Sept. 10, 2021 issue 01 Loquitur

Award-Winning Student Run Newspaper Navigating through Cabrini Page 5

Atlantic East’s spectator policy for the 2021-2022 sports season Page 7

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Vol. LXIII • Issue 1

Friday, September 10, 2021

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New semester, new COVID-19 guidelines: What you need to know

Meet the editors!

By Sydnee Reddy Media Managing Editor

I

n anticipation of the fall semester of 2021, Cabrini sent out numerous emails throughout the summer that informed the community of the Covid-19 mitigation measures that are in the best interest of the safety and health of our community. Yet, these mitigation measures are subject to change as the pandemic still rages on and as the Delta variant case numbers are rising.

Mask Policy In an email sent out on July 14, Cabrini only required unvaccinated people to wear a mask indoors and all in non-private congregate settings such as classrooms. Less than a month later, Cabrini changed its stance on the mask policy on campus. The email with the new updated policy sent on August 5 states that regardless if a person is vaccinated or unvaccinated, masks are required to be worn indoors in all non-private congregate settings.

But Masks aren’t required outdoors or in your private office or residence.

This policy change aligns with the CDC recommending that vaccinated people continue to wear masks indoors in places that have high transmission

rates.

“As of the beginning of August, with the highly infectious Delta variant of the virus accounting for the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases in the United States,” Dr.Stephen Rupprecht, dean of students said. ” Delaware County’s transmission rate has been classified by the CDC as “substantial,” placing our county in the high-risk category.

The new guidance also indicates that vaccinated individuals can be infected with the Delta variant and spread it to others.”

Vaccination Policy Cabrini has required that all faculty, staff, and students be fully vaccinated for the Fall semester. President Donald Taylor put out a video when the news of having to be fully vaccinated was sent out to the Cabrini community. For students, faculty, and staff who choose not to be vaccinated, either due to a medical condition or religious belief, an exemption process is available. Before heading to campus, every student and employee has to fill out a vaccination status survey so they can take the appropriate steps to keep the community safe this fall.

Residence Halls Proof of vaccination or an approved exemption is required from students who plan on living on campus in the fall before they even get a key for their room. Non-residential and overnight guests such as commuters and nonCabrini student guests are prohibited from entering residence halls. If you live on campus and are unvaccinated you can’t enter any resident halls besides your own. If you are vaccinated and you live on campus you are allowed to visit other resident halls.

Covid-19 Testing Cabrini will be requiring all unvaccinated members of the community, which includes employees, commuter students, and residential students to be regularly tested for Covid-19.

Testing will occur on campus and expenses will be covered by the school Contact tracing and Covid infection As done before this past school year all community members are required to monitor their health and report and Covid symptoms to Health Services if you are a student and if you are an employee Human resources, this still is required for fully vaccinated people

on campus. Cabrini, following CDC guidelines, states that unvaccinated persons are required to quarantine if contact tracing identifies them as a primary contact. Vaccinated people are not required to quarantine if listed as a primary contact, but will still be required to cooperate with employees conducting contact tracing. If unvaccinated you will be instructed to isolate based on having Covid-like symptoms, and in the case that a vaccinated person is infected they will need to isolate also.

Dining on campus While walking around the dining options on campus, regardless of vaccination status you will be required to wear a mask. Takeout and outdoor seating are still options for the dining options on campus. If you do sit down and eat in any of the dining options inside, you are allowed to take lyour mask off while you eat.

If you have any questions about any of the following university’s policies this year regarding Covid-19, please contact Dean of students Stephen Rupprecht at smr438@ cabrini.edu or Health Services at healthservices@cabrini.edu.

Dr. Leonard Norman Primiano, beloved Cabrini community member, recently died

Sophia Gerner Editor-in-Chief Junior

Matt Rutherford Writing-Manager Junior

By Sophia Gerner Editor-in-Chief

D

r. Leonard Norman Primiano, professor of religious studies at Cabrini and renowned folklorist and religious studies scholar, has died on Sunday, July 25 from a rare type of neck cancer.

Primiano was a well-known and highly respected figure throughout the Cabrini community, as well as in both folklore and religious studies.

After joining the Cabrini faculty in 1993, he eventually became department chair of religious studies up until his recent retirement in 2021. Primiano co-directed Cabrini’s Honor Program and acted as the developer and curator of Cabrini’s Religious Folk, Popular, Liturgical Arts Collection.

Over the years, his teaching career and research led to being the recipient of many awards and recognitions.

Primiano has also given countless presentations and written many publications.

A Life Remembered Shortly after the news spread, a Leonard Norman Primiano Memories Facebook page was created for family, friends and loved ones with a story or memory to share pictures, videos and comments to remember him by.

Through those posts, many of Primiano’s close friends characterized him as “one of the greatest professors at Cabrini,” “a wonderful mentor” and

“brilliant, kind and supportive.”

In one post, William Westerman, assistant professor department of sociology and anthropology and acting chair of world languages and cultures at New Jersey City University, described how he was “lucky enough” to know Primiano from his graduate school days and talked about what a unique person he was.

Westerman went on to write, “The world is an emptier place without him, but all of us who were his friends, proteges and students are richer for having known him and are inspired to carry on his work. Leonard, you often used to sigh and joke, ‘I hate our human form,’ even before the trials you went through. You are up there now

with the spirits of Father and Mother Divine, our intellectual mentor Don Yoder, and all the angels and folk saints and you will continue to be missed by all of us here on Earth. Peace!’”

Another post by Katie Reing, one of Primiano’s former students and Cabrini alumni, talked about “grieving the loss of my good friend and mentor” and went on to explain countless memories and characteristics of him.

In an interview with Reing, she explained how she first heard of Primiano through friends hearing them refer to him as “The Doc” and asking her if she had “Met the doc yet?”

