The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 96, Issue 4

Residence hall vandalism raises concern for students

By AVA HIGHLAND News Editor

In the past week residents of two dorm buildings received notices of violations to campus property and consequences to follow.

The emails sent to students in The Grove and Dana English Hall immediately circulated on YikYak.

In The Grove, several peepholes were removed and stolen from bedroom doors.

“This behavior is considered vandalism and poses a serious safety concern for our community. Peepholes are an important security feature that allow residents to see who is at their door before opening it,” Residence Hall Director Mike Collins wrote in an email to residents in The Grove.

This has raised a concern for safety among students.

“That would make me feel unsafe if my (peephole) was removed,” frst-year health science major Madeline Bredaln said.

With the email having circulated on YikYak, the issue has alarmed students beyond The Grove

as well.

“I think that is defnitely a concern that can increase uncomfortableness and it would make me feel less safe,” third-year applied business major Brianna McCarthy said.

In Dana English Hall, students were informed of vandalism taking place in the building’s communal bathrooms. Students received an email from Residence Hall Director Danny Riley.

“It has come to the attention of Residential Life that individuals are placing items in the community toilets that do not belong there. Please keep in mind that everyone utilizes these shared spaces and it is important to not trash or damage the property. If a member of the Residential Life team or facilities sees anyone throwing anything other than toilet paper in the toilets, you will be documented and reported to the offce of student conduct. No exceptions.”

Residents in the building found these acts to violate respect.

“I feel like people should know the boundaries

of living, like in this kind of situation with all these different people sharing the same space,” frstyear psychology major Julia Laudano said. “I get it if you have a private bathroom, but there should be respect with this kind of bathroom situation.”

For some students, they were unaware of this taking place until receiving the email. This caused confusion for what specifcally was taking place.

“I guess I’m more confused and shocked on what it could be that’s going in the toilet,” frstyear nursing major Brynn Caetano said.

In both cases, disciplinary action will be taken. Any acts of vandalism will be addressed through Student Conduct and could result in disciplinary action. Residential Life is working with Facilities to restore any damages.

“I think Res Life is doing a pretty good job,” McCarthy said. “They’re trying to instill trust in all the residents and make sure that people know that that’s not acceptable. I think that what they can keep doing is having constant contact about the situation and just make resi-

dents know that they can come to them and it’s always a safe space.”

Students are urged to report any acts of vandalism to Public Safety or by submitting an anonymous report at https://www.qu.edu/report.

“We are aware of recent incidents of vandalism in our frst-year residence halls and take these matters very seriously,” John W. Morgan, associate vice president for public relations, wrote in a statement to The Chronicle. “Such behavior is unacceptable and does not refect the values of our community. Our facilities team is addressing the damage, and Public Safety, along with Student Conduct and Community Standards, is investigating. Students found responsible for acts of vandalism face disciplinary action, which may include sanctions such as restitution, probation or suspension. Anyone with information about those responsible for the vandalism is asked to contact Public Safety at 203-582-6200. All calls will be kept confdential.”

Chloe Grant contributed to this report.

Long lunch lines plague the new common hour

By NATHAN ROJAS Contributing Writer

The new common hour, while implemented for the beneft of students, has affected their ability to get lunch in a timely manner, leading to frustration among the student body.

Common hour is a regularly scheduled block of time in which no classes occur. During these times, various community events are held for both students and staff to attend. This is Quinnipiac University’s frst year of implementing the practice.

Quinnipiac’s common hour is scheduled

for every Tuesday and Thursday, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. However, this also falls with traditional lunch times. With no classes, many students will use this time to get something to eat.

This infux has resulted in increased wait times, negatively affecting many students.

“I actually don’t get lunch anymore,” Eliza Farinhas, second-year nursing major said. “This is a very rare occurrence that I can get lunch because I have classes back to back, and then when I come here, the lines are so long that I just go back to my dorm.”

Alison Hares, a junior 3+1 computer science major agreed with Farinhas’ sentiments.

“I go to class and then I go eat, but now I have to wait maybe another half hour depending on where I go… that (Sushi Do) line’s the longest I’ve ever seen it in my three years here,” Hares said.

Catie McCarthy, a junior physical therapy undergraduate in the direct entry program, also commented on the increased wait times.

“They were a lot longer than normal,” McCarthy said. “I think you know, the activities are good and all, but like most people, realisti-

cally, are not going to that. That’s their time to grab lunch.”

These increased wait times have also disrupted the schedules of many students.

“I think the common hour has affected my ability to get lunch because there’s increased wait times,” Gianna Robinson, frst-year biomedical marketing major said. “I defnitely do like to spend my time studying or just being able to do things throughout the day… So it has changed my schedule a little bit, and I have to work around that now.”

Fans priced out of Ariana Grande’s tour

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Students engage with President Marie Hardin during ‘Whats Your Story?’

Questions about new buildings, football teams, international students and more

By AVA HIGHLAND News Editor

On Tuesday, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Interim Program Director of Sports Communications Nick Pietruszkiewicz debuted the second season of his YouTube series “What’s Your Story?” with his frst guest President Marie Hardin.

Pietruszkiewicz and Hardin engaged in conversation about her career prior to Quinnipiac and how she came to be the university’s 10th president — a position she didn’t set out for when she frst began in higher education.

Hardin developed a philosophy early in her life that translated into ultimately going for the role of university president.

“If I had the chance to take on a new challenge, even if it wasn’t one where I felt as though I quite had all the skills mastered for it, if someone gave me the opportunity that I would say yes,” Hardin said.

During the second half of the discussion, students in attendance were invited to ask Hardin questions.

A frst-year student posed a question of how Hardin will separate herself from past Quinnipiac presidents.

Rather than separating herself, Hardin plans to build off of the work from former presidents Judy Olian and John Lahey.

“I want to build on those strengths,” Hardin said. “I bring a different background in communications disciplines. I think that matters, the disciplines you come from. So my goal is not a break from the past... not abandoning, adding.”

Hardin noted Olian’s background in business and how it translated into her work at Quinnipiac — specifcally highlighting the construction of the new South Quad.

Hardin’s response prompted a follow up question, inquiring on the possibility of adding to the School of Communications. Hardin turned the attention to Dean Nadine Barnett Cosby, highlighting that “she’s already with her faculty, built great things for you.”

“I would say, you know, you should continue to see a strong trajectory for this school,” Hardin said. “And you will always have my interest, my strong interest.”

In adding on to Quinnipiac, a student asked about the achievability of a Quinnipiac football team.

“I would say it might be achievable, but I would ask whether it’s desirable,” Hardin said.

Hardin continued, highlighting what Quinnipiac should focus on right now in regards to athletes.

“Is it the right move for this institution in the landscape of higher ed, in the landscape of the new world (Name, Image and Likeness) and all of the things that are happening in college fortunes,” Hardin said. “I will tell you that I think right now, what institutions like Quinnipiac need to do are, let’s focus on our current strengths.”

Later, a former student athlete brought awareness to an issue that Hardin had not previously thought about. The former women’s lacrosse player was forced into retirement after having too many concussions.

“How do you think universities can address the lack of identity that student athletes face when forced into retirement?” she asked.

Hardin discussed the importance of ensuring that student athletes have a rich academic experience as students as well as have support as athletes.

“When something happens to an athlete,

like it’s happened to you, we need to make sure that that student piece is rich enough and deep enough, that we have the support system in place to help support, encourage and ensure that you’re on the path you want to be on,” Hardin said.

The discussion closed with a question regarding international students at Quinnipiac: “What could you say to the around 300 international students in Quinnipiac that keep nervously checking the news every single day about the new visa regulations?”

Hardin spoke on behalf of her and her faculty’s value in international students.

“We deeply value you and want you to have the experience that you came here to have, we’re gonna do everything in our power to ensure that,” Hardin said.

Hardin also discussed the value for any student in having peers attending the university from international countries.

“You’re going out into a world that is very diverse,” Hardin said. “And where there are gonna be many cultures that you’re gonna interact with and having that experience here at Quinnipiac and getting that kind of diversity here at Quinnipiac, this range of voices and backgrounds is so very important.”

SGA sees historic voter turnout in fall 2025 elections

By AVA HIGHLAND News Editor

Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in SB 262 at 9:15 p.m.

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On Tuesday, Sept. 16 the Quinnipiac University Student Government Association received a record-breaking number of votes in its fall election. A total of 1,713 students cast their votes for the 2025-2026 terms — as compared to last year’s 1,215 votes.

