Worthwhile research usually has a dollar sign attached to it. In this instance, that dollar sign was in the amount of $400,000. Keene State College Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Jason Pellettieri recently received a grant in this amount from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his research.

The process of receiving a grant can often be a lengthy and complicated process. Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Dr. Penny Miceli said the granting agencies which fund research have standing requests for proposals, and that Pellettieri submitted a grant through that typical process. Miceli also helped Pellettieri with the formatting and basics of putting the grant proposal together.

“It’s probably a 50-page application, about 10 pages of science, budget stuff and then information about what you want to do,” Pellettieri said.

According to Miceli, the review process for grants, especially for organizations like NIH, can often take a long time to hear back from. “It’s not uncommon to have to wait more than a year before you get a final answer on whether your proposal was funded or not. That was the case for us this time,” Pellettieri said. Due to this long process, Pellettieri was submitting multiple grant proposals at the same time. Pellettieri also received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Miceli said the size of the grant is larger than what’s typical, and that the amount in grants can vary greatly. “We have everything in between for grants here, all the way down to $500,” Miceli said.

The amount Pellettieri received is significant for the research he is conducting. “What it allows him to do is really engage students in his work. He can have a lot more students working in his lab when he’s got this level of funding. It really works hand in glove with the educational mission along with being good just for research purpose,” Miceli said.

According to Pellettieri, this grant is essential for his lab’s research. “You can do very small-scale projects without grant funding, but to be able to do the kind of cutting edge science that we’re doing, you can’t really do that unless you have the best equipment, which costs a lot of money,” Pellettieri said.

According to their website, New Hampshire IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (NH-INBRE) works to support biomedical research in New Hampshire and is funded by NIH. Program manager of NH-INBRE Lynn Arnold said, “A lot of what we’re doing with INBRE is trying to get researchers started and get research off the ground so they can apply for these big grants.” Arnold also said her position involves keeping track of the budget and where the grant money is being spent.

As for what research the grant is specifically being used for, Arnold said, “He’s working with these flatworms, but finding things that connect to human health that could be very significant to managing and treating human diseases.”

Haley Zanga, a KSC senior biology major who is working alongside Pellettieri said, “Our biggest question we are trying to answer is how regeneration works… The planarians, flatworms we work with, serves as a good animal model to study.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

Fighting discrimination and advocating for inclusion of all people is something Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Dr. Dottie Morris has been doing at Keene State College for 19 years.

Morris has recently been named to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion.

This new council will serve to make sure New Hampshire communities and businesses are promoting diversity.

Governor Sununu established the council in December in order to focus on diversity and inclusion within the state.

The council will be working alongside other state organizations, including the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights and the New Hampshire Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Unit.

Morris was asked by the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Chancellor Todd Leach if she would be willing to serve as the representative for USNH. Morris will be joined by Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera and other state officials on the council.

Leach said, “I have no doubt that Dottie will prove to be an asset on this important advisory council…Given that our students are an important component of the state’s diversity overall, I think that Dottie will bring an important perspective to the Council.”

Responsibilities of the council will include suggesting policy changes that support diversity and inclusion and creating educational efforts in communities to fight back against discrimination.

The council will meet at least once per month.

In their first year, they will also host public forums across the state of New Hampshire. Morris said she believes the discussions at these forums will depend on the regions the council goes to, since different communities experience different issues.

“In some parts of the state, social economic issues might be highlighted more, while in other parts of the state, it might be race,” said Morris. “I am looking forward to maintaining an open heart and mind when I am listening to the concerns presented from the diverse groups within the state.”

KSC Interim President Melinda Treadwell said of Morris, “Dr. Morris has long been a clear voice in our state for diversity and inclusion. Dottie leads the way and helps to support education, awareness, and commitment to equity and inclusion.”

Treadwell believes that Morris will be successful on this council because, “Dottie has been a clarion voice for our region in recent years when instances of disempowerment, prejudice and bias have occurred. She will bring experience and insight to this statewide initiative and we will all be the better for her talents and wisdom contributing to this work.”

