THE

JArreAu FreemAN 11 Weeks after Hurricane Irene, and other torrential downpours inundated the Philadelphia region, many Chestnut Hill College students have concerns surrounding missed classes as a result of the lower parking lot flooding. Im afraid that all of my professors will increase the work load to make up for missed classes, said Faith Baldini, 13. If all of my professors do the same thing, it will be unbearable. I have one professor who has given us two major assignments as make-up work. John Nguyen,12, is also concerned that the flooding will affect the academic calendar. I hope that the administration does not add more classes to the end of the spring semester, said Nguyen. I dont want graduation day pushed back. The students fears and concerns are not looked at lightly by the college administration. Thus far, the academic decisions that have been made were done so with the college community in mind. As of right now, there is no change to the academic calendar, said Dr. Kenneth Soprano, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. We still reserve the possibility of adding time at the end of the year if weather does not cooperate. However, at this point, adding classes will be a last resort. Since students have lost two class days, as a result of the flooding, faculty agreed that extra assignments would be the best way to compensate for time lost. I discussed with the Faculty Senate what would be the

The Free Student Newspaper of Chestnut Hill College

GRIFFIN
Philadelphia, PA October 2011

Flooding Causes Change to Coursework

Students deprived of meal money

WeSTly MANDOSKe 13 As a junior, Ive pretty much become a creature of habit. On many nights, I find myself in the Griffins Den with my friends snacking and carousing. On my first visit to the Den this year, I was surprised by the changes to the swipe system: points only after 9:30 p.m. Those fifty flexdollars came in handy then to pay, but I was a little confused. After exploring these recent changes, Im more than a little miffed. In my opinion, the new rules seem designed to con me out of the money that Ive already put into the till. The rules severely restrict meal times and your freedom of choice. Thus far, I have spent more points paying for my lunch in the Den simply because the new rules prevent me from going there to use my meal swipe before 1 p.m.. On the whole, this change seems strange. I can understand that there might be a financial motivation for Dining Services to save money, but I do not see how they can cry poverty when resident students pay in advance in their room and board charges. That amounts to about $1600 per semester. Something is not right with that system. When we dont use the meal that we pre-paid for during the allotted hours, we get penalized and we lose the value of that meal, forever. There is no way we can appeal to get that money back. Considering that I rarely go to breakfast, thats over $30 dollars per week that Dining Services keeps that I cannot ever reclaim. Apparently Im not the only one whos taken notice. Fellow students have taken notice of the incredible pace with which Dining Services has changed policy with little Meal Money Continued on Page 6

From the Opinion Section

best ways for students to make up the missed classes, said Dr. Soprano. We discussed the possibility of doing away with fall break and/or adding an extra day or two to the end of the semester, which would extend finals week into a Saturday or the following Monday. However, many faculty members thought the best solution would be for students to do extra assignments. As a result, each professor is required to add an additional assignment to their syllabus. The supplementary assignment is then reviewed and approved by Dr. Soprano and the Student Affairs Office. The additional assignments are then made available to the students and parents so that they are aware of how the flood days are being made up. Though extra work is being distributed, there is anxiety among students and faculty as to how they will remain on track if more severe weather enters our area. There is always the possibility of more heavy rain or a snow day at the end of the semester, said Dr. Soprano. In these cases we would encourage faculty to use Blackboard to conduct discussions, to post reading material, and course assignments to make up for the lost class time. But Dr. Soprano makes it clear that, Just because classes are not being held, does not mean we place all of the responsibility to make up the lost time on the students shoulders. As always, professors will work with them to assist them. many professors have already taken advantage of Blackboard and have utilized it during the two flood days to keep their classes on track. Dr.

image: Trevor Phelps 14

Flood waters receed from the softball field after Tropical Storm Katia.
Lorraine Coons, Professor of History, communicated with her students through Blackboard regarding changes to the syllabus and make-up assignments. In two of my classes, I had the students seeing a film, which was originally scheduled to be shown in class, outside of class time, said Dr. Coons. In another class, Ive moved a field trip to a Saturday and will use the class time to make up missed work. In a similar way, english Professor Dr. Keely McCarthy, has also made great use of Blackboard to keep her classes from falling far behind. Not the day of the hurricane, but later in the week, I emailed my students an introduction to some of the major terms that we were going to cover in class, said Dr. McCarthy. I also required them to watch a video, and assigned readings to introduce them to their possible research topics. Though there may be nothing the college can do to prevent flooding from occurring in the lower lot, the college does plan to create an indoor parking garage, which can be seen in the Master Plan for the college. However, right now, more practical preventative measures are being taken. We are constantly monitoring water levels of the creek during a storm, said Dr. Soprano. Once the water levels of the creek reach ten feet at the Ft. Washington Campus Flooding Issues Continued on Page 6

