Catalyst Radio News

Politics 101

by Esther Fleurival

There is a buzz on campus. There is an energy and spirit that hasn't been felt in years. With the excitement of this year's election, it seems that everyone is motivated to get involved on campus and bring about change.

    There have been a 'million' voter registration drives but very few students say they have been closely following the elections. Instead, many are drawn to the personal lives of the candidates, creating a void in understanding the issues and what each candidate stands for. To help fix that,  NYPIRG, C.E.O, and the Pi Sigma Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. sought  to educate the students of SUNY Old Westbury. To get the students to understand the purpose of educating themselves before voting, they were separated into groups. The groups then created their own countries. After setting up their societies, they elected two candidates to run for office. It wasn't long before the students felt the direct impact  and wanted to learn more about the candidates. "I never really focused on the details on the election, this really helped," said Natasha Thomlinson.  Marly Fleurival also recognized the value of the event,  "I think its important to organizations to not only register students but include the education behind it."

Calling All Students!

The Student Life Committee addresses issues of concern to SUNY College at Old Westbury students. They would like to hear what students think about life on campus. They are interested in getting student input about a variety of issues such as dorm life, the shuttle bus service, the quality of the food, the kinds of social activities that are available on campus, and other areas of concern you may wish to express.

Please address your comments to the Co-Chairs of the Student Life Committee, George Snedeker at snedekerg@oldwestbury.edu, and Joanne Spadaro at spadaroj@oldwestbury.edu.

You are also invited to call (516) 876-3993 with your comments.

SUNY College at Old Westbury

DISCOVER THE LEADER IN YOU!

PRINT THE FLYER HERE

"Hey, Where's My Professor?"

by Jessica Ramirez

    More than 3-thousand students are enrolled at SUNY Old Westbury. Despite the widespread diversity on campus, there is one topic that seems to have widespread support – how professors handle a class cancelation.

     Students are rushing to make it to class on time. But, after running across campus on a hot day, they make it to the entrance of their classroom only to find "Class Cancelled" posted on the door.

During the first days of the semester, students are usually given a copy of the course syllabus from their professor.  Aside from topics to be covered, there is also an attendance policy stated somewhere.  Most of the time, a student is automatically withdrawn from the class after 3 unexcused absences.

            Nothing on the syllabus states what should happen to a professor if he or she were to miss more than 3 classes. AWOL professors frustrates business student, Ehi Edobar, "I can drive all the way out here in certain conditions and for nothing..." Jasmine Ghodra, a Biology and Pre-Medical student agrees, “It is an inconvenience because I’m a commuter.”  Tanisha Selden, also a Biology student says it's more than just an inconvenience, “it’s money that you’re wasting.”

           When Selden was asked if she felt the professor’s frequent absences took away from the experience of the course, she replied, “if a lesson plan appears on a test, and it is not covered in class, I feel cheated.”

          What can be done to prevent Professors from getting off track? Ghodra says, “they should e-mail us at least the night before class is cancelled.” Another suggestion made by Ghodra was, “if you want to cancel the class, maybe arrange another session during common hour.”

Summer Hiatus

Catalyst Radio News is off for the summer vacation.   Look for us in September for the fall semester of campus news and events from SUNY College at Old Westbury.   

If you have any questions or would like to join Catalyst Radio News send us an email at radionews@oldwestbury.edu

2008 Student MAC Awards Nominees

The 2008 Student Media Awards Celebration (MAC) will be held at 7pm in the Maguire Theatre on Wednesday, April 30th, and will feature guest speaker Gary Younge.  The Student MAC awards present the finest works of SUNY Old Westbury students in all fields of the arts.  Below are the nominees for the 2008 Student MAC awards:

PRINT CATEGORY:

BEST PHOTO:
Piano Zhong- "Shekinah Chorale"
Ernest Pope- Snoop Dogg, "Winterfest 2008"
Robert Folkes- "Midnight Madness"
Nicole Nelson- "Aunjanue Ellis"
Danielle Morris- "Meet the Greeks"

BEST REVIEW:
Edmond Easton- "Jena 6 Forum"
Piano Zhong- "Art Review"
Kantrell Betancourt- "International Poetry Night at Old Westbury"
Casey Riley- "Grandson of Ida. B. Wells Follows in Her Footsteps"
Letichia Carter- "Comedy Show"

BEST SPORTS STORY:
Edmond Easton- "Death and the Professional Athlete"
Brian Liston-"Panthers Baseball Puts Its Hopes on Pitching and Defense"
Daniel Jason Andrews- "Better Luck Next Year"
Edmond Easton- "Midnight Madness"
Brian Liston-"Panthers Swim Teams--Not Just Wading Around"

BEST FEATURE:
Erik Badia- "OWWR, The Voice of the Students at Old Westbury"
Fabio Valvano-"Governor Paterson's Inauguration"
Piano Zhong- "Outside of the Box With Professor Ewen"
Stanley Fritz- "Chillin' with Chamillionaire"
Reginald Fevilien- "The Calculus of College Costs"

BEST NEWS STORY:
Selena Hill-"'Sink or Swim' Dorm Policy Causes 27 Freshmen to Flunk Out"
Ernest Pope - "Making the Campus Safer: Old Westbury Improves the Lines of Communication"
Kristy Mayer- "SUNYOW Puts Long-Term Hope in Renovations"
Anita Jaggi- "Old Westbury Receives Grant to Reduce Violence Against Women"
Selena Hill- "Are Old Westbury Residents Trippin' Out in the Triples?"

