Friday, April 9, 2010La Roche College • 9000 Babcock Boulevard • Pittsburgh, PA 15237 • 412.847.2505 Vol. 14, Issue 5

This publication reflects the views, attitudes, interests, and tastes of the writers, editors and contributors to The Courier.It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty and staff of La Roche College.

Stephen Michal smiles as he accepts his award at the Positive Space art show on March 4. Michal took first place in Package Design.

See more on Positive Space on page 6. © Bill Paterson

by Rebecca Jeskey

College to offer cheaper housing

by Joe Ziegler

see Tuition, page 6

Starting in the summer and fall semesters of 2010, two new La Roche College policies will give

students new options as residents.In a move designed to increase

the number of residents, the college established programs that offer different housing prices for each dorm building, based on the amenities within them. The programs are, in part, a response to a decline in the number of students living on campus in recent years.

President Sister Candace Introcaso stated, “We’re open to doing those things. We think it can attract students back to campus, and that’s what makes a college campus a college campus. It’s a vibrant campus community.”

According to Sister Introcaso, the college will offer decreased rates for students who choose to live in residence halls other than Bold Hall. The rates will be effective starting in fall 2010.

Director of Housing and Residence Life Christopher Willis said that the school decided on the rates by reviewing what La Roche has to offer its residents. “For the price differential for the residence halls, we took a look at what we have to offer here and compared it to what other schools have to offer,” he said. “We looked at where we stand up against other institutions based on

our prices and what we have to offer. Willis added that the difference

between amenities in each building prompted Residence Life’s decision of offering discounted rates for buildings other than Bold Hall.

“We decided that the two buildings aren’t the same,” he said. “Schneider and Mahler have less amenities than Bold Hall, which has the gym, Bold Union Room, lounges on every floor, and one bathroom to every two students. There is

Positive Space 2010

Tuition takes hike by four percent

The board of trustees recently approved a four percent tuition increase for the 2010-11 school year, which will add another $419 to students’ costs.

In February, the board voted to increase tuition by four percent, according to Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Howard Ishiyama.

“The administration looks at the financial needs of the college, our competitive position vis-a vis those schools that we recruit against, the impact of an increase on our current students and the overall economic conditions in which we operate,” Ishiyama stated in an e-mail. 

He added, “Using that information, a decision is made regarding the magnitude of the proposed tuition increase.  That increase is then presented to the board of trustees for a vote.  The board voted to increase tuition by four percent in February. The four percent increase is the lowest increase in several years.”

Ishiyama explained that La Roche, like other colleges, has to keep up with increasing costs. “The costs to provide a quality education go up every year.  We have to keep pace with rising costs.  In past years, it has taken a tuition increase in the  five to five and a half percent range to generate the level of resources needed for  a balanced budget,” he said. “This year, we have kept the tuition increase below that level, in recognition of the strain the economy is placing on our students and their families.”

Currently, tuition for full-time students is $10,469 per semester. After the four percent increase, students will pay $10,888.

Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Colleen Ruefle explained that the rising costs range from technology prices to basic costs of living. She said, “Prices go up, the cost of electricity goes up, the cost of heat goes up, the cost of food goes up. It’s just the expenses. And that needs to come from somewhere. Most colleges raise it [tuition] a couple percentage points every year to keep up with the costs of things.”

The expenses, Ishiyama said, include faculty and staff salaries, rising classroom costs, technology updates, and managing facilities, residence halls and campus grounds. “We are currently preparing a budget for next year, essentially determining what our most pressing needs are and allocating

obviously a difference in living in Mahler, Peters, and Schneider.”

Willis also said that the different pricing helps each of the buildings reach their fair market value.

The value is not the only reason for the discounted rates, according to Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Colleen Ruefle. “Our resident population has dropped a little over the last two years,” she said. “And I think it’s primarily an economic issue. People are staying home or getting apartments with several roommates who help share those costs.”

As for the students who do choose to live on campus, Ruefle said that most prefer to live in Bold Hall. She said, “Everyone wants to live in Bold, primarily because you only get one roommate. Sometimes it’s hard to have five roommates. When we talked to the board of trustees about room and board for next year, we recommended the differential pricing.”

The price difference for students living in residence halls other than Bold Hall is $250 a semester, offering a total savings of $500 a year. “If you have an apartment, $500 is probably a month’s rent, depending on who you share with,” Ruefle said.

In addition to various pricings, La Roche is now also offering free summer housing to students maintaining a minimum of six credits during the summer semester.

“The reason we decided to offer free summer housing for students who maintain six credits was because a lot of the bills that we have for residence halls are 12-month contracts -- our internet, our cable, the facility costs,” Willis said. “We felt since we’re paying the cost either way, giving students free housing would help get students to enroll in summer classes.”

Ruefle said that free summer housing is something that other

see Cheaper housing, page 6

“”

Our resident population has dropped a little over the last two years. And I think it’s primarily an economic issue.

www.larochecourier.com2

OpinionThe La Roche Courier < April 9, 2010

By Kurt Hackimer

This year, the Pittsburgh music scene suf-fered a tragic loss. On February 28, The Mr. Roboto Project, a do-it-yourself music

venue located in Wilkinsburg, ceased operation after 11 years.

In November of 1999, a group of people who deeply invested in the Pittsburgh punk rock scene rented out a small store front at 722 Wood St.

Their plan was to create a cooperatively owned and operated concert venue, similar to legendary punk rock venues 924 Gilman St. in California and ABC No Rio in New York City. What resulted was The Mr. Roboto Project: a venue funded and run entirely by the Pittsburgh punk rock community.

