February 2017

REPORTER FEBRUARY 2017 reporter.rit.edu

Please Recycle

REPORTER EDITOR IN CHIEF Mandi Moon PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Bryanne McDonough ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Derrisaw COPY EDITOR Ramya Shankar NEWS EDITOR Alissa Roy TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan Black LEISURE EDITOR Claire Fleming FEATURES EDITOR Rozie Yeghiazarian SPORTS EDITOR Kristin Grant VIEWS EDITOR Kevin Zampieron WRITERS Taylor Synclair Goethe, Sam Finston, Mario Chuman, Grace Blondell, Claire Fleming, Ryan Black, Rozie Yeghiazarian, Bryanne McDonough, Samantha Wagner

ART ART DIRECTOR Alyssa Minko ONLINE ART DIRECTOR Madeleigh Place DESIGNERS Kendra Murphy, Rebecca Dailey, Dennae Makel, Lauren Mays, Carina Singeltary, Paula Piedrahita ILLUSTRATORS Unique Fair, Stephanie Chan, Alexis Jeffries, Cassy Smithies, Lauren Mays, Monica Nguyen-Vo

EDITOR’S NOTE Reporter strives to deliver unbiased, comprehensive coverage of student issues. It isn’t the easiest job, but the work that we do is very important.

Journalists are essential to society. Ordinary citizens typically don’t have the time or motivation to investigate issues pertinent to their community.

Journalists are able to take the time to discover fraud, corruption and otherwise unethical issues that plague us. All that being said, we are human.

We are subject to bias and error.

Everything that gets printed in this magazine is read and edited by multiple people. This process allows us to limit personal bias and catch errors before the issue is released to the general public. Any reputable source of news follows a similar process. Fake news often spawns in places more concerned with clicks than accuracy.

At my recent trip to the Democrat & Chronicle for one of this month’s features, they told me that readers have to communicate with their journalists in order to combat fake news and catch bias. That’s what I want you, reader, to do for us. Communicate with us. Tell us what we do right, what we do wrong. Let us know if we get something wrong. Let us know if we aren’t covering an issue comprehensively. Call us out on our biases. Hold us accountable.

This is your school, your community. With a new president for the school and for the country, now is the time to have your voice heard and to get the facts straight. We exist to provide information to you; if we aren’t doing that properly, we need to know.

There are many ways to reach out to us. If you want to write a letter to the editor for publication online, the information is below. If you want to point out any factual errors or biases, please email me at rptprint@rit.edu.

Additionally, all contact information for staff is on our website.

I look forward to working with you.

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Rob Rauchwerger ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR Joseph Ressler PHOTOGRAPHERS Becks Ashley, Joseph Ressler

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Zachary Grzelka AD / PR MANAGER Alexis Montoya PRODUCTION MANAGER Mitchell Morgan

Bryanne McDonough Print Managing Editor

ONLINE SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Peter Willis WEB MANAGER Joe Jankowiak VIDEO EDITOR Francesco D’Amanda

Letters to the Editor should be sent to rpteic@rit.edu. No letters will be printed unless signed. All letters received become the property of REPORTER.

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Reporter Magazine is published monthly during the academic year by a staff comprised of students at Rochester Institute of Technology. Business, Editorial and Design facilities are located in Room A-730, in the lower level of the Campus Center. Our phone number is 1.585.475.2212. The Advertising Department can be reached at 1.585.475.2213. “I sent you a block of fucks after the election.” -R.B. The opinions expressed in Reporter do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute. Reporter is not responsible for materials presented in advertising areas. Reporter takes pride in its membership in the Associated Collegiate Press and American Civil Liberties Union. Copyright © 2016 Reporter Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion of this Magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission.

February 3

TA B L E O F cover and TOC illustration by Madeleigh Place

NE WS 6

TRUMP: THE UNPREDICTABLE PRESIDENT What will happen in the next four years?

