000 feet later, it leaves the ground, climbing out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Mounted in the plane with Faulring is the WASP, an experimental, multi-spectral imaging system. He and a group of RIT-based researchers designed, built, and refined it over the past seven years. Now, it, and a far-flung team, will undergo a monumental test.

It is a scant nine days after a powerful 7.0 earthquake shook Haiti to its foundations. Official estimates would eventually place the toll at 230,000 dead. International aid has finally begun to trickle in, but getting it to those in need is proving maddeningly slow. In the dense, already-impoverished cities of Port-Au-Prince, Jacmel and Logane, some 1.5 million people are homeless, and millions more are in desperate need of assistance.

Compounding the daunting problems facing aid agencies, existing aerial maps of Haiti have, over a single devastating night, become all but useless. Without good intelligence, especially good maps, relief efforts are in the dark on the most basic of questions. Where to target aid? Which roads are passable? Are hazards, like downed power lines, ahead? And, most alarmingly, will there be another earthquake? Flying over the southern Atlantic en route to the disaster area, the WASP joins a race to create new, high-resolution maps to illuminate the precise contours of the looming Haitian crisis.

“I think that’s a tribute to RIT. I think there are enough nerds in the right place at the right time to make that happen.”

Wildfires and Nuclear Threats

Faulring started working with remote sensing as an undergraduate Computer Engineering major at RIT. He worked on autonomous ground sensors as a co-op, but after graduating in 2003, he worked as a temporary employee and soon became part of the full-time research staff at the Center for Imaging Science.

The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory, which focuses on the software processing side, and the Laboratory for Imaging Algorithms and Systems, which focuses on the hardware, are both part of the imaging science center. Those groups, along with other contributions from outside sources, form the backbone of the working team that would come together for the Haiti project.

WASP, an acronym for Wildfire Airborne Sensor Program, consists of four cameras, a highly sensitive Applanix GPS and inertial navigation device. One camera captures visible images while the others capture long-, mid- and short-wave infrared pictures. The original purpose of the program was to quickly map fire lines and hot spots in fast-moving wildfires. It has since found other uses, such as monitoring a nuclear reactor cooling pool in Michigan.

Getting In the Game

Don McKeown, distinguished RIT researcher, managed the data collection end of the Haiti imaging project. When the earthquake struck, he turned to a contact at ImageCat, Inc., a partner from a National Science Foundation project aimed at creating a capability for disaster response.

ImageCat responded with a mapping contract from the World Bank, an international development aid organization that spent millions of dollars developing Haiti over the past five years. When the earthquake threatened to set back the fragile progress the country had made, the World Bank pledged an additional 100 million in grant funding within a day. But to properly direct that funding, the bank needed good information on damage.


Maria Vallese

Pushing Paper and Getting Approval

To get out of the country and into Haitian airspace, the team needed paperwork. Elements of the WASP system are so sophisticated that their export is controlled by the same restrictions placed on weapons. With the help of local Congressman Eric Massa, they rushed an International Traffic in Arms Regulation export license through the State Department over a holiday weekend.

Obtaining proper access to airspace proved a thornier problem. The team coordinated with Southern Command, the U.S. military command directing traffic over much of Haiti.

“Though,” says McKeown, “they are very explicit about saying, ‘We don’t control Haitian airspace. It’s not our airspace to control. It really belongs to the Haitians.’” The team communicated sporadically with Haiti’s Director of Aviation, but the Haitian government proved too confused and overwhelmed.

“We never got explicit approval from them,” says McKeown. “A guy that was doing some government flights, said, ‘Look, keep the guys with the guns happy.’” Coordination with the military would have to be enough.

Above Haiti

January 21. The team sets out to photograph a swath of Port-Au-Prince, and they finally make it. The day before, the plane reached the Dominican Republic but had to turn back because of low cloud ceilings. Today, the weather in the Dominican Republic seems cooperative.

Joining our dedicated RIT researchers are pilots George Tatalovich and James Bowers. The two are employed by Kucera International, an aerial mapping company that the WASP team is used to collaborating with, to operate the plane and a Leica Geosystems laser mapping system (LIDAR). The LIDAR creates a three-dimensional model of the terrain over which they flew.

After stopping to refuel, they continue to fly for an hour. The plane approaches the target, and the pilot brings the plane around onto its first flight line. A small display connected to the LIDAR system directs the pilot onto the correct heading.

From the copilot’s seat, Faulring uses a shiny new 13” MacBook Pro to remotely access the Windows computer controlling WASP. As the plane turns, he calibrates the exposure time on the visible camera to match the available light. He wants to make sure the images come out right. “We are 2,000 miles away from home, and this is our one shot to get it,” recounts Faulring.

When the plane reaches the beginning of the line, the LIDAR automatically begins collecting data, and he starts the WASP image collection. Each flight line varies in length, but the average line is ten miles long. The plane flies on autopilot, WASP and the LIDAR require little attention, and the three occupants need only monitor for signs of trouble.

