County Solid Waste Center to Expand

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 8/13/13. -------   County Solid Waste Center to Expand By Cori O'Connor WALTON — Delaware County's solid waste management center is preparing to expand its recycling facility within the coming year to three times its current size. Susan McIntyre, solid waste director, and Tony Vespro, solid waste management supervisor, say they hope that the expansion will allow them to double the volume of recyclables and lower the residual, landfill-bound waste from 24 percent to a single-digit number.

McIntyre explained that recycling has been evolving over the years as a result of both technology and world-wide demand. She said the county began recycling film plastic (the material plastic grocery bags are made out of) this year and began recycling rigid plastics last year. The recycling facility separates and bails the recycled material and then sells it in a commodity market. As the recycling facility expands in the coming year, the variety of material they are able to recycle will continue to increase, resulting in an increase in revenue as well as a decrease in the residual rate, the material being added to the landfill.

Currently, the recycling center uses a hybrid recycling system mixed between a co-mingled method (where bottles, cans, glass, plastic and metal can all be recycled together) and a source-separated method (where different types of paper need to be recycled separately.) The new recycling center will accommodate the co-mingled and source-separated methods as well as a more modern method known as "single stream" where consumers can recycle everything from paper to bottles together and it will all be separated at the recycling center.

 



RFI workers separate cardboard on a conveyor belt to be packed into bails. Pictured are Dale Anderson (middle) of Sidney, David Eckert (left) of Hancock and Cory Tatton (right) of Hamden. Photo by Cori O'Connor.

"Single stream will do a lot of things. It's easier on the consumer because they don't have to presort at home. It's easier on us because everything comes in and gets put into one," Vespro said. "By doing it that way, less goes to the landfill."

With the implementation of single stream recycling, the center will begin using more machines. "Right now we're completely manual. We're going to go to semi-automated with the new operation so some of the activities we do by hand now will be done by machine in the new facility," explained McIntyre. "We're not proposing to change our labor force. What we're proposing to do is take the staff who before had done something that a machine is going to do, they're going to do something else so we can expand the product line that we take."

According to McIntyre, the facility, funded by a capitol reserve fund, will also have a larger receiving area which will allow it to accommodate commercial haulers and tractor trailer loads, both of which the facility is too small to receive currently. McIntyre said a lot of money will be saved as a result of the single stream recycling, which will allow the private haulers to collect all recyclables at once, and the ability for the recycling center to receive fewer, larger loads as opposed to frequent smaller ones.

Resources for Industry, a work, training and placement program that's a part of the ARC of Delaware County has partnered with the Solid Waste Management Center to provide workers since 1992. Vespro described the relationship with RFI as a "good marriage."

"The ideal thing here is to rotate them out of here so they can go on to do other things," Vespro said. "I think the world of them. They're great workers."

The RFI workers are on yearly contracts with Delaware County and the different individuals remain in the program for varying amounts of time. Michael McNamara of Stamford has been a part of the program for five years. "Anything that's a challenge I love to do," McNamara said.

Russel Thurston, production supervisor of the Delaware County ARC, said he strives to teach the workers "quality work, pace, skills and to prepare them for a job in the community."

 

Radio Hobbyists Join in National Field Day

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 6/26/13.

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Radio Hobbyists Join in National Field Day

By Cori O'Connor

  

WALTON — Members of the Walton Radio Association gathered at Adin Miller's storage barn on Bob's Brook Road on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 for the 24-hour National Amateur Radio Field Day. The six participants sent their call signals all over the country, testing their equipment and participating in a competition.

"What it does is, it tests our capability to communicate anywhere from down the block to across the country in unusual places, unusual circumstances, because it's never going to be an ideal circumstance during a disaster," said Richard Kelly, president of the Walton Radio Association.

The field day participants sent their signals over the airwaves using a variety of technologies ranging from Morse code to more advanced forms. "We've actually invented so many modes of communication that are so common today, that people don't even realize. We can talk over just a basic radio, we can send e-mail, we can send television pictures," Kelly said.

Craig Loudon of Sidney uses Morse code to contact another national field day site in Mississippi. photo by Cori O’Connor/The Walton Reporter.

Participants recorded the people they were able to contact and their locations and collectively submitted the information to the national association governing amateur radio, the Amateur Radio Relay League, in order to receive a national ranking in the competition. The ranking is based on the amount of points awarded to each site, based on how low the power is that they're able to broadcast on (they need to use a battery 5 watts or less, which is a current less than a flash light bulb), what locations they're able to contact, if they're visited by a news agency or an elected representative or if students come to the site and learn something.