NEWS

2 STYLE

4 Opinion

6 Sports

The Griffin

GRIFFIN
Vol. II, Issue 2 The Free Student Newspaper of Chestnut Hill College Olivia Marcinka 13 Editor-in-Chief Interim Opinions Editor Mary Marzano 12 Managing Editor Westly Mandoske 13 Business Manager Zac Grubb 12 News Editor Jen Jones 12 Style Editor Bleu Lane 12 Style Editor Marilee Gallagher 14 Sports Editor Mary Frances Cavallaro 13 Online Editor Jess Veazey 13 Photo Editor Michael Bradley 14 Design Director Skyler Stillwaggon 14 Layout Staff Hannah Campbell 11 Copy Editor Dana Consalvo 12 Copy Editor Liz Campbell 12 Copy Editor Jessica Pennell 14 Copy Editor Susan Magee, M.F.A. Advisor The Griffin strives for accuracy and fair representation in all of its publications and correctness. If an error is found, e-mail the issue number, the article in which the error was found, and the correction that needs to be made. The resulting correction may be printed in the next edition of The Griffin. Make your opinion heard by submitting letters to the editor or contributions to The Griffin. Submissions become property of The Griffin and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. The views represented in submissions do not represent the views of the College or the Griffins Advisor. Submissions also do not neccessarily represent The Griffins position.

THE

Campus Parking: The Big Picture

eBONy WASHINgTON 11 For the past month, students at Chestnut Hill College have felt agitated when it comes to parking on campus. The parking lots on campus were the target for not one but two storms; Hurricane Irene, and tropical storm Katya. These two storms completely destroyed the lower parking lot and had an impact on who could park on campus and who could not. Because so many parking spots were lost in the storms, many students felt they had no choice but to create spots by parking on the grass or other areas. We understand people have to create spots; however, at a certain point safety overrides convenience, said Krista Bailey Murphy, Dean of Student life. When students creating spaces poses a threat to the safety of others, they have to be ticketed. For example, shuttles had to take detours around the back end of the schools parking lot. This made them run late, because they could not fit through the front of St. Joes due to students creating their own parking spaces. Another issue that murphy pointed out was that if there was a fire, the fire trucks would not have been able to fit into the premises because of how cluttered the entrance was. Other resident students living on main campus were upset that they had to park at Sugarloaf and were ticketed for parking on main campus. Taking the shuttle back and forth was time consuming, said Danielle Knott 13. murphy feels that temporarily requiring all resident students to park at Sugarloaf and ticketing cars was important. It helped to enforce the policy and it created spots for the people coming onto campus versus residents remaining in the same spot all week and adding to the difficulty of finding graduate and accelerated students parking. At Chestnut Hill College, the cost for commuter student parking is $5.95, followed by accelerated and graduate students at $140; which compared to other larger schools in the area, is actually reasonable. St. Josephs university students, for example, pay $730 for reserved

image: Jess Veazey 13

The lower lot shortly after the flood waters receeded.

parking, $202 for commuter and $318 for resident, and according to a source there, students sometimes have to walk at least a mile to class from the parking lot. April Williams 13, was ticketed for parking by the tennis courts. I was upset that I received the ticket, said Williams, but I did not realize that grad students paid the amount they do for parking, nor that my car was taking up space for others in the lot. Since the lower lot was reopened on Sept. 26, the need to create parking spaces has been alleviated, but parking remains tight. murphy added that parking is a problem on almost every campus. Its not going to be perfect, she said, but the staff has done its best to accommodate students by allowing them leeway when creating space. As part of the colleges master Plan, the administration is hoping to build two parking garages. One garage would be built at Sugarloaf and the other will be located on the main campus. Murphy says that this will allow more green area throughout campus instead of one campus being filled with parking lots.

Students Experience the Irish Way of Life

JILL mCFArLAND 15 Anna St. Hilarie 12 couldnt bear the anticipation she felt while waiting for her connecting flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Dublin, Ireland. She couldnt sleep, couldnt relax, and could not wait. Anna had always wanted to travel to Ireland, and she had finally had her chance to go with one of her close friends, Caroline Stutz 12. The seven hour flight had them both thinking, I wish I could just close my eyes and be there. Caroline wanted to see as much of Ireland as she could and also keep herself busy. To her, there was no reason to pass up any opportunity it had to offer. Anna made a mature decision before she left to put all expectations aside and go into her trip to Ireland with a complete open mind to the people, the culture and the overall essence of the country. She set aside all stereotypes, all ideas of what any street corner or building would look like and went into Ireland with a sense of wonder. Anna also felt a connection to the country because of her roots; part of her felt like she was at a second home or a place her subconscious was comfortable in. Anna and Caroline stayed in rathmines Square which is easily accessible to shops and restaurants. It was, however, over a mile away from their university. Neither of them was bothered by the walk to class, which included a stretch along a canal near to farmers market products once a week, and a variety of sights and sounds. The long walk to class helped both Anna and Caroline develop a sense of direction in the streets of Dublin and acclimate to their overall surroundings. Two classes were offered to Anna and Caroline; Irish History and Politics and Irish Literature. The school itself offered excursions between classes where they explored places they were learning about. Visiting the James Joyce Tower and Theatre after learning all about the author and his life was a show and tell of sorts. During a trip to the Cliffs of moher, Anna and Caroline had lunch at OConnors Pub in Doolin. After a tip from a local, they both ordered the Beef and Guinness Stew. It was slow cooked and reduced with guinness beer, mixed with carrots, potatoes and savory beef gravy. They both said it was the best meal they had in Ireland. Also, the fresh produce Ireland offered was unlike American fruits and vegetables. Made with fewer preservatives, it lasts for a shorter amount of time but was, definitely fresher. unlike other countries, the Irish were interested to hear about America and the way Americans live. Anna met an Irish man at a restaurant who, after learning she was American, asked her to explain the politics and history of our nation. Anna and Caroline both agreed theyve never been someplace quite so welcoming. Anna felt Ireland had an underlying sense of magic; everyone was open-hearted, there was a balance between city and country and a rich history. Caroline loved rural Ireland, the rustic countryside and the relaxed attitude of its people. They both wish to go back to Ireland someday, maybe even to live there. Both Anna and Caroline felt that their independent personalities as well as the convenience of the study abroad program helped them feel right at home in Ireland. Interested in writing, photographing, layout or design? Email The Griffin at griffin.chc@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook.
contributed: Anna St. Hilaire 12