For just $25 plus an annual $10 renewal fee, one could become a member of the Mr. Roboto Project. With this membership, one had the ability to schedule whatever type of event they wanted, as long as the bands or artists refrained from using the space as a soap box for racist, sexist, or otherwise offensive subject matter.

This sort of bargain basement freedom allowed even the stingiest of promoter the ability to schedule a concert without having to worry about losing a tremendous amount of money on an event.

The idea of a universally accessible concert venue in the city of Pittsburgh was attractive to many do-it-yourself concert promoters. Because of this broad appeal, Roboto has been host to a vast array of musicians over its 11-year history.

Before their album “Plans” sold more than 100 million copies, Ben Gibbard and Death Cab For Cutie plugged their guitars into the Roboto house PA system. Before signing to Sire, the record label made famous by Madonna, folk inspired punk rockers Against Me! screamed into the Wilkinsburg night. Popular Pittsburgh punkers Anti-Flag recorded a live album at this venue. Hundreds of musicians from indie icons Bright Eyes and Ted Leo to metal giants Walls of Jericho and Converge, to local crust punk pioneers Aus-Rotten, have turned the floor of

722 Wood St. into their very own stage.To followers of Pittsburgh’s underground

music scene, Roboto was paramount, and its closure is heartbreaking.

However, for the majority of the general public, Roboto’s 11-year existence in that flat on Wood St. has gone unnoticed.

This is simply because Roboto was not meant for the general public.

Roboto did not garner much interest from the modern concert patron who enjoys sipping on a Cosmopolitan at the latest of the trendy concert venue or night club hybrids that have stumbled in and out of town throughout the past decade, which was just fine.

The casual concert-goer simply would not relate to Roboto’s environment which was, at times, just downright unpleasant. The floor was hard, the sound was never perfect, it was too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, and the bathroom did not have a mirror.

Yet none of those things do anything to distract from the many warm, fuzzy, unwashed remnants of punk rock splendor that lie within this unique establishment.

As it stands, Roboto is dead. But maybe only for the time being. The people of the Roboto Project, along with the rest of the Pittsburgh music scene, are assisting in finding another building from which to operate.

Until then, however, the Pittsburgh music scene will take this time to reminisce about a true punk rock treasure.

Tariq Shabaz shares his thoughts on La Roche’s sports greats.

Top ten sports legends of La Roche College

1. Russ - La Roche College’s number one fan. Russ never misses a game, whether it is baseball, basketball or soccer. Russ is always in the front, enjoying every minute of the action. He is number one on this list and number one in our hearts.

2. Justin “Brain, Knockout and The Rumor” Alessio - Alessio is one of the greatest baseball players to ever come out of La Roche College. He led the team in home runs and batting averages almost every one of his four years on the field. He is credited for being one of the players that made baseball as big as it is for this small school. Alessio is now one of the head managers at the newly opened Fitness 19 in West Mifflin and also does professional bodybuilding.

3. Sam “The Ping-Pong King” Flori - Flori is the reason for the ping-pong mania at La Roche College. He is so good at ping-pong that he currently leads all of the tournaments here at the college.

4. Nick Wendell - Wendell is a 2006 graduate and was a member of the baseball team. He was an outstanding hitter and is credited for bringing such a great reputation to the program.

5. Phil “The One-man Grounds Crew” Avolio - Avolio, a 2009 graduate, was one of the baseball team’s best pitchers, as well as captain his senior year. Currently, Avolio does a lot of the groundskeeping around the college and plans on working with the Pittsburgh Pirates next year.

6. Robbie “Slam Dunk” Brisco - Brisco is a transfer student who came to La Roche in 2006. He is a member of the basketball team. Known for his height, he drove crowds crazy with his dunking ability. Brisco is now a senior graphic design major.

7. Dr. Linda Jordan Platt - Dr. Jordan Platt is a water girl at the men’s basketball games. She provides the players with drinks so that they do not get dehydrated and are able to play their best.

8. Nick “The Separation” Mora - Mora is a 2009 graduate and was known for his great golfing abilities. He also coached the girl’s soccer team. His current plans involve moving to West Mifflin and working at Fitness 19 with his long time friend Justin Alessio.

9. Phillip “The Pool Shark” Brown - Brown is also a 2009 graduate of La Roche and was known for being one of the best pool players. He currently works at La Roche as a tutor.

10. Nathan “Too Smooth” McCullough- McCullough is 2008 graduate of La Roche and was also a member of the baseball team. He was known as a very good hitter and fielder. Last year, he coached the Redhawks and now plans to play baseball in a league.

CommentaryOur readers write

Contributing staff:

Brian Fischer

Kurt Hackimer

Catelyn Hillegass

Dan Pasqua

Bill Paterson

Editor-in-Chief:Rebecca Jeskey

Managing Editor: Maggie Kelly

News Editor: Joe Ziegler

Lead Designer: Sarah Egolf

Advisor: Ed Stankowski

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto

© T. Douglass Photography

www.larochecourier.com 3

by Dan Pasqua

She is proof that art stretches beyond the limits of typical thinking, and that anything can be made into art.

Graphic and communication design professor Kitty Spangler said she uses materials such as cigarette butts, old CDs, fibers, paints and anything else she can find to create art.

“I like to act like a five-year-old and pretend, ‘I wonder what this would look like,’” Spangler said. The art instructor said that she made projects out of recycled cigarette butts a few years ago.