 

According to Kelly, amateur radio, also known as ham radio, has been around since the days before electricity, over a hundred years. Members, also known as hams, are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and they broadcast over public radio frequencies free of charge. "In a nutshell, what we do is we provide communications to organizations when normal communications goes down," Kelly said. During federally declared disasters, hams operate under an association known as RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) and are utilized by the emergency services department to broadcast for "served agencies" including fire departments, police departments, the Red Cross, EMS, hospitals, social services, highway departments, the Salvation Army and others.

"During Irene and Lee, Margaretville Telephone Company was about to go under water and it would have wiped out all of their phone communications for the Margaretville area," Kelly said. He explained that an amateur radio broadcaster was available at the Margaretville fire station, ready to provide any communications such as where the rescuers needed to be, how many people they pulled out and where they were going, as well as information on welfare checks, food and supplies.

Kelly explained that during disasters, hams benefit from versatile equipment and the thousands of frequencies and dozens of satellites available to them for national and international communication. According to Kelly, radio equipment is versatile in that radios can be powered by batteries and hams can use a variety of mediums for antennas including wires strung between poles or trees, antennas on top of vehicles, and even a basic electrical cow fence.

Kelly is taking steps to make amateur radio a more readily available "tool" for communication. "I'm trying to get just a basic radio put in every fire department in this county. I'm trying to get funding for that because when their system goes down, they rely on us and we can usually find a way, some way to communicate," he said.

Apart from disasters, Amateur Radio participants operate under the ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) association where they conduct communications throughout different events such as running, biking or boating races. According to Kelly, amateur radio personnel were a main source of communication during the Boston Marathon tragedy. Kelly also explained that amateur radio was "the original social media" and said some hams still practice their hobby by trying to contact different people across the country with whom they talk about anything such as their jobs, families, where they're from and so on, just like a "chat room."

The Walton Radio Association is looking for members of all ages. Their meetings are held the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Walton Fire Station. If interested contact Richard Kelly at w2rrk@arrl.net.

Walton Family Raises Service Dog

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 6/25/13.

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Walton Family Raises Service Dog

By Cori O'Connor

WALTON— Greg Graupman and his granddaughter, Madison Graupman, 12, are raising and training a puppy named Lawrence for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Don Smith, general manager of the Walton McDonalds, donated all of the dog's food.

Greg Graupman has been involved with Guiding Eyes for the Blind for over a decade and raised service dogs with his sons when they were younger. Lawrence is the fourth dog Graupman has raised and the second dog Madison has raised. They have never had a dog pass the final evaluation, however. Lawrence will attend his final evaluation when he is between 16 and 18 months old.



Madison Graupman and Lawrence, the service dog s
he is raising for Guiding Eyes for the Blind,
give a certificate of appreciation to Don Smith,
general manager of Walton McDonald's restaurant,
for donating all of the dog's food. photo by Cori O’Connor/The Walton Reporter.

"It's a real wonderful experience, especially for kids," Greg Graupman said. "It is a lot of responsibility because the bottom line is that from the time he wakes up in the morning to when he goes to bed at night he's in training. He's always working."
The dogs are trained according to a five step program and the "puppy raisers," Greg and Madison, attend class with Lawrence once a week in Oneonta. When Lawrence was placed with the

Graupmans at three months old, the program began with simple commands such as sit, down, come close, and stand, and they initially used a lot of food reinforcements. "As the dog matures you begin to not give them as many treats," Greg Graupman said. "Right now Lawrence is in step three, so his food reinforcements are intermittent, he doesn't know when he is going to get them. When he gets to step five he will have none."

Greg Graupman explained that they are allowed to bring Lawrence wherever they go. Lawrence sat through a class at the Walton Middle School with Madison and he goes into the Big M Supermarket almost every day. Greg also takes Lawrence to the bus garage. "I take him there frequently, mostly when I know the buses will be either pulling in or pulling out, because it's noisy," he said. "We're trying to desensitize him to loud noises because most of these dogs end up in urban areas with a lot of noise."

Lawrence also has to learn how to ignore things such as a stick on the ground, a cat or another dog. "We purposely put him in situations where he has to perform even though there's a cat. He has to ignore that cat and that takes a while, because the way you do that is to call his name and get him back to you."

Lawrence is also in strict training at home. Unlike most dogs he is not allowed to "counter surf" with his nose along the counter, he's not allowed on furniture, he can't have any "people food" as they have to watch his weight, he only can be off of the leash in fenced-in areas and, when they're gone, he must stay in a kennel.

Although the Graupmans would recommend the program, according to Greg Graupman, "It's not for everybody. Not every kid, not every adult can do this and give up this dog. Your heart's one place, your mind's another. You have to separate your heart and mind to be successful as a puppy raiser."

"It's for a cause so you have to focus on the fact that he's not your dog. It's like babysitting for a long time," Madison Graupman said.