See Primiano Page 4

Sydnee Reddy Media Manager Junior

Editorial

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WE ARE THE

Loquitur 2021-2022

Editorial Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SOPHIA GERNER

WRITING MANAGING EDITOR MATTHEW RUTHERFORD MEDIA MANAGING/ SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR SYDNEE REDDY NEWS EDITORS ANNA SCHMADER CIERRA SOUTHARD MAX SILVERMAN SPORTS EDITORS RYAN CHYBINSKI CHRIS SCHALLER LIFESTYLES EDITORS TONIANN GOODEN PRYCE JAMISON PERSPECTIVES EDITORS RIGO CAMPOS-SANCHEZ TJ SCOTT

What does the future have in store for Cabrini?

By Sophia Gerner Editor-in-Chief

After over a year of online learning, recent cuts to faculty and majors and changes made to the university as a whole one question looms; what is the future of Cabrini going to look like?

Post online learning Rewind back to March 2020 when everyone was sent home. This was the start of more than a year of online learning that no one saw coming.

Now back on campus, Cabrini has had to adapt to a safe and new way of attending school with COVID-19 still a part of our lives.

With the pressure of trying to please everyone, Cabrini has sent many emails changing the university’s policy due to the pandemic. Of course there were protocols in place last school year, but by the time June came, the protocols almost seemed to be changing monthly.

At the end of June, Dr. Stephen M. Rupprecht, dean of students and Cabrini’s COVID-19 Task Force chair, sent a student and employee vaccination survey intending to see the amount of those in the community who were fully vaccinated, intend to be fully vaccinated, or are seeking a valid exemption for the coming year.

Rupprecht then sent a follow up email in early July stating the COVID-19 vaccine would be required and an exemption option would be put into place for those who did not want to receive it. The email also explained how those vaccinated would not have to wear a mask and those not vaccinated would have to wear one throughout campus and get tested every couple of weeks during the semester.

LAYOUT AND DESIGN EDITORS SOPHIA GERNER RYAN CHYBINSKI

Students were now in a position where if they didn’t believe in the vaccine or couldn’t receive it for medical and/or religious beliefs, they had to be one of the few on campus to wear a mask leaving the rest of their peers knowing they aren’t vaccinated.

ADVISER MARION CALLAHAN

By the time August came, Rupprecht sent another email to the community with a new change in protocol. Although by this point the vaccine requirement itself didn’t change, but all students, faculty and staff,

MISSION

loquitur@cabrini.edu.

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Starting another school year in a pandemic also included cuts made to majors and many favorable professors leaving.

With so much change happening in the Cabrini community, what does this mean for those being affected directly?

Students are losing majors and professors they’ve learned from and loved. Faculty and staff are losing jobs they’ve had for years. Enrollment is going down and not only is the Catholic university cutting religious departments leaving the students in those departments to adapt to a new major but they’re also cutting parts of some of their main majors that draw students to the school such as education and communication.

Katie Reing, a Cabrini alumni, said, “Cabrini’s recent changes to faculty and academic department structures is appalling.”

Reing explained how she was referencing Layal Srour’s “University cuts departments, lets full-time professors go” article from April.

“Valued and beloved tenured faculty members were more or less forced to take early retirement,” Reing said. “As it was explained to me, it was like Russian roulette because long-time faculty didn’t know if they would be laid off if they didn’t take the early retirement package which is exactly what did happen, cutting departments is absolutely infuriating and disgusting; that a Catholic university such as Cabrini no longer has a religious studies or philosophy department is both nonsensical and embarrassing.”

Reing went on to talk about the university’s other announcement at the time about having a provost and five vice presidents referencing “Cabrini announces three-School structure” on the website.

“What an unnecessary amount of administrators and a convoluted

Reing said she hopes the remaining faculty “form a union, and I sincerely wish that Dr. Taylor be relieved of his position; he has been overpaid and has underserved.”

She said as an alumnus herself, she will never donate money to Cabrini because of their “poor planning and what I consider repeated shortsighted misuse of funds.”

Grace Hall. Photo by Sophia Gerner

The Loquitur accepts letters to the editor. The letter should be less than five hundred words, usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini University’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits.

Name, phone number and address should be included with submissions for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent via email to

Post recent cuts to faculty and majors

programs.”

The Loquitur student newspaper and website are integral parts of the educational mission of the cabrini communication department, namely, to educate students to take their places in the public media.

Loquitur Media provides a forum of free expression. All members of the university community may submit work to the editors for possible inclusion. Publication is based on the editorial decision of the editors.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

regardless of vaccination status, were now required to wear a mask while indoors.

“The faculty and staff are one of the biggest draws and blessings of that school for not only was I lucky enough to be taught by Dr. Primiano, I also studied under such devoted faculty as Dr. Jerry Zurek, Dr. Marilyn Johnson, Dr. Seth Frechie, Dr. Charlie McCormick, Dr. Jim Hedtke, Dr. Jolyon Girard, and Dr. Joseph Romano,” Reing said.

She said although many of those were not impacted by this “particular layoff cycle and forced retirement, it makes me absolutely furious for the faculty who were. Adjunct professors are also paid nothing and treated as utterly disposable. It’s gross.”

What does the future hold for the university?

So, what does all this mean for Cabrini University as a whole? In some ways, only time can tell the direction these changes will take the community.

With so many different opinions on whether what has been done in the past has been a positive or negative impact, everyone can agree on wanting to see the university excel in the future.

Cabrini has been doing what they believe is the best strategy with the hand they’ve been dealt these past two years. Moving forward we can only hope the decisions that have been made will create a promising path down the road.

News

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Cabrini’s communication department says goodbye to its most senior member

By Ryan Chybinski Sports Editor Over the summer the Cabrini communication department said goodbye to one of its most senior members. Dr. Jerry Zurek stepped away from teaching full-time at the end of the 2021 school year ending a 50year teaching career at the university.