RADIO CATEGORY: 

BEST EVENT PROMO:
Comedy Night – Fritz Jean, Jason Aceto
Resume Night – Karen Delacruz, Jason Aceto
Writing Center Workshop – Jimmy Boone
Democratic Representatives – Selena Hill, Leor Klienman
The Catalyst Newspaper – James Parris

BEST STATION PROMO:
Counseling the Soul – Farrah Remy, Chris Floyd
Cultural Flava and Anytime Promo – Ny Mbugua, Sean Harris
Eclecticism – Vincent Morris, Jason Aceto
New Get Fresh 11 – Chris Kinloch
Ultimate Nick – Nick Interligi, Jason Aceto

BEST SHOW:
Cultural Flava – Ny Mbugua
Keepin It Real Sports – Edmond Easton, Stanley Talouis, Jason Aceto 
Let Your Voice Be Heard – Selena Hill
Revolutionary Radio – Fritz Jean, Jason Aceto
Show Off Radio – Jeff Napoleon, Danielle Kelly

BEST NEWS SEGMENT:
MTA Fare Hike – Erik Badia - Catalyst Radio News
Spitzer Resigns – Jimmy Boone – Catalyst Radio News
Health Report – Kevin Tully – Tuesday Night Takeover “TNT”
Interview with Chamillionaire – Stanley Fritz, Jason Aceto, Faith Rackoff - Let Your Voice Be Heard
Interview with David McKenna, To Write Love In Her Arms – Jackie Waite – Civic Engagement Interactive “CEI”

BEST CREATIVE PRODUCTION:
Dr. Calvin Butts - Danny Clase
Peyton Manning Priceless Pep Talks – Jason Aceto
Book Review – Kevin Tully – Tuesday Night Takeover “TNT”
Shuttle Is Late Again – Edmond Easton, Christopher Floyd, Thomas Johnson, Lenora Semper
Keepin' It Real Sports “KIRS” 50TH Introduction – Edmond Easton

DIGITAL ARTS CATEGORY:

BEST PRINT/DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
Jeff Bigornia
Brian Giwojna
Sean Nicholson
Kibew Richards

BEST INTERACTIVE DESIGN:
Craig McEachron
Semra Dagdelen
Anthony Rolle

BEST 3D-DESIGN:
Kristen Grande
Angel Hernandez
Gabriella Peterson
Vincent Morris

BEST ANIMATION:
Sean Colgan
Craig Mceachron
Fight of Century

BEST VIDEO ART:
Dan Cipoletti
Tamaica Griffith
Steven Hatch
Nkosi Henry

VIDEO CATEGORY

BEST DOCUMENTARY:
Pizzaman – Directed by: Joseph Sachs
In Plain Sight – Directed by: Piano Zhong

BEST PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
TV – Directed by: Tarun Bathija
Safe Sex – Directed by: Jasmin Hernandez
Smoking – Directed by: Joe Zaffuto Jr.

BEST ANTI-COMMERCIAL:
Frosted Flakes – Directed by: Dolapo Olomo
MasterCard – Directed by: Joseph Souffrant

TELEVISION CATEGORY:

BEST CREATIVE TELEVISION REPORTING:
Steve Hatch-- by: Steve Hatch
2 Locos 1 Show-- by: Jeury Tavares and Richard

BEST FIELD REPORTING SEGMENT:
Food Segment-- by: Mike Randazzo
OW “Rules”-- by: Junior Lopps, Jessica Goldman, and Kevin Tully

Fire Drills the Week of April 14th

During the week of April 14th, the University Police and the Environmental Health & Safety Officer will be coordinating fire drills on our campus.

Fire drills will take place in each of the following buildings:

• Student Union, Academic Village, and Academic Village - Residence Halls  -    Bolivar Hall #5, Anthony Hall #9, and King Hall #8

The purpose of these fire evacuation drills is to practice exiting the building “in a simulated emergency situation” so that if an actual emergency arises in the future, panic will be minimized and you will know how to respond.

There are a few points you should remember for the upcoming fire drills:

1. Everyone must exit the building immediately when the alarm sounds.   
If possible, and you can do so without placing yourself at risk:

• Gather your keys, purse, and coat as you leave the area.
• Shut any open windows and close each door that you go through.
• Inform others of the need to leave the building immediately.
• Do not use the Elevators, follow instructions from the Residential Director and/or Residential Assistants for the safe routes of evacuation.
• Go to your building section’s Assembly Area, sign in, and wait for further instructions.

