As the podcast studio keeps jumping around from building to building on the Mount Carmel Campus of Quinnipiac University, a new hire was announced that put a name to the person who will be running the said studio.
The new podcast center director is David DesRoches and he comes to Quinnipiac from Connecticut NPR where he worked as an education reporter.
Photo of David DesRoches
“I’m naturally a creative person,” DesRoches said. “[In] journalism you don’t really have an outlet of opportunity to be creative, but you’re drawn to the facts.”
DesRoches said he is excited about building the podcast program from the ground up and he looks forward to enlisting the help of the Quinnipiac community, especially the students.
And Quinnipiac students, though they are excited about the new studio, have some expectations of the new space on campus and of its new director.
“[I want] an inclusive space,” senior Leah Lavin said. “I think we see a lot with these editing labs, the mac labs and the library and we think of it as only for [communication] students, but everyone likes to podcast.”
On top of serving the students and the university with the podcast studio, DesRoches said he wants to go further and give a voice to Hamden and the surrounding areas.
“I just really want to be a resource for the university and also for the community,” DesRoches said. “Part of what I want to do is do content that bridges the university with the area that expresses the values that we share.”
About a week and a half ago, a harrowing incident occurred right on the doorstep of Quinnipiac University. A Quinnipiac student told the Hamden Police Department that she was sexually assaulted on November 9. The incident occurred on the intersections of Mount Carmel Ave and New Road.
The student told police that the incident occurred as she was walking along the road around 11 p.m., when two white males in their 20s asked if she wanted a ride. She said that upon entering the vehicle, one of the males sexually assaulted her.
Quinnipiac’s Chief of Public Safety, Edgar Rodriguez, issued a detailed statement last week to the Quinnipiac student body on the issue that described some of the details.
Edgar Rodriguez sent this email to the Quinnipiac University community
Despite the incident, Quinnipiac students don’t seem too concerned about their safety levels when on or around campus.
“I feel like this area is pretty safe,” QU student Kyle Carbutt said. “But I’m sure it’s safer to live on campus.”
“You’ve got security gates, and… well, it’s a campus,” Carbutt added with a chuckle.
Other students seemed perplexed by the victim’s decision to get in the car in the first place.
“I was a little shocked,” student Caroline King said. “I also thought it was very interesting that she got into a stranger’s car to begin with.”
Though the assault is a serious issue, it’s not the only trouble that the Hamden area has seen recently, as there was a shooting in Hamden the following Monday.
Carbutt, though, still believes that the area is safe to live in.
“I know Hamden is a big town,” Carbutt said. “But I feel like our area – the Quinnipiac area – is pretty tight and pretty safe, I would say.”
Quinnipiac University’s Arnold Bernhard Library. A recent string of incidents on a Quinnipiac tour has raised questions about issues of diversity at the school. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
At a university diversity and inclusion meeting last week, students and staff raised concerns about the university’s ability to accommodate people of different backgrounds. A sociology professor said his son, who is Latino, took a tour and felt it was unwelcoming for minorities.
Jim Buccini, a sociology professor and the chairperson of the College of Arts and Sciences Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, is the one who spoke up. He said his son was not interested in going to Quinnipiac after the tour.
According to Buccini, three separate incidents were problematic during the tour. One problem was the only student organization the tour guide talked about was Greek life. The second issue was how the guide described some study abroad programs as “mission trips to third-world-countries.”
The third incident is what stuck out to the Buccinis.
“… When we walked passed the multicultural suite, and I think that was the biggest flub, (the guide) was talking about how that was a place where black and Muslim students hang out,” Buccini said.
This was when something was evident to Buccini, who wished to speak for him and his son.
The multicultural suite located in the Carl Hansen Student Center at Quinnipiac. The incident that stuck out the most to the Buccinis during their tour was when the guide implied the multicultural suite was the place black and Muslim students hang out. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
“They were all microaggressions, right?” he said. “It was nothing intentional. It was nothing to overtly say, no students of different backgrounds, experiences aren’t welcome here.”
Buccini said while the microaggressions weren’t intentional, they are the sorts of things that can easily roll off your tongue when one culture is pervasive.
In an email, Katie Strong, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission, said diversity is something it works to include in their efforts.
Strong continued in the email:
> “The Office of Undergraduate Admissions’ tours provide information on the offerings of the university and student experience with input from departments, offices, colleges and schools to ensure that a well-versed perspective is given to tour groups. Student Ambassadors are provided with on-going training with guest speakers from the university community and Admissions Staff members attend trainings, including a microaggressions training this upcoming Spring. Our office continues to work with the Center for Cultural and Global Engagement to ensure that we are inclusive to all students in accordance with university standards. ”
— Katie Strong
The most prominent ethnicity at Quinnipiac is white. According to College Factual the student body is 76% white and the faculty is 79% white.
