THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929 FEATURES SPORTS Art students Women’s travel to Florence soccer team wins for educational fi ve straight Page 4 experience Page 12 Vol. 79 No. 2 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie Pa. 16546 September 21, 2005 THE MERCIAD ‘Disaster’ Off-campus restrictions strikes Residence life implements new housing requirements for off-campus residents By Dana Moderick Mercyhurst Contributing writer By Nick Bradford Contributing writer As enrollment over the past few years at Mercyhurst College has increased, so have the diffi cult issues about where to Mercyhurst Sports Medicine Depart- put all the new students. ment is preparing for a project they Some may choose to live in housing cannot fail. provided by the college, while others With the recent tragedies around the choose to live in off-campus housing. world and the lack of preparedness, This issue of off-campus housing many wonder what would happen if has become a main concern for both a disaster struck the campus com- the administration and Mercyhurst munity. students. The Sports Medicine Department is In April of 2005, Erie City Council planning to fi nd a solution to such a addressed the concerns of neighbors of question. Mercyhurst College in regards to allega- On Saturday Oct. 22, Mercyhurst Col- tions of loud noise levels, alcohol con- lege will fi nd out if the school is ready sumption and poorly kept property. to deal with such an occurrence. Over 200 members of the Erie com- The department is planning a simu- munity attended in order to address lation entitled “Mass Casualty Inci- the issues of “rowdy” students of the dent.” college living off-campus. With the financial assistance of a Since then, the administration of grant from the department of Home- Mercyhurst in joint-effort with the Erie land Security and the legwork of the Police have decided to try to put a stop Sports Medicine Department, the to the inappropriate behavior of some school will stage a bleacher collapse at off-campus students. the football fi eld. On Wednesday, Sept. 14, a meeting to Thirty to 40 of the students in the discuss the new policies for those living Katie McAdams/Photo editor Sports Medicine Department will be off-campus was held. Mike Bringley, Blake Tandoi, and Matt Woolshlager represent only a small portion of students living off made up to be dead, injured, maimed, Presenting at this meeting were several campus that are affected by the new guidelines set by residence life this year. broken, mangled or otherwise critically staff members of Mercyhurst College, live off-campus and give residence these numbers so the college has an dents living off-campus, with 27 student hurt. including Director of Administration, life housing information, including accurate handle on the whereabouts of houses on 38th Street alone. Other students will be on the scene Dr. Tom Billingsley, the assistant chief addresses and local phone number list- Mercyhurst students. There are mixed reactions from saving lives and mending bodies with of police and safety and Erie Police ings in order to keep track of where The school stated at the meeting that Mercyhurst students on and off campus the Erie Police, Fire and Emergency Offi cer Dave Robarts. the off-campus Mercyhurst students this is to look out for the well-being about the issue. response teams, as well as aiding A student handbook with information reside. of the students and the name of the Some, like off-campus senior Stacy Mercyhurst Police and Safety in crowd about lease agreements and guidelines According to Director of Residence school so allegations against off- Edwards, have not yet decided whether control and other various duties. was also passed out. Life, Laura Zirkle, the IT department campus students of different schools they like or dislike the changes. This will be a test of our readiness to The school now has a new policy and the office of police and safety can be sorted. deal with any disaster that may affect which requires students to request to are establishing a database to include There are 250-300 Mercyhurst stu- See Off-campus on page 2 our campus community. Athletics and academics Fall Fest heats up the stage. Student athletes strive to balance busy schedules By Katie Walker “Streamline” opened for “Reel Big Contributing writer Fish” at last year’s Spring Fest. Stream- By Corrie Thearle line features Mercyhurst’s own Mike News editor As the weather begins to turn cooler Hogan. and the leaves begin to change, it means The band will also be taping their Each term Mercyhurst College buzzes that fall is on the horizon. performance to be used as part of their with activity. With only 10 weeks on This weekend you can kick off fall at “Live DVD” which they are compiling the schedule, faculty and students fi nd Mercyhurst College with the annual Fall to send to record labels. themselves barreling along at a frenzied Fest celebration. pace. The excitement of Fall Fest begins For Mercyhurst students, it takes on Friday, Sept. 24, with the formal. Streamline will extreme discipline and dedication to This year’s theme is entitled “Shanghai maintain the high standard of academic Nights.” record their excellence the college has upheld since The formal will be from 8 p.m.