December 6, 2022

Charger Bulletin The

Battle of the Bands puts talent head-to-head

BY MIA ADDUCI Campus News Editor

Friday night found the German Club packed once again for a killer Music Industry Club (MIC) event. This time, a collection of six campus bands took turns showcasing their musicality in a head-to-head competition against each other.

Logan Dumas, campus’ favorite emcee, broke the news to the crowd that the German Club did in fact prohibit moshing in this space. This was met with roaring disapproval from those in attendance, and when reviewing the acts that they showed up to watch, there’s no surprise that everyone wanted to erupt into chaos in front of the stage.

The first band to take to the stage was Sock Drawer, composed of first-year students. This band kicked off the night with vibes that were classic 2010s punk. Their lead singer, Alyssa Gonzalez, was a total powerhouse, with vocals that were absolutely explosive. This group produced incredibly mature sounds for being so young in the game and clearly did not come out Friday night to be overlooked.

One of the songs that the group performed was called “Polar Sunrise.” They told the audience that the song was written just a few days prior to the performance but you would never be able to tell. The performance of this single was backed by rapidly flashing red lights, which completed the vibes perfectly.

Sock Drawer was very dynamic onstage and started the lineup off strong with energy levels that were through the roof and did not waver once during their set.

Syfon was the second group of the night and they seriously made the walls of the German Club

shake like they never have before (so much that if you stepped outside, their performance was still crystal clear).

They brought proper screamo to the lineup in ways you would never expect from a group of college kids. Their ability to juxtapose insane deep vocals with intense, high-pitched screams with seamless transitions in a perfect ratio was masterful, to say the least.

They said they wanted to give the crowd “music to make your f***ing ears bleed,” and they

absolutely delivered. Syfon put an even darker spin on sounds that were totally metal; by the end of the set, you definitely felt as if your rib cage was about to shatter while flashes of red danced across your vision as they transitioned to the next set.

Syfon’s lung power was insane and it was hard to tell whether the notes they held were longer than the hair on their heads.

Bands within this genre typically produce music that makes it hard to tell one of their songs apart

from the next; it’s very easy for radioactive sounds to all sound the same. However, this group pulled off immense diversity, even in such a short set, that was nothing short of admirable.

They were followed by another band that’s hot out the gate, and it was no surprise that No Rush! was voted in as the crowd favorite of the night. Their charisma was absolutely captivating and they drew in the largest crowd out of any other band who performed.

These guys knew exactly how

to target their audience and even said that “we’re gonna kick it back to some early 2000s sh*t.” They led into their set with a cover of “American Idiot” and later followed with “Sugar, We’re Going Down.”

The drummer in this pop punk boy band really left his mark. First year Matthew Giammanco produced clean and powerful sounds that stood out from every performance of the night.

Leaving it on the field: Baseball’s deadliest pitch discussed on “In Conversation”

BY JUSTIN COVIELLO Contributing Writer

Last Tuesday, Media Services recorded another installment of their “In Conversation” series in the television studio housed in the Bergami Center for Science, Technology and Innovation. This episode featured a dialogue between two ESPN employees and current adjunct professors at the University of New Haven, with former ESPN executive Joe Franco interviewing current, award-winning ESPN producer/ director Andy Billman, to discuss Billman’s newest documentary, “War on the Diamond.” The documentary depicts the story of the only time a professional baseball player has ever died from injuries

sustained on the diamond.

The story goes that, on Aug. 16, 1920, New York Yankees sidearm pitcher Carl Mays threw his first pitch to Cleveland Guardians’ (then known as the Cleveland Indians) shortstop Ray Chapman, hitting him in the left temple.

Chapman passed away due to his injuries early the next morning.

Billman’s production seeks to educate us on the long-standing rivalry between these two ball clubs which persists today. He learned about the story of Ray Chapman when he directed another ESPN project, “Believeland,” about the history of Cleveland sports.

When he was pitched the idea for “War on the Diamond,” Billman said “[I] would like to do this film a lot, and I do know the history,

but I’d like to put my own twist to it.” This culminated in War on the Diamond’s probe into how that one fateful pitch would kick off what is now a century-long rivalry.

Throughout the interview, Billman describes the various roadblocks he and his team faced during production, mainly surrounding circumstances which arose during the COVID pandemic, such as subjects of the film feeling uncomfortable appearing for an in-person interview, as well as trying to shoot B-roll for the film, due to the resoundingly barren environments that were Major League Baseball stadiums for a significant portion of the 2020 and 2021 baseball seasons.

Additionally, since this story is from 1920, it was impossible to

find footage, with Billman saying, “there’s no video… there’s no CNN headline news articles or magazine shows… How do you make a story come alive that’s 100 years old?”

To overcome this, the documentary relies on storytelling through reenactments to give the audience a visual element to the testimonies given, including ones from Ray Chapman’s sister, a documentarian of his life and legacy, as well as soundbites from Mays.

The film focuses on four points, described by Joe Franco as “tragedy, the rivalry, a love story and a change by Major League Baseball of a rule in 1971.” On the rivalry, Billman and his documentary paint it as one which extends well beyond the incident in 1920.

Cleveland Guardians pitcher

Bob Feller was known to have a “tumultuous relationship” with the New York media in the 1930’s.

George Steinbrenner, infamous owner of the New York Yankees who guided them to seven World Series championships, bought the team in 1973 after being denied a bid by his hometown Guardians in 1971. It even continues today with Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor showboating a home run with a “rock-a-bye baby” motion directed at the Yankees’ bench in the 2022 American League Divisional Series, only for New York to return the favor by using the same taunt en route to a 3-2 comeback series victory. From

Tris Speaker

Volume 104,

11 |December 6, 2022| West Haven, Connecticut

The student news source for the University of New Haven

No Rush! performs at the Battle of the Bands, West Haven, Dec. 2, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Andrea Rojas.

