Volume 60, Issue 9

Additional Copies25 Cents Each

www.thehudsonian.org

FREE

November 8, 2011

Author Amy Tan visited HVCC on Wednesday, and spoke with students about her influences, philosophy on

Amy Tan Amy reads cliff notes from her book during her visit at HVCC.Frank Appio

FRANK APPIOSTAFF WRITER

writing, and life. Tan opened with a monologue in the auditorium in Bulmer Telecommunications Center. Tan said, “I notice that I’m repeatedly referred to as an author, [but] do I really deserve

Author Amy Tan Visits Hudson Valley

that title?” She spent a portion of her time exploring the idea of author as an authority, which she claims she is not. She stated many times during her appearance that to deny confusion, at times,

would be dishonest.Tan shared many personal

stories and experiences from her past, both recent (yesterday), and from her childhood. She spoke humorously about her appearance

on The Simpsons. “[Being on] the Simpsons is something that many young people think is the greatest thing I have ever done,” she said.

Tan talked about stumbling on the Cliff Notes for her own book, The Joy Luck Club. “And then I read, ‘Which daughter in the book do you think is most like Amy Tan and why?’ And I thought this was great because people were always asking me this and I never knew what to say and here was the answer, and then I turned to the back, and they were discussion questions, so I was left to ponder my existential angst on my own,” she said.

Several students were selected to ask questions, and Tan filled them in on her accomplishments, how she might feel about a daughter, and what her intentions are when writing outside of her normal style.

She also spoke about one of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

The range of non-academic and extracurricular happenings on campus is wide, but are students taking advantage of all these opportunities?

“I don’t think students take advantage of all the opportunities and all the activities that are available to them. They may not be aware of them, but even when they’re aware they tend not to,” said Professor Todd Wysocki.

According to Louis Coplin, Director of Student Life, only an estimated 35 to 45 percent of enrolled students participate in anything outside of classes, whether it be joining a club or simply buying discounted movie tickets on Tuesdays.

Another reflection of students’ nonparticipation is a consistently low turnout at Student Senate elections. In spring 2011, only 2 percent of

the student population voted. This overall lack of involvement stems from a variety of different things. For some students, a busy schedule simply does not leave time to think of getting involved in anything not related to class.

“It’s just something that I never really considered. I was really busy with a lot of the work that I did [my] first semester, and pretty much the same thing this time, too,” said Felicia Sider, Individual Studies freshman.

Bianca Davies, another freshman in Individual studies, said, “The Animal Outreach Club seems pretty cool, but I don’t have time.”

Aside from schoolwork, the fact that Hudson Valley is a commuter college also lowers student involvement. “Being a non-residential campus, traditionally it is a struggle for many community colleges to keep their students on campus or

FATIMA HUSSAINSTAFF WRITER

get their students to come back for evening events,” said Coplin.

Professor Wysocki said, “People are done with their day and they leave. They don’t stay and engage or get involved with some of the activities. It’s that mentality, get in, get out, because people are busy.”

Students themselves also admitted to this. Referring to free events on campus, Felicia Sider said, “I usually don’t stick around for them. I usually just try to get home as soon as possible. Basically, I’m tired and I want to get home.”

Being a two-year commuter school, Hudson Valley also draws in a diverse student population. People of all ages, all backgrounds, and all lifestyles are enrolled, so for many of them, life itself gets in the way of getting involved.

Navigating the Semester with

a GPS

Wouldn’t be nice to have your own personal GPS to help guide you through the challenges you face in college? This undoubtedly would make life easier. But here’s the good news -- just a GPS can guide you to your destination by car, the college also has tools that can help get you where you want to go.

How are you feeling at this point in the semester? A little lost or overwhelmed by the work? Don’t panic! Your hard work is important but there are places where you can go to help navigate your classes. If you are struggling with the coursework or just feel “lost” in class, the first stop on your destination is meeting with your Instructor.

PETER GEMELLAROGUEST CONTRIBUTOR

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Where’s the Student Involvement on Campus?

Ask the EconomistPage 2

Vinny the VikingPage 4

Movie Review: “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”Page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

What’s the History Behind The Newspaper?

The Hudsonian has constantly changed over the last 50 years.Martin Robinson

The Hudsonian has been part of the HVCC community for a while, reporting on campus events and issues, along with

providing the readers with feature articles. But does anyone know about the history of this long standing paper?

“The Hudsonian has always talked about campus

events, issues, on campus and community stuff,” said Senior Senator, Kat Tisaj.

“The paper’s been around for about 30 to 35 years,” said Louis Coplin, Director of Student Life. “It’s kept up with the times [and is] constantly evolving.”

“I don’t know much about the paper,” said Robyn Caldwell, freshman Business Administration.

The Hudsonian can trace its roots back to the days of the early years of the community college, when it was originally called The Hudson Valley Technical Institute. Two years after its establishment in 1953, came The Technician, the predecessor of today’s campus newspaper.

The Technician was first published in March 1955, with a cover featuring an illustration of one student saying, “We finally have a school paper.”

A bi-monthly publication, the paper featured much of the same content that characterized The Hudsonian for years, including information about various clubs around campus at the time, news about the student government, along with puzzles and cartoons for readers to enjoy.

The current publication’s name, “The Hudsonian” was chosen after a contest held in 1961, open to all students. The person who came up with that name was student Anita Bauman, who received a $5 campus bookstore gift certificate and a bracelet. The first paper with the “Hudsonian” name was published in December of that year.

The increase of content in the first Hudsonian from the original Technician coincides with the expansion of the HVCC campus itself, as enrollment grew and the

campus moved from a building located in downtown Troy to its current location.

