Observer issue #5

Observer the

APRIL 7, 2016 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 5

www.fordhamobserver.com

Financial Aid Biases Based on Income

Meet Your New Online BFF, Haley Richardson

By REESE RAVNER & STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Co-Editors

Fordham University is the 35th most expensive university in the country. For low-income students, however, it’s the seventh most expensive. According to a recent study published by New America, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington D.C., low-income students—those from families with a household income of $50,000 or less—do not receive a higher percentage of financial aid from Fordham to cover expenses. According to the study, Fordham is the seventh most expensive university for low-income students to attend. On average, low-income students at Fordham pay $24,556 to attend the University, with 20 percent of the student population receiving Federal Pell Grants. Pell Grants “do not have to be repaid” and “usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. For the 2016-2017 academic year, the maximum Pell Grant amount is $5,815. Qualification for a Pell Grant is based on financial need, cost of attendance, status as a full-time or part-time student and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Nationwide, Federal Pell Grants are typically awarded to students from families who earn $50,000 per year or less. In 2013-2014, the average amount of Pell Grant money given to low-income students at Fordham was $4,684. According to the report, “94 percent of the private colleges examined charge the lowest-income students an average net price over $10,000,” which is the amount families pay after both the institution and the government have awarded them aid. Fordham’s low-income students pay more than twice the average, indicating both a lack of sufficient aid and a high tuition rate. The report indicates that universities such as Fordham use “institutional aid dollars as a ‘recruiting tool,’ rather than as a means of meeting a student’s financial need.” By strategically distributing financial aid this way, the report continues, universities try to attract students who will more feasibly be able to afford expensive tuitions, provided they receive some merit scholarship. According to the document, “colleges have become ‘increasingly reluctant to part with their money to enroll students who don’t raise their academic profile.’” Due to their affluence and access to expensive tutors, high-income students are also more likely to have higher test scores and grade point averages, according to the report. These factors in turn make students more attractive to universities because they raise their academic profile. Conversely, the report also states, “It’s more profitable for schools to see LOW INCOME pg. 2

Fordham Lincoln Center’s own girl-power comedian

AVERY BART/THE OBSERVER

By JULIA ENNIS Staff Writer

It seems that Haley Elisabeth Richardson (FCLC ’17) was destined to be a comedian. “I think I’ve been hilarious since day one!” She told me with a laugh, before recalling an early memory of her own first comedy routine. The story involves a toddler-aged Haley, a keyboard with a laugh track button and a feather boa. “It has always been a part of me – wanting to entertain people,” she said. Two decades later, Haley’s desire to make people laugh has yet to wane. As an undergrad, she is working on a number of comedyrelated projects, but the most notable is the “#HER” YouTube channel, where she humorously tackles everything from the stress of final exams to the right way to eat a banana (yes, you’re doing it wrong). As I chat with Haley in her dorm room – adorned with posters from funny TV shows like Friends and The Office – it is clear that Haley has turned that natural comedic spark she had as a toddler into a passion for a craft that requires hard work and lots of practice. This

“ [I’m hoping] to enter a field that has

historically been dominated by men... there’s not a ton of female comedians who are visible. And especially on sitcoms, they’re not usually the main character.” – is most apparent when Haley mentions that #HER is actually the fifth YouTube channel she has created since 2010. But after transferring to Fordham from American University as a Sophomore, she decided to start #HER – and this time, make it stick. “[I thought], ‘There’s a reason why I’ve started so many channels,’” Haley says, “Because it’s clearly something I enjoy doing.” For Haley, starting #HER was about finding her own comedic voice. In the past she restricted from a lot of different directions, like trying to fit into a certain category on YouTube, or worrying about her roommates thinking what she was doing was “weird”. But in particular, she strived to find her unique voice in a field

HALEY RICHARDSON, FCLC ’17

where women are still struggling to be heard. “[I’m hoping] to enter a field that has historically been dominated by men,” Haley said. She raves about some of her favorite female comedians, from YouTube stars like Grace Helbig to prime-time players like Amy Poehler. She also highlights the strides women have made in comedy in recent decades. Still, she said, “there’s not a ton of female comedians who are visible. And especially on sitcoms, they’re usually not the main character.” As such, Haley refuses to shy away from talking about women’s issues in her videos. While the title for Haley’s channel, #HER, came from Haley’s initials, it is also reflective of the feminist undertone

featured in many of Haley’s videos. “I think that feminism is something that a lot of people don’t understand fully,” Haley said. “And I think that comedy is powerful in that you can teach someone about something in a way that they don’t even realize they’re learning.” But Haley is also seeking to de-stigmatize the idea that comedy helmed by a woman cannot be relatable to other genders. “I talk about feminism, but I try not to make it too gendered – otherwise, you’ll hit a point where you start to lose people,” Haley said. “Life is what’s really universal; finding humor in an interaction you had or something you noticed on the street.” I have no doubt that Haley has that relatable, commenting-on-life schtick down. Take, for example, one of Haley’s personal favorite videos on her channel, “WHY I’M SINGLE”. In the video, an (obviously sarcastic) Haley tearfully mulls over a list of reasons why she might not be in a relationship: she’s too confident, too busy, too silly ... the list goes on. Haley says that the inspiration for this video came see HALEY pg. 11

NEWS

OPINIONS

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

Breathing Easier

Make Room on Stage

“The Scream” Returns

Hips Don’t Lie

Smoking restricted at LC entrances

We need a place for alternate political parties in debates

And we’re not just talking about finals

Tips and tricks to stimulate your back and body

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THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER

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News

April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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Aid Goes to Higher Income, Not Quality LOW INCOME FROM PAGE 1

provide five ‘merit’ scholarships of $5,000 each to entice affluent students who will be able to pay the balance—even if they have less than stellar grades—than it is to provide a single $25,000 grant to a highachieving low-income student.” According to the report, this effect is undoubtedly present at Fordham. According to Angela Van Dekker, associate vice president for student financial services, these statements about Fordham using institutional aid as more of a recruiting tool than as a means of financial aid are “not true.” “Whatever we offer to recruit students we try to return, if the student meets the requirements,” Van Dekker said in an email statement. “Universities need to strike a balance and recruit from many different economic, intellectual [and] geographic groups. We also need to enrich our students’ education by having all types of diversity in the classroom.” “Our high performing low-income students receive a significant amount of aid and many times more than other high performing students.” “Fordham tries its best to be equitable with all students,” she continued. “We have a modest endowment and try to spread our funding over most of our students. We are trying to offer an enriched experience in both the classroom and campus life.” Van Dekker said in the email statement that when the University is determining which students receive financial aid and how much they will receive, they “look at all aspects of the students.” These aspects include “the data on both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and on the CSS Profile,” as well as “additional documentation and/or clarifications” that the University may request. “The student’s academic profile” and “prior academic performance in challenging high school programs” are also considered. In determining the amounts of financial aid students receive, “We first build a budget for the student including tuition and mandatory fees, then if the student is on campus, room and board,” Van Dekker said in the email statement. “We add allowances for books, transportation and other miscellaneous costs. Aid awarded looks at both the academics and the financial need of the student.” “From the budget we subtract family contributions using both the FAFSA and Profile formulas,”

ELIZABETH LANDRY /THE OBSERVER

According to Angela Van Dekker, associate vice president for student financial services, Fordham “tries its best to be equitable with all students.”

Van Dekker continued in the email statement. “If there is financial need after the Pell Grant and state grants students may receive need-based aid from our SEOG [Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant] allotment (for very high need students) or from money set aside in the budget for institutional aid.” “The institutional aid is a combination of scholarships and grants,” Van Dekker said. “All aid is basically a discount of tuition.” She added that scholarships “are offered to the top 8-10 percent of the admitted students,” and that financial need is considered when awarding scholarships. Regarding Fordham being the seventh most expensive university for low income students, Van Dekker said that “a private education is very expensive.” “The cost of maintaining the institution is very high,” Van Dekker said in the email statement. “We are located in New York City, which

is one of the most expensive areas. Every year there are more demands coming from numerous areas, including both federal and state governments. These requirements drive up our expenses.” Currently, Fordham’s tuition is $47,317, a figure that is likely to increase, as indicated by trends. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Fordham’s tuition has increased by 3.7 percent since the 2014-2015 academic year and by 12.5 percent since the 20122013 academic year. This tuition ranks the University as the 35th most expensive university in the country, according to the U.S. News and World Report. A few additional contributing factors to the high tuition rates that Van Dekker listed “offhand” in the email statement were “bringing in highly qualified instructors, the high cost requirements of the digital age, the cost to house students, the cost of utilities in our area [and] fi-

nancial aid to our students.” “Few [students] pay the total cost,” Van Dekker said in the email statement. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 89 percent of undergraduate students received grants or scholarships from the University in the 2013-2014 academic year, totalling $38,356,933 with an average amount of $22,262 awarded. Jalen Glenn, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’16 and author of the op-ed, “The Overlooked Socioeconomic Divide at Fordham,” said that the New America report is “disheartening.” “And it’s not just disheartening because it’s wrong, but because I’m not shocked by it,” Glenn continued, noting the absence of socio-economics in many of the University’s discussions on social justice and diversity. Other students interviewed, such as Kelty Lonergan and Demetrios Stratis, both FCLC ’19, echoed

Glenn’s sentiment, saying that they were “not surprised” by the study’s findings. “The Diversity Task Force has been gaining a lot of momentum recently, but I went to one of the [Community Meetings] and I asked, ‘Do you all have an economic component to it?’ And they said, ‘We don’t. We haven’t actually considered economics,’” Glenn said. “And I think that’s just largely reflective of how we don’t really have a straightforward way in this country to talk about or think about inequality.” “Too often it falls under race and class, like they’re interchangeable concepts, but they’re not, because that does two things: it obscures the fact that there are rich black people and obscures the fact that there are poor white people,” Glenn said. “It’s just very disheartening [and] it’s an unspoken issue in all social justice conversations currently on campus, because they too often privilege race at the expense of class.”