More than 120 of his former students, colleagues and friends attended his farewell picnic to talk about their experiences in his various classes and to reconnect with people they have not seen since their graduation.

Zurek has served as the head for both the English and communication department at Cabrini along with growing the school’s newspaper, the Loquitur, from a simple idea to an award-winning paper.

The highlight of the picnic was when members of the communication department staff and a few former students were asked to share a few words about their experiences and how Zurek has changed their lives.

Cathy Yungmann, emerita and communication professor at Cabrini, said in her speech “Considering the long view, one of Jerry’s most amazing instincts is to work hard to make all of us better people. Most of our department faculty members came to Cabrini from the corporate world where women often didn’t get support and encouragement for success. But as a colleague, Jerry never had that bias.”

Usame Tunagur, former communication department professor, said, “He was the person who first hired me when I came to Cabrini, second he’s been my mentor, supervisor slash colleague and I’ve had three enjoyable and fun years, to the point, that coming to Cabrini didn’t feel like work it was just fun.”

This sentiment seemed to be shared by all of the staff members who spoke at the picnic all of them sharing tales about how Zurek pushed them to be the best they could be while at the same time giving them the respect not always found in the professional world.

Along with the speeches, there were several displays set up inside to showcase the wonderful work that Zurek had his hands in over his 50-year career.

On display were previous editions of The Loquitur, pictures from the radio station, a special video documentary made showcasing Zurek’s life playing in the communication wing and a spot in the TV studio where guests could sit down, share some of their thoughts and experiences with Zurek and wish him well in his retirement.

advisor to the Loquitur newspaper turning it over to new hire Marion Callahan. Zurek will continue to teach his engagement for the common good, ECG 300, as that class calls for social justice and climate reform have been as big of a part of his life as journalism.

Along with the rousing send-off, the communication department unveiled renders of planned modernizations coming to the communication wing in Cabrini’s Founders’ Hall.

These renovations hope to keep Cabrini’s communication department at the forefront of the industry in the hopes of attracting more students and growing the program’s reach in the industry.

Finally, a scholarship was set up in Zurek’s honor to celebrate his commitment and love for advancing the common good not only at Cabrini but around the world through his 50 years of teaching.

Despite this being a retirement party, Zurek will remain at Cabrini teaching just in a much smaller role than he has in the past.

Dr. Jerry Zurek. Photo by Ryan Chybinski

Zurek will relinquish his title as faculty

Will Cabrini close its campus again?

Meet the editors!

By Max Silverman News Editor

w

This time of uncertainty has caused college students across the world to make a difficult decision. Do they slog through another year of online learning, or live on campus at the risk of it closing and switching back to online only classes?

VID-19 outbreak at Cabrini would resemble a greater-than-anticipated increase in the number of COVID-19 cases that cause us to not have the capacity to provide the proper supports for our students and employees.”

With the Covid-19 pandemic still dragging on and the uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant, students and parents have concerns for the upcoming school year.

Like last year, those infected would quarantine on campus or at home, without the entire school moving to an online modality.

They are especially worried that this new variant could lead to the closure of campuses and the resumption of online classes.

As a result, some college students nationwide, including Cabrini students, have decided to stay at home and take classes online to avoid the potential frustration of in-person classes being halted again.

For Cabrini students, this choice has been especially hard. There have been no official announcements from the university’s COVID-19 Task Force regarding a potential pause of in-person classes.

In order to get a better understanding of what the school’s plans are for this issue, I asked Dr. Stephen Rupprecht, head of the Covid Task Force at Cabrini, too shed some light on the issue.

He assured that the school plans to have students on campus for as long as possible, and that the school will not immediately close in the face of an outbreak.

In the words of the Task Force, “A CO-

Much like in spring of 2020 when the campus closed, students facing housing insecurity would still be able to stay at Cabrini.

If classes are to return to an online format, he said that “[Cabrini will prioritize] any changes to our operations that have the most minimal impact on our students and employees and will maintain resources for students as much as we are able.” For example, residence halls and dining services would remain open.

Even if the student body was forced to move back home, courses and other resources, such as appointments with the MRC and DRC, would resume online.

Cierra Southard News Editor Senior

He expressed confidence that the school would not shut down and not be able to provide classes or resources at all under any COVID-19-related circumstances.

Despite these unpredictable times, Rupprecht is confident that Cabrini can overcome any obstacle regarding the pandemic.

“Our students and employees demonstrated great flexibility and resilience during and since this unexpected transition,” Rupprecht said.

Max Silverman News Editor Junior

Rupprecht said that there would only be two reasons for campus too close and for students to move back home.

The first is if there is a (state or federal) government mandate forcing schools to close. The second is if there is a massive spike in cases in both the student and faculty population that would require the school too close.

“An example of this could include an inability to feed our resident students due to a large number of infected Sodexo employees,” he said.

Anna Schmader News Editor Senior

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Primiano Reing said she finally “crossed paths with the impeccably dressed man outside of Widener Hall” and all her friends began acting like they were talking to a “mini-celebrity; there was excitement and obvious respect for him.”

After being introduced to Primiano, Reing said, “I was immediately charmed by his charisma, the comradery he shared with students, his distinctive greeting and departing calls of ‘Peace!,’ and, as a shiny new freshman with only a month on campus under my belt, felt flattered by his interest.” Reing said in her facebook post, “There’s a reason he was the recipient of The Kennedy Center/ Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award–because he truly was a stalwart educator and a champion of his student. Perhaps not as glamours or prestigious, he was also the only recipient of the 141 Cammy Award for “Man of the Year.” May we all live up to his instruction and guidance.”

Dr. Nancy Watterson, friend of Primiano and Cabrini University’s first professor of social justice, said, “It’s hard to capture the many dimensions or to do justice to an individual who has lived his life so fully, so distinctively on his own terms while inspiring so many.”