“The SGA Election committee appreciates the extensive student participation in this election, and hopes students continue to involve themselves in the Quinnipiac community,” Vice President for Public Relations MollyAnn O’Malley wrote in a press release on Sept. 16. “The committee also values the many candidates who stood for this election and applauds them for their passion and commitment.”

This is the highest number of votes cast

in over a decade for a standard fall election.

“This fall’s record-breaking voter turnout shows that our students are more involved than ever in shaping campus life,” President Zachary O’Connell wrote in a statement to The Chronicle. “They’re not just choosing who will represent them, but they’re also taking an active role in making their voices heard. I hope this momentum continues and that students stay connected to the work SGA is doing to improve the Quinnipiac experience for everyone.”

Vice President for Operations Elisa DeWitt echoed O’Connell’s remarks.

“I’m so thankful to have such an amazing election committee this semester,” DeWitt wrote in a statement to The Chronicle. “This fall’s historic voter turnout shows how eager

students are to get involved and have their voices heard. I think that our newly elected members will be able to build off that momentum to do amazing work in SGA.”

SGA welcomes 16 leaders to represent the Quinnipiac student body. With 259 votes, Charley Lagor was elected as the class of 2029 president.

“The frst-year cabinet and I are incredibly grateful to everyone who placed their trust in us through this election,” Lagor wrote in a statement to The Chronicle. “We’re excited to get to work right away, focusing on the initiatives we campaigned on and making a meaningful impact within the student government. This is an opportunity to build something lasting for our classmates and student body, and we’re so excited to be a part of it.”

TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE

President Marie Hardin discusses various topics with students on the latest episode of Assistant Professor of Journalism and Interim Program Director of Sports Communications Nick Pietruszkiewicz’s series “What’s Your Story?”

Quinnipiac University awarded $100K grant by New England Prison Education Collaborative

By MADELYN DURKE Contributing Writer

The New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC) awarded Quinnipiac University a $100,000 grant to fund the Prison Education and Community Engagement program. Quinnipiac is one of fve schools to receive this grant.

Quinnipiac has a long history of working with correctional facilities through inside-out classes and the Prison Project, made up of both incarcerated and Quinnipiac students. These programs have offered some higher education for incarcerated individuals, but it is not enough.

“There is a need so how can Quinnipiac come in and provide?” Professor of Social Work Amber Kelly said.

The Needs Assessment of Higher Education in Connecticut Correctional Facilities report, published on March 28, analyzed the unmet educational needs of the incarcerated population across all correctional facilities in Connecticut.

The report classifed individuals who have completed at least one college course or a verifed high school diploma as currently college-ready. Individuals who self report as testing at a 9-12 grade level are classifed as potentially college-ready.

Limiting factors for the incarcerated student population are also taken into consideration,

including the length of sentence, severity and nature of the offense.

The report estimates that as of Oct. 1, 2024, the sentenced population includes 3,023 individuals who are currently college-ready and 3,032 individuals who are potentially collegeready. Combined, that makes up about 56% of the total incarcerated population.

Many studies have shown that education has been proven to reduce the risk of recidivism for offenders. Providing quality higher education for incarcerated students would positively impact them and their communities upon release.

“To recognize how all of us are impacted by mass incarceration,” Kelly said. By supporting higher education of these marginalized people, “we are supporting a healthier community for all.”

She applied for the NEPEC grant last spring and is honored that Quinnipiac is one of the frst recipients of the grant this fall. This puts the university at the forefront of higher education in prison.

NEPEC is an initiative that was launched by the New England Board of Higher Education in Feb. 2024 with help from the Ascendium Education Group who funded the launch with a fve-year grant. It is based on the recommendations of the 2023 New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison, which was created to prepare for the reinstatement of federal Pell

Grants for incarcerated students.

Its website states, “Through this initiative, NEBHE seeks to accelerate, support, and collaborate to help create a future where every incarcerated person in New England has access to high-quality, workforce-aligned, equitable postsecondary opportunities with a diverse range of educational pathways.”

Quinnipiac offers programs in partnership with Trinity College and through the Prison Project, but “we are hoping to expand these programs in the future,” Kelly said.

This grant will be used to implement the next steps for expanding Quinnipiac’s programs and creating something that goes beyond what is offered by other institutions: the Prison Education and Community Engagement program.

The money will be used for various stipends and to pay for the time of professors leading programs. The grant has also enabled Quinnipiac to hire a Community Coordinator for the program, Shakur Collins.

Collins, who was formerly incarcerated, is looking to use his lived experiences to build this program into an effective tool to help others in similar situations.

Mass incarceration is a problem within the country that has an effect on everyone, even if we don’t realize it.

“Socially it has an impact, economically it has

an impact,” Collins said. Education is an effective tool to help prevent re-offenses and allow formerly incarcerated individuals to make a positive impact in their community.

“This is just one part of it, one step towards a larger goal.” Collins said. His goal is “making pathways to higher education accessible to everybody” to help incarcerated individuals use the lessons learned in the classroom to beneft them as they return to the community.

The program’s next steps include applying to become an institution that can offer degreegranting programs for incarcerated individuals. This would allow Quinnipiac to offer a bachelor’s degree program in facilities that lack a four-year college option.

Kelly stated that informal polling is being conducted to see what kinds of programs incarcerated students are looking for. The results reveal that they are looking to “be leaders in their community when they come home,” she said.

She and Collins will be hosting an open house in the next few weeks to highlight and discuss the Prison Education and Community Engagement program. They encourage all students to stop by.

“(It’s) an invitation to participate,” Collins said. “Take the frst step and come see what it is about.”

Healthcheck on Constitutional Governance addresses political violence

By VIVIAN GAGE Copy Editor

At the Healthcheck on Constitutional Governance event in Quinnipiac University’s Carl Hansen Student Center Piazza, political violence and how to avoid it was the main topic of discussion.

On Sept. 16 from 12:30-1:45 p.m., a board of three panelists and one moderator answered constitution-related questions that students had submitted in advance, as well as questions asked on the spot. According to political science Professor and moderator for the event Scott McLean, the event was meant to serve as “an opportunity to raise our concerns about the U.S. Constitution.”

The event fell on National Voter Registration Day, and at the back of the piazza, there was a table where students could register to vote and pick up a free, pocket-sized Constitution.

Students from a variety of majors attended the event, excited to learn more and hear from the panelists.

“I think it’s important for students who are not immersed in majors like legal studies, or law in society or criminal justice or anything like that,” sophomore criminal justice major Anastasia Souikidis said before the speakers began. “It’s (important) to get (students) more aware of things that do affect them.”

The discussion started with an introduction of the panelists from McLean and an outline of the ground rules. He asked the audience not to make generalizations, to avoid judging people’s questions and to give each other time to speak to build a safe space.

He ended his introduction with an acknowledgment of recent violent events. He said all of the panelists “soundly and vocally reject” all forms of political violence, before passing the mic to the panelists to introduce their goals for the discussion.

Visiting Assistant Professor of political science Candice Travis was the first panelist to speak, giving a brief summary

of how the Constitution came to be and its many imperfections.

“So the result is a compromise,” she said when explaining debates between federalists and anti-federalists surrounding the ratifcation of the Constitution.

This idea of the Constitution being imperfect and contradictory due to the compromises within it came up frequently for the rest of the “Healthcheck.”

Panelist and Professor of political science Genevieve Quinn explained how she focuses more specifcally on issues around the Second Amendment and discussed the diffculty of making new amendments in general.

Connecticut Senator and Associate Professor of legal studies Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox stressed the importance of separating “policy, partisan debates from other kinds of foundational, constitutional debates.”

She expressed her belief that parties should be able to disagree, but thinks a line should be drawn when it comes to constitutional violations.

“It’s okay to talk about the violation of due process,” she said, “because we should have a loyalty as elected offcials…to (The Constitution). Not to the party frst, to the document.”

The frst question asked if the recent increase in political violence worried speakers about where the country is headed, setting the tone for the rest of the discussion. Travis answered frst, highlighting “the connection between language and violence,” and pointing out how lots of recent language is stereotypical and misrepresents the truth of our polarization.

“There’s no place in the democracy for political violence. It eradicates the possibility of the very conversation you need to have in order to do politics,” she added.

Gadkar-Wilcox brought up how violence is risky because it makes people afraid to get involved in politics, while McLean talked about how the current constitutional system promotes two major political parties that “thrive on fueling antagonism towards the other side.”

