Concordiensis - November 6, 2020

Concordiensis

T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F U N I O N COLLEGE SINCE 1877 Volume. CXLIX, Issue VIII

Friday, November 6, 2020

concordiensis.com

Election Reactions: Union community heads to the polls On November 3, Union community members geared up to vote for the 59th Presidential elections. 2020 has been a politically charged year with a pandemic, protests and an unpredictable financial market, making this election year one of the most significant ones in this century. In the midst of the counting process after the November 3 election date, Concordiensis sent out a poll to ask the Union community about their comments and thoughts related to voting, the election process and the presidential candidates running for office. Below are some of the responses we received from the poll.

Why did/didn’t you vote?

“I always vote as I view it as my patriotic duty. I want to make the nation and the world better for all people and all species.”

-Francis Wilkin, Faculty “My mom threatened to disown me if I didn’t vote.”

-Carl Crawford ’22 “I voted because I strongly support Biden and believe his policies will change the country to be a better place, simply put. I am tired of the bigotry and misinformation encouraged by our current president, a position that should be reserved for the most outstanding citizen.”

-Gregory Melchior-Fisher ’24 “Even though the popular vote does not determine who is president, I voted for to make a statement and to make clear what I wanted as a citizen of this country.”

-Ariel Cooper ’24 “Because mine and many other people’s human rights were on the line. This was more than just another election. We needed to vote against oppression and ensure that we have a human being as president. Of course the candidates were not perfect and with our corrupt system they never are. This election however was between right and wrong. There are no ifs and buts about this election.”

-Nima Darafshi ’24 “I voted because it’s a right that many people fought for and their lives should be honored by using that right.”

-Dami Oluwadara ’21 “Because Trump is one of the scariest things to happen to this country and although we had to settle for Biden he actually believes in science.”

-Emma Puhalski ’22 “I voted because I felt like this is an election is vital to win for our democracy over fascism.”

-Elizabeth Graff ’23 “I voted because I have a right to be heard, and voice my opinion about who I believe should be in office.”

-Natalie Jane Preveza ’23 “I voted because I don’t think Donald Trump represents he values of either side of the two party system. Too many people are dead and suffering and he invokes fear and hatred instead of unity and strength.”

-Jillian Ramey ’23

Trey Everett ’22 | Concordiensis Civic Engagement Committee event in front of the Reamer Campus Center.

What do you envision the next four years will look like?

“A restoring of environmental regulations, a nation-wide plan to deal with COVID, restoring our ties to our international neighbors, a health plan, a more humanitarian effort at our borders, a more just tax plan.”

-Timothy Coombs, Staff “There is no telling for sure. We can only look at the past to speculate about the future and in terms of the past four years, things have not been too great.”

-Sarah Davenport ’23 “Gridlock. Severe infighting in the Democratic ranks. Little change on the ground.”

-Stephen Schmidt, Faculty “I’m hoping a Biden-Harris victory, challenging some of the problems that existed long before and during the Trump administration.”

-Jillian Ramey ’23 “Lacking the amount of anxiety the last four have had.”

- Nathan Olsen ’21 “Depending on who wins, we will either have a kind of return to normal, calm-and-kind-of-senile old white man in charge, or we will have a dictator.”

-Ariel Cooper ’24

How do you feel about the comments made by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has said that he wants “all voting to stop”?

“I am outraged. An election is only fair if all votes are counted, and Trump’s administration has worked tirelessly to ensure that as many votes are excluded as possible. That’s not what democracy looks like.”

-Abigail Smith ’23 “I feel that Donald Trump knows he is going to lose, and has decided to forgo any amount of professionalism he had left. He’s tyrannical and he knows that his only way out is through violent riots.”

-Dante Sasso Jr. ’23 “It is repulsive and does him more harm than good. He should keep his mouth shut until the results have been published in full.”

-Adam Chinnery, Exchange Student “I am beyond angry, upset, and furious that this disgraceful man has the audacity to put a limit to our rights and freedoms. This is our democracy and as a President, that is extremely humiliating to voice that publicly.

Another reason as to why we need to vote him out.”

-Sidra Hasan ’23 “He is trying to make the most crucial votes in this election not count simply because he’s scared he isn’t going to win re-election. It’s disgusting.”

-Sarah Wright ’23 “It’s literally against the American ideals of democracy. It does not matter if this election takes place in a pandemic or not, the outcome of any election should be based off of who the American people believe should be in office. It’s terrifying that a man who actually believes this is currently in a position of power.”

-Natalie Jane Preveza ’23

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Megan Brown & Sydney Lewis

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

brownm3@union.edu, lewiss4@union.edu

Jane Roe’s lawsuit against Union College settled September 22, 2020

By Alex Appel Emeritus-in-Chief

On September 22, 2020, a little over a year after an anonymous “Jane Roe” sued Union College alleging that the College failed to protect her during and after the school’s internal proceedings of her alleged rape, the lawsuit was settled in mediation.

In her complaint, Roe claimed that she was raped by a friend her freshman year, in early January, 2017. She alleged that, after leaving a party on 821 Union Street, Schenectady, NY she was carried

back to her room in Richmond House by the accused assaulter where she was then raped.

The complaint stated that she drank approximately 11 shots of vodka and five beers at an on-campus Seward House before heading to 821 Union Street—which is associated with Union’s chapter of Sigma Chi. The complaint offers no details about the identity of Roe’s assaulter, including whether or not he was a member of the fraternity.

Roe stated that she repressed memories of the night, but they came back months later after the alleged assaulter groped her within Schaffer Library. Following this reported incident, Roe filed a complaint

with the Title IX Coordinator at the time, Melissa Kelley.

Roe claimed that the accused rapist once told her “You’re still mine” while he groped her. This would be in violation of the no-contact order the College put in place following the proceedings, even though the alleged assaulter was found not guilty.