Arts & Life

Caribbean Student Association gears up for their spring Fashion Show

BY PRESLEY DEPUGH Arts & Life Editor

The annual Caribbean Student Association (CSA) fashion show doesn’t just happen; it’s the result of months of planning.

The CSA is preparing for their annual fashion show, planning things like their budget, auditions and much more to pull off this event.

Auditions for CSA’s fashion show took place in the Alumni Annex on Nov. 30, which may seem early since the event is in April, but the level of planning that goes into this event necessitates early brainstorming.

CSA’s president and business administration student Grace-Oriana Andre and secretary of graduate affairs and communications student Desheania Andrews said “We start planning the fashion show from the previous year during summer break. That is

when we choose our theme, start searching for our designers and preparing our budget.”

The group will hold another round of model auditions in the spring. And they still must secure space, staff and design-

ers.

Despite the work that goes into these shows, members of the CSA look to the bright side of the event. Kaya Francis, the CSA historian and a business management student, said “I

personally enjoy the fashion show because it gives people from all backgrounds an opportunity to express themselves… from the designers showing their best work, to the models walking down the aisle

in the utmost confidence.”

Andrews said the event was a favorite during Black and Latino Alumni Weekend (BLAW) because “you get to experience a top-of-the-line real fashion show with designers from all over the tri-state.”

In the joint response, Andre and Andrews said that they “worked with [a] variety of different [fashion] brands such as Mario & Lee, PND Gold Label & PVID Nation.”

At this past spring’s fashion show, with a theme of Caribbeans in Paris, guests were asked to dress in their best attire, as if they were attending the Met Gala. The show’s opening scene was a performance by the Monsoon Dance Crew, dressed as Mimes.

The CSA fashion show is planned for April 21. To look for more CSA events, check out their Charger Connection page or their Instagram page @newhaven_csa.

The most wonderful time of the year at the university

BY AMBER CHOLEWA AND PRESLEY DEPUGH

The holiday season is coming in hot and the university is hosting a number of events to give back to the community. On Charger Connection, students have so many opportunities to give back and also have fun around campus, with holiday themed events and lots of gift giving during the stressful final weeks of our fall semester.

Kick off the giving season with Charge Through the Night for St. Jude’s first No More Chemo Rally happening in the Bergami Center’s Peterson Auditorium from 8:30-10 p.m. According to their Instagram post, this event will be a large “fundraising party” to raise money for the St. Jude cause. If you are on the fence about attending the event, just know that if enough money is raised then “some of [their] organization’s members may or may not be shaving their heads,” according to the post.

This holiday season, the Office of Residential Life is doing an “Adopt a Family” event. If you go on Charger Connection, there will be more information and a spreadsheet on how to sign up and donate different items to families from the local New Haven area in partnership with Family Centered Services of Connecticut. Then, on Dec. 9 from 11 a.m to 6 p.m in the German Club, you can assist in wrapping those gifts. If you have items to donate you can go to the

lobby of your residential hall, and talk to a resident assistant or your area coordinator to donate items.

This year the university is working with The Toy Closet, an organization working with Yale New Haven Hospital to give toys to pediatric patients in the hospital, and is another way students can get involved. New, unwrapped toys can be brought

to the Human Resources Office located in Maxcy Hall or shipped directly through Amazon to the hospital. The toy drive will be running from Dec. 5 to Jan. 9.

From Dec. 7-9 the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta are hosting a Winter Clothing Drive. If you have any winter clothes that are not used anymore and want to donate them, the sisters will be at Bartels table two in Bartels Hall

from 2-7 p.m. All winter clothes will be donated to local shelters.

The American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) is hosting a “Holiday can drive” from Tuesday Dec. 6 to Thursday Dec. 8; Tuesday and Thursday’s can drive is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Wednesday’s is from 2-7 p.m in the Bartels Lounge. “Our members will be tabling for can donations for the holidays. We

will be donating the cans to a local shelter,” said members of ACJA on their Charger Connection post.

With holidays involving gift-giving just around the corner, it is nice to give to those in need. Make sure to check out these events or any other opportunities to give back to your community.

Last year’s CSA fashion show, April. 24, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Mia Adduci.

The front of Maxcy Hall decorated for the holidays, West Haven, Dec. 1 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Presley DePugh.

Musk’s takeover of Twitter draws widespread criticism

BY CHRISTOPHER ELWELL Sports Editor Perspective

Pressure has never been higher for Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who has faced heavy criticism for how he is managing the social media platform since he took Twitter over in April. Musk has taken to his own account and tweeted more than 750 times this month, talking about anything that comes to mind, expressing his opinion of what free speech should be and telling the New York Times that he considers himself a “free speech absolutist.”

The app’s revenue has lost an average of $4 million per day, and the number of fake news stories from non-reputable sources has increased, largely due to the new Twitter Blue verification rules that allow anyone paying for a subscription to be verified.

Advertisers have started to pull away from Twitter, fearing that Musk will allow the app’s current trends of misinformation and impersonation to increase.

Common users of the app, known as “heavy tweeters,” have become less active, taking away a major part of Twitter’s revenue and causing the company to lose

their most valuable users. Although the number of users has continued to grow each quarter, from 229 million daily users in 2021 to 237.8 million as of quarter two of 2022, Twitter has become a dying platform where people are able to say whatever they want, regardless of the validity or trustworthiness of what they are saying.

Musk has dealt with problems

of his own, firing more than half of Twitter’s 7,500 employees for their inability to commit to his “hard core” vision in writing. The conditions and pressure that Musk has forced on the policies and employees of the company have gotten to the point that over 1,200 people have resigned.

