The Hawks' Herald | Nov. 4, 2021 by Hawks' Herald

www.rwuhawksherald.com Vol. 34, Issue 8 FREE

How does RWU handle storms and emergency situations post-COVID? Late October Nor’easter sends university into Level 4 operations Courtesy of David Moum on Unsplash

Gracie Munnie Herald Reporter

risk,” according to Seymour. Seymour explained the ERT’s process for last week’s event. “In the case of the Nor’easter that we just had, it was pretty much an evening event, and we agreed to meet at 5:30 the next morning, while the event was still going on, to talk about any damages that the university had sustained, any need for modification of operational status, and there are four levels of operational status,” Seymour said. “In the case of the Nor’easter this past week, we went to a Level 4, which means essential personnel only report to campus, and everyone else, to the extent that they can, work remotely.” As to what changes the operating levels have seen post-COVID, Seymour said, “The operating levels never previously talked about working from home or learning from home, or remote learning. There are four categories that have been redefined in light of our investment in technology and the realization that we can work from home and work remotely.”

Chief of Staff, Brian Williams is in charge of communicating with the community for these emergency situations, he does this when action is necessary. “It basically comes to a point when the university needs to take some sort of action or be prepared for action, that’s sort of the gauge of reaching out to the community when we feel there’s something imminent that might affect our operations or the safety of the community,” said Williams. Williams said the university wanted to send a lot of communication during the storm. “For this first weather incident of this year, we air on the side of over communicating in a storm because different people may have access to different devices at different times,” said Williams. “You may lose power in your house and not have cable and not be able to get on the internet, but you still have your phone and can receive a text.”

Uprooted trees. Downed power lines. Heavy gusts of wind. These were common sights last week, as the first inclement weather event of the school year occurred. The Nor’easter that hit campus on Tuesday night and persisted throughout Wednesday canceled campus activities and switched classes to remote learning. Bill Seymour, the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Facilities and Capital Projects as well as the lead of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) explained what the ERT exactly is and how it operates. “The Emergency Response Team is comprised of a number of key leaders within the university from basically all sides of the house, academic affairs, student life, communications, facilities, residence life, and in the instance where there is a potential for change in the operational status of the university we meet and discuss what the circumstances are and how we need to respond to it,” Seymour said. In terms of events the ERT covers, he said, “It can be weather related, it can be power related, there can be any number of contingencies that bring us together.” Seymour said prior to a bad weather event or an event that necessitates mobilizing the ERT he sets up a call with the other ERT members to review preparedness the day prior to an event. The ERT relies on two different weather services they subscribe to for “specific, very timely projections as to what a Rachel Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Bill Seymour is the Assistant Vice President of weather event is going to entail Facilities Management and Capital Projects is one of the members of the Emergency Response and whether we could be at Team.

RWU to have its inaugural FirstGeneration Day Celebration Jimmy Sadowski News Editor Are you a first-generation college student? Do you know someone who is a first-generation college student? Then Roger Williams University has a celebration for you! The university will have its first inaugural First-Generation Day Celebration Thursday, Nov. 4. “First Generation Day is a national celebration the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) is heavily involved in helping colleges and universities across the country celebrate students who are first in their families to earn a degree,” said Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Stephanie Akunvabey. “We [RWU] are celebrating and highlighting the experiences of firstgeneration faculty, staff, students, and alumni that are all part of our community,” she said. Akunvabey said she is a firstgeneration student and she came up with the idea for the university to celebrate the holiday. “As a first-generation student myself, my own experiences made me really care about first-generation students and I recognize that for first-generation students it can be a scary experience,” said Akunvabey. “You’re stepping into an unknown in so many different ways.” “When I found out that Roger Williams had approximately 20% of the undergraduate population identify as first-generation, it felt like the right thing to do to create visibility around the experiences of this particular student population,” Akunvabey said. Three panels will take place over the course of the day with one each for students, alumni and faculty and staff to share their experiences as firstgeneration students. The panels begin with the kickoff event, the student panel at noon.

