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October 18, 2011
Volume 19
Issue 4
Journalism in the Interest of the Queens College Community
theknightnews.com
Breaking News & Video
FAULT
The Queens College womens
tennis team did not get
a chance to defend their
conference championship
this season, after league
officials sanctioned the Lady
Knights three victories for
using an ineligible player.
SEE PAGE 3
Photo by Will Sammon
QC HELPS RAISE
AWARENESS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PAGES 6-7
STUDENTS NATIONWIDE
TAKE PART IN OCCUPY
COLLEGE PROTEST
PAGE 5
2 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com
Queens Colleges Adjunct
Task Force, made up of 16 faculty
members, proposed little to no cost
requests to improve the adjunct
faculty experience at the school in
their September report.
Its about having the right
type of conditions for the folks who
are doing the most important part
of our mission, which is teaching
our students, said Eva Fernandez,
a Center for Teaching and Learning
facilitator.
The report is divided into
four main sections that focus on
specific areas for improvement:
access to college information,
communications and resources,
adjunct representation and
development for adjunct faculty.
Section one is comprised of
requests that would give adjuncts
access to office and teaching supplies,
including computers, copiers and
technology. In addition, task force
members are asked to regulate
classrooms by use of technology
in relation to class, and not by
offered orientation sessions for new
adjuncts, and publish an adjunct
handbook.
Section two focuses on
adjunct representation in QC and
throughout CUNY. The task force
requested to form an institutionally-
recognized committee to address
adjunct issues, questions and
problems. The committee would
also act as a liaison between the
college administration and adjuncts.
The group also solicited the college
to allocate a dedicated space for
an administrative center for this
committee.
Section three requests
to develop the adjunct faculty
with technology training
sessions. Another request is to
increase research support through
grants and awards for innovative
projects for collaboration between
full and part-time faculty,
particularly for developing the
general education courses that are
predominantly taught by adjuncts.
Section four offers a reflection
of the adjunct experience at QC
as well as throughout the CUNY
system.
To learn more, the Adjunct
Task Force will present their report
to the community with the hope of
gaining support on Nov. 1 from 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Dining Halls
Patio Room.
melanie@knightnews.com
Following suit of several other
colleges such as John Jay College
of Criminal Justice and CUNYs
School of Law, Queens College
took the initiative at developing
their own mobile application in
order to make campus life, events
and information available on the go.
Abiding to the overwhelming
need for accessibility and
convenience, which is in demand in
this day and age, this new app aims
to get QC students more involved
on campus while assisting them
with campus-related matters.
The Queens College Mobile
app can help you find your way
around campus, find a phone
number or department location,
access campus event information,
course listings and so much
more, said Director of Enterprise
Application Services (EAS) Angel
Arcelay.
EAS, the creator of the
application, is a service provider
from the Office of Converging
Technologies. OCT is responsible
for the financing of the app, which
is unofficially named Queens
College Mobile, said Arcelay.
The Office of
Communications is in charge of
marketing the app.
Small flyers, announcing the
applications development were
given out to students on Club Day
but its release date has yet to be
announced. Partakers of Club Day
were also given the chance to play
with the app on iPods that were
passed around by OCT.
Queens College Mobile
is available for the iPhone, iPod
touch, Android, BlackBerry and
Palm webOS, as well as in mobile
web versions for browser-enabled
devices, all free of download.
However, the OCT
department does not intend for
Queens College Mobile to replace
the CUNY or the QC website, but
to be used in conjunction with it.
Imagine having access to
the information you need the most,
available 24/7 and on the go. And,
its free! said Arcelay.
In the condition that the app
is free, it cant hurt to download it,
said QC freshman Zev Rosenberg.
The mobile applications
usefulness expands beyond the four
years spent at the college. Upon
graduation, students may have left
the campus but they have secured
a connection to their alma mater,
with help from the application.
alix@knightnews.com
Oueens College
in the palm of
your handl
Coming soon to iPhone
Android, and Blackberry users!
Use QC MobiIe to stay connected wherever you are,
on or off campus.
You wiII be abIe to:
Search campus buildings by name and pinpoint them on the map
Search for places on campus
Browse the course catalog
Find people in the directory
Stay-in-the-loop with the latest campus events
Keep tabs on QC Knights sports scores
Watch videos of campus events
Listen to podcasts of popular lectures in iTunes U
Check your email
Access emergency phone numbers
ADJUNCT TASK FORCE
RELEASES SEPTEMBER REPORT
MELANIE BENCOSME
News Reporter
QUEENS COLLEGE
ON THE GO!
ALIX GREENBERGER
News Reporter
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 3
The undefeated Queens
College womens tennis team
forfeited three victories after league
officials were notified last week
that they used an ineligible player,
which prevented the Lady Knights
from defending their back to back
conference championships.
Linda Tatala-Colin, a 26-year-
old senior, was ruled ineligible by
the East Coast Conference after
records were discovered that she
was participating in her fifth year of
collegiate tennis. The NCAA only
permits four. Conference officials
declined to comment about how
they found out and why they did
not know earlier.
Conference rules state that
for each match an ineligible player
plays in, the results for that entire
match are reversed, according to
League Commissioner Robert
Dranoff. The Lady Knights
finished the regular season in first
place with a spotless 6-0 conference
record before the sanctions. Tatala-
Colin was used three times during
the season, so the team finished 3-3
after the forfeits, in a tie for fourth
place, a game out of the playoffs.
I was the most surprised
person in the world, said head
coach Alan Nagel. The truth is
that if I thought Queens [College]
or we made some type of mistake,
Id be really down. We really
thought we did everything the right
way.
Tatala-Colin started her
collegiate tennis career in 2007
at Northwood University in
Michigan. She transferred to the
University of North Carolina at
Pembroke in 2008 and played two
seasons there. She was named team
MVP in 2009.
The France native transferred
to QC in the 2010 spring semester
after being recruited to play
volleyball. She was later introduced
to Nagel and made the tennis team
in the spring of 2011, which counts
as a season of play held against her.
Merlin Thompson, the QC
athletics compliance officer, told
Nagel that Tatala-Colin was eligible
to play on the team because he
was under the impression she had
participated in only three prior
seasons of college tennis.
In Michigan she played one
year and then one year at Pembroke
- thats what her record said, Nagel
said. The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke sent us an
official release saying she played
only one year of tennis at that
school.
This fall, Tatala-Colin and
her doubles partner, junior Erika
Goldsmith, won the USTA/ITA
East Regional Championships,
advancing them to the national
championships in Mobile,
Alabama. That was on the
schedule until an urgent letter
from the Intercollegiate Tennis
Association (ITA) stated that she
had already completed four years of
competition.
Nagel and Thompson
contacted UNCP, who reportedly
forwarded an email apologizing
for documenting the wrong
information on Tatala-Colins
transfer records. However,
according to UNCP head womens
tennis coach Robin Langely, Tatala-
Colin is to blame.
Linda was well aware of the
fact that she participated for two
seasons at UNCP, said Langley.
Linda-Colin did not return
phone calls requesting a comment.
The forwarded apologetic email
from UNCP has not been shared.
We found out she didnt
play just one year in North
Carolina. We went back and
looked at some of the records in
the archives and found out that she
played two seasons, said Nagel. I
went by the official record.
Nagel has been at the helm
of the womens tennis team at
QC for 33 years. Over that time,
he has led the Lady Knights to
29 winning seasons, 11 straight
NCAA championship tournament
appearances and a 463-132 record
overall. Since she initially came to
Queens to play volleyball, Nagel
says Tatala-Colin is one of only
two or three players that he did
not personally recruit in his entire
coaching career.
Despite having to
withdraw from the ITA regional
championship, the Lady Knights
are still eligible to participate in
the NCAA Division II Womens
Tennis Championships held in
May because the NCAA does not
recognize forfeits, said Thomas
Emberley, QC assistant director of
NCAA compliance.
[According to the NCAA]
our record is still 12-0 regardless of
what happens, said Emberley.
Nagels squad was dominant
this fall, posting a 12-0 overall record
and only losing individual games in
three of their matches. Four players
earned their way on the All-ECC
team - most notably ECC Player
of the Year, Erika Goldsmith and
they posted impressive wins against
West Liberty State and Adelphi,
both annual NCAA qualifiers.
We won our matches, we
know we deserve it [to be in the
ECC playoffs], but there is nothing
we can do, said junior Daniela
Celi. In the end, the NCAAs are
more important anyway.
The goal every year is to get
to the NCAAs. I still think well
get there because we have that good
of a team, said Nagel.
will@knightnews.com
jackie@knightnews.com
joe@knightnews.com
USE OF INELIGIBLE
PLAYER DERAILS
UNDEFEATED SEASON
JACKIE WEBER,
JOE TREZZA AND
WILL SAMMON
Sports Reporters
Daniela Celi and Taylor Barber wont be playing for an ECC
title this year for the first time in their careers.
Photo Courtesy: QC Athletics Department
Photo Courtesy: ECCSPORTS.ORG
The Lady Knight missed the conference playoffs after forfeiting three
victories, however they are still listed as undefeated overall.
4 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com

