Celebrating CCRIs Jubilee Year

The Unfiltered Lens

www.TheUnfilteredLens.com

Serving The CCRI Student Body Since 2007

The
President

December 11, 2014

Volume 11
Issue 13

Info@theunfilteredlens.com

The
The
Governor-Elect Commissioner

By Kristy Livesey
Staff Writer

By Edward Kdonian
Copy Editor

I had the pleasure of sitting down
and interviewing our college President,
Ray Di Pasquale. I asked him current questions about the college, such as what our
greatest strengths are. I also queried where
the school may be headed, where he sees
the school in, perhaps, five years. He was
very knowledgeable, friendly and sincere,
and it was an honor to speak with him.

My first question for him was what
a day in the life of the President of CCRI is
like. Its everything, he said. It could be
anything from meeting with the students,
such as he was doing with me, talking with
the unions, with whom he had been speaking prior to our meeting and consulting
with faculty.

Every day is different and then as
the day ends, tonight, I will go to a Board
meeting for ...the Board of Education. The
President told me his days are 12-14 hours.
Anything you can think of, the president
is involved in its never boring, he said.
Theres nothing boring about working in
higher education, reflecting on our motto,
Changing Lives, Achieving Dreams. So,
the job is exciting...You have to be a jack of
all trades.

I asked him after 50 years, where
do you think the college is headed?
(Continued in Presidential on page 3)

For those of you who arent aware, Gina Raimondo, is Rhode Islands current governor-elect. Not
only is she a politician, a businesswoman, and venture capitalist, but she also happens to be MISSING

The Unfiltered Lens contacted Ginas office
approximately 8 times and spoke to several of her
staff members in an attempt to schedule an interview. After being told that Governor-elect Raimondo
would be both available and willing to have a short
sit down with us, we never heard back

You see, as Governor-Elect, Gina Raimondo
has designs on reforming CCRI. She has spoken on
a multitude of changes that will directly impact the
lives of students at all campuses. The most infamous
of these involves making CCRI into a manufacturing center devoted to pumping out a slew of dedicated workers whose education and curricula were
designed by businesses. Thats right, you heard correctly. Gina Raimondo wants to invite businesses
into the school to create their own curricula for training students.

Raimondo is quoted saying Businesses who
participate in the program will have access to a talented pipeline of highly trained employees, in exchange for paying off some of their loan debt.

Sure this sounds great, that is if you can get
past the fact that her statement makes students seem
like a commodity. It sounds like a cheaper education
for a guaranteed job.

By Edward Kdonian
Copy Editor


Jim Purcell is the new Commissioner
of Higher Education here in Rhode Island. He
has obtained degrees from both the University
of Alabama and Auburn University, as well as
a masters degree from the University of Montevallo. Purcell sat down with us to discuss
how he felt about our state and the hopes he
has for higher education here in Rhode Island.

The interview began with the commissioner discussing state funding and its effects on
tuition. He described the process through which
tuition is set, the reasons that it changes, and
how RI tuitions differ from those of other states.

When you have subsidized education theres two sides to the cuts he said.
He went on to elucidate that the cost of tuition is only a portion of the cost of an education. He basically explained that if an education costs $20,000, and the state subsidizes
three quarters of that cost, then the student
only pays the remaining $5,000 in tuition.

When you have a subsidized product
you have to look at the other side to see, why
did that price go up?... The actual cost [of an
education] hasnt varied much, its just that the
subsidy is gone. Purcell explained. Due to
Rhode Islands cuts to the funding of the college, the state is no longer paying for as large
a portion of each students cost of education

(Continued in Missing on page 6)

(Continued in Commissioner on page 5)

This
Issue

P2 Students speak up
P4
Getting a head start
P9
Movie Reviews
P14 Unfiltered Advice
P15 Crossword
P16 Providence protests

Student
poetry
and
artwork

The future
of grading

CCRI then and

now
page 4

...may already be decided

Ed Kdonian follows up
Check it out on
on the WP/WF issue
pages 11 & 12
page 2

@ccriunfiltered
/unfilteredlens

The Unfiltered Lens

How do you feel about CCRI

getting rid of the WP/WF?
Dylan Harris speaks to several students about their
views on this controversial issue

Katherine Moone

Ben Pion

I believe that all students

should be allowed 1 WP/
WF at their discretion to
evaluate their lives in case
they find themselves in a
class that they no longer
want to pursue.

Feels like it takes away

from the strategic advantage
of going to a community
college as a stepping stone
for another college. Mr.
Pion sees WP/WFs as an
opportunity to save yourself from making a mistake
and keep progressing life,

Doesnt mean a lot to me

because I take school seriously but for special cases
such as medical and important family issues they
should be there as a tool.
They should only be used
for problems that are out of
your control. For such students that are just bunking
class they do not deserve
nothing more than a failing
grades.

For myself I would benefit from this tool because I

would like to get back into
Franklin Pierce University
that requires a certain GPA
and by taking the WF it will
not affect my GPA helping
me to get back into the university I want to be at. She
felt that she could not communicate with her teacher
and had too many absences
and had to take the WF but
would not restrict her from
going to the other university.

(Photo Credit Harris/Lens)

The removal of WP/WF

and the new Administrative Withdrawal
lege more seriously. However it could also be seen
as a way to punish students
who actually take education
very seriously.

Student
Government was informed the
college is removing these
grades in an attempt to
align their grading systems
with that of other colleges
because they dont use the
WP/WF system.

However there are
numerous colleges from
New York, Florida, Texas,
Georgia and more, that both

You will have to write your

private affairs down on a piece of
paperwork and submit it to a
department head.

I need them this semester because I fell behind in

a couple of my classes because of family issues and
by getting a WF I am saving
my school career and GPA.

Taylor Palermo

Wicked
Withdrawal

By Edward Kdonian
Copy Editor


Many students may
have read the WP/WF article in the last edition of The
Lens.

This issue has stirred
up quite a bit of controversy among the students here
at CCRI. For those of you
Mark Bowen
who have not read our last
issue, the basics of the pro...I do not mind if they posal are thus: The adminisget rid of them... (WP/WF tration of CCRI would like
should) not allowed for stu- to remove the WP/WF graddents not taking school se- ing option so that professors
riously.

Charlie Marold

Alexander Dufour:

Campus News

Dylans thoughts:

The overall consensus is that it would be
a hindrance to all students
if CCRI were to get rid of
the WP/WF. Many students feel that its a tool
there to help them along
their path of finding themselves in life. If they were
to get rid of them it would
not help them. College is
about opening up, learning,
and pursuing a career in
something you love. This
school is a bridge to more
schooling and by getting
rid of these grades it loses
that value of being a gateway. This school is about
helping students, and without these grades CCRI is no
longer the school that has
stood out from the rest for
the last half a century.

will have to assign students

an F grade if they do not
meet the necessary requirements to pass after the ten
week drop period is over.
Unlike receiving an F, WP
or WF grades do not affect
a students GPA. Meaning
that while attempted credits
are affected, your GPA will
not suffer if you are forced
by health issues or family issues to stop attending
class.

