Johnstown, NY 12095 The student newspaper of Fulton-Montgomery Community College February 13, 2009 Gamers’ club wants to update its College Union room, SGA puts project on hold By Kelly Geraghty The SGA Senate met on Members from the organi- laneous chairs and other furni- organization’s members. Many February’s agenda included Tuesday at the Student Union zation spent several semesters ture found around campus. All other questions concerned the several topics of discussion, in- to discuss many topics, but the creating a proposal that item- of the gaming equipment had area in which the Gamers meet: cluding: transportation, budget real debate took place over a ized most major costs for re- been brought in by the students Who can use the facility once reviews, student insurance and proposal put forth by the Gam- furbishing and included a blue- themselves. it’s fi nished? Is there a regula- news from the Constitutional ing Club. print for maximized seating. While presenting their pro- tion system for the games being Committee. According to Gaming Club They worked closely with Joel posal, the members were met played? Are there behavioral Due to the time spent dis- representatives, their room is Chapin, advisor, to make sure with a barrage of questions rules established to protect the cussing the Gaming Club’s in dire need of refurbishing. the club thoroughly reviewed and concerns from the SGA area from further spills once it proposal, the meeting was Apparently, the carpet is rank all costs and searched for the Senate. has been refurbished? adjorned until Tuesday, Feb. with excessive food and drink most economically conscious Several senators questioned Approved was the full 24 to deal with the balance of spills, plus the seating and choice. the allocation of $1,500 towards $1,500, contingent upon the the agenda. other furnishings are in major Up to this point, the room the refurbishing, due to a lack club raising 20 percent or $300 disrepair. had been sprinkled with miscel- of fundraising efforts by the themselves. Black History Month event slated by SAB by Christopher Samuel In 1915, Black History SAB ran this same contest Month was introduced by the several years ago. Association for the Study of The contest will go three Negro Life and History. rounds with a fi nal round for Carter G. Woodson be- all the winners. lieved that publishing scientifi c The Evans Library’s fi rst history about the black race display of the semester cel- would produce facts that would ebrates Black History Month. prove to the world that Africa Some of the relevant titles and its people had played a on display include: Slavery crucial role in the development and the Making of America, of civilization, according to the Thirteen Ways of Looking at Association. a Black Man, To the Moun- FMCC will have a Black taintop: Martin Luther King History Month trivia contest Jr’s Sacred Mission to Save Wednesday, Feb. 25, hosted by America. the Student Activities Board. A Country of Strangers: The contest will be at noon in Blacks and Whites in America, the cafeteria. African-American Desk Ref- “Music, civil rights, and erence, Toni Morrison’s Be- black women will be among loved, Cornel West: A Critical questions asked in the contest,” Reader. according to Shirl Doherty W.E.B. DuBois: Black SAB coordinator. Radical Democrat, Classic Doherty said the contest Fiction of the Harlem Renais- will start at noon, sharp. sance, My Soul’s High Song: Other SAB members Collected Writings of Countee added that this contest was a Cullenand. good way to raise black his- Color, Sex, and Poetry: tory awareness and also that Three Women Writers of the Altamont Trees by Bill Delanney is part of the ‘Uncommon Beauty in the Commonplace” photo ex- the contest will be fun and Harlem Renaissance hibit in the Perrella Gallery, located in the Communication and Visual Arts Building. Delanney uses informative. an early technique called pinpoint photography. More information the exhibit is on Page 3. FM considers changes to school calendar, student opinions sought through web survey By Geoff Shipley FM students are being The survey will be offered students before proceeding to sible changes must take into All FM students are invited asked to answer an online to students online through a additional questions and are account a variety of scheduling to participate in the survey and survey about the college’s aca- link on the FMCC website asked to answer accordingly to obstacles such as New York convey their preferences and demic calendar. homepage. their preference and opinions state and federal regulations opinions of various aspects of Dr Varghese Pynadath, The survey is