Fordham Admissions Adjusts to New SAT Students cannot combine their scores from the old exam with their scores from the new exam to create a Superscore By PARDEEP CATTRY Contributing Writer

For the newest cycle of applications, the Fordham Admissions department will be dealing with a unique challenge: a new SAT. As of March 5, the College Board will be administering the new version of the SAT in an effort to better reflect high school curricula. The new SAT, according to the College Board, is designed to more closely resemble the math and vocabulary high school students are learning in the classroom, and eliminates the score penalty for wrong answers. In addition, the College Board has launched the Khan Academy, a program that offers free test preparation to students. However, experts have said that the new reading passages are longer than they previously were and that the math questions—mostly word

“ Academic performance, rigor of

program and trend in grades are very important ... we try to make [Fordham admissions] a holistic application review.” –

problems—provide challenges that are disadvantageous to non-English speakers and other students who do not find math to be their strong suit. Fordham University’s Admissions Department has recently begun to adjust to the new SAT, but is waiting for data from the College Board before proceeding further. Data from this first administration of the new exam will not be sent by the College Board until early summer, according to Patricia Peek, Ph.D. and

PATRICIA PEEK , director of

undergraduate admission

director of undergraduate admission at Fordham. Until the Admissions Department receives the College Board data, which will include how strongly the new test correlates with what high school students learn in schools, it will not make widespread changes, Peek confirmed. Until then, Admissions will be accepting both the old and the new versions of the SAT, in addition to the ACT. “We will accept the best score of the new or old test,” Peek said.

The department will still superscore SAT exams, but the scores from the new test and the old test will not be combined. “We are treating them as two separate tests,” Peek said. This information is detailed in the Admissions section of Fordham University’s website. Regarding the concerns surrounding the changes to the SAT, Peek believes that the College Board is taking many steps in the right direction with the exam. The College Board is “emphasizing more relevant vocabulary and math, which aligns with what [students] are learning,” Peek said. Peek also considers the elimination of the penalty for guessing on the SAT’s multiple choice questions to be a strong decision that will benefit students, and finds the Khan Academy to be “positive.” Although SAT scores are found on approximately 81 percent of applications submitted by accepted

students at Fordham as of fall 2014, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, Peek said that the test is not the most important part of reviewing a prospective student’s transcript. The SAT helps the Admissions Department understand how students perform certain tasks, but “it is a holistic application review,” Peek said. The Admissions department looks more at a prospective student’s high school career to determine whether or not to give acceptance. “Academic performance, rigor of program and trend in grades are very important,” Peek said. The department also looks at prospective student’s SAT essay, if they submit it with their application, as well as their extra curricular activities. These different elements are reviewed in order to admit students who “are a good fit at Fordham,” according to Peek.

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THE OBSERVER April 7, 2016

News

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ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

Peter Vaughan, chair of the Diversity Task Force, speaks to an audience in Pope Auditorium.

Low Turnout Rates at Community Meetings By STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Co-Editor

An adjunct professor attributed being frequently mistaken as a student to being a person of color at one of the Diversity Task Force’s Community Meetings during the week of March 7, but few students were present to hear her story. The four meetings, two of which took place on the Lincoln Center campus on March 7 and 10, were held to provide information on the Diversity Task Force. Peter Vaughan, Ph.D., dean emeritus of the Graduate School of Social Service and chair of the Diversity Task Force, presided over these meetings. He and the other Task Force members present participated in discussions with the attendees and encouraged their feedback, so that their concerns could be included in the Task Force’s report to Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, and his cabinet. McShane appointed the Task Force to study the climate of the University, review and report on the programs already in place and develop recommendations for him and his cabinet on how to address issues of diversity and inclusion. At the meeting on March 10, attendees advocated for the incorporation of lessons and courses on diversity and inclusion into the University’s curricula. An adjunct professor drew attention to the lack of diversity amongst faculty. “I looked through the faculties of different departments, and I realized that there are no blacks, actually,” the adjunct said. “I mean, in many of them. In some of them, there’s not even the token one that many of them have. And the problem is that you have one and that’s it.” “The point is that we’re talking about teaching students, but what [does] this curricula [do] when the faculty does not reflect equity?” “From the day that I actually started to go here with my ID card,

[people] assumed that I was a student,” the adjunct continued, alleging the mistake was due to her being a person of color. “That really just [shows] the depth of the issue here.” Another faculty member of color present also said that she has been mistaken for a student. At the first meeting on March 7, the Task Force discussed eliminating hidden biases in curricula, presenting an unbiased history of Robert Moses and taking socio-economics, gender, sexuality and people with disabilities into account. One recurring issue during the

be meaningful—and I know you all do—how are you going to bridge that gap,” he continued. Hennessy claimed that this distrust was the reason for the meeting’s low attendance of approximately 15 students and less than 10 faculty. “I’m in the camp where I want to see us working together, but there’s way too much distrust between the students and the administration,” he continued. “We need to get over that first. We need to know are we really on the same side, or are some of us just talking the talk in order to get people to stop talking about it?”

“ In some [departments], there’s not even

the token [black professor] that many of them have. And the problem is that you have one and that’s it.” –

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, discussing faculty diversity

meeting was the perceived lack of trust between the student body and the administration. Chris Hennessy, a recent graduate of Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), said that this distrust has caused students to feel that “this task force and the work that’s being done around this on the administration’s part is really a sort of weak, band-aid answer to what’s going on, that maybe there’s not going to be that action that students are always fighting for.” “And like you said, that’s not the job of this group,” Hennessy continued, referring to a statement Vaughan had made about the Task Force being charged with compiling data and making suggestions, rather than implementing measures to address issues of diversity and inclusion themselves. “And so I just invite you to think about how you, if you want this to

in departments at Fordham

In response, Vaughan said that the lack of trust between students and administration was a “good piece of data,” and that a group of faculty came to the Task Force with the same concern. Vaughan said that as a result, the distrust between the students and the administration will be included in the data in the report presented to McShane and his cabinet. He also added that the compiled data will be distributed to all individuals and constituencies involved, and that McShane has “invited the [Task Force] to be public with what [they] do.” The meeting on March 10 continued the discussion of these issues with a focus on faculty diversity. Other individuals discussed microaggressions in the classroom and holding professors accountable for teaching lessons on racism. Between 50 and 60 people attended this meeting, but most were

faculty. Approximately five students attended. “I was really surprised by the fact that there were very few students there,” Shannon Constantine, FCLC ’19, said. “Considering the fact that I got multiple emails about it and they were advertising it quite a bit, I assumed that more students would be there.” Napoleon Canente, Jr., FCLC ’17 and member of the Task Force, said that although there were not many students in attendance, it was “nice to see a lot of administrators and faculty members who care about it.” During the meeting, Constantine suggested that a code of conduct should be implemented in response to the on-campus and off-campus bias incidents that have occurred this academic year. According to her, this code would ensure that students do not have “any excuses in saying they don’t know what is proper conduct in the University when interacting with people of different backgrounds and races.” She added that faculty would also adhere to this code of conduct. “I thought that students should be made more aware of the expectations [at] the University so that people find out that the University wants to combat prejudice from the moment they get to Fordham instead of once an incident happens,” Constantine said after the meeting. “I thought of it as a preventative measure.” Vaughan said that “of course there wasn’t the attendance that we had hoped for, but I think the attendees were engaged and they asked good questions.” “I think the comments for the most part were very appropriate and really inform our questioning as we meet with other groups,” he continued. According to Vaughan, the Community Meetings were advertised through emails to the Fordham community, signs posted around campus and through Task Force members individually reaching out to student leaders and professors with informa-

tion on the meetings. They also provided pizza at the March 10 meeting. The Task Force makes an appeal to “students and other members of the community to send us any comments or anything that they think will help us do a better job, anything that gives us information about the three points that Father McShane made when he appointed the Task Force,” Vaughan said, adding that their identities will be kept confidential. He also encouraged student groups to submit reports that they have compiled on issues of diversity and inclusion. “Our plan is to synthesize all the data and work very hard to accurately portray what people have told us and come up with recommendations that we think fit what we’ve heard and also step-by-step action plans,” Vaughan continued. “This isn’t to go to the president and the provost and ask, ‘Are we good? Are we bad?’” Dean of Students Keith Eldredge, a member of the Task Force, summarized the need for the Task Force in the University’s pursuit of being a more diverse and inclusive institution. “We’ve done some good work, but we need to do more work and we need to do it better,” Eldredge said. Constantine said, “I hope that the school has something like this again, where they put more of a focus on the students,” Constantine said. The Task Force will also be meeting with students in the graduate schools and the Professional and Continuing Studies department. According to Vaughan, the Task Force has divided itself into nine groups in order to meet with as many groups as possible. They will be meeting with “deans, the vice presidents and their staffs, with other units who provide support to students and faculty across the University, including the CUSP [Continuous University Strategic Planning] group.” Additional reporting by Connor Mannion, News Editor.

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April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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LC Mock Trial Team Advances to Nationals By REESE RAVNER Asst. News Co-Editor

Fordham Lincoln Center mock trial “B” team will compete at the 32nd American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament the weekend of April 15 to 17 at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. Alex Gottfried, head coach of the “B” mock trial team and a third-year law student at Columbia University, attributed the team’s success to their endless dedication. “[The team] went above and beyond anything they needed to do—extra practices, extra tournaments, extra scrimmages where they got up at 6 a.m. to travel to New Haven to compete against Yale,” Gottfried said. FCLC has two mock trial teams, an “A” team and a “B” team. According to Gottfried, schools, FCLC included, generally try to “stack” their “A” team with their most skilled members, though they compete in the same league. “B stands for better,” Neilab Rahimzada, FCLC ’16 and team captain of the “B” team, joked. There has been slight controversy surrounding the team’s participation in the National Championship, as two members of the “A” team will be taking the spots from two freshmen on the “B” team to compete. Gottfried explained that one team member is being brought back to the “B” team after he was moved to the “A” team this semester. This person competed in four out of six tournaments with the “B” team. “It feels like a reunion. We always thought that if we made it, he would [come] with us,”Gottfried said. The other member being moved from “A” to “B” is a senior, and Gottfried explained that seniority, skill and experience were components of the decision. Gottfried further exemplified the team’s dedication with the tale of the team’s journey to a tournament this past January on the weekend of “the Snowpocalypse,” the record-breaking snowstorm that immobilized New Yorkers. “That’s part of the reason why they made it—not every team will do that. Not every team will go the extra

COURTESY OF NEILAB RAHIMZADA

Fordham Mock Trial will be attending the National Championship at Furman University in South Carolina.