“As I would walk the dog around, I would pick up trash, and I started realizing that my neighborhood has more cigarette butts than you can shake a stick at,” Spangler explained. “And I thought, ‘These will last forever. It’s an art supply that’s free.  What could I do with these?’”

Spangler said to get the cigarettes clean, she soaked them in a solution of bleach and water.  “I never had them in the house because that was just way too weird,” she added.

Once the cigarette butts were dry and clean, she painted and glued them together.  According to Spangler, she wanted to take something ugly and make it appealing.

Saving and reusing materials that others often discard is a practice that Spangler said she has done her whole life.  She said she used to clean and reuse plastic bags to take her peanut butter sandwich to work. “I like to joke that I was probably in another body in the Great Depression.  I am so about reusing everything,” she said.  “I never had much money, and I always knew I’d never have much money.”

Last summer, Spangler said she hung about 200 old CDs, shiny side out, on about 12 strings from her front porch.

“People come up the street, and every once in a while I’ll see somebody, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God.’  They’re pointing at it as they’re driving by,” Spangler said.  “It’s recycling.  It’s not like I went out and looked for these things.  You end up with CDs from various sources with old media or old data on them.”

Spangler said she even used grief as an artistic outlet. “Dealing with divorce, I’ve made some really neat artwork because first I’m mad, then I’m sad, then I’m relieved,” she explained. The artist said that after her divorce, she started to make artwork about getting back her freedom, her sense of self and who she is.  One work, she added, was a cross-stitch piece with the Mae West quote: “Marriage is a fine institution, but I’m not ready for an institution.”

Spangler said the quote explained her thoughts on her divorce, and that it also relates to her idea that you don’t have to grow up until you want to. “I’m like the oldest five-year-old I know, or maybe I’m a seven-year old now,” Spangler said with a laugh. “I do try to pay the bills and everything, but I’m trying really hard not to be one of those old people that relive their history.”

She added, “You know you’re just going to have to keep paying bills and working. You might as well spice it up a bit, and keep it interesting.”

To Kitty Spangler, art is everywhere.

Despite tuition increases and a tough economy, students may now be able to save money in

a usually expensive area: textbooks.According to Vice President for

Administrative Services George Zaffuto, La Roche will offer a textbook rental service starting in the fall of 2010.

Follett Higher Education Group, the company that currently administers the La Roche bookstore, will provide the service.

“The cost will be much, much less than buying a brand new book,” Zaffuto explained.

The service will focus on textbooks rather than paperbacks, and the estimate price for rentals, he added, is $40. He said, “It could be a little lower, and it could be a little higher, depending on circumstances and things of that nature.”

Zaffuto compared the service to the Redbox DVD Rental.  “It works in that fashion,” he said. “You give them the information for the rental, and if the student decides, for whatever reason, that they want to keep the textbook and don’t return it, then they’ll be charged for it as a used book.

With the Follett rental service, Zaffuto said that students will be able to borrow textbooks for one semester. “The student will have to make a decision if they’re going to rent the textbook twice. Is that worth it? More often than not, when it’s a single semester textbook, this is going to be, by far, the least expensive way to go,” he said.

According to Zaffuto, students may highlight their rental books, and there is no limit to how many they choose to borrow. “Obviously, if

For rent: next school year’s textbooks

there’s any damage to the textbook, or if it’s lost, that’s a situation they’ll have to deal with through the bookstore,” he explained.

The school’s goal is to have nearly 40 percent of all titles available. Zaffuto said that material will not be available for every class, but that 20 to 25 percent will be ready in the fall.

“We want to have as many rentals as possible,” he stated. “And we want our students to be able to save as much money on books. We know that’s an issue. It’s always been an issue.”

Students will still have the option to purchase books in the fall.

However, Zaffuto said that he hopes the rental service will be a cheaper alternative.

“It has been tested in a variety of schools around the country, and the response to it was overwhelmingly positive,” he said. 

“Now that Follett has tested it, they are offering it to about 600 universities in colleges in North America, us being one of them.  I already signed the papers for it to be here by fall. We’re that confident in it.”

Julie Minto, a junior English education, language and literature major, said she spends at least $300 to $400 on books each semester. 

She added, “I only buy them here if I can’t find it online.  I typically use half.com because it’s the cheapest.”

However, she stated that she is unsure if she will use the rental service in the fall.

“I tend to keep most of my books,” she said.

by Rebecca Jeskey

SGA Cornerby Catelyn Hillegass

Student Government Association’s Publications Representative

• High cleanup is April 10 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

      • SGA Executive Board elections are April 12.

• General Board elections are April 19.  

• The induction ceremony for the new SGA board is April 27.

• Clubs and organizations recognition night is April 27 at 7 p.m.

© Dan Pasqua

Spangler made cigarette butts beautiful with “Choker.” © Kitty Spangler

www.larochecourier.com

La Roche College Service Learn-ing Club is currently working with administration to convert

two unused Peters Hall dorms into hospitality suites.

According to Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Colleen Ruefle, the hospitality suites will provide housing to families associated with Catholic Charities USA.

“Because we have rooms in Peters, we have offered two rooms to Catholic Charities,” Ruefle stated. “Catholic Charities is intending to use them for short-term refugee housing when they get a family that comes into Pittsburgh.”

A declining number of residents left Peters Hall open for change. Ruefle said the rooms are going to be offered to Catholic Charities until the school needs them again.