Roe stated that she reported this incident to Kelley, but Kelley did not believe Roe. The head attorney of Roe’s legal team, Gabrielle Vinci of Nesenoff and Miltenberg FFP, did not share any information about nor comment on the settlement. Neither did Union’s spokesperson Phil Wajda.

“The College continues to

focus our efforts on fostering the safety and well-being of our students and the entire campus community. This includes the work of the Union College Comittee on Safety and Education, which advises on policies and practices regarding sexual assault and other campus safety issues, including personal safety, crime prevention and reporting procedures,” Wajda stated.

Roe’s lawsuit followed a similar one that had been filed in March, 2019 by a woman using the pseudonym Jane Doe. Doe accused the College of mishandling her accusation of rape and claimed that the College created a “hostile education[al] environment” for wom-

en in her complaint. Her latter allegation was dismissed. Doe is also represented by Vinci, and Andrew Miltenberg of Nesenoff and Miltenberg FFP. Doe’s lawsuit against Union is slated to move to mediation.

In addition to the College, Doe filed a lawsuit against an anonymous John Smith in June, 2019, seeking $75,000 from Smith. Vinci confirmed that Smith is Doe’s alleged rapist. This case was settled through mediation in March; the Concordiensis was unable to obtain documents that outlined the exact terms of the settlement. Vinci did not respond to requests for comment on this lawsuit.

A new approach to John Calvin Toll Day in the wake of the pandemic

By Megan Brown News Editor

The college’s annual John Calvin Toll Day took place on Saturday, October 31, in an effort to still maintain a day of service, despite limitations from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, there was a range of remote or socially-distanced activities available for students, faculty and staff, varying from arts and crafts, to planting trees on Lenox Ave., to doing cleanups around local gardens and parks.

This was also a celebration of the Kenney Community Center’s 20th anniversary.

Janet Sweeney, interim director of community outreach said, “The need for volunteer help continues during the pandemic … Although we cannot send large groups out into the community this year, we have found other creative ways for our Toll Day volunteers to safely contribute their time and energy,” according to the campus website.

Alex Merrill ’21 mentioned how impressed she was that the school was able to find safe and productive ways that

Courtesy of Janet Sweeney

Student making friendsip bracelets for John Calvin Toll Day.

the campus community could maintain its tradition of positive impact in the community, despite the obstacles the virus has thrown at everybody.

She stated, “They did a great job of finding creative ways to integrate community service during this time of COVID-19. I participated in the friendship bracelet event, as well as the video encouraging those to vote, and I thought those were great ways to bring the campus community together.”

Merrill expressed how ap-

preciative she was to have been able to participate again in this campus tradition, even through a pandemic.

Likewise, Rayna Katzman ’24 expressed how she participated in John Calvin Toll Day because, “I believe it’s my responsibility to give back in any way that I can to the community that has become my home.”

Katzman also participated in the friendship bracelet activity where members of the campus community were provided with string and a notecard to

make a friendship bracelet and write a letter to a child in the greater Schenectady area.

John Calvin Toll day is the biggest day of community service that Union participates in.

There were over 150 participants in this year’s efforts and donations come from organizations ranging from Athletics, to Greek Life, to individuals.

Also, according to the website, “John Calvin Toll was a member of Union’s first graduating class in 1799. The community service project is supported by a gift from Al Hill

’46 and his wife, Perrie. Toll was the great-great-grandfather of Hill, a retired attorney from Buffalo who died in 2007.

The Hills created the fund to encourage Union students to undertake volunteer service” This event has been going on for more than two decades on campus, and the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the community’s efforts to give back.

News

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

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Black Student Union Hosts Family Members of George Floyd

By Sydney Lewis News Editor

November 2, 2020 was the 51 anniversary of Black Solidarity Day, and this year the Black Student Union worked with other organizations on Union’s campus to host George Floyd’s Aunt Angela Harrelson, his Uncle Selwyn Jones and Nyle Fort to engage in conversation surrounding the aftermath of Floyd’s death. A vigil was also held in front of Schaffer Library consisting of the history behind Black Solidarity Day, a performance of the Black National Anthem, and a Spoken Word performance. Participants also lit candles and held a moment of silence for Black lives lost.

On May 25, 2020 George Floyd, “Perry” to his loved ones, was killed within police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a fatal encounter with authorities which included former police officer Derek Chauvin. After struggling for over six minutes and calling out to police officers that he was struggling to breath, Floyd became unresponsive and passed away shortly after. This footage sparked protest and outrage across the country with eight minutes and 46 seconds becoming a symbol of how long Floyd fought for his life.

Angela Harrelson was Floyd’s aunt and sister to his mother. Throughout the conversation she touched upon growing up faced with financial hardship in North Carolina, which Selwyn mentioned as well. They both recognized the difficulties they faced

growing up but the love their family had for one another was a constant reminder of all they were grateful for. Since Floyd’s death she has found herself involved with panel discussions and the memorial in Minnesota honoring his memory and fighting for justice. Selwyn Jones, Floyd’s uncle, found himself march-

ry students can honor Floyd’s memory even though they did not know him personally.

Nyle Fort, a recognized minister, organizer and scholar moderated the conversation after an introduction by both Christa Grant, the Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at Union College, and Andrew Alvez, the Assis-

spite decisions he made in the past helps to give texture to who he is which pushes back on a racist narrative that “black men are just statistics.”

Students sent questions and messages of support through the Q&A option on Zoom throughout the call. One question asked was, “How do you keep hope when all else

Courtesy of Matt Milless Students stand outside Schaffer Library for the Black Solidarity Vigil on Black Solidarity Day

ing and protesting the day after his nephew’s death. He smiled as he remembered memories with Floyd as a child, teasing him and making jokes. Jones mentioned that his life has not been the same since he learned of the passing of his nephew.