T E CH 8

HOW MACHINES ARE MAKING (NOT TAKING!) JOBS FOR RIT GRADUATES

LEISURE 10

How Rogue One fits into the Star Wars Franchise

The benefits of automation and its impact on RIT graduates

12

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@reportermag 4 February

STAR WARS STORIES: FROM LEGEND TO DISNEY FRANCHISE

WINTER RECIPES Cut out your favorite recipe

AT YOUR LEISURE Where to find last-minute gifts

CONTENTS FE AT URES 16

18

20

SNAP SPECTACLES: IS THE CAMERA ON? Spectacles raise questions about “always on” wearable tech

THEME PARKS TO BATHE AND DISAPPOINT YOU What’s a hot tub carousel or bemused face doing in a theme park?

A DAY AT THE DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE How news gets made and the importance of journalism

SPOR T S 24

THE VALUE OF SPORTS: THROUGH THE EYES OF ATHLETES

VIEWS 26

SPREAD THE WORD FROM THE COUCH: WHY WE NEED SLACKTIVISM How slacktivism is an important kind of modern protest

RIT student athletes discuss what their sport means to them

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30

WORD ON THE STREET What’s the worst date you’ve been on?

RINGS Text or call (585) 672-4840

reporter.rit.edu February 5

TRUMP

The Unpredictable President

by Taylor Sinclaire Goethe illustration by Unique Fair design by Kendra Murphy

The Unpredictable Candidate

W

hen Donald J. Trump announced his candidacy for president in June 2015 after years of teasing his run, few would have predicted his eventual victory. Yet, against all expectations, the billionaire real estate tycoon and reality show star won the election in November 2016.

“The American Dream is dead. And if elected president, I will make it bigger and stronger than ever,” Trump said during his 2015 announcement speech. This statement resonated with unheard voters, who came out to support Trump despite the expectations of the media. Whether the new president will deliver on his promises remains to be seen.

The White Working Class Trump won the presidency largely because of the white working class. According to The New York Times, after the collapse of manufacturing industries, this traditionally Democratic demographic of laborers felt isolated by the party which largely spent its resources reaching out to minority, female and LGBTQIA+ voters. Many blamed immigration and foreign trade for taking away their jobs, and Trump’s strong rhetoric made him their champion. His promises to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, bring businesses back to the U.S. and renegotiate trade deals especially resonated with voters.

Trump’s promise to invest substantially in domestic infrastructure, as detailed on his campaign page, could help with growth, according to RIT economics professor Amit Batabyal. Economics is complicated, however, and Batabyal said that Trump’s business

6 News

experience may not be enough.

“He cannot by himself countermand global economic forces,” Batabyal said. Yet, the white working class believes that Trump could change the economic landscape of America to benefit them.

Emotions ran high leading up to Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017; some excitedly anticipated the transition, while others were anxious. As Trump has emboldened many rural, white workers in America, he has simultaneously alienated many minority communities. Trump’s campaign became the model for the “alt-right,” an ultra-conservatism movement, and was publicly acclaimed by David Duke, a known white supremacist. Although many Trump supporters do not share these opinions, it appears that a Trump presidency could lead to further racial divide as movements like Black Lives Matter increase in number throughout the nation.

“I think there is a possibility of a rise of intolerance and bigotry — and not to say that it does not exist now, but I believe that there are a lot of people that will feel more comfortable expressing these negative feelings,” said president of the AALANA Collegiate Association (ACA) Tempest Sampson, a second year double major in Visual Culture & Studio Art and Sociology & Anthropology said.

The polarization of Trump’s election was not only heavily divided by race, but also by class and party lines. The gaps between rich and poor and liberal and conservative are wider than ever. Trump’s campaign exacerbated rising tensions among different

wealth levels and political ideologies, increasing civilian activism to an extent that hasn’t been seen for decades. These tensions are galvanizing an already politically active generation on both sides to take bolder, more extreme action. A Trump era is the death of the “silent” voter. Trump’s innate talent to fire up or unsettle people while he campaigned forewarns a presidency of more rallies, protests, riots and Twitter wars as the eras of the Clintons and Obamas fade.

The Transition Since the announcement of the election results, Trump and his staff slowly have backtracked on many of his campaign promises. Political experts claim this is a common strategy as politicians make the transition from campaigning to serving in office.

“Candidates often have to moderate their opinions once in office, sounding harsher on the campaign trail and then compromising or backtracking once the realities of office set in,” according to an article by VOA News.