President Sister Candace Introcaso explained, “We’ve taken the top two floors out of Peters Hall, and the bottom three floors are used for administration. What we thought about is making that space available to people who wouldn’t have other space. We are working with Catholic Charities to make an offer to them that we have space on campus.”

Sister Introcaso added that the idea initially developed in response to the tough economy facing many Americans. “It started last year when I saw a television program about foreclosures,“ she said. “People were living in their cars and in tents in certain areas of the country. And we said, ‘If we have space on this campus, we shouldn’t allow that to happen.’”

According to the president, the college contacted Catholic Charities to say that La Roche can house families with homes that have been foreclosed. However, the organization said that there was a greater need for refugee space.

The housing will be short-term, Ruefle explained. “They [Catholic

LRC gives up dorms for refugees

Instead of going home to visit fam-ily and friends, 17 La Roche stu-dents joined the alternative spring

break service trip to Fayette County, Pa.

With the recent tragedy in Haiti and other parts of the world, the Service Learning Club decided to go on a local trip, and gave a donation to Haitian relief efforts with the saved travel money.

Senior psychology major Joshua Litvik has attended all of the alternative spring breaks in his years at La Roche, but explained the importance of this year’s trip.

“In previous years, we did service in Bay St. Louis and New Orleans. And while there is great need there, we tend to forget the need in our own community,” he said. “Volunteering in Fayette County allowed us to see what was happening right in our backyard. It was a humbling experience to see so much poverty and hardships.”

Fayette County is one of the poorest counties in Pennsylvania, second only to Philadelphia County. Despite the poverty and destitution in Fayette, students made a difference in only five days.

Every day, the group split up to tackle different areas of the project. One service that took only two students daily was the Meals on Wheels trip. Accompanied by Sister Mary Fran Bassick, DC, students visited about 20 elderly people each day.

The group visited a variety of people: a 103-year-old woman; a retired painter who showed her beautiful home, decorated with her own breathtaking paintings; an elderly widow who prayed all day; and a retired reverend.

The widow said she prays for all of her family members, especially her late husband. She thanked us tremendously, thrilled to see youth volunteering in her community.

Though conversing with the elderly was much needed, there were some physical assignments that the group needed to complete as well. At the Fayette County Community

Finding faith in Fayette

Charities] need some place to put them for two weeks, sometimes four weeks, until they get their home set up,” she said. “They usually hook up these families with parishes, and so they are looking for some type of home near these parishes. And during the transition, they sometimes put these families in hotels, and that can be difficult. There’s an expense there. We’ve spent some time fixing them up. Staff and students have volunteered for Days of Caring and have gone down and spruced the rooms up.”

Some of the work has already been completed, according to Sister Introcaso. She said, “The painting is done, the carpeting is done, the bathrooms are done. We’re making a checklist of furnishings that we still need, and we’re going to look to the La Roche community to help furnish those rooms.”

Associate Campus Minister for Justice and Service Education Sister Elena Almendarez said, “The Service Learning Club assisted in assessing what the needs are in the suites in terms of furniture, decorating, and supplies. Colleen Ruefle and I refined the lists and are working together to get various La Roche students, staff, and faculty, as well as friends of the college, to donate what is needed to complete the rooms.”

The Service Learning Club, she added, hopes to have the suites ready in late April.

Ruefle added that the college is looking for people to adopt a room. She said, “You can adopt a bedroom and put the sheets on, make the beds, hang posters up, put lamps in, put an area rug in, throw pillows. You can adopt a bedroom or a living room, or a bathroom, if you’d like to supply towels or a hospitality basket.”

People interested in adopting a room can contact Sister Almendarez at Elena.Almendarez@laroche.edu or Colleen Ruefle at Colleen.Ruefle@laroche.edu.

Food Bank in Uniontown, nine students helped feed over 300 families.

With teamwork, a traditional conveyor belt, and good spirits, students packed 300 boxes with milk, juice, cereal, peanut butter, and many other non-perishable canned goods. The supplies will provide 300 families with a box of food to last a month.

A few students volunteered at the Marion Villa after-school program. Their duties were to help the elementary students with homework, play games with them, but above all, encourage them.

While being one of the poorest counties in the country, Fayette County also has one of the highest illiteracy rates. Most young students there show no motivation toward their education.

The La Roche students that worked with them saw an improvement by the end of it. International management major Doria Shima said, “I loved spending time with the kids. Their innocence and energy makes you believe in the existence of heaven. It’s above our understanding.”

Another place Litvik volunteered was at a soup kitchen in Brownsville. He said he was astounded that a 70-year-old woman operated it. He asked her what motivates her, and she simply said, “If I don’t do it, who will?”

Litvik said he was touched by the experience. “I think having that mentality [that the soup kitchen operator has] is important in order to realize how much you really can do, even if it’s not recognized by others.”

Associate Campus Minister for Service and Justice Sister Elena Almendarez and Associate Campus Minister Sister Rose Michele Sieber are already planning another mini-trip in the upcoming months.

Shima summed the trip up with her favorite quote from Mother Teresa: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

On March 29, the English department hosted its Major Madness ex-ploration night in the Private Dining Room. Students were met with food, discussion, faculty members, door prizes and most importantly,

alumni who now have successful careers. The English department was one of many to host a Major Madness program

to drum up interest in La Roche students with undeclared majors. “I think having professionals come in who have graduated from the

program to talk to our students is the most valuable thing we can do, “ Sister Rita Yeasted, professor and chair of the English department, said. “Because when teachers give you this information, it goes in one ear and out the other. But when somebody who actually got the same information and used it, and got a job with it, it gives it credibility.”

