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Issues Abound with HealthCare.Gov

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been no stranger to criticism, but since the official launch of its Healthcare Marketplace website HealthCare.gov at the beginning of October, criticism has become less ideological and more concrete.

Courtesy of http://www.firstcoastnews.com/
Courtesy of http://www.firstcoastnews.com/

The intent of HealthCare.gov was to provide insurance-seeking Americans with a simplified interface through which to compare private insurance plans, determine eligibility for government insurance subsidies, and ultimately enroll in an eligible plan as per the Affordable Care Act. However, the site’s launch on October 1st brought with it a bevy of issues, including a server unable to handle the incoming traffic as 250,000 visitors instead of the estimated 60,000 attempted to log in the first day. In addition, various glitches in back-end code—code controlling not the visual aspects of the website but the mechanics of it, what the site does that the user can not see—manifested themselves, keeping the site’s help hotline busy. One reported glitch resulted in incorrect recording of information entered into forms by users, information which then became unalterable after submission.

Experts say much of the blame for the site’s current problems lies with CGI Group Inc., the Canadian IT firm which, along with several other firms, was contracted by the Obama administration to develop the back-end code. CGI in turn subcontracted parts of the project to other firms, not an uncommon practice, but the numerous changes made to the project by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since its inception not only caused the firm to blow through the estimated $93.7 million for the project and raise costs to about $292 million. The frequent changes also forced project employees to scrap large portions of the code and eventually brought them to code to accommodate these future frequent changes. While this method of coding is common amongst developers and often prevents the surpassing of funds budgeted for a project, it also employs shortcuts or certain practices which may not bode well for the strength or stability of the program, especially if such a program intends to service over 300 million people.

However, CGI points to the rushed nature of the project as one of its reasons for downfall. A senior vice president at the company stated that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decided to test the site two weeks before launch rather than months beforehand as CGI had recommended. Also to blame was Quality Software Services, Inc. (QSSI), an American company also contracted by the Obama Administration to work on HealthCare.gov. Coincidentally, the Obama administration has since placed QSSI in charge of overseeing repairs on the site. Further controversy arises from the fact that QSSI is owned by UnitedHealth Group, a major provider of private insurance in the U.S.

Although officials from the Department of Health and Human Services have stated that exact healthcare enrollment numbers will not be released until November, at which point the site is expected to be fully functional, Bloomberg estimates that between the 1st and 21st of October, 1% of visitors successfully signed up for insurance through HealthCare.gov. This amounts to about 370,000 enrolled citizens. The deadline for healthcare enrollment has since been extended from the original date of December 15th to March 31, 2014, allowing more time for enrollment if technological difficulties persist.

 

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Houghton Music Faculty Attend Christian Composers’ Fellowship

On Oct. 25-26, the national Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers (CFAMC) showcased works written by various modern composers and Houghton composition students in a series of six concerts. This was in conjunction with the CFAMC’s 19th annual conference, which has previously been held in other locations throughout the United States.

Courtesy of houghton.edu
Courtesy of houghton.edu

Mark Hijleh, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of composition and conducting, said that composition students had their works performed during the conference while having the opportunity to put on works by other composers; “the value of this experience for them cannot be overstated.” In addition, composers from around the country and a few from outside the U. S. who write music for opera, worship, and formal concerts attended and had their pieces performed by ensembles such as Symphonic Winds, Philharmonia and College Choir.

Last Friday evening’s concert contained pieces by modern composers, almost all of whom were in the audience. David Davies, assistant professor of composition and theory, and Mark Hijleh both had pieces performed as well. Attendees heard a wide variety of pieces, ranging from Michael Daugherty’s energetic composition Niagara Falls to Mason Bates’ Mothership, a work incorporating electronics that was commissioned by the YouTube Symphony. The audience gave lengthy ovations after each piece, especially noting Kelley Hijleh’s vocal accompaniment to Robert Denham’s Home. Kelley Hijleh said that she feels the way she can best serve living composers is by performing their pieces, and “if I feel called to serve living composers, I feel doubly called to serve living Christian composers.”