mile,” Gottfried said. Gottfried, who coached the “B” team for two years and competed in mock trial in high school and college for a total of eight years, also praised the team’s “natural intelligence [and] their ability to withstand the pressure.” “They’re very good on their feet,” Gottfried said. “If you knock them off their script, they can still make a good argument.” He added that their collective good character and synergy helped them work cohesively. Rahimzada was ecstatic when she found out the team was advancing. “Throughout the week, I found myself randomly smiling,” Rahimzada said. Sandra Jovic, FCLC ’18, said, “I just remember, after the first round,

there was nothing more I wanted than to win. You just get so invested that weekend, so when we made it, I was happier than I thought I was going to be.” Rahimzada added, “Once you’re in the heat of the competition, it’s much more real. All the effort you put into it really comes to fruition, and I think people find that really empowering, and that makes us even more competitive.” “I think it was one of the happiest moments our team experienced together,” Jovic said. To qualify for the National Championship Tournament, the team had to advance through three levels of competition. Though the team began practicing the first week of school in September, the Regional Tourna-

ments—at which any team from any undergraduate university is welcome to participate in—began in February. The National Championship Tournament consists of two divisions, the Larry D. Estridge Division and the Kirkland & Ellis Division. After four rounds of competition with three ballots in each round, the winners of each division, those with the best record out of 12, compete in the final round. Furman University, the host school of the tournament, “pulled out all the stops this year,” Gottfried said. “They built a courtroom for the specific purpose of hosting this tournament.” Furman has also enlisted 15 judges for the final round, according to Gottfried. He also anticipates a

surprise appearance from a Supreme Court Justice, as Justice Elena Kagan came to a tournament his senior year of college and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was present at a previous tournament hosted by Furman. The team had been practicing and performing the same case all year. For the National Championship, they have been assigned a murder case and have much less time to prepare with the new material. Gottfried said, “The weakness in our preparation is just going to be the lack of time, because we had threeand-a-half weeks total from the time of our last tournament, and the first week of that was spring break. So I think that’s what we’re going to have to overcome. We’re practicing a lot to try to compensate for that.”

Registration Software Update Implemented By REESE RAVNER Asst. News Co-Editor

Students may have noticed the new look of the registration portal on the my.fordham.edu website. The Office of Academic Records (OAR) has launched an updated system for searching and adding and dropping classes that aims to improve the efficiency of the registration process in upcoming semesters, according to Gene Fein, Ph.D., assistant vice president for academic records and services and chair of the academic records committee. The update’s implementation was a result of the collaborative effort between the OAR, Fordham Information Technology (IT) and the deans’ offices, all of which are represented in the Academic Records Committee. The update is the newest version of software from Banner, a company that provides software for various administrative, student information systems and registration portals, which Fordham has been using since 2009. The new system includes several new features, such as a “Plan Ahead” function that allows students to prepare different schedules and visualize them before registering. With this feature, Fein explained, students can add as many courses as they wish. Come registration, they can simply register

right off of their plan, adding all of the courses at once or individually. According to Fein, this eliminates the stress of punching in course registration numbers (CRNs), as well as the often inevitable scrambling to replace closed courses the morning of registration.

Fein said. “That ended about a year ago.” According to Fein, the upgraded system was piloted this past fall by the OAR during registration for the current (spring 2016) semester. Roughly a thousand students, chosen from each of the University’s

“ There are all kinds of neat little tricks

that are supposed to come out of this. They’re just not up and active, which as a non-tech guy, I could be frustrated about.” –

Fein said that the Plan Ahead feature is still developing, and there may be glitches to work out. He noted that the OAR was reaching out to Banner to “improve the process before students register.” This version of the software is the newest available, and Banner has been beta testing it at various institutions over the past few years. At Fordham, faculty have been using the newest grading software for about a year, which came out first, according to Fein. “We were waiting until all the beta testing from the other universities around the country finished,”

JOSEPH DESCIAK , assistant dean

for freshmen at FCLC

colleges at all three campuses, used the new software to register.“It went off without a hitch,” Fein said. “We did not receive any complaints.” Joseph Desciak, assistant dean for freshmen at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), noted that making the system fairer— stronger, less likely to crash, more efficient, more accessible to all students regardless of location—was a top priority. “There are all kinds of neat little tricks that are supposed to come out of this—they’re just not up and active yet, which, as a non-tech guy, I could be frustrated about,” Desciak

said. Among these pending “neat little tricks” are the Plan Ahead feature and a wait list mechanism. “If there’s a closed class, you could just put your name on the list and then when somebody drops out, you fill right in,” Desciak said. This feature is not yet available. A feature that has yet to be successfully implemented is the ability to view the syllabus of a course before registration. Desciak said, “That’s tricky because with some classes, we know that there’s a section, but we’re not quite sure who’s going to be teaching it.” He still believes the feature will be implemented at some point, just not quite yet. Desciak advises all students to familiarize themselves with the new system prior to registration, as it differs from the previous one considerably. “I think it’s fairly user-friendly, but it takes a minute to orient [oneself].” He also advises students not to panic, to make sure they are prepared with backup schedules and to register as soon as their times open. “Nothing is actually written in stone, but it’s important to be timely as well as to have multiple schedules,” he said. Desciak has high hopes for the software. “There will be things to iron out as this registration period unfolds, but I still say this is a step in the right direction,” he said.

Fein advises students to look at the instructions about the updated software—which can be found in both PDF and PowerPoint form above the link to the registration portal on my.fordham.edu—before registration and to reach out to Fordham’s IT Customer Care or email the OAR for help at acadrecords@fordham.edu. He also encourages students to email the OAR their feedback regarding the new software to the OAR. “Fordham is one of the first universities in the country that is fully implementing [the new software], outside of the beta testing schools, so we’re ahead of the curve on that,” Fein said. The Observer conducted a poll to gauge how Fordham students feel about the new system. Results showed that the majority of respondents find that the software update is easier to read, easier to use for class searches and an overall improvement for the system. Lydia Benner, FCLC ’19, said, “I’m not really sure why we got the new system, but I hope it will be a faster registration process when we sign up for classes. The old system froze up so much and it was really frustrating when you and hundreds of other classmates were trying to get into the class you wanted.” “With time and experience I believe that we will get used to the new system,” Demetrios Stratis, FCLC ’19, said.

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THE OBSERVER April 7, 2016

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New Policies Ban Smoking at LC Entrances By BEN MOORE Managing/Online Editor

Over spring break, the Department of Facilities Operations banned smoking within 50 feet of all building entrances on the Fordham Lincoln Center campus. This policy applies to all street-level and plaza-level entrances to Lowenstein, McMahon, McKeon and Martino Halls. There are red signs posted in the windows of all these locations to inform students, faculty and staff of this new rule. Leslie Timoney, associate director of campus operations, clarified the new policy and its intent. “This has everyone stepping away from the entrances and at least making the entrances smoke-free,” while still “leav[ing] an outdoor area for smokers,” Timoney said. “Our motivation was more in keeping the entrances smokefree, so that you could simply pass through the building without passing through smokers.” She said that there are no formal repercussions for violating this new policy, but does not foresee frequent violations. “If you are in the Fordham community, you’re pretty much supportive of your colleagues and fellow students,” she noted. She explained that the urns have also been relocated to encourage this behavior. “There’s one now closer to the street at the Lowenstein front entrance, and out on the plaza they’re more towards the center,” she said. “I think smokers know to throw out the cigarette butt in the smoking urn, rather than the garbage cans,” she added, believing smokers will gravitate toward these newly-relocated urns. Timoney also mentioned that

JESSE CARLUCCI /THE OBSERVER

Smokers at Fordham Lincoln Center now have to move further from the doors on the Outdoor Plaza.

students can report high areas of smoke activity to nearby guards. She confirmed that all members of the Public Safety department are aware of this new change. While other schools across the city including New York University,

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Barnard College and the CUNY system have banned smoking completely on their campuses according to the Americans for Non-Smoker Rights (ANR) website, Timoney said that there are no plans to completely ban smoking on campus at this

point. There is currently an independent and student-initiated petition to ban smoking on the Robert Moses Plaza. Shannon Constantine, FCLC ‘19, who started the change.org petition, said that she was surprised that

smoking was allowed everywhere on campus. She “expected that it would have at least one major smoke-free space.” On the recent policy change, Constantine stated that the University could go even further with this initiative, depending on the students’ responses to the idea of designating the plaza as an entirely smoke-free area. “It’s not something I think I should force on the student body, if they don’t want it,” she said. If it does garner enough student support, Constantine said she would like to take this petition to the administration, which currently has 50 signatures, half of its total goal of 100 signatures. “The Plaza is a public space where other people who aren’t a part of the Fordham community come to visit,” Constantine added. According to the official site of NYC Parks and Recreation, smoking is prohibited in “all New York City parks and pedestrian plazas.” While “New Yorkers themselves” should enforce this rule violators can be reported to Park Department employees or Park Enforcement Officers. This rule does not apply to the Robert Moses Plaza, as it is not a public park or area. Timoney clarified that the plaza is officially “a private area, open to the public.” Timoney indicated that there would not be further announcements of the policy change other than the signs already posted. “We haven’t really seen any kind of backlash,” Timoney said. She cited the warm weather as a possible reason and hopes that everyone will be used to the policy when it gets colder.

Opinions

Tyler Burdick — Opinions Co-Editor tburdick1@fordham.edu Areeg Abdelhamid — Opinions Co-Editor aabdelhamid1@fordham.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

A

lower economic brackets. A report by U.S. News noted “lower wealth, lower health, lower parental education levels, more dealings with the justice system and other circumstances create a perfect

“Fordham must not allow itself to perpetuate issues of economic inequality by way of unfair admissions...” storm that leaves blacks [and other minorities] without the same educational opportunities as whites.” As a Jesuit institution that regularly promotes social justice, Fordham must not allow itself to perpetuate issues of economic inequality by way of unfair admissions and financial aid practices. To fulfill our identity as a Jesuit institution, we should be setting an example for other universities on how to address issues of social justice. We note that this issue

Observer the

STUDENTS DISADVANTAGED BY FINANCIAL AID BIAS report published by New America, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington D.C., found that hundreds of universities across the country offer larger financial aid packages to students of high income families in order to attract more affluent students and fewer low income students. We are disheartened that Fordham is among them. The report implies that high income families are likely to “stretch their finances” in order to afford the high costs, while low income families cannot. According to the report, “It’s more profitable for schools to provide five ‘merit’ scholarships of $5,000 each to entice affluent students who will be able to pay the balance— even if they have less than stellar grades—than it is to provide a single $25,000 grant to a high-achieving low income student.” According to the study, Fordham offers Pell Grants to 20 percent of its student population and has a net tuition price tag (the amount families pay after all financial aid awards) of $24,556, which cannot be easily paid by students of

April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

persists at other Catholicaffiliated universities. As reported by The Atlantic, “At Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C…the school’s poorest students pay over $31,000 a year in tuition, even after discounts from scholarships.” Limiting the funds that we provide to our lowest income students in order to attract high income students is not only a disservice to them but to ourselves. Restricting their chances of attending Fordham due to issues of affordability deprives Fordham of a more diverse community. At a time when the University is taking steps to address issues of diversity and inclusion on campus, the University should also take action to ensure that low income students are given the resources they need to attend Fordham and be active members of the community. A more diverse Fordham begins with an admissions and financial aid process that allows students of varying economic backgrounds to attend and participate fully as members of the University’s community.