Anna St. Hilaire 12 and Caroline Stutz 12 at the Cliff of Moher.

Staff Spotlight
NICOLe HeIgL 14 It is 7:30 in the morning and the doors to the cafeteria are just opening at Chestnut Hill College. Stressed, sleepdeprived students walk sleepily into the cafeteria and head straight to the back. There, Ms. Nancy awaits them as her day begins. Good morning, baby! What are ya havin? she asks with a loving and energetic tone. From 7:30 to 9:30 every morning she is behind the omelet station providing eggs, advice, and best of all, her hugs. Ms. Nancy Anne Barrett was born in raised in germantown, Pa., which is where she also raised her children. She has eight grandchildren, whom she loves very much, and enjoys all of the time she can get with them. Ms. Nancy has worked at CHC for 21 years. During that time she has not only touched the hearts of thousands of students, she was also presented with the Sister of St. Joseph award; given to those at CHC who have demonstrated the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph. She was also the speaker at the senior dinner a few years ago, something that she was extremely honored to do. Ms. Nancy is awesome, said lea Gavaris, 15. I came in sick yesterday and she told me to drink hot tea with honey and lemons. I feel a lot better. The most intriguing thing about Ms. Nancy is her sense of intuition. She knows when something is not right with a student and picks up on it right away. Ms. Nancy revisited a past experience when a student came through her line and she could just tell something was wrong. She asked the student what was wrong and she confided in Ms. Nancy. She spoke with the student and helped her through a very difficult decision. After, Ms. Nancy gave her a hug; she says she is touched to have helped someone in need. Sister Alma rose knows that Ms. Nancy is one of the reasons why students love Chestnut Hill. Students have told Sister Alma that they need to start their day right every morning by seeing Ms. Nancy. But Ms. Nancy does not think of CHC as a job. She thinks of each student as her own. She especially loves when students come back to visit and tell her what they are doing with their lives. everyone knows CHC would be lost without Ms. Nancy, her motherly ways and kind words. She says she is blessed to be able to give kids love, advice and good food!

NEWS

The Griffin

3
image: Jess Veazey 13

The Solaris Grill has been transformed into Chetnut Hill 7 at 8201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118.

A New Hot Spot in Town

Kelly MCKAy 12 Are you sick of the cafeteria and the Griffins Den offering the same food night after night? It is time to try something new, and it is even within walking distance of the college. If you turn onto germantown Avenue and head uphill into town youll eventually run into Chestnut 7, a mile and a half up the road on the left. Chestnut 7 (CH7) is Chestnut Hills newest restaurant and bar. It opened less than two months ago and is already a popular hot-spot among locals. NBC 10 news anchor, Dawn Timmeney, has even stopped by on a few occasions to enjoy a late-night cocktail outside with friends. CH7 is located where Solaris grille used to be; yet the interior has been completely redesigned. Upon walking into CH7 you immediately notice the unique lighting fixtures, large flat-screen televisions, historical photographs scattered across the walls, high-top communal tables and spacious bar. CH7 has outdoor seating as well as a quieter dining room for those who prefer lower seating and a more serene atmosphere. The restaurants outside dining space is the largest currently offered in town. One of the great things about Chestnut 7 is that you can come in with 15 friends and either hang out at the bar or grab a table, said Tommy Stokes, manager of CH7. We have large group services that arent offered anywhere else in Chestnut Hill. This upscale American pub is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The menu varies from simple appetizers and typical bar food to the catch of the day, which consistently sells out each night. On the dinner menu you will find one of CH7s signature appetizers, Tys memphis Nachos which has pulled pork, coleslaw and cheddar cheese on top of tortilla chips. There are also various types of salads, burgers and pizza including the buf-

falo chicken pizza and short rib pizza. Brunch items range from eggs benedict to sausage gravy and chicken and dumplings. Joe reid 12, stopped in a few weeks ago to try CH7s margarita pizza. The place looks so much nicer than Solaris, and I loved that I could relax and watch the game, said Reid. The pizza was amazing too! Stokes shared that a few changes may be made to the outdoor patio in the future. Starting in November, there could possibly be live acoustic music on the weekends. Hours of operation: monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 2 a.m. Dinner is served until 10 p.m. monday through Thursday and Sunday, and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

