the Quadrangle THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume XCVI, Issue 13
www.mcquad.org
NOVEMBER 21, 2017
big weekend for basketball Men Hold OFF Harvard at Home; Women defeat St.Francis
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams won their home games this past weekend. FULL COVERAGE ON PAGE 8 PATRICK FACCAS / COURTESY
NYPD Holds Active Shooter Presentation on Campus Ally Hutzler Editor
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, students and faculty filed into the Kelly Commons to hear a presentation by the NYPD Counter Terrorism Unit on the potential presence of an active shooter. In 2008, after the tragic Virginia Tech shooting that left 32 people dead, Congress amended the Clery Act adding that a campus emergency response plan be required by every institution of higher education. The amendment requires institutions to immediately notify the campus community as soon as an emergency is confirmed on the campus. Shootings on college campuses over the last five years have more than doubled since a similar period a decade earlier, according to a 2016 report by the Citizens Crime Commission. The report, which reviewed 190 incidents at 142 colleges from 2001 to 2016,
IN NEWS:
MC makes FED challenge semifinals on p. 3
also stated that the incidents have grown more deadly, with three times as many people injured or killed during the mostrecent five year period. David Kalin, a lieutenant who is currently assigned to the NYPD’s school safety division, lead the presentation and began the talk with a simple question: “Do we have a plan in place and do we practice it?” Kalin began with an overview of some of the deadliest school shootings in American history, beginning with the first reported mass school killing that occurred in 1764 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania where during the Pontiac’s War Native Americans entered a schoolhouse and killed ten children. Kalin went on to discuss the events of Columbine, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook. In each situation, Kalin dissected the events that took place and pointed to actions that could have been different or safer if the school had planned and practiced an emergency response protocol. In Sandy
IN FEATURES: MSA hosts “Know Your Rights” Event on p. 5
Hook, for example, the lock is on the outside of the classroom doors and many teachers didn’t have time to lock the classroom properly. In Virginia Tech, it took police a long time to get into the building because the two attackers chained the doors shut which delayed entry. As the presentation noted, active shooters aren’t isolated to a single type of person or type of place. They can be any gender, race or religion and can take place at schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, churches, or places of business. This is what makes mass shootings so frightening and so difficult to prepare for. Kalin’s overall advice: be prepared for anything. Barrett Cortellesi, a student at Manhattan, attended the presentation because of his family’s history with emergency response. “My dad used to handle the emergency planning for a pre-K through 8 school in New Jersey. I come from a family of firefighters and EMTs so this
The college hosted an active shooter presentation. ANJA POLLOZI / THE QUADRANGLE is just kind of what we do,” he ney did note that being close to New York City and taking the said. Cortellesi thought the pre- subways can be scary at times, sentation was very informative, but she finds the Riverdale area but possibly a little but out- to feel more secure. “[The presentation] gave dated. He notes the challenges some helpful tips that I didn’t that may occur in keeping these know before like what to do guidelines updated each year. during a shooting and what Cullen McElligott and Mihappens leading up to it and kayla Cunney, two freshmen at some of the procedures, so I MC who attended the presenthought it was pretty helpful,” tation, said that they feel relaMcElligott said. tively safe at the college. Cun-
IN A&E:
IN SPORTS:
Peter Martino Men’s Basketball Performer Profile bests Harvard and on p. 7 St. Francis on p. 8
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the Quadrangle Volume XCVI, Issue 13 NOVEMBER 21, 2017
The Editorial Board
Stephen Zubrycky Editor in Chief Jack Melanson News Editor
Haley Burnside Joseph Liggio Asst. News Editors
Ally Hutzler Features Editor Managing Editor
Megan Dreher Asst. Features Editor
Taylor Brethauer Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor
Rose Brennan Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
RikkiLynn Shields Sports Editor
Charles Lippolis Asst. Sports Editor
Tara Marin Social Media Editor
Catherine Goodyear Asst. Social Media Editor
Aaron Mayorga Photography Editor
Anja Pollozi Asst. Photography Editor
Alyssa Velazquez Production Editor
Abbi Kirollos Asst. Production Editor
Victoria Hernandez Morales Multimedia Editor August Kissel Daniel Molina Web Editors Thomas Callahan Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club. Connect with The Quadrangle
mcquad.org @mcquad @the_quadrangle mcquad
THE QUADRANGLE
How Manhattan College Supported Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria’s Destruction Victoria Hernandez Editor
Days after Hurricane Maria impacted Puerto Rico on Sept. 16, Manhattan College started uniting forces to provide help to Lasallian communities and the greater Puerto Rico area. Both faculty and students of the Jasper community developed initiatives to relief the aftermath. From fundraisers to a water purification project, the college has expressed their compromise with providing assistance and resources to their extended Caribbean family. For Brother Jack Curran, MC’s vice president for mission, responding to Puerto Rico’s needs is part of his calling. “One of my vows is to be united ‘together and by association’ with others, faculty, staff, students, and Brothers, who are involved with this lifegiving project that we call Lasallian education. So, with the extraordinary devastation, pain and suffering of members of my family caused by Hurricane Maria -- and knowing that members of my “together and by association vowed family” -- faculty, students, staff, and Brothers who happen to live in Puerto Rico -- are among those suffering -- and also knowing that here at MC we have students and faculty from PR -- I felt compelled to do ‘something’.” For Curran, the student body’s response towards contributing to the island has been quite encouraging. “[They’re] energetically engaged and seeking to be of assistance to the people of Puerto Rico. It’s inspiring,” Curran said. According to Curran, helping fellow Americans is part of the Lasallian mission, no matter where they are. “For us, these are not simply “nice words” -- but these are words that define concepts and commitments that [we] embrace and “bring to life”. Since we have passionate people who are committed to a purpose, what I’ve done has been to listen to what our students