Editor-in-Chief Adriana Gallina Managing Editor Ben Moore News Editors Connor Mannion Asst. News Co-Editor Stephan Kozub Reese Ravner Cecile Neidig Opinions Co-Editors Tyler Burdick Areeg Abdelhamid Asst. Opinions Editor John McCullough Arts & Culture Co-Editors Rachel Jarvis Ana Fota Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editors Elena Ciotta Morgan Steward Features Co-Editors Alanna Kilkeary Hansini Weedagama Alysha Kundamal Literary Co-Editors Jessica Vitovitch Erika Ortiz Asst. Literary Co-Editors Kay D’Angelo Connor Mannion Sports Editor Matthew McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor Mohdshobair Hussaini Copy Editors Brianna Goodman Kaitlyn Lyngaas Tyler Burdick Erika Ortiz Layout Editor Elodie Huston Asst. Layout Co-Editors Sabrina Jen Katie Maurer Multimedia Producer Jesse Carlucci Photo Co-Editors Jessica Hanley Jess Luszczyk Hana Keiningham Asst. Photo Editor Andronika Zimmerman Online Editor Ben Moore Business Manager Victoria Leon

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Opinions

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Voters are Victims: Stop Blaming Them By JALEN GLENN Staff Writer

This current election cycle is one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. A socialist? A real estate mogul? Not a single Bush family member left standing? This sounds more like the cast of a failed TV sitcom than a pool of potential American presidential candidates. However, this is not the work of some TV writer/producer, but rather, the American people. But specifically which strata of the American people? Many argue that the cause of this election season’s unpredictability can be attributed to low voter turnout. In other words, “[insert candidate’s name here] keeps winning because you all do not get out and vote.” Many of my friends chastise not only other friends, but America at large for failing to follow what they see as a citizen’s civic duty. People in turn criticize these nonvoters for having their priorities mixed up because they stand in line for Jordan sneakers, but cannot make the time to fulfill their democratic responsibility. Such rhetoric, however, is a form of victim blaming that needs to be put to rest immediately. Part of the assumption that informs that aforementioned rhetoric is the notion that all Americans vote, and access voting equally. Anyone who follows the implementation, or the attempted implementation of voter ID laws knows this is not the case. Simultaneously, though, another important fact contributes to perpetuating this inequality in voting: not every state requires employers to provide voters with ample time to exercise their civic duty. A consequence of the absence of this universal standard is that those who cannot take off work struggle to have their voice heard in the public discourse. A large portion of these individuals, as you might correctly assume, are of the working-class and working-poor. For example, political scientists Adam Bonica,

ANDIE ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

When abhorrent candidates gain traction in primary elections, poor voter turnout is often blamed.

Nolan McCarty, Keith T. Poole and Howard Rosenthal found that “fewer than half the households with incomes under $15,000 reported voting in the presidential election of 2008,” while “over four-fifths of those with incomes over $150,000 reported voting.” Thus, if the former

group does not participate in the political process equally, it would follow that their interests would be placed at the bottom of any candidate’s priorities. Indeed, the shift of the Democratic Party away from “general social welfare to policies that target ascriptive identities of

race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation,” as identified by Bonica, McCarty, Poole and Rosenthal, is a byproduct of this phenomenon. Therefore, when my friends employ the rhetoric mentioned above, they are in effect blaming the victims of a system that does not value every

individual equally. At the same time, when people argue that the public has their priorities mixed up (i.e Jordan sneakers over voting), they fail to take into account a crucial detail: Jordan sneakers are released on weekends, generally Saturdays, while voting occurs on weekdays. This is an important fact to bear in mind, because it helps to bring two points into relief: first, that we cannot precisely gauge the public’s “priorities” using the simple dichotomy of Jordan sneakers vs. voting; and second, and more importantly, it reveals that the United States’ political system in its current form does not seek to maximize constituent mobilization as Jordan Brand does for customer mobilization. To help transform the former in order to have it mirror the latter—and I must admit that it is disheartening that a corporation does a better job than the U.S. government in incentivizing people—we need to accord voting days with the significance they deserve. One way of achieving this is to expand policies that require employers to provide voters with ample time to vote, a measure that many, but not all, states have adopted; according to findlaw. com, 19 states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, do not have laws in place that require employers to allow employees to have time off to vote. In addition, public transportation should be free on voting days so that the working-class and workingpoor are not faced with having to decide between paying a transportation fee in order to vote, and having enough food on the table when they return home. I am calling on you all to cease such rhetoric, and use your privileges more productively than spewing half-developed criticisms of your peers on social media. In addition, we must all use our intellectual capabilities more effectively in order to discern how we can make voting in our country a more just and fair practice, not just for those of the middle to upper-class, but those of every single social class in this country.

Save Room On Stage for Third Party Candidates By TYLER BURDICK Opinions Co-Editor

Those of our generation, often colloquially dubbed “millennials,” frequently characterize the race for president of the United States of America as an ongoing debate between two, and only two, candidates from parties of opposite ideologies. They will not remember the 1992 presidential debate, either because we were not born or were far too young to concern ourselves with such matters, where there were three figures standing atop the debate stage. These candidates were Republican incumbent George H.W. Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton and Independent Ross Perot. But to some, 1992 holds an even greater significance—it was the last year that a presidential candidate who identified as “independent” was able to debate with the Republican and Democratic nominees. To them, the system that excludes third-party candidates from the debate stage is robbing voters of potentially rich platforms and perpetuating a false idea that only two participants can be allowed on the national debate stage in order to “prevent confusion.” In this regard, the critics have a right to raise their eyebrows. Today, the common practice is to widely televise the debates between the Republican and Democratic nominees without any other potential candidates present on the debate

MARTIN NUNEZ-BONILLA /THE OBSERVER

Third party candidates are largely ignored on America’s debate stage.

stage. Anyone who doesn’t identify under the Republican or Democratic umbrella is labeled a “third party,” and those candidates are set aside for their own type of debate. If you are lucky, you may find a network or two, local or otherwise, that cover the debate, but they certainly are not covered nearly as widely as the debate between the Republican and Democratic nominees. It is in the Third Party Debates that you will find representatives of parties such as the Libertarian Party, the Constitution Party, the Populist Party and the Green Party. But those that choose to run under a third-party flag are never treated with the appropriate respect.

In the 1992 election, the Bush campaign, bleeding heavily from Bush’s first term due to his failure to accurately deliver on his promise of “no new taxes,” encouraged Perot’s candidacy because they believed it would even out the amount of supporters between the Bush and Clinton campaigns. When Bush inevitably lost, it was common rhetoric to blame Perot for siphoning voters away from the Bush campaign due to having too similar a platform. Today, Perot identifies with the Republican Party and has endorsed its candidates. Returning to the present, we can see that the campaign of Bernie Sanders is perhaps a perfect indictment of the idea that third-party candi-

dates are nothing more than leeches. Stepping away from the discussion of whether or not Sanders would be effective as a president or if his ideas have any merit, we instead must look closely at the fact that Sanders has, at the very least, proven himself a political threat to Hillary Clinton. Sanders has identified himself as a “Democratic Socialist,” a radical position for a presidential candidate to take in recent years, and has stated that he is only running on the Democratic Party’s ticket because he knows he would not be able to get the nation’s attention running as an independent. The fact that he is today the only other candidate aside from Clinton running for the Democrats’ nomination shows not only that he was right, but that his radical ideas that lean more toward America’s lesser-known parties have a sizable support base that must be acknowledged. The problem is that our practice of media coverage, and indeed the very way we even talk about presidential elections, is what fosters the idea that only two political parties are even worth our time as voters. We don’t talk about what the Libertarians or Greens are up to, or even acknowledge what it is they are fighting for. But the myth that third parties would never attract any kind of sizable following in our current two-party system is an absolute fallacy. According to a Gallup poll conducted in January of this year, 43 percent of voters identify as “politically independent.” Compare this to the 30 percent of voters that identify as Democrat

and the 26 percent that identify as Republican, and it is clear that the largest group in America consists of those that would prefer not to consistently vote along any party line, and it is this group that Republicans and Democrats fight to turn to their side by the time November rolls around. But today, the word “independent” is only taken to mean someone who could either vote red or blue, yet the presumption is still that they must choose one or the other. Yet the argument that having too many candidates on the national televised debate stage has merit as well. We simply cannot have 10, 20 or even 30 candidates up on the national debate stage all at once, and we absolutely cannot allow the more austere organizations such as the “Rent is Too Damn High Party” or the American Nazi Party. What we need to do is lower the restrictions placed upon our debates that exclude third-party candidates from entering. At the very least, the third parties with the largest support bases, such as the Libertarians and Greens, should have an ample shot at getting their candidates into the limelight. If we absolutely must segregate presidential candidates during debate time, then we need to make sure the third-party debates get just as much media coverage. We need to change our way of thinking so that we are not closed off to the possibility of a third-party president taking office, and only then can people like Bernie Sanders stop pretending to support parties they don’t agree with.

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Photo Feature

April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Written in Ink: Students’ Stories Behind Their Tattoos JESS LUSZCZYK/THE OBSERVER

“It represents, ‘when you’re walking down a dark road at night the moon is always there for you.’ It makes me really happy because it’s just another reminder that the moon is always there and it’s you know, there are things bigger than us, it and everything from day-to-day isn’t definitive at all. So I just, I really liked that.” Cullen Ogden, FCLC ‘19

By SAYA UOTANI Multimedia Contributor

The Observer interviewed five Fordham Lincoln Center students about the history of their ink. Visit FordhamObserver.com to listen to their full stories.

look at it now it just makes me happy because my grandma is one of the most important people in my life. Just knowing that she’s part of me forever is a really nice feeling.”

