Issue 3, Fall 2023- The Quadrangle

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Volume CVIII, Issue 3

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

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Athletic Department Resources Cut Short Read more on pg. 11 GOJASPERS/ COURTESY

Riverdale Residents Voice Concerns on Overlook Manor Sold to Stagg Housing Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief

MC Remembers 9/11

Manhattan College hosts 9/11 dedication on the Quad to remember those who have lost their lives and their surviving loved ones. @MANHATTAN.EDU /COURTESY

MC Creates All-New First Year Experience Program the student government funding is meant to help first year program initiatives this year,” Bennett said.

Bennett collaborated with the student government to make changes this year in order to make their goal a reality.

“Historically, student government always sets aside some funding for faculty initiatives and requests throughout __________________________ the year for different things to

Overlook Manor has been sold to Stagg Group for $18 million. With the new ownership officially beginning in early September, residents in the surrounding area voiced their concerns during a virtual community forum.

According to the company’s website, Stagg Group is a housing developer that specializes in affordable and transitional housing facilities in the Bronx and New York City area.

The funds from the purchase of the old apartment-style dorm went back into the student housing budget at MC and is being used to cover the cost of renovations in Horan and Chrysostom Halls.

Prior to the spring housing lottery, students were informed Overlook Manor would no longer be available as a residential option beginning in the fall of 2023. The building was officially sold to Stagg later in the spring but remained occupied by students throughout the summer.

Members of Waldo Gardens, a local co-op housing building in Riverdale, held a virtual community forum on Sept. 6. It was during the forum that residents of the surrounding community expressed they were still unclear as to what

was in store for the future of the property.

“First of all, they [the college] are not being truthful with the community,” one attendee said. “And they should be honest, they’re also community members. They have students who live in the area on and off-campus. Also if they care for the students, they should have a vested interest in the safety of the community.”

Attendees also spoke on additional concerns regarding general safety of the area, access to the building from the 238 street station on Broadway, the steps located just outside of the building, as well as lack of available parking spots. In total, there were just over 100 attendees present at the virtual event, many of which had multiple people present behind their screens.

Andrew Stern, a partner of Tan Waterman & Wurtzel, the firm that serves as general counsel to Waldo Gardens, moderated the virtual forum event. Stern spoke to The Quadrangle about how the need for the community forum came to light.

“I think in the Riverdale Press it said that one of the potential uses that the new owners might use the property for was a shelter of one type or

Manhattan College has put in efforts to aid freshmen students and make them feel more comfortable on campus by establishing the First Year Experience Program (FYE).

This program allows for freshmen to have more access to events dedicated to getting them acclimated with their

new college community.

John Bennett, associate vice president of student life, is co-chair along with Kelly Marin, Ph.D., of the First Year Experience Program.

Bennett described the different ways in which the First Year Experience Program works to help freshmen get a better chance at experiencing things on and off campus.

“We’re trying to really push people towards planning for the first year students and

IN NEWS:

IN FEATURES:

IN A&E:

IN SPORTS:

The Friendly Fridge is Back on pg. 6

MC Players Face Budget Cuts

Athletic Department Resources Cut Short on pg. 11

Maizy Swift

Asst. Production Editor

Manhattan Caucus on pg. 5

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

News

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Volume CVIII, Issue 3

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

The Editorial Board

Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor

Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor

Angelina Persaud News Editor

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor

Angelina Perez Asst. Features Editor

Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor

Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor

Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editors

Adrianne Hutto Production Editor Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor Zoe DeFazio Angelina Perez Web Editors

Ivy Jaep Maizy Swift Asst. Production Editors Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor Nicholas Gilewicz 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 @mcquad mcquad

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LETTER from the EDITOR Dear Readers, I hope you’re enjoying the beginning of the fall weather this past week! The fall festivities have come back in full swing. I hope you find some time to relax with friends and enjoy the cool weather, whether you’re on or off campus.

For my fellow members of the class of 2024, have you stopped habitually avoiding the senior walk on the quad yet? Has the bitter-sweet taste of being a senior in college sunk in yet? It seems only this past week I’ve realized that the slew of the “Jasper lasts” begins in the fall. Kinda spooky when you think about it, but more on that later...

If you haven’t already, I highly encouraged students to get involved and join a club or activity that interests them. It’s never too late to pick up a hobby or try something new and there is truly no better way to meet new people and enrich your learning experience beyond the classroom than getting involved on campus. You never know what you might learn about yourself or about others.

If your club or class has an event that you would like to see covered by The Quad, always feel free to email us at thequad@manhattan.edu. We’re always happy to engage with our readers and learn about new potential pitches.

As always, thank you for supporting student newsrooms and being an active and informed member of the Jasper community. We hope you enjoy this weeks issue of The Quad and we’ll see you next week for more!

Jocelyn Visnov

Sincerely,

Editor-in-Chief

News

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Riverdale Residents Voice Concerns on Overlook Manor Sold to Stagg Housing __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 another,” Stern said. “There was a large concern about what that would do to the community in terms of a variety of issues, some of which were expressed at that meeting. And so

the board of directors of Waldo Gardens took the initiative to try and organize the community and share concerns and information and to try and build support and to address the potential new uses for the site.”