He went on to reference a 2024 Marist University poll in which 20% of the national sample agreed that we may have to resort to violence to get the country back on track. He condemned this line of thinking.

“Party leaders should be speaking out against agitators of their own party, as well, and not excuse them cause they’re on our side,” McLean said.

The next question asked how the Constitution should adapt to modern issues, and Quinn answered frst by tying the question to debates around the Second Amendment.

“If we’re going to deal with the root issues of gun violence, the Constitution and the Second Amendment (are) not going to be the answer, even if we amend it,” Quinn said. “This is going to require social movements and activism beyond what we’ve seen.”

Gadkar-Wilcox agreed, adding, “We need to start thinking more creatively about how we work around those structures, because just

saying ‘we can amend the constitution to do that’ is not really an option.”

McLean suggested adjusting the traditional two senators for every state rule, allowing states with larger populations to get an extra senator, as a solution for “unlocking a lot of opportunities to change” within the government.

The rest of the discussion focused on the effectiveness of political action, the opportunities for change allowed by the Constitution, separation of powers, political language, being critical of social media and of course, political violence. A point pressed often was the necessity of citizens to hold their government accountable.

“It’s not just up to the other branches,” GadkarWilcox said. “What we are doing here is what holds all three branches accountable, because it’s public and social movements that constrain the federal executive, plus your congressional representatives, state representatives, the governor…it’s up to grassroots movements.”

TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE

Speakers at the Healthcheck on Constitutional Governance: (top left) Associate Professor of Legal Studies Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, (bottom left) Professor of Political Science Candice Travis, (right) Professor of Political Science Scott McLean.

Opinion

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's the future of the DCU

By RYAN HAJE Contributing Writer

From the years of 2013-2023, DC tried its hardest to be just like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that got it nowhere. The DC Extended Universe was confusing and all over the place, but once James Gunn became the head of the recently formed DC Studios, he rebooted the DC Extended Universe into a new continuity called the DCU. This reboot has come with a lot of questions from fans, the biggest being what the universe will look like. I think the universe should embody everything James Gunn has done up to this, that being to make something fun.

Since 2023 not many questions have been answered about the future of this universe. The current one that’s on everyone’s mind is ‘where is Batman?’ Fans saw a shadow of him in the 2024 animated show “Creature Commandos,” but other than that Batman has merely been hinted at and teased. It has been confirmed by Gunn that Robert Patterson will not be returning to reprise the role of Batman in the new DCU, which in my opinion is both a good and bad decision.

Patterson’s performance in “The Batman” (2022) is unlike any other Batman actor up to this point. The film was praised for every aspect and is my personal favorite Batman movie. I think it is the right choice for DCU to not overlap with the continuity

that Matt Reeves is building and to let him do his own thing with the Dark Knight.

of “The Flash” (2023), a negative aura has been left around the character. If the Flash were in this universe, I don’t think it should be Barry Allen. It should be his successor, Wally West. This thought process could also apply to other characters.

Damian Wayne is going to be

Robin, but I think Nightwing should get the focus. Nightwing has become a character much more than Batman’s former sidekick, and truly became a hero of his own. Because of this if he was to have his own T.V. show it would probably be the most successful project of the universe. With a Teen Titans movie on the way, it’s only a matter of time before Nightwing gets his own T.V. one thing that DCU should be more careful about is the amount of projects it release in a year. So far in the 2020s, Marvel Studios has been a train wreck, and this is mainly due to the

amount of projects they released in such a short amount of time.

The DCU should go in the direction of releasing two movies, two T.V. shows and maybe one animated project a year. This system would ensure that fans get these “main events” of the universe and the shows can have a unique story disconnected from the movies. This would prevent them from making the same mistake that Marvel Studios made.

Another question about the DCU is what characters and stories should be adapted? Many projects that have been announced but not released feature obscure characters like a Booster Gold T.V. show, a Swamp Thing movie and the most obscure one: giving Clayface his own movie. I believe it’s the right choice to stay away from popular characters because it will keep the universe fresh and fantastic stories only told on the pages can now be told like never before.

The future of the DCU is a bright one, as the universe grows so will the size of the fan base. It has been rewarding to see these iconic characters getting the spotlight they deserve. I think five years down the line, whatever James Gunn and his crew decide to do will make the universe possibly greater than the MCU, and either way, truly something special.

Useless acronyms P.M.O. Bobcat Buzz

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

On campus, there are some normal acronyms that are just a given. Saying “CAS” for the College of Arts and Sciences is pretty understandable.

But please, for the love of God. If a building is a shape, and you want to call it that shape, go ahead. There’s no shame; it’s the easiest route. There is no reason to make it more complicated than it is. No one is stopping you from just keeping it as is.

I wish someone had stopped whoever thought of making DOME an acronym for Driving Opportunity, Momentum and Engagement.

Literally, why? What is the point?

It’s a dome-shaped building. Is that not reason enough for it to be called “The Dome?”

The Oval Office isn’t a square, neither is the Pentagon. Even in Albany, the Egg is just named after what it looks like.

You’d never guess what shape the Egyptian pyramids are. But did they call them the PYRAMIDS? No, they didn’t. They didn’t decide to make a pyramid and then say, “Hm, it being the literal shape isn’t enough to call it a pyramid, let’s make it really difficult and performative, and give it a really long name that no one knows, so they just call it a pyramid anyway.”

Because, let’s be honest, that’s what it is: performative. I get it, we have an image to maintain. “Ambition unleashed,” and all that, but can we at least leash this one back up?

Sure, marketing needs to happen. I can appreciate that. I mean, how else can we pay for the millions of additions to this school, so that they can have even more abbreviations?

I can assure you that adding extra words to be fancy isn’t going to do the trick, because nobody cares enough.

I couldn’t even tell you what The DOME stands for off the top of my

head. If that was the first question on QKart trivia, I’d be off in a second.

It’s okay, though, I’d just go back to my DORM where I SLEEP and EAT. I’m still getting used to The SITE, and then they go ahead and say, “We have more!”

I’m groaning, sighing and rolling my eyes because at this point it feels like I’m getting pop-quizzed. In actuality, the only thing that’s getting tested is my patience.

I get it, it’s a small thing. It’s not a big deal. I would agree. Except it’s the principle of it all. It’s kind of like when you just start adding random things to your resume, but it’s more of a list of a lot of things with no substance than a short list with depth. It feels artifcial and shallow. It has no substance. I would much rather it just be “The Dome” because it has a literal dome on top, than it just be another thing that we want to gush over for the sake of being pretentious.

ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY KATZ

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA ARCHER

Sororities: Reality, fantasy or both? Opinion

By NICOLE GEMMATI Sta Writer

Why did you want to join a sorority? It’s the question that’s continuously asked throughout recruitment, and even after you’re given a bid to join one. Though the answer I give is often “sisterhood,” My real answer? Movies.

College themed movies appeared often in the early 2000s, and usually had some aspect of sorority life. Sororities are often stereotyped to involve mean, popular, pretty girls, who don’t care about anything other than themselves.

Despite this portrayal, these fctional characters’ lavish way of living made many people want to either be them or be one of them. Luckily, they could do both. Only it comes with a bit more work than is portrayed.

“Sydney White” is a 2009 retelling of the classic fairytale, “Snow White”, with a sorority spin. The princess (Amanda Bynes) is a tomboy looking to join her moms sorority, the Evil Queen (Sara Paxton) is the head of the Kappas, and the Magic Mirror is a Hot or Not website. While this virtual popularity ranking is outdated, the importance of social media still rings true today.

In reality, time is reserved before sorority events to take pictures to post on social media. Personal accounts are also monitored for anything that may paint the chapter in a bad light.

It wouldn’t be “Snow White” without the seven dwarfs. Or in Sydney White’s case: the seven dorks, who are too lame to even warrant their own fctional fraternity name. While sororities and fraternities are often thought to be the university elite they each fall victim to the social totem pole.

“The House Bunny” follows the Zetas, an un-

popular sorority until they are saved by a former Playboy bunny. Although one sorority may be deemed “unpopular” at one campus, they could be the most popular at another. These invisible rankings don’t mean much to the actual sorority itself, as each member, no matter where they joined, is considered part of the sisterhood.

The Zetas, along with every other sorority in 2000s media, live in a house along Greek row.

Quinnipiac’s inability to offer Greek designated housing means that personal chefs, housekeepers and house mothers are off the table, so students shouldn’t expect a former Playmate to make them the hottest girls on campus.