creative writing minor hits chc

DANA CONSALVO 12 The english department of Chestnut Hill College introduced a new creative writing minor this semester that allows students yet another way to explore their creative sides. This minor focuses on writing short fiction, nonfiction, poetry and even graphic novels. Faculty members have often heard students complain about how they are not able to be creative in their writing assignments. This minor is all about writing and improving the skills that are needed to become a successful creative writer. The creative writing minor is open to all; you do not have to be in the english or Communications programs to participate. The College is full of talented writers in all fields, and they are welcome, said Karen Getzen, Ph.D., english Professor and Coordinator of the Creative Writing minor. you will be exposed to some of the best creative writing and you will build your own portfolio. While building a portfolio is possible to do on your own, you will be at a great advantage if you take part in this new minor. Most of us work best with a group, and with a group of like-minded people who are supportive and focused, added Getzen. To complete this minor you need to earn 18 credits or six classes. Some of the classes offered are: creative writing, writing literary non-fiction, poetry, writing short fiction, script writing and graphic novel writing. you will also have the chance to publish your writing in our Literary magazine, The grackle, and our newspaper, The Griffin. If you are interested, you can get the minor registration form from the Registrar. you will be able to complete the small amount of paperwork required by meeting with both your advisor and Dr. Getzen (Room 207 Saint Josephs Hall). For students who think they would like to write but are uncertain of their skills or dedication, this is a perfect way to try it. Take a class and find out if you are interested. For more information please contact Dr. Getzen at GetzenK@chc.edu.

image: Taylor eben 14

Ms. Nancy serving breakfast and love from behind the egg station.

The Griffin

Why I am Giving Up on Halloween Costumes

BLEU LANE 12 When it comes to Halloween costumes, I feel like Lindsay Lohan when she goes to the costume party in the movie Mean Girls. She shows up, in her over-thetop costume, while all of the other girls prance around wearing next to nothing and gawk at her. I havent always had such a bad relationship with Halloween costumes. In fact, Halloween was always my favorite day as a child because my mom made me the best costumes. But alas, Im 21 now and a home-made Loonette the Clown costume is not quite socially acceptable. I have to give up on Halloween costumes because the process of selecting one is too stressful. First of all, you have to decide what you want to be. Last Halloween, I really wanted to be Nancy Spungen. I wanted to go all out and smear red paint on my chest (because I would have been Nancy after she was stabbed by Sid Vicious) but then, I was informed that might be a bit much. So, I settled for being a zombie. Even then I was told that a zombie isnt pretty. My second costume last year wasnt so much a costume as it was an idea. My intent was to be one of the Huxtables from the Cosby Show (because I have a large collection of big, ugly sweaters) but I wound up just looking like some girl in a big, ugly sweater. I dont like buying costumes from party stores because no matter what the costume is supposed to be, all of the female ones are just different variations of tight, short dresses. Police officer? Tight blue dress with a badge. Firefighter? Tight red dress with a hose to carry around. Scientist? Tight white dress that vaguely resembles a lab coat. Halloween costumes for girls over the age of 18 are basically just as little clothing as possible with one key accessory that allows you to call it a cos-

STYLE
tume. Tight black dress? Throw a headband with ears attached and youre a cat. I have to give up on Halloween costumes because I am a Halloween costume purist. By that, I mean that I believe costumes are supposed to be crazy and over the top. Dr. Frank-n-Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show or Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice, those are costume ideas I like. When Cher went to a Halloween party as a mermaid in the movie Mermaids and was holding up her shiny tail all night, I knew that one day I had to craft the perfect mermaid costume. Even though I keep saying I have to give up on Halloween costumes, Im sure Ill change my mind and decide to throw something together this year. Maybe this will be the year I make a metallic mermaid tail of my own and hope that somewhere out there, someone else is keeping the creativity alive and not selling out to the tight dresses. 4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): Quite possibly the most visceral and downright scary film on this list, Tobe Hoopers classic slasher flick had made Leatherface one of the scariest, and most sought after Halloween masks out there. 3. Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966): Cmon, how could it not qualify? 2. The Exorcist (1973): So good that it has been one of the few horror films to escape the dreaded curse of having a bad remake, this film will keep you up all nightfor days. 1. Halloween (1978): John Carpenters classic has set the gold standard for what it means to produce a truly great horror film. Unrelentingly scary and truly haunting, Michael Myers is the complete embodiment of the pure evil that Halloween supposedly brings about.