In the 50 years since, The Hudsonian has been providing content that’s represented to the evolving student culture of HVCC and the society around them. Papers from the late 1960s contain articles about figures such as Richard Nixon and Ralph Nader, and student opinions about the Vietnam War. Those from the 1970s have articles featuring the feminist movement and racial issues at the time and their effect on the campus community.

From the 1980s into the present, The Hudsonian continued to develop as the school expanded physically and in terms of courses offered. Faculty members, along with students, wrote columns for the paper, about issues and controversies within or outside

the school.In February 2000, the paper

found itself in controversy after it faced criticism from the Student Senate, when an ad for a local strip club was published in an issue. The paper was briefly shut down for eight days after the resignation of an adviser in response to the publication, culminating in a major campus-wide censorship debate. The Hudsonian resumed publication after the advertiser made an agreement with the Student Senate to cease publication of the advertisement.

As the exclusive student newspaper of HVCC approaches its 50th year publishing under its current name, The Hudsonian, the organization strives to keep providing informative content and quality stories to the Hudson Valley community, hopefully for another 50 years.

MARTIN ROBINSONEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2Why aren’t more of these students involved on campus?

Fatima Hussain

a “F”. Your GPA will take a huge hit. GPA’s are computed by multiplying the number of credits you attempt by a number value assigned to the grade you receive. A “F” is a 0 value, so will really bring down your GPA, possibly to the point where you will lose your financial aid at some point in the future. It depends what your other grades are. I noticed today that the lines are not long in financial aid right now, so if you have any questions, bring your photo ID and I’m sure they will glad to help you. The closer to the deadline you wait, the longer the lines may be.

You could just finish the class. You paid for it after all. Even if you get a failing grade you will still have learned something from the class. If you retake the class and pass it the next time the new grade will take the place of the failing grade. If this is your plan it may be advantageous to stay in the class and get all you can out of it to help with the next time you take the course.

If you are considering staying in the class, and you are not able to bring your grade up you will not receive any credits for a “F”. If you get a “D” you will get credit for it, but keep in mind it may not be enough to progress to the next course, and a “D” won’t transfer to another college.

Either way you are leaning, it is wise to get all your perceived costs and advantages for staying in the class or withdrawing in one place. Write them down. Make an appointment with your advisor and go see them with all the information. Keep in mind your academic advisor usually cannot answer questions about financial aid. You need to go to the financial aid office first after meeting with the professor.

Lastly, it is not the end of the world, but you should be proactive about this. November 18th is right around the corner.

exam. Should I drop that class?” – Failing in Fitz

Good question. It is a complicated question and there is no one answer that fits all circumstances. The very first thing you should do is speak to your professor. Ask to meet during their office hours if necessary. You may be able to rebound and pass the class if you are willing to work hard. Find out how possible this is by discussing options with them. Be realistic, however, because failing a college class can have long term consequences, financially.

It is best to look at all options soon. This semester’s withdrawal date is November 18 for most classes. See Wired for exact dates. Keep in mind you will not be technically dropping the class at this point. Dropping needed to be done very early in the semester, around the first week in September. When a class is dropped it is no longer on your transcript. Official withdrawing can be done anytime up to 11/18. You will receive a “W” for the class. The “W” is on your permanent transcript. The advantage of a “W” instead of a “D” or an “ F” is that it will not count against you as far as your GPA.

A very important consideration with any withdrawal is financial aid. All students withdrawing from a course are advised to see the financial aid office. Aid can be lost because you are not completing a percentage of your original course load. It is possible that a student taking 12 or more credits could still be at risk for negative financial aid implications if they withdraw from a class. It is important you see the financial aid office when you withdraw from any class, because each case is different.

Another consideration involving financial aid is if you stay in the class you may chance getting

“An overwhelming majority of students come to class and go home because they have jobs [and] they have children to pick up from day care, and other commitments,” Coplin said.

Eric Tambor, Engineering Science senior, said he is not currently involved in anything extracurricular but he was in his freshman year. “I work and I don’t really have time for it anymore,” he said.

“I don’t really spend a whole bunch of time on campus because I have to get home to my kids who need me. Caring about anything not school-related on top of school and jobs and family isn’t practical for me,” said Shawna Hadley, freshman Individual Studies.

However, although many

her other books, Saving Fish from Drowning, Tan admitted that the book is not in a serious tone, but is surprised by how many people believe it’s a true story due to an unusual foreword. Tan said, “You can lay the trappings of truth out and people will believe it.”

Tan talked about her relationship and experiences with her mother throughout her appearance. She explained that she is very interested in all her ancestors and the mystery of their influence, “and so I’m interested in that, trying to explore, what in me has been passed along.”