Greg Graupman gave Smith a certificate of appreciation from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, which Smith said he will hang on the wall in McDonald's. "This is just another part of Walton McDonald's taking care of the community. Someone we haven't even met is going to benefit from having Lawrence," Smith said.

"We're very grateful for what Don and McDonald's is doing," Greg Graupman said. "For a puppy raiser, Don is saving a puppy raiser a lot of money."

Cori O'Connor scooping a pic after a felony hearing at the Walton Village Court.

Delhi Beautification Committee Supports Fire Hydrant Contest

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 6/5/13. -------

Delhi Beautification Committee Supports Fire Hydrant Contest

By Cori O'Connor

 

DELHI —The Delhi Beautification Committee presented the Delaware Academy Art Club with a $150 check on May 29 to cover the $50 prizes for the first place winners in each category of the fire hydrant decorating contest.

The contest is organized by Delaware Academy high school art teacher and art club advisor Brian Rolfe and the project is a partnership between the art club and the beautification committee. Over 20 students and community members will participate in the contest this year and a total of nine hydrants will be painted, eight of which are being repainted from previous years. There are three categories which the designs will reflect: community pride, realistic/abstract, and under 14 years of age.



Members of the Delhi Beautification Committee and the Delaware Academy Art Club

gathered for a check presentation last week. Pictured are: Bob Henault, Don Harris,

Peg Baldwin, Brian Rolfe, Julia VanBuren, Michaela Mills, Sophie Nellies, Adie Hook,

Sophia Gimlik, Brian Hannigan and Stephanie Bishop. photo by Cori O’Connor/The Walton Reporter.

"We wanted to interact more with community and school rather than just having it be a school thing or a community thing and with our club it was easy to do that," Rolfe said. He then explained that by including community members in the art club project there's "a bridge to get to the community."The contest began on April 15 and participants have until June 7 to paint the hydrants, although they had to submit designs for approval by May 31. In the days following June 7, the hydrants will be rated by a panel of three judges: Shiela Ayres, member of the beautification committee, Delhi Mayor Richard Maxey and a third judge who is currently unknown. The judges won't know the names of the people who painted the hydrants, only their ages.

All of the hydrants being painted are on Main Street because the village wanted the club to maintain the hydrants lining the center of town. "It's easier in the long run because I won't have to manage as many," Rolfe said.

This year the village donated a fire hydrant to the art club. The club will auction it off at the Harvest Festival to raise money for field trips and events. The hydrant will be painted with a scene from the surrounding area and, according to Rolfe, the club doesn't know whether they will paint it or hire someone to do so. Rolfe hopes to have the finished hydrant on display at the last Fair on the Square on July 26.

Female Construction Majors Build Bridge on SUNY Delhi Campus

This article was originally published on the front page of The Walton Reporter on 5/22/13.

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Female Construction Majors Build Bridge on SUNY Delhi Campus

By Cori O'Connor

DELHI —Six female SUNY Delhi students, Krista McCabe, Alex Rose, Jenna Singer, Helen Caster, Emily Gadbois and Jesse Jacob built a 24-foot bridge to cross "Lake Addison" outside of the Applied Tech buildings at SUNY Delhi and set it in place on Tuesday.

The women, four of whom major in architecture (McCabe, Rose, Singer, and Caster) and two of whom major in construction management (Gadbois and Jacob) completed the project in their spare time. They were supervised and instructed by Floyd Vogt, professor of construction and technology at SUNY Delhi. "I'm here to answer questions, inspire, guide, expedite wherever I can," Vogt said.



This bridge, built by female students in the architectural and building trades programs at SUNY Delhi, was lifted into place over a small waterway on the campus on Tuesday morning. photo by Cori O'Connor.


They built the bridge to express the female presence in the overwhelmingly male majors. "Our numbers are growing in the younger classes, we want to show them that we can do anything," Rose said. The women are also interested in forming a sorority on campus.

Vogt had thought for a while that he'd like to build a bridge over "Lake Addison" but it wasn't until the women approached him in search of a project that they decided to do it. Singer and Vogt designed the double arch bridge with a sunburst detail and they began building in April. The women estimated that between designing, gathering supplies, and building, the project took between 30 and 40 hours.

"I'm leaving here, so I'm definitely glad I did this before I left," Caster said. "Doing this and having it be our own separate thing was very special."

Vogt explained that his favorite part of the project was working with the women and he noted that their skill level is equal to that of the men he works with. "It was a matter of this is how we do it and then some of them would come and take tools right out of my hand. So once they saw how to do it they did it," he said.

"This was probably the highlight of my semester," said Rose. "It was something fun to do outside of class with close friends and it was something we weren't going to get graded on, so there wasn't a lot of pressure. But it was a pressure for our own goal, sort of."

"It was nice to have something tangible to finish the year out," said Jacob, a resident of Walton and a 2011 graduate of Walton Central School.