anonymous on the calendar. for credit courses, holidays, and the calendar. calendar committee chair, said and consists of 13 questions Dr. Pynadath said, “An spring break. Upon the survey’s comple- changes in the calendar are for students. academic calendar looks rather Dr. Pynadath went on to tion the Committee will review being considered in response The questions primarily simple and straight forward, state that “the academic cal- the responses from students, to concerns and suggestions deal with Fall semester start but the process of developing endar could be compared to a faculty, and staff and use them raised by the campus com- and end dates, Spring semester one with minimum confl icts is jigsaw puzzle. All the different to prepare a report that will be munity. start and end dates, study days a challenging task.” pieces have to fi t smoothly.” submitted to the Provost and A short questionnaire has prior to final exams, Spring When considering changes The committee hopes to Vice President for academic been created based on these break, and commencement. in the college calendar there have the calendar survey posted affairs. concerns in which students will Students will be asked if are numerous elements that in the upcoming week and it have an opportunity express they are part-time or full time must be considered. Any pos- will close two weeks from it’s their opinions. opening date. NEWS FMCC Gateway February 13, 2009 Page 2 College looks to add Gov. Patterson discussed budget more student apartments woes, heard public feedback By Stephanie Jones By Sandy Shatley Governor David Patterson visited More than a year ago FM entered Assuming some will want to stay FM recently to meet with the public and into a management relationship with there next year, Dr. Swanger expressed to answer questions about the budget Campus View Apartments whereby concern about having enough room for that has been drafted for New York State the apartments are operated by the col- the incoming 2009 fall class. for the 2009 fi scal year. lege. “We are looking into expansion op- He also was looking for opinion “There are always challenges and portunities, allowing us to be ready for and direction from the people who were growing pains,” said FM President fall,” Swanger said. there. Dustin Swanger. “I think that has One option is an Amsterdam loca- Patterson gave a quick introduction worked out well, and we’ve established tion which Swanger described as a turn- explaining why he was present and what a safe culture in which students can live key operation that will give students a he wanted to achieve from this meeting. and learn.” different environment living right in He is actually the only New York State The 2008 fall semester saw 150 stu- town. governor that has traveled to upstate dents living at the apartments, and this While some universities require New York since Nelson Rockefeller did spring there are 146 students. Nearly all students coming into an area for college many years earlier. New York Governor David Patterson of the students are freshmen. to live on campus, FM does not. When people were signing in they were asked to write a question on the One man was concerned that the back of a card. Then twenty of those Star program would lose funding. SOS! questions were picked, and most of them However, Patterson does not approve answered. of the star program. He said, “I don’t Somebody please help There were many people who particularly like the Star program...it is went into long and painful personal ten years old and it is obsolete.” By Kylen Clark struggles before actually asking their Patterson announced that the state SOS! Help has been available for Transfer advisor Mark Montgomery question. Some of these explanations has a budget defi cit of approximately students seeking skills for academic will speak on classes students should and concerns took over fi ve minutes to 15.1 billion dollars. That’s the highest success. take that are transferrable. He will conclude, some took ten. it’s been in many years. There was talk The SOS Study Skills Workshops answer questions about the transfer The governor did answer all the of the need to make cuts on education. have offered interactive presentations process, leaving students fully aware of questions. To that Patterson said the SUNY system with solutions to the common problems the requirements. One of the concerns that was brought needs more funding, not less. most college students face. Students are encouraged to take up relates to the Star program. The Star No FM student was able to ask a Shirl Doherty, students activities advantage of the workshops that have program was passed