See

CELEBRATION

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SECTION EDITOR

Jimmy Sadowski jsadowski031@g.rwu.edu

NEWS

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

CELEBRATION

from page 1

First Gen pins and stickers can be picked up at various locations from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. IT Support Operations Manager Samantha Marshall who will speak about her experiences as a firstgeneration student on the faculty and staff panel said she thought the celebration was a good opportunity. “I feel it’s a really good opportunity to share our stories. A lot of us come from different backgrounds so it gives us the opportunity to share and connect,” said Marshall. “I am glad the university is giving us this time to meet. I think it’ll really help students that they need as they go forward because there’s a lot of opportunities and we just have to be willing to take the chance to seek them.” Along with the panels, three different events offering support services for first-generation students will be happening during the celebration. These include Career Preparation for Hawks, at 1 p.m. hosted by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), First-Gen Resources with Center for Student Academic Success (CSAS) at 2 p.m.

and First-Gen & Counseling also at 2 p.m. Akunvabey said she felt excited for the First-Gen Day Community Photo on the Quad. “Now, the four o’clock photo event I think will be absolutely grand,” said Akunvabey. “It’s fun and a great kickoff to our close, which will be the President’s reception in [Global Heritage Hall] (GHH) Atrium.” The President’s reception will run from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday night from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Akunvabey said an event will be held for commuter and graduate students at the University College in Providence. Akunvabey said she picked Wednesday because Wednesdays are when the Providence campus has the most traffic from their students. Akunvabey said the holiday is not just for first-generation students, but other students who know first-generation students they can support. “I really, really hope that people see it as a campus-wide celebration and they come out and participate,” said Akunvabey. “If you’re a first-generation student, this day is for you. If you’re not a first-generation student, then your job is to be a cheerleader that day. A cheerleader, a supporter. Just come out and be engaged.”

THE GAVEL

Your source for Student Senate news This week Student Senate welcomed Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Capital Projects Bill Seymour who shared a draft of the Campus Master Plan including new residence halls, academic buildings and changes to parking. To find out more, please come to the information session on Nov. 18 from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Senate Chambers. Seymour also discussed the university’s sustainability efforts and recommended various ways the student body can be more sustainable. The newly elected General Senators and ICC Class Officers were sworn in. There are still open positions on Student Senate so please reach out to Student Body President Jordan St.Onge by Friday at 5 p.m. if you are interested! We discussed the next steps being taken on the resolutions passed last week. The Student Senate is committed to keeping the momentum going and advocating for a more inclusive campus. We have selected our student leader, club, and student senator of the month! Club of the month was awarded to Barbershop, HALSA, and Film Production Collaborative. Student Leader of the month is Anne Marie Allen. Lastly, Senator of the Month was awarded to Allie DeFabritiis. As always, follow us on social media @RWU_Senate and come to our weekly meetings on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the Mary Tefft White Center on the first floor of the library. Our meetings are recorded so if you can’t make the meetings, you can watch the recordings on the Senate YouTube page - so make sure to check those out! The Gavel is contributed by the Student Senate and does not reflect the views of The Hawks’ Herald

November 4, 2021

Conversations On Campus Climate The university takes a step in revising bias incident policies

Jimmy Sadowski News Editor In response to bias incidents that occurred on campus, the Divisions of Equity & Inclusion and Student Life sponsored two Conversations on Campus Climate entitled “Preventing and Resolving Bias Incidents.” The two conversations were held in the North Campus Residence Hall Great Room last Thursday facilitated by Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Stephanie Akunvabey. “In terms of [bias] response, we characterize our work into three main areas: urgency, transparency and what are the additional resources needed for us to have more expedited responses,” said Akunvabey. Vice President for Student Life Dr. John King also spoke at the conversations and said he provided action steps for direct student conduct changes including a commitment to a 15 to 18 day maximum period for a bias incident to be resolved. King said the university also committed to bringing back students as hearing officers for certain student conduct cases including bias incidents and possibly an assault and behavior in a residence style. It will not be for Title IX incidents and students will comprise ⅓ of the panel with an administrator and a faculty member. The university plans to implement the change by the 2022 spring semester. “We also announced we were bringing back a position that had been vacant since August 2020,” said King. “That position is a dedicated investigator for both bias incidents and Title IX incidents as well as a compliance officer for all of the various education programs students have to complete such as EverFi.” A change King said he recommended was treating bias and harassment incidents in the same manner the university treats Title IX incidents in terms of visibility and prevalence on the webpage. This would mean bias incidents would have a dedicated bar to click on the university webpage as Title IX outlines specific policies for dealing with the incidents.