and faculty are saying and to observe what they are doing. I reached out to our Lasallians in Puerto Rico and tried to find out more of their needs so that we might be able to identify some specific expertise here at Manhattan College that could assist them,” said Curran. There are two Lasallian schools in Puerto Rico: one in Añasco and another one in Bayamón. Both who were impacted by the hurricane. The School of Engineering faculty, Dr Maffia and Dr Abulencia in particular, are committed to lend a hand. “We’re presently in the process of designing some projects in consultation with our Lasallian colleagues in Puerto Rico -- for both short term and long term assistance - -for water purification and electricity and -- to help with health and education -- things that are central to the Lasallian mission,” said Curran. Claudia Ramirez, president of the Biology Club on campus, is one of the students committed to helping the island. “The [Biology Club] board and I hosted “Curiosity Day” in the quad, where people had the opportunity to learn a little about science and explore their own curiosity. During the event, we had a Make-Your-Own Slime Station, where people donated money towards the cause and they took home some slime. We raised $300 that day.” The fact that many young Puerto Ricans took matters into their hands and decided to get together to help in some way or another their island is making many feel less stressed and hopeful. “To see how students all over the US are doing all they can to find help and create this amazing movement gives me hope that the next generation will bring greatness to the island. Students are facing reality and noticing that if we don’t help our own people no one else will,” Ramirez said. Natalia Alvarez, one of the students who formed the Do It For Puerto Rico movement, says that help after the hurricane was necessary but con-
tinuing to help in the future is crucial. “At the beginning the support from the students was amazing and we are really thankful for that. However people still need to understand that the crisis is still ongoing and that the support should continue and not fade away after two weeks,” she said. Do It For Puerto Rico, a movement founded by Puerto Ricans on the Manhattan College campus, has raised over $3,000. Carmen Alvarez, a Puerto Rican junior biology major, felt the need to make a difference from New York. And that’s exactly what I’m doing. “I organized an event in a venue downtown in which students would have to buy a ticket to get in and all the profits from the ticket sale would be donated to United for Puerto Rico by the First Lady organization. My friend helped me design a flyer to promote the event and the Puerto Rican students helped me spread the word all over campus by posting the flyer on our social media pages and the dorm halls. The event was a success, selling more than 200 tickets,” Alvarez said. Micaela Bishop, student body president at MC, has also supported students in their journey of recovery. “As Lasallians we took the initiative to try and organize how the student body could raise funds but also support our fellow students,” Bishop said. Student Government designed t-shirts with a message for Puerto Rico and has been selling them to later on donate all the profits. “Increasing empathy and passion amongst the students is exactly what the PR students did in their initial work towards helping their families and loved ones back home. Through a great deal of conversation and events, they did a wonderful job at bringing a piece of their homeland back to their home in the Bronx, all while fundraising a ton,” Bishop said.
CORRECT IONS In last week’s issue, “Meet Senior Softball Player Rachel Mumma”referred to Rachael Mumma as a “middle end fielder.” She plays middle infield/second base for the team. Mumma’s first name, Rachael, was also misspelled as “Rachel.”
News
NOVEMBER 21, 2017
MC Makes FED Challenge Semi-Final
C. Garrett Keidel & Alexa Schmidt Staff Writers
On Oct. 31, a team of five presenters, two researcher analysts, and one faculty member from Manhattan College participated in the FED Challenge. They made it to the semifinals and presented the morning of Nov. 14 to a panel of three judges to try and make the finals, held in Washington, D.C. Although they didn’t make it to the finals, it was an unforgettable experience. Students Diego Miguens, Zoe McGreevy and Veronica Cheng were three of the students at the challenge. Miguens is a junior and a global business major, McGreevy is also a junior and an economics major with a double minor in finance and Mandarin, and Cheng is a sophomore and an economics major. Other team members included Eric Scalone, Daniel Molina, Shaina Colombo and Sherry Zhang. Hany Guirguis, Ph.D, is their faculty advisor. The FED challenge is, “a group of highly motivated students getting together to put together a presentation about the current state of the economy, and what our predictions would be going forward. We then present these at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York” McGreevy said. “We act as policy makers to do a bunch of research on which policies should be implemented, what should change, and our future forecast and recommendations,” Miguens said. Each team member has a specific responsibility. Miguens and McGreevy were two of the presenters, and Cheng was a researcher who collected raw data into graphs. The presenters prepare by anticipating what questions they will be asked, and have particular topics they are supposed to become knowledgeable in. Some of these topics include unconventional monetary policy, the Taylor Rule, the housing market and inflation. “I was responsible for putting together the presentation and reading articles, learning a lot of things so that we can be prepared for any questions that may be asked at the actual presentation,” McGreevy said. Preparing for the competi-