Morris said, “We all benefit when every individual within a community can bring their gifts, talents and ways of being to the table, especially when we are trying to solve problems.”

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu did not respond for a comment.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

Have you ever thought about studying abroad, but lacked the accessibility to a passport to allow you to? The Global Education Office (GEO) at Keene State College is giving away free passports for eligible students. KSC students have the opportunity to apply for a free passport by Feb. 9 through GEO. Associate Director of the Global Education Office, Steven Spiegel, said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for many qualified KSC students to receive a free passport.”

Laura Romaniello / Art Director

Director of GEO Dr. Skye Stephenson said, “It’s something that we’ve always wanted to do in the Global Education Office.” This was made possible through partnering with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). “We have an agreement with CIEE, one of the largest and most historic study away programs…they’ve been really trying to target study away so more people have a chance to do that,” Stephenson said.

According to their website, CIEE is a non-profit organization promoting international education and exchange. Coordinator of Institutional Relations at CIEE, Diana Lo, said, “The initiative seeks to double the number of U.S. students studying abroad by 2020 by breaking down the main barriers: cost, curriculum, and culture. CIEE’s Passport Caravan will sponsor a total of 10,000 passports for students around the country as part of its participation in the national Generation Study Abroad initiative.”

KSC was selected, along with a 15 other institutions across the country, for this opportunity. “Keene State College applied to be considered as a partner for the program. We were impressed with their commitment to increasing access and diversity in study abroad that the administration demonstrated in their application,” Lo said.

CIEE is covering the cost of 50 student passports. “When we got the idea, I was nervous there might not be much student interest…but we’ve been having non-stop people filling it out. It’s great to know there’s so much interest,” Stephenson said. “We thought it would be good to just wait and see how many applications we have to be fair to everyone and then screen them and see if there’s more than 50, some people might fall on the waiting list.”

Some items that are required for students who are chosen to receive a free passport include an unsigned passport application form DS-11, proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of identity, a passport photo and photocopies of both proof of citizenship and identity. While the Global Education Office is not providing passport photo services for selected students, Stephenson said, “It has to be a headshot with a certain kind of background. CVS does it for around $10. The cost of a first-time passport is around $120 usually, so to get it from there isn’t too bad.”

For students to be eligible for the free passports, they must be a United States citizen and a full-time KSC student who has never had a passport before. This opportunity is not for passport renewal. The Passport Caravan will be taking place March 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the L.P. Young Student Center. Students must sign up through Skye Stephenson by Feb. 9, however. For selected students, a list of all required materials and steps for a passport can be found at the website for the U.S. Department of State- Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

The search is on to fill a variety of open job positions here at Keene State College. After a review of the school’s budget, there are 11 available positions. A few of these include Program Support Assistant for Financial Aid Office, Assistant Director of Human Resources and an Administrative Assistant for the Mason Library. One of the available jobs also includes the new Provost, a position with many responsibilities across the campus.

The main role of a Provost is to be second-in-command to the President of a university. Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell said, “The Provost is responsible for all academic leadership and speaks for the faculty. The most important role, in my opinion, is holding the integrity and quality of the academic mission of the institution.”

For the past two years, William Seigh has been working as the Provost as part of a two-year acting appointment. “I could extend William’s acting appointment, but I am concerned that I must help to stabilize key leadership roles for the campus to move forward…The Provost is too critical a role to not stabilize it now. I do hope William will submit candidacy to continue in this role,” said Treadwell.

President Treadwell and the Human Resources (HR) staff will be working together to form a search committee to appoint the new Provost. The hiring process for the Provost differs very little from how other positions are appointed. “The one difference with those higher level positions is that we have open forums on campus, which gives the campus community a chance to meet the finalists, view a presentation and review some documentation, such as resumes,” said Associate Director of Human Resources Karen Crawford.