-12:00 its foundation. a.m. at the Zem Zem Shrine Club on performance for a Trends in the beginning of the 2005- West 38th Street. 2006 school year have caused some According to Rob Englert, chairman live DVD. faculty members alarm and distress over of the Student Activities Committee, student athlete attendance. “The formal should be a lot of fun “We are looking forward to having The men and women soccer and for everyone who attends, there will be Streamline perform at Fall Fest because tennis teams as well as the football team great decorations and great food for they are such a good band and they missed the fi rst days of classes due to everyone to enjoy.” are well received by the students,” said sporting events, faculty members say. Tickets are on sale in the Student MSG executive board secretary Jennifer For many faculty members, the Katie McAdams/Photo editor Union all week from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ciccone. absence of freshmen students on the Soccer player Kyle Jackson says he’s piled with school work while The cost is $15 per ticket and you “We are also glad that they are going fi rst day of class was extremely trou- balancing a busy fall sport schedule. must have your student ID. to be able to use this concert and the bling. Fall Fest continues to heat up on campus for their live DVD.” Dr. Kenneth Schiff, the chair of the pull these students from their very and she has missed the fi rst large session Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. in Garvey Fall Fest is only one of the many events Student Athlete Attendance Oversight fi rst academic experiences so they can on Sunday and our subsequent small Park and Grotto. There will be activi- that SAC provides to the Mercyhurst Committee, explains his concern about ‘represent the school.’” group session because of soccer. ties for everyone to enjoy along with student body. freshmen athletes missing the fi rst days Schiff allowed a Merciad reporter to “So far she has missed about one- free food. The rest of the fall term will have of class. view e-mails faculty members have sent third of the total FYI experience, which The games and activities will include many activities in store including a luau “I myself had a freshman football to him regarding athlete attendance. I believe violates the FYI requirements. a giant infl atable twister, life size rock’ for Parent’s weekend featuring a Jimmy player miss the fi rst day of class. Yet, The Merciad confi rmed that the faculty I am disturbed by this. I am working em sock’ em boppers, Frisbee spin art Buffet cover band, the second annual the school catalog is quite clear that members authored the e-mails. Those with her to make appropriate accom- and a money pit. Live bands will also Mercyhurst ghost tours for Halloween, freshman attendance in class is manda- faculty members asked not to have their modations, but don’t know how it be taking the stage in the Grotto all a trip to Kennywood for fright night tory,” Schiff said. names printed. can replace the time in-class with her throughout the day. and many other activities. “More importantly, though, it clearly One of these faculty members com- freshmen...” The main event of Fall Fest will be Anyone interested in helping set up sends the wrong message to incoming mented, “I have a freshman student in Saturday night at 8 p.m in the Grotto, for Fall Fest may contact the SAC offi ce freshmen for the athletic program to my FYI class who is on the soccer team, See Student Athletes on page 3 when the band “Streamline” will take at x2463. PAGE 2 THE MERCIAD September 21, 2005 NEWS To contact: [email protected] Mercyhurst students display superior athletic ability in local competitions for more than 400 people. “The was clocked at an incredible pace By Robert Hodge distances will be longer and there of 1 hour, 53 minutes. Contributing writer will be more people, so I’ll be DeFrancesco trained for six training harder.” weeks in preparation for the Mercyhurst has its share of Another outstanding athlete, marathon. great athletes, but the best ath- Brian DeFrancesco, ran the Pr- He would run about 30 miles letes Mercyhurst has to offer esque Isle marathon.