This year, the team Manhattan FED Challenge team made it to the semifinals. ZOE McGREEVY / COURTESY tion was very time consuming and took up a lot of hours during the weekdays, and even weekdays. It’s an all year round process that continuously builds, even after the competition ends. “I would say that a good estimate would be 50 hours of work a week. We would meet in the morning and at night, and then towards the competition we would meet on the weekends. Which would be a lot of hours on those days,” Miguens said. “Close to the competition we would meet on the weekends for maybe 15 hours in total,” Cheng said. The entire process is tedious. These students go enormous lengths to learn as much information as they can to do their best during the competition. “I started in January doing research, and looking at the previous presentation from the team last year, using that as a base. From there, as we got current information, current research, we would add things in and take out outdated information. We also added in new parts that are more relevant to today’s economic situation. Basically doing research all year round because things change all the time in the economy,” Miguens said. “It’s like everything builds off the work we’ve done before. I’ve been on the team since I was a freshman and I started reading articles, and putting things into the presentation for about two years now. So for me,
it’s been just building on the starting point from freshman year,” McGreevy said. In addition, Cheng would have to update the data monthly because the FED updated the data monthly, and they needed the data to be as accurate as possible. At their meetings, practicing was crucial. Each person had their own topic of study, and taught the other team members about what they learned so that everyone would be able to answer a question about a specific topic. “We took last year’s questions that were asked, and switched it up to try and mimic a current question that they might ask. That was one of the ways we prepared, but another was just to make sure everyone knew their own section well,” Miguens said. At the actual competition, a bunch of different schools from the northeast area present to a panel of judges. The teams are not allowed to say which school they are from, and the judges cannot know either. The teams also get asked a series of questions and get scored based on a rubric. Nine out of 42 teams move on the semifinals. The judging process itself is tough. There are a lot of different components that go into this competition that don’t solely have to do with economics and information. Other things, like people skills and teamwork factor in as well. “They want to see how you and your teammates respond to the questions, and how you guys
interact with one another during the presentation. So things like eye contact, to see how you flow from one part of the presentation to another, teamwork and chemistry. And then when they ask their questions, they want to see if you huddle a lot to see if you don’t really know or have an answer for the question. They mainly want to see if you know your information instead of just memorizing it, and to see how you work with your teammates. They don’t want to see a group of five kids from the business school that just got picked for the team and do not really know each other,” Miguens said. Upon reflection, these students realize how much work actually went into preparing for the FED challenge. “I was a part of the team last year. I was better able to balance school work and the FED challenge this year compared to last. But it still is difficult because it is a lot of hours and it is a very demanding project. But it is just as rewarding, so the benefits outweigh the costs,” McGreevy said. “It’s more like staying up countless hours, waking up very early most of the first semester just to read a couple articles and discuss them which is tedious, but at the end of the day when it comes to the competition, you’ll look back and be able to understand things you read in the very first article. It pays off at the end. So if you want to put in a lot of hours per week and give up going out with your friends and having
fun, then go ahead. You have to give something up to get something else. It’s a pick and choose, but worthwhile in the end,” Miguens said. Each student took away something different from this experience. For Cheng, it’s analyzing data, for Miguens, it’s public speaking, and for McGreevy, it’s learning even more about economics. Overall, the competition taught them to strengthen their skills, like time management and working together as a team. “I know we came across a lot of obstacles and we argued and that’s typical for a team. But we would always took a step back and instead of getting angry with each other we would see the pros and the cons to see who has the best idea, the best opinion. It taught me how to be more of a team player, not just being a one man show. So now if I’m working in my future job and my boss asks me to be a team player, I can look back on this experience,” Miguens said. Although they didn’t make it to the finals, they still hold their heads high. “Out of 42 competing teams and some of the best business programs on the east coast, making it to the semifinals with eight other teams was a very big accomplishment. I was putting my head down and a bunch of faculty came up to me and said congratulations for even making it that far,” Miguens said. “I was on the team last year, and we didn’t make it to the semifinals. So this year knowing all the work we put into it and all the effort that was given by every member of the team and our faculty advisor, Dr. Guirguis, it’s a really good feeling to know you have something to show for all the work you’ve done. I would give more recognition to our faculty advisor because of the amount of work he puts into it to try and help us succeed by bringing us to our highest level of capacity. We really have bonded over the whole process, and he should be getting more recognition at the end of the day. While it is our team presenting, he’s the one that holds the team together and we’re all appreciative of that,” McGreevy said.
Editor’s Note: Daniel Molina is the Web Editor for The Quadrangle.
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News
College Now Offers Computer Science Master’s Program, Minor in Chinese Ally Hutzler Editor
Manhattan College recently announced that it will begin offering a master’s degree in computer science starting in the fall of 2018. The 30-credit curriculum is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the industry, as well as serving as a basis for those students who wish to continue their education through a Ph.D. program. Igor Aizenberg, professor and chair of the computer science department, said that the idea for the master’s program started when he was being interviewed by the college for his position in December 2015. It took about a year for the program to be developed by the school and approved by New York state this past September. “The college is working to have more master’s programs because this may help to have
Chair of the Computer Science Department, Igor Aizenberg, Ph.D.