The qualities and qualifications being sought in the new Provost position are undefined as of right now. “The President has a draft of the description of the position and is currently looking it over and tweaking it for what she is looking for in a Provost…[The] Provost is a huge position on campus; she’s going to make sure that what she’s looking for is spelled out,” said Crawford.

As for the other available positions, HR is currently working on creating advertisements on the site for the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) and gathering applications they have already received. Assistant Director of Human Resources Heather McGreer said of the applications, “The quality of our pools, just from posting from our site, has really increased. I don’t necessarily base it on the size of the pool because you could receive only three to five applicants, but have all of them be extremely qualified for the position.”

The 11 positions currently available were chosen based on necessity and urgency on campus. “[Treadwell] worked with her executive officers to determine what were critical positions to fill. We knew what resources we had and we wanted to work within that,” said Crawford. Other positions not chosen were either tabled for later discussion or were decided to never be filled. One of the open positions includes the Administrative Assistant of Mason Library. Dean of Mason Library Celia Rabinowitz said, “We really depend on our administrative assistant in Mason Library… We are looking for someone who wants to learn more about the library and what we do and is interested in budgets because we rely on the administrative assistant to keep our budgets in order.”

Along hiring for these available job positions, there is also work being done to form the Task Force for Organizational Realignment and Budget Development. This task force will oversee the productivity of KSC staff. “We need to make sure we have the staff to support our student base, our enrollment and what needs to get done on campus. They’re going to look at what we have for staff and make sure that those people are meeting the needs of what we have to do on campus. Moving people to meet the needs is something we might do,” said Crawford.

The President, Human Resources and the President’s cabinet will be working together to launch this task force.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at  rvitello@kscequinox.com

Lyft is a driving service that allows users to receive a ride in a matter of minutes through their app.

Anyone will be able to request a ride with the push of a button.

Meredith King / Arts and Entertainment Editor

This service will soon be hitting the streets of Keene.

According to Lyft’s website, it is also more affordable than a taxi.

Rates will depend on local demand and the amount of drivers hired.

Rides have a base charge of $1.00 and typically charge around $1.50 per mile, although this can change city to city, according to Ridester.

Taxi companies tend to charge a flat rate, rather than by the mile or minute.

So what does this mean for the community’s local taxi companies?

Tony Signore, the owner of Tony’s Taxi in Keene, said, “I really don’t think it will affect my business at all….We have real loyal clientele, they would never call an Uber.”

An unnamed driver for Sunshine Taxi in Keene has a similar opinion of Lyft.

“I’m not worried about Lyft affecting our business,” said the employee.

“We charge fairly and run a good business here. People respect and recognize that.”

Although there has been talk of it in the past, Lyft, Uber or any other car service has never been available in Keene until now.

Having Lyft in the area will be a luxury that residents and students have not been able to experience as of yet, and will make transportation simpler and faster.

“I’m so excited for this to come to Keene,” said KSC sophomore Genie Schowetsky.

“There’s been so many times where something like Lyft would have come in handy, but we haven’t had it around here.”

According to Business Insider, 30 percent of all Americans use ride-hailing apps like Lyft; and that statistic is steadily increasing over time.

Having the ability to request a ride somewhere through an app is simpler and faster than hailing or calling a taxi.

“My friends at different schools use apps like that all the time. Like if it’s the weekend and they’re going out somewhere, but no one wants to be the designated driver, it’s a good thing to have or it would be convenient to have here just for getting Starbucks or something,” said Schowetsky.

Lyft’s website also states that there is a 24/7 Trust and Safety Team.

Lyft’s critical response line is always open in the case of an incident.

Department of Motor Vehicle background checks on all the drivers and a minimum age requirement for cars driven are also done.

The two-way rating system also allows the rider to rate and comment on the quality of your ride and driver, so both parties can be aware of what they are walking into.

There is no exact date for when Lyft is coming to Keene yet, but people can expect to start seeing Lyft stickers on cars in the area fairly soon.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

On Saturday, Oct. 7, magician Jason Purdy will be performing at the Redfern Arts Center. Purdy is a Keene native who has wowed audiences at Keene State College in the past for orientation and other events on campus. However, this is his first time taking the stage at the Redfern Arts Center.