The administrative
reasoning for this change as
stated by the Academic Advisory board in their meeting minutes, is twofold.
First, it is stated, These
grades are not used consistently by faculty.

Are these grades
meant to be used only in
special cases at the professors discretion? Currently each professor has the
choice to give a student an F
which will affect a students
GPA negatively, or a WP/
WF that will not.

Academic Advisorys second reason is, These
grades do not encourage
student accountability and
responsibility Basically,
the assumption is that taking away the safety net will
force students to take col-

accept and use these non-punitive grades. One simple

Google search shows links
to dozens of colleges who
use this system.

Instead of the current grades, the Academic
Advisory Board is proposing they be replaced with
Administrative Withdrawal.

The description of
this new grade reads: The
(AW) is used when a student must withdraw from
a course after week 10
due to non-academic extenuating situations This
means that if a personal
situation arises that affects
your ability to attend class,
it is no longer between just
you and your professor. You
will have to write your private affairs down on a piece
of paper and submit it to a
department head. Therefore, someone other than
your professor would now
view a grade established by
a student and professor.

AW

Campus News

The Unfiltered Lens

Naomi Stewart 2012-2014

STEWART, NAOMI, (aka Dorris Dinkleburg) the Editor in Chief of
The Unfiltered Lens has left
us just as our last issue of
the semester was completed.
Naomi will be dearly missed
by all of her colleagues here,
and will be remembered
with fondness.

She served The Lens
admirably in her time here
at CCRI, and helped the paper to flourish with her hard
work and snarky wisdom.

Some of Naomis
most memorable moments
have included articles such
as:
Targeted ticketing hits
close to home
An expose on the unfair
practice of ticketing students for parking illegally
after the parking spaces they
pay for are taken by non students.

ticle she co-wrote with her

sister)
A look at Arizonas homophobic and religiously
exclusive nature.
Where are you?
A short story love, relationships, and the fragility of
life.

Naomi is survived by
Grandfather Steve Forleo, as
well as her loving staff; Ed,
Rob, Alex, Courtney, Erica, Harold, Kristy, Jessamy,
and her little brother Rob
Oatley.
Services will
be held at The Lens office
Wednesday December 17th
at 6:30pm with an unfiltered
performance by One Direction, and a smorgasbord of
Naomi Stewart/Lens
pretzels and hummus.

Naomi will rest eter
CCRI president sees cars Flanagan Interfaith Center nally with Hunter S. Thompof gold and impending tu- This article discusses the son, Kate Chopin, and Wilition hike
uneven representation of liam Shakespeare. We here
An informative article per- religious points of view in at The Lens will miss her
taining to the colleges last Flanagans chaplain services. dearly but frankly are glad
big tuition hike.
Arizona has gaydar (an ar- to be free of her tyrannical
rule.

Presidential
THE
LENS
The overall mission of THE
UNFILTERED LENS is
to inform and improve the
quality of student life at
the Community College of
Rhode Island. We strive to
accomplish this standard
by reporting and writing
the truth in an ethical and
responsible fashion that
enlightens the entire college community, while providing information in an
unvarnished manner that
seeks thoughtful responses, dialogue and, of course,
action. We fully understand
serving students is our clear
objective and recognize the
impact and, more importantly, the importance of
this endeavor. We realize we
do not make news but cover events that stimulate our
community, improve college life and strengthen our
democracy.

(Continued from cover)

He
highlighted
CCRI as being strong in the
Liberal Arts and workforce
development. Were the
largest producer of nurses, the largest producer of
healthcare professionals
As technology changes and
new jobs occur, weve got to
stay current. President Di
Pasquale envisions CCRI as
playing a much bigger role
in the states future.

I asked the president
if he ever envisioned Womens Studies making it a part
of the CCRI curriculum. He
stated that he also had inquiries into African American
Studies and Asian American
Studies. He spoke about
introducing courses and, if
theres enough interest, then
he would start talking about
a degree program.

I inquired as to what
we can do to help students
stay here after they graduate, as there seems to be a
veritable exodus of young
people from the state.

He told me many
students stay here after they
graduate and transfer to

URI and RIC where, if you

do really well academically,
you can get a 30% discount
and with Providence College, a 39% discount. These
articulation agreements
provide incentive for young
people to stay in Rhode Island, and make the transfer
process easier.

I also asked him
what makes CCRI different from other community
colleges, and he answered
that CCRI has an extremely
strong Liberal Arts program
that makes us distinctly
different.

He pointed out that
we offer courses in nine
seperate foreign languages,
and to his knowledge, there
is only one other college
that offers as many

Something else that
makes CCRI unique is that
we are the largest producer
of healthcare professionals
in the state of RI.

CCRI has the only
x-ray technician and dential hygiene program in the
state. Thats a unique niche
that we have.

I asked him if there
is any truth to the rumor
that we were going to turn

into just a technical school

or if that was a rumor. He
remarked, Yeah, it is just
a rumor On the academic
side of things, things stay intact just like they are and on
the workforce side we can
continue to provide good
opportunities for training
and keep the two separate.

Lastly, we discussed
President Di Pasquale how
he thought the school would
benefit under our newly appointed governor, Gina Raimondo.

The President hopes
that we can get better funding and cooperation from
the state. When the state is
brings in a business or corporation, they showcase the
public institutions and what
we can do to bring in and
train a new workforce, as
well as what we can do to
continue offering high quality, low-cost degree programs.

We here at The Lens
wish to thank President Di
Pasquale for his leadership, dedication and strong
commitment to helping us
to achieve our dreams and
change our lives.

EDITORIAL
STAFF
Naomi Stewart
Editor-in-Chief
Alex Wallace
Managing Editor
Edward Kdonian
Copy Editor
Erica Schuman
Social Media Manager
Warren Smith
Business Manager
Robert Gagnon
Arts and Entertainment
Courtney Germain
Health and Science

Staff Writers
Erin Atwood
Harold Cooper
Kristy Livesey
Jessamy Le Beau
Kristy Livesey

Contributing Writers
Jennifer Brunelle
Chris Cameron
Dylan Harris
Ari Samayoa
David Schmidt
Steve Forleo
Faculty Advisor

Official Member
Journalism Association of
Community Colleges - Since
2010

Official Member
College Media Association
Since 2011

Official Member
Student Press Law Center
Since 2010

The Unfiltered Lens

Campus News

CCRI

50 years and counting

By Rob Gagnon
Section Editor
Arts and Entertainment

High School Student Natalie Bearbaum

Jessamy Le Beau/Lens

Getting a jump on college

A look at dual enrollment programs
By Jessamy Le Beau
Staff Writer


At CCRI, there are
many more options for incoming students than just
full and part time. Two other
forms of enrollment include
Running Start and The High
School/CCRI Partnership
Program. These two programs, in coordination with
CCRI allow high school students to earn college credits
by taking college classes
while still in high school.