Although this pragmatic response may ease the concerns of the opposition, it is viewed as a betrayal by many who helped elect him. According to the article, Trump is now “softening” on key policies such as building a wall, deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants, arresting Hillary Clinton and torturing terrorists during interrogations.

Nevertheless, Trump’s proposals for his first hundred days are very ambitious.

According to NPR, Trump’s plans involve six actions to clean up Washington (aka “drain the swamp”), seven actions to protect

American workers and five actions to restore security and protect the constitutional rule of law. Trump also wants to introduce broad legislative measures that include repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, extensive tax cuts for the middle class and increasing tariffs in foreign markets. One of the more controversial of his plans includes a 35 percent tax on U.S. companies that send jobs to Mexico, as reported by CNN Money. With executive orders in his first days in office, Trump has already ordered revival of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines and announced withdrawl from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, among other actions.

“Turning protectionist will invite retaliation and hurt the U.S.,” Batabyal said, warning against crippling tariffs that ostracize foreign markets.

Trump’s increasingly loose tongue is generating quarrels, especially via social media. This raises questions on how effectively Trump can serve when he is prone to provoking inappropriate Twitter storms. Trump’s lack of political correctness may have gotten him elected, but as president, maintaining composure and temperament is critical for the stability of the country. For example, Trump’s offhand tweet on F-35 costs being “out of control” had detrimental effects on Lockheed Martin’s stocks, claims Politico.

“Whenever the federal government does business with a publicly traded firm, negative or positive statements about some aspect of this form can indicate a change in demand or supply and hence affect the firm’s stock,” Batabyal said.

Trump’s transition was also marred by open criticism of former president Barack Obama’s foreign policy. Trump has been skeptical of evidence in the election hacks and made public criticism of the UN security council blocking Israeli settlements.

Once again, Trump’s behavior as an unconventional politician has polarized public opinion. Despite promises, Trump’s presidency will more than likely mirror his campaign, and be completely unpredictable.

a trump era is the death of the "SILENT" voter

News 7

HOW MACHINES ARE MAKING

(NOT TAKING!)

JOBS FOR RIT GRADUATES

by Sam Finston|illustration by Stephanie Chan | design by Rebecca Wolinski

I

t’s a wonder we don’t just let machines do all the hard work for us, especially since the capabilities of artificial intelligence and robotics are steadily advancing beyond the abilities of the average person. However, machines are already starting to take care of a lot more than you might expect.

“Automation is, essentially, taking the human out of the loop,” explained Agamemnon Crassidis, professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. Crassidis works with unmanned drones, but they are hardly the only examples of automated technology. From self check-in kiosks at airports to self-checkout stations at supermarkets, if it doesn’t require a human element, then it’s an example of automation at work.

Automated technologies help make our lives easier, but they do seem to come at a cost. After all, doesn’t it make economic sense to hire a bank teller when an ATM can do the same job and more for 24 hours without pay? People may fear automation because they only see the potential repercussions to the job market, but there is good reason to believe that its overall effects would actually be mostly beneficial.

DRONING ON “I fully believe that the next big economic driver is [going to] be drones,” said Crassidis.

Drones have seen a lot of news coverage in recent years, usually concerning military use or laws restricting their usage. However, it’s the commercial use of drone technology that Crassidis foresees shaping the future. For example, he explained how a drone could be used to survey a farm quicker than a

8 Technology

human by collecting data from the air. One might think this highlights how machines may replace workers, but in reality such technolohy opens more doors than it closes.

This is evident within the near future that Crassidis envisions. “The economic benefit of having drones far outweighs what jobs are going to be lost through automation,” he said. “People [will] need to make drones, people [will] need to analyze data that’s coming from the drones.”

Current students at RIT may be wellpositioned to be those individuals. Classes like Crassidis’s Nonlinear Controls allow students to learn more about autonomous control systems. With new technology always comes new skills to learn, and similarly, new jobs to fill. “When one industry fails, another industry comes up into place,” said Crassidis.

“People need to make the automation devices and also maintain those devices.”