MANHATTAN COLLEGE/ COURTESY
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more students,” Aizenberg said. “Not only in the graduate programs but in the undergraduate population as well.” Aizenberg stressed the importance of a computer science master’s program in particular because in five to ten years from now, in order to excel in a professional career in the computer science industry, one will essentially need to have a master’s degree. “We’re surrounded by computers there is a very high demand for professionals with a fresh knowledge of computer science,” Aizenberg said. At MC students can typically finish the master’s program in computer science in two semesters and only technically need to take 24 credits because two classes that they complete during their undergraduate career will count towards their master’s degree. There are currently 109
undergraduate students in the computer science program, and Aizenberg stated that many of them are already expressing interest in staying a fifth year to get their master’s degree. Due to the peaked interest, Aizenberg thinks that the department will need to hire at least one more professor to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate level because right now faculty members are fully loaded. Aizenberg is excited that the master’s program will allow faculty to do research at a much higher level because graduate students can be more involved in doing qualitative research. This can even lead to projects being published in journals and academic publications. The computer science department has faculty from all over the world including India, Nepal, China and Ukraine. The master’s program hopes to draw in international students, Aizenberg states, adding a multicultural element to the student experience. “I believe that this is a right step in the development of not only the department but for the school of science and Manhattan College because this will attract more people here and we hope to attract international students to this program so this will be a contribution to diversity,” Aizenberg said. College also offers minor in Chinese The College continues to add to its catalog offerings with a new minor in Chinese. Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, and the minor will allow students to gain the necessary language skills for international careers in business, economics, engineering, and government. Marlene Gottlieb, professor and chair of the modern languages and literatures department, states that while the college has been offering courses in Chinese for the past five years the student interest in continuing to learn the difficult language sparked the need for the creation of a minor program. “[Chinese] isn’t like Spanish or French where after two semesters you can really get around and talk to people,” Gottlieb said. “Not Chinese, it’s really difficult, it’s probably one of the most difficult languages.” Ting Bell, an adjunct professor in the modern languages and literatures department, states that the Chinese language is very interactive. “An MRI scan shows that
while you study Chinese, four parts of the brain lights up,” Bell said. “The Chinese language is more like looking at a picture, meanwhile the English language only lights up one part of the brain.” The Chinese language has over 5,000 writing characters as well as different speaking tones and sounds, making it extremely difficult to learn anything of true value after just two classes. As a result, the modern languages department kept creating courses as students needed and wanted them. Gottlieb is still waiting for the statistics to come through, but she believes that the department already has about six students completing the minor in Chinese and ten MC students taking the first year of the language. Manhattan College has a partnership with Lehman College in languages. That means that MC students who want to take a course that we don’t offer can go to Lehman, without paying any tuition fees, to take the class and vice versa. Typically, Lehman students come to Manhattan to take Chinese and Arabic, and Manhattan students attend Lehman for advanced Japanese courses. Bell, who has been teaching Chinese at MC for the past
Ting Bell discusses the interactivity of the Chinese language. MANHATTAN COLLEGE/ COURTESY
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four semesters, states that the rise in student interest in the language is partly due to the increased corporate partnership between China and the United States. “The country needs it,” Bell said. “In the coordination between business and engineering sectors, people are saying they want to learn from the West and now the West is saying that there are things we can learn from China as well, and they need people who know the language to do it.”
THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan College Debate Takes Part in Ethics Bowl
Manhattan College’s debate team at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. DAVID BOLLERT / COURTESY
Megan Dreher & August Kissel Asst. Editor & Editor
On November 11, the Manhattan College Debate Team participated in the Northeast Regional Ethics Bowl at Marist College. The team competed against schools across the east coast, including Villanova, West Point and Moravian. Each team in the Bowl is guaranteed three rounds of debate. The judges introduce the case, which the teams have been preparing for all semester, and then the chosen team begins to formulate their case. The cases cover a variety of ethical topics. This includes topics like abortion, euthanasia, ethical issues involving Donald Trump, critiquing not him but the institution, for example the electoral college. Or more recent topics include the Keystone Access Pipeline, which recently started an oil spill, and teen suicide and its connections to the Netflix show Thirteen Reasons Why. The teams each had ten minutes on the floor to make their cases, often led by the student who did the most research on that specific case. The opposing team then took five minutes to rebuttal against the case, and then the starting team took the following five minutes to defend themselves. The judges then proceeded to ask questions to the defending team, and finally the judges, three local professionals, came up with their final scores and the case was then closed. While the team did not advance to the quarterfinals, they saw success in winning two out of their three matches. They lost by a small margin to Villanova in the first round, defeated one of the two West Point teams in the second round, and then finished strong with a win against Moravian College in the third round. “We didn’t qualify for the top eight. Even so, the team spirit was high afterwards because we had such a great time debating and arguing. It’s nice
to be in that moment and you’re with these other teams and you’re talking it out. Here are my points here are your points, here are some flaws. Even after all of that, it is so high, exciting, and thrilling, euphoric,” said team member and philosophy and government double major, Liam Moran. The team advisor and visiting assistant professor in the philosophy department, David Bollert, echoed praises of the team’s performance overall. “The team members performed admirably at the tournament. Their presentations were rigorous in argumentation, passionate in tone, and firm in conviction. More importantly, team members assisted one another during each match, and the team as a whole displayed humility when it won and graciousness when it lost. It was a delightful day,” stated Bollert. “In regards to my personal experience, I truly learned a lot from the competition. Some of the topics that we were presented with had varying sides of what each person considers to be morally right or wrong. So it was interesting to see what sides the opposing teams took and how strong their argument was,” stated Mackenzie Cooper, a member of the team who debated for the first time at the competition. In total, five students from the debate team participated in the competition. Dr. Bollert selected the members of the team who participated in the competition based off of their knowledge of the cases, group participation and attendance to the weekly meetings. “We are welcoming to everyone in the community here at Manhattan College. You don’t have to be a philosophy major. Dr. Bollert is very avid about getting everyone involved,” said Moran. Looking forward, the team will not be active again until the fall 2018 semester. “Our goal is to make the next round at the regional competition and then hopefully nationals,” said team member Rory Hannigan.