Both Selwyn and Angela encouraged students, faculty and others listening to speak up if they see someone in trouble. They stressed how anyone can relate to how inhumane the death of their nephew was, and by sharing his sto-

tant Director of Intercultural Affairs. Fort has worked with both Angela and Sewlyn in the past as they share their story and promote social justice through remembering Floyd.

Fort urged college students to “educate, agitate and organize” as they hold power through their education to “fight for freedom and justice.”

He touched upon the fact that social justice is a team sport, and there is a role for everybody. For Fort, hearing the love Floyd’s family members had and still have for him de-

seems dark?” Angela answered the question by saying, “I can’t stay down in the darkness, if I don’t have hope it’s like Perry [Floyd] died in vain.” Selwyn remarked on how many letters of support he receives everyday and how they give him strength to continue to advocate for others to “continue being a light for equality and justice.” encouraged students, faculty and others listening to speak up if they see someone in trouble. They stressed how anyone can relate to how inhumane

the death of their nephew was, and by sharing his story students can honor Floyd’s memory even though they did not know him personally.

Nyle Fort, a recognized minister, organizer and scholar moderated the conversation after an introduction by both Christa Grant, the Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at Union College, and Andrew Alvez, the Assistant Director of Intercultural Affairs. Fort has worked with both Angela and Sewlyn in the past as they share their story and promote social justice through remembering Floyd.

Fort urged college students to “educate, agitate and organize” as they hold power through their education to “fight for freedom and justice.”

He touched upon the fact that social justice is a team sport, and there is a role for everybody. For Fort, hearing the love Floyd’s family members had and still have for him despite decisions he made in the past helps to give texture to who he is which pushes back on a racist narrative that “black men are just statistics.”

Students sent questions and messages of support through the Q&A option on Zoom throughout the call. One question asked was, “How do you keep hope when all else seems dark?” Angela answered the question by saying, “I can’t stay down in the darkness, if I don’t have hope it’s like Perry [Floyd] died in vain.” Selwyn remarked on how many letters of support he receives everyday and how they give him strength to continue to advocate for others to “continue being a light for equality and justice.”

111 students quarantined, five active cases of COVID-19

By Akriti Dhasmana Editor-in-Chief

Two members of Faculty/Staff and one more student have tested positive for COVID-19 since last week while 116 stu-

dents are placed under quarantine according to the Union College COVID-19 Dashboard, as of writing this article.

This brings the total number of active cases of COVID-19 at Union to six with two College Staff/Faculty and four students testing positive and the

total number of positive test results since August 17 to 17.

The sudden rise in the number of quarantined students came on the Monday after the Halloween weekend. According to Dean of Students Fran’Cee Brown-McClure, all students who test positive can either

choose to go home or stay at the Stockade Inn in Schenectady in housing arranged by the school. Similarly, if asked to quarantine, students have the option to either go home for their quarantine period or stay at the Marriott Courtyard or the Hampton Inn.

“As of November 3, 62 students [are] quarantining at home [and] 56 quarantining in our hotel space,” Dean Brown-McClure said.

Three students are also isolating between Stockade Inn and home, according to Dean Brown-McClure.

Kelsey Delaney

OPINIONS

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

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delaneyk@union.edu

“All Men are Created Equal”, but are they equal in America?

By Jeremy Schmelkin Contributing Writer

The United States was built on the idea of White Supremacy.

In fact, many notable founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were devout slave owners. It may seem like this history is well behind us, but in reality, it really is not. Southerners passionately fought to continue the owning of human beings only around 150 years ago. After the Civil War, there were still laws put in place that made the inferiority of African Americans legal. It is now

2020, and black people are still fighting for their lives to be equal to that of white people.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal” is the cornerstone of this country’s philosophies, yet hundreds of years after the nation’s founding, this still remains to be false, and is only a goal we wish we could achieve. Wake up America.

We are not even close to winning this exhausting battle.

Whether you are white or black, liberal or conservative, male or female, you should be enraged that in such a progressive time we are living through, there is such a significant racial divide in a nation that praises itself on equality.

And I hate to break it to you, but if you are not angered by the nation’s racial inequalities, take a moment to rethink your values, because you are part of the problem. I’m a white male. I am fully aware that I will never have to experience the day to day injustices that BIPOC face. But because of this, I feel that it is my moral obligation to help terminate the prominent race issue that poisons American culture.

This past May and June, I genuinely thought we were reliving the Civil Rights Movement. The fact that a white police officer murdered an innocent black man, despite the fact that he helplessly said that he couldn’t breathe,

is beyond infuriating. And this is only the news that is televised. This is 2020, not the 1950s. This is an issue of basic human rights, and has nothing to do with politics.

So, please, be a decent human being and stand up for the rights of BIPOC. Although the Black Lives Matter Movement was magnified in response to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s death, it is most certainly not too late to start getting involved.

Educate yourself. There are countless stats and websites that state the facts of being black in America. Familiarize yourself with the daunting data. Teach others. Many individuals often spread false

information, because they simply do not know some of these actualities. Vote. One of the most sacred rights Americans have is the ability to elect the officials who possess similar views to them. Make your voice heard for Floyd, Taylor and the hundreds of black people who could not.

Our nation loves to say that “all men are created equal,” but since there is clearly a constraint on this, we cannot pretend that all men are created equal until Black Lives Matter just as much as the lives of other Americans.

Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the Supreme Court - now what?

By Alexandra Merrill Contributing Writer

October 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice.

Barrett, who is age 48, gives the court a 6-3 Republican majority, which could impact a wide range of issues.

As it may come to no surprise, many Americans are unhappy with this decision, not only because of where Barrett stands on multiple issues, but because she was sworn in less than a week before the presidential election.

