‘Family Weekend’: A new experience for second-year students

Students and family members at the St. Bonaventure Family Weekend festival. — St. Bonaventure students and their family gather for the annual Family Weekend festival last month. (Courtesy St. Bonaventure University)

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Oct. 20, 2021) — Last month, many second-year students experienced ‘Family Weekend’, the weekend of Sept. 25, for the first time.

Last year, the school cancelled ‘Family Weekend’ due to its COVID-19 policies, which prohibited on-campus visitors. However, this year felt different because of the various activities the school planned.

“It was fun,” sophomore Bonaventure student Nolan Demitrovic said. “There was a lot of interesting activities.”

A fun walk/run on the trail around the Allegheny River began the weekend. Then, a reception took place in the Reilly Center where alumni, particularly parents of current students, gathered. A fundraiser took place outside the Reilly Center to benefit various campus clubs. Many of the clubs sold assorted items to help benefit whatever financial needs they need for the year. To end the day, the school held a mass and a hypnotist mystified watchers-on in the Quick Center.

Many also gathered on the Marra Athletic Fields Complex to watch the men’s and women’s rugby teams play. “Everything felt back to normal,” Demitrovic said. “We didn’t have to wear masks outside around campus.”

“It was good to experience a more normal college experience since we didn’t get to experience anything like that last year,” sophomore Connor Beal said. “A lot of us got to feel the sense of community at St. Bonaventure.”

The lack of Covid restrictions this year has presented a new experience for students in many ways—this year’s Family Weekend included.

University trustees discuss moving Center for Student Wellness to Serra House; no timeline for move

By Dustyn Green

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Oct. 10, 2021) — Last Friday, the university’s Board of Trustees discussed moving the Center for Student Wellness, currently in Doyle Hall, to Serra House.

“A financing strategy for moving the center from Doyle to Serra House… was positively received by trustees and the university is proceeding with a plan to relocate the Center for Student Wellness to the Serra House,” communications officer Tom Missel told The Intrepid Wednesday.

Student Government Association originally passed a Serra House recommendation to administrators in 2018.

“The logistics of the formal plan are being worked out,” SGA president Meghan Hall said Wednesday.

The recommendation addressed student needs for a welcoming location for counseling and health services. It also raised concerns about the name of the structure, due to namesake St. Junípero Serra’s evangelical practices that forced Native Americans to convert to Catholicism.

The university says the board made progress during last weekend’s board meetings but have yet to form a timeline for changes.

St. Bonaventure University mandates COVID-19 vaccine for on-campus students

By Anthony Goss

ST. BONAVENTURE, NY — St. Bonaventure University will require all residential students returning to campus for the Fall 2021 semester to receive a COVID-19 vaccination and provide documentation when they return to campus this fall. This news comes days after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that virus restrictions would be lifted in the state.

Noting similar action taken by other colleges and universities in New York, the school will require all residential, off-campus and commuter students to provide proof of vaccination. More information about uploading documentation will be released after July 4.

In a statement released to students and parents, Acting President Dr. Joseph E. Zimmer stated, “We’ve carefully reviewed ways in which our community can return to delivering the unique and welcoming educational and residential experience that most returning Bonnies will recognize and new Bonnies will embrace.”

Zimmer also mentioned the university’s choice to relax and/or discontinue many COVID-19-related measures from the 2020-21 academic year. The school notes a fully vaccinated campus was necessary to take this step.

The statement also provides information for those seeking religious or medical exemptions and accommodations regarding vaccine requirements.

This story will be updated as we receive more information.

CAB Continues to Prepare for Spring Weekend

By Cameryn Jones-Dutchess

Spring Weekend at St. Bonaventure University brings students together with lively music, activities that everyone can get involved with and amazing food. The weekend before finals is a time for students to unravel and enjoy campus prior to heading to the library and cracking down on school work.

While attendees of Spring Weekend are getting anxious about the event taking place April 27 and 28, the Campus Activities Board, or CAB, have been planning it since the beginning of the fall semester.