Pistol Permit Remains Suspended

This article was originally published in The Walton Reporter on 5/21/13.

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Pistol Permit Remains Suspended
By Cori O'Connor

 

DELHI — A Walton man's permit to possess handguns remains suspended after a hearing on Monday in Delaware County Court.

William Picinich, 51, appeared before Judge Carl F. Becker regarding the possible revocation of his pistol permit which was suspended after his arrest on Feb. 1 in Walton.

Picinich was charged at that time with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. His wife, Tina Picinch was also arrested Feb. 1 for second degree obstruction of governmental administration and issued a ticket to appear in court.

William Picinich's pistol permit was suspended based on section 400 of the Penal Law which, according to Becker, allows for possession of a permit as long as there aren't questions of judgement or conduct. Becker explained that the charges against Picinich have caused both to be questioned. "I am not going to tolerate someone who has a pistol permit behaving in a manner that disrespects the authority of law enforcement," Becker said.

Picinich explained that there was an agreement that all charges would be dropped if he had an alcohol evaluation. Becker didn't agree to that, however, but said that he would be open to something other than a revocation of the permit.

"I could find you guilty and you could be found not guilty in Walton," Becker said. He explained that the Walton village court and the county court could come to different conclusions because of the difference in the burden of proof that the county court hearing is dependent upon.

Becker adjourned the hearing to June 3 and June 24 so that Picinich could speak with his lower court attorney about his county hearing and so that the lower court issue could be resolved first.

Even the Experts Have to Work at Their Marriage

This article wasn't previously published but was submitted as part of an application in the Spring of 2013.

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Even the Experts Have to Work at Their Marriage

By Cori O'Connor

Marriage counselors, Frank and Diane Torino, have an unmistakable joy spread across their faces as they interact—but this joy hasn’t come easily. Speaking from their experience, the Torinos now counsel couples about how marriage takes continuous effort and God at its center.

Frank and Diane met when Diane snuck into the high school dance with a friend. By the time Frank asked Diane to dance, they only could dance for one song and left without learning each other’s name because Diane had to make her curfew. Diane’s friend told her not to go to another dance because she would end up marrying the guy she danced with.

The prophecy was fulfilled; they have been the main focus of each other’s lives since.

They were married when he was 20 and soon after had their two girls. Life during the beginning of their marriage wasn’t easy; the big crises came when their younger daughter became a teenager.

“From the minute she opened her eyes at fourteen to boys, I would say it was about four years of what you could describe as a living hell, calls from the police at 2:00 in the morning saying we’ve found your car abandoned and so on,” Frank said.

The Torinos disagreed about how to handle the situation. Frank wanted to be the peace maker and Diane thought their daughter needed discipline.

In counseling couples, the Torinos have seen marriages fall apart because of parenting pressures. “If we did not have a good church we were going to and faith in Jesus, we could have easily ended up divorced through all of that,” Diane said.

One thing that Frank and Diane have been able to do well is continue to work at their marriage. They have attended marriage conferences.

They’ve also have had various people speak into their marriage: “There’s wisdom in the multitude of counsels,” Frank said. He then spoke of a “very mean” boss he once had. At a conference his company sent him to, a counselor in wisdom told Frank to “take time for your family.”

The joy in the Torino’s relationship is evident: “My father will say, “You and Frank, you’re always so happy, you’re always so joyful,” said Diane who then said the joy comes from God.

After having God at the head of one’s marriage, the Torinos say one of the keys to marriage is  focusing on each other and being sacrificial; “There is no room for selfishness in marriage,” said Diane.

Frank explained how when you really work on your marriage and realize you’re part of something bigger than the immediate scenario “you can put yourself aside, less of me and more of her.”

The other key is communication “We’ve just learned over the last ten years that you have to share gently and lovingly how you feel,” said Diane, even if it’s something as simple as asking them to turn the TV down.

On June 16^thFrank and Diane will have been married for 40 years.

Margaret Thatcher dies, the House of Thatcher mourns the loss

This article was originally published in the City section of the Empire State Tribune on 4/10/13.

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Margaret Thatcher dies, the House of Thatcher mourns the loss

By Cori O'Connor

 

Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of England, died Monday, Apr. 8 of a stroke at age 87 after suffering from dementia for a number of years. At King’s the House of Thatcher wore black to mourn her passing

Prime Minister of England, Margaret Thatcher. Photo from abcnews.com.

 

Thatcher was elected in 1979 and is remembered as the conservative who became the first female prime minister of Britain, according to biography.com. She is also remembered for her controversial accomplishments in office: privatizing industries, eliminating social welfare programs and reducing the power of trade unions.

Her death reminds the House of Thatcher and The King’s College overall of the role of each House namesake.