Watterson used many terms to describe “Dr. P or Dr. Prim,” as she said, including friend, exceptional teacher, prodigious scholar and patron of so many arts. She talked about the “inspiration” Primiano was to her and his audience of grad-students, early-career professionals and professors through his many seminars.

Watterson said after many conversations with former students, Primiano’s name was a recurrent theme when it came to “their reflections on coming into confidence of their own critical thinking and researching abilities.”

“Leonard always took great care to nurture our own undergraduates,” Watterson said. “Of the many qualities that characterize the impact of Leonard’s research, it is this compassion, caring, and collaborative approach that stands out as a hallmark of his legacy. It is precisely because Leonard is not only an accomplished scholar, but also a highly skilled teacher that he was so sought after mentor and collaborator for diverse research projects that span our discipline.”

A Mentor and Inspiration to Many Watterson said a recent example of Primiano’s effect on others is Cabrini alumni, Ben Danner.

Danner was Primiano’s student and teaching assistant from 20092013, back when Cabrini was only a college.

He described his first encounter with “Dr. P” was during his evening class, Search for Meaning. Danner remembers Primiano walking into class with his “familiar greeting ‘Peace everyone!’”

Danner said that Primiano’s approach from a religious studies and folklore background were “two areas completely alien to me at the time, but I grew to love.”

“Primiano’s passion for teaching and learning was infectious,” Danner said. He described the numerous trips Primiano took his students on and his “erudite knowledge” of every building and statue around him and his “willingness and risk” to take undergraduate students to his research fieldwork site.

“Dr. P significantly impacted my life trajectory as he did many students and faculty members,” Danner said.

Danner went to Cabrini as a biology major with plans to become a physician and ended up also majoring in religious studies due to Primiano’s inspiration. He then encouraged Danner to apply to his alma mater, Harvard Divinity School, where Danner was accepted and followed in his professor’s footsteps receiving a masters degree in theological studies followed by attending Indiana University

for a doctorate in folklore.

“To say that Primiano had an impact on my academic career is an understatement,” Danner said. “I must admit that I’ve never had a professor so dedicated to spending time with their class. He really took us under his wing and made us felt like we were his children.

In fact, it was him who taught me how to tie a bowtie for the first time.”

Danner described Primiano’s “impeccable style” and how he would walk around campus with large canvas bags filled with students’ papers and bluebooks, dressed in Brooks Brother’s suit, a bowtie or tie and fedora or baseball cap.

“Aside from the academics, Dr. Primiano was my friend, and I will miss our often-late night phone calls that used to last at least 2-3 hours, our trips to Foltz pottery and folk art stores in and around Philadelphia, our mall excursions, late night Minella’s diner visits, our discussions in his office that was filled with books and artwork to the point of where you couldn’t even walk or sit down, and our trips to the Peace Mission,” Danner said. “Most of all I will miss his laugh, humor, and candor. He was so much more than a professor to me.”

Reing’s also talked about Primiano’s office remembering her first meeting with him in it to attempt to get into his already filled Search for Meaning course. She said when she arrived for her meeting she “became utterly overwhelmed and astounded by the magical space that was his office. How could so many books, papers, shelves, files, VHS tapes, framed posters, and religious statues fit into so small a space? It was like opening a door to a mystical world — a place where the Virgin Mary felt at home next to a postcard of Ganesh, which was stuck on the filing cabinet with a ‘Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you’re an asshole’ magnet. Everywhere you looked there was something new and wondrous to see.”

Another example of Primiano’s effect on others that Watterson described was of adjunct instructor of Cabrini’s English department, Allison Clark Doyle, whose married to fellow honors program student, Matt Doyle.

“They met in Leonard’s honor’s class and Leonard loved that story,” Watterson said.

Allison Clark Doyle said she first met Primiano during his Religion in America course in 2011, the same course she met her now husband, Matt Doyle. “Dr. Primiano affectionately called himself our academic matchmaker and we had a lot of laughs about that,” Doyle said.

Doyle said Primiano was “one of the most engaging teachers I have ever had the pleasure of learning from” and taught his students to “demand excellence not just from ourselves, but from our educators as well.”

Doyle described the days during the last few years of working as an adjunct at Cabrini and having the pleasure of teaching next to the classroom where Primiano first taught her and her husband, while he teaches a “new generation of religious studies scholars.”

“Leonard was generous with his wealth of knowledge, and unforgiving with his expectations – a dichotomy that led to inevitable success,” Doyle said. “For many of us, the academic world is a little less without him in it. I loved Dr. Primiano, and I owed him much. I only hope I can make him proud.”

Another recent alumni he helped go from Cabrini to Harvard’s master’s program was Anthony Lauder, Watterson said.

After suggesting to meet for dinner and four hours of conversation later, Primiano knew Lauder’s life story.

“From that moment on, Dr. Primiano had, and will continue to have, an immense impact on my life,” Lauder said. “He is the reason I stayed at Cabrini College; he is the reason I went to Harvard for my master’s degree; and he is the reason why I am attending Temple Law School.”

Lauder said that after that meeting, Primiano became a member of his family and they would talk on the phone until early hours in the morning, attend classical events together and even showed him around Harvard’s campus, while reminiscing on his graduate days.

“While I can go on about all the memories I have of Dr. Primiano, I am going to miss his phone calls or text messages about everything from world news to current deals at Bloomingdales,” Lauder said. “I have never met anyone like Dr. Primiano, and I can say with absolute certainty that I will never meet anyone who has had a greater impact on my life and the lives of so many others.”

A Life Well Lived “Leonard deftly balanced all components—his own well-regarded research, his teaching of undergraduates, and his mentorship and promotion of graduate students’ research—it’s truly remarkable,” Watterson said. “Leonard’s legacy at Cabrini can be found in art-work around campus, alumni, staff, adjuncts influenced by his teaching, and in the hearts and minds of friends, dear students and colleagues spanning not only our campus, but the entire world.”