2. In the event of a true emergency, college personnel and students with important information (i.e. individuals requiring assistance evacuating, health related emergencies etc.) shall provide that information to their Immediate Supervisor, Fire Warden/Asst, or Emergency Response Personnel.

3. All building occupants must exit the building to a distance of 50 feet from the building entrance to allow the prompt arrival of Emergency Response Personnel. Thank you for your cooperation and participation in our Campus-Wide Emergency Response efforts!

For more information or if you questions, please contact:
Michelle Glover-Brown, MPH, RS
Environmental Health & Safety Officer
brownmi@oldwestbury.edu
(516) 876-2787 
"The Safe Way Is The Right Way!!"

Summer Orientation Leader Applications

Summer Orientation Leader Applications are now available in the Office of Enrollment Services, Campus Center Room I 202.  The College at Old Westbury is looking for current students to be a part of the New Student Orientation program.  Whether you are a resident or a commuter, from Montauk or Buffalo, we want you!  The Orientation Committee is looking for approximately 24 students to assist in the planning and execution of the orientation program.    

Consider applying if you:    

• Love Old Westbury    
• Have a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA    
• Participate in activities and attend on-campus events    
• Want to get involved and make a difference    
• Enjoy having fun and have a positive attitude    
• Are available from August 13th-August 23rd    

Applications are due on April 18, by 5:00pm.  Remuneration includes housing for training week, all meals for training and the orientation program, and $325 stipend (based on performance).

For more information, please contact:
Sarah E. Stern    
Assistant Director of Admissions
SternS@Oldwestbury.edu
516-876-3304    

Emergency Siren Warning Test

In order to avoid any confusion and concern amidst the College and the surrounding community, please be advised of the following: The SUNY College at Old Westbury has installed an emergency broadcast messaging system which includes loudspeakers and sirens for use in emergency situations to make notifications and announcements to the campus community.   This system is designed to complement existing email, television and text messaging alert systems already in use at the College.

On Friday April 18, 2008 the final installation of this “Siren System” will take place.  Immediately following this installation, the system will be tested.   Both audible alert tones as well as verbal messages will be broadcast as part of this testing process.   These tests should begin sometime after 11:00 AM and end before 4:00 PM on that date.  The messages broadcast at that time will clearly advise that the natures of the broadcasts are “TESTS” and that no actual emergency exists or has occurred.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Michael Yanniello
Police Chief, University Police
YannielloM@Oldwestbury.edu
(516) 876-3146

Brian Tisdall
Deputy Chief, University Police
TisdallB@Oldwestbury.edu
(516) 876 3339

2008 Annual Student Activities Leadership Awards

The 2008 Annual Student Activities Leadership Awards will be honoring SUNY Old Westbury students at a dinner banquet on Sunday, May 4, 2008.  A nomination form can be downloaded here. 

 

Nominations are accepted from students, staff, and faculty.  Please take the time to recommend those students who truly deserve to be recognized and appreciated for their contributions to the campus community. 

 

Please complete the nomination form and send to Suzanne McLoughlin via email reply or hard copy to the Student Union, room 303.  While all nominations will be considered, please note that the final decision on recipients will be made by a committee convened by the Office of Student Activities.

 

For more information, please contact:

Suzanne McLoughlin

Director, Office of Student Activities

McLoughlinS@oldwestbury.edu

516-876-3067

 

Fire Drills - Week of April 7th

During the week of April 7th, the University Police and the Environmental Health & Safety Officer will be coordinating fire drills on our campus.

Fire drills will take place in each of the following buildings:

• Campus Center
• Academic Village Residence Halls: Kennedy Hall #4, Roosevelt Hall #7, Bolivar Hall #5, Anthony Hall #9, and King Hall #8

The purpose of these fire evacuation drills is to practice exiting the building “in a simulated emergency situation” so that if an actual emergency arises in the future, panic will be minimized and you will know how to respond.

There are a few points you should remember for the upcoming fire drills:

1. Everyone must exit the building immediately when the alarm sounds.   
If possible, and you can do so without placing yourself at risk:

• Gather your keys, purse, and coat as you leave the area.
• Shut any open windows and close each door that you go through.
• Inform others of the need to leave the building immediately.
• Do not use the Elevators, follow instructions from the Residential Director and/or Residential Assistants for the safe routes of evacuation.
• Go to your building section’s Assembly Area, sign in, and wait for further instructions.

2. In the event of a true emergency, college personnel and students with important information (i.e. individuals requiring assistance evacuating, health related emergencies etc.) shall provide that information to their Immediate Supervisor, Fire Warden/Asst, or Emergency Response Personnel.

3. All building occupants must exit the building to a distance of 50 feet from the building entrance to allow the prompt arrival of Emergency Response Personnel. Thank you for your cooperation and participation in our Campus-Wide Emergency Response efforts!

For more information or if you questions, please contact:
Michelle Glover-Brown, MPH, RS
Environmental Health & Safety Officer
brownmi@oldwestbury.edu
(516) 876-2787 
"The Safe Way Is The Right Way!!"