Queens College is hosting its
annual homecoming on Sunday Oct. 23,
inviting alumni from all graduating years,
faculty and students to attend.
Its about having community at
Queens College. All institutions of higher
learning reach out to alumni as supporters
as a group that can support the efforts of the
school in a variety of ways, said Director of
Alumni Relations Christopher Greaves.
With the second year in row of a 300
count of alumni registered, Alumni Relations
has planned an entire day of events starting at
11 a.m.
After the 11 a.m. sign-in and
registration, the event starts off with a brunch
and a presidential welcome by QC President
James Muyskens.
The day continues with various
activities and reunions planned, where the
old graduates can choose which to attend,
including a discussion with special guest and
alumni Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner
Entertainment.
The program, which in detail is available on
the homecoming website, also consists of
interactions between other guest speakers,
professors, other alumni and current students.
Student entertainment is provided all
day with a specially organized softball double
header against Monroe College and an event-
ending drama performance of Youre a Good
Man, Charlie Brown.
Student clubs and organizations are
also planned to set up interactive booths for
interested guests.
Historically weve had some difficulty
getting students interested in homecoming,
said Greaves. This year, possibly due to
advertising on campus and also connecting
with John Andrejack from Student Life, weve
sought out more interest from students.
Fliers and large banners promoting the
event are found throughout the QC campus.
After Greaves was appointed director in 2010,
that years homecoming turnout rose to more
than 300 alumni, which is approximately
what is expected this year. In 2009, QC had
approximately 80 alumni who registered and
attended, according to Greaves.
Committees of alumni were formed to
intensify the outreach to alumni, as these
committees reach out to their graduating
classes to inform and invite them to
homecoming.
Our budget has been cut and we are
facing additional budget cuts, so we have
to do a lot more along the lines of private
fundraising. The alumni, those who have
good feelings about the school, are very
important group for us and we want to keep
them connecting as much as we can, said
Greaves.
Along with the registration fee,
fundraising is built into the event with
reunions gifts, which is a program by the
annual funds department, who works with
alumni and encourages donations on behalf
of their graduating class.
The registration fee of $35 for
alumni and a portion of the Institutional
Advancements budget fund the full day
activities. Students can attend the event for
free but must have a QC identification card.
Its important for students to connect
with the past. Its an advantage for students
to connect with alumni, said Greaves. As
you are making your way in the world, these
are people who can help you in terms of
mentorship, in terms of providing internships
and job opportunities and [providing] a voice
in your lives.
HOMECOMING:
OLD MEETS NEW
SWEETINA KAKAR
NEWS REPORTER


As a new annual tradition, Queens
College offers a cultural and academic
program that spotlights a different nation
each year while exploring the past, present
and future. For the current academic year,
QC has selected Turkey.
Coordinator of the event, Dr. Marleen
Kassel, and other staff members who were
involved, chose the country through a
democratic process.
Turkeys diversity with its history,
people and environment is reflective of the
diversity in the Queens community.
Year of events have showed to
be successful due to the increase of student
exchange programs. Because of last years
Year of China, two students from QC
studied in SiChuan University and three
Chinese students came to study at QC.
QC hopes the programs success with
last years selected country will carry over
to this years selection as well. To do so,
QC will be highlighting the work of some
faculty members, a number of whom conduct
research in Turkey presently.
Many students may not be familiar
with the events, given that the now annual
event is only in its second year.
Last semester, I always saw the signs
up on the quad reading The Year of China
and I didnt know what it meant but I was
a little curious, said QC junior Christopher
Sued. This semester I see they changed it to
the Year of Turkey that is something Im
more interested in due to the fact that my
ancestors are from Turkey which led me to
research the related events.
Alexander Bauer is an assistant
professor in the anthropology department
who bases his archaeological research in
Turkey and will be hosting a few discussions
for the event.Bauer conducts his research in
Sinop, Turkey, near the Black Sea excavating
for his archeological research.
There are a lot of assumptions about
Turkey ... and I think this program offers
an opportunity [for students] to question
those assumptions, said Professor Bauer.
I hope students will take advantage of this
unique opportunity to get to know a country
and culture that is complex, interesting and
growing in importance in current geopolitics.
QC has been able to build three
exchange programs; studying in Baheehir
University, going to Sinop, Turkey, to assist
Beauer in his archeological dig and joining
ProfessorCecilia McHugh explore the seismic
activity in the Marmara Sea. Two other
exchange programs are still being planned for
the future.
Ive been to Europe but never for
studying abroad, which is something Im
looking into before I graduate next semester,
said senior Anthony Centineo.Though Im
not in the anthropology field, its interesting
enough to grab my attention. If Im able to
plan ahead and have all the requirements
needed then I will have to take full advantage
of this unique program that is being offered
here. I would definitely go for it, he added.
Students can visit the free exhibit The
Thwarted Kiss: a Panorama of Art in
Turkey at the Benjamin Rosenthal Library.
On display are samples of the vast diversity
in the visual arts that can be illustrated in this
bridge of civilization.
One of Turkeys most prominent
novelist, Orhan Pamuk, also visited QC as
part of the events for Year of Turkey.Pamuk
earned the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature,
making him the first Turkish citizen to be
honored with such a prestigious award.
Students were also able to interact with
Pamuk who had visited QC before but did
not have a chance to speak with students.
I studied Orhan Pamuks Snow in
one of my comparative literature classes and
the way the professor [Caroline Rupprecht]
spoke about him, made me eager to actually
meet the man, said Sued. [And] Im
fortunate enough that the school gave me the
opportunity to actually do so.
If they know about it, they will get
more out of it.Students on campus will take
advantage of going global because thats our
future, said Kassel.
Events hosted by the annual program
will run till the end of the 2011-2012 school
year.
Next years Year of... will focus on
India. With the help of student and faculty
volunteers, planning is already underway.

ximena@knightnews.com
QUEENS COLLEGE GETS
A VISIT FROM TURKEY
XIMENA GALLEGO
News Reporter
See Page 12 for The Knight News Staff Editorial about how and
why Queens College can get involved with Occupy College.
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 5