Features
NOVEMBER 21, 2017
Muslim Student Association Hosts “Know Your Rights” Event Lauren Schuster Staff Writer
On Thursday evening in Kelly Commons, students and faculty gathered together for “Know Your Rights,” an event put on by the Muslim Student Association co-sponsored by Fuerza Latina and the Black Student Union. The event consisted of the showing of a short documentary called “Watched” followed by a talk and Q&A with Afaf Nasher, the executive director of the New York State affiliate for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY). The documentary focused on the experience of two young women who attended Brooklyn College and were members of the Muslim community there. During their time there, these women met and welcomed into their circle of friends a woman who went by the name “Mel.” “Mel” was later revealed to be an undercover informant for the NYPD. Though these young women had already begun to suspect that “Mel” was up to something, they were not able confirm that she was in fact an informant until they saw on the news that two Muslim women in Queens were arrested for having connections to Al Qaeda thanks to an undercover NYPD officer who went by the alias
“Mel.” The NYPD later admitted that this same officer had in fact been assigned to Brooklyn College at one point. After these two young women discovered this information about someone they once thought was a classmate, a convert to their faith and a close friend, feelings of paranoia and betrayal set in. These women began to censor themselves in every way possible in order to avoid suspicion, feeling as though they were perpetually being watched, even if they were not anymore. These are difficult feelings for anyone to cope with, but they were especially difficult for these young college students who were supposed to be just beginning to control their own lives. Undercover agents like “Mel” are a part of the NYPD’s mass surveillance of Muslim New Yorkers that began after the 9/11 attacks. Not long after “Mel” started her undercover work at Brooklyn College in 2011, the Associated Press released a series of stories about the NYPD’s Demographics Unit, which had been created to map out and survey areas in New York City that had a high Muslim population. Although this unit was shut down after the attention it received due to the Associated Press stories, NYPD officers continued to conduct this type of surveil-
lance. Even though the Demographics Unit no longer exists in the NYPD, the unfair targeting of Muslim Americans by law enforcement and security officers is still extremely prevalent today. Afaf Nasher, who works to defend those who have been unfairly targeted as the executive director of CAIR-NY, gave a talk to the audience and answered questions after the documentary screening. During her talk, she discussed important information that everyone should know if they are ever approached by a law enforcement officer. This included instructions on what to do in a variety of different situations, such as an officer knocking on your door, an officer pulling you over in your vehicle, being questioned by airport security and several others. The common thread of what to do in all of these situations that was emphasized by Nasher was to remain calm and to make it clear that you will involve your attorney going forward. “Understanding that you should not be speaking to anyone without an attorney present is the most basic right that you can apply just about anywhere and everywhere, and that you should apply for your protection,” Nasher said.
Afaf Nasher spoke after the documentary screening about minorities being unfairly targeted in society. LAUREN SCHUSTER / THE QUADRANGLE
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Rabea Ali, president of the MSA, helped plan the event with Fuerza Latina and the Black Student Union. LAUREN SCHUSTER / THE QUADRANGLE Nasher also made it clear that the Muslim community is not the first or the only group to be unfairly targeted by law enforcement under the guise of national security. Civil rights activists, Black Lives Matter activists, and people of color in general are just some of the other groups which are, and have been, treated with heightened suspicion by law enforcement. This is why Rabea Ali, president of the Muslim Student Association at MC, decided to get the Black Student Union and Fuerza Latina involved. “I never realized how many communities this even affected, so [realizing] that was my basis behind [involving] Fuerza Latina,” Ali said, “Then [with] the Black Student Union [it] was a combination of the fact that it definitely affects them, and also just having been to a few of these [Know Your Rights events], I’ve noticed one of the things that they emphasize is that this isn’t just the Muslim community in recent years, but [law enforcement agencies] essentially attack, in terms of surveillance, the Black Lives Matter Movement. I know the Black Student Union was created because of so many different reasons of them feeling underrepresented on campus, so it was a good reason for them as well.” This is also why Ali decided to reach out to CAIR specifically. “I reached out to CAIR because I’ve worked with them on so many different things on a personal level that I was like ‘they’re the most amazing people to work with and also they will do it in the right way that caters to so many different audiences in terms of legal rights,’
because that doesn’t just relate to the Muslim community, it relates to so many different communities,” Ali said. The issue of discriminatory surveillance by law enforcement can be addressed not only by knowing your own rights and helping to make sure that others know theirs, but also by working to get legislation passed that will protect or increase the public’s right to privacy. “There are a number of bills that are trying to be passed with CAIR-NY [...] and with other civil rights organizations [...] Call your local representative and say ‘Look, I am aware that this is happening, and I’m aware that there is a bill that is being presented to you and I want you to support it, because I care about this and I’m a young person who is going to be voting for a long time,’” Nasher said. Nasher expressed that she felt this topic was an especially important one to talk about on college campuses like Manhattan’s in order to try to prevent what happened to the young women in the film from happening to any more young people. “Young people are, especially in college, supposed to be able to challenge themselves and those around them, which in part means being able to express yourself fully, without having to think twice about it. That’s not the case if you’re busy wondering if you’re going to have a law enforcement issue, because you expressed [certain] ideas, [...] and it’s really problematic that it’s happening not because of any suspicious activity, but because of religious profiling,” Nasher said. Rose Brennan contributed on reporting.