AUTOMATION: HOW IT CAN HELP Crassidis highlighted a number of ways automation could be of great societal benefit. He recalled his experience working on a project called the “Automatic Highway System,” in which cars analyze traffic patterns and drive passengers to their destinations autonomously. Automated cars can react much faster than humans

and don’t get distracted, and can therefore be safer at higher speeds. Travel would be much faster and optimized to have far more cars on the road.

Students at RIT have worked with the technology behind automated driving themselves. RIT’s own “Autonomous People Mover” project, which Reporter featured in an issue last May, features a driverless golf cart developed by a team of RIT students from a host of different engineering majors.

You can read more at reporter.rit.edu.

A. Erhan Mergen, a professor of Decision Sciences at the Saunders College of Business, spoke about some of the benefits of automation from the perspective of operations managers. He noted that automation typically adds an advantage in speed and volume. More can be produced in shorter amounts of time, which in turn improves productivity. Organizations commonly compete in terms of productivity, so the prospect of automation can be enticing.

Mergen also explained that the consistency automation can provide may lead to overall higher quality goods. An up-to-date automated system makes far fewer errors than a human. Consistency also helps decrease variation. “Less variation means less uncertainty, which is a good thing for the managers,” said Mergen.

“THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT SYSTEM,” SAID MERGEN. “YOU GAIN SOMETHING AND YOU MAY PAY THE PRICE SOMEPLACE ELSE.”

RIT STUDENTS WILL NEED TO ADAPT IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES

“When you have less uncertainty you can plan for the future better in terms of future output, in terms of future capacity, et cetera.”

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS “There’s no such thing as a perfect system,” said Mergen. “You gain something and you may pay the price someplace else.” He explained that there are a few problems associated with removing the human element from certain processes. “Replacing human labor is a social cost which may lead to unemployment,” said Mergen.

However, like Crassidis, he pointed out that automation forces people to learn new skills to take up new positions.

In terms of cost, eliminating workers might not necessarily mean saving money.

Depending on the specific needs of an organization, building and maintaining an automated system may be more expensive than it’s worth. On top of that, such systems need to be upgraded constantly to keep up with current technology, which further adds to the cost.

Mergen mentioned that some organizations may be at a disadvantage by lacking a human touch. Additionally, if the autonomous system is not built to be flexible, one might not be able to produce a large variety of products.

ADAPTING FOR THE FUTURE Things are changing fast according to Mergen. The way that data is generated and analyzed changes as automation technology advances, and RIT students will need to

adapt if they want to take advantage of new opportunities.

“If [students] have the skills to be ready to deal with the new challenges, they have the proper skills to know how to adapt to that technology, how to evaluate with this technology,” he said.

Being able to adapt to an ever-changing technological landscape could be crucial for any RIT student or graduate pursuing a job.

“Technology is everywhere, there is no escape from this,” said Mergen. “Every firm has to rely on technology to some extent to get their job done and to improve productivity.”

It’s up to RIT students to take advantage of the opportunity.

Technology 9

by Mario Chuman | illustration by Alexis Jeffries | design by Dennae Makel

10 Leisure

A

long time ago in a neighborhood a country coast away, the magic of movie making was struck by a revolution. With the 1960s dawned a new era of Hollywood, simply labeled New Hollywood. This period gave prominence to a new wave of filmmakers different from the rigid institution of the previous studio system.

New Hollywood gave rise to directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, all of whom challenged the status quo of cinema to recapture the dwindling youth market.

In 1977, New Hollywood produced its grand achievement in “Star Wars.” Directed

by George Lucas, the arrival of “Star Wars” onto the cultural landscape defined the blockbuster structure that is still seen in the Hollywood of today.

As filmmaking evolved in the decades since “Star Wars,” so has the franchise, now boasting eight live action theatrical films along with a multi-media empire spanning from animated films to comic books. With “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” having arrived this past December, it is vital to analyze the cultural legacy that the film is so intent on inheriting.

Directed by Gareth Edwards, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” tells the tale of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she searches for the plans for the infamous Death Star, setting the stage for the first film of the franchise (Episode IV). This spin-off film is the eighth live action theatrical release of the “Star Wars” franchise and sets a precedence for future spin-offs.