Tan wrapped things up with the story of a trip to China with her mother. She finished by saying, “And I thought this is awful, and I also knew this was the best thing I could have done for my mother and myself. I came home and I started to write the stories that became The Joy Luck Club, because now they were felt. Now I knew the reason why I had to write. What I had to do was remember the past,

Page 2

News

The Hudsonian

80 Vandenburgh Ave.

Troy, New York 12180

Phone: (518) 629-7107

Editor: (518) 629-7187

Questions & Submissionshudsonian@hvcc.edu

ADVERTISINGhudsonianadvertising@yahoo.com

EDITORIAL BOARDEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: MARTIN ROBINSONMANAGING EDITOR: TEMBA “EVERY DAY” KNOWLESBUSINESS MANAGER: SPENCER KUHNCOPY EDITOR: JENESSA MATISPHOTO EDITOR: ROMANDA MENTORNEWS EDITOR: ZACH HITTCREATIVE EDITOR: MONET THOMPSONSPORTS EDITOR: DAMIETE MACHARRYWEB EDITOR: DAVID ELLISLAYOUT EDITOR: GABY ALLEN

ADVISERS RACHEL BORNN MAT CANTORE

DAILY GAZETTE ASSOCIATEJIM GRANDY

STAFF WRITERS (THIS ISSUE)KYLE GARRETT, FATIMA HUSSAIN, RACHEL BRITT-BUSLER,

FRANK APPIO

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF (THIS ISSUE)FATIMA HUSSAIN, FRANK APPIO

The Hudsonian is the exclusive studentnewspaper of Hudson Valley Community

College. Any unauthorized use of the newspaper’s name and/or articles with-out permission

is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecutedto the fullest extent of the law and of HudsonValley Community College’s penal system.

Additional information regarding printed materialcan be obtained by contacting The Hudsonianoffice on the second floor of the Siek Campus

Center.If you would like to join The Hudsonian,

please attend our weekly meeting on Mondaysat 2 p.m. in the meeting room next to our office.Or, you can fill out an application during office

hours. The Hudsonian does not discriminateagainst race, gender, age or ethnicity. However,if you join The Hudsonian, please remember weare only students like you and not professionals.

November 8th, 2011

The Hudsonian Holds its Weekly Meetings Every Monday at 2pm in the

Conference Room next to our Newsroom.

Those interested in joining are encouraged to attend.

E-mail us at hudsonian@hvcc.edu for more information.

Got a smart phone?

The fastest way to check us out on the web.

“Does advertising really work? Why do they spend so much on ads?” – Doubtful in DunnI always had doubts on the effectiveness of advertisements and commercials. Here is a short story that happened to me the other day. Walking to the bus stop, I was asking myself if I would stop at Wendy’s to eat or go home and eat there. It was one of the longest walk ever because there was that great debate going on inside my head. Finally I decided to go straight home. But as I crossed the street, I saw a sign saying “Subway, Now Open”. Without even realizing it I was handing my credit card to the cashier at the subway. Looking back to it I ask myself if the advertisement was really good or was I weak in this situation…this I’ll let you decide.

“What do you think about presidential candidate Herbert Cain’s 9-9-9 plan? He wants to change the tax code so everyone pays 9% Income Tax, 9% Sales Tax, and 9% Business Tax.” - Thompson P.

Economist Milton Friedman famously said, “I am in favor of repealing any tax at anytime for any reason.” The 9% income tax is a proportional tax – taxpayers who earn ten times as much income will pay ten times as much tax. This concept appeals to most Americans because of its simplicity. Sales Tax is a regressive tax – those who save their money pay less sales tax then the people living paycheck to paycheck. It could encourage people to save but it also makes groceries more expensive. The 9% Business tax is a pro-business tax; it will probably encourage new businesses to begin and encourage existing companies to relocate to the USA. If this happens there will be more jobs of every kind created … that would be great.

“I just failed my midterm

ASK THE ECONOMISTGAETAN MICHEL, GILLY POMPEY, AND NANCY RAWLINGGUEST CONTRIBUTORS

Do You Have Something to Say That You

Want Everyone to Hear?

E-mail us your Letters to the Editor and we might publish it in our next

edition.

hudsonian@hvcc.edu Amy Tan’s Visit

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and I had to think about what I was doing today, and what my purpose in life was. I had to observe what was going on, I had to ask the important questions of what is hope, and what is loss, and what is despair, and what is joy. And I had to be honest, and say that I had confusion… What I try to do in writing, and in life, and I think it’s what [we] all try to do, when you can remind yourself, when someone reminds us, [is to] live deeply.”

In an interview with Hudsonian staff, Tan stated her fondness for the Capital District, especially the colors during the fall season. Tan appreciates the history of art in the Hudson Valley and also has a friend living in the region. Tan said, “The students here were very warm.” Thanks to Maria Zemantauski, Coordinator for Cultural Affairs, Maria Palmara, English Dept. Chairperson, the entire HVCC English Dept., students, and faculty, Amy Tan’s visit was successful and rewarding for everyone involved.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 students are indeed too busy to participate, other reasons do exist and cannot be ignored. For one thing, not all students are even aware of nonacademic things to do at HVCC. This is especially true for freshmen. Alison Nickford, an Individual Studies freshman, said she wants to get involved but is unaware of what she can do. “I just don’t ever hear of anything,” she said.

Alicia Michelboro, Liberal Arts freshman, said she has not joined any clubs. “Just ‘cause I don’t really know about them. I’ve heard of some through kids in some of my classes but I haven’t really took the time to look for any,” she said.

Then again, plain and simple lack of interest cannot be disregarded as cause. Many students said that they

are apathetic to campus events and activities. “Who cares? I mean, I don’t care. I’m not the least interested in what goes on around here except in class,” said Anthony Jerome, Individual Studies senior.

“The overwhelming majority don’t care to know what’s going on,” said Coplin.

Joshua Hotaling, Student Senate Vice President, suggests better advertising. “It’s all about getting the word out. The best thing we do is to bulk up our advertising,” he said.

Eric Tambor offered an alternative way to inform students. “I think if you bring something like that into a classroom, when the students are engaged, it’s more effective than just posting stuff,” he said.