While living with your sisters can be seen as both a blessing and a curse, it does provide sisters the ability to become physically and emotionally closer. With no dedicated place to bond, mandatory events are the main aspect pushing members together. Without being forced together, it’s also diffcult to fnd time to hang out.

Another thing that brings sisters together in these movies is their coordinated outfts. Although it may differ from chapter to chapter, in some cases, sanctioned merchandise has to be purchased by them, and can usually only be ordered if a number of members are willing. Although there are dedicated colors to sororities, the merchandise often doesn’t refect this.

Despite the matching pink shirts in “So Undercover,” Miley Cyrus’ character Molly has trouble ftting in with her new sisters… likely because she is secretly working for the FBI. While gathering intel, Molly fnds that her sisters don’t ft the stereotypical “sorority girl” image at all. Many of the girls have personal issues, and if they weren’t

too scared to break their facade, they’d fnd that they have friends willing to listen and help them.

“Greek,” is a series following fraternities and sororities at the fctional Cyprus-Rhodes University and has the best portrayal of fraternity and sorority life during this time period, as it has four seasons to fesh everything out.

The show includes aspects such as recruitment and presidential elections. Casey (Spencer Grammer), a member of the top sorority on campus is actively involved in sorority life. Casey deals with presidential elections, Panhellenic affairs and attending national conferences, which shows the divide between chapters on different campuses.

Philanthropy is often portrayed well, and is treated as a plot device and central confict. Events

have more involvement from not only the sorority itself, but the campus as well. The budget is also higher for obvious reasons, with prizes and bouncy houses being offered to people and drawing them in.

Attendees usually look like they’re having a good time and genuinely want to be there, which is a stark divide from reality, where most people attend events only to get their necessary credits.

Although a central confict in many of these movies is the divide between different sororities, that is not the case today. Even if we are not technically sisters, we are all a part of Greek life and can use that to show our care for one another despite our differences. From each other, and from the early 2000s.

Team Rocket level greed is taking over Pokémon

By JOANNA FARRELL Contributing Writer

After 15 regions, 29 years, over 120 games and 1025 Pokémon, the Pokémon franchise has made its way into all our lives at some point. All of us have at least heard the name or know the “little yellow guy,” as my mom likes to call Pikachu.

Whether you know someone who likes the games, collects the cards, watches the anime or, like my cousin and I, spent many late nights engulfed in the dull glow of a DS battling and trading game exclusive Pokémon, the ubiquitous nature of the multi-billion-dollar franchise is undeniable.

It is clear Pokémon’s creator, Satoshi Tajiri, loved his creation and continues to nurture it. Pokémon is an unstoppable force in the gaming industry; as long as developer Game Freak continues to create new content, there will continue to be Pokémon fans. If there are no Pokémon fans left in the world, I am dead.

Over the past year or two, the trading card game has rapidly risen in popularity. My TikTok feed is consumed by videos and livestreams of people opening Pokémon card packs, each hoping for the infamous god pack — a pack with all rare cards. There are also collectors showing off how they format their card binders with specifc themes, each unique to the person designing them.

I have loved watching Pokémon grow in popularity and transform into something that isn’t cringey. For many of us, Pokémon is something that has followed us into adulthood from when we were children who woke up early and begged our

However, has become a volatile battleground for fans of Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG).

for $40 can easily reach prices of over $100 on reselling websites, such as eBay and Mercari. This, of course, depends on the series of the box

sets and the rare cards that collectors have the chance of pulling. The rarer the cards, the more expensive the product.

poses a grave threat to the future of Pokémon TCG collectors and players alike as shelves are often wiped clean minutes after employees fnish stocking them, and fans are continuously being priced out of the game they have grown to love by resellers who solely fnd interest in the money they make off it. rise in Pokémon card scalpers has pushed collectors and players to put pressure on box stores like Walmart, to create limitations as to how many boosters or blister packs a single person can buy at one time.

While certain stores like Costco have placed limits on Pokémon sets, in many cases, this hasn’t been implemented as a store policy across a chain’s entirety and it is usually left to the discretion of local owners. However, when faced with quick proft over the beneft of a fan base, nine times out of ten, big box stores will choose quick proft.

But what does this mean for the future of the Pokémon card game? Will collectors and players continue to be priced out of the game? And what direction should box stores take, if any, to prevent scalpers from ruining the collector experience?

I know one thing after watching nearly all the anime’s, Ash, Misty, Brock and the rest of the gang would be fred up over this Team Rocket level greed.

ILLUSTRATION BY LILIANA MIRABELLA

Arts & Life

A dazzling start: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ premiere sets the stage for a competitive season

By EMILY ADORNO Marketing Director

through and hinted that with more confdence, they could become contenders for the highly that set a high bar for this season. However, not everyone hit their stride. Comedian Andy Richter got paired up with pro Emma Slater, who always seems to get the older men who usually leave the show early on. It does not seem that she will be redeemed

Their timing issues were not the only ones of the evening. Actor Corey Feldman and pro Jenna Johnson struggled with timing and an awkward chemistry overall. Jen Affeck and Ravnik also failed to make an impact with their number. While not totally disastrous, those who fell to the bottom of the scoreboard had forgettable dances. For the sake of fan support, it is hard to compete with a dance that falls through the cracks. The challenge for these contestants will be proving they belong in the ballroom once the glitter of premiere

That contrast — between those who played it safe, those who fopped and those who were surprising — is what keeps “DWTS” compelling. Unlike scripted competition shows, the magic here comes from watching celebrities transform into

The stiff, self-conscious athlete who blossoms into a performer or the sitcom star who discovers their inner ballroom diva is the type of arc that makes viewers invest for weeks. Already, this cast seems well-equipped to deliver that kind of narrative

The professional dancers also play a crucial role, and this season’s roster reminds us why they’re the heart of the show. Sosa leaned into Chiles’ strengths with acrobatic choreography, even if her hips weren’t quite ready to follow. Karagach's charm made Efron look more comfortable on stage than his technique suggested. Meanwhile, pros like Val Chmerkovskiy, Bersten and Pashkov proved why they’ve remained fan favorites for so long, guiding their partners with precision and stage presence that elevated otherwise shaky debuts.

The clear standout of the night — and honestly, my early pick to win it all — was T.V. personality and zookeeper Robert Irwin with pro Witney Carson.

The routine had a rare mix of confdence and charisma. It was the kind of performance you’d expect to see later in the season, not the premiere. It was polished without feeling stiff, and it set a bar that’s going to be hard for anyone else to reach.

The rest of the night wasn’t perfect, but that’s the beauty of a premiere. The full range of nerves, missteps, surprises and glimpses of who might take home the trophy.

After all, “Dancing with the Stars” is fun to watch for that reason. It’s more than just dancing, but also the transformation of each star.

Week one gave us a baseline, and now the real growth starts. Scores will rise, stakes will get higher, and the ballroom will keep delivering its drama. One thing’s already clear: this season won’t be predictable when it comes to who’s taking home that Mirrorball.

Fans priced out of Ariana Grande's tour

By GINA LORUSSO Managing Editor

After taking a seven year hiatus from touring, singer-songwriter and actress Ariana Grande is back on the road in 2026 for her Eternal Sunshine World Tour.

Her announcement on Aug. 28, over a year after releasing her seventh studio album “Eternal Sunshine” and its deluxe version “Brighter Days Ahead,” sparked massive excitement among fans. Me being one of them, I signed up for presale tickets as soon as I could, but unfortunately, I was left empty-handed.

I couldn’t get tickets as soon as they dropped, so what? No big deal, I can wait for the resellers and buy tickets then, right? Wrong.

The resale ticket prices for the tour’s North American leg are currently selling at a premium — thousands more than what they were purchased for.

For the opening show at Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, a lower-level ticket in section 128 is priced at a whopping $21,420, according to TicketMaster.

In an Instagram story posted on Sept. 13, Grande released a statement showing her concern for the issue.

“hi my angels, i have been on set all week but i wanted to let you know that what’s been happening with the secondary ticket resellers has been brought to my attention and of course i am incredibly bothered by it,” Grande wrote. “i’ve been on the phone

every second of my free time fighting for a solution. i hear you and hopefully, we will be able to get more of these tickets into your hands instead of theirs. it’s not right.”

This comes as a shock following Grande’s decision not to use dynamic pricing — a strategy that adjusts ticket prices based on demand. Instead, the ticket prices were set in stone, ranging from about $75 to $799 to ensure fairness and affordability. Now, these resellers have made the tour almost completely inaccessible.