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Features
THE QUADRANGLE
JustPeace Organizes Second Annual Period Project Haley Burnside Asst. Editor
There are countless difficulties and problems for those who are homeless or living in poverty. Those who struggle to afford food, clothing or a warm place to stay must prioritize the items that can be purchased. For those who live with a menstruation cycle, the hardship of obtaining necessities is multiplied. Pads, tampons, and other sanitary products are not only expensive, they are needed on a monthly basis for these individuals. They are necessities that can be forgotten by those who do not struggle to come by them. The JustPeace program here at Manhattan College has organized the Period Project to help alleviate the struggle for the individuals who are most affected by these difficulties. JustPeace has left donation boxes all around campus, including in all of the residence halls. Students are encouraged to place pads, tampons and other sanitary products in the boxes. This marks the second year of the Project on the Manhattan College campus. JustPeace president Samantha Wilson is thrilled that the Period Project is making a
comeback. “Last year was our first time holding it, and we were so blown away by the success of the drive that we wanted to bring it back again,” said Wilson. “MC students and faculty donated over 4,500 pads and tampons last year. We’re hoping this year we can collect even more.” Wilson thinks that the Period Project is a valuable way for students to directly contribute something good to the community outside of the college. “Being in New York City, we are surrounded with people experiencing homelessness every single day, and a lot of them are women and girls or identify as such,” said Wilson. “It is unimaginably difficult to be homeless, and having your period just adds another layer to that. We want the Period Project to be a way to use our privilege in the world to help women in need have one less thing to worry about.” Lauren Alexander, a junior and member of JustPeace, said that the supplies will be given to local centers. “The supplies will be donated to Covenant House. We are still confirming the second location,” said Alexander. The junior wants to encourage all students, including men,
to get involved with the Project. “I think that any men who want to help should buy a box of pads or tampons and donate them. I think it is time we get comfortable with periods whether we personally experience them or not,” said Alexander. “You do not have to be a woman to care about issues involving people with vaginas.” She went on to add that the club is encouraging involvement among its members regardless of gender. She is happy to see that it is being embraced by all. “In addition, we have men
in JustPeace who are just as involved on the project as the women in the organization and I think this is great.” Roksana Badruddoja, Ph.D, supports the Period Project. As an associate professor in the sociology department here at the college, and a professor for the women and gender studies minor, she sees the mission of the Period Project to be important and relevant work for all members of the public. “Both menstruation and women who experience homelessness are public health issues which are issues of human rights and social justice,” said
Badruddoja. “Both issues bring forth the inequities to accessible medical care, housing, etc.” Badruddoja thinks that this project fits in line with the values of the college and should be embraced by the students. “MC’s central tenet is about social justice,” said Badruddoja. “Menstruation and homelessness should be topics of concern individually and together for us at MC.” The donation boxes will remain in the residence halls and other locations on campus through Dec. 4.
health services here at Manhattan. This rise in the number of young people with anxiety can be attributed to various circumstances. Psychologists can agree to the fact that anxiety is a diagnosis unique to each individual. Some students today are far less exposed to hardship, compared to older generations. Many parents of children in this generation do their best to shield their children from the dangers of society, assuring they would not have to experience the same struggle they themselves may have had to face. So when the students comes to school, and are living on their own for the first time, they may find life overwhelming. The recent rise in the use of trigger warnings protects young people. They are shielded from seeing something that may make them uncomfortable and therefore the next time they are approached with the same topic it becomes more threatening than the first time.
Therefore heightening the situation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, students of today have the world at their fingertips. Young people are exposed to all aspects of life and through social media and the constant use of smartphones, they compare themselves to their peers and strangers. Students are no longer competing solely at an academic level, but they have to maintain a perfect image socially as well. “Look at this world, we can watch a war on television. Live footage. This is something that people were not exposed to. In a way it’s a lot of protecting and in a way there is too much exposure. It’s not a good combination that can increase anxiety,” McArdle added. Anxiety is hard to diagnose simply because everyone feels anxious to a certain degree. Anxiety is a feeling that stems from a moment of extreme stress. The difference is that the anxious person internalizes the pressure and the stress so that they inflict the stress upon
themselves. The New York Times article defined anxiety as “the overestimation of danger and the underestimation of our ability to cope.” Despite all of this, Manhattan College has been taking steps to create a more aware environment. For example, the peer career advisors spend a day of their training with a counselor from the center. “We were told that students coming in may be anxious. The counselor told us to reassure them and to do our best to make sure their resumes are top notch and that everything looks good. We can also provide advice about what to wear to the interview or how to prepare for questions. Of course this is not a complete solution but we are doing the best we can in providing even a little bit of aid and support to our peers,” said Shannon Raczynski, a sophomore peace studies and philosophy major. Students are also encouraged to go to counseling center if they feel any difference in
their state of being. McArdle especially encourages this so that the students can get a proper diagnosis and find their own way of coping with anxiety in the long term. “Yoga is awesome, meditation is awesome. Deep breathing exercises are proven to be very effective. If it’s a chemical imbalance, then the person should be on an anxiety medication, or they may have a nutritional imbalance. I tell everyone that they should take fish oil, it’s very good for brain health. It can increase your B Vitamins,” said McArdle If you have any further questions, the counseling center can be reached by phone at 718-862-7394 or you can make an appointment in person. The office is located in Miguel Hall, Room 501. And in the case of an emergency, you can call Public Safety at 718-862-7333 or dial 911.
JustPeace is collecting feminine products through a campus-wide donation drive. ANNA CURRAN / COURTESY
Anxiety Surpasses Depression as the Most Common Reason College Students Seek Counseling Services
Megan Dreher and August Kissel Asst. Editor & Editor
“Over the last decade, anxiety has overtaken depression as the most common reason college students seek counseling services. In its annual survey of students, the American College Health Association found a significant increase — to 62 percent in 2016 from 50 percent in 2011 — of undergraduates reporting ‘overwhelming anxiety’ in the previous year,” an Oct. 11 New York Times article read. This is true for the Manhattan College community as well. “It is definitely the most self-referred reason to come to the counseling center. It’s panic attacks, it’s social anxiety, generalized anxiety, academic anxiety, the fear of failure, the fear of success. I have people in healthy and wonderful relationships and they are worried sick that something is going to happen,” said Jennifer McArdle, the director of counseling and
NOVEMBER 21, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
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Stepping Away from the Numbers: On Stage with Sophomore Peter Martino performer profile Jess Solan Contributor
Peter Martino is a sophomore finance major, but he steps away from numbers as a dedicated member of the Manhattan College Players. Although he is now a very active actor, he once had no idea what he was getting into. “I started acting freshman year of high school. I almost didn’t do it because I was really nervous. I had never done anything like that,” says Martino. However, he overcame those nerves and ended up acting for all four years of high school. “I wanted to continue to do theater here,” said Martino in regards to why he chose to join the Players in the first place. In his freshman and sophomore years of college, Martino has spent a great deal of time with the Players, performing roles from Warner in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” to Glenn in the Players’ most recent show, “Rumors”. “Legally Blonde: The Mu-
sical” had Martino performing songs such as “Serious” and “There Right There!” while portraying Elle Woods’ exboyfriend Warner, who she chases to Harvard University in Boston from Los Angeles, California. His performance, as a freshman in a major role of a musical, was entertaining and hilarious. He also performed in the Player’s annual murder mystery of last month, “The Crimson House Murder”, as Colonel Chutney, a wild man who seemingly believed he was still in India in the 1880s fighting in a war. His convincing accent, along with his vivacious movements, showed off his physical comedy skills, even in a minor role within the show. Or there was “Rumors”, where Martino portrayed Glenn Cooper, a man who spends majority of the dinner party arguing with his wife Cassie (played by Michelle Lapreay) over special crystals and making rushed monologues to sway the police. Yet again, another hilarious performance.