All this talk of student

Letters to the EditorIn response to the October

18th article “Cuts and Changes to Political Science Courses,” I wanted to clarify some of the points made by the author. We are currently trying to create a Liberal Arts Political Science Sequence for those students interested in government. We strongly believe that Hudson Valley Community College is in a great place to study government with the capital of one of largest states in the country just across the river. To develop this sequence, we have created new courses to generate student interest. One of these courses, Introduction to International Politics ran this fall with very low enrollment. We are however not going to discontinue the class as the article suggested, but we will run the class once during the academic year as long as the interest in the class remains low. We believe

that this is an important class in that many jobs of the future will require their employees to work in international settings. Taking a course that helps students to understand different political systems would give students an advantage in facing the challenges of working in such an international environment. I would hope that the author and your readers understand that Hudson Valley Community College is committed to providing the best educational experience that we can and we will always try to meet the educational needs and interests of our students. We also have to be strategic in what we offer however to keep the costs of curriculum down and to keep tuition as low as possible.

Dr. Peter R. SawyerDepartment Chair and

Director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement

Where’s the Student Involvement on Campus?activities raises the question: why should students want to get involved?

“Students benefit when they get exposed, when they get a chance to meet other people from different backgrounds and communities. They have a chance to develop, and then enhance, communication skills,” said Coplin.

Professor Wysocki also agreed that involvement in extracurricular activities and cultural events is beneficial for a student. “It makes them a more rounded person, and the tangible benefit is it looks good. It looks good on their college applications, their resumes, this is the type of involvement that four-year colleges look for,” he said.

Eric Tambor said, “Students

could benefit from [being involved] but it really comes down to what kind of student they are to begin with and what they’re looking for. It’s up to them.”

Whether or not students choose to get involved, Hudson Valley does continue to offer its students numerous extracurricular events and activities to enhance their college experience. Joining a club, enjoying some free pizza, taking a trip, or attending a festival might be just what a student needs to escape from a busy schedule.

As Joshua Hotaling said, “It’s safe to say that most people like to have fun. It may be a chance to step back from your academics.”

CASP Helps With Homework

The College Academic Support Program (CASP) looks for ways to help students with homework and studies, as they provide one-on-one tutoring for any student who asks.

CASP is not another L.A.C. center. “The [Learning Assistance Center] is more for group tutoring. CASP is a program funded by H.V.C.C. to give extra individual help; it will give you a more one-on-one tutoring,” said senior Eden Cadogen.

The CASP office offers help in a diverse amount of areas. Karen Hamlin helps with English, from reading to writing drafts to learning about writing formats. Erin Nooney helps with financial and economic academics, as well as mathematics. Michael Engel also offers assistance with math. He will often have a room full of students but somehow, he still gives them all individual attention. Eden Cadogen is involved with peer mentoring.

Cadogen suggested that all students looking for a helping hand should come. “I encourage everyone to give it a chance. We want you to want to come back to college. That’s a theme of the

approaches, Patty is desperate. In her desperation, she buys a paper from an online source, submits it as her own, and also earns an A.

Is that scenario fair to Sally? Of course not. Patty cheated, and she should be punished. That’s why teachers are especially diligent in their desire to detect plagiarism, and, fortunately, the detection is not that difficult in many cases. Here are three ways that teachers can discover if a student has plagiarized.

First, most teachers are familiar with the writing styles of their students. Thus, if a student turns in a paper that is drastically different from what he or she has submitted all semester, the teacher will become suspicious and initiate the dreaded conversation.

Next, if a teacher is suspicious about the legitimacy of a paper, the teacher can use Google to see if a portion of the paper appears anywhere on the Internet. For example, I had a student once who was not a very good writer, rarely came to class, and did not communicate well when called upon. Still, at the end of the semester, this student turned in an unbelievable paper, one of the best I’d ever seen. Consequently, I found one unique sentence in the paper, I typed that line within quotation marks, and submitted it to a Google search. Within seconds, Google found the entire paper on the home page of a student from Maryland. Apparently, the original writer was so proud of his paper that he put it on the Web for everyone to see. Again, I faced a difficult conversation.

Finally, many teachers – including the teachers at HVCC – have access to a program called “Turnitin.” According to the company’s website, this product “allows educators to check students’ work for

Generally speaking, I am a pretty curious and conversational guy. If I find myself on the elevator with someone or waiting in line at the grocery store, I will ask a question or make a comment just to see if the person next to me wants to talk. However, near the end of each semester, I find myself dreading a certain conversation that I have to initiate with a student. That conversation concerns plagiarism, and the dialogue is usually uncomfortable.

Plagiarism, as you probably know, is taking another person’s ideas and passing them off as your own. Students who plagiarize are committing a serious academic offense, and if found guilty, they may face serious consequences such as failing the assignment, failing the course, and in the case of a repeat offender, being suspended from school.

“But what’s the big deal if I plagiarize?” some students may ask; “Nobody gets hurt.” Physically, that’s true. Academically, however, plagiarizing is just not fair. For example, let’s compare two students.

Serious Sally begins her research as soon as she receives the assignment from her teacher. Sally works diligently throughout the semester and even finishes her paper early, so she can get feedback from a specialist in The Writing Center and from her instructor. Finally, on the due date, she hands in her best work and receives an A on her paper.

Procrastinating Patty, meanwhile, has more important tasks to tackle. She works part-time at the mall, she travels to Buffalo to see her boyfriend every other weekend, and she likes to watch reality shows and spend time on Facebook. Thus, as the due date for the term paper

FeaturesNovember 8th, 2011

Page 3

Writer’s BlocJIM LaBATE WRITING SPECIALIST IN THE LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER

Because of busy schedules, you might not be able to speak with the Instructor before or after class but they all have office hours and are more than willing to meet with you to help. Remember, your Instructors were all college students themselves and many may have felt lost or confused at some point. The truth is that many of them went to their Instructors for some extra help. This one step can make a big difference.