Being that Grande hasn’t toured in so long, demand for tickets was already high.

“Eternal Sunshine” is acclaimed as some of Grande’s most transparent work, resonating heavily with her global audience, and making them eager to hear her hits “we can’t be friends,” “the boy is mine” and other nostalgic tracks from her discography live.

“I would love to do shows, I love being on stage, I miss being on stage, I miss my fans so much,” Grande said in an interview with Zach Sang in February. “Just like music, I’m really excited to redefine my relationship to shows, when I’m ready…”

Following her Sweetener World Tour in 2019, Grande opened up about her mental health issues, stating she was doing therapy sessions, dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression and grief. Now that fans understand how difficult this time was for her, they’re excited that she has now not only deepened her connection with

music, but made this tour a testament to her personal growth.

That is what makes these ticket prices so outrageous. This tour should have been a celebration of Grande’s return to music after flming “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good,” not an opportunity for scalpers to make a quick buck on fans who have been waiting almost a decade to see her live again.

While Grande has spoken about pushing for solutions, this is a much greater issue that could potentially taint live music for any artist. Take Rihanna, for example. She hasn’t released an album since 2016, but if she were to drop an album and announce a tour soon, fans would most likely face the same issue Grande fans are facing now.

Stricter regulations need to be put in place — there is no reason you should be reselling a ticket for hundreds, or even thousands, more than what you paid originally. Don’t be that

person who ruins something that could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone else.

The ballroom returned in glittering fashion

Get a job. Exploiting fans isn’t your payday.

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

She speaks for the trees The rise of Ashby Florence

What is the recipe for success?

Apparently, just leather boots and a jacket, or an orange jumpsuit with a yellow mustache.

Ashby Florence, better known as Ashby on TikTok, has become one of the fastestgrowing creators, and the most deserving of the fame I’ve ever seen.

Even if you don’t know her by name, I bet you’ve seen a few videos of hers. Let me jog your memory.

The first video of hers that blew up was part of a trend featuring a song from the musical “Hamilton.” Ashby immediately stood out from other creators doing the same trend. Why? Because while others were in a full Alexander Hamilton get-up, Ashby was the true character.

Instead of the full costume, she just put on cowboy boots and a letter jacket and called it a day — her attitude and facial expressions sold it. That was the beginning of the world getting to know her personality, and boy, are we glad we did.

Ashby has to be one of the funniest people I’ve seen on social media in a while. Her improvisational skills are mind-blowing. It’s the unexpectedness of what she’s going to say next that has me in tears when I watch her. In the world of scripted humor, there's a uniqueness and freshness that she has that

‘Man on the Moon’

appearance and contributes to her videos, the dynamic reminds me of Jenna Solomita, better known as Jenna Marbles, and her husband Julien.

Since Solomita and Julien left social media, there has been a genre of quirkiness and randomness that has just been missing — now, we’ve struck gold.

Not only is she hilarious, but she just genuinely feels like a good person. When interviewing the stars of Hamilton, she was doing a bit, but she balanced it perfectly with insightful and thought-provoking questions. Clearly, she was taking the job seriously.

She made a statement quickly after she began to rack up views when someone claimed that they were waiting for the day it was revealed that she was a bigot. She is adamant that day will never come. She was deeply offended, but she communicated that she knew she had to earn the trust of her followers. She doesn’t care if people find her funny, but she cares about how we view her as a person.

I was originally worried Ashby was going to be just another creator who gains fame quickly and then loses it. I don’t see that happening here. I think she’s here for the long haul, and I’m grateful for that. She’s a fresh face with a quick wit that comes every once in a while.

So as for her stardom: let it grow, let it grow.

turns 16: Kid Cudi's debut that spoke to a generation

By COOPER WOODWARD Contributing Writer

The year is 2009 and a young 25-yearold by the name of Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi, is finishing up his debut album.

With a sound that blended themes of early 2000s hip-hop with raw and pure emotional vulnerability, he was preparing to introduce himself to a music world that hadn’t seen anything quite like him.

Sixteen years later, “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” still resonates as the album that gave a generation of hip-hop fans, young and old, permission to feel, permission to dream and permission to embrace their imperfections.

This album came at a time when mainstream rap was dominated by largerthan-life personalities and a bold sense of confdence. Instead of following that trend, Cudi offered something that felt deeply human. His lyrics confronted themes of isolation, depression and self-doubt wrapped in beats that made it feel like you were taking an adventure into Cudi’s psyche.

It was a kind of honesty that early 2000s hip-hop had dared to explore, and it was that kind of honesty that struck a deeper connection with the fans — one that continues to resonate with fans over a decade and a half later.

The album has a play-like structure with a five-act arrangement that takes you through Cudi’s psyche, struggles, dreams and escapes. Songs like “Day N’ Nite” and “Pursuit of Happiness” became anthems to a generation, while deeper cuts such as “Cudi Zone” and “Solo Dolo” cemented his reputation as a trailblazer willing to be an

open book with his audience.

The album would hit gold certification (500,000 units sold) by the end of the year, but “Man on the Moon”’s impact simply couldn’t be measured in sales numbers.

This album came at a time in pop culture when mental health was still considered very taboo, and despite all of this, Cudi openly admitted to fears and insecurities

that many were experiencing in silence. For a generation of young hip-hop fans, he wasn’t just a rapper — he was a mirror into the soul.

In the years that followed, Cudi’s influence started to become tangible.

Artists like Travis Scott, Juice Wrld and Billie Eilish have cited him as a major inspiration for their music. Not to mention

that they are often considered pioneers for an era that was finally ready to talk about their feelings.

Sixteen years later, the album feels less like a debut and more like a stepping stone. Its themes of loneliness, resilience and self-discovery started conversations that began to question how mental health was perceived in music.

Those conversations began to spark change on a global scale. The emotional openness of this modern era of music owes a lot of itself to the path that Cudi carved on this project.

Through the rise of streaming, new listeners can capture the magic of this project that so many caught over a decade ago, realizing that it’s okay to feel your feelings, it’s okay to be sad and it’s okay to not be okay. For longtime listeners, this project served as a reminder of where they were in 2009, and how much this album has gotten them through.

Over sixteen years since its debut, “Man on the Moon: End of Day” has cemented itself as a landmark event in hip-hop history. What began as the story of a young man trying to find his voice became the soundtrack for a generation trying to find their own.

For Kid Cudi, it was the start of a career that was defined by honesty and experimentation. For his fans, it became a lifeline that made the lonely stoner feel a little less alone.

As the album continues to find new ears in 2025, the project stands proof that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do as a musician is simply to be honest.

ROB LOUD/FLICKR

Kid Cudi's ‘Man on the Moon’ redefned vulnerability in hip-hop and gave a generation permission to feel

ILLUSTRATION BY LILY MIRABELLA

How flm reinforces the Madonna-Whore Complex

By SOPHIE MURRAY Contributing Writer

The media perceives women in two different lights. Whether you are aware of it or not — in the movies you watch, the books you read and the shows you stream — we see women divided into two categories: the innocent or the seductive.

The Madonna-Whore Complex, a phenomenon developed by psychologist Sigmund Freud explains this. According to him, women are divided as either pure, notorious and respectful (the Madonna) or sexually available, promiscuous and immoral (the Whore).

While human experience exists in shades of gray between this area, the media has long painted women in black and white, limiting how they can behave, grow and be perceived.

Hollywood has heavily leaned into this binary. On one side we see characters like Meg March from “Little Women” with nurturing and mature personalities, and we see the helpless damsel in distress like Snow White from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” These women are often praised for their innocence and modesty.

On the other hand, we find characters like Mikaela Banes from “Transformers,” a highly sexualized character used as an object of desire for male characters, or

Jessica Rabbit in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” While these characters come off as confident and powerful, they are rarely respected within a story’s framework.

Some films also deliberately place these two archetypes side by side. For example, the movie “Grease” sharply divides its female characters. Sandy Olson is introduced as a sweet, innocent new girl. She represents the Madonna in this scenario: she is soft-spoken, dresses modestly and is wholesome. Meanwhile, Rizzo, a member of the rebellious Pink Ladies group, is portrayed as her opposite. She acts confident, tries to get boys' attention and drinks and smokes. In the end, Sandy undergoes a dramatic transformation, trading her innocence to be part of the Pink Ladies group, an act suggesting a woman must conform to sexual desirability to be truly wanted.

These depictions are not just about storytelling. They reflect and reinforce a deeper cultural belief that women must choose between being respected or desired. Rarely are they allowed to be both, and characters assigned to a binary are typically supposed to stay there.