Tactics like these are not anything new for Musk, who used similar means to build his other

companies, Tesla and SpaceX; these tactics involve putting his business over everything else to reach the top of the industry. He has asked employees to put aside families and friends to accomplish his mission for the platform, implementing shock treatments and alarmism to keep them on track. Former Tesla senior engineering manager David Deak told the New York Times

that “he quasi-creates them to light the fire under everybody.” Musk maintains a reputation as one of the most successful businessmen in the world, and even through ways that most might find unnecessary, he continues to have success in competitive markets.

Deak said “[Musk] clearly thrives in existential circumstances.” Musk has shown that he goes to extreme measures to keep his companies ahead, going as far as sleeping in Twitter’s offices in San Francisco. This is also not new for Musk, saying in an interview back in 2018 when he was working with Tesla that “There were times when I didn’t leave the factory for three or four days — days when I didn’t go outside.”

His dedication to work has certainly put him in the position he’s in today as the richest man in the world, but it has come at a time where handling massive industry leaders such as Twitter and Tesla has become too much for Musk to handle all at once.

There is still time for him to reverse the trends in his companies and build them back up to points where they were when they were at their best and Musk is working at his best. But will he do that?

China initiates crackdowns in light of protests against “zero-Covid” protocols

BY LILLIAN NEWTON Politics Editor

Over the past week, China has seen widespread, large-scale protests across the nation, with thousands of citizens expressing long-held anger over three years of sudden lockdowns, border closures and financial hardships. Protests against China’s “zero-Covid” policies mark the country’s largest protests in decades with unprecedented challenges toward leader Xi Jinping’s rule.

While China’s “zero-Covid” policies have kept the country’s cases of COVID-19 relatively low–1.5 million cases nationally and 5,000 deaths according to Our World in Data, as compared to the rest of the world-the policies have also caused larger issues to arise. This low case number may have actually caused more harm than good, with low levels of natural immunity leading to fears of widespread outbreaks from the more contagious omicron variant.

Multiple reports of deaths from emergencies went untreated due to restrictive protocols and many regions of China have been under some form of lockdown since the start of the pandemic; in the spring, millions of residents from Shanghai, China’s largest city, were forced to stay in their homes during a multiple-week-long lockdown that left many without enough food and other basic necessities.

Protests were ignited after a building in Urumqi, in China’s far

western Xinjiang region, caught on fire killing a number of individuals in households with previous Covid cases who were locked inside their apartments to stop the virus from spreading. The city has been under strict lockdown since August, with the majority of residents banned from leaving their homes.

Videos taken from nearby buildings and the street during the incident suggest that firefighters may have been delayed from arriving at the scene by street-level lockdown measures. Footage taken showcases one fire truck struggling

to spray water on the building from a distance.

State-run media reports have stated that the fire killed 10 residents and injured nine but reports from local residents say that the death toll may be far higher. The day after the fire, officials of Urumqi’s local government stated that local Covid policies were not to blame for the deaths, instead blaming the residents for being “too weak” to escape.

In response, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to speak out against both the

longstanding quarantine and testing measures. Initial protests quickly turned from mass grievances against “zero-Covid” to calls for political change, including the removal of President Xi.

The country’s security forces initially responded by attempting to extinguish the protests. China’s health officials, on the other hand, attempted to loosen strict Covid measures in order to appease the public at large. Neither seemed to work as posts across social media, even with efforts to censor such outlets, suggested it was not

enough.

In recent days, Chinese authorities have responded by initiating the highest “emergency response” level of widespread censorship. This has included a crackdown on methods that allow individuals to get around online censorship, including the usage of virtual private networks (VPNs), in order to stop protesters from accessing banned non-Chinese news and social media apps. The crackdown has also included the tracking down and questioning of protesters.

The Twitter log-in on a phone screen, July 10, 2020. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/@Solen Feyissa.

Chinese citizens protest in light of “zero-COVID” protocols., Dec. 2, 2022.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@time.

Concert for Ukraine and Holodomor remembrance moves audience

BY PRESLEY DEPUGH Arts & Life Editor

Students from the University of New Haven, along with off-campus guests, gathered in the Bucknall Theater to listen to a musical performance from Professor Victor Markiw from the university’s music department. Markiw gave moving speeches and piano performances in remembrance of the Ukrainian lives lost both in Holodomor and the ongoing Russian invasion.

The concert for Ukraine was held this past Saturday, which also marks the anniversary of Holodomor – a genocide that spanned from 1932-1933 when Joseph Stalin, a dictator of the Soviet Union, murdered 4 million Ukrainians during that time through engineered starvation. Saturday’s event marks the fourth annual Holodomor Remembrance Day event at the university.

“This year’s event also focuses on the genocide being committed today, by the Russian Federation,” said Markiw.

The event began with a speech by Bradley Woodworth, an associate professor of history at the university. Woodworth discussed the atrocities inflicted on Ukrai-

nians by Russia, both nearly a century ago and in the present. He then thanked Markiw for holding the concert and performing music for guests and said, “I hope we can all look at the beauty we create.”

Another speech was given by David A. Schroeder, the associate dean of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. Schroeder urged the audi-

ence to “never stop listening to the voices of the past.”

Before the performance began, a memorial blessing was held by Iura Godenciuc, a Ukrainian Catholic priest. This blessing was for victims of the Holodomor, which translates to “death by starvation,” and to the victims of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Markiw performed compositions

by six musicians, three of which were Vasyl Barvinsky, Mykola Lysenko and Myroslav Skoryk, who were Ukrainian composers and pianists. Markiw recalled learning the song “Melody,” which he performed, from Skoryk. The professor transitioned from “Melody” to “He has Gone” by Canadian jazz musician, Oscar Peterson, by discussing Skoryk’s love for Peter-

son’s work. And Markiw said that jazz music is popular in Ukraine.