The rushing in of Barrett arguably did not give the American people a say, especially since approximately 75 million Americans had already voted, according to the New York Times. The Republican party believed this was fair, considering Trump was still

President, however this is pretty hypocritical, considering months before the 2016 election Obama tried to fill the seat of Justice Scalia (with Merrick Garland), and was told it was unfair to do so. Mitch McConnell had argued back in 2016 that the next justice should be chosen by the next President.

McConell’s words were as follows: “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.” He further went on to state that “...rarely does a Supreme Court vacancy occur in the final year of a presidential term”, according to PBS. It is interesting how so many opinions, like McConnell’s, have changed circumstantially.

One might inquire, if a Democrat were President, would these same “rules” apply?

Barrett’s reluctance to fully answer Senetor Coons’

question during her hearing in regards to Griswald v Connecticut, as well as her very conservative view on abortion, has been the cause of concern for many Americans, and people have been particularly vocal about this on social media. There is concern that Barrett may initiate bans on birth control or possibly vote to overturn Roe, and this is particularly worrisome specifically because of the courts very conservative majority.

How might her nomination impact the results of the election? The fact that Barrett was confirmed actually could help the Democratic party out. Due to the fact the Republicans confirmed a justice days before the election does not bode well for how the American people may view the party, and especially could impact how the undecided voters may feel. Arguably this could push some last minute swing voters to the left. On the other

hand, her confirmation could have helped some swing voters who may go red, who had wanted her confirmation to go through in the first place. It will be interesting to see how Barretts confirmation could impact the rest of the election

in these final days, but more importantly, it is urgent everyone stays informed because the decisions Barrett and the court can potentially make will impact so many lives.

Concordiensis Vol. CXLIX, Issue VIII, October 1, 2020 Akriti Dhasmana and Daniel Wilcox Editors-in-Chief

Mitchell Famulare, Managing Editor and Arts Editor

Matt Farr, Managing Editor Kelsey Delaney, Opinions Editor Chris Doyle, World/Business Editor Chris Simmons, Business Manager Stephen Nadler , Photo Editor

concordiensis.com Email: concordiensis@union.edu Office: 406 Reamer Campus Center

Mail: Concordiensis Box 2577 807 Union Street

Megan Brown, News Editor Sydney Lewis, News Editor Dante Sasso, 807 Editor Isabelle Yee, Sports Editor Kari Kimball, Sci/Tech Editor

Do you have something to share with our readers? The Concordiensis is now accepting contributions for this section. Share your thoughts about campus, news, trends, or anything you want to write about!

All articles should be sent to delaneyk@union.edu. They should be less than 500 words in length and must include the writers full name and email address. Any articles may be edited for length, word choice and accuracy.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

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Stephen Nadler ’21, Trey Everett ’22 & Khai Ton ’24 | Concordiensis Olivia Walton ’24 paints a pumpkin at a Minerva event (U-L), Ariel Cooper ’24 decorating a skull (U-R), American Flag at Civic Engagement Event (L-L) ‘Why I Vote’ installation (L-R).

CRIME & FIRE LOG 10/29/20 - 11/05/20

10/29/20 1:55 a.m. Theft of golf cart - students identified. Referred to Campus Judicial . Reamer Campus Center.

10/30/20 11:30 a.m. Sexual assault reported - occurred Fall term. Referred to Title IX. On Campus Student Housing.

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Chris Doyle

World / Business

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

doylec@union.edu

No calm or clear end in fight for the 2020 US Elections

By Chris Doyle World/Business Editor Into the early hours of Wednesday November 4, there was still no decisive call from any credible source as to who would win the 2020 Presidential Election. President Trump made a premature speech declaring victory, but was immediately rebuked

by Republicans and Democrats alike. While speaking on ABC News, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie condemned the victory pronouncement. “There’s just no basis for that argument tonight. There just isn’t.” In his own early morning remarks, former Vice President Biden rebuked that “it isn’t over until every vote is counted, until every ballot is counted”, according to CBS News.

By Wednesday morning, clarity on victories in Wisconsin, Nevada, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia remained absent.

The New York Times reported

that Nevada will refrain from calling a winner until Thursday November 5 at approximately noon. Wisconsin was called for Biden in the early afternoon on Wednesday, but NBC News reported that the Trump Campaign will ask for a recount. Wisconsin state law allows for a state-funded recount if victory is by less than a 1% margin by the two leading candidates, and that the margin is less than 0.25%.

Should the margin be higher than 0.25%, the campaign asking for the recount must fund it themselves. Biden is portrayed to win by at least 0.7%, according to the Associated Press. CBS News projected Vice President Biden winner of Michigan at 4:44 PM on November 4. By November 5, he had won the state with 50.5% of the vote, according to The Washington Post.

The Trump Campaign is preparing lawsuits in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona to prevent ballots from being further counted due to a lack of “transparency”, according to

PBS News Hour. In Michigan, Ryan Jarvi-Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s press secretary-responded in a tweet that “Michigan’s elections have been conducted transparently, with access provided for both political parties and the public, and using a robust system of checks and balances to ensure all ballots are counted fairly and accurately.” Judges in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia immediately threw out challenges, according to The Washington Post. In regards to Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court ruled 4-4 on October 28 to keep a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in place that allowed ballots postmarked on or before election day to be counted beyond November 3.

The night was not a good one for Congressional Democrats. House Democrats are predicted to lose at least six seats that were won in 2018, and the path to Senate seats in North Carolina and Georgia has narrowed. Senator Susan Collins, Republican from Maine, was declared

the winner when her opposition-Maine House of Representatives Speaker Sara Gideon-conceded in the mid afternoon of November 4.

Democratic Governor Steve Bullock of Montana lost his Senate race.