Purdy offers his talents for a variety of events including fund-raisers, school shows, kid’s birthday parties and camp and recreation programs. His performances can vary from wide-scale illusions, to more classic or intimate tricks, according to his website. As for what he will specifically perform during his time at KSC, it is a secret to be revealed the day-of.

However, Director of the Redfern Arts Center Shannon Mayers said, “[The stage] gives him the opportunity to do his bigger illusions and tricks on a stage, rather than a smaller place, like a birthday party.”

Mayers added this is why the performance will be hosted in the Main Theatre, rather than in a recital hall.

Purdy said he is most excited that this event is open not just to students, but also to families.

“I’m definitely looking forward to performing for the younger kids and seeing their reactions to [the performance]”, said Purdy. Mayers said she had a similar enthusiasm about the event being family-oriented.

“[The Redfern staff] wanted to expand our family programming because it has been so successful. We wanted to offer something in the fall, as well as the winter, which is when we host most of our family programming events,” said Mayers.

Mayers said she is excited for the interactive aspect of a magic performance. “Our past shows have been largely musical, but kids want to get up and move around, and it gives folks the opportunity to take pictures. I know that I’m a mom myself and I was always grateful to see those kind of activities offered.”

This show is not exclusively put on for children, however. This show is open to people of all ages.

“I’m looking forward to entertaining a variety of minds and seeing that variety of people in the audience,” said Purdy.

This magic performance differs from the usual musical and theatrical performances put on by the Redfern.

KSC sophomore Genie Schowetsky said, “I think it’s really cool when events that are different from the norm are put on by the school; I think people really appreciate that when they see it.”

Mayers stresses the importance of offering events at the Redfern for all ages, not just college students.

“It is our commitment to be able to serve the community with family programming that doesn’t exist so much in our region. The Colonial Theatre has educational programs for school-aged kids, but this offers something for a slightly younger audience as well,” said Mayers.

College students can still enjoy the show though.

“It seems like something college kids would be more into than most people would think,” said Schowetsky. “It just sounds like something that’s fun and a good way to switch things up in our routine during the week.”

Purdy said he is just happy “to be able to bring happiness and wonder to the audience and be able to work for [himself] and enjoy what [he is] doing.”

“I imagine there will be a lot of squealing from the audience. I think people are really going to enjoy it,” said Mayers.

To learn more about Purdy and his events, you can visit his site: Jason Purdy Magic.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

In June 2017, President Trump made the decision to pull America out of the global Paris Climate Pact (an international effort to reduce global warming).

Upon this decision, there was much discussion across the country concerning environmental safety.

Recently, New Hampshire (along with eight other New England and Mid-Atlantic states) took a measure to help prevent greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, global warming.

This decision was to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and create a set of proposals so the “cap-and-trade” program can continue after 2020.

I believe that it is a positive decision for New Hampshire to agree to more cuts in carbon emissions.

The economy is minimally affected in a negative way and it is for a worthy environmental cause.

It is scientifically proven that carbon emissions have a direct link to climate change and global warming.

According to NASA’s website, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have increased by a third since the Industrial Revolution, which is one of the most significant contributing factors to climate change.

Carbon emissions are responsible for 72 percent of all emitted greenhouse gases.

By cutting back and controlling the CO2 that is emitted into the atmosphere, we can make major strides in reversing these negative environmental impacts.

This plan also helps produce jobs. According to National Resources Defence Council’s (NRDC) website, RGGI has created 30,000 full-time jobs and $2.9 billion in total value to the state’s economies.

RGGI aims to stabilize and reduce carbon emissions. Under RGGI, electric utilities can buy and sell carbon allotments that permit them to emit certain amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

These are bought and sold at quarterly auctions, with the proceeds go towards the involved states. New Hampshire has used most of the money from the program to reduce prices on consumer electric bills.