The final composition that Markiw performed was Polish musician Frederic Chopin’s “Etude,” which Chopin composed around the time of Russia’s invasion of Poland from 1830-1831. This final song was dramatic and fast-paced throughout, unlike earlier songs which had milder paces and tones. Standing ovations from the audience at the end of this performance marked the success of the event.

In between Markiw’s performances of each musicians’ compositions, he talked about some of the Ukrainian citizens either severely affected by or killed by Russian action. One of which was fouryear-old Liza Dmytriyeva, one of 23 Ukrainians killed by a Russian missile strike in Vinnytsia this year. In an interview conducted prior to the concert, Markiw said, “For many, Holodomor is something they may have not heard about, so it will bring to them some awareness and the hope that they can do something about not allowing, or at least being proactive in ending these atrocities.”

Monetary donations can be made to St. Michael’s Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Fund to support Ukrainian citizens affected by the current war with Russia.

Battle of the Bands puts talent head-to-head

BY MIA ADDUCI Campus News Editor

Continued from page 1

Vocalist Mike Fioravanti, also a first-year student, carried immense passion behind his performance when he sang.

No Rush! kept it simple, going back to the basics but knew exactly how to radiate good vibes through every set of ears that flooded the space before them.

On the whole, this group smashed their first ever live performance as if they had been going at it for years.

They were followed by Zion’s Blood– a duality that showed the beauty of giving a shared platform to both new groups of performers and properly seasoned veterans.

This group seriously was the full package, with the intricacies of their musicality showing incredible nuance and a wild understanding of the precise type of sound they want to be known for. Even though Zion’s Blood was only formed this semester, its members have clearly worked a long time towards mastering their craft.

They absolutely had the entire room in the palm of their hands and every head within it was shaking hypnotically along with their songs.

Both the vocals and instrumentals of this group were insanely wicked and it was a good thing that the band kept urging the crowd to push closer towards the stage; with the way that they blew the roof off the building, it was

better to make sure everyone was accounted for in the space.

The crowd went absolutely feral, and there’s no blaming them when the sounds flooding the German Club displayed such a masterful blend of different genres into their sound. Indie and punk aren’t typically used in combination to describe a single band but there might not be a more accurate way to describe the fusion of vibes that they brought to the scene.

Arguably one of the most captivating things about Zion’s Blood was the high level of interactivity between band members during their set. They clearly feed heavily off of each other’s energy when they perform and it’s contagiously radiant into the audience they attract.

The second-to-last act of the night was duo Total Corner. These two were vibing heavy with themselves and provided a much-needed break from the explosive energy of the rest of the night.

During this set, softer lights were bleeding into each other across the stage. This tie-dye effect provided really nice detailing that enhanced their performance.

Total Corner definitely had the most casual vibe of the night and it was a perfect second-to-last act in the lineup.

They even covered a song by Mitski, which created a vibe that totally diverged from every other mainstream cover of the night.

Bob the Weather Cat wrapped up the Battle of the Bands with just as much excitement from the crowd

as the first acts of the evening.

They stepped up sporting glowin-the-dark cat ears on their heads, which was seriously iconic. Their staple sound is raspy and rapidly chaotic in a way that is absolutely perfect, creating a sound that is incredibly distinguishable as their

own–they

they’re onstage.

Bob the Weather Cat even performed their new single dropping on Dec. 9, called “I Wanna Hate You.”

The Battle of the Bands, with much anticipation, was concluded with an announcement of the winners by MIC president and senior music industry student Megan Bodmer. Before announcing the bands who would take home the night’s trophies, she commented on the value of receiving feedback from industry professionals through the scoring commentary from the two judges, who were university professors as well.

Second place was claimed by Zion’s Blood while first place was taken home by Syfon.

This lineup could have very easily torn up a night at the Crunch House before they closed their doors.

The lighting was insanely trippy, their vibes were immaculate and you could tell that the trio has the absolute time of their life when

The amount of professionalism in these bands stood to show that the University of New Haven is absolutely bursting at the seams with the newest faces that will rise to greatness in the music industry. The artistry that filled the German Club on Friday gave a platform to campus groups that don’t perform as often as the household (or more so dorm-hold) names that everyone recognizes. If the Battle of the Bands proved anything, it would be that no group in West Haven should be underestimated. Talent is growing in just about every corner.

A presentation plays during the concert for Ukraine and Holodomor remembrance, Dec. 3, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Presley DePugh.

Julia Guarniere of Total Corner performs, West Haven, Dec. 2, 2022.

Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Andrea Rojas.

clearly understand the image that they want to create and it is wicked to witness in a live performance.

USGA Open Forum on first-generation student struggles

BY PRESLEY DEPUGH Arts & Life Editor

Mary Lippa, a senior psychology student at the University of New Haven and the Undergraduate Student Government Association’s vice president of community, advocacy and diversity, led an open forum on Nov. 29 for first-generation and working-class students.

Lippa began the event by reading aloud a quote from former First Lady Michelle Obama: “When I first arrived at school as a first-generation college student, I didn’t know anyone on campus except my brother; I didn’t know how to pick the right classes or find the right buildings; I didn’t even bring the right-sized sheets for my dorm room bed. I didn’t realize those beds were so long, so I was a little overwhelmed and a little isolated.”

In the alumni lounge, chairs were arranged in a circle. The conversation started with first-generation students’ struggles that legacy students may not have. Cora Cogill, a senior business management student and USGA vice president of operations said “...it’s really important to make sure that…[Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs)]… and just the offices on campus realize that a lot of our student population is [first-generation] and working-class students.”