Republican Senators Martha McSally and Cory Gardner from Arizona and Colorado respectively were defeated in their elections by retired astronaut and US Navy Captain Scott Kelly and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper in each respective race. NBC News called the Alabama Seat for Tommy Tuberville, a former football coach at Auburn University. He defeated incumbent Democratic Senator Doug Jones. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel and Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham won their races by comfortable margins. Despite the disappointments, the Democrats are expected to hold onto their majority in the House of Representatives.

By November 5, the Associated Press and Fox News had called Arizona for former

Vice President Biden. Other outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, and CBS News have left the state in play as 15% of the vote remains out. Nevada released 75% of their votes on election day, but they’ve been slow to count the remaining quarter. In a press conference on November 5, Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria of Clark County, Nevada (which contains Las Vegas) told reporters that 63,262 ballots have yet to be counted. He expects the results to come in by Friday at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, according to CBS News.

President Trump has called for the voting to be stopped. He tweeted “STOP COUNTING!” on the morning of November 5. At 11:22 AM, he tweeted “All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud.” President Trump has repeatedly refused to pledge he’d respect a defeat or proceed with a peaceful transition of power.

Legal challenges to voting in the 2020 Presidential elections

By Chris Doyle World/Business Editor

Across several key states in the 2020 US Elections, campaign and party operatives have taken states to court over voting practices. Such cases have taken place in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Caro-

lina, Michigan and Florida. All of these states are considered among the most competitive between President Trump and Former Vice President Biden.

Due to COVID-19, more voters are likely to vote by mail.

The cases of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have revolved around counting ballots that arrive after polls close in the states. The New York Times reported that

the Supreme Court held that in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, such cases would be accepted. In Wisconsin, however, the Court ruled 5-3 that since it had been federal court intervention that allowed the late ballots to be counted, then those that would arrive late in Wisconsin would be invalidated. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts argued that it wasn’t

the place of the federal government or federal courts to interfere with state election policy this close to an election. Pennsylvania and North Carolina’s extensions were permitted by state courts and election commissions. Justice Roberts joined the Court’s liberal bloc in a 4-4 decision that kept a state court decision to extend ballot counting in place. The New York Times

reported that Pennsylvania’s secretary of state has ordered polling stations to separate ballots received after voting is completed in case there is legal opposition afterwards. The newly appointed Justice Amy Coney Barret did not take part in the proceedings. Further legal action could take place after the election when Justice Barret is firmly in place.

60-Second News

More than $1bn (£772m) in Bitcoin linked to the notorious Silk Road website has been seized by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

The Ethiopian prime minister has vowed to continue a military offensive in the northern state of Tigray amid concerns it could descend into civil conflict.

The office of Mexico’s Attorney-General says that a man has been arrested in connection with the killing of nine members of a Mormon community in 2019.

Kari Kimball

Sci/Tech

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kimballk@union.edu

Scientists discover two new salivary glands in the head

By Kartik Nath Staff Writer

A shocking discovery made

by Dutch researchers has anatomists all over the world scratching their heads: a new organ could have been identified in the human body.

Human anatomy has evolved over thousands of years, and many scientists have contributed to widely accepted understandings of the anatomical structure of the body.

Thousands of medical professionals and scientists study human anatomy every year, learning the intricacies of the human body. But this year has brought a new discovery to the field: a potential new pair of salivary glands in the body.

According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer

Center, there are three types of major salivary glands that produce the majority of the saliva in the mouth. The parotid glands are located in the front of the ears, the submandibular glands are located below the jaw and the sublingual glands are located under the floor of the mouth. There are a second type of salivary glands that are called minor salivary glands that exist throughout the mouth and the digestive tract, however they are not visible without the aid of a microscope. “Now, we think there is a fourth”, explained Dr. Matthias Valstar, a researcher at the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

Published in the journal Radiotherapy and Oncology, Dr. Valstar and many colleagues wrote the article “The tubarial salivary glands: A potential new organ at risk for radiotherapy” on Septem-

ber 23, 2020. The researchers imaged these new structures in the salivary gland system and wanted to understand its implication in radiotherapy for cancer treatments. The study included a sample size of 100 patients with prostate or urethral gland cancer. To be able to image the potential new organs, scientists targeted the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein produced by cells of the malignant and regular cells in the prostate glands, and flows through the bloodstream in the salivary gland system. Scientists used a radio-labelled ligand that binds to the PSMA, and then imaged the salivary glands using positron emission tomography (PET) and computerized tomography (CT) scans. They were able to identify the organs because the PSMA PET fluoresced as

orange in the CT. According to the study, the PET/CT scans showed a “unknown bilateral structure posterior in the nasopharynx”, which is hypothesized to be the fourth set of major salivary glands. Furthermore, the scientists wanted to learn how the ‘new’ salivary gland could respond to radiotherapy treatment because external beam radiotherapy to the salivary glands is used as treatment for head and neck cancer. Patients who receive radiotherapy suffer from side effects as a result of radiation applied to the salivary glands, so researchers wanted to know if the same radiation-induced side-effects exist with the ‘new’ glands. The researchers applied radiotherapy to the ‘new’ salivary glands, and measured the toxicity.

The conclusions of the study showed that there is an

unknown structure that could be ‘new’ salivary glands and can have clinical implications in cancer research. Larger studies will be necessary to validate the Dutch researchers’ findings and add a new set of glands to human anatomy textbooks. However, further studies may be tough because Dr Wouter Vogel, another author of the study from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, says that for the ‘new’ glands, “the location is not very accessible and you need very sensitive imaging to detect it.” 2020 has shocked the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, along with one of the biggest findings in human anatomy in a while.

Endangered Species Series: “man of the forest” Orangutans

By Kari Kimball Sci/Tech Editor

Orangutan means “man of the forest” in the Malay language.