Robbie Chulick, assistant director of the Center for Activities, Recreation and Leadership, said, “this is one of the largest events each year,” which he explains that there are a lot of aspects that come with planning and organizing this big of an event. Ordering balloons, building a menu and finding a music line up are only some of things CAB needs to do to get ready.

Spring Weekend will cost roughly around $20,000 to $30,000, according to Robbie Chulick. This fund will take about 30-40 percent out of the Student Government Association’s (SGA’s) budget.

“Some of the money is used for tents, music equipment, the music lineup, food and other expenses that complete Spring Weekend,” said Chulick.

Fortunately, the Bona Bus vandal does not affect the amount of money CAB can spend for Spring Weekend. Since SGA has to pay for the repairs of the broken bus, CAB can focus on planning for Spring Weekend with the right budget to do so. A bus will be running during Spring Weekend during the day to bring off-campus housing students to campus.

Robbie Chulick also encourages any students that want to get involved or help with the planning of Spring Weekend to join CAB or SGA.

Along with Spring Weekend, the infamous Quad Party is also a staple that brings campus life together.

Students are upset by the news of the canceled Quad Party. Senior journalism/mass communications major Stefanie Podosek explained, “I think cancelling the Quad Party is a terrible idea because it is an unofficial tradition, along with Keg Klash and Rafting Down the River.”

Senior Haylei John, president of SGA, said, “Rob DeFazio stated at our last SGA meeting that a quad party would not be permitted this year.”

She also added, “this is not a SGA decision. It had already been decided by those in the student affairs and security departments and then relayed to SGA.”

There will be authorities around the townhouse area to ensure that any party will not ensue.

Even though a Quad Party will not be taking place this year, Spring Weekend will be a time for students to have an enjoyable experience before finals.

Plassmann Hall welcomes Teaching and Learning Center

[Image retrieved from St. Bonaventure University Archives]

By Caitlyn Morral

After about thirty years in the basement of Doyle Hall, the Teaching and Learning Center at St. Bonaventure University has moved across campus to the first floor of Plassmann Hall. This transition is one piece of big changes that have been occurring in the academic building.

The Teaching and Learning Center, also known as the TLC, has been a source for students to receive academic support for years. With tutors and additional academic support available to students, the center strives to help each student that comes in for help succeed in their classes and feel confident in their work.

Director of the TLC, Jean Trevaton Ehman, has been affiliated with both St. Bonaventure and the TLC for years and is excited that the move from Doyle Hall to Plassmann Hall has been a success.

Continue reading “Plassmann Hall welcomes Teaching and Learning Center” →

“Nobody” author discusses vulnerability in keynote address

Images courtesy of Danny Bush

By Kelly Haberstroh

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill gave an impassioned address to St. Bonaventure University students on the importance of acknowledging social issues as the first step to solving them.

On Sept. 26, Dr. Joseph Zimmer, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, introduced Hill by referring to him as one of the leading intellectual voices in the country, who also worked on campaigns to end the death penalty.

His primary value is the poor and marginalized in our society. These ideas reflect what he discusses in his bestselling novel, “Nobody: Casualties of America’s War on the Vulnerable, From Ferguson to Flint,” required for the freshman class, and his speech. Continue reading ““Nobody” author discusses vulnerability in keynote address” →

St. Bonaventure community shows support for DACA: a photo series

Photos by Chezell Montgomery

@cheyslays_

img_8092-1 — Members of the St. Bonaventure University community gathered in front of Plassmann Hall on Monday to show solidarity with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

img_8088-1 — The program allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to remain in the country and work without threat of deportation.

Continue reading “St. Bonaventure community shows support for DACA: a photo series” →

Students show solidarity for those affected by executive order

By Bryce Spadafora

Members of the St. Bonaventure University community gathered on the front steps of Plassmann Hall today to show solidarity for those affected by President Donald Trump’s recent executive order.

The executive order, released last Friday, restricts citizens from Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq from entering the country. News outlets have reported that some United States citizens have also been denied entrance into the country.

According to the executive order, its purpose is to, “protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States.”

Opponents of the order have argued that it targets groups of people who have never committed terror attacks in the United States and are of very little threat to national security.

Continue reading “Students show solidarity for those affected by executive order” →