Eliza Hall, a junior clinical psychology student and first-generation college student, said the First Generation Student Asso-

ciation (FGSA) is a new RSO geared to directing first-generation students to university resources while also helping them navigate college. Hall is the president and co-founder of FGSA.

Hall said “A lot of people on campus don’t know we have this resource for first-generation students and I want to really network and let people know [that] if you are a first-generation

student, such as myself–even if you are not a first-generation student, we are still an RSO that is here to support you.”

So far, FGSA has held events such as FAFSA Night in October and a Campus Resources Kahoot Night before Thanksgiving Break.

“I’m interested to know the visibility of resources on campus,” said Lippa. “Are people actually seeing them?”

Students at the forum admitted that it took them a while to solve problems that could have been easily solved by going to campus resources, if they knew of them.

while attending classes.

“I know a lot of students who have to work full time jobs on top of being a full-time student or work part time jobs because they need the money,” said Hall. “It’s very upsetting to see that they don’t have the time to manage school as well as work.”

Cogill reiterated her earlier message of RSOs and campus organizations being more aware of everyone in the university’s student body.

Hall also discussed commuter students, especially those who are also first-generation. Hall, who is also a commuter assistant, said “We do put on events for commuters but the thing about commuters is, once their class is done, they don’t want to stay on campus.” She also said that commuters “feel very disconnected from the school.”

While much of the forum veered away from first-generation students and focused on other issues about the university, USGA was able to gain a census of the main issues that students cared about. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to USGA by emailing usgapresident@newhaven.edu; if you are a first-generation student or need help navigating college life, reach out FGSA by emailing fgsa@newhaven.edu.

University announces changes to perimeter gates SVP of USGA resigns from position

BY TYLER WELLS Editor-In-Chief

On Thursday, the University of New Haven announced changes to their perimeter gate operation, with plans to close different entrances to campus to funnel incoming traffic. The announcement came via an email from Police Chief Adam Brown, which explained the various safety changes that have taken place on campus this semester.

“We are constantly working on enhancements to keep our students safe,” Brown said. “Areas of enhancement… include additional security posts, a new security guard station located at the Peterson Library entrance, a mobile student transport service, lighting improvements, additional CCTV and card access deployments, and additional security gates at campus entrances and exits.”

The change comes in light of various incidents that happened on and around campus in the last

year. These include a student being robbed on campus, and another being robbed on Ruden St.

The two gates sit at the Ruden St. and secondary Boston Post Rd. entrances, and will be closed after 9:30 p.m. During this time, guest traffic will be diverted to the main university entrance on Boston Post Rd., where they will be checked by security prior to being admitted onto campus. The gates will then be reopened for general use at 6 a.m.

Students who wish to avoid these security checks can enter campus using their ID card at the Westside parking lot gate. Residential students who are having guests arrive after 9:30 p.m. can also contact the Office of Residential Life to register them.

“We understand that there may be some initial growing pains associated with these gate closures,” Brown said. “We will work with our University community to ensure the smoothest transition possible.”

The conversation shifted to discussing students who work

BY STEPHEN GANGI AND MIA ADDUCI

Amidst a series of allegations within and against the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) e-board, the resignation of Senior Vice President (SVP) Hailey Perez, a marine biology major, led to questions arising among the university community regarding the responsibilities of the role and which elected official(s) will oversee Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) temporarily until a new election is held.

Article VI, section 4, clause 3, on the Removal and Succession of the USGA Constitution says, “If for any reason the Senior Vice President, Vice President of Operations, Executive Assistant, or Sergeant

at Arms position is vacant, the President will then appoint a replacement, subject to a ⅔ Legislative Approval.”

Section 4, clause 4 indicates that the official letter of resignation “must be read to the Legislature and accepted by majority vote” and that “Letters of resignation must be submitted to the USGA president at least 48 hours prior to the meeting in which it will be voted upon.”

The Legislature did not commence a vote on the resignation, as the announcement was made during e-board reports in last Friday’s meeting.

There is now uncertainty surrounding the redistribution of the SVP’s responsibilities in the interim, and what this may mean for many RSOs seeking to carry out activity amidst

these transitions in leadership.

The SVP role focuses heavily on interaction with and management of RSOs, but also encompasses other duties, including serving as the co-chair of the TORCH committee and acting as a liaison between the e-board and House of Representatives.

It can also be noted that the SVP is responsible for filling in the role as USGA President in moments of their absence, and now that failsafe is currently not present in the executive board.

At this time, the USGA intends to carry out their weekly General Assembly meeting on Friday from 2-5 p.m..

The activity surrounding the USGA is developing, and further updates will be provided throughout the week.

The table at the USGA meeting, West Haven, Nov. 29, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Presley DePugh.

Our Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Tyler Wells Managing Editor

Samuel Weinmann Politics Editor

Lillian Newton Sports Editor

Christopher Elwell Campus News Editor

Mia Adduci Arts & Life

Presley DePugh Copy Desk Chief Valentina Ortiz Elian Photography Editor

Charlotte Bassett Community Engagement Editor

Amber Cholewa Multimedia Editor

Stephen Gangi Videography Editor

Andrea Rojas

88.7 WNHU Liaison

Carl Giannelli Advisor

Susan L. Campbell

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Opinions

Sudden changes to university parking need communication

BY EDITORIAL STAFF

Editorial

When commuter students returned from Thanksgiving break, they were met with a construction zone taking up an entire row of spots in the library parking lot. The construction has begun by tearing up the lot’s asphalt, though specific plans for the area have yet to be directly shared with students. This comes after the sudden addition of various charging ports for electric vehicles around campus. These can be found in the lot next to the Beckerman Recreation Center, next to the C-Store and within the large commuter lot behind Dunham Hall. Cars parking

in these spots that are not utilizing the charging ports are subject to violation and tow, according to signs posted there.