Days after the forum took place, one resident posted a link on a community bulletin

Overlook Manor sits at the corner of 238th and Waldo Avenue.

JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE

called hamlethub.com citing that Stagg had applied to turn the building into a “homeless shelter” after they had been told the property would not be used for this purpose.

The community bulletin posting began with the following statement: “And so it begins. Contrary to both public and politicians opinions, the Stagg Group has applied to the NYC building department to convert the former Manhattan College dormitory located at 3810 Waldo Avenue, into a homeless shelter.”

The link to the Department of Buildings application, however, was unable to be verified.

Matt Lewis, associate dean of students & director of residence life first learned Overlook would be sold when he was hired last spring.

“I started working at the College in January 2023, so the process of selling Overlook had already begun at that time,” Lewis wrote. “I was told Overlook was being sold to an affordable housing development

Posters informing the community on the forum were found across 238th and Waldo Ave. JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE company, but I wasn’t aware of the specific company until later in the spring.”

For now, Stagg housing has taken control of the property.

MC Creates All-New First Year Experience Program __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 do within their classroom and outside of the classroom,” Bennett said. “This year we’re really looking for administrators and faculty members who want to plan something above and beyond from their syllabi and from their class or if there’s an extra trip or event going on.”

So far this year, MC has seen an increase in interest in on-campus activities, such as student government elections.

“Something that we do have going on right now is freshman elections for student government, where the freshmen are expressing their interest to run,” Bennett said.

“We’ve had more freshman students pick up interest packets this year than we did last year already.”

The First Year Experience Program is also working with the Center for Academic Success (CAS) and their new programs.

“We’re going to partner with the Center for Academic Success more with their new programming that they’re doing to try to reach out to make sure the new students are being served,” Bennett said. “We also typically have had a retreat for new students, which is

something that we’ll be looking to have again.”

Bennett said the program also aims to help include commuter freshmen as well.

“If students reach out to us and say that they are a commuter, we’ll always give them the first time slot available that we have at night, to try to be conscious of knowing that games are going until 10 or 11pm.”

Bekah Bouton, a freshman student on the track team, explained her own experience coming to MC. “There’s a lot of different things available to get help from, such as the Writing Center, which I need to use soon, and all of the tutors,” Bouton said. “All of the professors are super open to answering questions and taking the time to help you get connected with a tutor or anything like that.”

Even though the programs are there to help freshmen, Bouton expresses how it can be somewhat overwhelming.

“I think sometimes it can be difficult because there’s a lot of required freshman things, but then, being on track, there’s all these required meetings and practices you have to go to plus a mandatory study hall for all freshmen athletes,” Bouton said. “So there’s a lot of stuff that you’re required to do, and only so much time to do it all.”

Shu Amanuma, another freshman, described how she felt during her transition, not only as a freshman, but as a global/international Jasper.

“Every professor, every advisor, they’ve all been very helpful,” Amanuma said. “I think it’s easier to make friends because everybody you know is here. If I just walk out in the common room it’s easy to meet people.”

Amanuma also stated how she felt MC could do a better job of helping commuter freshmen students.

“I think there’s always a huge divide between commuters and residents and I think that’s something that the school could do better with during orientation and integrating those two different communities,” Amanuma said.

Jason Maloney, a retention specialist in CAS, noted that there is a prize for freshmen if they complete the First Year Experience checklist.

“Those students who complete the list of to-dos by the last day of classes will be better prepared for the rest of their time at Manhattan College… as an added bonus, they will be entered in a raffle for 2 tickets to Six Flags,” Maloney said.

When Freshman Students finish the First Year Experience Program, their name is entered into a raffle to win tickets to Six Flags JASON MAHONEY/COURTESY

News

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Two Strikes and You’re Out for this Possible New Academic Policy

Mack Olmsted

Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor The Education Academic Affairs Committee (EAC) of Manhattan College is working to expand the Kakos School of Science undergraduate course repeat policy into a campus-wide course policy.

The policy originated about a year ago under dean of science, Marcy Peteroy-Kelly, Ph.D. Peteroy-Kelly explained that the policy was put into place because a student requested to enroll in a science class for a fifth time, which she found peculiar.

Peteroy-Kelly looked at the school’s data and proposed to the department chairs that they create an undergraduate course repeat policy. She insisted that the policy was put into place for the benefit of students.

While the policy is typically limited to students only taking a single course twice, there is an exception if a student withdraws from the class. If those events take place, a student can take the course three times.

Peteroy-Kelly expressed her thoughts on MC students who take classes multiple times. She mentioned that this policy would not affect most students, but instead it is meant to help struggling students find

their footing in the school and find the path that best works for them.

“A lot of times the students who are [failing classes multiple times] are not strong students, right?” Peteroy-Kelly said. “They’re struggling to stay at a 2.0 [GPA] and not dip below and go on probation.

Many of those students leave the college. So if we intervene, and have a conversation [with the failing student], maybe we can help them.”

Peteroy-Kelly is passionate about the policy and believes that it will be beneficial to be expanded campus-wide. She believes that the policy could help students academically and in their overall college experience.

“I requested that that policy be expanded out to all of the schools,” Peteroy-Kelly said.

“I’m doing research now with the registrar and financial aid to look at student performance in all courses across the entire college to see if this policy would be appropriate for the whole college.”