“She was a controversial leader but to us, and to King’s in general, she was a really great leader and so it’s allowing us to see the amazing accomplishments that she achieved in her life,” said Thatcher chamberlain-elect, Andrea Lopez.

“It’s been funny because people have come up to us offering their condolences,” Thatcher president-elect, Maddie Whitlock, said. She explained how through participating in the House history competitions, the namesake competition and researching her life, “It really feels like [the House] knows her.”

According to Mary Pham, president of the House of Thatcher, the House plans to send the Thatcher family a card as well as watch the funeral and make a tribute banner of Thatcher quotes.

Joy Merlino, member of the House of Thatcher, explained that she has been amazed by the outpouring of reverence and respect across world news for Thatcher who was a controversial leader and “wasn’t necessarily loved during her time.”

The House of Margaret Thatcher. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

According to Time, Thatcher will receive full military honors Apr. 17, in a “ceremonial funeral service” which the Queen and her husband will attend.

Thatcher came into office during a recession, experienced the Falklands war, survived her attempted assassination at the Conservatives Conference in Brighton and helped end the Soviet communism of the Cold War.  For these reasons, while in office, Thatcher earned the title “Iron Lady.”

She is also remembered for what is called “Thatcherism— the belief that economic freedom and individual liberty are interdependent, that personal responsibility and hard work are the only ways to national prosperity, and that the free-market democracies must stand firm against aggression,” according to the New York Times.

Thatcher was also as a close friend of Ronald Reagan. The two shared conservative values and often collaborated as statesmen. According to the Huffington Post, Reagan called Thatcher “the best man in England.”

According to Reuters, upon her death, Thatcher received tribute from many including Mikhail Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the Communist party in the Soviet Union, whom she and Reagan negotiated with to take down the iron curtain.

“In the end, we were able to achieve mutual understanding, and this contributed to a change in the atmosphere between our country and the West and to the end of the Cold War,” Gorbachev said. “Margaret Thatcher was a great politician and an exceptional person. She will be remain in our memories and in history.”

King’s secures one third of housing in Financial District, ends contract with Ludlow

This article was originally published in the Campus section of the Empire State Tribune on 3/28/13.

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King’s secures one third of housing in Financial District, ends contract with Ludlow

By Cori O'Connor

 

Financial District, NEW YORK—King’s signed a one-year lease on 95 Wall Street and 10 Hanover Square Mar. 22, taking its next step toward the vision to move all of King’s housing to lower Manhattan.

Lobby of 10 Hanover Square. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

King’s signed a lease to secure 15 apartments in each of the two luxury high-rise buildings, according to Dean of Students David Leedy. Most of the apartments are large studios, about 800 to 1000 square feet with separate living and sleeping areas and most are equipped with a washer and dryer.

95 Wall Street is right next to a Duane Reade and 10 Hanover Square neighbors a Starbucks. The two buildings are about one block apart and about three blocks from the East River.

Lobby of 95 Wall Street. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

Recognizing that Ludlow is not the ideal living situation for guys at King’s, the college plans to end the Ludlow housing contract and sublet the apartments they have for the remaining year on the lease.“We want students to be happy. We want to listen to them,” Eric Bennett, vice president of Student Development at King’s, said.

The two spaces at 10 Hanover Square and 95 Wall Street will only account for one third of the total housing required for King’s. As for the rest of housing,  King’s plans to keep Clark Street and renew the leases at The Herald Towers and The Vogue.

One of the main goals in bringing housing closer to the King’s campus is the need for community; this is also why Houses will remain together.

Leedy met with the house presidents to discuss where each house will be Tuesday, Mar. 26. The decision was made that QE1, Barton, Churchill, Lewis and Bonheoffer will be living in Midtown, Thatcher and Truth will be living at Clark Street and SBA, Ten Boom and Reagan will be living in the Financial District.

In an effort to promote community, King’s also is hoping for more upperclassmen to move back on to campus. Freshmen will have priority when it comes to housing, however, approximately half of the beds available in housing next year will be for upperclassmen.

10 Hanover Square. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

With the addition of the two buildings and the break from Ludlow, the cost of campus housing will  increase by $350 from the past year, totaling $11,950 for the 2013-14 academic year. This past year, house exec team members benefited from a $1,000 discount on the yearly housing cost, and although the school is trying to increase the discount, according to Leedy, there is nothing finalized.

Leedy explained that the hope was, and still is, to move all of King’s housing down into lower Manhattan, however there are many variables that need to line up in order for that to happen. One of the factors that made the search difficult is that for a college to legally rent apartments there need to be sprinklers throughout the building. 

Another factor is that many of the buildings in Lower Manhattan, and Manhattan in general, receive public financing through bonds. Because of this, apartments must be available for the populous to rent and cannot be leased to corporations.