The student occupation in
Zuccotti Park was not enough for
activists as they added Occupy
Colleges to the Occupy Wall Street
movement throughout the entire
nation.
Occupy Colleges, a movement
in solidarity with Occupy Wall
Street, have had two national acts
of civil disobedience within the first
two weeks of October.
We noticed that there was
no national presence for colleges
so we wanted to create a way for
college students to show solidarity
if they couldnt get out there to
their occupation movement on a
regular basis, said Natalia Abrams,
a facilitator and spokeswoman for
OC.
Students participated
nationwide in a walk-out on college
campuses Oct. 5, which included six
CUNY colleges. Queens College did
not participate. Students left classes
and gathered in unity to spread
awareness about the issues that began
the Occupy Wall Street protest in
New York City.
Occupy Wall Street, along
with all the occupation sites
throughout the country stand on
the belief that the 99 percent should
no longer tolerate the greed and
corruption of the 1 percent.
The beliefs of this resistance
movement for democracy powered
by the people have reflected the
financial hardships students have to
deal with as tuition rises, budgets are
cut back and debts are made.
The reason Im at a
community college is because I
was going to college in Boston,
Massachusetts and all my financial
aid from the government disappeared
overnight even though I had a 3.0
GPA, said Joshua Sanchez, junior
at Masa Community College in
Phoenix, Ariz. All of it disappeared
when actually my family was worse
off than the year before, with both
my parents being unemployed for
two years despite having masters
degrees.
Sanchez has taken a part
in starting Occupy Phoenix and
plans to have a combined march in
downtown Phoenix with Occupy
Tuscan, which is two hours away
from the city.
After the turnout of the first
protest, eight days later the second
OC protest occurred. This time,
more than 150 colleges were listed
and eight were N.Y. schools. Baruch
College was the only CUNY school
to participate.
We kind of strayed away a
little bit from the word walk-out
because we want to make it clear we
are not subversive to schools, we are
not anti-school at all, said Abrams.
As you walk around the QC
campus, though they have yet to join
the OC protest, students and faculty
spread awareness of the issues as they
hand out fliers. Many are seen hung
on bulletin boards and hallways,
informing people to occupy Zuccotti
Park.
OC was created in Los Angeles
by a group of UCLA alumni and
activists, who have made themselves
accessible via Internet and phone
for anyone interested in general
information on how to join the
movement.
On the OC website,
OccupyColleges.org along with
social networks, how-to start college
protests guidelines are available
along with the option to join the
national movements, making college
involvement possible.
No announcement has been
made for another national act of
civil disobedience after the Oct. 13
protest.
Were going to be having a
meeting with all our colleges to see
what the next step is, said Abrams.
Were planning to do this as long as
Occupy Wall Street is out there.
sweetina@knightnews.com
OCCUPYING IS THE
NEW NATIONWIDE
COLLEGE TREND
SWEETINA KAKAR
News Reporter
6 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com

The draped purple ribbons at
building entrances on the Queens
College campus symbolize awareness
of an important cause in the month
of October.
Known primarily as Breast
Cancer Awareness Month, October
is also used to shed light on another
issue that is sweeping through homes
around the world: domestic violence.
Started in October 1981 by
the National Coalition Against
Domestic Violence (NCADV),
October is a time for advocates
nationwide to band together and try
to end violence against victims, with
the mission to shine the light on
domestic violence and show victims
that they are not alone in their fight.
This year, New York State
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared
October, Domestic Violence
Awareness Month in New York
and encouraged citizens to take
purple steps to help end this cycle
of violence. The state is using its
New Yorkers Connecting, One
Light at a Time campaign by
creating resources including help
lines and safe houses, educating
the population and reaching out to
social media.
QCs ceremony, Shine the
Light on Domestic Violence, was
one of the purple steps the college
took. Standing up at the podium in
Queens Colleges Rosenthal library,
dressed in a bright purple suit,
Executive Director of Women and
Work, Carmella Marrone, spoke
on Oct. 7 about Domestic Violence
Awareness Month and shining the
light on the situation.
This day for me is another
day where I have the opportunity
to raise awareness to bring domestic
violence out of the dark and into
the light because my goal is to
bring an end to this epidemic, said
Marrone. We cant do that until
people actually understand that this
epidemic exists.
With the clock tower lit
purple and handrails draped in
purple ribbon, QC is trying to draw
attention throughout the month
to the rising number of teens and
young adults that are in abusive
relationships.
According to the VOICES
Domestic Violence Program, nearly
one in five female teenagers and
young adults report being physically
and/or sexually assaulted by their
partner. Between 2009 and 2010,
it is estimated that between 30
and 50 percent of teen and young-
adult relationships were abusive,
according to Women in Distress of
Broward County, Inc. (WIDOBC),
a Florida -based full service center
for domestic violence victims.
Weve got to shine the light
that this is a crime and that penalties
should increase, said Senator Toby
Ann Stavisky, an honoree at the QC
event.
Stavisky, the first women
elected from Queens County to the
New York state Senate, served on
a committee that expelled Hiram
Monserrate, a fellow committee
member who was acquitted in court
of spousal abuse.
We honored [Senator
Stavisky] here today because she
has worked hard to strengthen the
laws that revolve around domestic
violence and to protect the rights of
domestic violence survivors, said
Marrone.
A domestic violence survivor
at the event, given the alias Hope,
gave harrowing details into the abuse
she suffered her whole life and how
she made it out of the darkness and
into the light.
I am fighting back by sharing
my experiences with others so
they can recognize the pattern and
cycles of abuse, said Hope. Im
fighting for my mother, my now
adult daughter, myself and for all
the children who are victims of the
perpetrators and the victims of even
the victims.
Domestic violence is a growing
problem in which one partner uses
physical violence, threats, isolation,
humiliation and/or blame to gain
or maintain power over the victim,
according to VOICES.
Also known as battering or
spousal abuse, the main types of
abuse are physical, sexual, threats
of physical or sexual violence,
psychological or emotional violence
and economic or financial violence.
One in three women will
experience domestic violence at
some point during their lifetime,
according to WIDOBC, and the
FBI calculated that everyday four
women die in this country as a result
of domestic violence, approximately
1,400 a year.
Domestic violence is an
infection that has weakened the
underpinnings of societys structure,
said Jane Zeller, co-director of the
Silent Witness National Initiative.
[It is] a contagion that has ravaged
the human spirit for generations.
Through commitments and
changes made by hardworking
activists and Congress, thousands
of victims were helped in leaving
abusive situations. National
Domestic Violence hotlines, safe
houses like the Hope House and
crisis centers, like the Domestic
Violence Crisis Center (DVCC),
have been established nationwide.
Implemented legislation,
including the Violence Against
Women Act and the Family Violence
Prevention and Services Act, has
helped educate police departments,
emergency rooms and courtrooms
on how to handle domestic violence,
how to care for those hurt and how
to keep the victims safe from harm.
Domestic violence can repeat
for generations if we do not make
the decision to forcefully stop the
madness, said Hope. The only way
we can do this is to share the truth
about domestic violence. We need
to teach our children how to value
themselves and others and we need
to promise abusers that violence will
not be tolerated not by the law,
not by your partner and not even by
your next door neighbor.
jackie@knightnews.com
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
TAKING, PURPLE STEPS,
TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
JACKIE WEBER
News Reporter
Carmella Marrone speaks at the Queens College second
annual Shine the Light on domestic violence event.
Kiely Front Hall: Queens College takes purple
steps in raising awareness about domestic violence
Photo by Bradly Levitt
Photo by Bradly Levitt
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 7
BEHIND ENEMY LINES:
THE MIND OF AN ABUSER
H
er boyfriend grabbed a knife
and sliced her across the
mouth and jaw, then delivered
another stab to the left side
of her torso. Neighbors called
the police after hearing her scream, Stop!
Get off of me! followed by an eerie silence.
She laid on the floor with 12 stab wounds
but the worst part was that she was still alive.
It was too late for her to learn that
the abuse would never stop. On April 10,
23-year-old Hunter College student, Sarah
Coit, died an hour after arriving to the
hospital. Neighbors heard fights between
the couple on previous occasions, but only
one prompted them to inform the police.
Raul Barrera was the abusive
boyfriend. Coit was reportedly breaking
up with him and was packing when the
fight broke out. There were warning signs.