On Sept. 6., student representative of the EAC, Matthew Schule, brought the policy expansion as a topic of discussion at the student government association meeting. While the topic wasn’t addressed thoroughly at the meeting, Schule explained why the EAC wants to engage in a conversation

about it.

“I think just being on the Educational Affairs Committee as a student member, it seems like they really do want people at the school to be a lot more interconnected, they want communication to be open and transparent,” Schule said.

“They do want us to talk about these things. They want to hear what we think about these things… how students feel.”

Assistant Provost Kelly Marin, Ph.D, explained why the policy could have a positive impact on students. She wanted to ensure that the benefits that would come out of the policy expansion wouldn’t be solely for the School of Science.

“The benefits are for the students, not the college,” Marin said. “Having such a policy requires more intentional advising around their major and choosing a degree that is achievable in a realistic timeframe for progress toward a degree.

However, she also highlighted that the policy will mediate the financial consequences involved, which includes the extent to which financial aid can cover repeated courses.

“Another important element of this conversation is that financial aid only covers a student taking a course up to two times,” Marin said. “Therefore, repeating a course more than that means losing [finan-

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Dean of Kakos School of Science, Marcy Kelly.

MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY cial] aid.”

The timeline for the expansion of the policy is uncertain.

As of now, Peteroy-Kelly is researching data of students in the past five years, who took a course multiple times, and how it impacted their academic career.

She will then send over the information to the financial aid office and analyze how the aid packages would look like for those students.

Once the process is com-

plete, Peteroy-Kelly will prepare a presentation for the EAC where a vote will be taken on whether or not to finalize the policy expansion. If the vote is in favor of the expansion, the provost will have to approve the change. The EAC will then inform the Senate of its recommendations which are then forwarded to the president of the college for further implementation.

Afridi Named Recipient of “I Have a Dream Award” Zoe DeFazio Web Editor

Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., director of the Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center (HGI) was honored as the first inaugural recipient of The Clarence Jones “I Have A Dream” Award. This award is bestowed upon individuals who courageously combat hatred and advocate for the well-being of others.

The event garnered significant attendance, including distinguished figures such as Rep. Ritchie Torres and Clarence B. Jones, the award’s namesake.

Jones is a renowned public figure for smuggling Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and co-authoring King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

“We have to tell those people who oppose the things that Dr. King and so many other people work for, that we’re not going away,” Jones said.

Afridi’s life’s work has been dedicated to combating

anti-Semitism. Even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and the HGI Center remained steadfast in their mission.

Their resilience shone through when they organized a zoom event addressing the lessons of white nationalism and the fight against black racism during the height of the pandemic.

Afridi’s work over the past decade is rooted in the principles of education and interfaith dialogue. She fostered the growth of the HGI center at Manhattan College as a way to promote equality and unity. Her effort is matched only by her passion for promoting harmony and understanding among diverse communities.

The Clarence Jones “I Have A Dream” Award itself holds a special place in the channels of history. It represents not only a recognition of outstanding contributions but also a beacon of hope in times of heightened social and political challenges.

Afridi also commented on her reflection of receiving the award and how her personal

spiritual beliefs influence the work that led her to this point.

“I’m really humbled, and I think that my own faith, Islam, which is the religion that I follow, and that I believe in, teaches us that being humble and having humility with people is one of the most loving aspects that God wants to see,” Afridi said.

The Clarence Jones “I Have A Dream” Award embodies the essence of breaking boundaries and standing against hate within the local community and nationwide.

After witnessing Afridi receive this distinguished honor, Rep. Ritchie Torres expressed his optimism for the nation and the enduring legacy of Clarence Jones.

“I remain optimistic about the country,” Torres said. “Because there’s no greater example of what is possible and the civil rights movement than his [Jone’s] story and legacy.

Americans are fundamentally better people because of the legacy that he [Jones] leaves behind.”

Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D. is the director of the Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center.

ZOE DEFAZIO/THE QUADRANGLE

Torres articulated a profound sentiment, emphasizing the aspiration to follow the enduring influence of Clarence Jones and his morals.

“We want to harness the

power of Dr. Jones, his moral example, to inspire others, to build bridges to combat hate and extremism and to be leaders for human rights and civil wars,” Torres said.

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News

THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan Caucus: What is Happening with NYC’s Migrant Crisis?

Kyla Guilfoil

Managaing Editor New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the influx of migrants and lack of resources to provide for them will “destroy New York City.”

So how did we get here and what is the city doing to address the issue?

According to a statement from Adams on Sept. 9, New York City has opened more than 200 emergency shelters as more than 110,000 migrants have arrived since April 2022.

City officials estimate 10,000 asylum seekers will still be arriving each month, driving taxpayers costs to $12 billion over three fiscal years. Without federal and state intervention, this cost will only increase, city officials say.

So why are so many migrants coming to New York?

Political initiatives have

drawn national attention to the issue since last summer. In August 2022, Texas governor Greg Abbott sent several buses filled with migrants from Texas to New York City. The move was a political stunt by the Republican governor in an effort to attack Democrats who are against stricter immigration laws.

While buses have continued to be sent to New York since last summer, this is not the only reason the city has had such high rates of asylum seekers.