A commitment had been made by the university to publicly share each semester the number of bias and harassment incidents that occurred the previous semester and generally what happened in each incident without revealing personal information, according to King. Akunvabey said making sure everyone had a shared understanding of what restorative justice as a key component of the student conduct process meant and what it looked like served as the other part of the brainstorming session. Roger Williams University President Ioannis Miaoulis attended the first conversation session and participated as a table facilitator working with students during the collaboration period according to King. Senior Wilmer Castillo who attended the conversation said he felt steps were taken. “I felt there was a good dialogue between students and faculty and there was a kind of we are taking the step in the right direction feeling in the room,” said Castillo. “Overall that was nice, but I know that it’s not fully satisfying, which of course there’s not going to be after a week after people protesting, but I’m just glad the step was taken.” Castillo said he has an “I don’t believe anything until I see it” mindset. “I think some good things got addressed and are said to be implemented, but I don’t believe anything until I see it. That’s my rule, especially because I’ve been here for four years and there’s been a lot of good stuff before but I’m not going to believe it until I see it,” Castillo said. Senior Melissa Calvo Vides who also attended expressed a similar feeling. “We won’t see progress overnight,” said Calvo Vides. “We’ll see if any results come out of these conversations, but I know the school has been having conversations for decades and sometimes nothing comes out of it.” In regard to the bias incidents that occurred during the past month, King said Student Conduct held three hearings last week on unresolved bias incidents and decisions were communicated to all parties Thursday.

For more information regarding bias incidents at the university visit the Student Life tab on rwu.edu

SECTION EDITOR

DESIGNER

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

FEATURES November 4, 2021

Falling back this Daylight Saving Time The positives and the negatives Amy Martin Features Editor Time is falling back soon for Daylight Saving Time. Coming this Sunday, Nov. 7, clocks will be set back an hour. While that extra hour does not seem like much, it has a great impact on students, both positively and negatively. The positives of falling back That extra hour of sleep sounds like a dream, especially for students working long hours. Waking up feeling refreshed and like an actual human being is a great start to the day, maybe even to the week. In fact, your brain will likely be more alert due to this longer rest — great for working past that midterm burnout. Your general health may seem to improve during that week. An increase in sleep is great, not only for the brain but for the heart as well. A good night’s sleep allows for a decrease in the onset of stress hormones, which may help treat an anxious, racing heart.Overall productivity may increase, both inside and outside of class. Since the brain is more likely to be alert now,

especially with the increase of serotonin, ideas will flow more steadily. Maybe procrastination will be kicked to the curb. For now, at least. The negatives of falling back While that extra hour may possibly help with sleep, it may also mess with one’s circadian rhythm. If possible, avoid staying up and/or waking up an hour later than what you are used to, or your body will take longer to adjust. Not only can sleep be impacted, but your whole day can as well. You may have to wait an extra hour to eat lunch between classes, or the day may feel like it should have already ended once you reach your last class. Afternoon naps may become your worst enemy this week. Anything longer than a 20 to 30 minute cat nap will disrupt your sleeping patterns, making you even more wide awake once nighttime comes around. As hard as it is to say, try to avoid such naps.

Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Daylight Saving Time begins on Nov. 7 which is when the clocks will be set back an hour.

Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor

Día de los Muertos

The day after the tricks and treats that make up Halloween night, another celebration takes place, which often gets mistaken for being Halloween. Día de los Muertos means the “Day of the Dead” in Spanish, and it is celebrated from Nov. 1 to Nov. 2. The holiday originated in Mexico but celebrations occur throughout the world. At midnight on Nov. 1, the holiday begins with Día de los Angelitos, which is for the spirits of the children. It is believed that, for 24 hours, families can reunite with the spirits of their deceased children. Día de los Difuntos starts at midnight on Nov. 2 and is for the spirits of adults to be reunited with family.