Jocelyn Daly, FCLC ’16 (featured middle right): “When I got my first Cullen Ogden, FCLC tattoo I was 18. I pretIt’s just a nice re‘19: (featured at top): ty much got it to keep a “I got my first tattoo about reminder to make myminder of who she five months after I turned self great everyday, or as 18. I’m always the kind of close as possible to great. was, what she means person who writes notes I really never want to get on myself and my hands to me, what she still is complacent. I never want and stuff like that, so it was to be okay with just getand all that she’s done kind of like a long-term one ting by. I’ve always wantof those. They don’t have to ed to have in my head in my life, even though mean the world. You know, that constant reminder I’m really happy that my ‘okay this is one day. You she has passed. first one was kind of big, don’t have tomorrow, so and it means so much. make today count.’ I’m KATHLEEN STANOVICK , At the same time, when happy I got it. It’s beauFCLC ’18 I got it done I just kind tiful; I love looking at of thought the moon was it. It’s perfect for me to cool; my parents thought have something tangible it looked like a pizza.” to look at everyday that expresses the way I feel Michelle Lau, FCLC ’19 (featured top right): about my determination and my everyday suc“I was 16 when I got my first tattoo. I got my cess.” grandma to write ‘I love you’ in Chinese. When I

“

HANA KEININGHAM/THE OBSERVER

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ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN/THE OBSERVER

Kathleen Stanovick, FCLC ’18 (featured direct right): “I was 18 when I got this tattoo done. It commemorates my mom who died of breast cancer. It’s her handwriting from a card that she wrote to me. I just wanted some way to feel like I always had her with me no matter what. I honestly forget I have it a lot of times, which is funny. I’ll find myself rubbing my fingers on it. It’s just a nice reminder of who she was, what she means to me, what she still is and all that she’s done in my life, even though she has passed. What’s funny about it is that my dad hates tattoos. I was really nervous to get this tattoo and show him. My brother and I, we were both ecstatic that we got it. I mean it was wonderful—it felt really good to have this piece of her. I was so scared to tell my dad when I got home. I didn’t tell him and I tried to keep hiding it, but you have this tape over it and everything so he was like ‘well what’s that?’ I said ‘well Nick and I got tattoos!’ And he was like ‘oh, I can’t be mad. It’s for your mom’, and blah blah. I really was happy when [I got it].”

ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER April 7, 2016

Photo Feature

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Arts & Culture

Rachel Jarvis–Arts & Culture Co-Editor rjarvis2@fordham.edu Ana Fota–Arts & Culture Co-Editor afota@fordham.edu April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Fordham Lincoln Center’s Guide to the Tribeca Film Festival By RACHEL JARVIS Arts & Culture Editor

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of 9/11, the Tribeca Film Festival is New York City’s most popular film event of the year. Every spring, world-renowned and up-and-coming directors, producers, screenwriters and actors convene in the Triangle Below Canal Street to celebrate, analyze and explore cinema. This year, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) offers a simple guide to getting a front row seat. From April 13-24, Regal Cinemas Battery Park Stadium 11 (RGL11), Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 9 (BTC9), SVA Theatre (SVA), BMCC Tribeca PAC (BMCC), Spring Studios, New York Academy of Art, Tribeca Film Center (TFC) and MoMA PS1 will host 77 world premieres, 42 directorial debuts, 40 panel discussions and 23 virtual reality exhibits, reffered to as “Storyscapes.” Festival passes range from $550$1,250 offering access to special screenings, parties and galas, panels and other events. An enticing offer if it’s in your budget, but for the frugal college spender and film enthusiast, $500 tickets may be out of your price range. Luckily, there’s a more affordable way to attend the festival by purchasing individual tickets to each screening and event.

SCREENINGS $10-$20

Eveninging/Weekend: $20 after 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday What To See: “The Ticket,” entered in the US Narrative Competition, stars Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”), Malin Akerman (“Couples Retreat”), Oliver Platt (“Chicago Fire”) and Kerry Bishe (“Halt and Catch Fire”), and is directed by Ido Fluk. Fluk’s first American film, “The Ticket,” tells the story of a blind man who regains his sight only to be blinded by the materialism of the world. (April 16, 8:30 p.m. at SVA2, April 18, 9 p.m. at BTC7 and April 23, 6 p.m. at BTC7) Matinee: $10 before 6 p.m. Monday to Friday What To See: “Starring Austin Pendleton,” co-produced by Christina Bennett Lind, FCLC ‘05. “Starring Austin Pendleton,” entered in the documentary short competition, follows Austin Pendleton as he recounts his career as an actor, playwright and director and explores his artistic reach as the “quintessential

SOFIA ALVAREZ/ THE OBSERVER

The festival runs from April 13 -24 and will feature movies, TV shows and various panels.

character” via interviews with the numerous artists he’s worked with through the years on what it means to be original. The April 21 screening at SVA Theater 2 Beatrice will be followed by a talk-back with Pendleton and friends including Denis O’Hare (“American Horror Story”), Olympia Dukakis (“Moonstruck”) and directors David H. Holmes and Gene Gallerano. (April 21, 2:30 p.m. at SVA2, April 21, 2:45 p.m. at RGL10-11 and April 23, 3:30 p.m. at BTC6)

TRIBECA TALKS- $40

Join in conversation with directors, producers and actors on various topics ranging from auteurism with Baz Luhrmann and Nelson George to songwriting with Idina Menzel. What To Attend: Daring

Women Summit, for women in the entertainment industry and those who support them, is powered by TheLi.st and lauds the cinematic arts’ creative female minds. Speakers include Samantha Bee (“Full Frontal”), fashion designer Donna Karan, actress and producer Olivia Wilde and Google Entertainment Industry Educator in Chief Julie Ann Crommett, among others. (April 20, 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Hub)

TRIBECA TUNE IN- $30

It isn’t all about movies at this film festival; television gets some screen time too. What To See: Sneak peaks of season finales and premieres include Comedy Central’s Season 3 finale of “Broad City,” with appearances by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson

(April 17, 4:20 p.m. at Hub), Netflix’s Season 2 premiere of “Grace and Frankie” and conversation with stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin (April 14, 5 p.m. at SVA1) and AMC’s “The Night Manager” with a conversation with Tom Hiddleston and director Susanne Bier (April 15, 3:30 p.m. at SVA1).

STORYSCAPES/HACKED$40

Presented by AT&T and sponsored by the New York Times, “Storyscapes” celebrates the groundbreaking advancements of modern storytelling that utilizes cutting edge technology to bring cinema to life. What To Experience: “Network Effect,” created by Jonathan Harris and Gregor Hochmuth, is not a movie, but a virtual real-

ity based “unnerving experience” of the subtle and not-so-subtle psychological effects of the internet and world wide web on humankind. Comprised of countless tweets, lists, video clips and spoken sentences— viewers are subjected to the overlystimulated ramifications of the internet on their daily lives–can you handle the effects of internet? (April 14, 12 p.m., Hub) To experience this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, tickets can be purchased in person at Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas 9, the primary ticket outlet, online or via the Tribeca Film Festival call center 646-5025296. Rush tickets are offered for most screenings and events pending availability. Limit one rush ticket per person. For more information, visit tribecafilm.com.

“The Scream” Returns to New York City By MORGAN STEWARD Asst. Arts & Culture Editor

As final exams and graduation briskly approach, students all over Fordham College Lincoln Center are panicking—rapidly trying to study for finals, finalize summer plans and figure out their living situations for the fall. While the default reaction for many is to break down and scream away their frustrations, the Neue Galerie is offering a different solution this spring—viewing someone else’s despair. Temporarily, stressed students or art enthusiasts can view Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” in which a figure is permanently in a state of existential dread. For a limited time only, the Neue Galerie is housing the painting as a part of its “Munich and Expressionism” exhibit. Curated by expressionist scholar Jill Lloyd, Ph.D., in partnership with The Munch Museum of Oslo, Norway, the exhibition focuses on Munch’s influence

over other German and Austrian artists, as well as their influence on him. These artists, which include German artists Max Beckmann and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Austrian artists Richard Gerstl and Egon Schiele, all explore similar dark themes to Munch, including human vulnerability, sin and alienation. Comprised of more than 80 pieces of artwork from both private and public collections worldwide, the exhibition is divided thematically across four rooms. The theme of each of the rooms differs dramatically, with one being devoted to a battle of the sexes, while another focuses on the explorative nature of adolescence. “The Scream” is the most wellknown piece of art by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. Not as well-known about the painting is that it is part of a series of four art pieces—either composed with paint or pastel mediums—created by Munch between 1893 and 1910. Collectively, all four artworks are

titled “The Scream;” each does not have an individual title, but is slightly different than the others in the collection. Previously in a private collection, this is only the second time this version of “The Scream” has ever been displayed publicly in New York City. Briefly, it was the most expensive piece of art ever to be purchased at an auction—it sold for a whopping $120 million dollars in 2012. That same year, the Museum of Modern Art was leant the piece to display for a short time before the new anonymous owner reclaimed it for his personal possession. Now, after a little traveling, the piece is on display in the city again. Located right past the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Avenue between 85th and 86th street, the new exhibit will be open until June 13. The museum is free to visit between 6 -8 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, otherwise it has a fixed price of $10 for students.

COURTESY OF JOHANNES ORTNER VIA TNS

The Neue Galerie is located on 5th Ave between 85th and 86th street.