about ten years ago. question or voice his or her opinion. coordinator, called the workshops “a already been completed and to attend It gives homeowners a slight break on Patterson picked a student’s question to chance for students to learn study skills the upcoming presentations. their property taxes. answer, but then he never allowed that not covered in regular classes.” If students missed the tips of a past student to ask it. Strategies on managing time, easing workshop, they can obtain the infor- test anxiety, and preparing for transfer mation from Doherty in the Students to a four-year college were outlined for Activities offi ce in the Union. interested students. The cost of city water On Tuesday, Feb. 17 the Transfer workshop will be held at 12:30 in the Union. is a concern for FMCC By Sandy Shatley FM President Dustin Swanger de- College, Hamilton-Fulton-Montgom- scribed the newly-created water district ery BOCES, and the Fulton County Sophomores can apply for as a challenge due to the cost of the Airport. water for the college. “The county has to cover the costs internship opportunities “The water cost is not breaking for that new system,” Swanger conclud- By Michael Insogna our budget, [the cost] is more than we ed, “and ultimately water is costing us If you understand the value of an You should then express an interest and thought it would be and more than I almost $12 per hundred cubic meters. internship and want to greatly enhance pick up the checklist. believe we should be paying,” he said. “ We, BOCES and the college, have your resume, drop by C-207 to pick up Your application must come with a Water is measured in hundred cubic had discussions with offi cials for the an internship checklist. recommendation by a faculty member in meters. The City of Johnstown charges City of Johnstown and the county to see An internship is a great way for one your major. Other requirements are a 2.0 $2 per hundred cubic meters of water. what options there are to lower the cost to experience the real world of work in a grade average or higher and a resume The county created a new water and have more people on the system in particular fi eld. Internships also provide with a cover letter is expected. district, building a system to carry water order to spread the cost out.” an opportunity for a student to explore “The students who are most suc- out to Fulton-Montgomery Community a career in more depth. cessful in an internship are self-directed, Potential contacts and network- have excellent time management skills, Zimpher named Chancellor ing are also great selling points for an and most importantly possess what the The State University of New York June 1. intership. The people a student meets job market refers to as soft skills, which (SUNY) Board of Trustees recently SUNY Trustee and search com- during his or her internship are reason is defi ned as one’s ability to speak well, named Nancy L. Zimpher the 12th mittee member H. Carl McCall said, enough to apply. Contacts made while have good interpersonal skills, keep a chancellor of SUNY, “Nancy Zimpher is an educator, scholar in an internship can provide, job open- good work ethic, and be a star performer Zimpher is the fi rst woman to be and administrator of the highest quality. ings before they are advertised, letters in human relations.” Sharon Poling, named chancellor in SUNY’s 60-year She possesses the intelligence, determi- of reference, and much more. internship administator. history. nation and experience SUNY needs for If you are considering applying for If you posses these needed skills, Zimpher is currently president of the challenging times that confront us. an internship, think about what career have a major that does not require an in- the University of Cincinnati. Her ap- I could not be more pleased with the fi elds you are interested in. Consider ternship, and know what career fi eld you pointment as chancellor is effective results of our search.” what you have to gain from an intern- want to explore, students should make ship and what your objectives will be. an appointment to meet with Poling. FMCC Gateway Co -Editors: Nicole Weakley Layout/Design: Nicole Weakley Literacy Tutors Touch Lives Faculty adviser: James Hinkle 518-762-4651 Sports Editor: Don King Be an LVA The Gateway is a monthly pub li ca tion of: FMCC’s Communications Club Help Another on the 2805 State Highway 67 Johnstown, NY 12095 Journey to Literacy [email protected] Call 725-1440 Student Press Law Center NEWS FMCC Gateway February 13, 2009 Page 3 Uncommon Beauty accessible to all By Meghan Dailey FM students are invited to the Un- To some the term “pinhole” is all Round sign