“His lectures were creative, extensively planned, and tactile thanks to the various religious objects and art from his collection he would pass around,” Reing said. “He encouraged curiosity, for his own curiosity was endless. His brilliant mind would avalanche around him in what would appear to be a mess of books, papers, notes and odd objects; but his close students knew it was not a mess at all, but a carefully curated collection of items and texts that fascinated him paired with mementos and his own intense scholarly work.”

“Where would we Cabrini kids be without him,?” Reing said in her Facebook post. “It’s impossible to imagine being on Cabrini’s campus and not seeing him chatting with students or hearing his ‘Peace!’ ring out from his distinctive voice. I’ve learned so much from his and was blessed to be his student. He pushed me to go to graduate school and encouraged me in my career. I was honored to have assisted him in a few of his scholarly works, and have been asked to guest lecture in his classes. I’m better for having known him, and am grateful for his friendship, his kindness and the tenacity he showed these last 14 years.”

“I miss and love our funny, wonderful, clever friend.”

Leonard Primiano’s service will be held in Daylesford Abbey in Chester County with more information to come.

There will also be an on-campus Mass held in memory of Primiano, followed by a Celebration of Life, in the fall semester. Additional information will be provided in the future.

To read more about Leonard Primiano’s life, visit Cabrini’s web tribute sent out by President Donald Taylor through email. Taylor also encourages anyone who would wish to “share acts of peace, in honor of Dr. Primiano’s ‘Peace!’ call, on social media” to use #PeaceforPrimiano.

Lauder met Primiano in his second year at Cabrini College while he was a manager at the Ralph Lauren luxury store in the King of Prussia Mall. “Everyone who knows Dr. Primiano knows that he loves clothing and getting the best deal possible,” Lauder said.

Photo taken from Leonard Norman Primiano Memories facebook page

Lifestyles

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Freshmen face new challenges while battling old demons

By Pryce Jamison Lifestyles Editor As the 2021 fall semester is kicking off, we welcome new students who have never quite had a college experience before, and unfortunately have never had a high school senior experience either. People felt as if they were pulled out of the reality that they were getting used to all of their life. This can be said in many areas of life in the past year, but focusing on education can highlight the difficulties that children and young adults had to face for about a year and a half now.

Coming into any new school environment can be an interesting transition for a student, especially when it seems like most people feel the need to pull from their past experiences to make sense of their present day situation. Not only do students that are kicking off their freshman year in college have to adjust to an entirely new chapter in life, but mentally they have to gather hope for a school life that’s more ingrained in reality, after it seemed like that idea came to a halt in their final year of high school.

“When it got to a point where we could only come in person to school three days a week, and then had to be online for two days a week as the students in the school had to rotate days in both settings, I knew the pandemic heavily changed the elements of everyday schooling,” Chris Monaco, freshman business management major and Cabrini basketball player, said. This is something that mostly all students can relate to, no matter what grade one found themself in during the 2020-2021 school year.

When focusing on high school seniors though, it hits home differently knowing that in their final year of high school where things are supposed to be the most fun, students had to completely readjust. Readjusting while keeping in mind that schooling will also be altered at whatever college they planned on attending can also be mentally stressful while raising concern for an individual’s

academic success.

According to the Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health organization, students’ lives were negatively impacted in three major ways: providing structure and routine, social interactions, and activities that put them one step ahead for the future. Being sent home with assignments with looser due dates and having online distractions while in online classes definitely took a sense of structure away, structure that helped kids get work done and have a smoother schedule. Social interaction through all levels of school is essential for human development as we all know, while extracurricular activities such as sports and places around town such as restaurants and movie theaters were shut down or restricted heavily. This did students a disfavor when it came to enjoying their weekends and making themselves more presentable in the college admission process.

“It was undoubtedly a hard senior year with how we had to adjust to the zoom school life while the teachers and school had to adjust on the fly too, but if I start to get into habits such as waking up earlier on most days, studying even when not in class, and prioritizing and managing my time effectively, then I should be able get into the full swing of things as I get used to college,” Hunter Kraiza, freshman business management major and Cabrini basketball player, said. According to a study conducted by the Global Strategy Group last year, 32 percent of high school seniors said the pandemic has made them less likely to enroll in college and 40 percent of high school seniors planning not to enroll say the pandemic played a significant role in that decision.

Even though every student was knocked out of the swing of things when it comes to their usual education, one shouldn’t let those hard times determine their future and stop them from trying to find ways to make life at a university work, in a safe and productive manner.

Both Monaco and Kraiza agreed on the notion, and I’m sure millions of students out there do too, that in some way, shape or form schooling will be forever changed at all levels because of this pandemic. This change will come with more technology being utilized in education and less pen and paper while schools are going to try their very best to keep the in-person, social element. As a freshman, internally keeping hope alive while doing what you have to do to make sure you and the ones around are safe and healthy, during these new college days, seems to be the route that’s going to positively get the year off to a solid start.

Meet the editors!

Toniann Gooden Lifestlyes Editor Junior

Pryce Jamison Lifestlyes Editor Junior

Navigating through Cabrini

By Toniann Gooden Lifestyles Editor Are you new to campus? Are you a transfer student? Maybe you’re still a freshman in a sophomore body and have no idea what Cabrini has to offer. Here’s a list of all the locations you’ll most likely be on campus.

Founder’s Hall This is where you will find most of your classes that are not science or psychology related. Founder’s Hall is home to the communication department on the second floor.

You will find your communication classes to the right of you. The communication department offers modern graphic design studios, a newsroom, a radio station, a video control room with a studio are among the amenities.

The building also features your language, education and English classes. ITR is located on the ground floor.