Many Republicans are opposed to New Hampshire’s involvement with the program because of the cost.

Electric rates and the cost of energy production within the region have gone up.

There is also dispute as to whether or not the revenues from RGGI are being used in the correct manner.

An independent assessment by University of New Hampshire Professor Dr. Ross Gittell found that if 100 percent of RGGI auction revenues were used to reduce business taxes, then the overall economic impact of RGGI would be positive.

However, this same study describes how New Hampshire would be experiencing the same increased costs in the regional electricity marketplace whether or not they joined RGGI.

The only factor that affects the economy of New Hampshire participating in the program is how the state chooses to use those allowances they receive as participants.

Overall, New Hampshire’s plan to cut back on carbon emissions through involvement with RGGI has far more benefits than negatives.

The increase in energy production is not correlated with the state’s participation in the initiative.

The economy and the environment both benefit from this decision.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

On Thursday Sept. 14, 2017, the Redfern Arts Center hosted their annual season kick-off party in the Alumni Recital Hall. The party was complete with free food, drinks, an improvised dance performance and information about upcoming shows and events at the Redfern.

Sharon Fantl, who is in charge of the Redfern’s residency and outreach activities, said that her favorite part about being involved with the Redfern community is “organizing all of the engagement activities…and getting to see, up close, how artists work…learning about their creative process and being able to share that with different audiences [by] enriching their experiences through the arts.”

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

At the party, information was given out about the variety of different showcases and performances in the Redfern’s upcoming season.

One of these includes a funded program by the National Endowment of the Arts called “Mapping Identities.”

It will be performed by the Moonfish Theatre Company from Galway, Ireland, at the end of September. “Star of the Sea” is a bilingual (Irish and English) play the group will perform about the Great Potato Famine.

Director of the Redfern Arts Center Shannon Mayers said she went to Dublin in 2015 to see the group perform at the Dublin Theatre Festival.

The company also came to visit Keene last year during an American tour.

“I really loved their approach towards theatre making…and to be able to have started this process in 2015 and see it all the way through is really exciting,” said Mayers.

Also during the party, a group of dance majors performed a dance routine for the party-goers on the alcove.

The performance was of the modern/contemporary variety and comprised of stoic movements, meaning the dancers were moving each other and performing repetitive falling motions.

Dance major and KSC student Kimberly Best said, “It was improvisation; we had a little bit of a set score and some choreography, but other than that it was mostly just us [the dancers] feeling the space and ourselves.”

Best also said the event she is most looking forward to at the Redfern is “Evening of Dance.”

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

“There is student choreography and faculty/staff pieces. It’s what most people here are most excited about, I think,” said Best.

The kick-off party was a beneficial resource for both students and the Keene community to learn more about what the Redfern Arts Center has to offer.

“Through our free outreach programs, we offer not just a show, but an arts experience, and many opportunities to meet and engage directly with professional artists,” said Mayers.

The Redfern Arts Center will also be hosting East African musician SOMI in early October.

Fantl said, “A lot of her work is jazz and soul and really infused by East African culture. She has an anthropological approach to songwriting. We will be organizing a lot of talks with the public around her visit…and she will be hosting a workshop the day before her performance.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

School shootings are not new in today’s society. When hearing the word “shooting,” many think Sandy Hook, Kent State, Virginia Tech or Columbine.

Most recently on Oct. 1, a 14-year-old boy was charged with the murder of a six-year-old boy and three counts of attempted murder after being suspected of killing his father.

The boy was accused of killing his father before “shooting and injuring children and a teacher at a school playground” on Sept. 25 in Townville, SC, according to CNN.

On Sept. 25, one person was killed and six were injured after two related shootings at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

These are just two examples of instances of school shootings. So how do students feel on our campus here at Keene State College?

In a casual, random interview of 10 KSC students, 100 percent said they do not fear for their safety on campus.

However, six out of ten students said they do fear for their safety off campus.