English Major Madness

by Maggie Kelly

by Joe Ziegler

Student volunteers give up spring break to give to others. © Sister Elena Almendarez

by Brian Fischer

Junior Carrie Schubert exchanges contact information with La Roche graduate Brian Duermeyer.

© M

aggi

e K

elly

4

www.larochecourier.com

Baseball is and forever will be America’s sport. It can be traced back to the 18th century

when amateurs played a baseball-like game, using informal rules and im-provised equipment.

The National Association of Professional Baseball Players (NAPBBP), referred to the National Association (NA) for short, was founded in 1871, and was the first established professional league.

It has paved the way for professional baseball and helped make it what it is today.

One exciting way for children to enjoy baseball is by collecting baseball cards. Cards became available almost as early as baseball became popular, and the hobby never looked back.

Three professors at La Roche are avid baseball fans and card collectors. Through their stories, experiences, and views, it’s evident that baseball card collecting is a beautiful art form and not only carries sports facts, but also precious childhood memories.

English Professor Ed Stankowski, senior lecturer Dr. Michael Young, and Department Chair of Accounting and Finance professor Mark Dawson said they all started collecting cards when they were in grade school.

“Trading and flipping cards was a big deal,” Young said. “It was part of what you did in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade.”

“My elementary schoolmates and I were into sports, especially baseball, and the hero worship that occurs at that age. The cards were a great way to have a photo of favorite players along with biographical and statistical data,” Dawson agreed with Young.

Dawson said he remembers receiving money from his mother to buy a candy bar, but instead bought two packs of baseball cards for a dime.

“The cards came with a big stick of bubble gum, and some kids really wanted the gum. I didn’t care about the gum. I just wanted the cards,” Dawson said.

Dawson explained that he had a friend whom he called the “runner,” because he bought most of the packs for the group. He and his friends gave this “runner” their money, and the next day, his group met in school and opened their new baseball packs.

Baseball cards and childhood memories

Stankowski said he got his first pack in 1970 and became a serious collector the following baseball season. His father brought packs home from work for him and his sister.

Both Dawson and Young’s childhood passion simmered down in their high school years.

Although Young wasn’t around anyone who traded, Dawson decided to sell most of his cards. He amassed over 6,000 cards by the time he was in high school, and in his senior year, he started selling off his most prized possessions.

Dawson sold two cards for a penny, and eventually 3,000 cards for around 15 bucks.

Worst of all, when he dug out his remaining cards in 1986, he realized that he had given away all his favorite Pittsburgh Pirate players.

Ten years ago, Young said he attended the 2000 Pirate Fest, which celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the 1960s World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates. He went all three days, acquired 23 different autographs, conversed with many Pirate fans, and observed all of their card collections.

Young met former Pirate first baseman August Richard “Gus” Suhr, who played in the game where baseball legend Babe Ruth hit his final homerun. It was May 25, 1935, and it would be the first ball to ever be hit completely out of Forbes Field.

Young also had several of his baseball cards signed by his childhood heroes. Though signatures actually decrease the value of baseball cards, Young became hooked again and returned to collecting.

“For me, it’s the sentimental

value,” Young said. “These are the people I remember, and the teams I cheered for.”

Like Young, Dawson regained his love for card collecting later in life, but unlike Young, he wanted complete sets.

“I got the bug again to put some sets together,” Dawson said. He focused on completing every set from the 1960s and even traded away many 1970s cards to collect the entire set.

He has his sets in binders organized by card number, which is the order in which they were released. Owning a trade value magazine, he knows what most of his cards are worth.

“The catalog value would probably approach $40,000,” Dawson said, though he never plans on selling all of them. In fact, he couldn’t pick just one card to keep.

While nearly all of his spending took place in the past decade, now he mostly trades and sells cards. He said there are probably about 10,000 cards in his current collection that he plans to keep.

Stankowski has also pared down his collection recently, getting rid of thousands of newer cards. He estimates that his entire collection is worth between $5,000 and $6,000.

Young’s favorite childhood hero is Pittsburgh Pirate hall-of-famer Roberto Clemente, and while having an impressive card collection numbering in the thousands, he is missing Clemente’s rookie card that he said he so greatly desires.

He surprisingly was able to pick up a banged-up second year Clemente card for what he called a pocket money price.

He doesn’t expect to find a Clemente rookie card in his price range, and he won’t sell most of his collection for just one card. His cards bring back memories, and for him, that’s all that matters.

Aside from enjoying the baseball information the cards contain,

these three passionate collectors said they also enjoy the aesthetics of their cards. “Long before I knew all of the players and all of their stats, I was drawn to the cards’ design,” Stankowski said. “Both my parents were artists who encouraged my sister and me to appreciate things of beauty. And some cards are just that: things of beauty.”

Dawson said that not until he went back to card collecting in the late 1980s did he really appreciate the photography on the cards. Young explained his favorite artwork from the cards in the late 1950s. He enjoyed that not all of them were actual photos, but paintings, illustrations, and portraits as well.

All three men admitted their love for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and how that reflected in their card collecting.

“I wanted every card that I could get,” Dawson said. “But growing up in western PA, I definitely wanted cards of Pirates players more than those of other teams.”

Dawson added that he still has one of the original ten cards from his first pack, Pittsburgh Pirate Tommie Sisk.

Like Dawson and Young, Stankowski said he loved collecting Pirates players when he was a kid. To this day however, he said, “My heart still races a little bit when I find a vintage card with a Pirates player on it.”