Orangutans, scientifically known as Pongo abelii and Pongo pygmaeus, are listed as critically endangered, according to the World Wildlife Foundation. This is due to a sharp decline in their population density and sizes from over 230,000 total orangutans to about 100,000 Borneans, 7,500 Sumatrans and 800 Tapanulis. There has been a recent decline in population due to hunting and illegal wildlife trade. Many wildlife or-

ganizations are trying to save orangutans by conserving their habitats, helping stop poaching and promoting sustainable forestry and agriculture.

The low population density as well as the long period of development makes orangutans’ reproductive rate extremely low, making them highly vulnerable. Females give birth to one infant at a time and wait three to five years before reproducing again.

This makes the time needed to recover from the steep population decline increase dramatically compared to other species that are able to have multiple babies at once and reproduce more frequently.

Adult orangutans vary in size

and weight depending on their gender and which species they are. With that being said, adult make orangutans can reach up to 200 pounds in weight. A flanged male has prominent cheek pads named flanges and a throat sac that is used to make loud and long calls to other orangutans. An unflanged male looks very similar to an adult female, lacking the prominent cheek pads.

Interestingly, an unflanged male is able to change to a flanged male through a biological process that is unique to primates. This phenomenon is still not understood well and the reasoning behind why this occurs is still unknown.

The appearance and be-

havior of Bornean and Sumatran orangutans differ.

The most distinct similarity between the two is that they both have shaggy reddish fur.

However, one physical difference is Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Behavioral differences include Sumatran orangutans reportedly have closer social bonds than Borneans and Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground.

Orangutans primarily inhabit the lowland tropical forests and have a solitary existence. Orangutans are important to the ecosystem of the forests they inhabit. They are nicknamed the garden-

ers of these forests because they play a vital role in seed dispersal. They primarily eat wild fruits such as lychees, mangosteens, figs and slurp water from holes in the trees.

They make nests in the trees of vegetation to sleep at night and rest during the day.

Saliva has healing properties for wounds in the mouth.

Saliva leaves the glands in tubes called salivary glands.

60-Second Sci/Tech

99 percent of saliva is made up of water.

Without saliva, you would not be able to taste.

Saliva acts as a warningbefore you vomit.

8

C 807 Union St.

Dante Sasso Jr.

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

sassod@union.edu

Kevin Barhydt, a mentor and friend to Union’s students

By Dante Sasso Jr. 807 Editor

“His fingerprints have been silently painted all over the campus.” These are the words that Omar Hassib ’11 used to describe Kevin Barhydt, Union College’s Senior Learning and Inclusive Technology Analyst. Barhydt has worked at Union for 13 years now, and according to Hassib, Kevin Barhydt is not only “a true mentor in every sense of the word,” but also a “friend,” and “the ideal boss for a student.”

Kevin Barhydt works around Union’s campus in many ways, and though you may not see his influence directly, there is a piece of his and his students’ work in nearly every classroom.

According to Hassib, when working with Barhydt, “no two projects were ever the same.

If a professor wanted to make a website for a book, to make the book better for sales or make a message, Kevin and I would work together to find

the correct medium to do that.” Off campus, Kevin has also contributed to the New York Six Educational Technology Working Group by serving as the chair of a “highly collaborative initiative called ITAP (Instructional Technology Apprenticeship Program).”

Even though he has trained Hassib along with other Union students to work in a technological environment, Barhydt is more than just a mentor. In 2017, Omar Hassib’s father, Ekram Hassib, passed away at the age of 74. Ekram Hassib was a professor at Union college, which led to Barhydt finding out quickly. “He reached out to me, and told me something that stuck with me: ‘Grief is a process, not a destination.

There is no milestone or recovery point where everything is right or fixed. However, in that moment, when you feel it, is exactly what you should be feeling in that moment.

Don’t ever rush your grief.’”

This is one of the many examples of how Kevin Barhydt has worked with people

on Union’s campus to make the campus a better place outside of just technological improvements. Barhydt has a YouTube channel where he shares his life story and tries to reach out to as many people as possible. The topics he covers range from addiction to abuse, serving as a reminder to those facing challenging points in their life that they are not alone.

In Barhydt’s own words, “I am a highschool dropout who couldn’t spell his last name.

Now I have a masters degree in education and work at one of the best liberal arts and engineering colleges in America. It is both an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to talk to others about the struggles I’ve overcome.”

Though Barhydt’s story started with hardship such as drug addiction and prostitution, he overcame all of it to work where he is today, from Franklin Instutite of Technology all the way to Union College.

Barhydt’s story is far too detailed for an article to do it justice. He has persevered

The back cover of Kevin’s book through so much and has come out of it all still in one piece and helping lift up those around him. On November 10th, 2020, Kevin Barhydt will be releasing a book titled “Dear Stephen Michael’s Mother.” “It is a memoir about an adoptee’s search for family, and redemption from a life of crime and drugs… [it] is written as two parallel stories, alternating between my struggle as an adult to find my birth mother, and what actually happened after she put me up for adoption.” If you would like

Courtesy of Kevin Barhydt

to learn more about his story, be sure to check the book out.

For those who are struggling with their own daily demons, Kevin says “There is hope. I think the important thing to remember is that you are not alone. I’m here struggling right along with you, and there are many others that have found hope, sought help, become survivors, and thrived. It was only when I finally admitted that maybe I needed help was I able to take the first steps toward making a change in my life.”

Women’s Union’s woman of the week: Mary Simeoli

By Marcy Forti Staff Writer

Nomination: Mary is AMAZING. She is doing an incredible job as our new Title IX coordinator and going above and beyond what this job even requires of her. Her passion and drive is so clear in what she has already done in the first few weeks of being here, and I am so excited to see the amazing impact she will have on our Union community.