New York has a unique “Right to Shelter” law, which actually makes some migrants seek out transportation to the city themselves.

The law comes from a 1979 lawsuit, Callahan v. Carey, which was brought on by Robert Hayes, a lawyer who later co-founded the Coalition for the Homeless. Hayes sued New York City and state, argu-

Migrants gather on the streets of New York.

ASSOCIATED PRESS / COURTESY

ing that there was a constitutional right to shelter in New York.

Hayes won the lawsuit, which ensured the right to shelter for homeless men, women, children and families in New York City. New York is the only major American city to have such a law. Today, this law also ensures the right to asylum seekers in the city.

In May, Adams made an executive order to weaken the Right to Shelter law. His move came as a pandemic-era order, Title 42, which was set to expire, ending a policy which allowed the government to eject thousands of migrants amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adams’ order meant the city suspended rules that required families to be placed in private rooms with bathrooms and kitchens, rather than in group settings. The order also established a nightly deadline for newly arriving families to be placed in shelters.

However, the shifts did not slow the incoming migrants as the city has continued to see thousands arrive throughout the summer.

Many New Yorkers have expressed concern as city officials have relocated migrants to community spaces such as parks, schools, hotels, an emergency tent shelter on Randall’s Island and office buildings.

The latest tension comes from the city’s move to place migrants in St. John Villa Academy, a former school building that is currently out of operation, on Staten Island.

The streets surrounding the school were flooded with protesters last week, including a blaring loud speaker and signs that read “Protect Our Children”, the New York Times reported.

Rallies have also surged at

Signs protest migrant spaces outside a school in New York.

ASSOCIATED PRESS / COURTESY Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, a former airfield which is now used largely for neighborhood recreational activities.

According to the New York Times, the park is supposed to become a shelter for 2,500 male asylum seekers.

In a statement on Sept. 9, Adams announced that his administration is “actively working to reduce housing and other costs by transitioning migrants out of the humanitarian emergency response and relief centers to more cost-effective shelters… in addition to looking closely at other ways to reduce the costs of caring for the asylum seekers.”

In the statement he also directed city agencies to implement a 5 percent reduction in city-funded spending for each year of the financial plan through a Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG). This will be part of the upcoming November Plan, Preliminary Budget and Executive Budget, the

statement said.

However, the mayor’s office continues to plead for federal assistance. In April, Adams went so far as to call out the White House itself, an uncommon move for a Democratic mayor towards a Democratic president.

“The president and the White House have failed this city,” Adams said at a press conference in April.

However, federal officials are telling Adams to get a better handle on the situation, releasing new recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security for the city in August.

The issue is far from sorted, and a growing cost to support the overwhelming number of migrants continues to drive stress on the city.

For more news from the mayor’s office, visit https:// www.nyc.gov/of fice-of-themayor/news.page .

QUADRANGLE

Features

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

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Performing Arts Students Discuss Budget Cuts Alexandrea Velez Staff Writer

Within the 2023-24 academic school year the majority of clubs and organizations on campus have faced budget cuts unlike any other year. Multiple clubs have had to either dismantle, create dues or create new strategies to cope through the year.

The Quadrangle had the opportunity to talk to Singers, Players and ESports. Singers, a music group on campus that usually has a big trip for all their members and Lessons and Carols, a final show for parents, students and friends.

Players holds all musicals and plays on campus throughout both semesters. The ESports teams compete month after month to receive their spot in the MAAC, an east coast gaming competition.

Mathew Regalado’ 25, President of Singers The Quad: Are you doing less than Singers used to do before?

MR: Money wise yeah. We have less money to work with, but we’re still trying to do everything as best we can. You know, live performances or stuff our clubs need to do such as order tuxedos and dresses for all of our singers. So, we need to keep that in mind as well.

TQ: Why do you think

numbers are dropping and the club is getting smaller?

MR: Enrollment is down and there are more commuters than there are residents now and that affects us pretty deeply because our rehearsals are at night. So, people don’t want to commute back home at night and that definitely affects our membership. What we’re trying to do as a board this year is keep our standards up and keep the music as good as possible and try to do as many performances as we can to make students more engaged.

TQ: How has the main trip been affected by the budget cuts? Did plans have to change?

MR: We all heard rumors about budget cuts towards the end of last year so as a board, we decided to hold off on making really super big plans until you know, the year started and even then, like years prior, we’ve heard about things like that coming up short. So, we decided to just hold off a little bit until the start of the year.

And now that we have our budget, we can sort of plan out the rest of our year and do things accordingly.

Jasper Talks

what was it cut to?

CL: While the budget is different, we are still so fortunate enough to have the same number of teams this year. We are actually adding one this year to have 5 now instead of 4!

TQ: How does this affect your plans/performance for the semester, especially regarding the MAAC? CL: The plan for this semester is to compete in 5 different games against the MAAC from October until March when we attend the MAAC tournament.

We are competing in Super Smash Bros, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, League of Legends and adding Valorant. We are always looking to improve our performance every year! I am looking forward to seeing what the team is going to do this year. The captains are excellent leaders and it is going to be a great year.

The Quad: How have budget cuts influenced the musical and plays?