In regards to the conference’s purpose, Mark Hijleh said the CFAMC gathers annually in different locations “to meet and hear each other’s music, pray together, discuss the issues of our work and spiritual lives.” Mark Hijleh also mentioned that this is not just an organization, but also a ministry. The CFAMC’s mission, as stated on its website, is to “glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and help build His kingdom by encouraging Christian fellowship among its members in the context of their work and witness as composers of art music.”

Davies said, “My art is inseparable from my faith,” mentioning the fact that the CFAMC provides an intersection for Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians who share Davies’ conclusion but have taken different paths to get there. Talking about the types of music represented, Davies referred to the philosophy held by J. S. Bach, “who drew no distinction as a composer between his music composed for sacred or secular occasions.” Rather, Davies said the CFAMC desires to increase public interaction with Christian composers of “art music,” which is not necessarily what one might refer to as “sacred music.”

Kelly Van Kirk, a graduate student at the Greatbatch School of Music, said that the most important part of the conference for her was the “exposure to successful Christian musicians who are using their gifts not only to make a living but, more importantly, to bring glory to God.”

 

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Upcoming Series of Parks to be Established Along Genessee river

The Genessee River Wilds, a group of community members seeking to “restore, protect and enjoy” the Genessee River, has plans to open up several parks in Allegany County. While still under renovation, one of these parks opened near Houghton, in the town of Caneadea.

Courtesy of genesseeriverwilds.com
Courtesy of genesseeriverwilds.com

Courtney Waters, a project coordinator at the Southern Tier West Regional Planning Board and partner of the Genessee River Wilds, has been extensively involved with the project. “In the last three years, our group has gained so much,” Waters said. “We contacted several landowners around the river, legislators, senators, and anyone who we thought should know about our group and what we were doing. I have helped out with several successful river floats down the Genessee, painting of the kiosks that you see at our river access parks, and much more.”

The group, while small, has big plans for the local area. While working to improve the health of the Genessee River and its watershed and protect them from environmental threats, the Genessee River Wilds hopes to enhance the recreational potential of the river for the community to learn more about and enjoy.

“As an earth scientist, I have studied the Genessee River in great detail,” Waters said. “It really has so many unique features and a rich history, and I’d like to see people recognize and accept it as an asset to our region, rather than a detriment. Our kiosks at the river access parks explain some of that history as well as invite people to experience the river for themselves.”

The river access parks will implement environmentally friendly changes so that the community can safely enjoy all of the benefits that the river has to offer. Features include an increase of hemlock and white pine trees to offer reforestation and to continue conservation in addition to reduced mowing costs associated with heavily shaded forest floors. As an added plus for community members, some of the parks will have amenities such as hiking trails, an amphitheater, playgrounds, swimming and wading areas, a watercraft staging area, and log cabins functioning as restrooms for visitor use.

With the town of Caneadea approximately three miles away from the Houghton College campus, many opportunities will be opened up for students to experience the new access point for themselves.

“I think Houghton students would welcome any new opportunities to learn from, enjoy, and care for nature and the outside world,” Eliza Kelly, a sophomore and member of the Paddle Sports Club, said in regards to the new river access point. “I know that many people enjoy the river in many different ways, from simply crossing it on a bridge to hiking along it or kayaking on it.”

Zachary Kitchen, a junior and the president of the Paddle Sports Club, agreed with Kelly. “The river is very key to the Houghton community. It is the centralized object of our town: the place where people meet to swim and fish, the system our roads run along. I think it also adds life to the town,” Kitchen said. “A better park system would give people incentive to go and explore the river, opening an entire world of potentially new discoveries to them.”

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Admissions Adopts New Recruitment Strategies

As the new recruiting season has begun, the admissions department has adopted new strategies to reach new students.

Courtesy of hcap.artstor.org
Courtesy of hcap.artstor.org

This past year enrollment fell just below the standard established by the college, resulting in some changes in the admissions department. The challenge this year will be to bring in more students previous years. Both the vice president and director of admissions are working on new strategies to reach the desired number of students for the start of the next fall semester.