Kick Off Halloween Season With our Staff s Favorite Movies

EVAN RODENHAUSEN 15 We all remember Halloween as kids. We were able to go to school dressed up as monsters, and later went out to stalk the streets as our favorite creatures, grabbing candy for hours, and then eating until we were sick to our stomachs. Now, were older and though some may still go Trick r Treating this year, the rest of us can turn off the lights, crank up the surround sound, and scare ourselves to death with these 10 flicks that will make our skin crawl. 10. The Shining (1980): Perhaps the finest adaption of a Stephen King book, Stanley Kubricks classic tale of isolation and madness is a long one, but keeps you gripped with thrills from beginning to end. 9. The Birds (1963): This Alfred Hitchcock classic takes a seemingly benign animal and turns it into a creature to haunt your dreams. Crows still make me uneasy. 8. Trick r Treat (2007): This collection of several loosely connected tales serves terrifically as a great mesh of all the best types of horror films. Scary, funny, and downright weird, this film is a modern classic. 7. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Wes Cravens original flick about Freddy Krueger remains one of the most imaginative and haunting horror films to date. 6. Shaun of the Dead (2004): Though it may be a comedy film, this classic zombie spoof packs more than enough scares to make this list. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968): King of Zombie flicks, George A. Romero, turns the scare factor up to 11 in the movie that started them all. A definite must. KRISSTEN APPENZELLAR 11 Tis the season to be frightened. Fa la la la la la la la. Ok, thats not how the song goes, but its that time of year where we like to curl up on the couch on a brisk autumn images: imdb.com night and scream our heads off. Here are a few films you should watch if you want a good scare:

Let the Right One In:

This Swedish film based on a novel is a blend of adolescent romance and murderous blood sucking vampires. If this description reminds you of Twilight get that thought out of your head. It has not a single sparkly vampire. Rather, a young girl who befriends her neighbor. This girl just so happens to be a vampire. When she sees that her friend is being bullied at school, she attacks the bullies. Yes, just like many, many horrors movies there is an American counterpart to this film. But reading subtitles is worth it because the movie just loses something in translation.

I dont know about you but I love B-list horror movies. Its like a car wreck. You want to look away but you cant. This particular film is aimed toward the clownfearing set. After a night of partying, some rowdy teenagers go to a fast food restaurant called Hella-Burger. There, they are murdered by the restaurants clown mascot. At the same time, a girl (Gossip Girls Leighton Meester) and her boyfriend are playing with a Ouija Board. The board tells them the license plate number of the murdered teens car. After developing pictures from her once lost camera, the girl finds photos of the dead teenagers. Later, Meesters character and her friends are taken by the clown. They somehow escape from him and all is right with the world. This is a great movie to watch if you want to make fun of awful horror movies. Its not a great movie to watch if you are afraid of clowns or fast food.

Drive-Thru:

The Last House on the Left:

The trend in horror movies has recently been to recycle the old ones and make them new again. The Last House on the Left is an example of a well done remake. The original was made in 1972. The updated 2009 version is much more bloody and graphic. The plot is as follows: A young girl is beaten and shot by a group of escaped convicts. Later, they are forced to seek refuge in a house that just so happens to belong to the young girls parents. Realizing that their daughters attackers are in their home, they exact revenge on the group. Just a warning: some of the scenes are really graphic. Do not watch this if you have a weak stomach.

The Griffin

Style Spotter: October 2011

Jill McFarland 15 Rob Sannicandro 15 Cassandra Guttierez 14 Helena DeBald 14

images: Jessica Veazey 13

Tweets of the Month

dressin up 4 fashion week!!! ugg boots and spandex lyke WHOA -@FriendFromHS

If the economy gets any worse well have to learn Greek. -@BetteMidler

When I die, I just want my tombstone to read George Clooney. That ought to pull in some visitors. -@ConanOBrien

I just got my swagger back... i totally put it in the front pocket of my jansport and forgot #duh -@diplo

Red Hot Chilli Peppers Release Im With You

images: amazon.com

KYLE MICK 15 During their five year hiatus, the Red Hot Chili Peppers had a lot to think about since their last studio album, Stadium Arcadium. One of those thoughts being the departure of John Frusciante. John Frusciante left the band in late 2009. The Red Hot Chili Peppers stated that Mentally, John checked out a long time ago. Hes interested in doing his own thing, his own albums the whole big rock band machinery just doesnt appeal to him anymore. Josh Klinghoffer is the replacement guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and plays mostly

the same way as John Frusciante on the Red Hot Chili Peppers new album, Im With You. The beginning of the album starts off with Monarchy of Roses, which gives the listener the eclectic, pop rock, funky vibe that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for in all of their other albums. But after that the songs just sort of seep from one into another. The problem with the new CD is not the guitar work, the bass work, the drummer, or the singer. No, the problem with this CD is that the band uses the same formula for every song, a formula that the Red Hot Chili Peppers just cant seem to break out

of. I really tried to like this album, but their songs just dont seem to add anything interesting, new, or creative to the sound of rock-and-roll or to their band. With the addition of this new guitarist they could have really taken a different approach and redefined themselves as a band not a brand. While songs like Monarchy of Roses, Ethiopia, and Annie Wants a Baby try to tie this album together, other songs on this CD just seem to fall flat to me. However, even though some of these songs seem to go nowhere, if youre a Red Hot Chili Pepper purist this CD is a must have.