by common Beauty in the Commonplace but foreign. It is a simplistic camera that Bill Delanny. His series of photo- exhibit at the Perrella Gallery in the involves two elements: light exposure graphs made by Communication and Visual Arts Build- and a box with a small hole in it. using an early ing. The image seen through the camera photographic This show features abstract photog- is inverted by a light source. This form technique of raphy that allows spectators to discover of photography is unique because it imi- pinhole photogra- uncommon beauty from everyday life. tates the natural reaction of the human phy can be seen Featured artist Bill DeLanney uses eye when exposed to bright lighting. The in the campus’s pinhole photography to convey his be- size of the hole in the camera determines Perrella Gallery. lief that “one does not have to travel to how clear an image will be. Exposure is exotic places to fi nd beauty”. extensive and supports creativity. DeLanney’s photographs include The photo “Round Sign” captures subjects such as outdoor scenery, the essence of such uncommon beauty. buildings and odd items taken out of The sign appears almost human-like. context. It is captured on an angle that The Voorheesville artist’s work has only embellishes it’s representation of been featured in the magazines Shots dominance and strength; tree lines are and Camera Arts, with exhibit at loca- merely shown as fragmented shadows. tions such as Proctor’s Theater Guild Power lines vertically frame the image Room, Schenectady. suggesting music chords orchestrating This exhibit offers a new perspec- the controls of the “Round Sign.” tive to the everyday aspects of life. Even the direction of the clouds is DeLanney’s skill of capturing well- carefully considered and represented. identifi ed subjects makes this possible. The exhibit runs until Friday, March The Writing Lab exists He shows common things can be made 13. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. artful. Monday-Friday. Extended hours are to better students’ writting skills His pinhole photography will im- until 9 p.m. on Thursdays and by ap- By Levi Pascher pact how a person defi nes what is con- pointment. Although the writing lab is often The power of the pen and authority sidered ordinary around them. talked about and even assigned as home- to revise remains with the student writer. work for some classes, very few actually Colleen Sanders, writing lab instructor, SAB entertainment program know what it really offers. said the writing lab’s overall goal is, The writing lab offers new ways to “Helping Students become better writ- includes Mardi Gras, trivia improve student writing grammatically ers, not just producing better papers!” and creatively. It gives students the op- The writing lab differs from the contest, Snow Ball dance portunity to be able to edit and shape any classroom because it gives students the By Cody Setzer ideas they have but don’t know how to opportunity to talk about his/her choices The SAB Calendar is full activi- A Mardi Gras celebration will be write down. or to elaborate on their thinking. ties planned for the student body this held on Tuesday, Feb. 24., a Black His- The lab offers new ideas and strat- The tutor guides by asking ques- semester. tory Trivia Game on Wednesday, Feb. 25 egies that will help students become tions of the writer but ultimately the There will be Senate Summit Lead- , and the Snow Ball Semi-Formal dance effective communicators and critical writer maintains the power to revise and ership from 3 to 6, Wednesday, Feb. 18 on Friday, Feb. 27. readers of their own writing. edit his or her work. in the Union. SAB and the Red Cross SAB is always looking for people to The lab is not, however, an editing Tutors in the writing lab are able to will be holding the Blood Drive in the join or help out; there will be someone service for students to drop their papers help students with all writing assign- Union from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Thurs- in the SAB offi ce located in the Union off to be corrected. ments, not just English papers. day, Feb. 19. Make an appointment by during common hour to answer ques- calling extension 8101. tions. Upcoming area music concerts Tuesday, March 3 at Northern Lights 6pm: Taste of Chaos featuring: Thursday, March 5 Bring Me The Horizon, Four Year Strong, Pierce the Veil, and The Cancer Bats. $20 adv/$22door Friday, March 6 at Northern Lights 8pm: Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, and Halestorm. $20 Sunday, March 8 at Northern Lights 6:30pm: Bleeding Through, As Blood Runs Black, Impending Doom, and The Viking. $15adv/$17door