Día de los Muertos begins at noon on Nov. 2 and is the grand finale of the holiday. There is a public celebration with parades, painted faces and sugar skulls. Día de los Muertos is a time for friends and families to celebrate the memories of their deceased loved ones. It usually involves creating an altar for the deceased person with yellow marigolds, their favorite foods, pictures and memorabilia as a way to invite the spirits. Yellow marigolds are thought to be a guide for the spirits because of their bright petals and their strong scent, which can lead a spirit from the cemetery to the home. The two-day celebration is a time that reunites the living with the dead and is not considered a time of mourning.

The holiday is associated with bright colors, smiling skulls and traditional dishes. The Hispanic and Latinx Student Association (HALSA) will be celebrating the holiday on Nov. 4 in the North Campus Residence Hall Great

Room from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event will consist of eating authentic, local Mexican food and painting skulls. Students that are interested in participating should RSVP on Hawk Link to reserve a skull.

Courtesy of Eduardo Dorantes on Unsplash Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2 every year. The holiday celebrates deceased loved ones. Skulls, flowers and bright colors are most commonly associated with the event.

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE November 4, 2021

An Interview with Talking in the Library Speaker Michael Klein Nicole Kowalewski Herald Reporter

Author Michael Klein will visit the RWU community for an in-person discussion and reading from his work on Nov. 10 in the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center. Klein’s presentation, titled “A Voice of Poetry in Poems and Prose,” is the latest installment in RWU’s Talking in the Library lecture series. For a quick preview of the event, The Hawks’ Herald spoke with Klein about his writing process, background and more. Though Klein knew he wanted to be a writer from a young age, he did not begin with poetry and prose. In fact, he started as a songwriter. Even today, music remains a strong source of inspiration for his work. Klein reflected on the great songwriters of his generation, noting that their “lyrics can be read as poetry.” In addition to musical inspiration, one figure from his adolescence had a big influence on his career path. “I was privileged enough and blessed enough early in my life to know the poet Adrienne Rich,” said Klein. He explained that Rich, a highly accomplished poet and essayist, had kids who attended the same highschool as Klein and his twin

brother. “We would go to Adrienne’s house every Saturday and just read poetry,” he said. “We were...so excited that [she] was a poet...we had never seen a poet in the world. We read poetry, but we had no idea what it meant.” Klein went on to explain that he attended Bennington College and was even able to study with poet Jack Myers in graduate school. “I was always surrounded by brilliance, really, I have to say...and that was a big help too,” Klein said. After an education among several incredible teachers and mentors, Klein said he found his own style and voice “from reading a lot and identifying with particular writers.” He also compared writing poetry to music, referencing his training as a musician. “I’m very attuned to the rhythm and cadence of sentences,” he explained. As for his writing process, Klein described his method as “very undisciplined” and called himself a “binge writer,” meaning he writes heavily for a few weeks at a time when an idea takes hold. As a teacher, Klein tries to show students that they can always get better, and emphasizes that “the way you become a better writer is by writing.” He recommends that

aspiring writers be “widely experimental,” worrying less about what form their writing takes and concentrating on “using [poetry] as a vehicle in order to have a different life...awaken[ing] something in you that wouldn’t have happened without reading it.” Klein explained that he “sort of fell into” teaching after being hired by Sarah Lawrence College, an opportunity that arose because an employee loved Klein’s work. When asked what teaching means to him, Klein stated, “it means that I have a job that involves giving and not taking.”

RWU students have a lot to look forward to with Klein’s reading, especially given his background in the performing arts. Klein said he comes from a show business family and actually studied acting as a child. Readings, he noted, are performative in nature and, for that matter, so is teaching. Luckily, he has experience doing both. “I’m completely performative, I’m theatrical,” Klein explained. To witness Klein’s work and teaching style, attend his in-person reading and discussion on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 4:30 p.m. in the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center in the library.

Courtesy of rwu.libguides Michael Klein is a poet and nonfiction author. He will be speaking during the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center Speaker Series on Nov. 10 at 4:30 p.m.