The Griffin

Subjective Scrutiny

A Nice Cup of Tea: Left Wing in Need of a Tea Party

DAVID FORSTER 12 The Republican Party was pronounced dead by several national news sources on Nov. 4, 2008. While the Republicans attempted to change the image they had been given, the Democrats were following a young, and charismatic leader named Barack Obama who had achieved a Senate and Congressional super majority. Under Obamas banner of hope and change, the people felt they were in safe hands going in to the future. Fast forward just three years. Now, the Democrats only have a slight majority in the Senate and the people have lost faith in the man they thought would bring overnight change and an America which would feature low prices, high employment, and a unicorn for every man, woman, and child. The economy is stagnating, the jobs arent showing up, and, more disappointing still, many find themselves without unicorns. The Democrats have not followed up on many of the stances that got them elected, leaving many of their former followers bewildered. Out of his millions of promises, Obama did his best to make three of them stick. The health care bill, created with the intent to give anybody the best possible care, was watered down to near pointlessness and still has yet to be implemented. Guantanamo Meal Money Continued from Page 1 to no notification to students. And theyre also not happy about their missing money. Among those is Stephan Wolfert 14 who is the SGA Vice-President of Student Life. Hes dissatisfied with the additional restrictions placed on students meal plans and is working to correct this turn of events. He has already approached College officials about what might be done concerning the new policies. Either way, Im hoping that he can really make a difference. Despite all of the shenanigans going on with Dining Services, I think I might have a feasible solution. The three meal swipes should be usable at any time during the day from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. for the current meal exchanges. After 9:30 p.m., any remaining meals should be converted into points at half value: approximately $3.13 in points. Its sort of a compromise between the Bay, a place under mass scrutiny due to its torture of people accused of terrorism (even toward people with no evidence against them), is still open and still going about its normal business. Tax cuts implemented by the Bush White House towards the rich, which during his campaign Obama called a bad decision, have been kept. He did, however, end the war in Afghanistan only to join in the attacks against Libya, a country that may be more dangerous and one we know much less about. There is only one real option: Liberals need a Tea Party. For those of you who are not up to date on the current political landscape of America, the Tea Party is a group of Right wing activists following the ideals of Ronald Reagan and political philosopher Ayn Rand. They believe that with less spending and government intervention, more money would be available to the people therefore improving the economy. Furthermore, they believe that by lowering taxes on the richest of the rich, they will create jobs through their purchases and within the businesses they personally own. As a few succeed in effort, many will be able to follow in their wake. However, many on the Left wing of the political spectrum feel very differently. They believe that with less government intervention comes more corruption. The more that corruption infiltrates top corporaexisting rules and allows for a lot more freedom and mobility in students dining options. Im hoping to see this changed soon, because I am still waiting on word about the Social Room caf. If they plan on using some sort of swipe or point system, being able to convert that missed meal into a late-night coffee sounds like a win. Campus Flooding Continued from Page 1 monitoring station, we know we will flood within the next hour or two and therefore need to clear the parking lots. Because of this, Dr. Soprano encourages students to register their cars and sign up to have emergency notifications sent to their cell phones for easy communication. Unfortunately, the three cars that were left in the lower lot, during the flooding, were not registered and their owners could not be contacted to move them to higher ground, said Dr. Soprano.

OPINION
tions, the more the common man will suffer. To bolster their claim, they offer the bank melt down of the early 2000s. As opposed to Ronald Reagan and Ayn Rand, the Left believes in the practices of Franklin D. Roosevelts new deal. The 32nd president of the United States believed that if people were to succeed once again, the pump must be primed. If the government spends more money now, they will make more in the long run. The Left and Right are consistently at loggerheads, with both sides calling the others plans completely irrational. The Right claims the Lefts plan goes against logic while the Left claims the Rights plans defy history. Neither side will give an inch. As soon as a few politicians associated themselves with the Tea Party movement, the political pendulum swung in favor of the Right. By simply reminding politicians their constituents elected them for a reason and would get angry if they dont fulfill their promises, a restructuring of the budget based more on what the constituents wanted was created. By threatening to call people nasty names, the Tea Party has successfully kept Bush era tax-cuts under Barack Obama, who had previously been outspoken against them. And the Democrats keep saying Well get them next time. But when exactly is next time?
Make your opinion heard by submitting letters to the editor or contributions to The Griffin. Submissions are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Submissions represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent The Griffins position. Please send all letters or article ideas to Olivia Marcinka at marcinkao@chc.edu.

PaperLength Tyranny
KAYCEE FLORE 13 Short and to the point, that to me is the simplest form of communication. Reading between the lines, using the feathery metaphor, this just leaves room for hazy interpretation. That being said, it seems to me that professors are begging us to write papers that are so fluff- stuffed that they can double as a pillow. You see dear students; it seems to be that longevity and not so much quality is expected out of our papers. How many ten-page papers have you produced? About how many of those were of topics that could be simplified in four to five pages? I simply cannot grasp why it is that we are forced to write papers that are incredibly long when we can sufficiently fill the requirement in a brisk paper. Now, dont get me wrong, I can see some legitimacy in wanting a decent amount of writing; we are in college and its time to buck up. But the

quality of my paper is at risk. Now, I need to fill my page with things that I have already stated, simply reworded over and over again. It could be deduced that in the end, what Im writing no longer matters. Professors are asking us to not only write what we think, but additionally, to make sure we include the thoughts of others. Apparently recycling ideas is going to strengthen our original thought. When push comes to shove, Id rather learn to stand on my own two feet then balance upon the ropes others have left me. Perhaps, dear friends, my paper is taking the road less travelled and I therefore am just incapable of producing pages and pages of what others thought. I believe that my thoughts should suffice. Lets be real though, writing a two page paper isnt gonna cut it. But, if we were assigned minimums of three pages, Im sure we would have more of an opportunity to exceed expectations. This way, we wouldnt be subjected to the stress and strain of reaching an intimidating number. Not to mention that less paper presents the option of going-green, which our school is always looking to achieve. So I say, let those pens fly and keyboards type, until your thoughts run out. Then you will have written a successful piece.

