On Monday, SUNY Oswego students were subjected to some unusual surprise when a “preacher man” took over their quad and said what some students claimed were “offensive remarks and beliefs”.
Jim Deferrio, a middle aged man, was seen holding a sign preaching on the SUNY Oswego quad a variety of different ultra-religious phrases other remarks unpopular on a liberal public campus.
Students grouped around Deferrio and gave their input before he was asked to leave by University Police, but soon was allowed to come back on campus as it is considered a public university.
Many students expressed their displeasure to the man and on various sources of social media, calling the man “homophobic” and claiming that his messages were “hateful”.
According to several different sources, Deferrio has been known to go to different colleges and university preaching a similar message.
Whatever his message may have been, he certainly raised a stir on the quad and on the SUNY Campus.
Originally Reported By Chelsey Moore
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Oz Speaks: Taking a Knee opens discussion on racial inequality
Written by Stefanie Sciolaro and Abbey Buttacavoli
OSWEGO, N.Y.– Almost all 150 seats in SUNY Oswego’s Marano Campus Center auditorium were filled Wednesday for the first Oz Speaks event of the fall semester. The event was a panel discussion talking about 49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem before a game last year. Oswego professor, Brian Moritz, moderated the panel which included SUNY Oswego professors, Bonita Hampton, Kenneth Marshall and ESPN Radio Syracuse’s Brent Axe.
Each panelist gave information on the historical roots involving racial inequality in America. In regards to Kaepernick taking a knee, Dr. Kenneth Marshall said, “about time. From 1619 to 1865 when lincoln signed the paper freeing black people. 3.5 million black people who worked for free, America had 246 years as a nation of oppression and approximately 152 years as a nation of liberation, so we are better at oppression than liberation, that’s who we are.”
Axe said that he has talked to people who feel that football Sunday is no time for political statements, but people react one of two ways. Either they immediately are angered, or they think that maybe it is something they should listen to.
Bonita Hampton said for students to educate themselves that that they can fight racial inequality in America.
Axe explained that Kaepernick had taken a knee before, and no one had noticed. However, once the cameras captured an image of him down on one knee, there was proof, and it took hold. Axe concluding by telling the audience to “never underestimate the power of a powerful image.”
Other Oz Speaks topics this semester include freedom of speech and social awareness. Dates are still being determined.
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Tyler Hall Take Two
Madison Doner, WTOP10-TV
OSWEGO, NY- Thursday October 27, 2016 kicked off a week of celebration for the newly renovated Tyler Hall beginning with the 12th Annual Lewis B O’Donnell Media Summit.
The first phase of the renovations took two-years and cost $22.2 million. Some of the renovations include state-of-the-art performance, rehearsal, recording and gallery spaces.
According to SUNY Oswego’s website, “Tyler Hall is such a public building. It’s where the college really gets to shine and show off its performing arts as well as its visual arts,” said Julie Pretzat, Dean of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts.
Tyler Hall held a Take Two debut open house on Friday, October 28. They welcomed members of the Oswego community, students, faculty, and alumni at their red carpet event.
Sophomore Communications student, Kelly Smith said “From the outside you would never assume that the inside was so beautiful. The art gallery may be the best part.”
The current exhibition is named ‘Restart’, which is meant to address the concept of new beginnings and fresh starts. The Art Gallery is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This years Media Summit was also held in the newly renovated Waterman Theatre. The new space has a capacity of 450 people with accessibility for those with disabilities.
The current performance to celebrate the grand reopening this past weekend is conducted by SUNY Oswego Theatre and Music departments creating a contemporary twist on the classic musical “The Wizard of Oz”.
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SUNY Oswego: One of the Nation’s Top “Green Colleges”
The expression “Going Green” is not new to students at SUNY Oswego. The campus has been rated as being one of the top green colleges in the nation for another year in a row by “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges.”
A variety of environmentally friendly and energy efficient utilities are very much visible when walking around campus. The presence of facilities for bike commuters: bike storage/racks or lockers can been found near almost every building.
“I think the accessibility of the bike racks are a great part of the campus,” said senior Christopher Britts. “This year I live off campus and don’t want to waste my gas driving here everyday, like who wouldn’t want to be outside, it’s beautiful out this time of year here.”
Shuttle buses, sharing service cars: Zip-cars, and car charging stations on campus have tremendously helped the school, not only become more environmentally responsible, but give more mobile opportunities to students and faculty.
“The shuttle bus saved me from a lot of trouble during the winter when I had to travel from Seneca Hall to Shineman,” said junior Matthew Upright.
Oswego State is also one of few colleges that has a formal sustainability committee and a sustainability officer. The college also spends 13 percent of its food budget on locally grown or organic products for students.
SUNY Oswego also offers a minor in sustainability studies, and in recent years constructed buildings such as Richard Richard S. Shineman Center for Science, Engineering and Innovation; Rice Creek Field Station; and the Village has achieved LEED Gold certification: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The college has been designing their new facilities to meet this LEED standard since 2005, have definitely succeeded, and continues to do so.