95 Wall Street. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

Leedy explained that he, along with many others including Shelli Cline, Dan Woerner, and Duanne Moeller “have scoured lower Manhattan.” King’s also hired the city’s largest brokerage firm, City Habitats, to assist them in the search. The school’s agent also participated in this search. “He’s spent hundreds of hours and I’ve spent hundreds of hours,” Leedy said.

The search is not over, however. Leedy called securing the two buildings a “small step” but “a great first step”—a move in the right direction. He also stressed that the housing plan currently underway for next year is temporary, “a one year solution.” Because of this he asks students to be “flexible.”
Leedy explained that the ultimate goal is for King’s to have its own building—either buy a building or sign a long-term lease so that “it’s ours” and “we can take over the whole space.”

“My work has only begun,” Leedy said. He expressed optimism about what the college can achieve for housing within the coming year in moving toward a more permanent solution.

Columbia considers implementing an honor code

This article was originally published in the City section of the Empire State Tribune on 3/26/13.

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Columbia considers implementing an honor code

By Cori O'Connor

 

Morningside Heights, NEW YORK—As one of only two Ivies without an honor code, Columbia is looking to implement one this fall for incoming students, hoping to foster a culture of academic integrity.

According to the Columbia’s current policy, students are forbidden to cheat. Steven Castellano, Academic Affairs representative to the Columbia College Student Council, explains that they’re looking to establish a standard that “unites” students and “creates the groundwork for the conversation on academic integrity.”

A column in the Columbia Spectator written by philosophy professor Christia Mercer says the conversation surrounding academic honor at Columbia was spearheaded by the Academic Task Force, part of the Columbia College Student Council. The main goal of the Academic Task Force is “to create a culture of academic integrity on campus that requires student involvement,” a goal Mercer considers vital.

Columbia University Library. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

“Right now, the burden of motivating honesty, educating students about what constitutes dishonesty and maintaining academic trust falls on instructors,” Mercer said in the Columbia Spectator. Mercer went on to explain that educating students about academic integrity wastes “precious classroom minutes.”

“I think right now people know what the rules are, but it’s about creating a culture and a discussion,” Castellano said. He gave discussing things like “academic shady situations” as an example of a conversation could result from this.

Marianna Reis, a grad student studying Middle Eastern, South Asia and African Studies (MESAAS) at Columbia, said that although she sees the value of the honor code, she’s not sure how much of a difference it will actually make: “People are going to cheat and plagiarize whether an honor code exists or not.” Reis explained that she would like to believe that the honor code will impact behavior, however, “having graded people’s papers, plagiarism is rampant,” Reis said.

The current draft of the Columbia honor code calls students to “pledge to value [their] ideas and the ideas of others by honestly presenting [their] work, respecting authorship and striving not simply for answers but for deep understanding.”

By printing the honor code on blue books for tests, syllabuses and making it a part of convocation, Castellano hopes the new doctrine could become part of the Columbia experience.

“This isn’t so much reactionary but saying we don’t have this framework and it could enhance our experience,” Castellano said.

The King’s College community, strongly centered around its Honor Code, also sees the importance of having a set of standards that will hold people accountable, but holds students to embrace lives of integrity in all areas of life even beyond academics.

Eric Bennett, Vice President of Student Development at The King’s College, explained how the Honor Code is bigger than words on a page: “It’s the way we want to live together,” Bennett said. He also spoke of how his idea of honor is “rooted in Scripture” and is “part of the fabric of The King’s College.”

“I think it’s appropriate for a community to have a set of standards. The honor code is a respectable way for our school to uphold our chosen set of standards while encouraging students to take responsibility for themselves and their peers,” said Clara LeFever, president of the House of Susan B. Anthony.

According to The King’s College website, behavior at the college isn’t dictated by a list of “dos” and “don’ts” but instead “[the college believes] that honor leads to noble actions. [The college calls] members of the College to know what’s right, count the cost, and do what’s required.”

Despite US embassy attack in Turkey Feb. 1, the Turkey venture to continue

This article was originally published in the City section of the Empire State Tribune on 2/7/13.

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Despite US embassy attack in Turkey Feb. 1, the Turkey venture to continue

By Cori O'Connor

 

A suicide bomber set off an explosive at one of the security check points outside of the US embassy in Ankara, Turkey, killing a Turkish security guard and wounding three others Feb. 1, according to a White House press briefing. King’s has been sending international venture groups to Turkey since 2010, and despite the attack, the Turkey venture is still on for this summer.

Photo from tkc.edu.

 

“A suicide bombing on the perimeter of an embassy is, by definition, an act of terror,”  Press Secretary Jay Carney said at the briefing. The afternoon attack, which took place at approximately 1:15 p.m., prompted The White House to issue a warning for Americans to temporarily avoid diplomatic posts in Turkey and to exercise caution in crowds.