cartoon: Travis Wolfe 12

For the students who are still on edge anytime rain is predicated in the five day forecast, Dr. Soprano offers these reassuring words,Because we have been through this many times, we know what needs to be done and when. We always have student, staff and faculty safety in mind. The advantage of coming to a small school, like Chestnut Hill, is that we can identify these problems quickly, discuss the situation and come to a consensus on what needs to be done, inform the College community of the decision, and keep everyone safe.

Philadelphia Phillies 2011 Season Recap and Playoff Preview

SPORTS

The Griffin

Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman swings and hits a three-run homer to left-center field in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals.
MARILEE GALLAGHER 14 After an amazing season to both watch and be a part of, the Phillies closed out their final game and their last four games with wins to finish the season 102-60 making them the winningest team in Phillies franchise history. The victory also gave Charlie Manuel 646 wins which puts him atop the list for most wins for a Phillies manager. The Phillies record breaking season didnt end there however. Beating the Braves in their final game of the season, the Phillies finished ahead of the Braves in the NL East by a record breaking thirteen games. This is the largest margin that the Phillies have ever had when beating a divisional opponent. The Phillies fairytale season really began around December when the baseball gods looked with favor upon the team in the form of returning fan favorite Cliff Lee to the city where he belongs. When the Lee sweepstakes began, the Phillies were a long shot to land him but General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. somehow made it happen. Fans after the initial shock didnt question how Amaro pulled it off because they were just glad that Lee was back in the red and white pinstripes. The Phillies began the season strong and almost out of the gate it was certain they would make it to the playoffs. The hype that surrounded the Four Aces and one of the best offenses in the game followed the Phillies wherever they went as the Phillies were proving to everyone in baseball that they were in Jimmy Rollins words, the team to beat. Philadelphia had a firm hold over the NL East by the beginning of May and since that time they never looked back. They had momentum and unprecedented franchise success at both home and on the road. It was certainly a season to remember if you were a Phillies fan. As the Phillies move on to

image: flickr.com/thewestend

their fifth straight postseason they have a strong shot to once again, win it all. The Phillies will have home field advantage throughout every round of the playoffs and that alone is a huge boost for a team who has had over 150 consecutive sellouts at home. The teams that the Phillies could potentially match up against favor the Phils and their pitching and with most of their players finally healthy again, they will be tough to beat.

Running Toward Glory: A First Hand Account of CHCs Cross Country Team
VERONIKA WILSON 14 As many of the students and faculty here at Chestnut Hill College already know, our sports teams play an integral role within the college community. Why, even a cursory glance into the dining hall indicates the overall quantity of competitive teams there are: mens and womens lacrosse, soccer, and tennis just to name a few; each group donning a specific jersey to represent their particular sport. However, to the untrained eye, one may not easily recognize the usually unmarked team that is, quite literally, running through this years myriad of sporting challenges. The Division II cross country team at CHC, totaling seven unique and crucial players, has carved out a noteworthy niche for themselves with their admirable endurance, and the way they push the physical limits of the human body, mind, and spirit. In order to shed more light on the seemingly elusive racers, the following list provides the names and current graduation year of each member: Rosa Iott 13 and Isabella Murray 15 complete the womens team, while Adam Drabinski 15, Jeremy Goerlich 12, Joseph Trujillo 15, Julius Twyman 12, and Owen Ward 12 comprise the mens team. Both divisions are headed by the inspiring Coach Kampf. Every Saturday, the cross country team competes in a regional competition on various courses located in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Boston. Each course, whether local or out-of-area, is designed based on the natural landscape of the state, which usually entails plenty of hills, rocks, and the occasional muddy trail. Having assisted in some of these meets, I witnessed the intensity and determination the runners must have in order to complete the arduous journey from start to finish. A race held recently at the University of Delaware was not only exciting to watch, but was an exhibition of how much this sport demands from an athlete. Large areas of the trail were completely saturated from the heavy summer rains, which was another obstacle that the athletes had to face in addition to the already uneven path. Slipping and splashing, the race became a trek affected by nature itself. Despite these unforeseen occurrences, the team continued to push through their exhaustion, and crossed the finish line in both individual, and collective victory. One of cross countrys major challenges is that it is an extremely competitive sport. Often Division I contenders race against our Division II team, adding fuel to the driving force of staying on top in the sport. However, the cross country team continues to beat the odds

by maintaining a top score. With their relatively small member-count, Chestnut Hills cross country team remains power-packed. Each runner contributes to the give-it-yourall attitude, individually proving that they have the stamina and endurance for such a physically demanding sport. Furthermore, the team exercises a great deal of determination to reach the finish line each time, and to complete daily training sessions in preparation for an event. An undeniably rigorous sport, cross country is making its way into the hearts and minds of the very team members whom exhibit such grit and vigor as they strive each time to reach the finish line.