Running Start is a
program in which students
choose to spend their senior
year of high school attending CCRI, taking college
courses which go towards
their degree as well as their
diploma.

A Running Start
student, Natalie Bierbaum,
said most students learnabout Running Start from
their guidance counselors or
their peers. She says most
Running Start participates
are hard working and mature students who may be
bored of high school.

In her experience,
she says the program had
many appealing qualities,
It was most appealing to
me because it saves me
money during my academic
career. I was also bored with
my high school curriculum
and wanted a challenge. I
also knew it would look
good on my college appli-

cations...

Students take general education courses, and
need their parent or guardians approval, their guidance counselor or principals recommendation, must
take at least twelve credits a
semester, test out of developmental courses (such as
Math 0600 or English 0850)
through the ACCUPLACER test, and have a cumulative grade of B or higher
in high school.

Another form of
high school dual enrollment
is the High School/CCRI
Partnership Program. Unlike Running Start, in this
program the high school
students take specific classes available at their high
schools. An example would
be the many high school
technical schools in Rhode
Island, where students
take career-specific classes
during school hours that go
towards a certificate they
can earn by their graduation, such as their CNA certification.

The more contentious issue arises because
high school teachers are
teaching CCRI courses to
students who pay less than
half of what CCRI students
pay for their education, and
gaining the same reward.

Jim Purcell, Commissioner of Higher Education, told Unfiltered Lens
Copy Editor Ed Kdonian,
in a recent interview that

he would like to see high

school teachers with the
same qualifications as college professors (a masters
degree and 18 or more
hours experience in a college classroom under the
guidance of an experienced
college professor) teach basic college classes, such as
composition one (English
1010).
These
teachers
would use a strict, CCRI
designed curriculum and
would be under the colleges control at all times.
In order to earn credit, the
students would need to receive the grade of a C or
higher.
CCRI is a place of higher
education for everyone, regardless of their social or
economic standing.

There are multiple
programs, including those
falling under the term dual
enrollment, that help students succeed easily at an
affordable price. Unfortunately, this education is
made more affordable to
some than others, which understandably causes some
distress; and the 8% ($316)
CCRI tuition increase approved by the Board of Education recently (December
2, 2014. www.providencejournal.com)
certainly
makes the situation more
vexatious for CCRI students.

When I first found
out that 2014 was the 50th
anniversary of CCRI I
thought of the year 1964. I
tried to image how things
were back then. All I know
is that Lyndon Johnson was
the president of the United
States, Cassius Clay was
the world heavy weight
champion in boxing, and
The Beatles were taking the
world by storm with many
popular hits.

What I didnt know
about 1964 was that a loaf of
bread cost 21 cents, a gallon
of gas was 30 cents, a new
house on average would
cost you $13,000, a new
car $3,500, monthly rent
was around $115 a month,
a movie ticket was $1.25,
and an average income was
$6,000., so I guess that you
can say a lot has changed
since 1964.

As for academics not much has changed
other than the advances in
technology. For instance all
the students now have cell
phones and all the classrooms have computers. One
thing that Im sure has always stayed consistent in
the fifty years of CCRIs existence is the enrollment of
smart, dedicated, ambitious,
and creative students.

On September 24th,
1964 classes started at what
was referred to back then as
Rhode Island Junior College on Promenade Street
in Providence. It wasnt until June 26, 1980 when the
Rhode Island Junior College became Community
College of Rhode Island or
CCRI. Within the fifty years
of CCRIs existence there
have been four different
presidents, starting with Dr.
William F. Flanagan who
served as the first president
of Rhode Island Junior College in 1964, at the time
RIJC was the only public
two year institution at the
time and started with just
325 students.

On October 7, 1965,
Royal Webster Knight gave
80 acres to the Rhode Island
Junior College to serve as
the first permanent site of
the community college in
Warwick. In 1966 nursing,
technical, and vocational
programs were established
that led to AA and AS degrees.

In 1972, the Knight
Campus
in
Warwick
opened. Edward J. Liston
became the second president in 1978 which was the
same year a new CCRI campus in Providence opened,
which later became known
as Liston campus.

In 2000, Thomas
Sepe served as the third
president until 2007 when
Ray M. Di Pasquale became
the fourth and current president at CCRI.

CCRI currently has
four campuses including
the Newport County campus which opened in around
2005.

As nice as it is to
look back and learn about
the history of CCRI, we
should be more focused on
the future and help to maintain our college as the institution of higher learning
that it always was, is, and
will continue to be.

I am proud to say I
attend CCRI and hope all
of my fellow students, faculty, and staff feel the same
pride. CCRI gives everyone
a chance to accomplish,
achieve, and succeed.

No matter what
ethnicity, religion, age, or
gender, CCRI provides everybody with the opportunity to better themselves and
fulfill their goals of earning
a degree and establishing a
career.

Campus News The Unfiltered Lens

Commissioner

(continued from cover)

...and as a result, tuition has
to be raised to make up for it.

In the last five
years, per student spending
went down $1,649 from
the state If you are only
getting a certain amount
from the students in tuition
revenue, then the choice
is to increase your revenue stream through tuition, or you cut services

While none of us
wish to pay a higher tuition, I think we can all
agree that we want CCRI
to continue offering such
a wide variety of services.

What is needed is a
larger amount of funding on
the state level. The national
averarage of state subsidies
about 53 percent, while here
in Rhode Island state funding only pays for 30 percent.
For
tuition
to
be lowered, state funding to higher education
needs to be increased.

Purcell also told

us that his ideal ratio

would be three to one.

He believes that
students should be paying
only 25 percent of college
costs while state should be
providing the majority. Tuition was really there just
to make sure someone had
skin in the game he says.

This shows that
while Commissioner Purcell believes that paying for
ones own education helps to
encourage a personal stake,
most funding for higher education should come from
the state. We do need to
convince the folks in the
Capitol [Smith Hill] that
state support is important.

After Purcell explained how tuition costs
were determined, our conversation turned towards
technical and certificate programs. The Commissioner believes that one of the
responsibilities that community colleges have is to
provide a well-trained and
knowledgeable work force.

He is a proponent
of what he calls stackable
credentials. Basically, he
views CCRI as place where
an individual can come to
get a certificate in whatever field they desire, and the
ability to add on higher levels
of certification at any time.

We asked him if that
translated into students paying thousands of dollars for
a certificate that is only good
for a specific business, basically meaning they had paid
money to get a job, reminiscent of a pyramid scheme.

His response was
that classes that were relevant to the field as a whole
would offer genuine college credit, and any classes that were company specific and werent worth
credits, would have to be
subsidized by the company that required them.