Works that exist to clean up continuity hiccups, explain world-building details or bridge arcs of stories are commonly found in other wide reaching multimedia franchises, such as comic books. “Rogue One” exists to accomplish all three goals by telling its world-building story in between the prequel and original trilogy, explaining how the Death Star had an easily exploitable weakness and how the plans were obtained in the original film. As Hollywood blockbusters evolve into continuity driven affairs, individual films become smaller parts of greater wholes.

“I’m still one of those few people that prefers to dwell on the information and lore gained from the franchise than to actually sit through the film, I very much enjoyed

it,” said Adrianna Mancini, a 3D Animation alumna. These feelings allow for long term investments from audiences and greater market sustainability from Hollywood.

The recent death of Carrie Fisher raises the question of how a long term live-action franchise can survive considering the loss of older actors.

“Rogue One” uses CGI to digitally recreate actors who have passed away or aged significantly (like Grand Moff Tarkin played by the late Peter Cushing), similar to “Captain America: Civil War.” While the effects can be extraordinarily distracting, their importance for the franchise and blockbusters can’t be overstated. Technology is at the point where digitally rendered actors can open up fascinating avenues for how Hollywood moves forward in their future. If “Star Wars” can immortalize actors through CGI, they may be able to continue the franchise indefinitely. The question of legal implications for this will certainly come to play in the future. Digital recreation also allows for dangerous new stunts.

“Digital recreation is a safer way to go about creating realistic events that would put an actor’s life at risk. For example, getting blown off a building. While you could layer the shot with green screens and effects, adding in a final layer of a CG character rendered to fit the actor originally on screen would put them in a place of zero risk of injury,” said Mancini. “Plus, it gives the actors themselves more time to focus on preparing for other scenes rather than needing to be blown around to make it look like they’re falling off a building.”

Though the current works are digital masterpieces, “Star Wars” was popular before realistic digital renderings, and was made famous through different means.

The original trilogy spanned from 1977 to 1983, covering “A New Hope,” “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Each film was a critical and commercial success. Each film in the original trilogy features iconic moments that are interwoven in cultural conscience, including the destruction of the Death Star, the paternal reveal of Darth Vader and his redemption and self-sacrifice.

To this day people incorrectly quote “Luke, I

am your father” at one another because of how ingrained the franchise is in pop culture.

The prequel trilogy spanned from 1999 to 2005, covering “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith” with significantly less acclaim and cultural impact. Even though “The Phantom Menace” was the second highest grossing film at the time of its release, modern criticisms are not kind. The film is commonly blasted for its poorly framed narrative and increased emphasis on special effects. While the original trilogy stands out as a product of its revolutionary and counterculture time, the prequel trilogy is also a product of its time experimenting and exploring what can be done with special effects to mixed results.

“Even though [the] prequels are still bad, they still happened so it’s cool that they’re tying together more. Continuity is important in the Star Wars universe,” said Alex Claypool, Game Design and Development major and first year member of the Public Relations subcommittee for Space Time Adventures at RIT (STAR). This sentiment is becoming more common among Star Wars fans, as the franchise angles toward a long term plan over individual entries.

The releases of “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One” also reflect the era of modern cinema, with their emphasis on cinematic universes and decade long film planning.

What stands out about how “Rogue One” handles the franchise is that the film acts as the first real attempt at building an extensive universe, especially after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm branded all previous extended universe works as not canonical to the franchise. The formerly known canon, now dubbed “Star Wars Legends,” already covered the story of the acquisition of the Death Star in the video game “Star Wars: Dark Forces.” Now that “Dark Forces” is no longer canon, the story can be told differently on the big screen.

The intent is to have “Rogue One” flagship a new canon that is accessible to modern audiences and that appeals to the continuity driven nature of modern day Hollywood.

Considering the box office success of “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One,” they seem to have succeeded.