Take the “Harry Potter” series as an example. Hermione Granger is the classic

Madonna archetype — she is hardworking, innocent, modest and morally upright. Her characterization never shifts into anything resembling the Whore archetype.

In another light, from the show “Sex and the City,” Samatha Jones has always been categorized in the Whore archetype. She is sexually liberated, confident and bold. Her character remains firmly planted in that role and she rarely offers the complexities that other characters in the show are given.

This division has real world effects. Women in movies are rarely given the same character complexities as men. They are often flattened, oversimplified and defined by how much or how little they align with male desires.

This has more than just a narrative effect, though. When the media continues to present women as either the Madonna or the Whore, it teaches audiences, especially young women, that they too must choose. When women are strictly categorized, we lose space for authenticity. The media is practically telling women to choose to be respected or desired, never both.

However, there are movies that do a great job at producing complex female characters. A few examples are Katiss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games,” Kat

Stratford from “10 Things I Hate About You” and Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada.” These characters highlight how film has evolved more into creating female characters with depth.

While progress has been made, ultimately, it is time to retire the binary. Women, like male characters, are complex and evolving and are deserving of plotlines that push past the stereotypes.

Disney's Destination D23 Expo announces big updates and changes coming to the Walt Disney World Resort

By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Sports Editor

Last month, the Walt Disney Company held its Destination D23 Expo from Aug. 29-31, at its Coronado Springs Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort.

For those of you who are not a Disney adult, like me, D23 is a weekend-long event where the Walt Disney Company announces major news throughout its parks, studios and imagineering that fans can expect to see in the future.

According to the Destination D23 website, 25 presentations were shown throughout the weekend from different divisions across the Walt Disney Company, including Walt Disney Imagineering, The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Entertainment Television, Disney Experiences and the Walt Disney Archives.

Let’s break down the big news, updates and changes coming out of the company for the Walt Disney World Resort.

TRON OVERLAY

Next time you are digitalized into the world of Tron, it may look a little different from previous rides.

Walt Disney Imagineering is bringing a new overlay to TRON Lightcycle / Run at Walt Disney World Resort and TRON Lightcycle Power Run presented by Chevrolet at Shanghai Disney Resort.

The new overlay includes tunnels of vibrant red and orange light trails, according to DisneyParksBlog. Along with the new color scheme throughout the ride and ride vehicles, original music from TRON: Ares, which opens in theaters on Oct. 10, will play along your ride.

The overlay was introduced in Orlando on Sept. 15, while Shanghai was given the overlay on Sept. 16.

Considering TRON Lightcycle / Run at the Magic Kingdom is only two years old, opening on April 4, 2023, it’s very nice to see Disney Imagineering giving the ride an overlay. Due to the COVID pandemic, construction on the ride was majorly delayed, taking almost fve years to complete, and was met with disappointing reviews by many fans for its short ride times.

An overlay like this is bound to give the attraction more hype and give fans something new to enjoy next time they race through the world of Tron.

ANOTHER WALT DISNEYANIMATRONIC

A great big beautiful tomorrow is on the horizon for a classic Disney attraction, as Walt Disney Imagineering announced that a brand new audio-animatronic of Walt Disney is coming to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.

“We are grateful to The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Imagineering for their continued collaboration and ongoing partnership with The Walt Disney Family Museum,” Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, said. “The introduction of a new Audio-Animatronics fgure of Walt Disney in ‘Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress’ marks an exciting milestone in our shared mission to celebrate the story of the man behind the magic and inspire new generations with his innovations and vision for the future. We appreciate the continued efforts and meticulous care that Imagineering has taken to keep Walt’s legacy alive.”

The Walt Disney audio-animatronic will be featured in the fnal scene of the attraction. Adding Walt Disney to this classic attraction is a huge milestone for the company, as the Carousel of Progress is an original attraction that Disney himself worked on.

The attraction opened at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, in Queens, where it was part of the fair, sponsored by General Electric. The attraction was then moved to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, before being transported to the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney Imagineering released its frst audio-animatronic of Walt Disney in its new attraction at the Main Street Opera House in Disneyland, “Walt Disney — A Magic Life,” in July 2025.

After frst seeing the audio-animatronic for this attraction in Anaheim, I was a little let down, especially when a video surfaced of the fgure slumping over, causing the show to break down.

However, over time, the animatronic grew on me. I, for one, am excited to see this new animatronic in the Carousel of Progress and to see the dialogue featured along with it. The Carousel of Progress held great signifcance to Disney, as it embodied his love for America, the American family, technological innovation and the future CINDERELLA CASTLE GETS A FRESH COLOR PALETTE

An exciting change is coming to Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, with a new color palette.

This color scheme is inspired by the classic look of the castle, featuring grays, creams, blues and touches of gold in an effort to enhance the castle's architecture, according to the D23 website.

Cinderella Castle held its iconic color scheme until 2020, when the castle received a new makeover. This makeover included a rose look to the castle, along with royal blue spears, wrapped in gold.

Honestly, a part of me died when they repainted the original castle in 2020. While the new colors added a more vibrant vibe to the castle, nothing beats the original color palette of grays, creams and blues that was with the castle for almost 50 years.

VILLIANS LAND

At last year's D23 Expo, the Walt Disney Company announced some of its biggest news to date, which included an expansion to the Magic Kingdom.

This expansion would include two new lands: Piston Peak National Park, based on Disney’s “Cars franchise, and Villains Land.

The news of Villains Land captivated Disney fans, as prior to this announcement, Disney’s iconic villains did not have a place in any of its 12 resort theme parks. This new land was announced to encompass two major attractions, dining and shopping, according to DisneyParksBlog.

At this year's D23 Expo, more information

was released about this upcoming Villains Land, giving fans a deeper look into what to expect from this new area of the park.

Disney Legend Andreas Deja has announced that he will be on the project, a former animator known for his work on Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast,” Jafar in “Aladdin” and Scar in “The Lion King.”

“I just love the idea to have an area where you just have fun with them all,” Deja said in a video showcased at the Expo. “You get to know them even more. And I know we’re going to amplify the way we see them, like we have never seen them before.”

The land will be characterized by big personalities, bold visuals and rich backgrounds of Disney’s iconic villains, enhancing the overall experience for guests.

The company announced that its Imagineering team has been studying Art Nouveau architecture, focusing on the unique form, scale and colors of the style.

“Seeing details like colorful stained-glass windows and painted metals helped us understand how we might bring the beautiful, deep jewel

ILLUSTRATION

The Dallas Cowboys: From 1990s glory to modern-day frustration

By ANTHONY ANGELILLO Contributing Writer

The new Netfix docuseries “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” brought back memories of when the Dallas Cowboys were the NFL’s gold standard. As a New York Giants fan, I watched those episodes with a mix of respect and curiosity.

The series premiered on Aug. 19, and digs into owner Jerry Jones, the bold coaching change from Tom Landry to Jimmy Johnson and the run that produced three Super Bowls in four seasons with interviews from key people involved with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s and beyond.

The 1990s Cowboys were dominant, and the results were historic. Dallas won Super Bowls in the 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1995-96 seasons, beating the Buffalo Bills twice and then the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Hall-of-Famers everywhere on the field and the sideline.

Jones, who bought the team in 1989 for roughly $140 million, was praised as a bold risk-taker after pulling off the Herschel Walker trade that powered the dynasty, behind the likes of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and a defense anchored by Charles Haley and Deion Sanders.

Those years set a standard that Dallas has not come close to matching since. The Cowboys, since their NFC Championship game win over Green Bay on Jan. 14, 1996, have not returned to a conference championship.

Every other NFC team has made one this century. For a franchise that calls itself “America’s Team,” that drought is concerning.

After Johnson left following back-to-back

championships, coach Barry Switzer won one more Super Bowl in 1995-96. Then came decades of inconsistency.

Coaches came and went. Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett and now Mike McCarthy’s replacement, Brian Schottenheimer all took their turns; however, none of them delivered a deep playoff run.

The front offce has been the constant.

Jones is not only the owner, but the president and general manager, a system he defends in the series and in interviews. He wants the responsibility and the scrutiny, and he has held the GM role since day one.

That structure worked in the early 1990s, but it has also created blind spots.

Jones has frequently overlooked his own executives and coaches, due to his hands-on approach, and his decisions have shaped the Cowboys’ modern identity: a team that spends big, markets bigger, but falls short in January.