Nominated by: Gwyneth Sultan ’23 What are your proudest accomplishments?

I am incredibly proud of my professional journey. From moving thousands of miles away from home for my first campus job to sitting for (and

passing) multiple Bar Exams. I am proud of the programs and courses I’ve written and the messages they have delivered as an instructor and facilitator.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about learning, development, equity, and amplification. From serving as a volunteer at my local library to working on national committees to develop leadership curriculum - I believe our access to learning can change everything about our lives and communities for the better. I’m so lucky that I get to work in a field that’s purpose is centered on these objectives.

Who do you look up to?

I am lucky to have a long list of women I look up to from my mom to former bosses, best friends and sorority sisters. I

look up to women who aren’t afraid to take risks, speak up, put their name on the list, and own their subject matter expertise. My mom worked full time while in nursing school, my best friends are ambitious and creative, I watched in awe as one former supervisor was sworn in as a judge and another made trips visiting clients around the world.

Also, Dolly Parton, of course!

What does being a woman at Union mean to you?

Union has so many rich traditions but its mission calls us to be innovative; to me, being a woman at Union means celebrating our traditions while working to make Union a stronger, better place.

Courtesy of Women’s Union Mary Simeoli, Union College’s Title IX Coordinator

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C ARTS

Mitchell Famulare

Friday, November 6, 2020

famularm@union.edu

What happens on the other side of the mic?: WRUC tech director shares

By Mitchell Famulare Managing/Arts Editor

The Concordiensis has been highlighting members of Union College’s radio station, 89.7FM, to celebrate its 100 year anniversary. The station signed on for the first time on October 14, 1920. Noah Couturier ‘21 is the current technical director of WRUC 89.7FM and gave us some insight on what happens on the other side of the microphone.

How long have you been involved with WRUC? I’ve been involved with WRUC since the end of my freshman year. I started doing a show with a couple friends and went to e-board meetings since I found it interesting.

During my sophomore year I was appointed as interim technical director as I showed interest in the technical side of things and had experience working with audio equipment. Since then, I’ve started dedicating most of my time with WRUC on the technical side of things.

How has the club changed since you have been involved?

The club has seen a major leadership change with my time here at union, especially on the administrative side. It seemed as if general student engagement wasn’t very active when I first got involved and that WRUC as a club seemed more niche and hard to get involved in.

I have seen the club grow into a larger community over the years and many students have expressed great interest in being able to host their own shows which does show that we are growing as a club.

On the technical side of things, budget constraints and limited time made it hard to push for many changes in the studio. On the bright side the station has slowly but sure-

ly been maintaining and upgrading the equipment that is used. Unfortunately, the year 2020 has posed the greatest challenge for the station since I’ve gotten here. This is mainly because we rely on using shared spaces that contain all the equipment needed to broadcast shows, which pose an issue in the current pandemic.

What do you do as Technical Director for WRUC? As technical director I spend a lot of time in the background making sure our broadcasting infrastructure runs as needed. I oversee many aspects of the station: the website, the studios, the radio transmitter, equipment management and the technical team. I work closely with Student activities, the ECBE department and our club advisor, Professor Hedrick, to make sure I can get approval to purchase and repair equipment as well as modify the studio in a way that is legally compliant with FCC regulations.

I’m also involved in administrative decisions as I’m part of the e-board, but personally I feel more comfortable sticking to the technical side of things, as it is something where I feel more confident in my knowledge and capabilities. Since I’ve been involved in the technical side of things at WRUC, I’ve dedicated most of my time to creating documentation that clearly explains the ins and outs of the station as I hope to make it easier for future technical members to have an understanding of how everything in the station works.

Where/how did you learn about the ins and outs of music technology?

I used to DJ and do some basic music production as a hobby during high school which opened up the realm of audio equipment to me.

Also, coming in as an electrical engineer at Union allowed me to understand a lot of the

technical aspect behind how the equipment works. Applying what I learned through my hobbies and courses, I spent a lot of time in the studio and broadcast room to learn the ins and outs of the radio station which allowed me to expand my knowledge in the realm of music technology.

What do you hope for the future of WRUC this year?

I would love to see WRUC grow as a community of students who are passionate about sharing, creating, or just listening to music as well as creating content in an audio format. I hope to see the station expand and continue to provide students on campus all the resources needed to record, perform and broadcast music as well as create podcasts or organize events on campus where they can express and discuss their interests.

What are your favorite albums of 2020?

I usually don’t listen to music based on albums, but more the artist in general. I’ve personally been listening to a lot more electronic music this year, mostly in the house genre. This is partially due to the fact that I spent a lot more time outdoors, and personally I enjoy listening to something more high energy when I go running or hiking.

Lane 8 is probably one of my all time favorite artists. He mostly does deep house, but ever since I heard his debut album “Rise,” which came out in 2015, I’ve fallen in love with his stuff. He has since consistently released great songs all while switching up his style.

Also I would listen to some of his DJ sets, which I pull a lot of inspiration from.

Purple Disco Machine is one of my more recent discoveries. This german house artist has an incredibly funky style where he combines techno and disco music together.

His 2017 album “Soulmatic” was a great listen and his re-

mixes of other artist’s songs never fail to get me grooving.

His music is what inspired my WRUC anniversary livestream set.

The Parcels are an Australian electro pop band that I also can’t help but recommend. I had a chance to see them perform live in Boston back in 2019 with my roommate at the time, and during quarantine they released a live performance on Youtube that brought back all the awesome memories from the concert.

What are your plans for after graduation?

Despite being in my senior year, I’m honestly not quite sure what direction I want to head into. I feel like there are many potential paths for me to take in terms of what my future

occupations could be and where in the world I could end up. I do plan on working after graduating, from the experience I got from internships as well as work I’ve done around campus I can see myself getting involved in engineering audio equipment, working with communication systems or doing something related to artificial intelligence.