Teresa Nunan: The budget decreased from over 20 thousand dollars to 4 thousand, and it was a crazy shock, but the club is doing everything we can to cope. We have had to switch our MainStage show to a show in the public domain, which means the rights are free to help save money.

TQ: How has this affected the roles of the students?

TN: The commitment level

is pretty much the same, we just also have a fundraising initiative that our board members are committing to. And if the gender membership wants to help they are more than welcome! Look out for a lot of Players fundraising!

TQ: Are Players attempting to get more money from the school or outside sources?

TN: For the future it is a possibility that this budget could remain this low for years to come, so we are looking into grants. The grants would be from an outside source but the school has been helping us look. We are also having a GoFund me linked in our instagram @playersmc’s bio.

TQ: If any, what solutions have your team come up with?

Do you guys need to fundraise, get sponsors or dues?

The Quad: What was the original budget that you have had in previous years? And

CL: Fundraising and sponsors are such great ways to raise money! The captains are taking initiative to make it happen this year. ESports was now added as a club sport, along with other sports, which is amazing news! All club sports pay dues, even at other schools across the country.

inclusive structure using sturdy and waterproof materials, complete with a rain collection roof and barrel, as well as solar paneling.

Selma Raven, co-founder of the Bronx Friendly Fridge, and the other volunteers don’t just stop with food, but they continue a work of philanthropy by taking measures to help all of the community, including Manhattan College students.

Raven noted that she placed wood chips all along the fork in the road between Burger King and El Gordo’s Smash & Chop.

Raven claims that the fork in the road had become riddled with syringes from intravenous drugs and broken glass from bottles and crack pipes.

Now, an additional community fridge has been located not far from the original.

Ra McCray, owner of Khesv Bvildr 508c1a Inc. located on West 238th Street shared her journey on creating a fridge of their own with the help and support of the Friendly Fridge.

“I think we have been very clear with our food initiative, from even hosting pop ups during the pandemic for food,”

said McCray. “We noticed that our health and wellness industry doesn’t always bring food as a primary health solution, and my husband has been really really adamant about that from the beginning by incorporating microgreens here.”

Khensv Bvildr 508c1a Inc. has a long history of bringing the Riverdale community together and helping those in need by providing resources such as microgreens, clothing, books, and herbal remedies.

“Our sisters from the friendly fridge dropped some food that was super delicious,” said McCray. “[The food was] well packaged, dated by all these amazing friends. So, it came from the idea of just really continuing to provide this and being community based. These things I feel like just happened naturally.”

Anitta Mohammed, a volunteer at the Friendly Fridge has been a part of their journey for a few years now. She has dedicated time and support to help the management of food waste and end local hunger.

Mohammed began by volunteering at two fridges, the

Carmella Liscio, Assistant Director for Recreation and Wellness

Teresa Nunan ‘24, Producer of Players

Singers’ President Matt Regaldo, pictured here in a photo for the clubs Instagram account, shared his perspective.

@SINGERSMC/COURTESY

The Friendly Fridge is Back

Zoe DeFazio Web Editor

After a tumultuous spring, the Friendly Fridge has returned to serve the community. After a hiatus to create a new designed system, the volunteers are determined to help those in need of food and goods.

The new location, situated on the side wall of El Gordo’s Smash & Chop, was made possible through their gracious support.

The original and first fridge was vandalized at the beginning of the year. The fridge was deemed unusable when an unknown vandal filled the fridge with paint. Local volunteers set up a donation link that quickly spread and the Friendly Fridge was able to receive enough money to repair the fridge and broaden their work.

Riverdale resident Jose Noriega generously devoted his time and energy to carefully research, design and construct a new shed for the Friendly Fridge. His goal was to create a thoughtful, sustainable and

After a tumultuous spring, the Friendly Fridge has returned to serve the community.

ZOE DEFAZIO/ THE QUADRANGLE

one located in Riverdale and another one located at 181 Street.

“One day, the Lord said, ‘You know what, you’re gonna have to go to both places I didn’t want at first and here, especially here, they had the volunteers.’ And they said ‘Oh, there’s Anitta.’ They went right to the car, and they opened up

the trunk and they started taking everything out there and that’s how this all started for me.”

Raven encourages MC students to not only donate, but to take as well. The food in the fridge is to help all of the community members.

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What’s New in Manhattan College’s Dorms?

Features

Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editor

New renovations to Manhattan College’s residence halls have left students in 2023 with upgraded living opportunities on campus.

The Quadrangle had the opportunity to get an inside look, while providing details of all the different residence hall options, showing the state-ofart upgrades and checking in with residents’ feelings about them.

Renovated last year in 2022, winding stairs lead students to Chrysostom Hall which provides residents with single rooms. Commonly called “C-Block,” the brick building offers 60 rooms where residents can live independently.

These rooms provide a quiet place to study while still near the campus center.

Chrysostom Hall provides residents with a laundry room on the bottom floor, three different common areas that include a television and furniture, and two other kitchen areas where residents can cook

THE QUADRANGLE

their own meals.

On the other side of campus, Horan Hall provides students with recently renovated suites and newly built apartments. Horan Hall has room for approximately 400 students over its 11 floors, providing plenty of space and privacy for all residents.

