The student newspaper of Merrimack College Established 2001 Vol. VII, Number 11 Friday, April 24, 2009 www.merrimackbeacon.com Crossroads crossing over By Abigail Clark When we arrive back Copy Editor to the Mack in late August, we will have a new, state-of-the-art cafeteria. Speak - ing with Dennis Gillespie, he explained the renovation process, which will begin in less than one month, May 11. The first part of the renovation includes demolition and removal of all pieces. Tables and chairs will be re - moved as well removing and the storage of some equipment. The grills used for making weekend brunch omelettes will be saved as well as the Pepsi soda ma - chines and Minute Maid juice machines, for those beverage dispensers were new in January 2009. Even the dishes we use now will be replaced with new china. The carpet that is currently there now will be ripped up and replaced with a new one. There will be an entirely new process of getting food in the cafeteria. Stations will be different. One example Dennis gave was that instead of having the same deli line day after day, they will make a few different pre-made sandwiches instead of having the whole line displayed. Also, the entrée lines are going to be new. For faster and more ef - ficient service, there are going to be two lines. Continued on Page 3 Crossroads No. 1 swiper, Jeanette, smiles while encompassed by new blueprints for the cafe. ~Photo by Courtney Cutler~ E-Mail’s down, complaints up Kyle Neary As many of you are well aware, A simple malfunction with the air condition - On Tuesday morning, most faculty were able to News Editor over the weekend, and for some ing unit that keeps the server cool, sponta - retrieve all of the e-mails that they had gotten, longer than that, the e-mail neously shut down. Although the problem was and gotten things back on track for the remain - server has been down. Many of us asked why, tended to, difficulties with getting the server der of the year. yet found no answers. In today’s technologically back up and running was a slow and strenuous One student described the weekend as, “very dependant society, having a fault in an e-mail process. Starting on Thursday, faculty was not chaotic, confusing, and I could not e-mail my pro - server can ruin getting onto their e-mail thus preventing any - fessor about a paper that was due at the begin - plans, as well as thing being sent to them via e-mail, whether it ning of the week and I’m sure that my grade cause other prob - be a document or a quick note, nothing got to the suffered from it.” We asked this anonymous stu - lems. faculty. dent if he was upset by the malfunctioning On our cam - Coming from an anonymous reliable source, server and he said, “I’m very upset. I wish my pus, many faculty IT had been warned of the overheating, and that professor had given me a personal e-mail ad - members accept this problem was shortcoming. Unfortunately, dress for emergencies such as this.” Along with papers and home - no one acted upon this, and the worst happened. the faculty who were upset by such confusion, work assignments A multitude of people knew about the problem students too were negatively affected. via e-mail. How - The entire weekend faculty went without e- Unfortunately, technological problems do ever, students mail, hopefully providing some time of a break occur and this year has been a testimony to this had no idea that for teachers before the upcoming finals. Al - with multiple occasions of down Internet. Just the faculty e-mail though important documents may have gotten to remember that if things with the internet goes had been temporarily shut down, and some as - them on time, hopefully everyone understands downhill, there is little we can do, so try to plan signments have been deemed late, or not passed that this type of problem unfortunately does as accordingly as possible. in at all. happen, and was resolved as quickly as possible. SubmisCsioons.n.....t....e......n.....t....s Page 2 In This Issue! School News........................Page 3 Pictures from Learn to Surf!!!! Farewell from Health and Fitness..............Page 6 the Ashley DeRuosi Opinion.................................Page 7 Trike Race Sports..............................Back Cover Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 The Beacon April 24, 2009 Editorial Board Editor in Chief Michael Salvucci Submissions By Jamie Fagan and Jill Bradford went through the Beacon Contributors Austra Learn pro - Photography Editor gram and the pro - F Courtney Cutler Have you ever imagined gram orientation what a semester would be like away took place in the from Merrimack College, away