There is also concern that certificate programs could potentially
become more important
than the Liberal Arts.

Commissioner Purcell assured us that this
was not the case. To paraphrase, he said that any
college that had begun as
a Liberal Arts institution
would always remaine one.

Our dialogue with
the southern gentleman,
a
new Rhode Islander,
closed on a light note as we
conversed about the charm
of our little state and what
moving here had been like
for Jim. Somebody told
me that its [Rhode Island] almost a vortex, once
you live here you stay.

It seemed to surprise
him how many Rhode Islanders never leave home
for more than a vacation.
Youve got ocean, youve
got almost a mountainIm
excited to see snow we
promptly informed him
that snow was not something to look forward to.

Ive got those snow
shoes with the little cleats
on the bottom, and then I
bought some funny hats

those old men in the north

wear, and a few scarves.

Ive learned that
you all dont use all consonants in any word, which is
hard cause in the south we
add consonants. It seemed
like Jim is amused by his experiences as he grows accustomed to Rhode Island life.

Oh the chowder?
Ive done all three chowders, I like Rhode Island
chowder the best. Dont
worry, we quickly informed
him that is pronounced
chowdah and that his use
of the r was unnecessary.
Overall,
Gentleman Jim Purcell was a
pleasure to interview and
we here The Lens hope he
will be great addition to our
state and the Rhode Island
Board of Higher Education.

A promise to plow
By Courtney Germain
Health and Science


Recently, a student
had relayed concerns related to safety in the campus
parking lot during the winter months. He recounted
that in wintery semesters
past, snow in the lot would
often obscure the yellow
lines the students and faculty utilize to safely park their
cars.

In addition, the student expressed trepidation
regarding the manner in
which the ramps, walkways and crosswalks were
sanded. I was referred to
the subterranean floor of the
Knight establishment where
CCRIs maintenance staff is
located.

Upon locating the
Physical Plant, I was greeted by Michael Archetto, a
pleasant and genial man who
carries the title of Assistant
Building and Grounds Officer. Mr. Archetto intoned
that the CCRI plowing
crew, who are recruited and
employed by the college as
opposed to an outside vendor, put forth a constant effort to ensure that the lot is

plowed from curb to curb

on every snowy occasion.

The crew utilizes
vast amounts of eco-friendly sand and salt for the
walkways and ramps and
often work overnight shifts
as need be. The lot is also
checked by security on a
continual and constant basis
if it happens to snow during
school hours.

However, Mr. Archetto indicated that it is a
tough situation for the
parkers and plowers alike
when we experience daytime snowfall, a situation
compounded by students
parking haphazardly. While
this is a near unavoidable
situation,

The crew continuously strives to make the
parking lot as safe as possible. In addition, he advised that drivers bear in
mind to operate differently
when there is snow on the
pavement-though the posted speed limit reads 20,
strive to adhere to 10 MPH
or lower (most notably on
the front hill-it gets slippery!) ensure the safety of
pedestrians and other drivers.

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The Unfiltered Lens

How to relieve that end of

semester stress
By Jennifer Brunelle
Contributing Writer


As college students
we can all agree that the end
of a semester is an exceptionally stressful time. Its
hard trying to juggle school
work, friends, and family, while maintaining good
grades. For some people,
frequent and intense anxiety
can interfere with daily routines, and may be a sign of
an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety may be
considered abnormal if, it
becomes excessive, lasts a
long time, is out of proportion to the situation that precipitated it, or if it interferes
with how you get along with
friends, family and coworkers.

Common signs and symptoms of anxiety:

Difficulty catching onesbreath

Feeling like your heart is
pounding, or racing
Feeling jumpy
Having trouble sleeping or
having difficulty concentrating
Worrying about everyday
decisions for several days
in a row
Fearing that something
bad is going to happen

There are a several
different yet effective treatments for anxiety, that can
help you cope and greatly improve your quality of
life. Treatments involve
counseling, medication, or a
combination of these. There
are even things that you can
do yourself to reduce your
anxiety.

Physical activity relieves

stress and improves mood
and helps you sleep better

Good nutrition helps your
body and your mind

Meditation or slow deep
breathing exercises can
help you relax and give
you time to collect your
thought and decrease your
stress

Volunteer for a good
cause, join a club, or take
up a hobby

If you or someone
you know is suffering from
an anxiety disorder, do not
be ashamed or afraid to ask
for help. There are many
resources available to you.
CCRI offers a Personal Development Workshop for
dealing with stress and anxiety at the Student Success
Center. For more information log on to CCRI.edu.

Health

Missing
(Continued from cover)
Yet how can this be called
an education at all?

A curriculum designed by a company, is
not a college education, its
just job training. Job training that you as a student
would be paying for. You
would still be paying money to come to school, but a
company that is carefully
crafting you into the perfect
little employee would design your classes. This plan
does not support, or more
importantly, encourage, a
well-rounded education.

The incomming ,
ambitious governor-elects
plans clearly place importance, not on education and higher thinking,
but instead on getting a
job. Yes, its true that every students goal after
college is to be employed.

However,
many
want true careers, in fields
that matter to them, not just
job placement programs.

We as students deserve to be valued for our
minds and our individuality, not just for our ability to follow directions
and be good little workers.

An interview with
Governor-elect Gina Raimondo is essential. Not
just so she can explain her
plans but also to allow the
students of CCRI to voice
their concerns. If she plans
to change the mission of
our college and the educational possibilities it offers,
then she should make the
time to sit down with the
students and let us have
a say in our own future.

If found,
please
contact us
at

401-825-1215

No home for the holidays

Warm hearts and homes are in short supply this holiday season

By Kristy Livesey
Staff Writer

Not many people
realize just how problematic homelessness can be
among students. Few of us
can imagine living in our
car or a shelter as we take
on the challenges related to
gaining a degree.

Ideally, this article
would contain interviews
with students currently facing these complex issues.
However, due to confidentiality and the innate shame
associated with being homeless, it was difficult to find
students willing to come
forward.
Crossroads, an organization
that deals with this multifaceted problem, was unable to
assist due to the sensitive
nature of information about
such students.

Since homelessness
is a known problem among
students nationwide, the information found herein is
still valuable.

According to USA
Today, The Free Application for Federal Student
Aid tells the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children
and Youth (NAEHCY) that
there are 58,000 homeless
students on campuses nationwide.
Potential
reasons
why these students do not
come forward may be the
shame and stigma associated with their situation, or
just not knowing where to
get help.

Dr. Ronald Schertz,
Associate Vice President
for Student Services, wishes students to know that
CCRIs Advising and Counseling Center is available to
help anyone in need. Ask to
speak to a counselor and explain your position.

A counselor can explore the options that the
Rhode Island Shelter Guide
offers, and recommend various forms of aid.

There are different

types of shelters including,

but not limited to, individual/adult shelters, family
shelters, domestic violence
shelters, and emergency
winter shelters.