The Griffin

Athlete Profile: Morgan Oechsle

LAUREN FREEDMAN 15 Contributing to the success of Chestnut Hill Colleges tennis team with a score of 7-0 in womens singles and 7-0 in womens doubles is freshman, Morgan Oechsle. Her flawless technique has helped the CHC team reach a perfect 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play on the season. These numbers currently put CHC in first place position in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), and has Oechsle ranked among the top players. Oechsle also participated in an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional Tournament, which took place at the famed Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Oechsle played great tennis and managed to make it all the way to the semifinals. Her doubles team, which includes herself and junior Maria Parapouras, also made it to the tournament semifinals. For this reason Oechsle was honored as one of CHCs Athletes of the Week, and as the CACCs Honorable Mention in the same week. Oechsle is a Psychology major who has loved tennis since her dad bought her a tennis racket for her tenth birthday, and began taking her out to hit balls around. Although her ideas about playing professionally have changed over the years, Oechsle would love to have the experience if given the chance. Oechsles favorite professional tennis players are Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer. Chestnut Hills tennis team was a big deciding factor

SPORTS
image: griffinathletics.com

when Oechsle was looking to apply for colleges. She couldnt imagine not playing tennis because it has been such a big part of her life for so long. Making friends throughout the years has been her favorite part of being on a sports team. She has fun playing with her teammates because everyday something new and funny happens. Oechsle admits to the hard work of playing tennis, but to her its all worth it, and she loves the girls on the team, and getting to spend time with them. For Oeschle, tennis is more than just a sport, because it has played such a huge role in her life. The CHC womens tennis team is lucky to have her, and the school community wishes her and the team continued success

Commitment to Athletic Success Highlights Colleges Goals for the Future

MARILEE GALLAGHER 14 In 2003, Chestnut Hill College made the decision to open up its college to male students. By going co-ed, the school was able to increase its student body and to transform its athletic program. Shortly after going co-ed, the CHC Athletic Department added mens baseball in 200708 and mens lacrosse in 2009. With offerings of mens soccer, tennis and basketball added to the mix, the next logical step many thought, would be adding a football team. Although it would be nice to have a football team according to some students, its absence allows CHC to focus on building up the athletic programs it already has. We went Division II in 2007, said Athletic Director Lynn Tubman, adding that by moving up from Division III, the current athletic offerings of the school were ramped up. Going Division II in and of itself prevents challenges for CHC if they ever did want to add a football team. The Central Athletic Collegiate Conference of which Chestnut Hill is a part of, does not sponsor football. Other obstacles that stand in the way include a place to play. Currently, CHC has a relationship with PW to use Victory Field as the home soccer field and with Latshaw Field in Norristown as the home baseball field. There is not room on campus to build a football field and with no other place to play, it is not practical. Other issues include having the proper infrastructure, accommodations for a football team and transportation. We have to ask ourselves if it is realistic, said Tubman adding that although there are currently no plans to establish a football team that it is not entirely out of the question for the future. If students showed interest, then we would look into it. According to Tubman the current mission of the Athletic Department is to continue to improve the Athletic programs already in existence. Our goal is to build the programs we currently have to the national level, said Tubman. This commitment is proven in the yearly improvement of its programs including hiring renowned lacrosse player Brian Dougherty as head coach last year and in the undefeated record of the 2011 womens tennis team. Tubman also wants to see club and intramural sports grow at CHC. She believes that is a way for students to get involved without having to make the intense commitment to join one of CHCs conference sport teams. In addition to the commitment to an athletic tradition of success is the overall health and wellness of the students. Tubman believes that the state of the art fitness center that the school just put in is a great way to make this happen. I would like to see the student body more active and involved, said Tubman. I believe the new fitness center is a great way to do

this. Tubmans views partnered with Chestnut Hills goals are evidenced in the new fitness center which offers a convenient location that is now open to all students. It is much bigger than the previous fitness center and it better allows the athletic teams to work out together. However, the school does want to do their best to accommodate what the students want. We hope the fitness center will be good traffic to see what students want, said Tubman. She emphasizes her hopes that the entire student body will feel welcome to use the center and to provide ideas for the future development of Chestnut Hill Colleges growing athletic tradition.

October 6 Mens Tennis vs. Rider University Tennis Courts

Upcoming Game Schedule

October 22 Mens Soccer vs. Domincan College* Plymouth Whitemarsh Womens Soccer vs. Domincan College* Plymouth Whitemarsh

October 26 Womens Tennis vs. La Salle University Tennis Courts

October 8 Mens & Womens Cross Country Jack St. Clair Memorial Meet Belmont Plateau October 12 Womens Soccer vs. Dowling College Plymouth Whitemarsh October 13 Womens Tennis Goldey-Beacom College* Tennish Courts

October 23 Mens & Womens Cross Country CACC Championship Meet* Belmont Plateau October 25 Mens Soccer vs. Philadelphia University* Plymouth Whitemarsh

October 27 Womens Soccer vs. Bloomsburg University Plymouth Whitemarsh October 28 Mens Soccer vs. Univeristy of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Plymouth Whitemarsh October 31 vs. University of the District of Columbia Tennis Courts