Dallas has not been shy about paying stars. In 2024, Dak Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million extension with $231 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time.

His cap hit for 2025 is over $50 million, and it will climb in future seasons. CeeDee Lamb followed with a four-year, $136 million deal that averages $34 million annually, second only to Justin Jefferson among receivers.

The Cowboys restructured both contracts this offseason to create cap space, but that only delays the fnancial strain.

Five players: Prescott, Lamb, Terence Steele, Trevon Diggs and Tyler Smith have accounted for more than 65% of the team’s

‘Gilmore Girls’: Fall fashion icons

By RYLEY LEE Contributing Writer

Every year, there is a rave about Lorelai and Rory Gilmore being the fall fashion icons — every outfit they wear is carefully picked out for the perfect balance between comfort and fashion.

Whether it's Rory’s iconic white sweater or Lorelai’s business casual workwear, the Gilmore girls never fail to wear the perfect outfit. But why is the fashion in “Gilmore Girls” so iconic? Why is there non-stop talk about it every year?

These are the questions I have been asking myself as I’ve started to rewatch the show this year. Every episode I watch, I need to know immediately where everything in both Rory and Lorelai’s wardrobes is from. Even Rory, in her Chilton uniform, makes me want to go back to high school and convince my mom to put me in school with uniforms. Everyone I talk to is obsessed with both the mother's and daughter’s closets, and there are even news articles from renown magazines like Vogue discussing the iconic fashion in the show.

Trends come and go, and we are in an era where we are moving backward with fashion. Y2K fashion is making a strong comeback, and “Gilmore Girls” is just part of the reason.

When we wear clothes that were trending in the early 2000s, we feel like we are reliving our childhood. Personally, I feel

much more productive when I’m wearing a good outfit. Look good, feel good, do good and all that. And we all know there’s no one more productive than Rory Gilmore when she’s studying, so maybe people feel like if they dress like the Gilmore girls, they’ll be able to romanticize their life like them.

“Gilmore Girls” fashion is even taking over social media. There are Pinterest boards of Rory and Lorelai’s outfits, Instagram accounts that give “Gilmore Girls” -inspired outfits and TikTok posts about what people would wear if they were in the show.

In my opinion, some of the most iconic outfits in the show were Rory’s white sweater outfit, Lorelai’s first day of Chilton outfit and pretty much every single Friday night dinner outfit either of them wore.

Rory’s white sweater outfit was in the very first episode. She wore an oversized sweater with simple blue jeans and her backpack as an accessory. There was snow on the ground and you could tell it was freezing. That’s why this outfit was perfect. Not only was it adorable, but it was also warm and cozy. It was also one of our first impressions of Rory — you can tell a lot about a person by their outfit. We could tell that Rory prioritizes comfort and also knows how powerful a simple outfit can be. Sometimes, the simpler the better.

Next, we have the outfit Lorelai wore on Rory’s first day at Chilton. Of course, in perfect sit-com fashion, Lorelai’s alarm

didn’t go off in the morning, preventing her from picking up her dry cleaning. The only thing she had to wear was a pink tie-dye baby tee, a pair of jean shorts and cowboy boots. For an outfit that was

not surprised so many people are obsessed with the Gilmore girls’ wardrobes, because I am too. Both characters can pull off business casual or comfortable night-in outfits, and they are an

Quinnipiac men's basketball lands guard Malik Fields

By MICHAEL PETITTO Associate Sports Editor

Quinnipiac men’s basketball plays its !rst game in just under 50 days, but that hasn’t stopped the Bobcats from recruiting prospects such as Malik Fields.

e guard announced today via Instagram that he’ll be practicing at M&T Bank Arena from now on as he’s committing to Quinnipiac.

“Bobcat nation wtw!!! #COMMITTED,” Fields wrote.

Fields plays high school ball at Cardinal Hayes Highschool in the Bronx, New York and is set to graduate in 2026.

As a 6’4” guard, Fields has established himself as a two-way force that can rebound at an e#cient level while also commanding the ability to facilitate the ball.

During the annual Shooting Stars Showcase in the Bronx, he was named the MVP of the event, dropping 30 points.

Fields has a knack for elbow jumpers, while also having the ability to score at all three levels of the game, something Quinnipiac has lacked somewhat over the past few seasons.

According to Verbal Commits, the three-star recruit had o ers from Texas A&M, TCU and Oklahoma State.

During the 2024 recruiting cycle, Fields also received an o er from Quinnipiac’s MAAC rival, Fair!eld University.

His reliable o ensive presence and ability to be a two-way threat should get Hamden excited about Quinnipiac’s newest recruit.

Fields is now set to be a part of Quinnipiac’s future, as head coach Tom Pecora has assembled and maintained a roster set to compete now and be viable in the long term.

Men's soccer falls to Long Island in a hard fought battle

By EMILY MARQUIS Sta Writer

HAMDEN — For a Quinnipiac men’s soccer squad who never matched up against the Long Island University Sharks before Tuesday afternoon, its frst-ever matchup was one to forget. The Bobcat side lost in an abysmal 5-2 blowout, plagued with poor execution and an immense lack of discipline.

The chippiness in the game started from nearly the opening kickoff.

Ninety-four seconds into the match, sophomore midfelder Sivert Ryssdalsnes drew a controversial foul in the penalty area, driving his own penalty kick home to give the Bobcats their only lead of the game.

However, in a game defned by its penalties —13 for the visiting Sharks, 17 for the Bobcats—it wouldn’t take long for another whistle to even up the score. Forty-four seconds later, a foul gave a largely defensive Long Island team a prime chance to even up the score. Senior forward Jack Stainrod’s cross, his frst of four assists on the afternoon, would connect with the head of senior defender Sam Keogan for the tying goal.

After that, the following chances were all Long Island’s. Before Quinnipiac had time to blink, another Shark shot squeaked past starting junior goaltender Emilio Balderrama, doubling the Long Island lead. Balderrama, returning to the net after graduate student Matthew Pisani backstopped Quinnipiac to its frst victory vs. Caldwell, would fail to save a single one of the four Sharks shots faced.

Despite the tough showing on the scoresheet, Balderrama was not to blame for the next two Shark chances. Each of the following two goals were the result of a dead ball in the defensive third of the feld. The frst was a direct snipe from the top of the penalty area, and the second was a defensive breakdown following a cross on yet another free kick.

Despite an additional goal by Ryssdalsnes before the end of the half, the damage

was done. Quinnipiac was down a pair, with frustration building both on and off the feld. Execution, which was an area the Bobcat side had struggled mightily with against Caldwell, continued to plague the team. Of the 12 shots Quinnipiac would attempt in the frst half, only four would make it on frame. Long Island, with a third of the attempts, would not only manage the same amount of shots on goal, but would convert on every single one.

That building frustration would only continue into the second half. Quinnipiac would make a goaltending change, returning to Pisani in an attempt to prevent the Sharks from continuing to score at will. Although for the majority of the half, Pisani would succeed in maintaining the score 4-2, his performance would be outshined by the increasingly severe issues players and coaches had with the offciating.

It began simply. Players and coaches disagreeing with a call on the pitch is a concept as old as soccer itself. That aside, the frequen-

cy and inconsistency of many of the offcials calls, as well as the severity, began to elicit the immediate ire of both the Quinnipiac and Long Island coaching staff.

Multiple yellow cards, amounting to four per squad by the end of the match, only exacerbated this issue further. Hard fouls, including one that earned the Sharks a penalty kick that Pisani managed to ward off, were also extremely commonplace, and would be the catalyst for the events that took place in the 72nd minute.

Play had become far too chippy on both sides before sparks fnally few, but it was senior defender João Pinto’s tackle, the fnal of three nearly identical moves by the Quinnipiac defense, that caused the tension to snap. In a ft of frustration, junior forward Londell Wheeler of Long Island would intentionally hack at Pinto’s ankle, causing a scrum that would engulf both teams.

Both squads would immediately come together directly in front of the benches, with

shoving and grappling extending beyond the initial parties as the offcials attempted to settle things down. Two red cards would be issued after the incident, one to Quinnipiac senior midfelder Alex Miller and the other to Wheeler.

All the while, both coaching staffs were ensuring that the referees understood their perspective on the situation clearly. Head coach Eric Da Costa was especially vocal on his view of the scrum, and could be heard yelling from the stands.

“It’s your fault,” Da Costa said. “They’ve been pushing each other all game!”