Horan Hall has many features to help the living experience for everyone there. It features a laundry room on each floor, a common area and a miniature kitchen located on each floor. On the first floor, a recreation room includes games like ping pong and pool. There is also a meditation room where students can relax and unwind after a long day of classes.

A current resident of Horan Hall, junior Matt Renda, says he enjoys all of the commodities of Horan Hall. The opening of the bridge and the newly added apartments are just some of the amenities he is appreciative of.

“I think Horan [Hall] definitely improved by now having apartment-style rooms as a dorming option,” Renda said.

“The bridge should open soon,

Sample dorm room from Jasper Hall.

MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Sample Apartment from Horan Hall.

MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

making it convenient for me to walk to classes. I would say that Horan got better from the last time I lived here, which was last year.”

Similar to Horan Hall, Lee Hall provides students with suite-style rooms. Over 11 floors, Lee Hall is home to approximately 550 students. The rooms are all suite-style, having two rooms of 2 beds. These rooms also share a bathroom, which the residents must maintain and clean. The Arches program is also held in Lee Hall, where program members bond on their floor with other members, leading to a tight-knit community among floormates.

Sophomore Olivia White, a resident of Lee Hall and a member of the Arches program, spoke highly of the dormitory.

She noted the cleanliness and

community around the Arches program.

“Lee Hall was very nice,” said White. “I liked having a suite with our bathroom. It was also fun being in Arches. I got close with a lot of friends in the Arches program very quickly, and it was nice to spend the year with those people.”

Close to the center of campus, Jasper Hall is one of the only residence halls which actually has housing for graduate students. It has over 200 residents in double rooms and each floor shares a communal bathroom.

A student who lived in Jasper Hall during the 2022-23 school year, Tadeo Quellet, said he wanted to be more impressed with his stay at Jasper Hall. He said that although he loved the tight-knit community

associated with Jasper Hall, the building seemed to be outdated and had problems dealing with cleanliness.

“I felt like Jasper Hall had a really nice location,” said Quellet. “It was also easy to meet people on your floor. Other than that, I felt like it was very rundown and falling apart.

The rooms themselves were nice, but the hallways and the communal bathrooms were in terrible shape. Everything was old. There was a huge asbestos problem in the ceiling. There were bugs and cockroaches.

We saw cockroaches a few times when I lived there.”

With dorms undergoing renovations, options and lifestyles for students at MC for residency only seem to be expanding.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

8

Residence Life and Communication Club Collaborate to Put on The Manhattan College Mary Haley

Asst. Social Media Manager The Communication Club, along with Residence Life, are collaborating to put on a talent show for the campus community.

Flyers have been seen around campus since the beginning of the semester showing the times and locations for three separate audition days, also explaining that any and all talent is welcome, whether the performances are in group or solo acts.

Residence Life planned this event with the hopes that it will be an engaging program that can be enjoyed by all students. Laura Mojica, residential success coordinator for residence life, worked alongside her team of Learning Commu-

nity Assistants (LCA) to organize the times and locations for auditions to be held.

“I am overseeing for the most part but I’m [also] taking a back seat and trying to let my LCAs and the Comm Club have as much liberty and freedom as possible with [the event],” said Mojica. “I believe in letting students manage things, but because I work here, I am able to push things out a bit more.”

Mojica explained to The Quadrangle that as a part of residence life, it is imperative that she works to make the campus environment welcoming and exciting for the first six weeks of the school year. This is in order to excite students to be back on campus and especially to engage and familiarize first year students with life at Manhattan College.

The Communication Club hosted a Student Showcase Social last semester in Smith Auditorium. @MCCOMMCLUB/INSTAGRAM

The Communication Club hosted a Student Showcase Social last semester in Smith Auditorium. @MCCOMMCLUB/INSTAGRAM “We worked on creating the first six weeks of programming and one of the first things that we did so far, which was a success, was Jasper Wars,” Mojica said. “Now we are working on our next big event to end off the first six weeks, which is the talent show.”

While Mojica and the LCAs started organizing times and locations for auditions at the end of summer break, the Communication Club reached out to get involved with the event as well, since they have hosted a talent show in the past.

“Angelina Perez, who is an LCA, came up and was like ‘Hey, the [Communication Club] asked if they could be a part of the talent show because they’ve done it before,’” said Mojica. “I was like, absolutely they can do that, I’ve never ran a talent show in my life! I will take all the help I can get.”

Sage Clarke, secretary and treasurer of the Communication Club, explained how they found much success at their last talent event for students in collaboration with WRCM this past spring. “[The planning] for this event is a bit inspired by our spring social last semester.”

Clarke said. “We had it so that anybody could show any kind of talent or artwork they wanted. So obviously when residence life wanted to do [the talent show], we wanted to be a part of it.”

Along with welcoming students to audition for the show, the Communication Club encourages all students to join their club and see the work they do, as one of their goals is to create events on campus for all students. Clarke expressed her thoughts on how being a communication major benefits the process of putting together the event.

“We want to create events where anybody can participate, even if you’re not a part of specific groups, you can always just show up [to our events],” Clarke said. “I think communication is a big part of planning the event and communicating it to people. So we think that it shows that you can use the major in simpler, different ways than you might expect.”

Although rounds of auditions were held in various locations on campus in the beginning to middle of September, the club is hosting a last round of auditions on Wednesday,

Sept. 20, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Kelly Commons 4.01.

