CLUB SPOTLIGHT: The greatest story Football comes B that was never told out flat OOKMARKS PAGE 8 PAGE 4 PAGE 9 WWW.THESOUTHERNNEWS.ORG SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 VOL. 55— ISSUE 3 President Bertolino talks challenges, opportunities at Southern Faculty prepares for furlough days By Alex Palmieri The Southern faculty will have to take three furlough days for the 2017-18 academic year. These furlough days will be decided by each faculty member and mean there will be no class for students. The President of American Association of University Professors, Julian Madison, said these days are not in his best interest. “I don’t like the furlough days in a sense that it is a cut in pay,” said Madison. Madison said back in the early 90s, the governor of Connecticut, Lowell Weicker, saw the state was falling behind in payments and wanted to raise taxes. But Madison said it all came down to the pensions. The state was not putting in the money it was supposed to to cover the pensions. Early in the 21st century, there was a big propaganda campaign to not PHOTO |PALMER PIANA raise taxes, because it was needed to President Bertolino speaking to faculty and staff at his first university address of the academic year. pay out the pension fund. “Now here we are today,” said Madison, “where the state and to talk about the roles the President Bertolino said the I constantly hear positive is hundreds of millions in debt. By Josh LaBella faculty will have in seeing them university serves a working class comments.” Everyone has to catch up to the state through. population and national studies The goals he set for the univer- pensions. State employers are being “While I continue to remain show that regional public univer- sity included raising student asked to carry everything on their enthusiastic, optimistic and sities like Southern consistently retention, building a stronger backs. But the legislature has shown Southern Connecticut State positive about the present and move students up the economic graduate program and rolling out absolutely no will whatsoever to University President Joe Bertolino future of Southern Connecticut latter. He said that for him, that a new advisement model within raise revenue and to tax the wealthy, made his first university address State University,” said Bertolino, gives Southern value and a sense the next three years. He also said the one percent of the state who are to a crowd of faculty and students “at the same time, these emotions of purpose. he wants to establish a physical paying at a lower rate than anybody this Monday in the Adanti Ball- must be tempered by the reality “We can make this a good time Southern presence at Gateway else.” room. of the changing landscape on our for Southern and the people we and Housatonic community Madison said across the country, The event, which took place campus and in higher education.” serve,” Bertolino said. colleges. states have put less and less money at 1 p.m., opened with the video According to Bertolino, the Southern has had many “If we have our way it will into higher education. To make up for of the Convocation of the class reality is that higher education is successes recently, Bertolino be introduced in the spring of that, students are now forced to pay of 2021. The video ended with not being perceived positively. He said. He said they include the 2018,” said Bertolino. “We are very higher tuition. the flash mob in front of Buley said that will make their jobs more university now being featured excited about it.” “There is a serious issue going on,” library. President Bertolino said he challenging. annually in the Princeton review President Bertolino said he said Madison. thought the video encapsulated “On a national level the value of green colleges, being in the was looking for the entire campus All of this ties into the university the vibrant energy of Southern. of higher education is being design phase of a new 74 million community to identify opportuni- having to take the furlough days. The “Southern has a special spirit questioned,” Bertolino said. dollar Health and Human Services ties for efficiency, reorganization, whole idea is that all state employers that isn’t replicated on many “With tuition rates continuing to building, and receiving praise for or realignment of responsibilities. will take three days off where they do campuses,” said Bertolino. rise and student debt spiraling, its 14 to 1 student-faculty ratio. He said to succeed it must be a not do any work to cover for that. The purpose of the university colleges and universities are “The buzz surrounding team effort. “These are days where you address, Bertolino said, was to increasingly being seen as elite Southern is quite strong, and “We’ve got a lot of work to do,” normally work, but you take the day remind the attendants of South- institutions, out of touch with getting better,” Bertolino said. said Bertolino, “It’s a wonderful off,” said Madison. “Faculty will take ern’s successes, to share priorities what’s happening in the real “When I’m out in the commu- opportunity and an exciting time days off where they normally teach.” and how he plans to achieve them world.” nity or meeting with alumni for Southern.” Madison said Western Connect- icut State University and Central Connecticut State University made an agreement that for March 9, the day before spring break for the 2018 calendar year, will be one of the Campus experts talk about drugs on campus days they choose, along with any other two days that they want. As for Southern, they get to choose any According to Dooley, there is a Dooley said when it comes to former users who can talk about days they want. drug epidemic across the country drugs on campus, they primarily the dangers,” said Dooley. “We will try to take the days that By Josh LaBella and it would be a blanket state- see marijuana, but periodically Emily Rosenthal, the coordinator will be the least harmful to students,” ment to say there is not one on they do come across others types. of the Wellness Center, said alcohol said Madison. “If you’re going to campus. In a 2016 report of a study is the biggest issue on Southern’s lose pay, you should have a right to According to the 2017 State “There are users and there may conducted by the Wellness Center, campus and marijuana is a close choose the days you want to lose.” Medical Examiner report, there be sales that are going on around 912 students were asked about second. She said there is not a Jonathan Wharton, a political have been 1,076 deaths caused campus,” said Dooley. “It’s a very various topics including drug use. lot of illicit drug use on campus science professor, said the students by accidental drug overdoses in dangerous situation, especially While only eight students said although there is some. of the university have a voice and it Connecticut this year, a nearly 15 with fentanyl. People think they’re they had used heroin in the last “There is some and obviously should be heard. percent increase from last year. using one drug when they could year, 305 students said they had some is not great,” said Rosenthal. “Anytime you deal with a situation One of the overdoses took be using something different.” used marijuana in the last 30 days. “We’re not seeing an epidemic of like this that is in Connecticut it is place on Southern’s campus Dooley said it is certainly an Dooley said the campus runs illicit drug use on our campus. Less impacting students,” said Wharton. on Aug. 6 in the North Campus issue but his department faces it programs throughout the year than 7 percent misuse prescription “It’s not that student learning abilities Midrise. Ray Lucas, a junior sports proactively. In addition to the law including the Law Enforcement drugs and less than 7 percent won’t be diminished in any kind of management major, overdosed enforcement side of the matter, and Resident Network Program misuse other hardcore drugs. way in this instance, but I think this in his room from the effects of he said they are collaborative with or LEARN program. The LEARN As the drugs get more illicit, the speaks more towards the moral.” fentanyl, a powerful substance other departments on campus. Program involves officers going percentage goes down.” He said Connecticut has been that drug dealers use in painkillers, “It’s pretty holistic,” said Dooley. to resident halls and talking to Rosenthal said the Wellness facing this kind of crisis for a long heroin and cocaine to cut the cost “We work with support services students about drug use and drug Center runs programs in class- time, and has been going on for a of production. such as the Wellness Center and statistics. The department also rooms where they talk about the series of years. Chief of Police Joseph Dooley counseling. We look at it and try hosts larger events. dangers of alcohol, marijuana and “This will pose challenges,” said said that in his 12 years at to investigate where we can, take “We partner with other depart- tobacco. They also have a special Wharton. “It will be challenging for Southern, this is the third over- action if we have to, but also are ments on campus and we often program on prescription and other faculty members and administrators. dose he has seen. He said while concerned that the education is bring in other (police) departments drug use.