To avoid microaggressions Buccini said people can think about what they’re saying and choose their words carefully. He also said diversity training and mindfulness of other people’s experiences are important steps in being sensitive.
“We can become mindful of the experiences of those who are different than us, of the students who are not represented, the cultures that are not represented or underrepresented on this campus,” he said. “We can become aware, we can train ourselves, or at least attempt to train ourselves, on how to avoid the microaggressions.”
One student, Sheariah Stevens, a sophomore political science major who was tabling for the African Caribbean Student Union, believed the university is working to better diversity on campus.
Sheariah Stevens was tabling for the African Caribbean Student Union in the student center when she mentioned diversity and inclusion efforts are a constant work in progress. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Stevens was at the diversity and inclusion meeting last week and she says in her three semesters at the school she doesn’t think she’s seen an event that has elicited much change. She said the university’s issues are emblematic of a larger picture.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s a Quinnipiac thing, it’s more our climate it general,” she said. “As people are more understanding and open to other people, then in a few years, Quinnipiac can get more diverse and in touch with other people’s thoughts, ideas and needs.”
One thing Stevens highlighted is the complex nature of diversity issues.
“It’s always important to know that even the people at the top don’t know exactly how to solve everything, so I think it’s a work in progress for everyone and for everyone to be willing to put in the work and hold each other accountable to see that through,” she said.
Students and faculty gathered in the Mount Carmel Auditorium last week for an open discussion on inclusivity and diversity at Quinnipiac. This is where Buccini spoke up about him and his son’s experience. Photo by Taylor Sniffen.
As Quinnipiac works to improve its diversity challenges, Buccini,the sociology professor suggested that students and staff be cautious about how they treat underrepresented groups of people.
“One thing that I think that we need to be careful of, as a predominantly white university with a predominantly white faculty and student body, is we need to be very careful about tokenizing anyone,” Buccini said.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Quinnipiac University is gearing up for students to go home for a week long break.
Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 22, Quinnipiac will close its residential buildings, cafes and school buildings until Sunday, December 1. According to the Office of Residential Life, Quinnipiac is expecting over 224 students to stay over Thanksgiving break and it can be very challenging for these students to find food, entertainment, and social time.
Even though Quinnipiac closes its doors, many students don’t have the ability to go home for a week. Many international students, athletes, members of the pep band or students who have jobs in Connecticut don’t find it financially or physically possible to go all the way home for a few days and then come back to then just go right back home two weeks later for winter break.
One member of the pep band, Evangelia Markoulis, isn’t a fan of having to stay late or come back early from break because she says it difficult to get things cause you feel trapped and all alone.
“Yea it gets hard to find food, especially if you don’t have a car because then you’re pretty restricted to like the food in your fridge or spending $20+ on food in your own cash,” said Markoulis.
In order to help students on campus who are stuck over the Thanksgiving break we’ve compiled a list of things to do and places to eat.
Many places close down on Thanksgiving in order to give their employees a break, but here is a list of restaurants that stay open for Thanksgiving and that are in close range to Quinnipiac’s campus.
Another issue students face on top of finding food, is being bored. Most of the campus goes home, so the students who stay no longer have their friends to hang out with and pass the time.
“It gets so boring being here alone sometimes,” said Margoulis, “You’re so used to seeing life on the campus and then it’s just pretty dead. If you don’t live with someone from band (like freshman year) you’re all alone and there’s no one else to kind of talk to so yea in a way it feels like you’re trapped.”
Here is a list of different places and activities to keep students busy over the week.
The movie theater never closes for Thanksgiving and there are a ton of great new films being released this week.
If your looking to still have fun, but not spend $13 dollars on a movie ticket then Quinnipiac’s different athletic games are the place to be. All student athletic tickets are free for Quinnipiac students just go to the QU Box office and print out the ticket for the game you wish to attend.
Of course if you’re feeling left out of the holiday festivities because you’re stuck on campus, then these off campus events will get you away from Quinnipiac and surrounded by fun.
All of the lists in this article are just some of the events and food venues that are available in the area, but if there are other places you wish to check out, make sure to call ahead to see if they’re still open over the holiday, and we hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Fairfield Ludlowe High School athletics are currently being scrutinized for potential discriminatory practices when reporting for their school’s teams.
Complaints have rolled in about the Ludlow Athletics Twitter account, which students and parents have claimed to show more favoritism towards the boys’ sports than the girls.