On the ground floor of Founders’ hall holds the dining hall, Cavs Corner. There you and your friends can enjoy the many food options that are available. Right next to Cavs Corner on the right is where you will find health services. The accessibility resource center, information technology and resources, and adult and professional studies are all located on the ground floor.

“The campus is not really as big as other universities but I still don’t know where certain offices are located,” Alim Josiah, a sophomore computer science major, said.

Iadarola Center Iadarola Center is known to be the “stateof-the-art, resource-rich home for science.”

It has a 60-seat smart lecture hall with modern biology and chemistry equipment. It holds computer labs, exercise-science labs and a classroom geared to assist teachers in teaching science. This building is where you will mostly find your science and psychology classes. In addition to our new nursing classes.

“The majority of my studies are held at the Iadarola Center, which might be difficult to locate at times,” Albert Koroma, a senior computer science major, said.

Grace Hall Grace hall presently serves as a home for professors and administrative offices, enrollment and admissions, graduate studies, academic affairs, financial aid, counseling and psychological services and other aspects of your student life are all covered.

This is where job fair, speakers events and entertaining events take place.

Holy Spirit Library All your study needs can be met in the library. There are librarians who are happy to advise you with your schoolwork and to answer any questions you may have about the university library’s books. They have a Cabriniana room, classrooms, computer labs, conference rooms, the Gorevin Fine

Arts Gallery, a lounge and a reference room. If you are a commuter student, you are welcome to chat, study and relax in the lower level of the commuter lounge Dixon Center Cabrini’s modern sports and recreation facility includes all the following facilities: a dance/aerobic studio, a fitness center, a state-of-the-art turf field, a 25-yard competitive pool, dedicated locker rooms for intercollegiate teams training and a rehabilitation space for student-athletes. There is a lobby with a café and social space. You and your companions can relax in the comfortable lobby area on the ground level while enjoying appetizers and smoothies. There are numerous enjoyable activities available at the Dixon Center, including creating a dance routine in the studio, playing basketball or whatever sport you prefer in the gymnasium and seeing who among your friends can bench the most.

Cabrini Mansion. Photo from Cabrini Flickr

Founders Hall. Photo from Cabrini Flickr

Cabrini also has the Royman’s Center, Public Safety and the Mansion.

There are various opportunities at Cabrini University. You may make an entire movie, a YouTube video or even start your own podcast in founder hall. In Iadarola center you can make breakthrough discoveries in the science wing. In Dixon center you can become a health and wellness expert.

Holy Spirit Library. Photo by Toniann Gooden

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Misinformation has never been more prevalent

By Tj Scott Perspectives Editor The past five years have shown how much the media differs on topics across the world. The narrative-based reporting from news outlets fueled people to hate the ‘opponents.’ This trend of journalism and broadcasting has caused divide in terms of issues domestic and international; with the target audiences being the ones playing the role of the pawns for these networks. The vaccination misinformation problem starts with people listening to people like Joe Rogan, whose expertise is not in medicine, talk about how certain age groups shouldn’t get vaccinated. Social media is also a very big hotbed for misinformation as anyone can claim to have evidence, just for it all to be fake.

I personally receive news from all news outlets and try to do my own research to find the real truth. The problem lays in that too. When I go from, for example Fox News to CNN, it feels like I am in two completely different worlds. There can be a common topic but the interpretation of it is completely different to favor the viewpoint that the news outlet wants to provide. There is nothing wrong with that as it is their job to get views and create controversy, however the problem is when people are actually dying because of deliberate misinformation.

Using the rights card is just a cover-up for being selfish and not considering who you are affecting when you are not vaccinated. Now that the Pfizer produced vaccine is FDA approved, people should trust medical experts who put in sleepless nights to work on saving potentially millions of people around the world. It is also hypocritical to use ivermectin as a treatment but call the vaccine an ‘experiment’. This is the sort of media that just does certain actions just to get a reaction and or gain more of a following.

One thing that has seemed to be lost over the past five years is accountability. Being accountable for not only yourself, but also for the people around you. The blame game will only make things worse. When leaders of media and politicians just want to play to their base, no progress is going to be made. It is also on people who are receiving the news to be able to know what is exaggerated and what is actually real news. The more knowledge the consumer gains the less prevalent fake news will be.

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In what ways can you gain those skills? Here are three suggestions that I have learned.

Check the sources.

Look at the publication’s history.

Know the type of story.

Checking the sources shows if the person who is providing the information is truthful and credible. This can be tedious but it will help you know if it correct. Looking at the publication or the news outlet’s history can give a good indication about if the news they produce and distribute is truthful and unbiased. Knowing the type of story that you’re consuming is also very important. A person’s opinion piece can be insightful and offer a different perspective, but it is just an opinion. Same on television, Don Lemon’s take or Tucker Carlson’s take is just a take.

TJ Scott Perspectives Editor Junior

Rigo CamposSanchez Perspectives Editor Senior

Don’t let emotion also cloud your judgment about certain topics.

Thinking with a clear mind will always help you with information.

Be responsible people and be nitpicking at the news.

My growing concerns regarding Cabrini’s vaccination requirement process

By Anna Schmader News Editor For months, the COVID-19 vaccine has been distributed and preached. Now, states, schools and other residencies are requiring the vaccine for re-entry.

Cabrini University is a private Catholic institution that is now requiring students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The institution cannot force their community to get the vaccine (those who have a religious or medical exemption) but they can enforce their mask mandate, social distancing and handwashing protocols. As with most political views, there’s a population of people that don’t believe in the vaccine, think it has the virus in it or think the entire virus is a hoax.

The School’s Approach An email sent to students, faculty and staff from Cabrini President Donald Taylor on June 17 said, “with this goal in mind, we are requiring all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated

by August 15, 2021—which means receiving the final dose of your vaccination

by August 1.”

He also included that, “for those who cannot be vaccinated, either due to a medical condition or religious belief, an exemption process will be available.”