Features

Features Editors Alanna Kilkeary—alannamartine@gmail.com Alysha Kundanmal— akundanmal@fordham.edu Hansi Weedagama — hweedagama@fordham.edu April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Haley Elisabeth Richardson is #HER Haley talks Youtube, feminism and the real reason why she does comedy

Haley has received. While she admits that her audience is still a bit small by YouTube standards, a community that size has allowed her to bond with the viewers that felt a

back, because of course we can be friends, that’s great!” she says of from a frustration most underone of her subscribers. “My friends grads have experienced: the persishave also been really supportive. It’s tent, “why aren’t you dating anybeen a really great experience.” one?” question. So if you “People are watch Haley’s always like, ‘Why I think that feminism is something that a lot videos and feel don’t you date? that instant How can you not of people don’t understand fully. And I think that friend connecdate?’ I am doing comedy is powerful in that you can teach some- tion, don’t be so much more freaked out: cool stuff with my one about something in a way that they don’t that’s what life!” Haley said. she’s going for. even realize they’re learning. “You should be “I watch peoasking me about ple who make – HALEY RICHARDSON, FCLC ‘17 me laugh, and what I’m learning in my classes, it makes me about my internfeel better, and ship, my YouTube channel, being a real kinship with her. She does her I want to be that person for other [resident advisor] … I had to make best to respond to most comments people.” Haley says. “I think that a video because I’m sure I’m not the on her videos, and has even formed life is difficult sometimes ... but I only one being asked these things.” some real connections. “I had a girl want to be that once-a-week friend The truth of that statement is named Kira follow me on Snapchat [on YouTube] who is there to make obvious in the positive feedback and Instagram, and I followed her you laugh.” HALEY FROM PAGE 1

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ALL PHOTOS BY AVERY BART AND CREATIVE DIRECTION BY ALANNA MARTINE KILKEARY /THE OBSERVER

“I talk about feminism, but I try not to make it too gendered – otherwise, you’ll hit a point where you start to lose people. Life is what’s really universal; finding humor in an interaction you had or something you noticed on the street.” - Haley Richardson, FCLC ‘17

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April 7, 2016

Features

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Chill Out! Five Ice Cream Spots You Need to Try in NYC By KATHLEEN-MAE RAMAS

As the harsh winter winds start to die down and make room for the springtime sun, that can only mean one thing: ice cream. (Or at least, that it’s now socially acceptable to have ice cream.) But sometimes when the spring and summer months roll around, we can fall in a rut with our humdrum Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queens of the neighborhood. But don’t stress, because we’ve got you covered. We’ve gathered a list of five of the most uniquely delicious ice cream spots that are sure to keep your summer chill.

POPBAR-HANDCRAFTED GELATO AND A STICK

AMPLE HILLS CREAMERY

10BELOW ICE CREAM

BIG GAY ICE CREAM

MORGENSTERN’S FINEST ICE CREAM

5 Carmine St.

600 11th Ave.

10 Mott St.

61 Grove St. || 125 E 7th St.

2 Rivington St.

A classic favorite in the West Village that you might have been taken to during your Freshman year excursion, their sights are set on gelato done right, with a twist. Nothing screams neoclassic like frozen handcrafted gelato on a stick. Choose from numerous tasty flavors, and then swing it any way you want – dipped in chocolate, covered in peanuts, sprinkled with coconut flakes or all of the above. And don’t worry, they also carry sorbetto, so if you’re into the fresher flavors (I highly recommend the mango), they’ve got you covered.

Situated only a stone’s throw away in Hell’s Kitchen’s Gotham West Market– which is far enough away to feel like you’ve stepped outside at least once this semester – you can set your sights here for a whole afternoon’s worth of meal time. Dedicated to handcrafting their ice cream the old-fashioned way, satisfaction is guaranteed with their combination of smooth consistency and unique flavors (The Munchies is the ultimate comfort cone: pretzelinfused ice cream with clusters of Ritz crackers, potato chips, pretzels and mini M&Ms).

With a line that takes up space in the entire store and runs around the corner of the block, it’s no wonder that 10Below Ice Cream is a huge commodity in the city. Located in the heart of Chinatown, the simple and delicious flavors aren’t the only thing that make this place a fan favorite, after all, it’s the method to their madness that makes them so popular. Using cold plates that cool down to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, they freeze fresh liquid ice cream and then scrape it up into swirled and floral designs, right into your cup.

Another staple in the West Village, everyone that knows anything knows about the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop. With a focus on everything chocolatey and sweet, they serve up their ice cream just right (aka customizable to your liking). Whether you want something covered in chocolate, dipped in peanuts and caramel, or plain and simple, they serve it up sweet with a smile. If you’re a fan of salty and sweet mixed together like me, try American Globs, because nothing tastes better than chocolate, pretzels and caramel all in one.

Housed on the Lower East Side, this was the farthest trek into the concrete wilderness I took– but I don’t regret it for a second. I you’re looking for retro vibes and flavors from all over the world, Morgenstern’s is the place to be. Designed like a classic 50s ice cream parlor, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into Grease with the sudden urge to do the hand-jive, baby. Besides the great atmosphere and friendly staff, the unique flavors will have you cultureshocked from Szechuan Peppercorn Chocolate to Cardamom Lemon Jam, and anything with Durian.

Session I: May 31–June 30 Session II: July 5–August 4

Elementary Swahili I Session I at Lincoln Center Be the only person you know who knows Swahili, and fulfill your Pluralism requirement! Or choose from 200 other available courses.

SUMMER SESSION 2016

Learn more at fordham.edu/summer eeo

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

April 7, 2016

Features

13

Professor Amy Aronson Teams Up with Emma Watson “ I am thrilled and

By RUBY BUDDEMEYER Staff Writer

What do Aziz Ansari, Tom Hanks, Caitlin Moran, and Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) Communications Professor Amy Aronson have in common? Emma Watson –yes, Hermione Granger –recently posted a thankyou message to all four of them on her Facebook page and Twitter. Ansari, Hanks, Moran and Aronson were all contributors for Esquire UK’s April 2016 issue, which Editor Alex Bilmes created in collaboration with Watson. Esquire UK, a prominent men’s magazine, chose to focus this special issue on the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign, for which Watson is a spokesperson. But how exactly did an FCLC professor get involved with such high company? The Observer sat down with Aronson to find out how she ended up on a first name basis with Emma Watson. Aronson’s husband, Michael Kimmel, is the Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University. The Center is affiliated with HeForShe, which poses the idea that gender equality is not just a women’s issue, but a human rights issue. HeForShe brings both men and women together to fight for gender equality. Aronson said the newly launched program is a way to generate “global action around gender equality.” Watson is the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and is heavily involved as a spokesperson for HeForShe. Aronson said her relationship with Watson began through Kimmel. “She became aware of some of his work and some of the things that were coming out of the center, and the two of them corresponded about some work for this special issue she was

proud if there is any way that in my involvement with writing this very short, but fun piece for Esquire, [I] can help get young people more involved with the issues they are taking on

”

- AMY ARONSON, COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSOR

COURTESY OF WALLY SKALIJ/ LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TNS

Emma Watson at the Oscars 2014.

doing for Esquire,” she said. For those who are unfamiliar with Aronson on campus, she has an extensive background in the magazine industry. Having published pieces in publications such as Business Week, Global

Journalist, Working Mother and the Boston Globe, Aronson teaches a variety of courses in Communication and Media Studies ... Based on her experience in the field, Kimmel suggested Watson speak to Aronson. She said, “He called me in to

meet with her on Skype … I made some suggestions about articles for the issue, and one of them was the piece that she ended up asking me to write and that ended up being published in the issue.” Aronson’s piece was a fun, informative timeline. “I call it, ‘The History of a Modern Woman.’ It’s a timeline of kind of turning points in British feminism, and in men’s involvement in British feminism,” she explained. Of the most challenging aspects of creating her piece, Aronson noted, “not only writing funny … but also taking complicated, historical moments and trying to make them both accurate and interesting to a lay reader, and to a lay male reader, who might not necessarily be interested in feminism to begin with.” Ironically, Aronson was unaware of Emma’s shout-out until an Observer editor discovered it. “I’m embarrassed to say I don’t really use Twitter very often, and so if it were not for The Observer editors I would not have known.” She added, “I was just floored. I was really excited to be mentioned by it at all, but to be mentioned by it in that

kind of company … I was totally flattered.” Aside from being proud of the mentioning, Aronson is excited and inspired by UN Women and HeForShe. “I am thrilled and proud if there is any way that in my involvement with Emma, in my involvement with writing this very short but fun piece for Esquire, [I] can help get young people (you know, the readers of The Observer, the students at Fordham) … more involved with the issues that they are taking on,” she explained. As a committed feminist herself, Aronson feels strongly that men and women must come together to achieve gender equality, and that this Esquire feature has the potential to rein in young people to the issues at hand. Aronson had nothing but excellent things to say of Watson personally. “She is so bright and fully engaged. I found her really, really fun to meet and talk to … She is super smart,” she exclaimed. Aronson sees Watson as the ideal spokesperson for HeForShe, as her fame, youth, and smarts work greatly to her advantage. “She brings a new energy and a very youthful perspective of issues that are obviously of enduring importance. And with her youth, she doesn’t seem to sacrifice a kind of broad, informed perspective … I’m really impressed with her, personally and as an important spokesperson.” Aronson and Watson are an impressive duo. As seen in the special Esquire UK issue, the two women bridged their expertises to create exciting and energetic content for an issue with enduring importance. It is undetermined as to whether Aronson and Watson will join forces again. For now, Aronson will remain a celebrity herself, as the Esquire UK issue sits on newsstands for the remainder of April.

ISAP Addresses Safety Concerns Regarding Study Abroad By MARIA ISHIDA Contributing Writer

“You have to take balance between safety and taking risks. I would say the risks are worth it,” Nick Endo, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’16 said. Endo spent the fall semester of his junior year in El Salvador, and spent the following semester in Granada, Spain. Studying abroad can be a wonderful opportunity for students to gain experience and broaden their horizons during college life. In light of recent attacks in Brussels, a number of people are concerned about safety issues in many parts of the world. However, students should not give up on studying abroad, because it is possible to study abroad safely. “As much as safety has become a concern especially within the past couple of months, and growing concerns, I think the benefit makes it worth it,” Maya Castillo, FCLC ’16, said. Castillo has spent one semester in Ireland and another semester in Spain. “I get the sense that Fordham really cares about our safety, so I was never really worried about it.” In order to ensure positive experiences, it is very important for students to have common sense and understand how to stay safe. Fordham’s Office of International and Study Abroad Programs (ISAP) helps students to prepare for their study abroad. “Fordham is a very diverse school, so what students might worry about varies,” Director of Study Abroad Joseph Rienti, Ph.D., said. “A challenge for our office is to not have a one-size-fits-all response, in terms of working with students on issues of safety and security.” Students who are going abroad will be provided with a Study Abroad Handbook by ISAP that has

YUNJIA LI /THE OBSERVER

Joseph Rienti, director of study abroad, discusses Fordham study abroad locations.

some of the general guidelines for students. In the section on safety issues, information includes behavior, legal issues and some safety recommendations such as “learn which areas should be avoided” and “use extra caution when traveling or going out alone, especially at night.” Students are told to take handbooks with them when they take off. It will help students to prepare for study abroad and also help them if anything happens overseas. In addition to the handbook, Fordham provided Endo with a flip phone that could be used in other countries. “We were told to always keep them, and it was definitely a good thing to have those with you,”

Endo said. Once students are outside the United States, it is strongly recommended that students have phones accessible at all times. Students will be required to attend the pre-departure meeting in New York and learn about some of the general safety guidelines for any country. “We have to give information to people in multiple ways,” Rienti said. “So at the pre-departure meeting, I highlight what pieces of the handbook and what information students need before they go right away.” “We also answer questions at the meeting,” Rienti said. “I think that is the most important part. Like I said, every student is going to have

different questions and different concerns based on their experiences and where they are going.” However, this is not the only opportunity to discuss questions or concerns regarding study abroad, as students can make individual appointments online. Fordham keeps a close eye on events that are happening around the world, through emails from the State Department, as well as from a private risk management firm. “We have to be aware of the situations that are going on,” Rienti said. “Based on those reports, we make decisions to contact students. We may decide that it is no longer safe to have students there and they have to leave.”