Leisure 11

RECIPES

TO SPICE UP YOUR WINTER

by Grace Blondell | illustration by Cassy Smithies | design by Lauren Mays

O

n the Friday night prior to finals week and winter break, RIT Dining Services hosted Late Night Breakfast at Gracie’s as a last hurrah before the holidays. French toast, fruit salad and hash browns were on the menu, and “Elf” was projected on an inflatable screen for the students who came out for the event. Breakfast for dinner was the novelty pick-me-up that delighted us as kids, and even now as twenty-somethings. There is something about indulging in a stack of pancakes drenched in maple syrup or a bowl of oatmeal at 9 p.m. that makes it seem as though all is well in the world. Breakfast foods got their own distinctive category for Southern Living’s breakdown of the top 101 comfort foods, so there really was no better way to usher in a hectic week of exams and the chaotic holiday

12 Leisure

season. The event proved to be wildly successful, the promise of pastries, scrambled eggs and coffee attracting not only the freshmen living dorm-side, but also upperclassmen looking for a break from their study sessions in the library.

For these very reasons, we have hand-selected two breakfast recipes for you to treat yourself to this month. If pumpkin spice means fall, then gingerbread means winter, and our gingerbread French toast recipe will help you combat the winter blues. This yummy recipe is sure to please everyone — not just UGG-wearing Starbucks lovers. Also, try out our sweetheart cinnamon roll recipe if you’re looking for an easy way to impress your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day — you don’t even have to make the cinnamon rolls from scratch!

VALENTINES DAY RECIPE: SWEETHEART CINNAMON ROLLS From Sheryl, Lady Behind the Curtain

Total time: 30 minutes 1 package of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing Pink, red and white sprinkles

Steps: 1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 2. Carefully unwind each roll into a long strip of dough, leaving center coiled.

3. Coil unrolled end of each strip toward center, making two equal coils.

4. Pull middle of strip down to make a point, forming a heart shape and pinch the point together.

5. Place in a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan.

7. Drizzle frosting over warm rolls.

8. Add sprinkles.

WINTER RECIPE: GINGERBREAD FRENCH TOAST WITH CINNAMON HONEY SAUCE From Julia, HappyFoods Tube

Total time: 15 minutes 2 eggs 5 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon mixed spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, all-spice, nutmeg, ginger)

1 french baguette (best if 1-2 days old) 7 tablespoons unsalted butter or non-stick cooking spray ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup milk

French Toast steps: 1. Whisk eggs, milk, cream and spices in mixing bowl until well combined.

2. Slice baguette to desired thickness.

3. Melt butter in frying pan or coat with cooking spray.

4. Dip each slice in batter and place in pan. Cook on medium heat 1–2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip each slice over and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes.

Cinnamon Honey Sauce steps: 1. Melt butter in saucepan.

2. Add cinnamon, honey and lemon juice.

3. Stir until well combined.

4. Slowly pour cream while stirring constantly.

5. Slowly bring to a boil and stir for an additional minute.

6. Pour over French toast or dip each slice into sauce.

Leisure 13

AT YOUR LEISURE:

LAST MINUTE GIFTS

by Claire Fleming | illustration by Angie Krieg | design by Carina Singletary

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and many students don’t have much time to look for a gift for the special person in their life. We’ve come up with some easy ways to find gifts for Valentine’s Day (or for any day) that are easy and convenient for the busy RIT student.

BARNES & NOBLE @ RIT

SHOP ONE²

It’s not just a place to buy your textbooks.

Barnes & Noble is easy to bus to and has many gift items, electronic items, art upplies and apparel that celebrates Tiger pride. Barnes & Noble often hosts sales for students, and you can learn about them by checking your RIT email or visiting the store.

If you are around Global Village looking for a gift, Shop One² is convenient and also takes Tiger Bucks. Shop One² features many handmade items by local artists as well as RIT students and alumni.

THE HUB AND THE HUB EXPRESS For the artistically inclined, the Hub offers large-scale printing as well as screen printing on clothing items, which can be ordered online for your convenience.

The Hub Express, located in Monroe Hall, also sells gadgets and can do smaller-scale printing for your creative gift ideas.

SOL’S UNDERGROUND Located in the residence hall tunnels beneath Sol Huemann Hall, Sol’s has a few cheaper options for gifts and for date night. Sol’s offers hot cookies, brownies and many flavors of Perry’s ice cream. If you really want to spoil your significant other, buy the big Hershey’s bar in the case!

