by Ilyssa Weiner

Oswego, NY- Today meteorologist Al Roker (‘76) will be returning to his alma mater to break a world record. Oswego State will be the last stop on “Rokerthon 3” and Today’s “Storming Into the Madness” college tour.

Roker will be returning to campus to break the Guinness World Record for the longest conga line on ice.

The current record is 353 skaters, held by the Ice Rink Canary Wharf in the United Kingdom. They have been holding this record since 2013.

Oswego State is looking for more than 400 students to help break this record. It will be broadcasted live on Today on Mar. 31. Participants are asked to arrive at the Marano Campus Center arena by five a.m.

To sign up, fill out this Google form with your Oswego State email. 
If you are not interested in skating but still want to see the record broken, fans will be able to watch from the arena seats in their green and gold gear from seven to nine a.m.

by Ilyssa Weiner

Oswego, NY- Spring is finally here in Oswego State. The first day of the new season was on Monday. However, spring fever isn’t the only thing increasing on campus. There’s also spring allergies.

Mary Walker Health Center Director Angie Brown says cold and allergy complaints are very common this time of year.

“It is a pretty common complaint we see…especially this time of year,” Brown said.

The spring allergy season usually starts in early March. However, the fluctuating weather on campus recently may have caused some people’s allergies to start sooner.

Allergies are usually caused by pollen floating in the air. When it’s breathed in, it will cause a reaction inside your body.

”That’s why your body does the sneezing and the coughing and the runny nose because it’s actually trying to get that outta there. It’s an irritant,” she said.

To prevent allergies from getting worse Brown advises students to keep their windows closed and get rid of any dust they may have in their room. She says that if students are really bothered by allergies, he or she should take medication such as antihistamine to prevent anything severe from happening.

Each student’s allergic reactions are different and Brown says each student’s treatment of the allergy will be different as well.

Mary Walker Health Center is open Mon.-Fri. from 8:30AM-4 PM.

by Daniel Manou

Oswego, NY- As underage drinking and drug use grows around the country, Oswego County is trying to find ways to not only control this epidemic but turn it into a positive trend.

On a daily basis alcohol is in the public’s eyes whether from advertisements, stores or people using it around them regardless of the viewers age. According to a multi-year study by Farnham Family Services alcohol is the most used drug among minors in Oswego County. However, compared to the last survey, this year’s results are showing progress. Prevention Services Director Penny Morley believes the results of this year’s survey is heading in the right direction.

“We did a youth development survey in 2013 and another one in 2016, and our numbers are going down, youth that are reporting underage drinking,” she said.

Although Morley acknowledges the comparison of surveys shows only a small drop in underage drinking, she is still pleased with the numbers.

“Just a few percentage points, but even just a few percentage points is better than having an increase”, said Morley.

According to the survey nearly 70 percent of high school seniors have used alcohol. Most minors reported the easiest access is from their own home.

In an effort lead by Oswego County Undersheriff Gene Sullivan, police have attempted to stop underage parties. Sullivan has been working to shut down these parties and educate minors about the dangers of underage drinking since 2011. However, he has directly seen what consequences arise.

“By the end of the night we would have fights, vandalism would occur and in the worst case scenario people driving away from that party, getting into crashes some of them were fatalities,” Undersheriff Sullivan said.

In 2014, Farnham instituted the Oswego County Prevention Coalition in response to the 2013 survey and has worked alongside schools to educate the youth. According to the 2016 results, ninth grade, the same age period when alcohol is most dangerous to children, was where the usage jumped the highest.

“Anyone that uses before the age of 15 has a much higher likelihood of addiction as an adult, their brains are not fully formed at that point”, said Morley.

With the tactics that have been put in place and continue to be worked on, there have been signs that they have made an impact.

“I think there’s been tremendous progress, but it’s been painfully slow. It’s a difficult message to deliver”, said Undersheriff Sullivan.

Even with the long awaited results showing optimism, both Morley and Sullivan know their job isn’t done.

by Reggie Debrah

Oswego, NY- Summer vacation is not too far away, and with the 3 month break comes large plans. For those who are looking to gain experience from an internship or simply looking for a job after graduation, the Compass is a place to start your summer plans.

The Compass is located on the first floor of the Marano Campus Center, under the Chu Atrium. The Compass is open from Monday through Friday from 10 AM until 4 PM. It provides resources for students such as resume and cover letter building. There are also student interns at the Compass who assist with everything from writing an e-mail to internship searches.

For those graduating and need preparation for the real world, the Compass can also help with that. The Compass offers mock interviews and help to learn about the process of applying for jobs outside of college.

The Compass is a great resource for students at Oswego State to utilize. There are many great opportunities such as internship searches and help to create or update a resume or cover letter. There is always someone there able to help with anything that a student may need. For any students looking to get ahead in their professional career, the Compass is step one.

by Eoin Gallagher

Oswego, NY- Oswego State’s faculty led study abroad courses will have the opportunity to expand.  The school has announced they will be accepting new proposals from faculty who wish to expand the program. Oswego State is already considered to have one of the top study abroad programs in the country.

Director of Global and International Studies Lisa Glidden has taught multiple study abroad courses including “Sustainable Cuba,” a program where students were able to travel to Cuba over winter break.  She says she enjoys teaching these courses and that they can even lead to potential internships.

“I teach another course that goes to Ecuador… I actually have a student going and doing an internship in the fall semester,” Glidden said.
With the efforts of Oswego State’s faculty and administrators, more courses may be available in the future.

Oswego, NY- For the last month there has been dramatic changes in Oswego’s weather.  The fluctuations in weather have lead to snow, rain, 60 degree weather, and various other conditions. Rumors have been spiraling around campus that this change in weather has lead to many people getting sick.  However, this rumor has been proven false.

“The reason you have a big flux in rhinoviruses like the common cold in the fall season, and in the spring season is because that’s just when it spreads the most.  That’s when those viruses peak, ” WTOP-10 Chief Meteorologist Alec Zuch said. “And then, on top of that in the winter time that’s when flu is the most common.  So it has nothing to do with temperature, it has more to do with you know, when that virus actually goes around.”

Several studies at universities across the United States have proven this statement to be true as well. Bacteria and viruses are the reasons for people’s illnesses.  The cold temperature typically makes it easier for the bacteria and viruses to survive.  Meanwhile, the warm weather lets allergens into the air more easily.  These things have made it a great environment for both allergens and bacteria to survive.  Plus, the elements Oswego has provided recently has not helped conditions either.

The Mary Walker Health Center is providing students with treatments for common cold like symptoms.  If symptoms become more serious, it is advised that students see a doctor or another medical professional as soon as possible.

by Michael Allchin

Oswego, NY- On March 2 nd and 3 rd , Oswego State welcomed Electroacoustic Composer Mark Snyder, Soprano Paige Naylor, and harpist Becky Brown.

Mark specializes in mixing ambient multimedia works along with rich storytelling. The work he produces contains meaning in many different forms including events from his own life.

Mark performs with various instruments featuring the clarinet, tuba, accordion, piano, and guitar.

“When I have feeling that I want to express, I don’t always express them in words as well as I can in sound and life so that’s what I like to experiment with trying to communicate with people with what I sonically represent of human emotions and characters so I love doing it I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” Snyder said.

Cara Thompson was one of the audience members amazed with Snyder’s performance.

“It’s just amazing the combination of technology and video and the music was just incredibly compelling and powerful,” she said.

Snyder and his crew will continue performing all around while creating new pieces of work for people to enjoy.