What I think would be the deciding factor for where I end up going will most likely be geographic. I’m interested in either going back to Europe to live near my family or somewhere where I have easy access to nature, as I do very much enjoy outdoor activities and also enjoy doing nature photography in my free time.

#1 - Bridget Cunningham ‘21

1 Wavygravy - Flyying Colours

4:28

2 Desert Rambler - Hum

9:00

3 50 Million Year Trip - Kyuss

1:59

4 Shine - Joey Bada$$

3:31

5 Marijuana - Chrome Sparks

2:35

6 Suculent - Twelve ‘len

3:05

7 Shovel - Hum

2:03

8 One Week- Deftones

3:09

9 Something to You - Nanami Ozone

4:29

10 Somewhat Damaged - Nine Inch Nails

3:52

10

C Sports

Isabelle Yee

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Concordiensis

yeei@union.edu

Fall sports senior athlete profile: Poom Meera ’21

By Annie O’Donnell Staff Writer

Poom Meera ‘21 is a managerial economics major who is originally from Swansea, Massachusetts but attended The Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island. Poom was named captain for the 2016 season and was awarded the 2016-2017 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year and earned All-American and All-New England selections.

Meera has had a successful career as a midfielder on the soccer team at Union.

During the 2017 season, he appeared in 16 games with eight starts as a freshman and scored his first collegiate goal in Union’s 3-0 win over Albany Pharmacy (9/5). In his sophomore season, he also appeared in all 16 games with seven starts. He finished the season with a goal and three assists. Meera scored against Keuka and provided assists against SUNY Cobleskill, St. John Fisher, and SUNY Poly.

Last season, as a junior he appeared and started in all 17 games. He scored four goals and two assists, ranking third on the team for points. Two of his assists were against Lasell and Manhattanville resulting in Union wins in both games.

Off the field, Meera has a strong academic record. Meera is a member of the 2018 and 2019 Liberty-League All-Academic Team where members must be at least a sophomore and hold a cumulative GPA of 3.30.

Below are some of the responses shared by Meera.

What is your favorite memory as a student-athlete at Union?

That’s very tough to decide on a favorite movement. I would say that playing my first collegiate game was a big moment for me because that was a movement that I had been wishing for since I started playing soccer. I knew that I wanted to play at the collegiate level and for it to come true was special. A more memorable moment for me was last years

game at home under the lights against Skidmore where I scored the goal to tie the gam which we then went on to win.

How have you benefited from being a student-athlete at Union?

I think that being a student-athlete has helped me in many ways. It has helped me academically because it gives me a routine schedule that I know I have to follow if I want to get the grades that I want. It has allowed me to make a lot of friends and new connections along the way.

Being an athlete also has taught me skills such as time management, disciple, and accountability. I think in terms of looking for internships/ jobs being a student-athlete helps and during interviews, I was always asked what it is like being a student-athlete.

Since your fall season was canceled this year, would you consider coming back to play next year? And what is something that you will miss about the team?

Stephen Nadler ‘21 | Concordiensis Poom Mera in action against Manhattanville College in Fall 2019.

Well I am not sure if I am going to come back and play another year but it is definitely something that I am considering. For the purpose of answering this question though, if I decide not to come back what I will miss most about the team are the guys that I train and compete with everyday.

On and off the field it is a pleasure to be with everyone. I am going to miss all the laughs we’ve shared and the effort we’ve put out on the field.

What is some advice you would give to underclassmen?

Some advice for the younger guys is to work hard and compete, but don’t take anything for granted because time flies and the future is uncertain.

Union track and field teams host intra-squad meet

By Isabelle Yee Sports Editor

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling all fall sports seasons, the Union College Men’s and Women’s Track and Field team hosted a Garnet vs. White intrasquad meet. Danté Scott ’21 and Andrew Fox ’22 held a draft to divide the team into two.

The Garnet and White match up was very close, entering the final event where the final score was 39-37. The final event was the 4x400 relay where the White team won the event resulting in them winning the meet and taking home the championship trophy.

On the White team, Fox led the team with 9.75 points.

He won first place in the 100-meter dash in 10.98 seconds, placed second in

The victorious White Team in the intras-quad meet.

the long jump, and was a member of the 4x400 relay.

The Garnet team was led

by Ryan Ehrets ’21 who led the team with 10 points due to first place finished in the hammer throw and shot put.

David Bates ’21 a couple of

Courtesy of Union Athletics via Instagram

stand out performances. He was the lone runner in the 3,000 meters and had a personal-best time of 8:59 and later on ran 800 meters with a time of 1:57.00 as a part of a relay.

Thomas Knoff ’23 and Danté Scott also had strong

performances. Knoff split 50.49 as part of the 4x400 relay. Scott jumped 5.98 meters in the long jump with a short eigh-step approach.

On the women’s side, Olivia Brand ’23 led with eight points. She won the long-jump

with 4.56 meters with an eightstep approach and placed second in the 100-meter dash.

Alayna Gibson ’24 and Gabby Gavala ’24 were also high scorers. They tied for first place in the 3,000 meters and had the fastest splits in the 4x400 relay, which helped the white team win.

Alesandra Campedelli ’22 competed with the men’s throwers placing second in the hammer throw and third in shot put, scoring four points for the Garnet team.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will be graduating several seniors. The men’s team is composed of David Bates, Jonathan Caputo ’21, Noah Couturier ’21, Colin Czerpak ’21, Ryan Ehrets, Dante Scott, and Clayton Voges ’21. The women’s team is composed of Amanda Ashmen ’21, Claudia Dalterio ’21, and Annie O’Donnell ’21.