“One of our fundamentals is in building strong relationships with applicants to tell the Houghton story and communicate the value of the experience they will have here,” said Director of Admissions, Ryan Spear. Throughout the past years Houghton has struggled with low enrollment numbers, thereby putting pressure on Admissions to develop new strategies which will draw new students into the college.

“We will be using strategic emails and telecounselors will be calling all interested applicants for events,” said Vice President for Admissions, Eric Currie. Currie also added that their travel reps would be on the road visiting over 300 high schools and over 150 fairs with the admissions counselors picking up the rest of the schools.

According to Spear, a typical day for an admissions counselor at Houghton involves focusing on encouraging applications from prospective students and working with students who have already applied. They accomplish this with conducting admission interviews as well as communication through emails, hand-written notes and calls via telephone.

Traveling admissions counselors, on the other hand, spend most of their time on the road visiting high schools. Depending on in which region they are traveling, these counselors will visit three to four high schools a day and usually a college fair at night. Stephen Zacchigna, traveling admissions counselor said, “I mostly work in New York State but Houghton covers the entire region from Indiana to Virginia to New England and most places in between.”

Current senior, Jennifer Newcombe said “My admissions counselor did a really good job of making me feel like Houghton really wanted me. I didn’t feel like I would be lost in the crowd.” Newcombe also said that, unlike other colleges, she felt a personal connection to Houghton through the emails and phone calls. She was also impressed with the way in which her acceptance letter arrived. “It came in a cool tube and the acceptance letter was very personalized.”

As well as trying more ways to reach out to potential students, the admissions office is also trying new ideas for visiting days. Spear said, “We are pushing back the start time for visitors so that a family could leave from a one- to two-hour radius of Houghton and arrive the morning of at a reasonable hour.” Spear also said they are focusing on running fewer visiting days while improving the efficiency and quality of the visits in general.

 

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Name Change Delayed for Houghton Coffee House

When a school-wide vote resulted in the name “The Taco Shack” for the new Houghton College coffee house, the college deemed it inappropriate and turned the issue over to the SGA.

Taco ShackAfter Java 101, a small business previously owned by Greg Bish, closed this summer, Sodexo took over opening a new coffee house on campus. To decide on a name, Tina Powers, general manager for Sodexo and Houghton Dining Services, suggested the students have a say in the process. Sodexo and the college then created a school wide competition, allowing students to submit potential names for the coffee house room and then vote on those submissions, promising the winner $250.00 in Big Al’s money.

According to the SGA and Sodexo there were flaws in the vote, resulting in more votes for “The Taco Shack” than there are Houghton students — another reason why the winning name will not be chosen.

SGA held a meeting Tuesday, October 8, 2013, to discuss a potential solution. The outcome now stands that if an agreement cannot be made to keep the name Java 101, Cool Beans is next in line, followed by Boom Roasted, explained Dr. Pool, Vice President of Student Life.

“I just want it understood it’s due to the fact that it wasn’t taken seriously,” said Powers when speaking on why the room is still unnamed. Realizing the issue of naming was left to a group of students still unhappy in the change of ownership and overall feel of the coffee house, James Ward, Sodexo manager said, “In the long run it is probably best that Student Life and SGA make the decision.”

Long before Sodexo, Starbucks, The Taco Shack, and even Java 101, the room was used as a campus radio station. By student demand, SGA worked and raised the funds to open an on-campus coffee house which birthed the original Java 101. Since then the room has been in use by Houghton students, faculty, and community members, serving as a place not only to get their morning cup of coffee but also a place for studies, socializing, and numerous student-run events.

“I think having a coffee house on campus is a critical piece for students today,” said previous Java 101 owner Greg Bish.

When talking with Bish, his main concern, given the fact the only reason there is a coffee house is by student demand, is “that students still feel ownership to the space, proud of the space and have a voice in its future. ”

“I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it for so many years and help give it direction,” said Bish.