Colin Ratner, president of the Communication Club, spoke on what he has planned for the show and the last round of auditions.

“We’re actually [also] going to do an online tryout, so it gives commuters more of a chance to get involved and other people who might not want to be up onstage in front of five people just looking at them,” Ratner said. “So we’re giving people another opportunity to Zoom or Google Meet on Wednesday.”

The Communication Club plans to make this semester’s talent show different, as their event in the spring was more of a social event for students to showcase artwork and performances.

“This one has more stakes,” Ratner said. “There is also a prize that has been in the works for a bit, and rumor has it that the MC president might be there.”

If you are interested in the Manhattan College Talent Show, it will take place in Smith Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 6.

Arts & Entertainment

MC Players Face Major Budget Cuts 9

Zoe DeFazio Web Editor

Manhattan College Players are facing extreme budget cuts that have forced the group to place limitations on their usual production plans.

According to Tess Nunan, producer for Players, the club typically receives 23 thousand dollars a year to create productions. This year, however, they only received four thousand dollars from student engagement.

The recent musical “9 to 5” was shown during the spring semester of 2023. The production for that show cost over 16 thousand dollars.

Players no longer have enough money to purchase rights to productions and now will have to put on shows that are in the public domain, limiting the Nunan explained that the group has been looking for ways to expand their funds in order to cover their expenses.

“But we’re hoping that the money from the GoFundMe and other fundraising endeavors can help us spread through the season a little more like than just the 4000,” said Nunan.

Players are now downgrad-

ing their resources and can no longer afford professional help regarding future productions.

“We usually hire out people, specifically theater professionals, to help us with lighting, costumes and all that stuff.

But we can’t hire any help this year,” said Nunan. “Traditionally, costs go to set materials.

The royalties. And scripts are a lot of money in themselves, which you don’t realize until you’re jumping into putting up production on props and costumes.”

Ana McCabe, the developmental director, still remains optimistic despite the low budget. Although it may not be ideal for players, the show will still go on.

“It’s really making us think outside of the box, and really having to focus and discover what’s truly important to put on a show where it’s like, previous in previous years, we knew time was important, but we had a lot of work like with overload, to divide the money up towards those things,” said McCabe. “And now we really have to basically skim down what’s, what’s the necessities and what’s not the necessities and I think that’s like a new challenge and a new way of thinking that we’re having to learn along the way.”

Sabrina Boyum, a member

THE QUADRANGLE

Last semester’s musical production of 9 to 5 showcasing the costumes and sets those involved were able to put their whole hearts into.

ANGELINAPEREZ/THEQUADRANGLE

of players, isn’t so optimistic.

She believes that the cuts will limit the ways in which the plays are set up in terms of equipment.

Last semester’s musical production of 9 to 5 showcasing the costumes and sets those involved were able to put their whole hearts into. @PLAYERSMC/COURTESY

“I think this year, audiences may be disappointed by the lack of variety between the shows just because we will be working with the same things every show rather than having a professional bring in a new set of lights or having a professional bring in a different source of costumes or microphones and things like that.” Said Boyum.

Boyum feels that the budget cuts put a limit on students’ creative abilities.

“I think the biggest impact the budget cuts have on the productions is that the produc-

tion team doesn’t get to flush out their creative ideas like we normally do,” expressed Boyum. “I think this year, audiences may be disappointed by the lack of variety between the shows just because we will be working with the same things every show rather than having a professional bring in a new set of lights or having a professional bring in a different source of costumes or microphones and things like these [make a difference].”

Sports

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

10

Jasper Games of the Week Jasper Talks

Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor

It was a slow week for Jasper athletics, as only the men’s soccer team and women’s volleyball had games.

Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer program came into a tough match versus the UCONN, with a record of 0-2-2. The game was held at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Rizza Per formance Center in Storrs, Conn.

UCONN came out strong in the first half, scoring goals in the 3rd and 18th minute. Those two goals would be the only goals scored in the first half.

The Jaspers kept the Huskies at two goals for around 25 minutes into the second half until UCONN scored their third and final goal in the 17th minute.

The Jaspers had more shots, as they shot 17 versus the Huskies 16.

Head Coach Jorden Scott spoke to GoJaspers about the team’s per formance.

“The team has faced tremendous adversity during our non-conference period and they continue to show determination and great spirit that will lead us into the MAAC positively,” Scott said. “We believe in ourselves and now we need to show it when it truly matters.”

The Jaspers’ next match is against Fordham on Sept. 19 back at home in the Bronx.

Women’s Volleyball

Men’s Soccer: Sebastiano Musu COURTESY/GOJASPERS

Women’s Volleyball Defeats Central Connecticut State University.

GOJASPERS/COURTESY

The Lady Jaspers entered the game against Central Connecticut State University with a record of 0-8.

After a tough start to the season, the Lady Jaspers are looking for their first win of the year.

The Jaspers had full control in the first set, holding the Blue Devils to only 12 points. The Jaspers trailed at the beginning of the set.

The defensive momentum carried into the second set as they began the match with a 6-1 run. The largest gap between the Jaspers and the Blue Devils was eight points. The Blue Devils began to chip away but their run was not enough to overtake the Jaspers, as they came out of the first 2 sets victorious.

