Bell Tower Restoration

Photo Taken by Alfred State

 Written by Amanda Damon

The bell tower that sits in the middle of the Alfred State campus has become an icon of the school. While instantly recognizable by both sight and sound, many students might not be aware of the purpose of this tower. Cast in Holland by Petit & Fritsen in 1965 and installed by The Verdin Company in 1973, the five bells were established to honor former Alfred Tech President Walter Hinkle. Each bell has an inscription, including the dedication to Walter C. Hinkle, his birth and death dates, and the dates he was made an instructor, dean, and President. The bells range from 407lbs to 2,750lbs and sit inside the 63-foot tower.  

National Coming Out Day

Free Source Photo by Sara Rampazzo

By Soumya Konar  

October being the National LGBTQ+ History Month, paved a path for the Cultural Life Centre in partnership with Rainbow Union and Bandwagon to hold a Coming Out Photoshoot on October 11th. A photo/video shoot was hosted in the Student Leadership Centre from Noon to 3:00 PM. This served as a platform to celebrate and draw attention to the incredible members of this community and their accomplishments. With the Bandwagon team contributing through their photography skills, the photos were distributed to the respected participants and, upon permission, on their YouTube and Instagram channels.

Ban on String Lights: Update

Photo by Lily Banse on Unsplash

Written by Amanda Damon 

In the Guide to Moving and Packing on the Alfred State website, “Christmas/holiday lights and strip lighting” are listed under what not to bring. This ban on string lights currently includes all plug-in and battery-operated lighting. Conversations around an amendment to this ban have been taking place for the last year. Though Alfred State currently bans all types of string lights, other SUNY institutions allow battery-operated LED string lights in dorms as they are a safer alternative to traditional Christmas lights. Since this ban is clearly not a SUNY ruling, students are asking that school leadership review and amend the current ruling.  

Ergo Poetry Reading is Coming Again!

Alfred State's literary magazine Ergo, in partnership with the Department of English & Humanities, will be hosting a poetry reading on November 2 at 6:00 PM in the Allegany Room in CDH. This is an open mic night that will also feature guitar music, student art on display, and desserts prepared by the Wellsville Culinary Arts students. 

President Candidates

Written by: Soumya Komar 

       Alfred State College welcomed Fall 2021 with exuberance, nervous anticipation, and a booming Week of Welcome. While everyone was busy and excited for the arrival of so many fresh faces on the campus, as well as our returning students, the student leaders, faculty, and administration searched for our institution's new president.  

     

What's New on Campus?

By Amanda Damon

    With the departure of Taco Bell, students can now eat at Amigos, a healthier Mexican food option that has taken up residence next to Alfies in the Central Dining Hall. They are currently serving quesadillas and grain bowls, with burritos to come later in the semester. Their operating hours for the Fall semester will be 12pm-9pm Monday-Friday (Mobile order 12:30pm-8:30pm) and 4pm-9pm Saturday & Sunday (Mobile order 5pm-8:30pm).  

    Another new dining option is Refresh, a revamp of Island Oasis, located next to Amigos in CDH. Refresh will have smoothies, frozen lemonades, and milkshakes. Their hours are 9am-7pm Monday-Friday and 4pm-9pm Saturday & Sunday.  

Dog Grooming Area on Campus?

Written by Amanda Damon

    While Alfred State College is a pet-friendly campus, there have been concerns raised by pet owners about the lack of available space to wash their dogs. Many need to seek an off-campus groomer or wash their dogs themselves in shared dorm bathrooms. This can lead to issues with roommates or suitemates, especially since the pet-friendly dorm is now being used as a quarantine building. Some students have begun to ask if Alfred State could implement a shared bath space for dog owners to use. In the search for answers to this question, Tor Echo President Kimberly Wick spoke with Professor Bliss. Professor Bliss has been teaching Vet Tech classes at Alfred State for 20 years and has been the advisor for the Opt-To-Adopt club since she began teaching here.