Tuesday, March 10th at Northern Lights 7:30pm: Dropkick Murphys, H20, When you finish your and Civet, $25adv/$27door education, join our team at Thursday, March 12 at The Egg: George Thorogood and the Delaware De- Nathan Littauer Hospital stroyers & Nursing Home. Campus Calendar We offer a broad range SPRING 2009 of career opportunities Mar. 18 Wed. Mid-Term Grades Due from accounting to Mar. 20 Fri. No Day or Evening Classes – Founder’s Day information technologies Mar 21 – Mar 29 Sat. – Sun. No Classes – Spring Recess Mar. 30 Mon. Registration Begins for Summer and Fall to nursing to medicine. Apr. 8 Wed. Last Day for Individual Course Withdrawals Apr. 10 Fri. College Closed in observance of Good Friday May 8 Fri. Special Friday Make-up Session (for evening classes only) May 13 Wed. Last Day of Classes for Spring Semester (classes end at 10 FMCC and LITTAUER p.m.) together we make our region healthier & stronger May 14 – 15 Thurs. – Fri. Final Exams May 16 Sat. Saturday Exams Call 773-5402 for more information on careers at Littauer May 19 Tues. Final Grades Due May 20 Wed. Professional Staff Development Day Find Out Why More People are Choosing Us May 25 Mon. College Closed Memorial Day Holiday www.nlh.org May 28 Thurs. Phi Theta Kappa Academic Awards Ceremony (evening) May 29 Fri. Commencement (evening) Sports FMCC Gateway February 13, 2009 Page 4

Lady Raiders headed to Conference Regionals at TC3 by Tyler Rush With two games remaining, the Kevin Jones, head coach, said his 15 Aiyesha Brown G Queens 5’5” Sophomore FMCC Lady Raiders are headed to the team is pushing hard to win the rest 3 JaeDee Lavada G Mayfi eld 5’8” Freshman regional tournament. of their games. Natalie Masconi has 4 Laura Tisinger G Gloversville 5’9” Sophomore The Lady Raiders are looking at 70 3-pointers on the year and Lauren 12 Natalie Mosconi G Fonda Fultonville 5’9” Sophomore a six or seven seed in the tournament. Tischener is in the top fi ve for assists 22 Rachel Gugliemelli F Broadalbin-Perth 5’8” Sophomore Last week’s 78-66 win over Hudson in the conference. 45 Rochelle Gugliemelli F Broadalbin-Perth 5’8” Sophomore Valley Community College proved to “We have the pieces in place to do 21 Rosa Rivera F Manhattan Center 5’9” Sophomore be a big game. The next big game will what we have to do,” Jones says. 34 Vicki Dufort F Ballston Spa 5’10’’ Freshmen be held at Herkimer County Community The regional tournament will begin 1 Christine Cornell G Union Springs 5’7’’ Freshmen College on Saturday, Feb. 21. on Friday, Feb. 27, at Thompkins Cort- 24 Mariel Rozon C Norman Thomas 6’1’’ Sophomore land Community College. 11 Amber Shamberger G Norman Thomas 5’3’’ Sophomore 5 Raechelle Presley-Thompson G Manhattan Center 5’5” Freshman Raiders basketball season What to see more about FM nears its end with two games left athletics? By Donnie King, sports editor This stretch of games will not be Their above .500 win percentage in A lot has happened over the months easy though, having to face off against these close games speaks to the teams Tell you Gateway sports of December and January for FM’s mens a tough HCCC as well as Mohawk overall character, desire and hard work. team what you want basketball team. Unfortunately, that was Valley. The team will most likely say good- to see in their coverage. not a good thing. Looking back on the season there bye to sophomores Jason Hurd, Yuji Over the break, the Raiders basket- was a lot to be taken from it, a season Yamaguchi, Kimani Gibbs, and Shleak Send your thoughts to: ball team suffered a 3-7 record over that fi lled with close games and hard work. Brown. However, the team fi elded nine [email protected] span to drop them to 6-16 overall and To get an idea of the amount of close freshman this year and look to have a 4-11 within the conference, thus dashing games here are some figures. This deep roster headed into next season. Let’s hear from you today!!! any hopes at a .500 season. season the team played in nine games The period was plagued by losing decided by fi ve points or less going 5-4 streaks of three and four games respec- in those games. This included two in a tively. The latter being their longest of row in November beating Broome and the season. The Raiders go into their last Tompkins Cortland 65-64 and 76-71, three games playing at home. respectively.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY Conference Adirondack Community College SUNY — Cobleskill Columbia-Greene Community College SUNY — Delhi Fulton-Montgomery Community Col lege Herkimer Community College Hudson Valley Community College Mohawk Valley Community College Morrisville Community College Schenectady Community College