You may not want to ask questions during class. Rest assured that there are no dumb questions and your Instructors will take time to answer questions and try to clear up any confusion during class. If you want to wait until after class to meet with your Instructor to ask questions, here’s a tip: leave a few inches in the margin of your notebook to write your questions. Often times, questions can be cleared up by going back to the textbook after the lecture. However, there are other times when you need to sit down in a quiet place with your Instructor to clarify a point.

Navigating the SemesterCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It is important to clear up any

confusion and get your questions answered well before finals. Often times, the material that is presented becomes the foundation for the rest of your college career. This is particularly true with your introductory classes. Your Instructors will build on the knowledge presented early in the semester. What can you expect when you meet with your Instructor? You’ll find them to be very approachable. Meeting with them isn’t scary. What is scary is feeling lost early during the semester and not knowing how to get help. You may be surprised that meeting with your Instructor can clear up any confusion or answer any questions in just a few minutes but they will work with you for as long as it takes.

All students can learn, some just learn in different ways. Meeting one-on-one with your Instructor can help you find the way that you learn best. If you don’t want to meet one-on-one, ask your Instructor if they will meet with a few students at a time -- sort of a mini-class. This

is another great way to help ease the stress of college. Get to know your classmates. It may help to know that others may have the same questions or concerns as you. Small group meeting can also be very helpful especially when it comes time to study for finals.

Another tool that the Department of Criminal Justice uses to help guide students to success is having a tutor available in the Marvin Library’s Learning Assistance Center. (LAC). So, in addition to having faculty available to help answer questions, the LAC’s tutor can specifically help with some Criminal Justice classes. Some of the types of strategies used to help students include giving sample questions and reviewing answers as well as giving helpful suggestions for approaching assignments and tests.

Now that you have your own GPS to guide you on the roadmap to academic success, soon you’ll be hearing “YOU’VE ARRIVED AT YOUR DESTINATION!” Good luck.

improper citation or potential plagiarism by comparing it against continuously updated databases.” Thus, while Google allows teachers to search the Internet to detect possible cases of plagiarism, Turnitin allows teachers to accomplish the same task on additional materials that might not be available on the Internet. So while modern technology allows devious students to “copy” information from a source and “paste” it into a paper, similar technology allows also instructors to catch students who are committing academic fraud. Naturally, a conversation with the student will follow.

Personally, I hate these conversations because they’re awkward and embarrassing for both parties. As the teacher, I have to ask the student if he or she really wrote the paper in question. Typically, I already know the answer, but the student has to make a decision. Some students will admit the truth immediately and apologize, but others will attempt to continue the fraud by lying or pleading ignorance. Only when confronted with the actual evidence will these students confess, and some of those students will become defensive, angry, or hostile.

Obviously, no students want to find themselves in this predicament. Believe me, teachers don’t want to be there either. So if you find yourself stressed out at the end of the semester and facing a term-paper deadline, don’t fall into the trap of plagiarism. The chances are good that you will be caught, you will have to endure a most uncomfortable conversation, and you will be punished.

The Writing Center is located on the second floor of The Marvin Library, and you can go there for help at any stage of the writing process.

Have an opinion piece, story or any other article you want

published?We want to hear from you!

Email us at hudsonian@hvcc.edu

*All content sent to Hudsonian are not guaranteed for publication

RACHEL BRITT-BUSLERSTAFF WRITER

CASP program, to help students and keep them in school. There aren’t many programs like the CASP program at H.V.C.C”

Eden Cadogen explained how he truly believes in what he does: “My job is to give a hand to students if they are having problems with school, outside of school, with family and/or friends. I talk to them. I give them my advice and help them the best I can. I am a Broadcast Communication major so I also give Communication major students my help, like what classes to take and how to get good teachers so they can attain their degrees.”

Like the rest of the staff at CASP, Cadogen is not afraid to use the less conventional approach to help his students. “My actions speak louder than my words. I’ll have a person comes up to me and just tell me they studied 48 hours for a test but still failed. My action right there was to pull out a scrabble board game. By the end of that game, all the ‘I don’t think I’m gonna pass this class, I’m gonna have to drop out’, all that kind of thinking goes out the window. “

He, like many of the staff really will go beyond what is expected in order to help out a

student. “A person needed help with biology. I literally sat down with that person and learned a little bio. Just having that support, that person figured it all out.” You can see the smile form on his face as he said this- he really does enjoy what he does.

The students who go to CASP see this effort and they find the center helpful.

“I sometimes need help with math. Mr. Nooney [resources specialist] is very helpful,” said student Anita Karoung.

Shauna Benuit said, “I observe what people do, interview them to see if it is effective, and yes, it is effective.”

So why do students not take advantage of such opportunities? “I don’t know. Some people just can’t make the time,” Cadogen answered. But it could be also from just lack of knowing that such a place exists.

Melissa Drum, a freshman, stated she did not know of CASP and if she did she would possibly go for biology help.

Freshman Charlie Allington exclaimed excitedly, “I need help with calculus. Yes! [I would go]”.

The CASP is located in suite 230 in the upstairs of the Siek Center.

The hudsonianneeds You!

Plenty of Positions Available

No Experience Needed

Only Club On Campus That Pays Students

Earn Valuable Resume Experience

Meet New People

Join now!Contact:

hudsonian@hvcc.edu

Numbers. We are naturally attracted to them-maybe even obsessed. Humans naturally see patterns, and if not, they try to find them. After all, math, in its simplest form, is just a formation of patterns.