Following a string of similar insults, Da Costa would earn himself a red card, and also be ejected from the contest. Even with being thrown from the game, Da Costa would still get in some fnal parting words for the offciating group.

“That’s on you. Not them,” Da Costa said.

Another Long Island goal in the 79th minute, senior defender Niklas Thanhofer’s third to complete the hattrick, put the already outof-reach game fully to rest for the home squad. However, the questions that come from this game go far beyond the abysmal fnal tally. Questions swirl not only around this Bobcat team’s ability to execute against tough opponents, but also regarding this team’s ability to maintain composure, as well as who will be starting in goal to start conference play.

Along with that, according to NCAA rules, an ejection of players or personnel because of a red card results in a one game suspension.

For a team that’s next matchup is against conference opponent Marist, the same squad that upset the Bobcats in the quarterfnals of the MAAC tournament last season, losing its head coach presents a near-insurmountable challenge.

The Bobcats aim to get back on track this weekend, traveling to Poughkeepsie, New York, to take on Marist on Sept. 20. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Quinnipiac men’s basketball huddles up during warmups before taking on the WPI Engineers on Nov. 17.

FOX/CHRONICLE

Sophomore midfelder Fredrik Moen battles against two Long Island defenders on Sept. 16.

The Bobcats blow past the UConn Huskies in a 3-0 exhibition shutout

By EMILY MARQUIS Sta Writer

HAMDEN — Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey soared in its exhibition game against cross-state rival UConn, defeating the Huskies in a 3-0 shutout Saturday afternoon.

For a team fnding its identity after a tough loss to Clarkson University in the ECAC quarterfnals last season, it was important for this Quinnipiac squad to show how its hard work in the offseason would manifest in its performance.

That hard work would translate to the ice quickly.

Twenty-four seconds into the contest, graduate student winger Laurence Frenette’s backhanded shot from just above the goal line would catch the Huskies puck-watching. The puck, after sailing over the pads of UConn’s goalie, graduate student Tia Chan, would land on the stick of junior winger Kahlen Lamarche, who would net a backhander of her own, for Quinnipiac’s frst goal of the game.

“Seeing all the work we’ve put in the past few months, all of us together…a lot of girls, came back this summer and we all worked together. I think it really paid off,” Frenette said.

After the opening minute goal, both teams would settle down signifcantly, fnding their hockey legs after the long offseason.

A roughing penalty on Quinnipiac’s captain, graduate student defender Mia Lopata, would allow the Bobcats’ special teams to get its frst test of the season. For a squad whose penalty-kill percentage was a conference-best of 0.886 last season, Quinnipiac would not disappoint, successfully killing off the UConn power play.

Special teams continued to shine later in the period. After an unsuccessful chance to score on a fve on three, it would once again be Lemarche with the impact play. This time it was her shot, partially defected off a Husky stick, that would miraculously fnd Frenette. Frenette would jam it home for the goal, earning the top-line wingers their second points of the night.

Despite a scoreless second for both sides, Quinnipiac would keep the pressure up, killing another UConn power play opportunity to keep the Huskies out of striking distance. Special teams would continue to shine in the fnal frame, with Quinnipiac converting on its second power play of the afternoon. Senior

defender Zoe Uens would capitalize 19 seconds into the squad’s third power play, corralling her own rebound to light the lamp for the fnal time.

“Certainly this year we want to score more goals on the power play. It’s an area we’ve been okay in, but we can be better at,” head coach Cass Turner said. “So that’s a big target.”

It wasn’t just the Quinnipiac special teams that shone in this dominant win. Three Quinnipiac goaltenders would combine to earn the squad a shutout. Sophomore netminder Felicia Frank would get the start, with senior Tatum Blacker and senior-transfer Calli Hogarth taking the crease for the second and third period respectively.

With the farewell of graduate student goaltender Kaley Doyle, who led the ECAC in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts in 2024-25, the Bobcats face the diffcult challenge of replacing the star goaltender after her fnal collegiate season.

All three goaltenders played well in the Bobcats’ bout against the Huskies, with Hogarth’s timely fourteen saves in the third bringing the shutout home for Quinnipiac, despite

PHOTO: Women's ice hockey holds

mounting pressure from UConn.

“All three of them made some big saves in big moments that we needed,” Turner said.

For the rest of the Quinnipiac squad, the question of who will get the starting role isn’t at the top of their mind. The team aims to maintain its dominant defensive efforts from the season prior, no matter who’s guarding the net.

The 2024-25 Bobcats squad allowed the fewest goals in the ECAC last year; the current squad is looking to return to that dominance despite the losses of Kendall Cooper ‘25 and Maddy Samoskevich ‘25, who attended this preseason matchup, to the PWHL.

“I think no matter who was in net, we felt comfortable as defense,” Uens said. “On the back end, if we mess up, they have our backs.”

For a team hoping to build upon its strong season last year to earn an NCAA tournament playoff berth, this exhibition win shows great signs of what’s to come for the rest of the Bobcats’ season.

Quinnipiac will begin the regular season on Sept. 26, taking on the University of Maine Black Bears at home. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m.

Former forward Maddy Samoskevich ‘25 taking photos with fans.

‘We play to our identity... we defne success based on what that looks like’

Women's ice hockey ‘taking pride in the process’ going into 2025-26 season

By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Sports Editor

Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey enters the 202526 season with big hopes for this Bobcat squad.

As of publication, the Bobcats are ranked No. 10 nationally in the USCHO Poll, and sit in the No. 4 spot in the ECAC preseason polls, tied with St. Lawrence. However, these rankings mean little to head coach Cass Turner, as she looks for her squad to exceed the expectations of others.

“For us it’s always taking pride in the process,” Turner said during ECAC Preseason Media Availability on Sept. 16. “It is really about being sure that we fgure out what our identity is, that we play to our identity, that we defne success based on what that looks like, and as a result hopefully wins will come as we play to our identity.”

Last season, Quinnipiac went 22-12-4 overall, with an 11-8-3 record in the ECAC, and hopes to carry its strong winning mentality into this season.

Analyzing the roster, the Bobcats enter the season with a team full of youth, with nine freshmen and seven sophomores this season. After saying goodbye to eight Bobcats at the conclusion of last season, across all positions, the addition of a big freshmen class, which also covers all positions, will help develop the team’s competitive longevity.

“For this group, we are young,” Turner said. “It’s exciting, I think the youth is bringing a lot of energy. I think the youth is bringing some real offensive fre to our group, and I think for us this season, I’m looking forward to having that.”

Quinnipiac also picked up two new Bobcats from the transfer portal over the offseason, senior netminder Calli Hogarth and junior forward Alex Law.

Hogarth is a transfer from Merrimack College, where she competed for the frst three years of her collegiate career. Last season, the Barrie, Ontario native appeared in 25 games for the Warriors, where she got the start in 23 games.

She posted an impressive .904 save percentage, with a 2.79 goals against average, while making 625 saves on the season.

“With Cali being a senior, she’s gonna bring a lot of depth and experience to the goaltending position,” Turner said. “We love our goaltending team, so we’re really excited about her.”

Law is a transfer from Boston University, where she competed for the frst two years of her colle giate career. The Whitby, Ontario native played in all 38 games for the Terriers last season, fnishing with nine points on three goals and six assists.

Law was further named a Hockey East top performer twice last season and set a career high in shots with 100. Prior to college hockey, she won gold at the 2022 and 2023 U18 World Cham pionships with Team Canada, where she served as an assistant captain during the 2023 campaign.

“Alex has a ton of international experience, playing with Hockey Canada, and is someone who has such great vision and we’re really excit ed,” Turner said. “She’s gonna continue to add to our offense and create some offensive depth that we need.”

Before taking on ECAC opponents, the Bob cats will open up the season competing against various Hockey East programs, including the Univeristy of Conneticut, University of Maine, Providence College and Northeastern University. These matchups will allow Quinnipiac to test the waters and work on its team play before entering conference matchups.

“Those are all teams that are gonna push us in different ways and help us as we get ready for ECAC,” Turner said.

The Bobcats will then take on multiple ECAC opponents in the early slots of the season, including Yale University, Brown University and Union College.

Looking ahead at the schedule, Quinnipiac is given the unique experience of competing in the

Friendship Series in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Jan. 2 and 3, 2026. Quinnipiac will be traveling to Ireland, alongside Boston University, Harvard University and University of Minnesota Duluth

In net, Turner chose to give three Bobcats netminders their moment to shine during the matchup. Sophomore netminder Felicia Frank would get the start between the pipes for Quinnipiac,