Even with the dark cloud that looms over Pirates’ baseball, these professors said they are and always will be Pirates fans.

With the start of the season, Dawson thinks we’ll see more of the same, Stankowski predicts 58 wins and a trade involving Andrew McCutchen, but Young said it best with a simple plea: “God, I keep hoping, God, I keep hoping.”

by Brian Fischer

© Mark Dawson

© Mark Dawson © Mark Dawson

© Dr. Michael Young © Dr. Michael Young

5

On March 4, La Roche College hosted the 17th annual Positive Space art show in the Cantellops Art Gallery.

Krisna Poznik, senior graphic designer, said she took over organizing the show after Positive Space’s creator and former La Roche graphic design professor Rosemary Gould retired in 2008.

“She started the show because she just felt there was a need to show off the student work that the designers made in class,” Poznik said.

Since Positive Space 2009, the show has accepted pieces from interior design students.

Since interior design became part of the competition, Division Chair of Design and Secretary of Academic Sentace Maria Ripeppi has worked on Positive Space for the past two years.

“By opening up the show for both graphic design and interior design, you’re seeing how interdisciplinary it is, and how some of the interior design students are able to submit work for the graphic design portions of the show, and the same for graphic design being able to submit stuff for interior design” Ripeppi said.

Interior design student Anthony Allgeier won first place in the 3-D Modeling category and the Best of Show award. His 3-D model, made out of chipboard and tacky glue, won him these awards. Allgeier said the model, titled “Sick Building Syndrome,” took him about 18 to 20 hours to complete, and started out as a class project.

“The main premise of the whole project was to design a kiosk that would be meant for a mall that would inform people about different illnesses and sicknesses that can be caused by different structures,” Allgeier said.

Poznik explained how the judges voted for their two favorite pieces in the show, and the one with the most votes won the Best in Show award.

“I totally had forgotten there was even a Best of Show.  I was just hoping for the 3-D model-making,” Allgeier said.  “It was a complete shock. I didn’t think that was going to happen at all.”

For winning the Best of Show award, Allgeier received a certificate, a ribbon and $200.

Ripeppi said since an interior design student took home the top award this year, it might encourage more interior designers to submit work next year.

“I know some students who didn’t enter this year,” Ripeppi said.  “They all said ‘I’m going to enter next year.’”

Positive Space 2010continued from page 1

by Dan Pasqua

www.larochecourier.com

colleges around Pittsburgh also offer. She added that the program is designed to help students academically while giving them a place to live during the summer.

“We’re limiting that to one building, which is about 80 students,” Ruefle said. “So, it’s on a first-come-first-serve basis. We use the other buildings in the summer time for sports camps.”

For summer housing, the school will use Schneider Hall, which offers ten four-person rooms and seven six-person rooms.

According to Willis, Residence Life promoted the programs by working with the Public Relations Department to create a marketing campaign. “Anne Lahoda [Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life] worked with Public Relations on different marketing schemes,” he

Cheaper housing

tuition revenue, accordingly,” he said. “The first priority in all of our deliberations is maintaining the quality of the educational experience for the students.”

Ishiyama explained that the board did not propose any fee increases. However, he said that rates for some residents will change. “There have been adjustments to the room rates for the residence halls.  Rates have been increased for Bold Hall, but have actually decreased for the other residence halls,” he said.

“The tech fee didn’t necessarily change. It went from $10 per credit to $150,” Ruefle said. “So, if you’re taking 15 credits, it didn’t change at all. If you’re taking more, it would’ve raised.”

According to Ruefle, technology fees pay for internet access, computer labs, and computers in SMART classrooms. “All those technology things that we have to keep up on are rolled into that,” she said.

She added that the raise in tuition is not related to the Study Abroad, Study USA program and will not pay for the John J. Wright Library renovations this summer.

Besides increasing tuition, Ishiyama stated that La Roche is currently pursuing other sources of income, such as grants and fundraising. 

Students who receive scholarships through La Roche and continue to meet the requirements will still

TuitionAnthony Allgeier wins Best of Show

continued from page 1 said. “We developed posters about the perks of living on campus that you can take advantage of.

Residence Life displayed the posters and flyers in preparation for the 2010-11 room selection process that occurred on Wednesday March 24. “We exceeded our goal by 21 students,” Willis said. “And we hope more students who are lingering will make the decision. We did a lot of work and marketing, and we were glad to see that.”

Living on campus is a beneficial experience for students, according to Sister Introcaso.

“There’s a lot of learning that takes place outside of the classroom from each other, learning how to live with people, and comprise,” she said. “I think living on campus enriches one’s college experience. I think philosophically, there is something very positive about the on campus living experience.”

continued from page 1 receive those funds, Ishiyama said. “We will continue to work with our students to provide them with the greatest amount of financial aid available to each of them, according to their individual situations,” he stated.

Some students, however, expressed their concerns about financial aid packages.

Andrew Wagner, a freshman video production major, said because of the increase, he will have to apply for higher loan amounts. “I think it’s [the increase] unnecessary if they want more people to come here,” he said.

Another student, junior Corynn Koos, explained that a raise in tuition costs can affect students academically. She said, “It’s already hard enough, working to help pay back school loans while going to school. An increase in tuition will only make things more difficult. How are we supposed to do well in school while we have to work our butts off to help pay for it?”

Koos said that she currently pays for tuition with an academic scholarship, loans and grants. “I don’t like it. It is already a decently expensive school,” she said. “It is unfair for the students who are already enrolled because we were under the impression that we would be paying a certain amount in tuition each year, and now that’s about to change.”