This natural skill leads people to clump things into groups and rate things on a numerical scale. This ingenious skill helps us decide many things in life, such as what movie to see. We tend to avoid movies that have received

Does anyone still care about the Harold & Kumar films? For whatever reason, lead actors John Cho and Kal Penn seem to. While both having moved on to better things, they’ve decided to return to the obnoxiously-titled “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”. Penn even took a leave of absence from his job as the Associate Director of the White House’s Office of Public Engagement to star in this film.

In fact, the whole gang from the previous two “Harold & Kumar” films seems to be here, including writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, though director Todd Strauss-Schulson is making his debut not just to the series, but to film itself. Hopefully his first film doesn’t damage his career too much, as while he does his best, everyone else mostly seems back because they either had to be, or just wanted an easy paycheck.

The story this time is that several years have passed since the last films, and the duo has drifted apart. Harold (Cho) has quit marijuana and found success, moving into the suburbs, marrying his sweetheart Maria (Paula Garcés) and becoming a high-level investment banker in Wall Street, where protesters are attempting to occupy his office.

Kumar, meanwhile, is still the same pothead, as always, and is still living in their old bachelor’s apartment, having broken up with his girlfriend Vanessa (Danneel Harris), let the apartment go into disrepair, and been kicked out of medical school after failing a drug test. Not having allowed himself to grow up and move on, Kumar doesn’t take the sudden news of Vanessa’s pregnancy well at all, and when he finds a package at the door for Harold, he’s shocked to find just how different their lives have become. They have replaced each other entirely in their lives - new family, new friends, new everything.

Unfortunately, an argument soon ensues, and Kumar ends up incinerating Harold’s Christmas tree (a 12 foot fir tree) lovingly

Page 4

CommentaryNovember 8th, 2011

Look Out for More Adventures with Vinny the Viking, Exclusively on The Hudsonian!

Latest Installment of Harold and Kumar Is Certainly Not The BestKYLE GARRETTSTAFF WRITER

grown by Harold’s father-in-law, Carlos (Danny Trejo) over the past eight years, which Harold had promised to decorate while Maria and her very large (and cheerfully stereotyped) family were at Midnight Mass. This prompts a mad dash through NYC in search for another of the same type of tree so it can be brought home and made ready for Christmas morning. While this is happening, the characters must deal with Ukranian mob boss Sergei Katsov (Elias Koteas) and his goons; Santa Claus (Richard Riehle); series staple Neil Patrick Harris (himself) and their own dying friendship.

Basically, the actual film and what its trailer promised are two completely different creatures. What was made out to be the main plot is barely even featured; a seemingly major location is the subject of a one-off (and quite sacrilegious) gag; and Neil Patrick Harris’s funhouse portrayal of himself, which was arguably the best part of the last

two films and definitely played up to be a much bigger part of this one, is relegated more to a one-scene cameo and mocking of deus ex machina-type endings.

It says a lot about the film’s tired performances, that, even when turned into a cameo, Neil Patrick Harris manages to steal the show. The trailer lies so thoroughly about the film’s contents, as to appear to be advertising a different film entirely, speaks volumes on the studio’s opinion of the film’s, though it must be admitted the deception is cleverly done. A bit of editing and switching late scenes around ends up creating a separate narrative that would have made a serviceable film itself.

If only that cleverness had been used in making the real film. “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” surprisingly enough, isn’t completely worthless. There are good moments, and even unexpected character development; it’s

Despite appearances, at no point do Harold and Kumar (John Cho and Kal Penn) set the audience on fire.Photo courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

actually pretty rewarding to see the duo repairing their old bond, and Kumar’s arc where he finally mans up over the course of the film. However, the film falls flat at the most basic thing it set out to do; be a comedy. I was at a fairly decent-sized showing, and not a single person laughed at anything in the film’s 89 minute runtime.

“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” aims for humor through superior firepower, where the first in the series, 2004’s “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” had some actual wit and insight. “Christmas” just hits the viewer over the head with everything it can think of, including parodies of no small number of film styles and genres. A jab at Occupy Wall Street turns into a brief homage to “Platoon,”and the protagonists play beer pong against a character who is obviously supposed to resemble Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network” before being drugged and going on a

rampage in claymation. A crack is made about Penn’s work at the White House, tired jokes about priests and altar boys take about a minute to start once the characters reach a church, and the film very briefly tries to look like it’s making fun of the gratuitous use of 3D technology in today’s films before just going with the trend.

The film’s main refuge for humor is vulgarity; someone watching the film in 2D won’t really miss anything, aside from a few thrown objects, and Harold’s ornaments. The main use for the 3D in the film is blowing pot smoke at the audience, or literally shoving Kumar’s gigantic, claymated phallus in their faces with absolutely no leadup or reasoning (this is one of two unnecessary closeups of male genitalia in the film, along with plenty of female nudity). Later on, the film takes the opportunity to fire 3D semen at the audience for good measure.

A running gag involves

a baby’s repeated accidental exposure to drugs, from marijuana to cocaine to ecstasy. “Ironic” racism is thrown about every which way, and throwing excrement around still appears to be something the film expects to amuse us. I also seem to have missed the bus when it comes to finding rape and sexual harassment, coming from both Neil Patrick Harris and sexually-frustrated mafia princess Mary (Jordan Hinson), at all funny. It’s more disgusting than anything, and it feels like the film is insulting the audience’s intelligence by assuming they’d find this kind of thing the height of comedy; while the first two films had a focus to their anger and outlandishness, “Christmas” just seems full of untargeted nastiness.