Samantha Moore/ Art Director

Only one student surveyed was aware that there have been 197 school shootings since 2013.

When asked how they feel about campus safety carrying guns on campus, 60 percent of students said they would be afraid that someone could get access to those guns.

According to Armed Campuses, five states in the United States allow concealed guns.

Those states include Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Texas and Tennessee.

Armed Campuses states, “The new Texas law permits individuals who have obtained a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to carry their loaded, concealed weapon in college and university buildings.”

“Each college and university may determine certain sensitive areas and buildings where concealed weapons will continue to be prohibited. Each college and university must publically display campus policies on the official school website, as well as widely publicizing it among correspondence with the institution’s faculty, staff and students,” according to Armed Campuses.

The Texas gun law was effective as of August 2016 for all state four-year colleges and universities. In August 2017, this law will go into effect for all two-year colleges and universities and junior colleges in Texas.

In New Hampshire schools decide their own weapons policies, as do all states in New England except for Massachusetts. There, concealed guns on-campus are prohibited by law, according to Armed Campuses.

Handgunlaw.us states that Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Vermont and West Virginia have “permitless carry,” meaning that anyone who can legally possess a firearm may carry it concealed.

At the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign Police said the first shooting started as an argument during a party inside an apartment that later spilled onto the street.

A fight broke out and shots were fired.

CNN reported that police said four people not involved in the fight were injured.

They were all taken to the hospital and one victim, George Korchev, later died from his injuries.

CNN said Korchev was simply walking by the area when he was shot and killed.

The second shooting was reported in an area with many restaurants and shops, similar to downtown Keene.

Not all students are afraid of guns on campus.

Thirty percent of students said they would feel safer if Campus Safety officers carried guns on campus, and one student said they would be more afraid than before.

As for why students think there have been so many school shootings in the last three years, one student said they think it’s because of “easy access to guns.”

A KSC student said, “I think it’s a matter of once a few people do it and people see it on the news, they think it’s a good idea.”

Another student wrote, “It’s so easy for anyone to get access to one or more guns and then they feel powerful or invincible.”

The majority of students, at least those surveyed in this situation, feel comfortable and safe on our campus and feel confident in Campus Safety.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

On Thursday Sept. 29, the Carroll House kicked off “Sometimes, Always, Never” an exhibition curated from artwork by artists from the Clay Studio in Philadelphia, Pa.

The exhibition was curated by Charity Thackston, a KSC alumna who received her BFA in 2011. She then went on to get her MFA at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA, in 2014.

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

The show featured a variety of art made from clay, but a fan favorite seemed to be a piece by  artist Peter Morgan, who has an MFA from New York State College of Ceramics, that was made in the shape of a giant order of nachos, featuring a dinosaur popping out of it called “Nacho-mess Monster”. “The big nachos are really hard not to love,” said art minor Emily Thorpe.

Associate Professor of Art, Dr. Paul McMullan also said, “The nachos are my personal favorite. They’re playful and funny, nothing too serious.”

A student from McMullan’s class, Alyse Fusco, said, “The nachos are honestly what drew me here, I heard about them and I just had to see it for myself.”

Another piece featured at the show was a clay sculpture depicting Braille. “The Braille pieces are my favorite. There’s something very simple and unconventional about it,” said Dr. Lynn Richardson, the chair of the art department.

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

The exhibit was put together by Dr. Paul McMullan, who runs the ceramics program. “I drove up to Philadelphia to get the pieces and then set it up. We often try to incorporate our alumni in any way possible here on campus. I keep in touch with Charity; she has a full-time job there at the clay studio, so she’s representing KSC pretty well,” said McMullan. McMullan also said he tries to do one ceramic show per year.

Dr. Richardson was at the exhibition to show support. “I like this show because of the simplicity. It goes outside of the traditional material and I think it’s because it’s a younger group of artists. There’s very few pots and vessels,” said Richardson.

“Sometimes, Always, Never” is open at the Carroll House until Oct. 22.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com