This means that even more spots have been taken from commuter students, following the restructuring of on-campus parking this summer. Now, with the onset of construction in the library lot, once again spots are being limited in some way.

There is no issue with making such changes; offering charging areas for students, faculty and staff with electric vehicles is very helpful. It is a welcomed change that will help those students moving forward.

However, the lack of communi-

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BY LINDSAY GIOVANNONE Columnist

Column

Lately I’ve been wondering something: Would younger me be proud of who I am now? Would my younger self from 2021, 2020, 2010 or even 2005 still see a reflection of themselves? Would my younger selves be happy with who I am now?

I hope everyone else feels the rage and helplessness at the thought of getting older–and this is not in the sense that I physically fear aging or the pressure to find a fulfilling career under late-stage capitalism in my early twenties. But in the sense that we are constantly moving forward in time with no possibility of stopping.

I want to go back to being a child sitting in the backseat of my mother’s ancient Chrysler, driving to elementary school. The world then didn’t have any expectations and it didn’t hurt.

I’d love to come home from high school and hear my dog’s pitter patter as he greets me at the door. But that’s not where I am in life anymore and regardless of how much I dwell on the past, I am burdened with time.

I resonate with Albert Camus’ theory of the absurd. He defined “the absurd” as our futile search for meaning in an incomprehensive, chaotic universe that is void of any true meaning. Absurdism is our desire for happiness and meaning within an indifferent universe.

I fight against the absurd every day–we all do. Yet I am somehow winning this fight. It is a jarring moment when you realize that you truly do exist and that you are the only one who can give your life meaning. I believe that the true purpose of our lives is to cook tasty things for other people and to say, “here let me help you.” Sometimes when I wonder what the point of all of this is, I spend time with who and what I love, and then (if only for a moment), I see.

cation surrounding these decisions is concerning for students, especially commuters who struggle to find parking already. For transparency with the students, it would be helpful for the university to either reach out to the student body via email with updates or offer a page on the website that is updated with any kind of changes like these.

A good example of helpful communication was an email from the university’s Chief of Police Adam Brown, which informed students of the addition of gate closures after 9:30 p.m. This announced the plan to close the Ruden St. and Boston Post Rd. secondary entrances to vehicles at night, directing traffic into the main entrance to campus.

It was also announced that guests would need to be registered with the office of Residential Life if they are arriving after 9:30 p.m. Those changes were made in response to the recent safety incidents in the last year, which highlighted some areas of concern with campus safety. The change is good to know, however, communication is even more commendable as it lets the students know what is happening.

This communication can’t stop there. Any changes made to the parking need to be expressed to the students before they happen, rather than catching them by surprise when they return from break.

Liking anime doesn’t stop Asian hate

BY CHRIS VALENTINE Contributing Writer

Guest Column

Growing up as a Vietnamese-born American, I often heard my peers telling me that my lunches were “smelly,” my eyes were “too small” and that the South East Asian media I consumed was “weird.”

As I grew older, the ignorance of others became more apparent. Peers from my predominantly white high school found themselves more comfortable using racial slurs and acting on racial stereotypes. Someone even asked my high school partner how much he “paid for me,” a reference to harmful stereotypes about the supposed submissiveness and poverty of the East Asian population.

While unprovoked confrontations weren’t uncommon, no one ever laid their hands on me until the spring of 2020.

Just before the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States and just before students were dismissed from the university, I was in downtown New Haven at night when two white men approached me while I waited for my friend to use the ATM. They surrounded me, calling me “baby,” and told me they’d invite me for drinks if I smiled for them. Ignoring them was enough to unleash their rage, as one of the men immediately grabbed my arm to spit that I was “filthy” anyway and to blame for COVID-19. A volley of slurs had just left his lips before my fist flew toward his temple.

Anti-Asian hate crimes increased 339% nationwide in 2021 with Los Angeles recording the highest overall number of hate crimes of any U.S. city in the last century. Only one month after I was accosted on the street, a domestic terrorist murdered six Asian women and two others in a spa in Atlanta to eliminate

“temptation.” With the rise of racist rhetoric and racially-motivated crime, movements such as Stop Asian Hate sprang up and the American population began having more conversations about prejudice against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“Squid Game,” a Korean survival-drama and a commentary on money and humanity, was released on Netflix on Sept. 17, 2021. Within the first 28 days of its release, the TV show racked up 1.65 billion hours of viewing time and swiftly became Netflix’s most viewed title of all time. The anime industry, according to the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA), also reported 2021 revenue to have grown by 13.3%. With 2021 revenue topping at about $2 billion U.S. dollars, this amount would mark the largest sum the AJA had made since 2002. The South Korean musical group BTS also won the global recording artist of the year award for 2021.

As soon as I faced the most terrifying spike of anti-Asian hate and violence I had ever experienced, people were soon sporting “Squid Game” costumes, buzzing about Demon Slayer and proudly claiming to be A.R.M.Y. (the fandom name for BTS). Having been teased for my traditional áo dài every year, my peers were suddenly interested in what “authentic food” I could make and what my “Chinese New Year” celebrations were like — even though I celebrated Tết Nguyên Đán. Some would say that I should be happy that people are suddenly taking interest in something resembling my background, but really, Asian people and Pacific Islanders shouldn’t be grateful to be commodified. Cultural art is not a supplement for a discussion about race and respect and the treatment of human beings should not rely on how popular that art is.

Leaving it on the field: Baseball’s deadliest pitch discussed on “In Conversation”

BY JUSTIN COVIELLO Contributing Writer

to Francisco Lindor; Babe Ruth to Joba Chamberlain, the Guardians and Yankees compose one of the fiercest historical clashes in all of American sports.