from northern part of F Copy Editor Abigail Clark those “Gati Parties” or your typical the country in semester with the same faces? For Cairns for the first A many students, this thought rarely four days. This News Editior crosses their mind, but for us, it was might have been Kyle Neary a dream and goal we had since we my favorite part of T first stepped foot on the Merrimack the trip because Layout Editor campus. we snorkeled and S Lauren Dello Russo The two of us returned in dove the Great mid-December from the experience of Barrier Reef, saw a lifetime. Some students do not re - Kangaroos and alize how great the study abroad pro - Koala Bears at a Castelrotto in the Northern Italian gram Merrimack offers is, and rainforest, and got to know fellow N Alps, the country was the most fasci - without the help of Lauren Gannon study abroad students. I traveled nating place I have ever seen. Living Staff throughout the in Florence, the city where the Ren - country of Aus - O aissance began, was incredible be - tralia. Highlights Michael Annetti cause the city was filled with include Halloween Joseph Bonanno historical and unimaginably beauti - in Sydney, skydiv - C Robert Braczyk ful churches, architecture, paintings, ing from 14,000 Julie Burgholzer and sculptures. It was clear from the feet, going to Mel - John Connolly very beginning of my trip that being A bourne where I Marki Conway abroad has an inspiring power that went to an Eng - Alicia Cyr helped me realize that the world is land vs. Australia E Courtney DeSisto meant to be discovered and learned world cup rugby Jeff LeBlanc from. game, and two Timothy Linehan From Florence, I traveled to B days later, taking Eileen Milligan seven other different countries in - in the Melbourne Shannon Nickerson cluding hiking through Austria, Ok - cup which is like toberfest in Munich, Germany, and Christopher Powell our Kentucky four-wheeling and skiing in Inter - Lauren Reilly Derby. I also sailed E laken, Switzerland. I also experi - Ashley Sarris the Whitsunday Is - enced the sights of Dublin, Ireland, Bryanna Violette lands and had Molly Warren London, England, Paris, France, and G and Carol Leibovitz in the Study many other great memories; how - Barcelona, Spain. Seeing the major Abroad Department, none of our ever, I would be writing a novel if I sights of these countries was incred - dreams and the experiences we had listed them all. E ible, but the most fulfilling part was would have been possible. While studying abroad, I met being able to submerge myself in the Australia so many great people that shared L I traveled to Queensland, this experience with me Australia and studied at Bond Uni - and I will never forget versity from August 27th to Decem - them. The campus at L Advisor ber 15th. Bond is a private Bond is absolutely Dr. Russell Mayer University with a mix of exchange amazing and is like no other school I have seen O Political Science, Chair students from all over the world, but inhabited many Americans. I lived in before. The classes I an apartment building that was con - took taught me things I CCustomer Service sidered off campus, but the walk to never thought I would and from campus would be like walk - learn and the professors Advertising ing from the back apartments to the were so friendly and The Beacon is the best and most effi - helpful. I was excited cient way to reach the Merrimack academic buildings here at Merri - College Community. To place a mack. everyday to wake up K Classified, Print Advertisement, or I always wanted to study and learn something Online Advertisement please con - abroad and I chose Australia over new. Taking in a differ - tact us at C other places because I was not sure ent culture alone for [email protected] if I would ever get there again. The three and a half months outstanding reputations of the coun - taught me more than I A try, Bond University, as well as the ever thought would be possible. Corrections different cultures of each. Each mo - weather, made my choice simple, and Italy The Beacon is committed to provid - ment of every day was an opportu - ing its readers with thorough, accu - it is something I will never regret. I lived in Florence, Italy from nity to understand the world's M rate, and balanced news coverage. If From the day I landed in September 1st to December 20th of endless similarities and differences you believe we have made an error Australia, the trip was amazing. I this past year through the program in reporting or have questions con - while simultaneously taking in all of I Academic Programs cerning any of our issues please con - the incredible surroundings.