Additionally, Martino claims that “Rumors” is his favorite show yet that he has performed in with the Players. He also included about the club, “I like it. Most of my friends are there, and I’ve met some good people.” Aside from the acting aspect, Martino has built lasting friendships with his fellow Players. The student-run aspect of the program is one of Martino’s favorite factors, because it gives what he describes as a “fulfilling” feeling. “I like how the program is similar to what I had in high school,” says Martino, “it’s small, everybody knows each other.” He includes that the Players’ productions are “student run,” and that “students build the sets, students do the promotions, and students play the music for the musical.” Martino is very proud of the fact that students, including he and his friends, do such a great deal of the work that is involved with putting up a show. Although his studies are
Martino played Glenn Cooper in the Manhattan College Players’ production of “Rumors”. SARA MILANO / THE QUADRANGLE. completely unrelated to acting, Martino has had a long-term passion for performing. He shows that he is able to balance his hobby with his schoolwork, all while having a fun time on
stage. “The excitement you get on stage… there’s really nothing quite like it,” Martino concluded with a smile.
“The Glass Castle” Revisits Author’s Interesting Childhood The Book Nook Alexa Schmidt Staff Writer
When I think of my childhood, the first couple of things that come to mind are bedtime stories, playdates and a lot of peanut butter sandwiches. I know I was lucky in that I grew up in a stable home filled with whatever I needed. However, the same cannot be said for everyone, especially Jeannette Walls. She turned from a scrappy girl into a successful woman by working hard, and who, in no way had an easy time growing up. Her family was dysfunctional to say the least, and Jeannette bared all in her memoir. The book starts with Walls taking a taxi in New York City to an event. Along the way, she sees her homeless mother rooting through trash on the street. Although Walls knows her parents have been homeless for years, she looks back on how she grew up and how her parent’s choices really affected her. One of Walls’s first memories took place when she was three years old. She was making dinner for herself when her dress caught on fire and burned her. After staying at the
hospital for a couple of days, her father, Rex Walls, decided enough was enough and did the “skedaddle.” He whisked Walls away and never paid the bill. Since then, Rex, his wife and four kids would move from desert town to desert town, settling in for as long as he could hold a job. At one point, they stayed in Nevada, where Walls was finally starting to get comfortable. After getting in trouble with the law, they leave in the middle of the night and head to another location. They drive to Phoenix where Rose Mary inherited her mother’s house. This is the family’s first glimpse of stability, but all good things must come to an end. They then live with Rex’s mother, who sexually abuses Walls’s brother, Brian. Based on Rex’s reaction, it seemed like he was abused by his mother as well. Rex and Rose Mary eventually buy their own house, a literal shack, with no indoor plumbing or heating and a leaky roof. These years are filled with extreme poverty, hunger and desperation. Rex used money for the sole purpose of alcohol, and Rose Mary seemed unfazed by the critical conditions they were living in. Walls and her
sister started hatching a plan to escape their family and head to New York City. They picked up multiple jobs and saved money. Along the way came multiple setbacks, but the girls accomplish their dream and move to the big city. Here, they find success and happiness. The family drifts apart until Rex’s death, riddled by years of smoking and drinking. Walls recounts the good and the bad times with her father. Although he never gave her the glass castle or the man he promised he’d become, Walls thrived on the reckless freedom he gave her, and she will always remember that. She comes to peace with her parents and her past. I chose this book because I was completely humbled by Walls’s recount of her childhood. She became a resilient person and never let her childhood define her. It amazed me that Walls was comfortable enough to deliver this raw and emotional story to an unforgiving audience. Reading about some of the things she endured and managed to overcome is empowering and hopeful. “The Glass Castle” a poignant story, and makes us, the readers, reflect on our own relationships with our families.