There are other technical issues surrounding this announcement: What are the choices for those who have an excuse but live on-campus? If students

don’t want the vaccine can they do online learning? What are the penalties if students, faculty and staff are found to lie about their vaccination?

My greatest concern grew when this email was sent because I know students will lie or make up an excuse, then continue to not wear a mask. I know students who have already walked around cities and suburbs with no vaccination and no mask, and it hurts me to know there are so many individuals who don’t care for others’ health or have simple respect. I know I was raised differently, but watching close friends and family disobey the CDC, county and state rules poses a risk to my health and that of others.

I reached out to Residence life and President Taylor on June 17 after going through the portal to see what kind of system was in place to figure out if someone is truthfully vaccinated or lying.

Shortly after reaching out, Cabrini sent another email on June 24 asking students to complete a different survey WITH the choice to upload their vaccination card as proof they are in the process of getting vaccinated or fully vaccinated.

There was a note of discretion before taking the survey that said, “Students who do not comply with this Vaccination Status Survey and/or the vaccination requirement, or do not pursue a valid

exemption, will not be permitted on campus.” This brought up more questions that have no answers.

Personal reflection I clearly have a very strong stance on why people should receive the vaccine regardless of any rumor, statistic or random fact they heard.

The reason why I feel so strongly about this topic is because of the situations I’ve been in. One example was a recent conversation with a male friend on campus. He asked me on Feb. 13, if I was getting the vaccine. I responded yes if I’m qualified to receive it or was fortunate enough to get it. He proceeded to tell me about his grandfather who’s had many open-heart surgeries, goes out all the time, won’t get the vaccine, continues to live out his best life and has never caught COVID-19.

He continued to tell me about all the so-called reported blood infections that the vaccine has caused, I asked what source he found these facts on and he said, “oh I don’t know but they’re reliable.” So, being the strong, opinionated self I am, I asked if he found it on Reddit or New York Times but he had no answer besides, “I just know they’re reliable.”

To summarize what he was telling me, he believes COVID-19 is a joke and he won’t receive the vaccine no matter what.

I see friends and family drink, smoke and involve themselves with other substances that have many unknown long-term effect(s). So it puzzles me when someone tells me they don’t believe in the vaccine but vape, smoke, take contraceptives, etc.

There’s a variety of unknowns in those substances but the vaccine uses science, statistical evidence that cannot be argued when provided facts.

A man getting vaccinated. Photo by wuestenigel

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Athletes continue to use their platforms to speak out against injustices

By Pryce Jamison Lifestyles Editor Protests have swept the nation throughout 2020 with a call for justice. Some athletes have used their influence on social media and that has attracted mixed reactions. Broadcast sports have been something that American families, friends, and individuals in general have partaken in watching for many years, and the athletes who have gone against the norm and protested in any type of way are simply trying to show to the masses that what they stand for is bigger than the game itself.

Even though it’s been the most rapid this year, we’ve seen protests and strong messages occur before in American history from notable voices. Ever since the days in the 1960s when professional athletes such as Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Bill Russell, Jim Brown and Muhummad Ali would take the time to speak on social justice issues off the court, ring, field, etc, we saw many athletes over the decades taking initiatives for what they believe should be talked about and changed. Another branch of this discussion is the topic of defying the norms and using one’s platform to do so during a nationally televised event, which has been, at times, unexpected to the masses.

After seeing Olympic medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in the ear on the highest stage of world competition back in 1968, the world was unsure how many times they were going to see that again going forward. It seems like we are now living in the time period where it is the most common to do so, as athletes in these modern times simply can’t take what the nation has been seeing for too long.

We’ve seen this heavily start to take place in the mid 2010s as NBA players wore the I can’t breathe warm-up shirts in the wake of the chokehold killing of Eric Garner in 2014, and Colin Kaepernick taking a knee that basically cost him his career in 2016. As the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked much tension and division in the nation, sports leagues started to take true notice this year that some viewers loved, and others disagreed

with from in their own way, a patriotic standpoint.

“It set the tone in which they basically said that we aren’t going to continue to entertain people while people that look like most of us, are being unjustifiably killed without the proper justice being served afterwards,” sophomore basketball player Malik Bailey said. As the NBA returned from their league suspension due to COVID-19 in July, down in the NBA bubble in Orlando, they set the tone about where they stand on opening night prior to the tip-off of the Lakers vs. Clippers matchup, that at first opened with great ratings like many expected.

A variety of messages being put on the back of jerseys and teams kneeling during the anthem revived a bitter feeling in the ones that strongly believe athletes should stick to sports instead of trying to speak out, which simply hasn’t sat well in the stomachs of these athletes that are constantly feeling confined to their profession.

Ever since Fox News host Laura Ingraham told LeBron James to “shut up and dribble” back in 2018 for him being the spokesperson for politics and social justice that he is, we have further seen faces of the NBA such as LeBron James and Chris Paul continue to use their platform and push the league in a progressive direction.

“The ones that are criticizing are taking these athletes’ intentions of kneeling out of context, thinking that they want to disrespect the flag,” said sophomore soccer player TJ Scott. “They instead are trying to let the nation know that there are still flaws that exist that are holding us back to be even more unified and great as a nation.”

As the NBA and WNBA led the charge for the most part in terms of these live demonstrations, the sports world took a pause when four NBA playoff games, three WNBA games, two NHL playoff games, a MLS game, and 14 MLB games were cancelled which was actually from the judgement of the players, after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

had set up voting centers in their home arenas to make a step forward instead of just playing and acting like everything was ok, and to connect even more communities to remind them change can occur if we vote the right people in.