Another theme of the documentary is the focus on the love for the game, specifically the fans’ love for the players. Ray Chapman, an All-Star caliber player, may not have been the best on his team but he was “the most popular player [on the Cleveland Guardians], and by far the player everyone wanted to get autographs for if you were a kid.”

Chapman’s passing took an obvious toll on the Cleveland sports community, with fans rallying together “for a long time, and still today, Clevelanders who know the story, they will put a quarter, or put a note on [Chapman’s] grave for good luck… it’s a very proud tradition…Cleveland, even though a lot of people come in and out, we really hold onto history highly.”

A silver lining to come out of the tragedy were various rule changes implemented by Major League Baseball. Shortly afterwards, the

league banned “spitballs,” which were pitches thrown where the ball would be lathered in a combination of saliva, dirt and any number of other compounds which a pitcher might use to gain an advantage, due to their unpredictability and difficulty to control. However, it would take over fifty years for helmets to be mandated to be worn by batters, a clear deterrent for head injuries and a rule that baseball fans now take for granted.

Billman has worked at ESPN since 2002 and has produced and directed for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series since 2009, which he has received multiple Producers Guild Award and International Documentary Award Nominations and has won a Telly Award in the “Documentary Series” category. He has also won a Peabody Award and two Emmys and has been recognized by the NAACP for his work.

He served as either a producer or director on various other documentaries, including “The Two Escobars,” “Winning Time,” “Youngstown Boys,” “Playing for the Mob” and “Bad Boys,” and also revealed his future plans including production on an ESPN series about Southeastern Conference college basketball and ideas for a few mafia-centric

USMNT escapes group play, falls in Round of 16

BY CHRISTOPHER ELWELL Sports Editor

The United States men’s national soccer team advanced to the Round of 16 after their nail-biting 1-0 win over Iran in the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday. After not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, the American team has bounced back in a big way to move past the group stage for the seventh time out of 11 tournament appearances.

The stage was set prior to the start of the match for the United States, who needed a win to advance to the knockout round, and Christian Pulisic’s goal in the 38th minute proved to be all the team needed to push through. Pulisic ended up getting injured on the play, and came out of the game at halftime suffering a pelvic contusion.

Pulisic was replaced by Brenden Aaronsen, who helped the U.S. hang on at the end of the match when nine minutes of extra time were added. Iran did not go down without a fight, though, but in the end they were unable to come through with a goal, which eliminated them from the tournament.

The American defense played a huge role in the advance, which eclipsed the mark that many critics said they would not reach.

It was a fight to the end, but the defense stood strong, largely because of the great play of goaltender Matt Turner, who has only allowed one goal in three games.

America finished second in Group B only trailing England, who finished with two wins and a draw which came in their scoreless affair last Friday.

The team entered a Round of 16 matchup against the Netherlands on Saturday looking for the upset. They ultimately came up short though, losing 3-1. The Netherlands got out to a strong lead early in the match, going up 1-0 off a goal from Memphis Depay at the 10 minute mark.

Another crushing blow was dealt just before halftime, as Daley Blind knocked in the team’s second goal of the match.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, the United States couldn’t seem to connect in any of their opportunities.

However, there was hope after Haji Wright looped a ball over the goalkeeper to cut the lead back to just one in the 76th minute.

Any hope of a comeback would be crushed just five minutes later as the Netherlands’ Denzel Dumfries scored to give them a 3-1 lead. This would hold through the end of the match, as the Netherlands advanced to the next round with the 3-1 win.

projects. But, he remains largely focused on his work as a professor, saying,“what’s really next is being here: I love teaching here, I really enjoy the kids here at the University of New Haven… there’s a lot of good community… it feels like everybody really likes each other and respects each other.”

Franco was a founding member of ESPN, working there for five decades across multiple positions, including as their manager of University and Diversity Relations. There, he helped jump-start their 24/7 informational station, ESPN News, winning four Emmy Awards for his work. He has co-founded a student-focused consulting firm, “Hired! Education” and currently serves on multiple college’s advisory boards. This episode of “In Conversation” was the first to feature a live studio audience in the new television studio with RSVP required, and the recording was followed by a Q&A session between audience members and Andy Billman. The episode is expected to be released soon on a new Youtube channel.

“War on the Diamond” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, VUDU, and Youtube.

The rich get richer: Astros sign former MVP

BY CHRISTOPHER ELWELL Sports Editor

Defending World Series champion Houston Astros made the very first big splash of the off-season by signing former American League Most Valuable Player Jose Abreu to a three-year deal worth $60 million.

Houston made a quick turnaround this offseason, having already lost general manager James Click two weeks ago, and signing one of the premier bats on the free agent market. One of the few holes in their lineup has now been filled, as the team will look to become the first to win back-to-back World Series titles for the first time in over 20 years.

Abreu was a franchise cornerstone for the Chicago White Sox since he entered the league in 2014, when he won Rookie of the Year and established himself as one of the better bats in the AL. Since then, the three-time All-Star has eclipsed 20 home runs in seven of his nine seasons with a career 134 OPS+, a stat that adjusts each player’s on-base percentage plus slugging percentage, separating outside factors such as ballparks. Chicago only reached the postseason twice during his tenure with the team, but he was a consistent bright spot and a favorite within the organization.

Houston struggled the entire 2022 season at first base; their combined slugging percentage ranking was tied second worst in the league and the second worst wRC+, which uses the player’s Runs Created, taking current

trends around the league into account and adjusting the numbers to put into a measurable statistic. They also finished the season with just 10 home runs and 62 runs batted in by first basemen, both good for the lowest in baseball. A key offensive position has long been a point of concern for Houston, but with this addition, they may have found an answer.