“The Glass Castle” is a best-selling memoir based on Jeannette Walls’ life. ALEXA SCHMIDT / THE QUADRANGLE
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Sports
THE QUADRANGLE
Jaspers Hold Off Harvard 73-69
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Jaspers’ MBB opened the season 2-0 after holding off Harvard 73-69. AaronWalker Jr. had 11 points and three assists in the game. PATRICK FACCAS/ COURTESY
John Jackson Staff Writer
The Manhattan Jaspers (20; 0-0 MAAC) topped the Harvard Crimson (2-2; 0-0 IVY) by a score of 73-69 on Saturday afternoon in Draddy Gymnasium. After a thrilling 80-79 overtime victory in their season opener against St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 15, the Jaspers looked to put up their second consecutive win in a row to begin the season for the first time since their 2013-2014 campaign. “I take my hat off to them,” Head Coach Steve Masiello said of Harvard. “I thought it was just a really good basketball game. Could’ve gone either way down the stretch. Aaron [Walker Jr.] and Rich [Williams] made some good plays.” Danilo Djuricic started off the scoring two minutes and 20 seconds into the game as he gave the Crimson a 2-0 lead
with a layup. That’s the only lead they would have in the first half as Zane Waterman tied things up and Williams made a three-pointer to give Manhattan a 5-2 lead with 16:07 to go in the half. The Crimson kept things close at first and even tied the game with 12:11 left, but after that, the Jaspers went off. They went on a 30-15 run the rest of the half to go into halftime up by 40-25. Williams and Calvin Crawford led the team in the first half with 14 points apiece and perfect three-point shooting. Crawford was 2-for-2 and Williams was 4-for-4. Zaiver Turner was a key player as well as he had six assists in the first half; the same as the entire Harvard team combined at that point. After Thomas Capuano began the scoring in the second half with jumper for Manhattan, Harvard started to chip away at the Jaspers’ lead. They went on a 12-0 run to turn a 17 point deficit into a five point deficit. Masiello called a timeout with
15:28 remaining and 16 seconds later, Williams finally put the team back on the board again with a three-point play. The two teams went back and forth scoring-wise until 10:37 when Seth Towns went off for the Crimson. Towns scored eight consecutive points in 51 seconds to give his team a lead for the first time since 17:40 in the first half. “The Harvard team did a phenomenal job for a young team coming in on the road. Eighteen point lead, they cut it, they took the lead,” said Masiello. Harvard would extend that lead to as much as six points with 6:11 left to play. Manhattan fought back to take a 64-62 lead with 3:30 to go behind eight points from Walker Jr. After Harvard tied things up at 64 a few seconds later, Williams made a critical threepoint shot that would give Manhattan a permanent lead. One game after scoring 21 points, Williams helped the Jaspers’ effort with 20 points. It
was the second time he put up back-to-back 20-point performances in his career. Williams, a fifth-year senior, played on the 2013-2014 squad that won the MAAC Tournament and made it to the NCAA Tournament. The two victories the Jaspers started out with this season were similar to the first two in that season. They began the 2013-2014 campaign with a 99-90 overtime victory over La Salle University and followed it up with a close 71-70 victory over Columbia University. After winning in overtime and playing a close one in the second game of this season, there were some similarities drawn. “Just to see us fight back, it was similar in that sense, said Williams. “That adversity we faced. It’s a good start. A good stepping stone.” Williams was out for the 2016-2017 season with a medical redshirt. So far he has been productive, happy to be back, and looking to improve his defense. “I say it all the time, it’s a
blessing to be out there with the guys,” said Williams. “More importantly than anything is all about defense. Just getting in that defensive mindset.” Walker Jr. had 11 points and three assists in this one. His overall play so far has improved and he credits dedication in the summer to that. “I guess I improved a lot,” said Walker Jr. about his performance. “It’s something I’ve been working on this whole summer. Ever since that last game we lost in the MAAC Tournament, I just got in the gym, got with the coaches and worked.” Masiello also got solid performances out of Crawford (19 points and nine rebounds) and Turner (seven points and seven assists). However, in addition to his players, Masiello cited the crowd for a big reason why they won. “We don’t win this game if we don’t have that student section,” said Masiello.
The first half of the contest was a near even matchup, with both teams trading buckets and playing tough, physical defense. The Terriers did most of their work from beyond the arc, shooting 50 percent from deep, while Manhattan converted 13 of their 16 opportunities from the charity stripe. At the intermission, Manhattan had no one to blame but themselves for their 38-34 deficit. St. Francis forced 13 Jasper turnovers, 10 of which were stolen; and created 15 points off of those extra possessions. In the locker room, Masiello had a simple message for his guys. “Just relax, get back to who we are.” Masiello said. And in the second half they
did just that. Senior forward Rich Williams led the charge for the Jaspers all night, but he stepped his game up in the second half. Williams finished with 21 points and six rebounds, posting most of both totals in the second half and overtime. After the game, Williams was excited to see the hard work of the team culminate on the floor. “It just felt good to experience it, you know, finally just compete against someone else,” Williams said. Another spark plug in Manhattan’s comeback victory was the second half return of senior forward Calvin Crawford. After recording two fouls early on, Crawford was forced to the bench, and Manhattan was
without one of its key playmakers. The second half was a different story. Crawford refreshed and energized the Jaspers, as he finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Crawford was also active in keeping the crowd entertained. Specifically, at the 13-minute mark, when he was a part of a small scuffle that produced four technical fouls and got the “Sixth Borough” student section fired up. “He changes us… but he did some really good things and I thought he helped calm us at times,” Masiello said. What stood out from the home opener is the senior leadership that Masiello’s team exhibited. In 2014, Masiello was able to lean on seniors like
George Beamon and Rhamel Brown because they were reliable and made the players around them better. In 2015, he did the same thing with Emmy Andujar and Ashton Pankey. On Wednesday, the four lead scorers for Manhattan were all seniors (Williams, Turner, Crawford, Waterman), and on a night were Crawford was bound to the bench early, senior forward Zane Waterman delivered nine points and 10 rebounds in a team leading 41 minutes. The story remains to be written for the Jaspers in 2017, but if history shows us anything about the way Masiello’s system works, productive play from the senior leaders shows is a good sign for Jaspers Nation moving forward.
Manhattan Rolls in Home Opener Charles Lippolis Asst. Editor
On Wednesday night, Manhattan’s Men’s Basketball team took St. Francis Brooklyn to overtime in their 80-79 win. It was the first home opener since Nov. 12, 2011, when Head Coach Steve Masiello recorded his first collegiate win. For the Jaspers though, a win all the same, and the first one of the year. After the game, Masiello was happy to get the season started right. “One thing I’m the proudest about is that they just showed great toughness, great mental toughness. I thought they fought through a lot of things and did a nice job,” Masiello said.