The ratings of these big NBA games did significantly decrease, and as people are looking into the factors that have played a role in this drop, many believe the walkouts and demonstrations during these nationally broadcast events have played a large role. The NBA playoffs opened with a 26 percent drop in the first round which was around the time of the walkouts for Jacob Blake, which translated over to a 35 percent decrease for the conference finals with an average count of 4.17 million viewers. The season culminated in a record low viewing of the NBA finals with only 7.5 million viewers which went down around 50 percent compared to the previous season.

Even with these lower ratings and the criticism certain people give to these athletes that are simply tired of this never ending cycle of injustice, we have only been seeing signs that a high presence of these protests will continue to come. Kneeling, locking arms, or even staying in the locker room during the national anthem has taken place throughout the fall in various NHL, MLB, and NFL games that’s making it seem like more of a common and understanding demonstration than when Kaepernick was an outcast for doing so.

Overall, despite how many people start to watch them less and disagree with such acts, these professional athletes are simply not focused on a stamp of approval anymore and are more so driven on taking a stand for their humanity, and being there to support the ones that are affected by it the most.

These walkouts further brought awareness, as teams in the NBA

Atlantic East’s spectator policy for the 2021-2022 sports season

By Chris Schaller Sports Editor After a season of no spectators and a scaled-down sports schedule, this is how things may shape up for the 2021-2022 Atlantic East Conference season.

With the fall sports season starting up again, so are the return of spectators at AEC sporting events. The Atlantic East Conference is expected to make an announcement regarding the spectator policy for this upcoming fall season. Many speculate how the Delta variant may effect the capacity of fans at sporting events.

Cabrini do not require tickets and evidence for being at an event, so there are not any concrete enforcements of the policy.

There aren’t going to be a massive amount of fans in attendance for a particular game. There is speculation that the institutions of the AEC will have the leeway to make their own guidelines when it comes to spectator policies.

The fall season includes soccer, field hockey, women’s volleyball and cross country. Three out of the four sports are eligible to have spectators.

With the season starting next week, the policy from March 12th, is still in place. As of right now family members are only allowed to be in attendance.

This will be the first time that underclassmen will potentially get a taste of having fans in the stands. With the board members of the AEC expected to release a spectator policy sooner rather than later, there is much speculation as to how available the sporting events will be.

“We have not made a final decision on spectators at this time, but hope to do so in the coming days,” Jessica Huntley, commissioner of the Atlantic East Conference, said.

Edithrobb Dixon Field. Photo by Chris Schaller

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With the first game for Cabrini athletics being on a Wednesday the policy of no fans, outside of family members and staff, will be in place. Other collegiate leagues, have granted spectator access to games. However the AEC is waiting to see how the Delta variant pans out during this athletic season.

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“Sophomore year we didn’t even know if we were going to play, so I am definitely excited to have fans back in the stands,” Sage Klein, junior soccer defender, said.

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With the exception of seniors and for the most part juniors, athletes have not experienced a collegiate atmosphere, where there are fans in the stands. Other regional Division III conferences such as the Landmark Conference, have also not updated their spectator policy so the message right now is to play it safe while the Delta variant continues to surge.

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Chris Schaller Sports Editor Junior

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Ryan Chybinski Sports Editor Junior

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Sports

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Cabrini men’s soccer returns to the field with eyes set on conference title

By Ryan Chybinski Sports Editor Cabrini men’s soccer opened up their first game in over 600 days on September second with a two-to-one victory over Haverford college. Haverford struck first and early in the 14th minute putting them ahead. Cabrini did not answer that goal until the 76th minute putting them even once again.

Cabrini’s first goal was scored by Dakota Bower with an assist by Nick LoBiondo. Cabrini did not have to wait long for their second and eventual game-winning goal to come either. The assist man, Nick LoBiondo found the back of the net in the 83rd minute to put the Cavaliers up for the first and only time.

Cabrini faced Delaware Valley University walking away with a three to zero win keeping the Cavaliers undefeated in the young season.

Cabrini’s goal scorers were Christian Rafter in the 39th minute, Matt Duffy in the 46th minute and finally and Nick LoBiondo who notched his second goal of the season in the 57th minute.

Looking ahead to the rest of the Cavaliers season, they will face Desales on September seventh at five pm as they look to continue

their undefeated season. Desales comes into the game with a losing record trying to right the ship against a Cavaliers team that is hungry and rolling after not playing in over two years.

Before the first game of the season head coach, Rob Dallas said ” I think our program has done a good job of staying hungry going into seasons. I think that excitement is at an all-time high having gone through as much time as we did without having a full season. We have new guys playing in their first college season and the returning guys are probably more excited than ever.”

The Cavaliers were able to get two games in last spring. Both against conference opponents. The first game was against Wesley College, a game the Cavaliers won two to one. The second game being a five to one victory over Immaculata University.

When asked if those two-game last spring would help to go into this fall season Coach Dallas said, ” Yes. I think it helped in the sense that we got to play. Do you know where I think it has paid off the most for us? I would be that we have so many guys who have returned from that group. They spent all year training last year and

we were able to put a lot of things into place last year.”

The biggest struggle for programs around the country was getting new players up to speed with the college game while navigating the ever-changing world of COVID-19 restrictions. Luckily soccer being an outdoor sport, there was not much effect on the team’s ability to work out and train to bring the new players up to speed.

Coach Dallas said, ” Fortunately for us this year, it’s not nearly as impactful as it was last year. Getting the guys on the field and getting the guys up to speed with the pace of the college game is something that is always a challenge during preseason camp. The nice thing for us is being an outdoor sport. COVID is not impacting us as much as it could be.”

As the Cavaliers move on through their season with the goal of avenging the heartbreaking conference title loss suffered in 2019, they are also playing with the knowledge that a conference title brings an automatic bid into the NCAA national tournament and a chance to fight for a national title.

Cabrini Fall Sports Schedule Scan the QR Code to check out all of Cabrini University’s fall sports this coming year!

SCANME Dixon Field. Photo by Cabrini Athletes