Entering this season at age 36, Abreu’s offensive production has started to decline from previous seasons. He has been posting career lows in home runs and slugging percentage. However, the addition of Abreu does add another big bat to an Astros lineup that did not see much success in the bottom of their order, who will also now benefit from playing in a smaller stadium that may help bring back

some of his old power numbers. Abreu’s ability to pull the ball with authority to the shorter left field fence in Houston bodes well for his new team, in addition to a newer offensive approach focused on becoming more contact-oriented, which saw his strikeout numbers cut down by over 5% from 2021 to 2022.

Houston has seen important players leave in past seasons, but their ability to replace those players and continue to build a team culture played a massive part in their dominance over the American League. Bringing in a veteran presence such as Abreu to an already-experienced roster fresh off a World Series win will benefit the entire team, which remains the favorite to come out of the AL in 2023.

“War On The Diamond” cover. Graphic courtesy of University of New Haven/CFMS Department.

Jose Abreu and Omar Narvaez fist bump, Baltimore, M.D., May. 5, 2017.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Keith Allison.

Men’s Basketball wins again, beats Franklin Pierce 67-56

BY CHRISTOPHER ELWELL Sports Editor

The New Haven men’s basketball team continued their strong start to the conference play on Saturday afternoon, beating the Franklin Pierce Ravens by a score of 67-56. The Chargers held the lead through the entire game to bring them to 4-2 this season, with all their wins coming against conference opponents.

The opening minutes of the first half were a scoreless affair, broken by New Haven guard Quashawn Lane on a fast break layup. Forward Davontrey Thomas added on a three pointer to give the Chargers an early five-point lead. Thomas finished the game with a teamhigh with 15 points, as four Chargers finished the game with double digit points.

After a jumper from Franklin Pierce’s Sean Bresnan, New Haven answered right back with scores from center Majur Majak and forward Ty Perry to stretch the lead to seven. After a timeout by the Chargers, Franklin Pierce cut their deficit down to three with a jumper by Jarnel Snow-Guzman.

New Haven got their offense back on track as Majak would

tack on two more scores, followed up by a layup by Lane to put the Chargers up by nine.

The defense kept up with the offense, forcing Franklin Pierce to take contested shots, which brought the ball back into New

Haven’s possession. Thomas added on two free throws and a layup to bring the lead to double digits.

The final two minutes were a back-and-forth scoring affair but New Haven was able to

hold on to a 28-19 lead going into the second half.

New Haven continued their strong start on offense with a three from Thomas and layups by Lane and Perry. Guard Victor Olawoye got himself

involved in the scoring with his first two points of the game with a layup. Franklin Pierce put an end to the Chargers’ scoring run with a three by Sean Trumper to cut the lead to nine but their offense was unable to keep it going, allowing New Haven to get their offense back on track.

A three from Majak and a jumper from Thomas gave New Haven a 12-point lead, Franklin Pierce was able to cut the deficit down to as little as three, following a three pointer made by Mohamed Traore. After a timeout by the Ravens, New Haven got their offense back on track after another three by Majak. Thomas and Perry gave the Chargers a comfortable lead in the final minutes and Franklin Pierce was unable to make up the difference.

With just three seconds left in the game, Lane added on a three, sealing the game for the Chargers, giving them another win against a tough conference opponent. New Haven will stay at home for their next matchup against Assumption College on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. More information can be found at NewHavenChargers.com.

Women’s basketball grounds Ravens, win 79-51

BY CHRISTOPHER ELWELL Sports Editor

The New Haven women’s basketball team got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 7951 win over the Franklin Pierce Ravens. After two consecutive losses, they responded accordingly, as the offense got back on track to bring them to 4-2 on the season.

Franklin Pierce got the scoring started with four straight points, but guard Camryn DeBose quickly put that to a stop with her first five points of the game, finishing with a team-high 22 points. Forward Aurora Deshaies added her first scores of the game to give New Haven a five point lead halfway through the first quarter, and guard Marigona Bacaliu got herself on the scoresheet, forcing the Ravens to take a timeout.

After the timeout, forward Briana Van Cleaf added to New Haven’s lead with her first points of the game with a jumper. Guard Kameryn King followed right behind with a three pointer to give New Haven a commanding 16-4 lead with

two minutes left in the first quarter. After another jumper by King, forward Leighanna Lister added a layup to give the Chargers a 20-8 lead after the first quarter.

Franklin Pierce cut the lead

down to as little as six after threes by Edisha Galan and Leana Heitmann. After a New Haven timeout, both teams exchanged scores, but New Haven built on their lead with another layup from Deshaies.

Van Cleaf and DeBose built the lead up to double digits, and the lead would stay at 11 going into the second half. Just before halftime, DeBose was recognized for scoring her 1,000th career point, becoming the 21st

player in program history to reach the mark.

Both offenses got off to a hot start in the second half, and Van Cleaf extended the lead up to 18 halfway through the third quarter. The end of the quarter was a defensive battle with both teams turning the ball over, and a steal and layup by DeBose ended the scoring, giving New Haven a 56-37 lead going into the fourth quarter.

New Haven dominated the early stages of the fourth quarter, scoring seven of the first nine points to stretch their lead to 26. Franklin Pierce could not cut into the lead, not having an answer for the Chargers’ high-powered offense. A dominant game for New Haven ended with a 28-point lead, showing their depth with eight players scoring for the Chargers.

New Haven will now head on the road for their next matchup against Bridgeport on Wednesday, Dec. 7 in a non-conference matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. as the Chargers look to stay in the win column. More information can be found at NewHavenChargers.com.

New Haven’s Ty Perry dunks the ball, West Haven, Dec. 3, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Tyler Rodriguez.

The New Haven bench celebrates a three, West Haven, Dec. 4, 2022. Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Tyler Rodriguez.