As weeks go by and the room remains unnamed, students and faculty are faced with many questions. What will the name be? Who gets the prize money? When will the name be announced? As the issue of naming the room gets passed from students to SGA back to student life and so forth, there are no definite answers.

Pool expressed that a name should be finalized soon after October break along with a solution about what to do with the prize.

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Saudia Arabia Refuses Security Council Seat

For the first time in the history of the United Nations, a member has denied an offer to take a Security Council seat. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia bluntly refused its elected position on Friday, October 18, citing its frustrations with what it perceives as the U.N.’s inability to resolve conflicts such as the Syrian civil war.

Courtesy of jpost.com
Courtesy of jpost.com

According to Al-Jazeera, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that “[a]llowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill its people and burn them with chemical weapons in front of the entire world and without any deterrent or punishment is clear proof and evidence of the U.N. Security Council’s inability to perform its duties and shoulder its responsibilities.” Saudi Arabia is an active supporter of Sunni Muslim rebels attempting to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawites, an offshoot of Shi’a Islam. The Kingdom has also expressed its frustrations regarding the international community not punishing Assad’s regime enough after a chemical weapons attack killed over 1,400 civilians last August. Reuters reports that the director of Saudi intelligence, Prince Turki al-Faisal, finds an agreement made by both the United States and Russia that requires Syria to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile to avoid punishment militarily “lamentable.” This agreement was approved unanimously by the Security Council.

Because no country has ever refused an offer to sit on the Security Council, the U.N. is unsure on how to resolve this predicament. The Washington Post quotes Gerard Araud, France’s U.N. Ambassador as saying “there is no agreed procedure, because it is the first time that it happens.” Currently, it is thought that the Asia group, a group in the U.N. that selects the Arab member to the Security Council, will have to select a new candidate for approval by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly to take the seat. This scenario, however, will only happen once Saudi Arabia sends an official notification to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Though Saudi Arabia has been boisterous in denying its Security Council offer, Ban has yet to receive an official rejection notification from the Kingdom. Thus, the current view of the U.N. is that Saudi Arabia, despite its rhetoric, has taken its seat on the Security Council for the next two years until an official rejection statement is sent.

The Security Council is a 15-member body that decides the fate of U.N. resolutions regarding issues around the world. There are five permanent members that hold veto power over any and all resolutions: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. There must be no vetoes from any of the permanent members in order for a resolution to be approved. The ten other members are elected for two year terms. Although they do not hold veto power, these members can influence debates and offer insight on the benefits and flaws of a resolution. After their terms are over, these countries step down from the Security Council and new members are elected. Besides Saudi Arabia, other newly selected members of the Security Council include Lithuania, Nigeria, Chile, and Chad.

 

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Dryden Fracking Ban to be Tried in New York Court of Appeals

A recent amendment to zoning legislation in the town of Dryden, NY has propelled the town of 15,000 up to New York State’s highest court and to the forefront of the anti-fracking cause.

Courtesy of inhabitat.com
Courtesy of inhabitat.com

Despite being banned in over 50 towns in New York State, few have been as strategic or promising for natural gas extraction as Dryden, which is situated on more than 141 trillion cubic feet of gas protected by the Marcellus Shale formation. The main group to attempt to seize on this opportunity has been Norse Energy Corporation USA, originally based in Norway, who is being represented as a plaintiff in the case to be tried at the New York State Court of Appeals.

The State of New York is currently under a five-year moratorium on fracking that was enacted by former Governor David Patterson in 2008 and extended indefinitely by current Governor Andrew Cuomo until further research by the State Health Department concludes. The moratorium also prohibits any lower-level activity which would interfere with state jurisdiction over the extraction process. While Norse Energy alleges that Dryden’s zoning changes intersects with state law, town residents state that the legislation merely prohibits “heavy industrial development” on land within the town and does not attempt to regulate the oil, gas, and mining industries. In addition to the nature of the changes, Dryden residents point out that the town’s decisions have been upheld by multiple lower-level courts in the state.