“I’ve been in communication with my contacts at the embassy and Turkish government, and this is not going to be something that changes the plans of the trip,” Anthony Randazzo, King’s graduate and director of economic research at the Reason Foundation, said via email.

Randazzo once lived in Turkey and now works closely with the Turkey venture.

According to Randazzo, early information suggests the terrorist group was known and has been threatening toward the US military presence in the Middle East without attacking. He added that the incident was “very sad” but will not endanger or deter the Turkey venture team.

The 40-year old bomber, Ecevit Sanli, was identified as a member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party, a leftist organization responsible for various attacks and assassinations since the 1970s, the Washington Post reported.

The attack on Friday dredged up recent and vivid memories of the September 2012 attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which took the lives of four Americans, including the US ambassador, Chris Stevens.

“We have an excellent tracking system where we’re learning what’s going on around the world when it comes to crises so that we’re able to respond to it right away,” Elijah McCready, The King’s College Global Engagement coordinator, said.

Although Press Secretary Carney condemned the attack, during the press briefing he said, “Turkey remains one of our strongest partners in the region, a NATO ally. We have worked shoulder to shoulder with the Turks to counter terror threats and this will only strengthen our resolve.”

Photo from tkc.edu.

 

McCready explained that the goal of the venture trip is for students at The King’s College to build a partnership with rising leaders in Turkey. This goes hand in hand with the mission of The King’s College which “seeks to transform society by preparing students for careers in which they help to shape and eventually to lead strategic public and private institutions.”

On the Turkey venture, students attend a five-day business conference where they discuss business ethics, Turkish-American trade, and commerce with students from top private universities in Turkey who are among the wealthiest, most connected and most likely to rise to leadership positions.

This past January, The King’s College hosted its first conference for the Turkish students.

“I think it’s neat to be sharing ideas with the students in Turkey and hear their thoughts on capitalism, democracy, Islam and other things,”  Nicole Rosales (’15, Business Major), said. Rosales went on the international venture to Turkey in 2012 and plans to return this summer.

Subway fare increase may squeeze student budgets

This article was originally published in the City section of the Empire State Tribune on 2/1/13.

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Subway fare increase may squeeze student budgets

By Cori O'Connor

 

NEW YORK—The MTA fare increase will be effective Friday, Mar. 1, as part of the 2013 budget. Thirty-day subway passes will increase from $104 to $112, seven-day passes will increase from $29 to $30 and single-rides will increase from $2.25 to $2.50.

This year the King’s student body is made up almost entirely of commuters, and many of these students depend on the subway for daily transportation. Each student who buys a subway card each month of the academic year will need to raise their subway budget by at least $64.

Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

“I think it will definitely affect student life, especially for those who don’t have an unlimited pass,” Caroline Schuemann (’15) said. Schuemann explained that those who do not purchase unlimited metro cards will be less likely to attend student events, which typically cost five dollars or more.

The proposed budget, approved on Dec. 19 of 2012, also includes toll increases for bridges, tunnels and railroads. According to The Wall Street Journal, the MTA budget requires that $450 million be collected from these toll and fare increases.

“I was thinking about getting a gym membership that was $10 a month,” Amanda Burgess (’14) said, “but then I heard they were raising the metro card fare by eight dollars a month, and now I can’t even get a gym membership.”

Jaqi Cohen and Enrico Purita of New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) work with students at Queens College. An article  for the school’s paper, the Queens Chronicle, reported them saying, “Queens College is a commuter school. If they don’t have the funds or a job, they can’t afford a fare hike.”

In the wake of Super Storm Sandy, the MTA reported a $268 million loss of revenue and additional operating costs–accounted for in the new budget–along with about $62 million annually for damage to infrastructure, not covered by insurance or disaster relief.

Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

The MTA also reported internal budget cuts that allow for annual savings of up to $809 million; despite these cuts, the MTA claims the budget has to account for the growth in non-discretionary costs such as pensions, health insurance, energy, paratransit and debt service.

 The MTA took an interesting approach in the process of raising fares by holding public hearings and inviting people to share their opinions.

The adopted plan was one of four options presented in the fall of 2012, although the plan has been altered since then. One of the other proposed plans called for single ride passes to remain the same, while increasing the 30-day pass to $125.

“The recommended actions, I believe, strike a balance between the competing goals,” MTA chairman, Joseph Lhota told the the New York Times on Dec. 19. After the meeting, Lhota resigned from his position in order to run for the office of New York City mayor.

The MTA plans “no budget-driven service reductions in the foreseeable future,” but have stated that fare increases will be limited to every two years, as agreed upon with the state in 2009.