“When I was in El Salvador, and anytime there was some issue in the country, I would get an email from Fordham to check in. So Fordham definitely cared,” Endo said. In addition, students are required to inform Fordham where they are. “If I was going to go to another city on the weekend, there was a form we had to fill out,” Castillo said. “Just so that Fordham can keep track of us, in case some kind of emergency happens, and check up on us.” Moreover, every program that the University works with has onsite safety rules at orientation once students arrive. “When we first got to Spain, we had an orientation,” Castillo said. “Part of the orientation was telling us what to watch out for and some safety concerns that we may not be used to.” “Probably the most important piece of advice I can give is pay attention to what those are,” Rienti said in reference to the safety concerns. “It is important that students use the expertise of the people on the ground, and listen to those.” The number of students studying abroad at Fordham is increasing, and it will keep on increasing. “About 35 percent of Fordham students study abroad at some point during their college careers,” Rienti said. “Our office is committed to getting the number up to 50 percent by 2019, and we are well on our way.” Study abroad can be a lifechanging experience for many students. “I highly encourage anyone to study abroad, because it was a really great experience,” Castillo said. As long as students prepare well before leaving the United States with all the resources Fordham provides, students should be ready to step out of their comfort zones during their college years.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

April 7, 2016

Features

14

An FCLC Student’s Guide To Spring Cleaning By BRIANNA GOODMAN Copy Editor

With the beginning of spring comes the infamous ritual that defines this season: spring cleaning. This is an annual event that I eagerly embrace—there are few things I enjoy more than returning from spring break with a clean desk, organized closet and filed paperwork. This year I decided to embark on the wildly popular tidying regimen called the KonMari Method, created by Marie Kondo and detailed in her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” The method can be boiled down to three simple points: tidy according to category rather than location, discard before you store and keep only what brings you joy. Beginning with clothes, then books, then papers, then miscellaneous items and finally sentimental items, Kondo directs her reader to gather every item that belongs in each category, drop it in the middle of the floor, and then pick up each item one at a time, determining if that item sparks joy in the reader. Kondo promises that if the reader follows the ritual exactly as she has laid out, then the reader will have tidied once and for all, will never rebound and will never have to tidy in such a way again. Sounds magical, right? It also sounds like a lot of work, which tends to be the first roadblock of tidying, especially for busy college students. In speaking to Elizabeth Clark, Psy. .D., a staff psychologist in Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) at Rose Hill, about the benefits of tidying, she echoed this sentiment. “You have these busy periods of time and it’s very easy to neglect your physical space,” Clark said, “and then there can be just a feeling of low-grade underlying anxiety, I think that comes from being surrounded by that kind of chaotic, disorganized clutter.” This is certainly something I have experienced; sitting down to write an essay at a desk piled high with papers typically makes for a scattered, unproductive writing session. Clark said that if students “take even 10 or 15 minutes to address some of that chaos in their physical space, then it really opens up a calmer mental space to be able to do some of those things that we need to be doing.” Armed with this information, and the mouth-watering notion of having to tidy only once, and never again, I eagerly awoke on the morning of my first tidying session. I gathered every single article of clothing that I owned, plopped them on my bed, and tried not to

JESSE CARLUCCI /THE OBSERVER

Transform your living room from this to clean, neat and pristine using the book, “The Life--Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.

be overwhelmed by the clearly absurd amount of clothing I owned, particularly for someone who basically alternates between the same three sweaters week after week. Determined to do the method exactly as prescribed, I picked up a garment and awaited the impending magic. Here are some things I learned: 1. Choosing a charity for your discarded items is key.

Perhaps nothing has made me feel more privileged than picking up clothing items that I can afford to deem “excess” and asking whether or not they bring me joy. To combat this feeling of borderline self-disgust, I highly recommend selecting a charity to which you’ll donate your discarded items. (I chose Housing Works, a nonprofit that is dedicated to ending “the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS,” as their mission states.) It is exponentially easier to reject items when you know that your purging actions will be helpful to others. This donation will also be tax-deductible, which might help ease your mind when you realize with horror exactly how much money you’ve spent on apparently un-joyful clothing items. (This becomes all the more real when you realize you’re discarding some items that still have their price tags).

2. Once you’ve selected your charity, give yourself permission to let go. Aviator Jackets are coming back, and I am ashamed to admit that the majority of the clothes I owned did not “bring me joy”—but I was horrified at the thought of discarding that many items. Items that were given to me by people I loved were especially hard to get rid of; those items might not bring me joy, but the people who gave them to me do. But Kondo has immensely helpful advice for dealing with items you’re having trouble letting go of. Rather than thinking of your unwanted clothes as items that you’ve failed to properly utilize, think of them as items that had an entirely different purpose. “The true purpose of a present is to be received,” Kondo writes. “ … you don’t need to feel guilty for parting with a gift. Just thank it for the joy it gave you when you first received it.” I realize this sounds kooky, but this shift in thinking allowed me to let go of the items that no longer suited me, and free them up for someone who might really love them. 3. It’s not always so easy to figure out what brings you joy. The first clothing item I picked up did not spark joy. The second didn’t either. I grabbed a sweater I wear at least once a week, and couldn’t figure out if I liked wearing it because it

sparked joy, or because it didn’t have to be dry cleaned. Deciding what brought me joy was hard, but Kondo insists that this is a process that must be undergone—not just to establish a clean home, but also to establish confidence in who we are, and what we want. “[O]ne of the magical effects of tidying is confidence in your decision-making capacity,” she writes. “… People who lack confidence in their judgement lack confidence in themselves. I, too, once lacked confidence. What saved me was tidying.” Clark offered an additional reason for why it can be challenging to determine what brings us joy. “We have a culture that very much wants us to believe that having more stuff or having the right stuff is what’s going to make us happy,” she said. “Sometimes when we don’t feel individual subjective joy at this thing we’re being told is supposed to make us feel that way, it can be hard to trust your own actual feeling, as opposed to what you’re supposed to feel.” Establishing the difference between what I loved and what I thought I should love helped me determine that a lot of the clothes I wore regularly didn’t bring me joy—and a lot of the clothes that I didn’t wear regularly did. 4. Be a little forgiving. The KonMari Method is tough. But even after one day of discarding, I already feel better about my home. This echoes Clark’s advice for college

students undergoing this tidying process: “Be forgiving… if it’s not possible for them [college students] to do it 100 percent in exactly the way it’s being prescribed, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything valuable there…even taking the pieces that you can use from this system, or any system, and enacting them in a way that works for you is probably better than getting discouraged by how daunting the task can be.” The value of this process, Kondo argues, translates into areas of life beyond tidying, citing clients that have completed the course and proceeded to find new passions, new careers and even weight loss. While Clark cautions against buying into a “magic bullet” system, she does believe that the process has the possibility to affect other areas of life. “Her idea about getting your space, the physical space that you live in, free from things that you don’t need and filled only with things that you love, I can see that having a profound impact on a person’s life,” said Clark. “…You can imagine that if you applied that same principle to food, for instance, you might find yourself less prone to kind of automatic mindless overeating.” I don’t know if my life has been changed yet, but I do know that beginning this tidying process has already given me a new appreciation for the things I own. Would I recommend this process? Absolutely. Just be prepared to fill a lot of trash bags.

Active Minds Club Launches at Fordham Lincoln Center By CHRISSY PUSZ Staff Writer

In the midst of questions of racial and gendered stigmas ringing through Fordham Lincoln Center, a new organization has formed to combat a quieter stigma: that against mental illness. This semester, Fordham Lincoln Center opened a chapter of Active Minds, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health advocacy. Spearheaded by president Jacob Azrilyant, Fordham College at Lincon Center (FCLC) ’16, in October 2015, Active Minds first came to FCLC when Azrilyant reached out to Sophie Karp, Lincoln Center’s Supervising Psychologist and Coordinator of Outreach and Prevention, about getting involved in events sponsored by Counseling and Psychological

Services (CPS). “Rose Hill already had an Active Minds club that Sophie was interested in bringing to Lincoln Center,” Azrilyant explained, “and once I got involved it quickly went from being a co-sponsorship to a full-fledged club.” Presently, Karp serves as Active Minds’ advisor. While CPS acts as a resource to Active Minds, the two organizations are not directly linked. “The one rule of Active Minds is that it cannot be a support group,” Azrilyant noted. “CPS has professionals who can provide counseling while Active Minds does not.” Instead, Active Minds is dedicated to education, advocacy and creating a campus that doesn’t stigmatize mental health issues. “I believe that Active Minds has the potential to make a unique impact on campus through the power of peer-to-peer communication

COURTESY OF JACOB AZRILYANT

Jacob Azrilyant is the president of Active Minds at Fordham LC.

and community,” Karp stated. “The existence of an Active Minds chapter at Lincoln Center can serve as a meaningful message to students who may have been struggling in silence with mental health concerns (of their

own or loved ones) – that there is space on campus for them to be seen, heard, and valued.” “It’s the stigma that kills,” Azrilyant indicated, citing a personal tragedy as motivation for spearheading Active Minds. “One of my closest friends in high school was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the start of our senior year, but kept it a secret. It was only a week after he tragically took his own life did we learn of the diagnosis from our late friend’s mother.” He continued, “Starting Active Minds was just one small thing that we could do to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.” While Active Minds is still growing, the organization has already enjoyed success. Earlier this semester, Active Minds collaborated with the Wellness Committee to run the “I Am Stigma Free” campaign, during which members of the Fordham community were encouraged to take

a polaroid of themselves and take a pledge to love themselves and others. In April, Active Minds will team up with the Office of Multicultural Affairs for a series of Sustained Dialogues about identity. “Active Minds is a very eventbased organization,” Azrilyant noted. “When we meet together the focus is largely ‘what are we doing next?’” In coming semesters, people can expect to see collaborations with different organizations as well as “specific presentations on certain mental health issues”, “stress-busting events”, and “plenty of cat videos on our Facebook page.” All geared towards increasing awareness and making FCLC a more welcoming campus. Catch up with Active Minds every second Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in LL1013. OrgSync: Active Minds Facebook: Active Minds at Fordham Lincoln Center