In March 2010, Barrera was arrested for
assaulting a male friend who had obtained an
order of protection against him. There were
also previous allegations of Barrera abusing a
previous girlfriend, according to Gothemist.
Domestic violence is not a black and white
ordeal. The general stereotype here is: girl
meets guy, girl loves guy, girl lets guy abuse
her. Thats not the case and in order to truly
understand the root of the problem, we
have to think in the mind of the abuser.
Many abusers have low self-esteem and
are dependent on their victims. However, they
are unable to form normal attachment and
use violence as a way to control their partner.
This explains why instances of abuse tend to
escalate during times of separation, when
abusers feel that they are losing the victim.
Many abusers were victims of abuse themselves
and have mental health issues, according to
the Queens College Psychological Center.
Domestic abuse can be emotional,
sexual, economical and obviously very
damaging to the victims psychological
health. It includes the repeated use of a
number of tactics, including intimidation,
threats, insults, economic deprivation,
isolation, jealousy and sexual peer pressure.
I have bought into the idea that three
things can be contributed into what makes
an abuser resort to violence and these aspects
have to be considered as to why a tormentor
explodes. This is not an excuse for abusers -
there is no excuse to hurt anyone in any way.
However, it has to be understood that the idea
to abuse an individual stems from somewhere
and it can be based off the persons childhood,
past abuse, or a traumatic experience. These all
can settle under the skin and through the wear
and tear of a relationship begin to resurface.
If a child is lives in a household where
the parents are irresponsible then that child
must grow up faster than expected to survive.
This can cause a need for control over their lives
or others. Domestic violence is not due to the
abusers loss of control over his or her behavior.
In fact, abusive behavior and violence is a
deliberate choice made by the abuser in order to
control you, according to HwwwelpGuide.org.
These abusers could have been abused
in the past and this is their chance to feel
the power that was once taken from them.
Its the nerd-bully scenario, where the nerd
grows up and retaliates on anyone for past
harassment. About 30 percent of abused and
neglected children will later abuse their own
kids, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse,
according to Child Help Foundation.
A life-changing experience can also
alter a persons psyche and in turn affect
their actions. These people can develop
post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms
include: anger outbursts, mood swings
and a feeling of numbness. The abuser is
afraid and is stuck in the dismaying event.
Domestic violence is gradual; abuse
doesnt come on the first date. Sarah Coit and
Raul Barrera had been living with each other
for two years before the tragic end. The abuse
comes after the abuser knows that you are fully
invested to take every blow he gives and stick by
him. It may begin with the abuser changing rules
and expectations from the relationship. He may
push the envelope just to see how far he can go
and once the victim is right where he wants her,
the abuse can be nonstop; its a slippery slope.
It is impermissible to harm another person
in the desirable search for power and control,
but thats a part of what domestic violence is.
So, it is true that a victim of abuse should report
the violence and help to change their lives; but
we have to recognize the makings of an abuser
to have a chance at stopping the vicious cycle.
I have no sympathy for abusers but it needs to
be noticed that they did not develop this way
overnight. All the things that got the abuser
to the point of violence should be observed
and judged just as the persons actions were.
Graphic by
Omera Begum
Information gathered from VOICES and Women in Distress of Broward County, Inc.
Compiled by Jackie Weber
MELANIE BENCOSME
8 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com


The Dining Hall swarmed with
students and faculty as people gathered for the
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Alliances annual
Coming Out Day on Oct. 12.
Coming Out Day marks the moment
when someone who identifies as LGBTQ
(Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer)
speaks out publicly to their peers, friends and
family without shame about their identity.
While National Coming Out Day was
the day before, the event was commemorated
during free hour by GLASA and the QC
community.
Founded in 1988 by Rob Eichberg,
founder of a personal growth workshop
and Jean OLeary, head of National Gay
Rights Advocates, Coming Out Day was
commemorated to both celebrate the coming
out moment of the LGBTQ community as
well as the anniversary of the first Gay and
Lesbian Rights march at Washington in 1987.
Studies from the William Institute of
UCLA School of Law show that an estimate
of nine million Americans identify as LGBTQ,
which is about 4 percent of the U.S. population.
At the event, speakers told their stories
in the form of poems, speeches and narratives
while discussing their experiences, identities
and the struggles they had to go through.
Coming Out day is so powerful and
inspiring for the [LGBTQ] community and its
allies, said John Carlson, reservation manager
at the Student Union, who participated in the
event.
The stage was open for anyone who
wanted to speak out and tell their stories or
exchange words of encouragement. QC staff,
LGBTQ students and even straight allies
volunteered to speak to the audience.
I think what GLASA is doing is great,
said Sally K., a junior and volunteer. They are
not ashamed of who they are. It takes a lot of
courage for someone to come out and face the
problems they have.
Many in the audience came to share
their own stories, and to hear from others,
relate to them and to give and receive support
and understanding from the QC community.
It was moving and inspirational, said
Alex Crisafi, senior and one of the speakers
for the event. Coming Out Day advocates
awareness and empowers the youth, showing
them that they are not alone and have support
from the [LBGTQ] community and GLASA.
I was honored to have spoken and shared my
experiences.
P
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N
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s
Students that identify themselves as
LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Queer) come to face situations of bullying
and harassment with regards to their sexual
orientation and gender identity.
While news about LGBTQ students
being bullied comes mostly from high school
environments, bullying and harassment does
happen at college campuses, including Queens
College.
College is a more risky environment
than high school when it comes to bullying and
harassment, said Wes Nermenz, educational
manager of the east coast for the Trevor Project.
And because of that, there is a lot more
underreporting of these incidents.
The Trevor Project visited the QC campus
on Oct. 5, and is a non-profit organization which
focuses on suicide prevention among LGBTQ
youth.
Bullying and harassment of any kind:
verbal, physical, sexual, indirect and, more
recently, cyber, can lead to depression, drug
abuse, and self-hate, including attempted and
successful suicide, according to the Gay, Lesbian
and Straight Education Network and the Trevor
Project.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death
on college campuses, according to the Center
of Disease Control and Prevention. LGBTQ
members of 15 to 24 are four times more likely
to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers,
based on the 2007 Massachusetts Youth Risk
Survey.
Tyler Clementi, the gay college student
who jumped from the George Washington Bridge
in September 2010, is an example that bullying
and harassment toward LGBTQ people happens
on a college level.
It concerns me a great deal, said Joe
Bertolino, vice president of Student Affairs, who
is openly gay himself. Students should feel safe,
period. They should feel welcomed and valued.
The vandalism at the GLASA (Gay, Lesbian
and Straight Alliance) club room last winter was
a form of harassment toward the group for being
LGBTQ, as mentioned in previous issues of The
Knight News.
I assume QC is a safe place for LGBTQ
students since so few incidents of bullying or
discrimination have been reported, said Barbara
Moore, the acting director of counseling, health
and wellness. I know that QC is committed to
being welcoming to, and inclusive of, all students.
In addition, several upper level administrators at
QC are openly gay, and there are no rules that
single out LGBTQ students.
With awareness of LGBTQ suicides and
the involvement of LGBTQ clubs and support
groups at schools, safety becomes a priority.
Through educating students, staff members
and faculty, cases like Tyler Clementi can be
prevented from happening at QC and any other
college campus.

Such education and awareness is important and
is happening today in a way it has never in the
past, said Nemenez.
Students who are facing issues of any kind
of bullying and/or harassment, whether they
identify as LGBTQ or not, can seek help and
support from the counseling services and the
office of Student Affairs, both found on the first
floor of Frese Hall. Students can also go to the
Office of Compliance and Diversity (Kiely 147)
and to Public Safety.
I think most students understand and
believe that mutual tolerance of people who
have different lifestyles, orientations, religions or
beliefs is good, in the platonic sense, is important
for everyone, said Moore.
I want students to know that we [QC]
care about them, said Bertolino. There are a lot
of allies and supporters at QC. Just knock at our
door and we will be glad to help you.
NAT CAMPOS
News Reporter