Dr. Schertz also included information about
United Ways Dial 2-1-1
number, which can help
you in finding resources for
counseling, domestic abuse,
emergency shelter, food,
clothing, substance abuse
programs, crisis intervention, and financial assistance.

The site also provides information on food
pantries and soup kitchens. For more information
regarding these services,
please visit: http://www.211ri.org/services/

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Dr.
Schertz advised me that all
students should be aware
that CCRIs Advising and
Counseling Center provides
short-term personal counseling for students experi-

encing emotional issues.

These resources are
open to everyone and there
should be no shame in requesting help if you are in
distress.

This can be a very
difficult time of year for
many of us. The holidays
are always stressful, and inclement weather can often
make them even more so.

We should all work
to support each other during
this holiday season.

We are all here

on earth to help
others; what on
earth the others
are here for I
dont know.
W. H. Auden

World News

The Unfiltered Lens

Earth, wind and natural gas

By David Schmidt
Contributing Writer

Over in Asia there
is a dispute between China
and many of its neighbors.
The dispute is over the
South East China Sea and
its chains of islands found
throughout it.

However, why is
the international community concerned over this dispute? Well here is the answer, the area known as the
South East China Sea is rich
in natural resources and it
is a key pass through in the
area of international trade.

The resources that
are found in the area are oil
and natural gas. In addition, the United States Energy Information Agency
stated the following about
the islands Though barren,

the islands are important for

strategic and political reasons Therefore, we can
get a glimpse to the overall
reasons to why the United States and International
community is worried.

This dispute however is not new to China and
its neighbors especially Japan. China and Japan have
long been at odds with each
other in the department of
territorial and maritime issues concerning no other
than that of the South East
China Sea.

Therefore, the area
itself is mostly unexplored
and untouched, and its energy assets have not been completely developed.

Likewise, both of
these countries of China
and Japan have conflicting
boundary lines that they
have drawn into the South

Though
barren, the
islands are
important for
strategic and
political
reasons
US Energy Information
Agency
East China Sea. As the
country of China defines
its boundary based on the
natural extension of its continental shelf (U.S EIP),
while the country of Japans
definition of its boundary is
based on its limited financial regions.
These
territorial

claims only add to the fire

between the two. These two
issues are providing the international community with
anxiety of possible conflict between the two Asian
countries.

Moreover, if there
was to be an armed conflict
between the two the United
States would then have to
join on the side of Japan as
the two have an agreement.

Both the International community and the
United States are hoping for
a diplomatic solution of the
conflict.

As a result, both
have created a list of preventive measures, which
include resource sharing,
military to military communications, building a multilateral framework, and international arbitration.

If the crisis height-

ens where these nations

cannot come to an agreement, then there would diplomacy should be ramped
up or sanctions could be
imposed on both.
These
measures
would be deterrents used
to hopefully deescalate the
issue, but if these did not
trigger any positive results
then armed conflict could
be a possibility. At that
point the United States
would be obligated to support Japan because of its
treaty with that country.

The United States
and other Western powers
are hoping for a diplomatic solution to this unnecessary conflict.

The waiting game

A quick overview
By David J. Schmidt
Contributing Writer

Many may have
heard of the Iranian nuclear program negotiations which have been
extended another year.

However, many may
not know the importance of
the issue at hand. The central platform is that Iran
has an undisclosed nuclear program that they claim
will be used for the production of domestic energy.

Conversely, western
nations believe that Iran has
its ambitions set on creating
its own nuclear weapons.

Additionally, sanctions have been placed
on Iran that have crippled the Iranian economy.

Last year on November 23, 2013 the world
witnessed a historic event
in that an interim agreement
was reached between the
two sides. In short, this was,
as NPR states, Iran and six
world powers have reached
a preliminary agreement
on curbing Tehrans nucle-

ar program in exchange for

some sanctions relief.

The reason why
it is considered a significant arrangement is that
western nations, the United States in particular,
have not been on decent
terms with Iran since 1979.

Discussions were
also extended six months
for a possible long-term
deal between the two, however, the extension expired
on November 24th 2014.

The ongoing discussions between the two
looked positive, but in the
end the outcome was pretty
much indistinguishable from
the previous arrangement.
The
negotiations have been extended once again, along with
the continuance of the
2013 interim agreement.

So for now, the
world will be awaiting the
outcome of this negotiation, which will be historic
and monumental for both
the western world and Iran.

LEARN
INNOVATE
NETWORK
TRANSFORM
Success is the language we speak.
Complete your bachelors in one of 15 majors,
part-time at BUs Metropolitan College.
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Classes start January 20, 2015.

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Pub:
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Run Date:
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Size:
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Color:
CMYK

Opinion

The Unfiltered Lens

The value of technical programs

By Erin Atwood
Staff Writer

One of the main reasons that trade schools are
so appealing is that they
help students to accrue the
skills necessary for a specific career opportunity. A vocational program is handson learning and gives many
types of students an opportunity to learn specialized
skills.

These programs focus on a specific end result
unlike most traditional college curriculums. If high
school students were aware
that they still had the opportunity to attend college,
even if they had already begun a vocational program,
then they would have greater incentive to graduate.

Another major advantage of vocational programs is that they provide
a head start on a career, and

give a person the chance

to assess whether or not
they are suited to the career theyve chosen.

I had such an experience during high school
when I attended, Warwick
Area Career and Technical
School.

I found a career I
love more than anything.
Many people go to college
without any clue as to what
they want and end up getting a degree in some area
that they either never use,
or end up hating.

It will also save
many people thousands of
dollars on a degree they
wish they could take back.

Of course, the
most important reason that
career and technical programs are a worthwhile
notion for CCRI is the fact
that it helps to mend the
skills gap.

Since there is currently such a big push towards getting a four-year

degree, there is a shortage

of skillful workers and
some graduates exit college
without any immediately

I am not
proposing
the
liberal arts
portion of
the school
be
neglected...
viable options. Often these
programs offer on the job
training and experience that
gives one the skills needed
to become an effective employee.

With employment
opportunities so competi-

tive, these programs give

graduates the leg up needed to obtain a job quickly
upon graduation.

A previous article in
The Lens noted that there
have been rumors that the
liberal arts funding will be
cut in exchange for technical
and vocational programs. I
feel this decision is foolish
because, while enhancing
the trade school elements
of CCRI is a good idea, the
liberal arts program is an
equally important aspect of
our school.

CCRI is foremost, a
place for students to prepare
themselves for admission to
a four year school. Many
of the most sought after
degrees here at CCRI are
liberal arts based. These include English, Psychology,
Art, and Political Science.

I am not proposing that liberal arts portion
of the school be neglected, rather, another campus
should be opened specifi-

cally as a trade school. If

CCRI were to do away with
liberal arts they would be
regressing as a center for
higher education.