Aside from issues of jurisdiction, the consideration of a fracking ban involves careful weighting of environmental and economic consequences. Fracking involves the use of high-pressured water and chemicals to drill through deep rock formations and access deposits of natural gas, a process which brings the possibility of contamination of water supplies and other public infrastructure, as well as destruction of farmland. However, the approval of fracking activities  in Dryden would open up to 18,000 wells for drilling, bring thousands of new jobs in the industry to the area, and promote energy independence.

Dryden’s case with Norse Energy is not the town’s first on the matter of fracking. 2012 saw a lawsuit with Anschutz Exploration Corp., in which Cortland County Court upheld the town’s zoning ban. Another case was resolved similarly in the same month, with Middlefield, another town west of Dryden, maintaining its anti-fracking activities in a case against a dairy farmer in the area who had contracted with Elexco Land Services, Inc. to seek out natural gas resources on her property.

Fracking, with its array of benefits and detriments, remains a polarized issue. A recent poll conducted by Siena College showed a 43 percent opposition to the drilling, while 38 percent expressed approval.

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HOPE: A New Office for Service and Outreach

To encourage dedication of service amongst Houghton students towards the community and surrounding areas, the college has created a new office for Houghton Outreach Programs & Education, or as it is also known as, HOPE. This new office will provide a centralized space on campus where students can learn and participate in upcoming community service opportunities.

Courtesy of voiceseducation.org
Courtesy of voiceseducation.org

The HOPE office, which will be located in the basement of the Campus Center, will offer resources to a current database listing needs of services to students, faculty, and staff.

It will provide students with the chance to discover service opportunities that will accompany their passions in life and study. Gregory Bish, Director of Student Programs said, “I think that one of the key things for the office is actually just to help us better understand and recognize what students are already doing. But I also think that as students, they are looking for opportunities that will be a mechanism for them to find places that are the best fit for them and help their college to be more effective.”

While this new office is meant to provide information and opportunities for community service, Dr. Robert Pool, Vice President of Student Life, explained there is more to what the office can offer students. He said, “The students are learning about themselves, how much they learn about the world in which they live, how they learn to coordinate efforts around needs. There is a lot of learning that goes on that’s very transferable to the outside world when you engage in thought for service.”

Before HOPE, there had never been a coordinated report of the services volunteered by Houghton students. With this new office, the college will be able to obtain that information by reporting data of the volunteer services taking place. This will allow the office to evaluate its programs and services.  “Internally, we want to know how we are meeting the needs of the community” said Pool.

Miriam Griffith, a senior student, expressed her opinion about the new HOPE office, saying, “Service is a pivotal aspect of Houghton College; it seems as though Houghton would not be the same if it did not have a deep love of giving back to those in need. I feel as though having an on-campus office dedicated to providing service opportunities for Houghton students is a great thing and I cannot wait to be a part of what this office is planning.”

At the moment the new office is at the stage of research and development, students and staff currently working together to find out the needs of the community. Currently, Jina Libby, senior, is part of this student staff. Part of her duties include going to areas in need of service, finding what their volunteer needs are, and determining how the college can better prepare the students to address those needs through service.

The HOPE office has identified three places on which they aim to work as their pilot projects. “We are working with the Fillmore Powerhouse, the Houghton nursing home, and Wellspring Ministries in Belfast,” Bish elaborated. Students will be able to start volunteering as soon as this spring.

Pool said “There’s really no centralized place where anyone can say, ‘how can I serve,’ ‘what is available,’ ‘who needs me,’ ‘what are my talents’ and ‘how can I explore those talents by serving others in a volunteer capacity.’” HOPE’s goal is to change that. “That’s what this office is all about” said Pool.

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Our Common Ground Currently on Hiatus

Due to a shortage of time commitment and funding, events and other happenings at Our Common Ground has diminished in quantity.