Sports & Health

Sports Editor Matthew McCarthy - mmccarthy80@fordham.edu

April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Fitbit Technology is the Key to a Healthier Lifestyle Fordham students utilize activity-tracking wristbands

By MOHDSHOBAIR HUSSAINI Asst. Sports Editor

Since the Lincoln Center campus is located in the heart of New York City, walking is no longer just for enjoyment, but a necessity. Whether it’s walking to and from a work-study position or trekking up the stairs right before class, students are always burning calories. For the residents who walk to and from McMahon or McKeon Hall, or for the commuters who hop off the train at the 59th Street Columbus Circle subway station, students are constantly moving. Some of these students utilize wearable technology to track their daily activity. The eight products currently available from Fitbit, the leader in activity-tracking technology, vary in size, pricing and function. However, they all share the same goal of providing their users with accurate data on their daily activity. In addition, students can receive discounted prices for these products through an Amazon Prime membership. Two of the premier products are the Fitbit Charge and Fitbit Charge HR. They both track your daily steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed and active minutes. Also, both offer features such as Caller ID and sleep monitoring. Caller ID notifies users of incoming phone calls, while the sleep tracker helps users better understand the quality of their sleep. A helpful add-on to the devices is that the daily activity data is synced onto compatible devices and can be accessed online. Data from two female Fordham students was analyzed in order to get a rough idea of how knowledge of one’s daily activity is beneficial. The two students, Elodie Huston and Cecile Neidig, utilize Fitbit technology in order to track their daily activities. After assessing their data, it’s fair to conclude that many other Fordham students should look into investing in similar products in order to better evaluate their health needs. Huston’s daily activity was examined for the first two weeks of February 2016 in order to conduct this trial. In the first week, from Feb. 1 through Feb. 7, the daily average of steps taken was 9,165. This equates to an average of 3.97 miles traveled on a daily basis. As a result, 2,277.71

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM WALLACE/ MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE VIA TNS

Fitbit’s wireless syncing feature enables users to access their activity data across all online devices.

The broader lesson here is that all students can use wearable technology in order to understand their daily health needs and to create a more sustainable exercise and dietary plan. calories were burned daily. This conclusion is interesting, because the Institute of Medicine suggests that the caloric intake for active female college students between the ages of 18–30 should be 2,400 calories each day. Thus, an excess of 2,277.71 calories would have to be consumed every day in order to maintain the balance set by the Institute of Medicine. The following week’s examination ranged from Feb. 8 through Feb. 14. The average steps taken by Student A each day was 9,801, which equates to an average daily distance

of 4.33 miles. This results in an average of 2,343.14 calories burned every day. An excess of 2,343.14 daily calories would have to be consumed in order to be on par with the standards set by the Institute of Medicine. Neidig was also examined during the first two weeks of February 2016, and understanding her daily activity data accentuates the significance of this study. During Neidig’s first week, the average number of daily steps taken was 2,787, which equated to 274 calories burned daily. The second week’s average number of daily

steps taken during this time frame was 2,871, which equated to a daily loss of 223 calories. While the daily activity data examined from both students contrasts greatly, there are still valuable conclusions to be drawn. Huston necessitates a higher daily caloric intake in comparison to Neidig in order to maintain a healthy diet. An important factor to consider is that students have varied daily schedules which require different amounts of physical activity, thus culminating in the difference between the amount of daily steps and calories burned. The broader lesson here is that all students can use wearable technology in order to understand their daily health needs and to create a more sustainable exercise and dietary plan. The Harvard School of Public Health suggests a diet that consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods and healthy sources of

protein and fat. Calories are a measure of the energy content of food. Thus, understanding the science of calories is crucial in weight control, since eating more calories than a body needs can lead to weight gain. Keeping one’s daily caloric intake constant with his amount of calories burned through regular metabolism and physical activity is important in maintaining a stable weight. This wearable technology can be the gateway into a new generation of more healthy-minded individuals. A study by the Centre for Creative and Social Technology at Goldsmiths, University of London, found that 71 percent of Americans said that wearable technology “improved their health and fitness.” Suffice it to say that many Fordham students can also be beneficiaries of this technology. Then, they wouldn’t just be a statistic, but living examples.

Fordham Basketball Is Establishing A Winning Tradition By MATTHEW MCCARTHY Sports Editor

The 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament was filled with upsets by teams that had never even been to the Big Dance. In the opening round, Yale University’s Bulldogs, a team which had previously never qualified, defeated the Baylor Bears. The University of Hawaii also managed to snag their first tournament victory with a win over California in the first round. In the coming years, Fordham should be able to join these teams in the tournament. Despite not earning a tournament bid this season, if the Rams continuously improve under Head Coach Jeff Neubauer, they will be invited to the March Madness tournament within the next few years. The Rams finished this season with a 17–14 record and were invited to their first ever CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament. This was their first season under coach Neubauer, who led the team to its most victories since the 2007 season. Like Hawaii, Fordham started

MARTIN NUNEZ-BONILLA/THE OBSERVER

Fordham may soon join the ranks of teams playing in March Madness.

the season 9–2 and even managed to achieve a better record than Yale through the first 14 weeks of the season. After losing their first game, the Rams proceeded to win their next nine and matched their total number of victories (10) from

the previous season by the 13th game. As the season progressed, the Rams lost steam, losing eight of their next 10 games. However, the Rams were able to salvage what appeared to be another disappointing season by winning their last four

regular season games. Fordham has shown they are capable of winning against good opponents. However, they must be more consistent if they want to join these teams in the tournament next season. The highlight of the season was the play of senior Ryan Rhoomes. The 6-foot-8 forward started every game for the Rams this season and led the team in points and rebounds. He averaged 14.6 points and pulled down 9.7 rebounds per game. His .647 field goal percentage led the Atlantic-10 Conference, while his number of rebounds placed him second on the leaderboard. Rhoomes’s biggest game came against La Salle University on Jan. 6. He snagged 18 rebounds and scored 25 points in the victory for the Rams. Fordham will be looking to replace Rhoomes’ impact with a pair of underclassmen next season. After Rhoomes, Christian Sengfelder played the second most minutes on the team. The 6-foot7 German-native averaged 10.3 points per game, finishing fourth on the team. Like Rhoomes, Seng-

felder specialized in rebounds, averaging 5.2 per game. Along with Sengfelder, the Rams will be led by Joseph Chartouny. Chartouny was only a freshman this year, but had an immediate impact on the team. He led Fordham in assists with 6.2 per game and finished third in points scored, averaging 11.3 per game. Chartouny’s best performance was against Davidson, when he had an astounding 13 assists to go along with 24 points and seven rebounds. Chartouny and Sengfelder are expected to take on even more prominent roles on Fordham’s offense next season. The Rams are in good hands as they continue trying to improve year-to-year. The combination of Chartouny and Sengfelder have the Rams set up to be very successful in the next two years, while coach Neubauer develops the program under his vision. With the consistent improvements made this year, it is possible that we will see the Fordham Rams on an NCAA Division I Basketball tournament bracket in the future.

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Sports & Health

April 7, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Foregoing the Morning Grind with Yoga By ELODIE HUSTON Layout Editor

I have a complicated relationship with mornings. I love getting a head start on my day before classes and work begin. But when my alarm goes off at 6 a.m., I struggle to pull myself out of bed. Coffee is helpful, but it can be an expensive solution. In order to receive my certification as a yoga instructor, I had to complete 200 hours of training. For three months, I spent the hours between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. taking and teaching classes, working with guest lecturers, breaking down poses and learning about the spiritual base that yoga is built on. Our days started early, but I don’t remember ever being tired or having a coffee in hand. The key to waking up (besides commuting in -20 degree weather) seemed to be a sequence of stretches that we began with every morning. We started each day with a short sequence of poses aimed at opening our hips and warming up our spines. These poses were aimed at balancing the body after sleep. We often sleep in a fetal position, which gives us a sense of comfort and security. Sleeping in this position rounds our hips and spines. By stretching in the morning, we reverse the curvature of the body. Stretching and straightening your hips and spine naturally stimulates the body and promotes energy, which means you may be able to skip the Starbucks line. The following poses can be done in the time it takes for you to brew a cup of coffee. 1) Spinal Stretch Sit cross-legged, either on the floor or on a pillow. Extend the crown of your head toward the ceiling as you inhale, lengthening your spine. As you exhale, place your right hand on your left leg. Inhale, lengthening your spine once more, and as you exhale, twist your upper body to the

left. Remain twisted for three breaths, and unwind as you exhale. Repeat on your right side. 2) Lunge Pose Start in downward facing dog pose with your feet hips-width (roughly two fists) apart and your hands shoulders-width apart. As you inhale, step your left foot forward, placing it in between your hands. Let your right heel come off the ground, placing your weight on the balls of your feet. As you exhale, shift your weight to your front leg, stretching your hips. If you wish, you can rest your back knee and shin on the ground. Remain in this lunge position for five breaths before returning to a downward facing dog pose once more on your exhale. Repeat on your right side. 3) Extended Triangle Pose Begin once more in downward dog pose, breathing deeply. As you inhale, step your left foot forward, placing it between your hands. Exhale and center your weight between your legs. Inhale and reach your hands and the crown of your head towards the ceiling, lengthening your spine. As you exhale, open your arms from side to side and turn your torsos so that you are facing outward. Spin your back (right) foot outwards so that it is perpendicular to your front foot. Your body will be open, with only your front foot facing forward. Inhale, straightening your front leg and reaching your left arm forward. As you exhale, drop your left hand to your knee, shin or ankle. Be mindful of keeping your spine straight and your chest and hips open. Hold for five breaths and repeat on your right side. By introducing yoga into your morning routine, your day can be centered on natural energy. Taking a few minutes for yourself is a wonderful way to set the tone for the day. It may even save you a few Keurig cups!

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BYANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN

Triangle pose done by Jesse Carlucci FCLC ’17.