Keeping up with ‘The Bachelorette’

Gabriella Boretti Herald Reporter

After joining Matt James’s season of the Bachelor as a late arrival last season, Michelle Young immediately stole the show with her mesmerizing smile and sense of humor. Taking the role of the Bachelorette after Katie Thurston’s season, Young is ready to inspire America. As a former Division 1 basketball player from Minnesota, the 28-year-old

kindergarten teacher is ready to not only meet her soulmate but to make a difference. Young is determined to find a man who is supportive and who can be the superman to her superwoman. Season 18 of The Bachelorette kicked off on Oct. 19, 2021, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, starting with 30 men. Former bachelorette duo Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe have been leading the way for Thurston and now for Young. No set host has been announced

Courtesy of @Bacheloretteabc on Twitter Michelle Young is the newest bachelorette with the season starting on Oct. 19 on ABC. Young is pictured with Glenn Powell (left) and Jay Ellis (right).

since Chris Harrison stepped down after 19 years of hosting the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Harrison had defended Rachel Kirkconnell after images appeared of her from an “Old South” party in college after James picked her as not his fiance, but his girlfriend. Sources say they did break up because of this, but after working through their issues, are now back together. The season is in full swing as Young has already sent a couple of bachelors home, has given out two first impression roses and has had a oneon-one and two group dates. Fan favorite 28-year-old Joe Coleman, also from Minnesota, was crowned Mr. Basketball in 2011 while Michelle was runner up for Ms. Basketball that same year. On night one, when Coleman exited the limo, Young unapologetically said, “Have I slid into your DMs?” These two had been messaging through Instagram when Coleman left her on read and then all of a sudden appeared on her season of the Bachelorette. Young said she needed to protect her heart and make sure he was there for the right reasons and

ended up putting him through two rose ceremonies and giving him the rose during the next group date. Other men in the house started noticing the two seemed closer than usual and questioned if they connected prior to the show. Jamie, who got the first one-on-one date, announced that his friend saw Young with a light-skinned man and was questioning if it had been Coleman. Young addressed these rumors and said just because she is a black woman with a light-skinned man, this does not mean they are together. With tears in her eyes, she explained that she is a woman of color hanging out with another black man and people automatically assume she is with him. Here lies another reason why Young is such a fan favorite: she is a strong advocate for Black Lives Matter and truly wears her heart on her sleeve. Co-Host Adams says, “It’s like a fairy tale, which is different, I think.” Tayshia added. “You guys will understand that word at the end. It unfolds beautifully,” in an interview with E! As the season unfolds, so will the drama, tears and most importantly, falling in love.

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE November 4, 2021

‘Dune’: a desert Sheeran’s ‘=’ scarce of true album makes its official debut substance

Grant Soedler Herald Reporter

The other major thing that holds the movie back, besides the “first part” structure, is that the film is not as unique of a concept as it used to be. When the book first came out in 1965, “Dune” was a phenomenon, as it presented a type of sci-fi that most people had not been exposed to before (this was 12 years before the first “Star Wars” film was released). But, in our current age of mainstream sci-fi, “Dune” is not as unique of a concept as it once was. The evil empire seeking to reclaim their territory and put down the opposing force combined with a “chosen one” narrative feels very redundant of “Star Wars,” while the characters trying to survive in a desert wasteland reminds viewers strongly of “The Martian.” The concepts just are not as special today as they were back then. This is not to say that “Dune” is devoid of quality. The visuals are stunning, especially the creature effects and technology, and the choreography and cinematography are stellar. Though the plot’s slow pace hinders the movie narratively, this structural choice gives the viewer a much larger and in-depth look at the universe of “Dune” than would otherwise be afforded. Also, the buildup adds a lot more weight to events that take place. All the actors’ performances are great, and the soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer is fantastic and always adds a ton of extra gravitas to any scene. “Dune: Part 2” is scheduled to be released in 2023. “Dune” is currently showing in theaters, and is also available for streaming on HBO Max.