What is Our Common Ground? Brian Webb, Houghton College’s Sustainability Coordinator who runs Our Common Ground, explained that the facility “is a community resource center” located on the second floor of the Allegany Harvest Cooperative Market off of Route 19. In the past, OCG has hosted workshops that “were meant to be educational experiences that promoted community sustainability and environmental and social awareness,” said Anna Dibble, previous assistant to Brian Webb. Some previous workshops included instruction in gardening, wildcrafting (medicinal herbs), and jelly-making. Webb stated that even though these workshops had great intentions, there would be times when no one would show up to them.  “It was most often that we would get ten or fewer. Even five or fewer.”

Some struggles that Webb faced for the workshops were in advertising. Marketing to both college students and the community resulted in unknown preferences. Webb would hang posters at the community library and grocery store, as well as send out emails to the Houghton students. Looking back, he understands that this was not the most effective approach to advertising.

Courtesy of akamaihd.net
Courtesy of akamaihd.net

Because of the small amount of participation in workshops as compared to the extensive planning and preparation that goes into them, Webb plans to focus more on what he can do at the college for this school year. This does not mean that OCG is closed, Webb ensured; the recycling program as well as the lending-library are still happening. Also, the location is still open for renting. The workshops, however, “are indefinitely put on hold.”

Bryn Pearson, junior, an intern for Brian Webb this year, said, “I’m sad that the workshops won’t be happening, but I also think it is the logical choice. Even with my own work times as an intern, I would rather put forth my hours each week towards making big structural changes to how the college functions and towards sustainability in that way rather than trying to do little workshops where three to five people show up.” Dibble adds that, while sad that the workshops have ended, “I understand that there may be other more pressing matters to focus on right now.”

Webb’s current “priorities are the projects on campus that he has running,” said Pearson. Webb stated that “what seems to be the wisest use of my time and money resources is to focus on the things that I do at the college. I believe in the mission of Our Common Ground. I just don’t think with the current resources, we are able to prioritize it.” Projects on campus that Webb is currently devoting to include Creation Care, reducing energy usage on campus, composting, and other projects.

Webb stated that no matter what project he is working on, he strives to “honor God by taking care of His creation.”

 

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Houghton Group Talks Business Development

For those unfamiliar with Houghton, a tour of the town would most likely take somewhere around thirty minutes, including stops such as the Houghton Inn, China Star, Subway, the post office, and the college campus among others. This small town persona has defined Houghton for some time.

Courtesy of houghton.edu
Courtesy of houghton.edu

However, with the new Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex nearing completion, the college is expecting an influx of visitors coming to see events held there. With the arrival of large groups of people comes greater demand for food, housing, entertainment, etc. A question presents itself: can the small town of Houghton meet such demands?

Enter the Houghton Group, a committee currently comprised of twelve community members who are trying to prepare Houghton for the traffic it hopes to see when the Kerr-Pegula Complex is finished.

“We’re working off of the momentum provided by the Kerr-Pegula project… obviously, it’ll provide a big boost to our sports programs,” says Professor Kenneth Bates, chair of the business and economics department and one of the twelve members of the Houghton Group. “But it’s a wonderful facility in terms of providing venues and services to other people in the area. It will become the largest meeting place in the county. It’s going to be able to seat 6,000 people. We’re going to be able to host events here that we never have before.”

“Right now, there’s a couple places you can eat, a couple places you can stay,” says Ralph Kerr, another member of the Group, “But there isn’t anything else of any significance. So we asked ourselves, if we could dream a little bit, what would a new Houghton downtown look like? As we started taking about it, we put together a wish list, and we realized that we needed a group of people on this.”

What is on the wish list for a new and improved Rt. 19? Professor Bates did not give any names of the businesses being engaged, but he said that restaurants, retail shops, and an outfitters store are all on the radar. Also, improvements to the existing Leonard Park (next to Subway) as well as the creation of a whole new town park are being proposed, the latter complete with potential access to the Genesee River.

Phyllis Gaerte, Head of Community Relations for Houghton College and the chair of the Houghton Group, looks forward to the coming changes: “I believe with the hard work of this group, we are going to see a different and better Rt. 19 corridor running through the hamlet of Houghton in the very near future…. Most of all I am anxious to see what a positive impact this will have on Houghton College, our town, Allegany County and the Western New York region.”