Overall, there are
many reasons increasing
trade programs at CCRI is a
good idea. It would lead to
easier, more effective learning. It would give people a
better idea whether the career theyve chosen is an acceptable fit for them, often
saving time and money in
the long run.

Finally, it will create
more skilled workers that
will have the experience
employers want, which will
also give graduates a better
chance of attaining the job
they desire.

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Entertainment

The Unfiltered Lens

Everyones favorite reindeer turns 50

By Rob Gagnon
Section Editor

The Rudolph christmas special celebrates another birthday

Its a frosty December night and its beginning
to look a lot like Christmas.
Jack Frost is nipping at your
nose and there are chestnuts roasting on an open
fire. The verdant Christmas
tree is shining bright and
the mistletoe is displayed
for all to see. Stockings are
hung by the chimney with
care and cookies are baking
in the oven. Youre about
to sit back and relax with
your loved ones, cuddled
up on your comfy couch
with a cup of hot cocoa or
some other holiday-inspired
cocktail or treat. All that is
left to determine is which
holiday movie to enjoy.

As for me, the preferred choice is the stop-motion film that features everyones favorite misfits, most
notably the most famous
reindeer of all-complete
with a nose so bright that
he is able to guide Santas
sleigh every Christmas Eve
night. That's right, Im re-

ferring to Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer, a Christmas classic that marks its
50th anniversary this year.
Rudolph not only earned
the love of Santa and all the
other reindeer, he has also
acquired the adoration of
millions of viewers over the
past fifty years.

Originally airing on
December 6, 1964, Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer
is a must-see holiday special with many wonderful
characters and unforgettable songs. The tale opens
with Sam the Snowman (as
voiced by Burl Ives), who
narrates the story and sings
those timeless melodies, including Silver and Gold,
A Holly Jolly Christmas,
and Rudolph, the Red-

Nosed Reindeer. Upon Rudolphs birth, we discover

that he is adorned with a luminous red nose-an appalling affliction to all, including his own parents. As a
result, Rudolph is ridiculed
by all the other reindeer and
even a slender Santa discourages him from joining
in any reindeer games.

The only one who
accepts Rudolph is a benevolent young Reindeer
named Clarice, though her
parents forbid her from interacting with him. An aggrieved Rudolph begins to
depart until he encounters
Hermey, an elf with aspirations of becoming a dentist.
Hermey identifies with Rudolph in that he feels that
he doesnt fit in with his

peers. The duo accept that

they are misfits and embark on a journey to The Island of Misfit Toys with Yukon Cornelius, a boisterous
prospector, as their guide.

Along the way, they
are confronted by an abominable snow monster who
is attracted to Rudolphs
glowing appendage. Upon
escaping, the adventurers
arrive at the Island of Misfit
Toys, where they are permitted to stay in exchange
for an appeal to Santa Claus
to deliver the Misfit Toys to
children in need. Rudolph
eventually gets to fulfil his
promise on a foggy, snowy
Christmas Eve when a remorseful Santa finds use in
Rudolphs nose as a guidelight for his world-wide

flight. Balance and jubilation is restored in the North

Pole as the Misfits find loving homes, the Head Elf
agrees to let Hermey practice dentistry, and Rudolph
is met with praise and adulation for his bravery from
all the other reindeer.

Rudolph is truly a
timeless classic that always
brings me back to my childhood. I have fond memories
of watching Rudolph every December and delight
in having since passed the
tradition onto my daughter,
who is now old enough to
appreciate the memorable
songs and lovable characters. Our love of the joys
and ambiance of Christmas
is as enduring as the worldwide adulation for this gallant little reindeer!

Rudolph is an everlasting holiday tradition
that has undoubtedly gone
down in history!

Everything you could want in a good movie

By Edward Kdonian
Copy Editor


Recently i went to
see this move with my fellow Lens employee Rob
Gagnon. While I wasn't
quite sure what to expect, I
was definitely glad I went to
see it.

Not only was the
cinematography well done
and the directing work of
James Marsh beautiful, but
the acting was truly exceptional. Eddie Redmayne's
portrayal of Stephen Hawking was truly amazing.

The movie chronicles the life of Stephen
Hawking starting with his
young life at Cambridge
University and his first
meeting with his future wife
Jane. Redmayne manages
to capture a fun and playful youth that is undeniably
brilliant and even more undeniably Stephen Hawking.

The way Redmayne
carries himself and moves

even before his characters

revelation of his illness, is
incredible and wholly reminiscent of Hawking. I, like
many, have not been overly
exposed to images of Stephen Hawking, and literally
none of him "pre-chair". Yet
I couldn't help but see the
same smile and whimsical
intelligence that screams
Hawking, while watching

Eddie Redmaynes performance.

The sweet and somber love story that goes on
between Steven and his wife
Jane is as heart warming as
it is heart wrenching. The
deeply sweet and sour story
is punctuated by wonderful
bits of humor and Doctor
Who references, as well as
fascinating moments
of

scientific insight. The way

Hawking maintains his dignity and sense of humor in
the face of such a devastating diagnosis is truly inspirational.

For those of you
not sure whether or not you
are interested in seeing this
movie, just do it. The Fact
is that this wonderful movie will interest and entertain

fans of drama, romance,

comedy, and life in general.
Grab your tickets as soon as
possible and tell me what
you think. If you genuinely
arent inspired, then... well
I won't refund your money,
but I will apologize profusely.

The Unfiltered Lens

10

Arts

A conversation with Yunus Quddus

Ari Samayoa/Lens

By Ari Samayoa
Contributing Writer

Its nine in the morning on a very cold Wednesday; the kind of morning
that makes you want to
stay in bed and hibernate
through winter.

However, I could not
do such a thing because that
day would be the only day
available to interview local
poet/artist and CCRI student
Yunus Quddus. I like what
I do, says Yunus,what I
do, in my mind, comes easier to me than for some people.

To be an artist,
takes an incredible amount
of faith. Faith...in your art is
very important. This word
faith is the very word to describe the path that Yunus

has followed.

When he first started
college, he started at Johnson and Wales in business
and computers; but then had
a change of heart. One day
I woke up and said Wait...
what am I doing? I love
art.

Now it would be
easy to assume that from
that point on everything
went as planned, however that was and is not the
case. When I first started
in the arts, there were many
times where I would go to
perform, read, and come of
the stage without seeing a
penny. Would that get you
down? Oh yeah, but all
that comes with the artistic
territory. What you have to
do is get up and move on.
You move on to keep you
and your art alive.

This idea of keeping
ones art alive is something
that has been with Yunus
since his childhood. With a
model for a mother, a poet
for a father, and a storyteller for a stepmother, finding
fuel to keep his art alive is
not hard to find.

Around fifth or
sixth grade I started to truly write presentable poems.
I started showing them to
my teacher, who was very
impressed by my work.
Then again, I grew up in a
creative household, where
my father expressed himself
through his creative means
of personal style, and my
mother would always be
making me new clothes to
exercise her creativity.