Queens College students participated
in the 18th Annual Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer Walk for the
third year in a row on Oct. 16.
This initiative was introduced
to me when I first became the
administrator and personally, I also
had a family member that was affected.
This is a great cause and a great way
to give back to the community,
said Emanuel Avila, coordinator of
Judicial Affairs and Service Learning
at Student Life.
With the help of over 30
volunteers under Project Manager
Goretti Royce, Student Life was able
to raise about $700 for the walk
as a part of QCs service learning
component.
When Breast Cancer Awareness
Month first started in 1985, its
primary purpose was to promote
mammograms. AstraZeneca, a
drug manufacturer, along with the
American Cancer Society, helped to
start this annual push for women to
get tested.
Breast cancer is primarily
considered a female disease, which
is why the color pink represents
the cause, although men are still
susceptible to it. The first time a pink
ribbon was used for breast cancer
was in 1991 by the Susan G. Komen
Foundation in New York City in a
foot race for survivors of the disease.
It was formally introduced two years
later by Evelyn Lauder, a breast cancer
survivor, the founder of the Breast
Cancer Research Foundation and
the senior corporate vice president of
Estee Lauder.
According to the National
Cancer Institute, breast cancer is
the second leading cause of death of
women in America, the first being
lung cancer. One in eight women will
be diagnosed with breast cancer in
their lifetime.
During the month of October,
wearing pink commemorates the lives
that were taken by the disease and
the strength of those who survived.
Many people take part in walks and
collect donations to help raise money
for breast cancer research and raise
awareness for other women and men
that have not yet gotten tested.
The awareness walk, held in
Flushing Meadows Corona Park,
brought together QC groups and
on-campus organizations, like the
Alliance of Latin American Students
and Student Life, to support the
cause.
I took it as a duty upon myself
as a leader to promote and help bring
awareness to this cause, said Jonathan
Alarcon, 22, junior and president
of the Alliance of Latin American
Students. The people were really
energetic and passionate and it was a
really empowering place to be.
The Athletics Department
and the Office of Human resources
are working together to sponsor the
Anything Pink Bake Sale on Oct.
19, from noon to 2 p.m. at Q-Caf.
After raising over $2,000 last
year, Leanna Taylor, head volleyball
coach, Susan Marvrelis, benefits
director at QC, and Jamie Bremen,
human resources coordinator at QC
are hopeful that they will make at least
that much this year as well. All of the
proceeds will be donated to the Lee
National Denim Day campaign, one
of the largest breast cancer fundraisers
in the city.
Weve had a great response
for the bake sale, said Bremen of the
bake sale being run by the Athletics
Department. The entire campus is
asked to get involved by donating and
baking.
As thousands of people stand
together in pink, awareness spreads
and the fight against breast cancer
continues.

QUEENS COLLEGE
WALKS AND
BAKES AGAINST
BREAST CANCER
KIMBERLY SCIACCA
News Reporter
NAT CAMPOS
News Reporter
GLASA PROMOTES COMING OUT DAY
Students and Faculty attend Coming Out day at QC.
LGBTQ BULLYING
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 9

Not many people would expect a book
reading to culminate in a vibrant, edgy and at
times wildly funny dialogue on topics from
comic book superheroes to fundamentalist
religion. That is, unless they know Margaret
Atwood.
On gender roles in comparative
mythology, she remarked, The thing about
Jehovah is that there is no Mrs. God.
A prolific author of more than 50 works,
Atwood kicked off the 36th anniversary season
of the Queens College Evening Readings
series on Oct. 11 at the Lefrak Concert Hall.
She began by reading the fancifully titled
Flying Bunnies chapter of her newly released
book, In Other Worlds, which is about the
inspiration for and evolution of her lifes work.
According to the introduction, the
book, a collection of autobiographical essays,
is an exploration of [her] lifelong relationship
with a literary form, or forms, or subforms,
both as a reader and as a writer.
After reading the opening chapter,
Atwood sat down for a conversation about In
Other Worlds with award-winning radio host
Leonard Lopate.
The discussion quickly shifted from
analysis of Atwoods most influential books,
including The Blind Assassin, Oryx and
Crake, Year of the Flood and The Handmaids
Tale, to the broader socio-political problems
they portend, such as gender inequality and
obstruction of basic freedoms.
Influenced by the 20th century literary
theorist and critic Northrop Frye, Atwood
defines myth as a story central to our self-
understanding, without implying anything
about the truth or falsehood of the account.
She conceives of a fundamental unity between
such divisive stories as the Bible and the Big
Bang Theory by considering them both to be
myth, focusing on the influence of these ideas
on society rather than debating their veracity.
I really enjoyed her interview because I think
she gives a very realistic point of view, said
Chloe Skye Weiser, a QC junior who considers
Atwood her favorite author.
Atwood is world renowned for her novels,
poetry, literary criticism and environmental
activism. She has won more than 55 awards
for her literature over the course of her career,
and her most famous novel, The Handmaids
Tale, has been adapted to film and theatre.
She is widely regarded as Canadas
greatest living novelist, said professor Joseph
Cuomo, founding director of Evening
Readings. And she is considered one of the
best English language novelists.
Atwood is perhaps best known for
her dystopian speculative fiction. She often
emphasizes the distinction between speculative
fiction and science fiction: speculative fiction
is a realistic outcome of current trends and
science fiction is anything that you would
never expect to actually happen.
Considering her steady rise to fame as
a writer and literary scholar, it may come as
a surprise to many that much of Atwoods
childhood was spent in the heavily-forested
backcountry of Northern Quebec, far-removed
from most cultural resources.
In her new book she recalls, not only
were there no electrical appliances, furnaces,
flush toilets, schools, or grocery stores, there
was no TV, no radio shows available except for
those available on short-wave Russian stations,
no movies, no theatre and no libraries. But
there were a lot of books.
As Atwood notes in the first chapter,
these books, covering all sorts of genres
(including non-fiction textbooks), were
integral to her early interest in reading and
writing various stories.
In an exclusive interview with The
Knight News, Atwood offered aspiring writers
at QC, in her legendarily frank manner, a
word of advice: Writing is a lot like playing
the piano. If you dont practice, youre going to
get worse.
Many students in Queens
College may study a subject that
interests them but which may
be difficult to find a job in after
graduation.
In a survey of 72 students from
various departments, 54 percent
of students with math and science
majors said they chose their majors
based on both passion and career
oriented choices and 68 percent of
Liberal Arts majors said they are
driven by both career and passion.
But knowing that a field of
interest might prove to be difficult
when trying to find a job puts a
strain on many students. For that
reason, the Career Development
and Internship Office at QC strives
to work with students and faculty
on campus as well as alumni and
employers who offer valuable
internship placement [and career]
opportunities off-campus.
Located in Frese Hall 213,
CDI provides various workshops,
both in the afternoon and evenings,
individual counseling sessions, advice
on how to choose a major (based
on interests, skills and values) and
accepts resumes that they then pass
on to employers. They aim to help
students find a range of part-time
and full-time career opportunities
as well as credit-bearing or paid
internships.
We work with several 100
companies and every summer we
do an outreach to employers. We
contact them and say wed like them
to recruit on campus and list a job
with us or internships with us, said
Director of CDI, Tesfaye Asfaw.
And there has to be a substantial
amount of qualitative learning in
the job, not just filing and answering
phones.
For about eight years, CDI
has also been using eRecruiting to
reach out to students an online
system where, after creating an
account, students can upload their
resumes and create a profile of
interests. Employers with job listing
on eRecruiting can then take a look
at resumes of students then either
contact CDI or the individual
directly.
The system creates a
communication between the
two parties- students can access
internship and job listings and
employers can list job information
and access student resumes through
a password-protected system.
With all their efforts, CDI
does have its rules. Each semester has
a deadline for submitting resumes
(no later than October 12 for the
fall 2011 recruitment season) and
students must show up to the office
and attend four required workshops
to participate in any type of campus
recruiting.
To apply for an internship, a
student must have a declared major
and achieve enough credits to qualify
as a sophomore standing (28 to 60
credits).
The offices Student Contact
and Service Utilization Report
showed that from 2009 to 2010,
only 5 percent of QC students came
in for job-search counseling and 6
percent for on-campus recruiting.
From 3,268 students, the report
showed that only 17 percent chose
to take the internship workshop.
Theyre not helpful. A lot of
times the job postings are old and
they are not active with contacting
employers and you dont get any
feedback from them, said Jackie
Taliaferro, 29, a QC senior. I got
two part-time jobs on my own [but]
when I went on an interview referred
by [CDI], it was really shady.
They dont have any
opportunities for textiles when I
checked. I dont know why, said QC
junior Raaidah Hasan, 21.
Asfaw said that internships
do not necessarily need to be tied
to a students field of interest. You
can have a computer science major
or a history major working in the
same place. The skills are much
more generic- working with people,
solving problems but also, just
because [the job is] not listed, doesnt
mean we dont have access to it.
If a student comes asking for
an internship in a specific field, CDI
will contact employers and target
the specific industries needed and
ask what they have to offer for the
students request.
CDI also alternates every
semester between a career fair and an
internship fair. Last years career fair
brought together 56 employers to
the campus and almost 700 students
attended, not including the number
of students that came without
signing in, which made the number
of attendees even higher than what
was recorded. This semester CDI will
organize a Career Fair on November
2.
Although Asfaw confirmed
that the office has received positive
feedback from students and that
workshops usually have a considerate
number of participants. A survey
done by The Knight News showed
that out of 100 randomly chosen
QC students, only 15 said they have
visited the Career Office, but no
more than once. Many others did
not even know the school had a CDI
office in Frese Hall.
We do promotions, outreach,
contact clubs and associations about
events to get the word out but I cant
say everybody on this campus knows
us, said Asfaw. Im sure there are
students that dont even know were
here but thats really a work-in-
progress.
shiryn@knightnews.com
STUDENT JOBS
FOR THOSE THAT VISIT, CDI HELPS FIND JOBS
SHIRYN GHERMEZIAN
News Reporter
ROBERT ROSENGARTEN
News Reporter
MARGARET ATWOOD READS FROM
HER NEW BOOK, IN OTHER WORLDS
Margaret Atwood discusses her work with Leonard Lopate
at the Queens College Evening Reading on October 11
Photo by Robert Rosengarten
10 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 11