The images they take document many of these spectacles at a 15-centimeter resolution, meaning each pixel represents roughly 36 square inches of ground space. To obtain this impressive resolution with their available 11 megapixel sensor, the plane flies at just

2,600 feet.

Below them, human drama unfolds on a massive scale. The frequent aftershocks are sometimes visible as giant, eerie ripples on the water below. Haitians, stung by the quake and alarmed by successive aftershocks, avoid the buildings that have trapped many. Instead, they set up improvised camps in the middle of soccer fields, and sleep in the median strip of roads. Distinctive blue tarps mark the clusters of refugees now spread out across the ground.

At times they are below the level of the mountain ranges abutting Port-Au-Prince. Wind can round off the peaks, creating turbulence that would buffet the plane. Over the intercom, Faulring, Tatalovich and Bowers discuss the devastation below and what they would do in the event of an emergency. They would rather ditch in the ocean, they decide, than land in Haiti.

“A guy that was doing some government flights, said, ‘Look, keep the guys with the guns happy.’”

They’re not the only ones here taking pictures. Google had a plane taking 15-centimeter images, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had planes taking 30-centimeter images, and a military unmanned aerial vehicle has likely taken images at an unknown and classified resolution.

After about four and a half hours of following flight lines the plane runs low on fuel, and they head back to the Dominican Republic to refuel. They have covered about a third of Port-Au-Prince, the data of which is then flown to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Once on the ground on the island protectorate, Brent Bartlett, an imaging science postdoctoral researcher, transports the hard drive carrying the collected data to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagez for transfer to RIT.

Clogging the Pipes

The WASP sensors fire every three seconds and produce large raw files. Each of the cameras on WASP took some 3,000 high-resolution images per day. Multiplying that by the four cameras and adding the separate LIDAR information results in some 190 gigabytes of data to transfer. All together, it amounts to something like a terabyte. To get all that data back to Rochester would require its own dedicated effort.

The University of Puerto Rico and RIT are both nodes on Internet 2 - a high-speed backbone that connects universities and research institutions - and for this transfer the pipe was theoretically unrestricted. Still, it took a conference call between system administrators tweaking settings before the connection could be used at full capacity. The effort was well worth it as transfers sped up greatly.

“I think they transferred a hundred gigs of data in like an hour and a half,” said May Casterline, a graduate student and research assistant organizing data processing. “NOAA couldn’t get that to work. They gave up and just started FedEx-ing the data. I think that’s a tribute to RIT. There are enough nerds in the right place at the right time to make that happen.”

Making a Map Mosaic

With nightly data transfer complete, it is up to Casterline and the rest of the processing team to transform it into a form usable for mapping. First, they process the data from the Applanix positioning system. They also modify the infrared data into a format that corresponds to temperature. Then, they project each camera image onto its ground position in a process called orthorectification. Here, image pixels are assigned coordinates and stretched to match their geographic position.

The sheer number of images is an impediment.

“When you’re looking at like 3,000 frames per camera band, then you’re processing 12,000 images a night,” said Casterline in hindsight. “It gets exhausting.” To process that much data as quickly as possible, the team used makeshift clusters of multiple computers, which proved unstable. Team members adjust and pull 18-hour days and shift their sleep schedules to match when data would come in.

The orthorectified tiles are released on a file server for wide distribution, but the process proves draining. Once the basic product is issued, the team uses what little energy they have left to explore other ideas for applying the data. Mosaics are made from sets of images to provide an overview of a particular area, and tiles are mapped to three-dimensional LIDAR data to generate models for other areas.

One project being pursued automatically sifts through the imagery looking for the ubiquitous blue tarps that mark makeshift refugee camps. Theoretically, aid agencies could be directed to serve large groups of needy people who might otherwise have trouble getting assistance.

Most visually striking of the team’s work is the high-resolution, three-dimensional LIDAR-generated model of the Haiti fault line. Like all the LIDAR data, it was first processed by Kucera. Viewing the file, a river valley is rendered in drab, mottled colors. Below this cracked exterior lies a rupture in the Earth’s tectonic plates, the movement of which caused the shake. The United State Geological Survey (USGS) requested the line be mapped while analysis is being pursued to determine if enough tension exists in the line to cause another quake, and perhaps to estimate how bad it might be.

The Future of WASP

Those who benefit from WASP’s collected data are far and wide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Geological Survey, Google, the United Nations, people just providing maps, and, of course, The World Bank all are said to be using RIT data. Members of the RIT community themselves now have a massive dataset filled with interesting problems to solve using research projects.

There is talk of creating a successor to WASP. The Super WASP would add a spectrometer and an integrated LIDAR to WASP’s arsenal of sensors.

Now, there is the possibility that Faulring and WASP will be recruited to photograph the damage caused by another earth-shattering quake in Chile. If the RIT research team is needed, the Chilean imaging project will once again test the people behind it.