The Blue Devils were able to take the third set, while the teams were going back and forth.

The fourth set was ver y similar to the third as it was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. The largest lead for both teams was three in the final set. At the end of regulation, both teams were tied at 25. The Jaspers scored on two consecutive kills to end the game with a score of 27-25.

Camila Gomez led the Jaspers of fense with 19 kills, and Mikalah Curran followed right behind her with 15 kills. On the defensive side, Gomez recorded 14 digs.

Their next game is against the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Sept. 20.

11

Sports

Athletics Department Resources Are Cut Short

Brooke DellaRocco Staff Writer

With difficult budget cuts slashing down clubs at Manhattan College, it is no surprise that the athletic department is going through its battles too.

As Manhattan College named a new president, Milo Riverso, and a new athletic director, Irma Garcia, this summer, changes in administration have become clear.

According to members of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), the college has denied the request to hire a new trainer and a sports communications coordinator for the department.

The Quadrangle has not yet received comment from Riverso on why this decision was made.

The athletics department is currently grappling with only two trainers for all members of MC’s Division I sports teams. Not only does this severely alter the course of every athlete’s season, but there seems to be a lot of concern for the two trainers trying to handle too much.

Brendan Chan, a senior at MC, has been an impactful member of the men’s cross country team and described how this year has been a struggle grappling with an injury.

“It’s hard, like, dividing just two people, for I think a thousand athletes all trying to get treatment,” Chan said. “It’s very difficult on them; it’s difficult on us because we want to get our treatment, but it’s also like, we have very limited resources.”

Kaitlyn Holly, a senior softball player, and president of the SAAC, explained the importance of that trainer position and all that they do for the student body.

“Trainers are super important; they’re vital to the success of the athletes,” Holly said. “We need them for upkeep and

maintenance of our bodies since we’re constantly practicing.”

Trainers not only serve as a support system for athletes but they also make it possible for players to perform the best they possibly can.

“Having enough is important because sometimes the training room can be filled with upwards of 30 athletes and there’s only two trainers, which makes it really hard to get the treatment we need in a timely manner,” Holly said. “And we already have very busy schedules.”

Nicolette Caneda, junior women’s soccer player and vice president of the SAAC committee, emphasized how the traffic in the training room is almost always constant.

“I would say nine out of ten athletes see the trainers, I think, at least once a week,” Caneda said.

The added stress from this debacle makes a lot of the athletes question why there is such a limit on their resources this year.

Additionally, there seems to be a collective worry for the athletic trainers themselves, stemming mainly from the athletes that work one-on-one with them.

Jade Blagrove, captain of the women’s basketball team, directly expressed her concern for them.

“All the sports definitely feel that there’s limited resources for athletic trainers,” Blagrove stated.

“But my worry is mostly with the athletic trainers themselves because it’s very stressful for them …

I hope that they’re okay and they don’t get overwhelmed or overworked and I do feel like that is the situation right now.

They do their best to take care of everyone the best way they can.”

This often means exceptionally long hours for trainers, but no raise in pay, and the pressure of handling the work of at least four people by yourself can only be intimidat-

THE QUADRANGLE

Student-Athletes Come Together GOJASPERS/COURTESY ing. Caneda even mentioned that oftentimes they don’t have time to sit down and have a meal.

“I know the athletics department cares a lot about the trainers, but I want to make sure that the school knows that they should also be appreciated like any kind of professor, or anything like that,” Caneda said.

When this decision was originally made to not fill the trainer position, the problem immediately fell into SAAC’s lap. Unfortunately, because they don’t have power over hiring processes, or athletic budgets, they are unable to provide any assistance to the trainers or athletes.

Caneda frequently mentioned in her interview with The Quadrangle how Garcia is actively working with the school to make sure the discrepancy is talked about.

“We do the best that we can with what we got, and we definitely try to use our voice and fight for our other athletes and ourselves, you know, and

bring it to as many people’s attention as we can,” Caneda said, representing SAAC. “So right now that’s what’s happening but at the end of the day, we don’t hire people. We hear your concerns and we’re working to fix them.

But, you know, there’s only so much we can do.”

Despite this detrimental loss for athletics, the members have formed a strong comradery, having faith that the season will turn around for them.

It seems there is more of a drive and increase of school spirit among them, each and everyone speaking towards playing through the pain the program feels right now.

“I do think that we’re being supported a lot by each other,” Caneda said.

“And I think that we have made a tight knit community here and we’re trying to at least, with SAAC, really put an emphasis on the athletes supporting the athletes. And I think that at the end of the day, that really makes a difference. Like, having packed

stands, and playing for, you know, a team on your jersey; which is Manhattan.”

Blagrove commented on the best way to deal with this matter.

“We just have to focus on the seasons and our teams, and I think that everyone is locked in on that,” Blagrove said.

Chan agreed with the majority, emphasizing the support that is needed to continue on and off the field or court.

As a closing remark, Caneda left with this.

“The people that are here, we appreciate them a ton,” Caneda said. “We see the work that you’re putting in and we wouldn’t have the experience we have without you.”

With almost all odds against them, the athletics department is actively working to drive community spirit and morale to make this season the best it can be.