“Dune,” the recently released sci-fi thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve, is an adaptation of the 1965 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert. Featuring an all-star cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa and Zendaya, “Dune” is yet another adaptation of a novel whose film is split into two parts, following in the footsteps of 2017’s “It.” While this format can be well-suited to some works, just because something has more time in the oven does not mean it will not come out burnt. “Dune” tells the story of the noble House Atreides, who are assigned by the Emperor to replace House Harkonnen as rulers of the desert planet Arrakis. Arrakis is the only source of “spice” in the universe, a valuable resource that had made House Harkonnen filthy rich. The son of the Duke, Paul Atreides, has been experiencing visions of the future in which he sees all of the people he cares about dead and is repeatedly haunted by dreams of a young girl with blue eyes, a trait exclusively held by the Fremen, the native people of Arrakis. Behind the scenes, House Harkonnen plots to take back Arrakis from House Atreides and reclaim their spice empire, slaughtering everyone who stands in their way. “Dune” is a little more than two and a half hours long. While most films would flourish under this time frame, due to the film encompassing only the first 40% of the original book, it often feels like it is dragging its feet to get to the point. Normally, this could be allayed through good character development (in the vein of “It”) or frequent exciting action sequences, but in terms of these, the “Dune” leaves a lot to be desired. The action sequences, while exciting and visually great, are far from frequent, and any character development is squandered. This lack of development can most obviously be seen in the main character, Paul, who has nearly nothing to do in the movie and spends most of his time playing second fiddle to the rest of the cast. This does not give me a ton of confidence going forward, but I am hopeful that this ends up paying off Courtesy of Courtesy of Warner Bros. “Dune” was released on Oct. 22 in theaters and in part two. on HBO Max.

Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor

Ed Sheeran may be running out of mathematical signs for album names, but he certainly has enough creative content to continue producing worthwhile songs. The illustrious British redhead artist — who has taken the world by storm with his music — released his fourth studio album “=” (a.k.a Equals) on Oct. 29. This 14-song soundtrack reveals a new side of Sheeran, shown as a result of his 2018 marriage to Cherry Seaborn and the birth of his daughter, Lyra, in 2020. “Tides,” the opening number, immediately addresses this change with, “I have grown up I am a father now/ everything has changed but I am still the same somehow.” Sheeran reflects on his bad choices during his youth, meanwhile alluding to the fears he has moving forward in life. “=” provides listeners with a diverse selection of enjoyable tunes. The public was already introduced to “Bad Habits” back in June and the song has now stayed in Billboard’s Top 100 for 17 weeks. The song peaked at number two but has since been downgraded to number four. “Shivers” was also released in September and ranks number nine on the top 100 charts – continuously climbing its way up the list. Now, of course, this would not be an Ed Sheeran album without an iconic

slow song. While nothing on the album compares to “Perfect” or “Thinking Out Loud,” “Joker and the Queen” has a slow-paced, whimsical quality to it and sounds like a fairytale through its elegant piano parts and violin segments, which make up the song’s latter half. This piece tells the story of a princess who falls in love with a court jester, and the jester wonders why she picks him when she could have any prince in the kingdom. Entirely beautiful, this song is extremely addicting and will stay in your head for hours. Other noteworthy songs to look out for include “First Times,” “Visiting Hours” and “Overpass Graffiti.” In “First Times,” Sheeran sings about a relationship where he holds the small moments dear and how he hopes for a million more first times. Meanwhile, “Visiting Hours” is about Sheeran’s friend and mentor, Michael Gudinski, who passed away and has a similar tone to his 2017 song, “Supermarket Flowers.” Finally, “Overpass Graffiti” covers a past break-up with someone Sheeran thought he would marry. “=” gives listeners exactly what they would expect from Sheeran. From songs that make fans crank the volume, to the romantic ditties and the somber pieces in between, Sheeran shares his personal growth with the world. The whole album has a certain tranquility to it and shows how at peace Sheeran seems to be.

Hot Hits: Autumn acoustics Scan the QR code to check out our Spotify playlist of autumn acoustics.

SECTION EDITOR

Samuel Elwell selwell531@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS November 4, 2021

Your body, your choice. My body, MY choice.

Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor

By now most people have heard about the Texas abortion ban that made every part of getting an abortion illegal, all the way to holding an Uber driver accountable for driving a woman to an abortion clinic. The disregard for biological women’s rights is astonishing, to say the least. Currently, the landmark case that legalized abortion in 1973, Roe v. Wade is getting close to being overturned. My feelings toward this are going between anger and sadness as the future of some women will become questionable. Abortion is not just about terminating a pregnancy because a woman does not want a child, sometimes abortion is necessary. In many cases, becoming pregnant or giving birth will literally kill the woman for a wide range of reasons. An abortion could be important for both the mother and the child. For some fetuses, development may not occur correctly which will result in the death of the child. There are multiple cases of a woman carrying a child for nine months even though they know it will not survive long after birth. This could be traumatizing for the

woman as she is forced to carry a child and continue growing and knowing they will not have their child for more than a few hours or days. Even if someone gets an abortion because they want to terminate a pregnancy, why is it anyone else’s business? This is a question I have been asking for years and have never gotten a good enough answer. Most people will claim they are looking out for the unborn child. Again, why do they care about an unborn child? They do not care for the millions of children in foster care or the children that are homeless or children living in poverty. Having a child is extremely expensive and if someone is already living in poverty, why would they want to force a child to live in those same conditions? The worst part is that some of the same people that are against abortions are also judgemental towards government assistance and want to take it away from families. For those people living in poverty, government assistance is the only way children get the nutrients they need, so if they care so much about the wellbeing of children, why take away their only source of food? Sometimes people are just not ready for the responsibility of raising a child

and that is why they are getting an abortion. So what? Making them raise a child as a consequence of their action is just setting up the child for future anguish. Having a child as a consequence for their action is absurd since their action is sex. Sex is part of being human and shouldn’t be shamed or considered a reason to be punished. Birth control and condoms are convenient ways to decrease the chances of getting pregnant but they will never be 100% effective and pregnancies can and do happen even when taking precautions. People should not be forced to do what they do not want to do, like raising a child. I do not believe in late-term abortions unless medically necessary but for the first few months, an embryo growing in the uterus is not even considered a fetus until about 10 weeks after a

missed menstrual period. I could keep going on why I believe in a woman’s right to choose what happens to their body. I have been yelling about it since I learned that women do not have full rights over their bodies, which was about a decade ago. I will never stop yelling about it. Why would I? I am an adult woman who could lose my rights to my own body. People like me should be terrified and angry about abortion bans and the reversal of Roe v. Wade. This is not even about access to abortions, this is about giving women a choice. You could be against abortion but why be against a woman’s right to choose? How does a random person’s body affect you? It does not. Plain and simple, you are not affected by strangers’ choices and you never will be, just remember that.

Do you have opinions? Want your voice to be heard? Email your stories to stories.hawksherald@gmail.com Courtesy of Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash Marches for women’s rights occurred last month as a protest against the abortion ban in Texas.

SECTION EDITOR

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

EDITOR’S DESK

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

November 4, 2021

Life on Campus

Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Students are bundled up as the cold weather moves into campus on Nov. 3.

THE HAWKS’ HERALD The student newspaper of Roger Williams University

2021-2022 STAFF DIRECTORY

DISCLAIMER

THE HAWKS’ HERALD is a student publication. The views, statements, opinions, depictions, and/or representations (expressions) contained herein are solely those of THE HAWKS’ HERALD and do not, and are not, meant to represent or be attributed to the expressions of Roger Williams University, any trustee, officer, agent, employee, student, or representative of Roger Williams University, and either are such expressions authorized, accepted, or condoned by the university. THE HAWKS’ HERALD is dedicated to providing news to the university in a fair and accurate manner.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

FACULTY ADVISOR

NEWS EDITOR

CONTACT

Janine Weisman jweisman@g.rwu.edu

Jimmy Sadowski jsadowski031@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

PHOTO MANAGER

SPORTS EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE MANAGER

PHOTOGRAPHERS

SPORTS MANAGER

FEATURES EDITOR

REPORTERS

BUSINESS MANAGER

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CORRECTIONS

In the photo accompanying the article entitled “Student protest demands change at the university” the photo credit misspelled Joshua Ntabo Ongera.

Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

Emma Bartlett ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu

Sam Elwell selwell531@g.rwu.edu

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

Andrew Hart ahart360@g.rwu.edu

Gracie Munnie Nicole Kowalewski Gabriella Boretti Grant Soedler

The Hawks’ Herald · Suite 212, Campus Recreation Center · 1 Old Ferry Road · Bristol, R.I. 02809

Kayla Ivan kivan850@g.rwu.edu

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

Adam Zerman azerman020@g.rwu.edu

SPLO ADVISOR Adrianne Harris aharris@g.rwu.edu

PHOTO EDITOR

Chloe Noyes cnoyes899@g.rwu.edu Emily Dvareckas Chloe Noyes Rachel Dvareckas

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Kristen Dansereau Andrew Hart kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu ahart360@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

SPORTS

Volleyball moves onto semifinals

Drew Hart Sports Manager

Chloe Noyes/The Hawks’ Herald Women’s volleyball playing against Clark University on Sept. 18, 2021. Volleyball will play Western New England at home in the semifinal round on Nov. 4 for the semifinal game.

To say volleyball is a game of runs is an understatement — and that was on complete display on Tuesday as the Hawks powered through a slow start to beat Suffolk University in the opening round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament. After dropping the first eight points of the match to the Rams from kills into the soft spot of the defense and miscommunication on return balls, the Hawks finally got on the scoreboard with a kill by senior right side hitter, Allie Welch off an assist from senior tri-captain Kate Porter. The kill came a few points after a timeout was called as the Hawks tried to regain some type of momentum. A simple message was delivered to the team during the timeout, mainly to just relax, play their game and play together — something the Hawks have been doing throughout the season according to Head Coach Danielle

Davis. Despite finally getting on the scoreboard, the Rams continued to apply pressure on the Hawks, eventually stretching their lead to nine points and forcing a second timeout to be called by the Hawks. With the Hawks trailing 20-13, senior middle hitter Tori Melanson kickstarted a run with back to back tip shots into the open middle of the Rams’ defense that eventually led to the Hawks scoring 12 of the last 14 points of the set to win the set. From there, the Hawks continued to tear through the line of the Rams,taking the first five points of the second set and claiming the set off of an ace by senior Lauren Burbridge with a decisive score of 25-9. The third and final set of the night lacked the one sided runs that fans saw in the first two sets. Both teams traded points back and forth involving

scores off of aces, service errors, and explosive kills. Long rallies and diving digs were also commonplace during the set as the Hawks continued to target and exploit the middle of the court of the Rams’ defense. With the Hawks leading 23-18, Suffolk took a timeout to ice senior libero Kate Grabowski as she prepared to serve. She responded with an ace to bring the Hawks to match point. A kill on the next point by the Rams kept the door open until senior setter Kate Porter finessed a roll shot to the left corner of the court to close out the game and keep the Hawks’ season alive. The Hawks hit the court next on Nov. 4 in a semifinal matchup at home against No. 6 seed Western New England University at 7 p.m. The Hawks previously beat the Golden Bears in straight sets on their Senior Day on Oct. 23.

November 4, 2021

Men’s cross country sprints through finals and secures victory

Kristen Dansereau Sports Editor

After seven long years, men’s cross country returns to claim the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship as their own. The team overpowered the race, finishing first out of the eight teams representing the CCC with a 20 victory over Suffolk University, recognized as the second finisher in the race. The six runners sealed the victory by individually placing top 14 in the race — each finishing within seconds of each other. Breaking through in third overall, Ryan Shea was the first of the pack to finish for Roger Williams University. His time was 27 minutes and 12 seconds and seven seconds behind him was his teammate Alexander Kalber placing fifth in the race. Pairing seventh and eighth place, Raffi Manzo (seventh) and Ethan Boivin (eighth), finished at 27 minutes and 28 seconds and 27 minutes 33 seconds, respectively. Charging behind Boivin was Luke Gillett, coming at number 12 individually, 23 seconds after Boivin and three seconds before Luke Strand. Strand secured RWU’s championship victory by coming in at number 14 overall in the race. He finished the race in 27 minutes 59 seconds. This meant a great deal for the team as they crossed the finish line in the span of 47 seconds total. The men’s first place victory was the first of the season and the spirits and energy are to continue to be held high as they prepare for the New England Division III Championship on Nov. 13.

Courtesy of RWU Athletics Men’s cross country are the champions of the 2021 Coast Conference Championship.