Helping the Mentally Ill Homeless Take Their Medication

This article was originally published in the Opinion section of the Empire State Tribune on 1/30/13.

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Helping the Mentally Ill Homeless Take Their Medication

By Cori O'Connor

 

The homeless situation in New York has become an epidemic. According to The Coalition for the Homeless, there are about 50,000 homeless people in New York City.

Walking down the street, it is hard not to notice that many of the homeless people have mental and physiological disabilities. Is there something that can be done to better the mental health of the homeless, and, as a result, their quality of life?

The Bowery Mission. Photo by Cori O’Connor.

 

One pragmatic solution may prove effective: keeping the mentally ill homeless on their medication. In an article entitled, “Medication: The Foundation for Recovery,”Edward Frencell, a social worker and board member of multiple mental illness organizations, writes that although medication is not an “all-inclusive cure,” it can “make a tremendous difference in a consumer’s life.”

A significant obstacle in accomplishing this is the amount of energy and resources necessary to establish an institution focused on caring for the mentally handicapped. But an institution already exists to  accept this challenge: homeless shelters.

Shelters could establish a system for keeping the mentally ill homeless on their medications. For the purpose of continuity, a centralized method of recording and storing the medical histories and needs of each individual that checks into a shelter could emerge.

Then, if a small medical staff at each homeless shelter were authorized to do so, they could hold these people accountable for taking their medicine. The shelters could also encourage the homeless to return to the same location or branch each time for follow-up.

According to the Coalition for the Homeless, 46,000 of the 50,000 homeless are part of the shelter system, so it makes sense to develop the initiative at a place where the people who need medicine won’t have to go out of their way to receive it.

One problem people often encounter when trying to help the mentally ill is that despite the usefulness of medication, they simply don’t want to take it. This very struggle is often what causes homelessness in the first place.

But perhaps homeless shelters could use incentives of some kind.

A British online publication, The Independent, published an article entitled “Mentally ill offered cash incentives to take drugs.” The article describes this difficulty of getting the mentally ill to accept medication and explains the results of a test done on four patients with schizophrenia. The patients received between five and 15 euros each time they took their medication.

“The payments handed out by the Newham Centre for Mental Health in east London have dramatically improved the patients’ adherence to treatment and reduced the time they spend in hospital suffering relapses, and problems with neighbors and the police,” the article said.

The NYC shelters could install an incentive system that involved “stores,” with items such as food, blankets, pillows and clothing. Each time a person took their medicine they could earn some type of redeemable “dollar” and save their earned currency to purchase things at the store.

A system like this would undoubtedly bring some difficulties of its own, but if something as simple as keeping people on their medications can turn lives around, it’s worth a try. It would also be a step toward greater change in New York’s homeless epidemic, bringing individuals off of the streets, a few at a time.

King’s Over Halfway Mark in $25 Million Campaign

This article was originally published in the Campus section of the Empire State Tribune on 12/10/12.

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King’s Over Halfway Mark in $25 Million Campaign

By Cori O'Connor

 

Financial District, NEW YORK—The King’s College is continuing its campaign to raise $25 million and has generated close to $17 million so far. The campaign was originally launched to raise funds for the school’s functioning and its expansion, allowing King’s to become financially independent from Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ).

Since the average King’s student doesn’t pay the recommended cost of attending King’s, the school runs at a deficit, like many other schools. King’s will cover this deficit with the money from the campaign. Mills described the campaign money as “sort of a quasi scholarship for the school.”

Former school president, Dinesh D’Souza, along with the board of trustees, started the campaign in March 2011. Interim President Andy Mills has replaced D’Souza as the chief fundraiser for the campaign.
 

“The good news is that the amount we have raised so far puts the college in good financial shape; the amount we’re raising extra now will put us in better shape,” Mills said.

The board, along with D’Souza, decided on $25 million as the campaign goal in order to give King’s some room to maneuver financially and expand. The number was chosen as the required foundation for the next three to four years.

In the past, King’s has been funded by Cru and board member donations. King’s now awaits approval to become independent from Cru within three to six months.

Mills confirmed that students will not notice changes as a result. King’s will also maintain a relationship with Cru–for example, Cru president Steve Douglas will continue as a board member of The King’s College.

Mills summed up the reason for becoming independent: “As we become more visible in the public realm battling for ideas–biblical ideas which enter into the apologetics realm and into the political realm–philosophically, we move in different directions.”

The $17 million received so far in the campaign came from the board members’ personal pledges and a generous gift from the DeVos Family, the founders of Amway, who have since have become one of the college’s largest donors. The DeVos family chose to give out of their appreciation of what is happening at King’s.

The King’s College hopes to complete the campaign within the next year.

“It’s typically easier to finish off a campaign than it is to start,” Mills said, “and we have a long list of donors that we’ve been working with.”