I’m too sexy for my dignity

The crowd goes wild as Adam Sepesy and Bobby Jackson strut their stuff at the date auction on March 18.

© Sarah Egolf

© Dan Pasqua

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Dear Maggie:

With finals coming up pretty soon, I’m starting to worry about my test anxiety. Sometimes I wait until the last minute to study, and other times I don’t. Whenever I take tests, I get so nervous and blank out on questions I thought I knew. I hate getting the test scores back and seeing that I made silly mistakes. What can I do to ease my anxiety? Any study tips?

Sincerely,Terrible Test Taker

Dear Terrible Test Taker:

The best way to deal with test anxiety is to over-learn, according to psychology Professor Dr. Janet Gates. “Over-learning means that you know the material to the point of automaticity. In other words, the knowledge is firmly embedded and you can recite it, almost as though you’ve learned lines in a play,” Gates said.  However, this requires time, reading and reviewing for a couple of hours every night. Gates suggests studying at least a week before the exam.“Most students experience anxiety because they do not truly have command of the material, and underestimate how demanding it is to actually acquire new learning,” she said. Set aside time without distractions of cell phones, computers, etc. to prepare for tests. If you feel like your anxiety is too severe no matter how much you study, Gates directs students to contact the counseling services in Bold Hall.

Dear Maggie:

I am so distracted lately. The nice weather, along with summer right around the corner, makes me slack off. The end of the semester is always so busy, and I get so overwhelmed that I just start to give up on my schoolwork. It’s difficult to manage my time. I don’t how to get myself motivated again. What can I do to manage my time better?

Sincerely,Spring Slacker

Dear Spring Slacker:

Put things into perspective when the tendency to slack off comes in. Psychology Professor Dr. Janet Gates said, “I always tell my advisees that the movies you’re watching instead of studying will fade from memory. The stuff you buy will be landfill, but your transcripts from college will follow you forever. Gone are the days when simply having a college degree will land you a high-paying job. Spring days will come and go, but the opportunity to be successful in school is limited,” she added. Keep this in mind when you start to feel lazy. “The time you spend reading, studying, and reflecting, will pay dividends the rest of your life.  And learning is a fascinating adventure,” Gates said. So sit by a window, get out the books, and study.

EntertainmentThe La Roche Courier < April 9, 2010

El Campesino is an authentic Mexican restaurant and bar located just minutes from La

Roche College on McKnight Road. Over the years, El Campesino

expanded their locations with restaurants in Altoona, Monaca, McMurray, Monroeville and Robinson areas. El Campesino is an excellent place to go for a reasonably priced meal that is a little out of the ordinary.

The atmosphere of El Campesino is warm and friendly. The brightly colored décor makes the quaint, weathered wooden walls very rustic and inviting.

On a busy evening, the wait is relatively short: between 15 and 30 minutes. Greeters are inviting, but also quick and efficient.

While waiting, the bar area is easily accessible, and it offers great specials, along with a wide selection of drinks that won’t break the bank. Brightly colored margaritas are always a good choice when dining on authentic Mexican food.

Once seated, a waiter is quick to take drink orders and starts you off with a complimentary order of chips and salsa. The restaurant charges all refills.

One must try the guacamole or cheese dip, at least once, as their flavorful, yet relatively mild flavors are well received.

The El Campesino menu has a wide array of choices. For any students learning Spanish, it is a great opportunity to test your skills, since the selections are in Spanish, and most of the wait staff are Spanish speakers. The menu offers a glossary of descriptions for those not familiar with Mexican cuisine.

Dear MaggieDisclaimer: Advice will not work across the board for everyone, even though it can be helpful in gaining perspective on a problem. The following is meant to entertain and inform, but not to be taken as the only solution to the given problem. Talking to a counselor is something that there is no substitute for.

For a restaurant that serves very specific cuisine, it offers a lot to picky eaters and even children.

Aside from the various menu items, El Campesino has a section of combo platters that are simply numbered and allow the patron to pick and chose between various combinations of tacos, quesadillas, etc.

The children’s menu is also the perfect balance of new or different options and classic favorites, making El Campesino a family friendly restaurant, as well.

Kids under 12 can select from various Mexican specialty combos like enchiladas and burritos, or old staples like chicken fingers, fries, hamburgers and mozzarella sticks.

El Campesino offers very generous portions for their specials, so sharing a platter is a great option if you aren’t extremely hungry.

The Guadalajara Special is fantastic. This menu item consists of one tamale, nachos with rice, refried beans, beef, cheese and chicken topped with lettuce, tomato, guacamole, and sour cream with two taquitos.

Cooks prepare all meals upon ordering, so the minimally extended wait time is to ensure quality, as well as freshness.

El Campesino offers an extensive vegetarian menu, as well. Many great things are said about the vegetable fajitas, as they are very flavorful.

As for dessert, the menu is fabulous. El Campesino offers items such as flan, a Mexican custard, fried ice cream, and sopapillas, which are fried flour tortillas with honey, butter and cinnamon.

Naturally, an El Campesino margarita isn’t a bad way to end your enjoyable dining experience, either.

by Maggie Kelly

by Maggie Kelly

Margaritas, combo platters and moreEl Campesino offers great selection of Mexican cuisine

Polynesian fire dancers light up the CC Square on April 7. © Rebecca Jeskey and Dan Pasqua

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EntertainmentThe La Roche Courier < April 9, 2010

Joanna Newsom“Have One On Me”

Released: February 23, 2010

Throughout the course of this album, I have undeniably developed a crush on Ms. Joanna Newsom. And it has very little to do with her admittedly striking physical beauty. No, much like she pulls on the strings of her signature pedal harp, Newsom uses her musical ability to pull on my poor, malleable heart strings.