It is impossible not to notice
the large spheres outside of Klapper
Hall. Maybe you have sat inside one
of them, or walked by them on your
way to class, but what do you really
know about them?
The artist behind the orbs is
Brooklyn-based Vito Acconci. His
sculpture Untitled (which many
people know as Spheres) was built
from 1993-95. Acconcis frustration
with the customary do not touch
signs in museums led him to
consistently create interactive art.
His goal was to create an activated
plaza in front of Klapper Hall.
When speaking about his
commission at Queens College he
stated, We want to take the word
public as literally as possible, so our
work should be public in the sense
that it is publicly usable, publicly
available, publicly accessible.
He created an interactive
space of passageways, seating and
lighting. The spheres originally
were lit from within because
Acconci wanted to have the
spheres act as furniture and the
plastic to radiate light, forming a
luminous gathering place for those
on campus.
What was once a plaza that
people just walked right through is
now a whimsical seating area thats
constantly occupied by students.
I dont think of it as art, but
rather more like an architectural
landscape, Acconci said.
His inspiration came from the
existing neo-classical granite spheres
atop pedestals on either side of the
staircase to Klapper Hall. With
these in mind, he created a world
of spheres a field of bouncing
balls in a variety of sizes so that
the originals would still fit in.
Due to the interactive nature
of the work, Untitled is in need of
restoration. The plastic is chipped,
there is damage to the outside of
the spheres and most noticeably,
the lights no longer work. There
was a recent investigation about the
restoration of this work of art, but
it was dropped, most likely due to a
lack of funding.
Most of the artwork on
campus was funded by the New
York City Percent for Art Law of
1983. This mandates that about
one percent of the cost of public
capital construction projects be
used for art (or half of one percent
if the construction cost is over $20
million). The Dormitory Authority
of the State of New York administers
the City Universitys Percent for
Art program, and Queens College
was lucky enough to receive several
sculptures, including Vito Acconcis
Untitled.
The lively installation aims
to capture the spirit of the students
of QC. The imaginative work of
Vito Acconci, serves as a permanent
reminder to think outside the box,
or in this case, outside the sphere.
melody@theknightnews.com


Klapper, Kiely and
Powdermaker to many Queens
College students, these names only
refer to buildings on campus where
they have class but behind these
names were people who were a part
of QC history and who influenced
higher education.
Oct. 30 will mark the 72nd
anniversary of the event that
gave Jefferson Hall (formally the
Administration building) its name.
According to the, Peoples College
on the Hill, Mark Eisner, Chairman
of the Board of Higher Education,
gave QC a bust of Thomas Jefferson,
created by Attilio Piccirili, on Oct.
30, 1939. The sculpture of his head,
shoulders and upper chest is still
there today. Jefferson was known
for drafting the Declaration of
Independence as the third president
of the United States and as the
founder of the University of Virginia
in 1819.
Dr. Paul Klapper, the first
president of QC, was elected into
office on May 25, 1937. The colleges
first library, Paul Klapper Library,
now Klapper Hall, was named after
him. He was the former dean of the
School of Education at City College
and after his resignation from QC in
May 1948, he went on to teach at
the University of Chicago.
According to The Peoples
College, Klapper was born in Jassy,
Romania in 1885 and was seven
years old when he came to the
United States. He was educated in
New York City and got his Ph.D.
from New York University. Klapper
received QCs first honorary degree
after he stepped down as president.
When he died on March 25, 1952,
the flags of the city colleges were
flown at half-mast.
Today the colleges library is
named after Benjamin S. Rosenthal,
who was a New York congressman
from February 1962 until his death
on Jan. 4, 1983.
Kiely Hall is named after QCs
first Dean, Margaret V. Kiely. The
building was completed in 1963 and
called Academic II, only becoming
Kiely Hall in 1983. Kiely was the
principal of the Bridgeport Norman
School in Connecticut before
becoming the dean at QC on May
25, 1937. Along with Klapper, Kiely
helped select the faculty and recruit
students, according to The Peoples
College. After Klapper stepped
down, Kiely served as president
until a replacement was found. She
was given the title Dean of Faculty
Emeritus and retired in 1960.
Construction is currently
being done in Colden Auditorium,
which was named after Judge
Charles S. Colden. The auditorium
was opened in 1960 and was part
of the Charles S. Colden Center of
Music and Speech. Colden proposed
the idea of a city college in Queens
and also suggested that the college be
created in its current location the
grounds of a closed parental school
for truant boys.
According to The Peoples College,
Colden was born on a farm in
Whitestone in 1885. He studied at
NYU Law School and was admitted
to the Bar in 1913. Before becoming
a county judge in 1935, he was the
district attorney of Queens.
1950 marked the opening of the
first newly constructed building
on campus: Remsen Hall. It was
named after accomplished chemist,
Ira Remsen, known for discovering
the artificial sweetener saccharin
with Constantine Fahlberg in
1878. He later went on to become
the president of Johns Hopkins
University. Remsen lived from
1846 to 1927 and the building
currently houses the chemistry and
biochemistry departments.
Some buildings on campus
are also named after accomplished
QC faculty members. Powdermaker
Hall was originally called the
Social Sciences Building and was
opened in 1962. In 1977, it
became Powdermaker Hall after Dr.
Hortense Powdermaker.
According to The Peoples
College, Powdermaker was one
of QCs original faculty members
and chair of the anthropology
department. She was a well -known
anthropologist who studied African
American communities and
Hollywood culture. Powdermaker
was born in Philadelphia in 1896
and died in California in 1970.
Rathaus Hall used to be the
music wing of the Colden Center
of Music and Speech because Karol
Rathaus was an accomplished
composer and member of the music
department. His works include film
scores, an opera, two ballets and
three symphonies. According to
the Music Associates of America,
Rathaus joined the QC faculty in
1940 and was a part of it until his
death in 1954 at the age of 59.
Through their names, QC
buildings keep alive the successful
individuals and prominent legacies
of those who influenced QC and
higher education.