When asked about
what he feels is the best
advice he can give to stu-

dents and poets, Yunus just

smiles. Do what you want
to do, what you enjoy, and
what drives you. If you like
computers, study computers, if you like accounting,
stick with accounting. The
downfall for most students
is that many stick with a career path that they do not enjoy; take your time and find
a career that you are willing
to put your time into. For
all the poets out there and
the writers, do not give up!
Keep writing, creating, and
forming; take leaps of faith
and challenge yourself.

Will we one day see
your material on the shelves
of public libraries one day?
I dont know. I hope that
one day it will, that one day
I will get to the point where
I can present a great amount
of my work to the world.

You know, give back.

Yunus Quddus is a
poet, writer, teacher, storyteller, and student. He is a
theater major at CCRI, and
works along side his wife in
a program to present poetry
called ONOMATOPOETRY.

He has worked and
continues to work with organizations where he presents his art to numbers of
people of all ages. If you
want to witness Yunuss art,
please visit his website at
http://www.yunusquddus.
com/

His next feature will
be held at the Lizard Lounge
in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Sunday December
22nd from 2-3pm in the
month of February.

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Arts

The Family

By E.M. Petit

By Edward Kdonian

crimson

I look at them and I see perfection.

Mother and Father have been married for twenty years. Father works he is a doctor.

Mother works she is a secretary. Maybe they met in a hospital. I do not know. I have never
asked. They have never told me.

Brother plays football: one day he will be a star athlete. Sister fights for justice all

Mother makes dinner. Father drinks coffee. The house is warm.

I look at them and I see perfection. I live in a garden. It is square. It is ripe. It is whole.

over town: one day she will fight throughout the world.

I have nightmares. After the nightmares there is silence.

I live in a clean world. Lace. Sugar. Cherrywood.

I look at them and I see perfection.

11

The Unfiltered Lens

I have nightmares.

And after the nightmares there is silence.

\krim-zen\

\\ adjective.
: A color like the suns' last breath as it sinks and
drowns below the horizon. 2. The somber hue of
the saddest rose, tossed upon a grave, empty save a
coffin. 3. The smooth, wet and satiny caress of soft
fabric and hot tears; the coppery, familiar taste of
bitter defeat.
\\ noun.
: The epitome of destruction and rage / the sweet,
sickly, painful scent of forgotten moments and age /
sex and silk, / passion / violence / need and hunger /
poisonous contemplations
\\ verb.
: To hurt, love, breath, fall. 2. To make barren. 3.
To give life, or take it.

Ekphrastic Subvert
By Jason Bartlett
madder genus lightfastness. cinnabar Cadillac designates
genius when did people start raising their hands in school
to ask a question.
cicatrix carcinogenic blue leaf esoteric.
She cant drive, sleep or eat.
Confessional of a world where people have no arms.
Enjoy small moments, Algonquian.
Fjord, this business has worked 264 without injury.
Sporadic frenetic coddles tracting.
Miracle Monday, charlie mike.
Serotonin nation,
people from my past will always have a place in my heart.
Always aphrodisiac hero.

Half Real
By Jason Bartlett
I want to find myself and forget the past me.
I want to be in a room full of taking people
saying whats on their mind until their mouth feels empty
Like a buzzing conversation concert.
When I was a child my body was limp,
and I could fall backwards onto anything,
grass, couch forts, even concrete.
But nobody taught me how to open a can on our
canned food Thanksgiving.
Early morning breakfast with parents,
and mom walks away to watch the news,
the feeling almost as bad as those people who s
tand to close to your face.
My body limp no more,
all flexibility gone and sore from being
a teenager.
All I know is, Im going to have a good life,
no matter what hurdles there are,
theres always somebody around to help.

Artwork by Jason Paschal

12

The Unfiltered Lens

Artwork by Chris Hanson

Arts

Artwork by Katrice Anderson

contributions

The Unfiltered Lens

13

Thank you to all the generous businesses who helped The

Lens raise money for the Dare to Dream Ranch

Thank You
From The
Unfiltered
Lens!

Scanned by CamScanner

14

Recently I broke
up with my boyfriend of
5 years, and just know my
family is going to want to
talk about it during the
holidays. How can I avoid
talking about my still
fresh, and painful breakup?
Signed Tired of talking

The Unfiltered Lens

Make sure though meet

your perspective adopters,
and to check out thier home
before giving up your beloved companion. Though
some might not like the
idea, it will help put your
mind at ease to know your
best friend is going somewhere safe. There are also
a variety of catshelters that

Well Tired, we have specialize in felines and
all had to deal with family finding homes for them.
prying into issues we are not
ready to talk about. Being
asked incessant questions
about how a relationship
I am currently in
ended or what we are go- a relationship with a girl,
ing to do next can be pain- but Ive developed a crush
ful. Especially if we dont on a girl in my sociology
know the answers to those class. I am not sure what
questions. Our advice is to to do as I like them both.
either be up front and rip Signed Confused and in
off the band-aid by stating like
right at the beginning that
you dont want to talk about
Okay Confused, the
it. Though if you have one first thing you have to do is
family member who you sit down and do some seriare comfortable talking to, ous thinking. There come
ask them to spread the word times in serious relationthat the subject is taboo. ships when they are beginTry to remember that usu- ing to end and we someally our familys ask these times cant see it. Often
questions because they care we become blind to wanabout us and want to see us ing love because we have
happy. Good luck and hap- become so comfortable. If
py holidays.
this is the case, you have to
decide whether you want to
attempt rekindling the ro
mance or cutting both yourI am moving into a new self, and your partner free.
apartment and have no
This is often a diffichoice but to give up my cult choice, but remember,
cat. No one I know can it isnt fair to start sometake him but I really want thing with this new girl if
him to go to a good home. you havent ended your
What should I do?
past relationship. It is often
Signed Catastrophe
tempting to keep your relationship as a type of safe
Ouch, this can be a ty net while you try out a
hard time for anyone. Pets new one. If you truly care
very easily become true about your current partner
members of the family and then you should understand
giving one up is difficult. that this is not fair to them.
Especially when we dont Be honest with yourself and
have a choice. Craigslist your signifigant other.
can be a great resource to
find people looking for pets.

type of irritation it can be

easy to ignore things like
this. Keep in mind that
any time something is happening with your body that
you dont understand you
should have a doctor take a
look at it. While there are
a number of harmless possible conditions that cause
similar symptoms, it isnt
worth the risk of ignoring it.
Conditions
like
Tinea Versicolor can cause
spots like the ones you describe as the natural yeast
in your skin grow a little bit
wild. However do you re
I am having trou- ally want to take the chance
ble choosing a major. that it isnt something seriWhat are some good ways ous. We here at the lens alto narrow down your fo- ways suggest that you concus?
sult a doctor rather than take
Signed Major-less
the risk of ignoring a potential danger.