Ludlowe defeats Warde 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-18). Falcons will face Westhill for the FCIAC title on Saturday afternoon at 3:30. #ctvb@fciac@DaveRuden@GameTimeCT
Colleen Phelan, a parent of a female athlete at the school, expressed her displeasure with the apparent discrepancies that were being shown on the school’s social media.
“If you don’t acknowledge kids’ hard work, it’s very disempowering, especially for a girl,” Phelan said. “They really don’t get the attention, and that doesn’t make girls want to be in sports.”
When you’re coming down the home stretch of your victory lap, you might as well have a little fun with it.
That’s the mindset of many Quinnipiac University seniors, who are being offered a “Senior Experience” by the school.
Quinnipiac is organizing a night at the Foxwoods Casino and a boat cruise around Boston for members of the school’s senior class.
“I’m really excited about it,” Bethany Novak. “Going to Foxwoods… I’ve never been there before.”
Not all seniors are as enthused about the event, however.
“As of now, I’m not planning on signing up,” senior John Tamarez said. “I think (the experience) should be a full week after finals, like it was before.”
Following last week’s raw chicken incident, Chartwells Dining Services came under heavy fire from the Quinnipiac student body – so much so that a Town Hall meeting was arranged to address the issues.
Last Wednesday, Quinnipiac’s Student Government Association organized a Town Hall-type event in Quinnipiac University’s Echlin Center, in order to allow students to express their questions and concerns to QU Dining representatives.
Some complaints included the sourcing of the food, the inspection process of the products, and the price of certain items.
Chuck Couture, the Regional District Manager of QU Dining, weighed in on the matter.
“We’re always looking at better ways to be more sustainable,” Couture said. “Our ask is [to] bring it to our attention.”
On November 10, tragedy struck the Connecticut and NCAA community as a whole.
Southern Connecticut State gymnast Melanie Coleman died last Sunday due to complications from a serious injury she had suffered in practice on Thursday, November 8.
Coleman injured herself when she fell during a routine exercise on the uneven bars during practice, according to SCSU spokesman Ken Sweeten.
Coleman’s family said in a statement: “We are confident that her spirit, laughter, and humor will live on through the ones who loved her most, as well as through the gift of life to those who needed it most through organ donation.”
Kerry Ellington offered her concerns about policing in Hamden and the case of police officer Devin Eaton to the Hamden Police Commission. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Emotions ran high at the Hamden Police Commission meeting Wednesday night Nov. 14, as one hundred protesters attended the event to voice their concerns about Hamden officer Devin Eaton. Most of the protesters were New Haven residents, Yale students and Hamden residents.
Protesters came to demand that the commission put the officer on its agenda the commission has not heard from the community since the April 16 shooting when Eaton fired 13 shots at an unarmed couple on Argyle Street in New Haven.
As of Oct. 21, Eaton was put on administrative unpaid leave and was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors.
Hamden Police Commission members heard public comments, all of which were centered around the April 16 shooting and police brutality. Left to right: Mitchell Strickland, Raeanne Curtis, Michael Iezzi. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
One by one, protesters expressed their frustrations to the police commission because it has not fired officer Eaton.
The Hamden Police Commission heard public comments during their monthly November meeting. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
“You have the power to act,” said Kerry Ellington, Hamden Action Now activist. “The felony charges presented against officer Eaton provide adequate evidence and just cause to discharge him now, and it did yesterday, and it did months ago.”
Even though Eaton was charged, the Hamden Police Department still has him on the force. That does not sit well with protesters.
“Today I want to say it is unconscionable that Devin Eaton continues to be employed by the Hamden police force. That night he jumped out of a still-rolling vehicle and quickly opened fire, even as the young man is exiting his vehicle arms up,” said Amber Kelly, employee of Quinnipiac and Hamden resident. “With criminal charges against him, he should not be a police officer in any jurisdiction.”
Amber Kelly giving comments to the Hamden Police Commission. Right, Bo Kocak. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Some protesters described the fear they have for their children if they decide to keep officer Eaton on the force.
“I have children that live in Hamden. I have grandchildren. That behavior is unacceptable from anyone. Any officer especially, an officer of the law,” Marine Hebron a Hamden resident stated.
The protest hit a breaking point when a Yale student Ben Dormus called out the commission for everything they had on the agenda Wednesday night which included, the retirement of an officer, the handling of petty cash and donations to an animal control facility.
Ben Dormus taking a deep breath and collecting himself. He voiced his concerns with the way the Hamden Police Commission runs and how it is treating the protesters. The crowd clapped for Dormus because he didn’t back down when Iezzi interrupted him. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
“It seems to me that you’re not as much of a police commission as you are the social planning committee for the police department,” said Ben Dormus.