monica@knightnews.com
THINKING OUTSIDE
THE SPHERE AT KLAPPER HALL
MELODY BATES
News Reporter
Klapper Hall before installation of
Untitled by artist Vito Acconci
Photo Courtesy: Acconci Studio
Spherical Seats Untitled outside Klapper Hall (1995)
Photo Courtesy: Acconci Studio
Queens College: A Historical Series
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BUILDINGS
MONICA PALERMO
News Reporter
Photo by Monica Palermo
The bronze bust of Thomas Jefferson by Attilio Piccirili,
located in the Jefferson Hall Welcome Center
12 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com
OVERDUE FOR QC
INVOLVEMENT WITH OC
We are witnessing Americas first true Internet-
era movement, which, unlike civil rights protests
and labor marches, it does not take its cue from a
charismatic leader and understand itself as having a
particular endpoint. What is ultimitely refreshing is
that the mainstream media is letting go of casting it
as the random, silly blather of an ungrateful and lazy
generation of weirdos.
There are a wide array of complaints,
demands, and goals from the Wall Street protesters:
the collapsing environment, labor standards, housing
policy, government corruption, World Bank lending
practices, unemployment, increasing wealth disparity
and so on. Different people have been affected by
different aspects of the same system and they believe
they are symptoms of the same core problem. One
of the more compelling issues to emerge from the
Occupy Wall Street movement is subject of crushing
student debt.
People are fired up, and mainstream media
outlets are finally reporting on the outrage that fills
our generation. Its important to take advantage of
this moment in history and continue to organize
with a more focused direction. Now that Occupy
College has succeeded in acquiring both an online
and physical presence, we cant let our anger desist.
Occupycolleges.org compiled a How to Guide
for the Nationwide Student Solidarity Protest in
Support of Occupy Wall Street. The Queens College
communiy dropped the ball on two occasions:
October 5 and October 13. Lets step up.
RAISING AWARENESS
IN OCTOBER
October has always been the month
synonymous with fictional horror. Fittingly, it is
also the horrors of our reality that are identified with
the month as well. These 31 days are used to raise
awareness about the LGBTQ community, breast
cancer, disability employment and domestic violence.
An estimated 40,170 women are expected to
die from breast cancer this year, according to the
American Cancer Society. There are approximately
572,000 reports of domestic violence that are
officially reported to federal officials each year,
according to Women in Distress of Broward County,
Inc. The unemployment rate for people with
disabilities is nearly double the rate for Americans
without a disability. LGBTQ members of 15 to
24 are four times more likely to attempt suicide
than their heterosexual peers, based on the 2007
Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey.
The above numbers indicate that if you have
not been personally affected by these issues in some
sort of way you are extremely lucky. We support
Queens Colleges steps toward raising awareness on
these issues.
Mission Statement:
We aim to serve the Queens College
community through a tireless pursuit for
truths that may be hidden, obstructed
or otherwise unknown, to empower our
readers with the information they need to
inspire change.
Editor-in-Chief: Will Sammon
Managing Editor: Salimah Khoja
Business Manager: Fred Magovern
Copy Cheif: Shiryn Ghermezian
Editorial Page Editor: Avrahmi Berkowitz
Investigative News: Melanie Bencosme
News: Sweetina Kakar
Features: Meher Mohsin
Sports Editor: Joe Trezza
Layout: Omera Begum
Photography: Bradly Levitt
Phone: 347-450-6054
contact@theknightnews.com
Logo by: Konrad Meikina
KNIGHT NEWS
STAFF EDITORIAL
Former Queens College,
philosophy club president and
creator, Dhaivat Sharma. 22, died on
the morning of Oct. 6 in the ICU of
Cornell Hospital of complications
from chemotherapy treatment after
defeating a germ cell non-seminal
tumor in his lungs.
Sharma, who was better known
as and preferred to be called Devu,
was born on Nov. 19, 1988, in Deli,
India to separated parents Sabina
Sabina and K.V. Mahobala. He came
to America when only a year and a
half old and was raised in New York.
As a junior transferring from
St. Johns University, Sharma created
and started the Philosophy Club in
QC and was also a member of the
Sci-Fi Club.
Devu used to tell his mom
that he thought that a lot of people
did not like him because he was very
outspoken and very opinionated and
to a lot people he came out arrogant.
But I feel that there is something
we should all learn from him, said
Raheema OSullivan, Sharmas friend
and former schoolmate. I feel it
was more admiral not only was he
confident [but] he always believed
that I should have faith in myself.
If I dont believe in myself than no
one is going to believe me. Thats
one philosophy he had about himself
and thats something that gave him so
much confidence.
As an only child, Sharma
was close to his mother Sabina. He
considered her to be his best friend,
according to Sabina.
Sabina spoke of a birthday card
given to her by Sharma, reminiscing
in old memories.