Newsom’s appeal derives from her mainly minimalist melodies and her interesting, sometimes abrasive, Appalacian folk inspired singing voice. Because of the interesting nature of her music, Newsom has become the poster girl for the trend known as New Weird America, a modern musical subgenre of psychedelic folk music. The trend’s name is a play on Greil Marcus’s phrase “Old Weird America,” as used in his book “Invisible Republic,” with the connection between post-World War II folk musicians such as Mississippi John Hurt and 60’s protest singers such as Bob Dylan.

In her new 3xLP masterpiece “Have One On Me,” her third studio album, Newsom seems to have it all figured out. While her unique voice is a major reason as to why she is so endearing, this album manages to be much more palatable vocally than her other endeavors, The Milk Eyed Mender and Y’s, without sacrificing her charming twang that fans have become accustomed to. Also, throughout the course of two hours, the music changes noticeably, incorporating folk and blues influences, as well as piano and guitar in addition to her harp.

While the music instantly draws the listener’s attention, the true beauty of this album lies within Newsom’s lyrics. Newsom is one of the most interesting lyricists, and “Have One On Me” is no exception. The lyric book reads like poetry as Newsom uses images associated with nature and simple living to express deeper feelings of love, anguish, and, in the case of “You And Me, Bess,” the relationship between a girl and her horse.

With this album, Joanna Newsom seems to have come into her own as a legitimate musical superstar. Although the year is very young, it would be shocking to hear a better album than “Have One On Me” in 2010.

This album is so delicate and so perfect that one cannot bare to take it off of one’s turntable.

Throughout the past decade, the music world has undergone a renaissance due to the inalienable presence of the internet. Compact discs have quickly given way to digital copies. The thrill of collecting

has succumbed to demands for maximum portability and affordability. Unfortunately, maximizing instant accessibility sacrifices product quality.

Lately, the response to the induction of the MP3 album has been a rejuvenation in the market for vinyl records. Music aficionados realize that an album is more than a series of MP3 files stored on someone’s iTunes. Rather, a record represents the melding of art and music. Besides, the faint sound of the record spinning on the turntable, combined with the occasional pop in the speakers, offers an almost calming sensation.

Delve into these two recently released recordings by The Magnetic Fields Joanna Newsom.

The Magnetic Fields“Realism”

Released: January 26, 2010

In a September 2005 interview conducted by The Onion’s AV Club, Bob Mould, guitarist for legendary punk rock outfit Hüsker Dü, thought of an interviewer who once referred to Mould as “the most depressed man in rock.” Mould’s response was, “He’s never met Stephin Merritt, obviously.”

The depressed person in question is singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt, the principle member of the indie pop band known as The Magnetic Fields. Merritt lent his untrained baritone voice and string instrument prowess to this interesting group, also featuring Claudia Gonson (percussion/piano/vocals), Sam Davol (cello/flute), and John Woo (banjo/guitar).

After the release of their tenth studio album “Realism,” I immediately rushed to The Attic Records in Millvale, PA. Ever since listening to their three CD epic “69 Love Songs,” I have had an infatuation with The Magnetic Fields. Their sound is unlike anything I’ve ever heard, using unfamiliar instruments, such as the ukulele and banjo, to create wonderful pop music inspired by everything from Hanz Christian Andersen to Joy Division.

The Magnetic Fields places emphasis on not falling into any particular subgenre of music, so I hesitate to say that “Realism” sounds exactly like anything they have done in the past. Rather, the sound is familiar. Almost comforting, in a way. Especially considering its vast stylistic change from their last album “Distortion,” which was essentially a tribute to The Jesus And Mary Chain’s classic noise-rock album “Psychocandy.”

“Realism,” with heart-spoken love songs such as “Seduced and Abandoned” and “Painted Flower,” offers a sound closer to The Magnetic Fields that one hears on their album “69 Love Songs.” The odd, yet appealing musical structure combined with Stephin Merritt’s unique lyrical style, makes for a wonderful, yet subduing piece of music that should sound entirely unfamiliar to fans of the band. It is a decent representation of their overall body of work for someone looking to check them out for the first time. Although, I strongly recommend picking up their “69 Love Songs” CD box set before anything else.

The vinyl collective

By Kurt Hackimer

Interested in writing,layout or photography?

The La Roche Courier needs writers for news articles, feature stories, sports coverage, and entertainment. Photographers,

illustrators, and page designers are always wanted.

If you are interested in joining our staff, please contact editor Rebecca Jeskey: courier@laroche.edu.

© Kurt Hackimer

© Kurt Hackimer

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Who is your celebrity dream date?

“Taye Diggs. Ah, that smile!” – Denise Rivas-Morgan, junior psychology major

“Maxwell. He’s my favorite singer.”

– Michelle Rugema, senior international relations major

“Tina Fey because we both do a great Sarah Palin impression.” – Dr. Joshua Bellin, associate

professor of English

“Nicki Minaj [of Young Money Records].”

– Ahmad Alghazi, sophomore information technology major

“John Mayer. I just love him a lot.”

– Erika Slagel, junior elementary education major

“Gerard Butler. I’m a sucker for an accent.”

– Julie Minto, junior English education: language and

literature major

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