Mike Iezzi interrupted Dormus and told him to stop insulting the commission. This led to both of them shouting at each other but neither one could hear each other as other protesters shouted back, “Let him speak!”
Michael Iezzi firing back at Dormus’ comments that Mitchell Strickland can’t look protesters in the eye. Left to right: Robert LaTorraca, Michael Iezzi, and Larry Esposito. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Hamden Acting Police Chief John Cappiello has until Nov. 20, to bring disciplinary charges against Eaton. If Cappiello brings the charges against Eaton the commission will have to schedule a hearing within 30 days but not sooner than a week.
Acting Chief of Hamden Police, John Cappiello, answering Kerry Ellington’s questions about a timeline for Eaton’s case. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
As the meeting was closing Ellington led a chant as all protesters were exiting.
“Justice for Stephanie and Paul! Discharge the officer now! We will be back!” protesters chanted.
The next scheduled commission meeting is Dec. 13.
The crowd that showed up to the commission meeting. Center of the aisle, people are lined up to voice their concerns with the commission. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
For the first time, QU Dining held an open discussion with Quinnipiac students to talk about the food on campus. QU Dining had seven total representatives in the Echlin Center that welcomed students to come and express any problems, issues and feedback about the food on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
“We don’t like those social media posts,” said Chuck Couture, the Residential District Manager of QU Dining, on why they decided to hold the discussion. “We’re embarrassed when those happen. We don’t come to work every day (thinking), ‘how are we going to get on Barstool today?’ … We’re constantly trying to train and retrain our staff. And we have to do better.”
The most recent incident of “those social media posts” was a picture of uncooked chicken that the infamous Instagram account, QU Barstool, posted on on Nov. 4.
The next day, Nov. 5, Quinnipiac Dining sent an email out to all students and staff, addressing the Instagram post. That following week, on Monday, Nov. 11, the Student Government Association announced a town hall discussion between QU Dining and the student body.
QU Dining sent this email out to all students and staff on Nov. 5, in response to the Instagram post with raw chicken.
Corporate Executive Chef for Chartwells, Joe LaBombarda, reiterated that message from the Instagram comment in his opening statement during the discussion.
“It was a pretty honest mistake with the chicken,” LaBombarda said. “We don’t like to have mistakes. We were pretty embarrassed by it.”
While this is the first time QU Dining has done an open forum, it certainly is not the first time complaints about rotten or spoiled food have been brought about from Quinnipiac students.
Over the 2018-19 school year and through most of the first semester of this year, QU Barstool has had nine posts about QU Dining food. The pictures have ranged from raw chicken to moldy buns to even slugs in containers of food.
However, the forum gave students and staff a chance to discuss a wide variety of topics. From healthier options to late dining hours, anything and everything was on the menu for discussion.
QU Dining staff announced that they would be making some changes to the dining halls. Using the survey that QU Dining and SGA put out for the students, the staff was able to come up with some new ideas that either already are being put in place, or are nearing completion.
Some of those changes include the addition of potstickers to the menu, weekend hours for the acai bowl station in the main cafe, a BBQ concept called Smoked for main campus, daily availability of chicken noodle soup and a variety of pop-ups the main cafe. In addition, Sono will be introduced on York Hill as a zTex-Mex, do-it-your-own station.
One of the concerns of students was having food options, like these vegetables at the salad bar, out and in the open for long periods of time.
Students like junior history and education major Traci Duff, still want to see some other changes made.
“For me, bringing more healthier options like whether it be vegan or vegetarian,” Duff said. “I also think they can change some of their workers’ attitudes, like I’ve experienced their attitudes, I’ve had a worker just disregard my order, so I think that would be good.”
Duff wasn’t the only one to bring up the attitudes of workers. However, in response, QU Dining asked for specific identities of workers and said they would handle it in-house.
That was how most of the questions were answered — either a direct response with the students saying they were satisfied with or a promise from QU Dining to do better.
“I think this meeting was really good, I personally couldn’t sit in front of a whole group of students and face the criticism and answer questions, so I think it was good that they did this,” Duff said.
QU Dining staff also encouraged students to come directly to them – and not social media – in the future.
“If we do make a mistake, bring it to one of us and we’ll fix it,” Couture said. “We have a 100% money-back guarantee (policy). If you’re enjoying something, come and find me. A lot of you have, and I try to make it right. That’s my promise to you, so next time, find a manager, find a chef, and we’ll make it right.”
If students have any questions or concerns in regards to the food, they can text QU Dining directly at 203-889-9123.