In the end [of the card] Devu wrote
that nothing was as beautiful as me
and the relationship we shared. I see
today how true that was, she said.
As a mother who just lost her
only son, Sabina held herself together
and seemed to accept his death, at
least to the human eye. Sharmas
known courage seemed to have been
an inheritance from his mother.
His uncle was saying when
[Devu] was in the ICU... it didnt
matter what he was saying, but the
tone he had, there was so much
strength in his tone. He was not even
fearing death, said OSullivan.
Many have his cause of death
confused, reasoning that the tumor
had defeated him. A Facebook
page made in memory of Sharma,
stated that he died due to losing his
battle with cancer. The truth is that
Sharma won his battle with cancer
but in the process of fighting back,
he faced a series of unfortunate events
caused by his treatment.
Sharmas tumor marker
detected that his germ cell count had
come down from 3000, a dangerously
high number, to 300, close to the
healthy number of 100 to 200.
On the other hand, his
chemotherapy temporarily shut down
his kidneys, which were vital organs
needed for his medication Bleomycin
to successfully work and bypass his
body. The medication, unable to
pass through his body, remained in
and damaged his lungs. This made
it difficult for Sharma to breathe,
forcing the hospital to provide
breathing assistance by putting a tube
put down his throat, which then gave
him pneumonia. After a long night
of treatment and four cardiac arrests,
Sharma died at 8 a.m.
A wake was held for him on
Oct. 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. where many
family members and friends spent the
time sharing stories and speaking in
memory of Sharma.
Sabina was pleased to see all the
people that attended her sons wake.
Devu thought people did not
like him but that was all in his head,
she said.
In the Hindu religion, which
Sharmas family practices, the spirit
stays on earth for 13 days, after which
it is set free. On the 13th day, many
rituals and prayers are performed for
a peaceful departure of the spirit. One
tradition is to feed as many people as
possible. It is said that the food eaten
in honor of the spirit will feed the
spirit itself.
Sharmas family will be holding
a special gathering on the 13th day,
Oct. 18, at their home in Richmond
Hill on 87-66 109 St. from 12 p.m.
to 8 p.m., inviting anyone that knew
Sharma to attend. It will be a day
to share stories about Sharma and
enjoy meals in his memory. Because
Sharmas death was so close to his
birthday, Sabina will also make his
favorite sweets and desserts for
everyone to enjoy.
PASSING OF DHAIVAT SHARMA, 22,
FORMER QC STUDENT
SWEETINA KAKAR
News Reporter
Dhaivat Devu Sharma, November
19, 1988- October 6, 2011
Photo Courtesy Sabina Sabina
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 13
VOICES
HOW DO YOU
STUDY FOR MIDTERMS?
I read over the notes,
the material and the
slides on Blackboard.
If you can find a way
to associate the term
you are trying to learn
with something else
or make an acronym
out of it, it helps.
- Matthew Stukilim,
24, Junior,
Psychology Major
I read the whole
textbook. Read
everything to
know what the
concepts are.
- Alec Sajdak, 18,
Freshman, Biology
I work at night,
go to school during
the day so I study
in the mornings. I
take notes, study
from the textbook
and visit the tutors
in the department
on campus.
- Nick Cipriani,
37, Junior,
Nutrition major
I compile all my
notes and terms into
a review sheet and
study from there.
- Cristina Borja, 19,
Sophomore
I sit in a quiet room
and review everything
and all my notes from
about a week before
the test. Usually study
on the weekends.
- Qi Ye, 18,
Freshman,
Computer Science
I rewrite my notes,
many times. It helps
me memorize. Flash
cards dont work
so well for me.
- Amanda
Negron, 21,
Junior, Finance
I just pay attention
and listen well in
class, take good notes
and read my notes
the night before. I
try not to stress so
I dont blank out
before the test.
- George Kosmetatos,
22, Senior,
Nutrition major
14 | October 18, 2011 www.theknightnews.com
L
et me tell you about the Queens
College athletics public address
announcer, Alex Garrett. You should
know who he is.
I called Alex when I became the sports
editor of The Knight News in the summer
of 2010. We met face to face a month or so
after and shamefully, I was astounded when
I learned that the voice of QC athletics, if
you will, had one leg, moved with the help
of forearm crutches and still, somehow,
rollerbladed around campus.
Alex suffers from VATER Association,
a pattern of related birth defects in the
same infant involving three or more of the
following body parts: vertebrae (spine),
anus and rectum, heart, trachea (windpipe),
esophagus, radius (bone of the arm) and
kidneys. Infants can have any combination of
features and there is a wide range of severity.
The reason it is called an association rather
than a syndrome is that while all of the birth
defects are linked, it is still unknown which
genes or sets of genes cause these birth defects
to occur. Survival and medical complications
depend on the extent and severity of features
in each case. Limb defects occur in up to 70
percent of babies with VATER Association.
It doesnt define me here, said Alex,
referring to the QC campus. They didnt
know I was going to survive the first 77
days of my life. Ive always not taken life for
granted.
That much I found out rather quickly
about him. Having a disability has never
stopped him; he is not one to sulk. Ever since
he was a kid, becoming a sports play by play
announcer has been his dream. Alex, who
will turn 20 on Oct. 20, arrived at QC in
the fall of 2010 and wasted little time getting
involved with the athletics program. He had
Carl Christian, the head coach of the women
soccer team, on his WQMC radio show that
fall and the following spring he was asked to
be the athletics P.A. announcer.
October is National Disability
Employment Awareness Month. Alex is one
of 32 million disabled adults, according to
the U.S. Census Bureau. He also represents a
huge portion of people that not only want to
perform a job, but can also do it well if given
the opportunity.
While the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 has made great strides in the area
of employment for people with disabilities,
20 years after the ADA took effect, only
one-third of Americans with disabilities were
employed, even though more than two-thirds
of unemployed people with disabilities said
they would like to work. Clearly, we must even
the playing field, depending on employers
willing to change their attitudes about hiring
people with disabilities.
The government is seemingly doing
its part. Last month, the U.S. Department
of Labor set aside $21 million under the
Disability Employment Initiative to improve
education, training and employment
opportunities for youth and adults who are
unemployed, underemployed or receiving
Social Security disability benefits. The
departments Employment and Training
Administration and its Office of Disability
Employment Policy jointly funded the
initiative.
QC did the right thing by hiring Alex
and it has nothing to do with him being
physically disabled. It was the right move
because he flat out deserved it. When he
graduates in a couple of years, the idea
to retain his employment with the school
through the athletics department should be a
no brainer.
Who knows, maybe I would be that
comfortable here that I would stay and keep
doing this. I just want to make sure what Ive
done here is not going to die, Alex said in
response to whether or not he would want to
do his job after graduation.
In 2010, I was shocked to learn how
determined Alex was to pursue his dream
and to this day I am still moved by him.
He makes nearly every home game there is
and still attends five classes. Most college
students do not put half the time, devotion
and spirit into achieving a career goal that this
upper sophomore does on one leg. When I
mentioned that to him the other day, he only
offered a huge grin and a laugh. Though he
may not admit it, his smile assures me that he
is quite aware of how much of an inspiration
he is to everyone on this campus and the
larger community that he is a part of.
Queens College athletics public
address announcer Alex Garrett
does not allow himself to be
defined by his disability.
SWIMMING UPSTREAM:
IN A MONTH OF AWARENESS,
ALEX GARRETT IS A
YEARLONG REMINDER
Photo Courtesy of Alex Garrett
WILL SAMMON
www.theknightnews.com October 18, 2011 | 15
The Lady Knights needed
to win against visitng C.W. Post
on Oct. 11 to prevent a nine game
losing streak.
However, after staging a
furious rally, the volleyball team fell
to Post in a five-set, heartbreaking
fashion. The loss dropped Queens
record to 0-6 in conference play and
2-12 overall.
The Lady Knights lost the
first set 25-19, looking lethargic
and unorganized just as they have
all season long.
It was like here we go
again, QC student Anthony Nappi
said. They just seemed like theyre
werent on the same page.
But QC would regroup in
the second and third sets, winning
by a score of 25-17 and 25-20
respectively.
The Lady Knights were
executing their assignments with
enthusiasm and communicating
with head coach Leanna Taylor,
who was on the court most of the
match screaming instructions and
plays like an army general.
But in the fourth set, with the
score 10-8, the Pioneers appeared to
have served out of order, prompting
an argument from Taylor that the
serve shouldnt count and that the
Knights should be rewarded the
ball. The referee disagreed and
turned down Taylors request, and
the Pioneers went on to win the set
25-19.
Senior Jovana Pavlovic
(match-best 25 kills, 15 digs) swatted
down a kill and set up an assisted
block to give the Lady Knights a
3-1 edge in the final set, then Post
took advantage of two errors to tie
the score. The teams traded two
points each until the score was 9-9,
when senior Stephanie Schroeder
registered back-to-back kills to give
QC an 11-9 advantage.
After the Post tied the game,
the teams began trading points
once again, with finally Pavloic and
Posts Makamae Namahoe (12 kills,
match-best 20 digs) swapping kills
to knot up the score at 15-15. But,
an assisted block by Posts Stephanie
Schwarz and Namahoe was followed
by a Jordan Schroer (13 kills, 12
digs) kill that ended it.
We like to keep things
interesting for the fans, Taylor said.
Im disappointed right now. We
have to improve our desire and our
urgency.
The Queens College mens soccer team
will look to take down undefeated C.W. Post
and leapfrog into first place when they host
the Pioneers on Saturday, Oct. 22 at home.
After stumbling out of the gate, head
coach Carl Christians Knights (6-3-3 overall)
have picked it up as of late, going undefeated
in their last seven matches overall before
falling to NYIT 2-1 on Oct. 21.
Currently second place in the East Coast
Conference with a 3-0-1 record in conference
play, Queens has rode a combination of
timely scoring, stifling defense and gritty
goalkeeping to get to this point. They have
recorded shutouts in 10 of their 15 matches
this season. In fact, when NYIT midfielder
Vinny Caccavale found the back of the net
on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute of their
match last Saturday, the goal ended a streak
of 551 scoreless minutes registered by Knight
defense.
Ranked #3 nationally in the NCAA
Division II, the defending ECC champion
Pioneers (12-0-1 overall, 4-0-1 ECC) have
done most of their damage on the offensive
side of the ball. Led by Evind Austboe (ECC-
leading 12 goals and 26 points) and Cemil
Turan (10 goals, 24 points), Post sits atop
the conference not only in overall record,
but in points, goals and shots on goal as well.
Overall this season, including non-conference
play, they have scored 32 goals and allowed
only 11.
We heard Post is a very good team but
that doesnt scare us, said junior Peter Touros
(seven goals). Theyre coming to our house
and we usually take care of business at home.
The Knights will spend an entire week
on the practice field working on ways to stop
the Pioneers high-powered offensive attack.
They will need to rely on continued solid play
by junior Danny Stoker, who has performed
well in his first season as a defenseman,
and goaltenders Demetrios Touros (Peters
brother) and Nelson Restrepo, who have split
time this fall.
Peter Touros acknowledged that coach
Christian has done some fine tuning this
season, most notably with the roles of Stoker
and the goaltenders. He said the changes
have given the team a better chemistry and
has gotten all the players more comfortable
with one another in the past weeks.
As for Saturdays battle for first place
versus Post?
We have the talent and the heart,
Touros said. We will do just fine.
With additional reporting by Ximena
Gallego
KNIGHTS LOOK FORWARD TO
MEETING FIRST PLACE POST
JOE TREZZA
Sports Reporter
Oct. 22, 2011 2 p.m. - Queens
College Soccer Field
C.W. Post vs. Queens College
C.W. Post Pioneers:
Head Coach: Andreas
Lindberg (2nd season)
Record: 4-0-1 ECC,
12-0-1 Overall
Player to Watch: Evind Austboe
Queens College Knights:
Head Coach: Carl
Christian (1st season)
Record: 3-0-1 ECC, 6-3-3 Overall
Player to Watch: Danny Stoker
LOSING STREAK NEARING DOUBLE DIGITS
MATT BAGUTH
Sports Reporter
Suzanne Byrne leads the Lady Knights with 209 digs.
Photo by Bradly Levitt
KNIGHT NEWS SPORTS
KNIGHTS
CHASE
FIRST
Senior Daniel Ospina and the Knights will face o against unbeaten
C.W. Post on Saturday, Oct. 22 to decide the conference top spot.
Photo by Bradly Levitt