There also appears to be a degree of self-loathing in the production, which seeps through at every level, right down to individual performances. Most of the cast, especially the returning faces, read their lines like they’ve been dragged out of bed. While Cho’s delivery through grit teeth, and Penn’s generally distracted air help their performances, especially with their characters having grown so cold to each other, the majority just seem to have phoned their lines in. The actors give the impression they’ve outgrown the project, and even the writing sounds like it’s come from people tired of making the same people do the same song and dance. Everyone involved clearly knows how unnecessary this film is.

There is no reason to recommend seeing “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”. The humor, when it exists, is nasty and juvenile; the few good moments in the story aren’t worth sitting through the tepid mess; and if even the people involved in production can’t work up any enthusiasm for the film and seem to think moviegoers are stupid for seeing it, there’s no reason for audiences to subject themselves to it. We’ve all outgrown “Harold & Kumar”, so let’s allow the cast and crew to move on. If, for some reason, you absolutely must see it, wait until it’s on DVD.

THE DECLINE OF Western CivilizationRACHEL BRITT-BUSLERSTAFF WRITER

low reviews. The danger to this is attaching a quantitative value (think quantity, the amount of something) on something that cannot be measured.

A prime example of this in economics is called utility, or happiness. In this, economists use numerical values in the form of liabilities, assets and so on, to predict what people will logically do to achieve maximum utility i.e. the most happiness. The problems come when people forget that happiness cannot be numerically

measured, and therefore try to achieve a metaphysical entity. The November issue of the Atlantic wrote an article about how therapists were seeing an increase of patients complaining about the lack of joy even though they had all that they could ever want to have.

Another example is education. There is the question; “Can you put a price on the value of education?” While we might respond no, that certainly does not stop us from trying. In the current debate over what students

are learning, people claim they have found this magical way of measuring accountability of student performance, but in reality, have not. The only truth that can be agreed upon by the majority is that the current education system is lacking.

In line with education, this number obsession continues into intelligence. People are more likely to say “my I.Q. is X,” rather than the politically correct way; “I received an X on my I.Q. exam.” The danger in this seemingly minor mishap is that we

invariably assign a number from an exam as the person’s actual intelligence, when, in actuality, intelligence is a human created concept, thus cannot be quantified. This is extremely dangerous when we apply such arbitrary numbers as determiners for position in a certain field.

Some businesses, such as UBS, sadly employ such practice. But perhaps worse, whether we know it or not, it causes us to judge people by a simple number, thus changing how we act around them if we had not

known such an unimportant fact. In everyday life, we hear people say, “That person is really smart. His I.Q. is 180” and “What? Are you stupid? Is your I.Q. a 60?”

Like many things that are an intricate part of our lives, the need to find patterns and quantify things is becoming more and more prevalent. This obsession over the irrelevant will inevitably lead to the Decline of Western Civilization.

10/29: Hudson Valley Football team (0-7) nearly upset Navy Prep (6-1) with defensive dominance, falling 21- 7. The Vikings were down only a score at the half from a Navy Prep interception return touchdown early in the first. After Joe Dana started the game under center, Devon Greene came in and scored on a quarterback keeper to tie the game with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Navy Prep returned a kickoff 80 yards to retake a 14-7 lead. After a strong fourth-down stand at the goal line, the Vikings regained possession on their own two- yard line, but then fumbled on the second play and recovered by Navy Prep in the end zone to seal a 21-7 victory. The Vikings defense played its best game of the season, shutting down the Navy Prep triple option offense. All of their points were earned from an interception return, fumble recovery and kickoff return. Nick Gilbo’s fine performance of 13 tackles and a pass breakup earned him the Northeast Football Conference defensive player of the week. Team captain Matt Falico tallied nine tackles and a forced fumble while the two deep safety tandem of Darryl Haley and Trey Garvey both recorded interceptions in the defensive effort. Offensively, the Vikings continued to struggle with costly mistakes resulting in turnovers. A bright spot was tailback C.J. Jones 100 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards, in addition to QB Devon Greene 58 rushing yards and touchdown.

10/29: Hudson Valley Men’s Cross Country team finish 4th while women’s take 6th at Region III Championships held at Alfred. Leading the Vikings all season Eric Young capped off his season with a second place finish with a time of 30:19, Adam Cooling came in eleventh with a 32:12 finish. Nicole Dootz led the Lady Vikings with a thirteenth place finish with a time of 24:31, behind her in nineteenth place was Hilary Crannage finishing with 25:22.

Below are all of the results from The Region III Race:Men 8kWinner: Chris Burnett-SUNY Delhi (29:37)2- Eric Young (30:19)11- Adam Coolong (32:12)34- Philip Mastrosimone (34:05)46- Yousef Zaid (35:09)51- Vincent Otto (35:51)52- Brendan Reilly (35:53)53- Jamison Bundy (35:54)60- Charles Tebbetts (38:01)68- Steven Huneau (42:04)Women 5kWinner: Savannah Boucher-Mohawk Valley (21:21)13- Nicole Dootz (24:31)19- Hilary Crannage (25:22)27- Amanda Slyer (26:02)32- Ashleigh Genito (26:45)35- Megan Crawford (27:20)39- Allison Farnum (27:42)

Both teams will compete in the National Tournament in Westfield, Massachusetts.