This is a problem
that may students have. If
you really have no idea
what interests you then try
Recently I told a
taking some electives. Art new friend that while I
and philosophy electives are dont personally label mysome of the best for finding self I am attracted to both
yourself, and your passions. men and women reletiveIn classes like Drawing 1, ly equally. He proceeded
or Ceramics, you tap into to tell me that he feel that
your creative side and it can people who claim to be
help you to find things you bisexual are simply condidnt even know you were fused or seeking attention.
passionate. This holds true This really upset me but
for Philosphy as well. Phi- I dont know how to conlosophy is all about ques- front them.
tioning yourself and the Signed No Labels
world around you, which
is exactly the kind of thing
This can be a diffithat helps you to find new cult confrontation to have
interests.
because few people who

While these are two arent in a similar situation
of the better subjects for can truly understand how it
trying out new things, they feels to have an undifined or
can all have their place. Bi- less common sexual identiology or Oceanography can ty.
help you to find out if you
There is always the
are interested in science. possibility that no matter
Creative Writing is a won- how you confront this perderful class to help draw out son they will never see eye
hidden talents with the writ- to you. You have to take
ten word.
the time to decide whether

Just try out new attempting to educate this
things and we know you person is really worth it. A
will find something that in- statement like that can often
terests you.
be a sign of close mindedness. As Benjamin Franklin
said Being ignorant is not
so much a shame, as being

I have recently unwilling to learn.
found some darker col-
If you are dead set on
ored splotches on my talking about this with him
skin. They are small and them I suggest keeping a
dont itch or anything so I cool head and remembering
have been ignoring them. that there may be no way to
Should I get the checked win. Perhaps it would be
out.
a good idea to take a friend
Signed Spotted
who is more open minded
with you to help bridge the

If they arent itch- gap. Remember that it is
ing or causing any other not your job to change each

Advice P
and every mind. Just live
your life and be happy.


My roommates and
I have been living together
for about eight months.
Things became intamate
with one roommate in a
recently, but I dont reciprocate the feelings she has
for me. I feel afraid to discuss it even though shes
transferring to a school
out of state in a month.
How can I deal with living
with her?
Signed Restive Roommate

We suggest that you
discuss your thoughts and
feelings (or lack thereof) as
openly with her as you can.
Fully explain your desire to
not take things further than
they have already gone.

Living with someone can be difficult, especially when there are events
that cant be removed from
your memory as easily as
youd like. The lack of
space can certainly be suffocating.

Hopefully shell be
receptive to finding closure,
the holidays and distance
might be enough to help
her get her mind off of the
subject. Even though youd
like to be far away from her,
setting some time aside and
talking together would be
the best option to providing
closure to the both of you.

Need Advice?
Have a question
and dont know
who to talk to?
Just ask for
advice from
The Lens.
All advice is given anonymously
and confidentiality is guaranteed.
ask.unfilteredlens
@gmail.com

Puzzle

15

The Unfiltered Lens

Uncrossed Lens
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A Nabisco Cookie
To what floor does the
Warwick elevator not go?
____ ____ Brute?
Gameboy ______
_____ of Higher Education
Misfit elf from Rudolph
St in Providence where CCRI
started
Legal grant of land to settlers
Historical Period
The Hue of a Color
Actor who played Hawking
Largest continent
Kramers First Name
The Unfiltered Lens Advisor
Providence Campus
LIncoln Campus

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Down
CCRI Mascot
Musical term describing an
instruments sound
Where you get help with your
papers
Knight Campus Theatre
Current President of CCRI
Rub Out
STD known as the "Drip"
________ Withdrawal
Author of "A Discourse on
Western Planting"
Missing Interviewee
To Rub One Out
A ____ Orange
A common Drawing Medium
The Merchant of Venice
Knight Campus Street Name
________ Start Program

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TheUnfilteredLens.com

Protesters shut down Providence

The public demonstrates disapproval over police action

Chris Cameron/Lens
By Chris Cameron
Contributing Writer


The cold and damp
weather of the December
night provided a sharp contrast to the energy of roughly 300 people congregated
in Providence to protest,
hold discussion, and express
discontent with a variety of
issues.

The motivation for
the gathering was the recent
controversy over police involvement in the deaths of
Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner
in New York.

Michael Brown, 18,
was killed by officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson,
Mo. on August 9th, with
the community calling for
charges to be pressed. The
grand jury in Missouri came
to the decision to not indict
Wilson on November 24th
set off a round of protests
across the country.

Eric Garner, 43,
was involved in a dispute
with police on July 17th in
a neighborhood of Staten
Island, New York. The in-

cident, captured on video,

shows NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo holding Garner
in a move generally believed to be a chokehold, a
move banned by his department. Garner died from injuries he suffered while being detained.

Grand juries were
assembled to decide if offi-

Facebook page End Police

Brutality PVD, maintained
by the same collective of
local activists protested the
rulings by shutting down
I-95 in Providence a week
and a half earlier.

The march started
around 7 p.m. at Central
High School in Providence.
Several legal observers at-

moved on both sides of the

northbound lanes to push
demonstrators back to the
street.

The protesters then
set their sights towards
downtown where two dieins were staged. These were
intended to represent the
amount of time each victim
went without being treated

The protesters set their sights towards

downtown where two die-ins were staged.
These were intended to represent the
amount of time each victim went without
being treated by medical personnel.
cers would be charged with
misconduct. In both cases
however they were found
innocent.

The march in Providence was largely comprised of younger people, a
result of strong student participation from colleges in
the city. News of the march
was disseminated during the
week on social media via the

tended the march, provided

by the National Lawyers
Guild.

Not long into the
march, some demonstrators began to cross over a
low fence and move onto
the highway to reprise last
weeks actions.

However, the state
police had already parked
several cars along I-95 and

by medical personnel. Dieins are a form of protest in

which participants lay on
the ground, appearing in
a similar fashion to a dead
body.

The first die-in occurred at the intersection of
Empire Street and Washington Street and lasted around
five minutes. The second
die-in occurred in front of

the highway exits near the

Providence Place Mall at
the intersection of Francis
Street and Memorial Boulevard, both tied up traffic for
an extended period of time.

Demonstrators also
attempted to move into th
mall, but several police officers stood in front of the
street entrance, denying
them entry.

After the mall, demonstrators began to march
back across the city, walking down to a corner of
Kennedy Plaza, bringing
downtown traffic to a standstill. The halted drivers began taking pictures with cell
phones and honking their
horns in support of the activists.

The march concluded by 9:30 p.m. with the
demonstrators
returning
with no arrests and no injuries. After the march and
subsequent rally, members
of the community shared anecdotes of being confronted
by police officers, as well as
their thoughts and feelings
about what it means to be a
person of color in the United States.