11/1: The Hudson Valley Basketball Team (1-0) opens the season with a victory at Dutchess Community College (0-1) 98-80. Forward Conor Maish led the Vikings with 25 points and returning All-Conference selection Kalik Parker added 24. The Brooklyn native Matt Walker scored 21 points while Jeremy Taylor chipped in 12 points in the collaborative team effort.

11/2: Hudson Valley Hockey Team (2-0) beat the Albany Americans (0-1) 6-1. The Vikings displayed a balanced scoring attack, with six different players connecting for goals. Hudson Valley came out early with a 3-0 lead and never looked back with goals from Mike Nelson, Matt Williams, Adam Snyder, Brandon Lamere, team captain Roman Malyshev, and freshman Stormy Knight.

11/3: Vikings Basketball team (1-1) suffers their first loss of the season against Conference contender Fulton-Montgomery Community College (2-0) 85-98.

11/4: The County College of Morris (3-0) narrowly handed HVCC (2-1) their first defeat in ice hockey 4-5, ending the Vikings’ winning streak. After a scoreless first period, the Vikings quickly secured a dominant lead in the second, moving the game to 3-1 despite strong defensive play by both teams. Two brief fights broke out, one in the second period and one in the third, which resulted in the ejection of a Morris player from the game. The Morris Titans mounted a comeback in the third period, quickly tying up the game before the Vikings scored another goal, leaving the game at 4-3 for most of the period before two more goals put HVCC behind. A last-second attempt almost nearly forced overtime, but the Titans held on to their lead, handing the Vikings their first loss.

November 8th, 2011Sports

Page 5

Want the Best in Campus News?

Check us out on the Web

www.thehudsonian.org

We’re also on Facebook and Twitter

COMPILED BY DAMIETE MACHARRYSPORTS EDITOR

This Week’s Sports Breakdown What You May Have Missed

Viking Defense #44 Nick Gilbo, #21 Darryl Haley, #31 Matt Fallico, #54 Collin McCormick, #6 Brandon Youngs

Frank Appio

Hudson Valley’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country TeamsCourtesy of hvcc.edu

Vikings attempt to score against Morris defenseFrank Appio

Page 6

campuses in albany and troy Sage.edu

Looking for the right fit?

We make it easy:Articulation agreements between HVCC and Sage mean that your credits will transfer into programs like Business, Education, Nutrition, Physical Education and more!

Apply NOW for Spring 2012

“All of my credits from HVCC transferred and I received a $12,000 merit scholarship. I could not have asked for a better transition to a new school!”

Megan linziHVCC >> SageEducation major

Personal Education• Small classes, friendly staff, and professors that know and care about you• Interdisciplinary programs let you tailor your own education

Affordable• Generous financial aid and scholarships means we cost many students less than a state school! • Sage offers one-on-one counseling sessions on affording college

Something for Everyone• Choose from two campuses, three graduate schools, and 70 degree programs• Loads of clubs, activities, men’s & women’s sports teams, and 50/50 residential/commuter students

Successful Outcomes• Practical experience through service learning and internships• 98% of graduates are employed or get into graduate school after graduation

Continue on for your bachelor’s:… at the coed Sage College of Albany sage.edu/sca

… at Russell Sage College for women sage.edu/rsc

… in the evenings, weekends, and online through Sage After Work sage.edu/saw

russell sage college | sage college of albany | sage graduate schools

Learn more at: sage.edu/transfer0r contact: Tom Breen, Director of Transfer Admission breent@sage.edu(518) 292-1928

Local EventsWhat’s There To Do Around The Capital Region?

November 8WQBK Presents…. Huge Co-Headline Event with ANTHRAX AND TESTAMENTWith Special Guests: Death Angel

7:00 p.m. Door / 7:50 p.m. Show at 1208 Rte 146 Clifton Park, NY 12065 (Northern Lights)

Tickets are $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show

November 10BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOORWith Special Guests: Angel Spit, New Years Day, The Black Ships

7:00 p.m. Show at 1208 Rte 146 Clifton Park, NY 12065 (Northern Lights)Tickets are $12 in advance, $14 day of show

November 11Bob Nelson & Ray Harrington (Special Show) | The Comedy Works

9:00 p.m. at 200 Wolf Rd Albany, NY 12205 (Best Western)Tickets $20 in advance, $25 day of show

November 12Bob Nelson & Ray Harrington (Special Show) | The Comedy Works

7:30 p.m. at 12 Ballston Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Starting Gate Restaurant)9:00 p.m. at 200 Wolf Rd Albany, NY 12205 (Best Western)

Tickets $20 in advance, $25 day of show

November 13CAPITAL PRIDE PARTY

2:00 p.m. at 195 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210 (Washington Avenue Armory)* WIN TRIP TO LAS VEGAS! *Live entertainment, food, refreshments, contests, prizes, drawings.“Come out & help us give a huge thank you to our “civil rights champion” NYS Governor Cuomo for same-sex marriage.”

$15 advance online / $20 door / $40 VIP PHONE: 518-522 3710 Website: http://www.rainbowpride.weebly.com

November 18“THE LAUGH LADIES” | Thea Vidale & Kelly McFarland (Special Show) | The Comedy Works

9:00 p.m. at 200 Wolf Rd Albany, NY 12205 (Best Western)

Tickets $20 in advance, $20 day of show

November 19“THE LAUGH LADIES” | Thea Vidale & Kelly McFarland (Special Show) | The Comedy Works

7:30 p.m. at 12 Ballston Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Starting Gate Restaurant)9:00 p.m. at 200 Wolf Rd Albany, NY 12205 (Best Western)

Tickets $20 in advance, $20 day of show