CRAFT SALES AT RIT Vendors often come to RIT to sell goods like jewelry, stickers and other trinkets to students. Vendors will be tabling in the SAU on February 1–3, 6–7, 9–10, 13–16, 20–24 and 27–28. Tables are set up from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the SAU.

14 Leisure

MBA & MS GRADUATE BUSINESS INFORMATION SESSIONS Jan 31 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Feb 15 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Feb 27 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Mar 23 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Apr 19 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Saunders College of Business Room 1115/1120 or attend online

IN-DEMAND DISCIPLINES

Combining business and technology ACCOUNTING DIGITAL MARKETING ENTREPRENEURSHIP DATA ANALYTICS COMPUTATIONAL FINANCE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRODUCT COMMERCIALIZATION ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT HEALTH SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION

Your career potential unlocked!

U.S. News & World Report #85 Best Business School 2017 - #6 in Employment Nationally

ALSO ATTEND ONLINE SIMULCAST

REGISTER ONLINE

saunders.rit.edu/infosessions

SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

1-year MBA and MS Degrees Many scholarships available Part-time options available Select courses available online 94% placement rates

saunders.rit.edu

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA) : ACCELERATED 4+1 • SUMMER FAST-TRACK • PART-TIME • MBA IN ACCOUNTING • MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS) : ACCOUNTING • COMPUTATIONAL FINANCE • ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATIVE VENTURES • FINANCE • MANAGEMENT - GLOBAL AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT • MANAGEMENT - PRODUCT AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT • MANAGEMENT - LEADERSHIP • EXECUTIVE MBA : ON CAMPUS & ONLINE

by Ryan Black illustration and design by Lauren Mays

IS THE CAMERA ON?

SNAP SPECTACLES 16 Features

W

ith Spectacles, Snap Inc. (the company formerly known as Snapchat) has made great strides in delivering a piece of wearable tech that’s apparently fun, useful and functional. Relatively cost-effective and approachable compared to similar products like Google Glass and GoPro, this is a device with great potential for users to capture first-person moments from their lives.

However, in addition to the vast potential in wearable tech, there still remains a great number of unanswered questions — many still lingering from Google Glass’s release

a few years back. Others stem from the general prevalence of smart devices, yet they only stand to be asked louder with products like Spectacles. One has to wonder if we’ve found the answers for how, why and when we choose to engage with this type of technology.

Blurring the Distinction Between “On/Off”

An increasing prevalence of wearable recording devices like Spectacles may make many people wonder when they are “performing” for the camera — or if

the camera is ever off. Spectacles indicate to passersby when they are recording with a visible white wheel of lights on the corner of the lens when active. Still, devices like these remove many of the blatant physical cues indicating when a user is recording, such as the action of holding up a phone or camera.

They also allow for people to avoid many of the social norms that would normally limit the usage of such technology.

“I’ve been to gatherings where folks are like, ‘We’re all going to agree that we’re not going to use our phones,’” recalled Professor Andrew Phelps of the RIT School of Interactive Games and Media. “I think that those technologies, because of their wearable nature, can sort of break that wall. It’s weird to say to somebody ‘Don’t wear your glasses.’”

Phelps sees devices like Spectacles could heighten people’s sense of constant possible surveillance, already prevalent becasue of smartphones. “[Wearable tech] are not necessarily always on, but they have the capability to be always-on,” noted Phelps.

Such an increased prevalence of, and awareness to, recording devices may make any current trepidation to being photographed or videoed that much more pronounced, as well as any stage fright while in the process of being recorded.

Phelps would be dismayed if it eventually became normal behavior to act as if you were constantly being recorded, always worrying “Where is this going to go?

Who’s going to see it?”

Professor Mike Johansson of RIT’s School of Communication remains unsure if such wearable devices will make an impact any bigger than that of smartphones. For Spectacles in particular, he pointed to how they will likely be more socially acceptable than, say, Google Glass was, due to their casual “sunglasses” aesthetic.

“Google Glass did make others in the room uncomfortable because they were a new technology, looked quite different and if the person wearing them was not a friend or acquaintance you had no way of judging if they were likely to be recording you,” said Johansson.

The implicit capability for stealth with such

There’s always the person who spent their entire vacation writing in their diary about their vacation. devices is at the heart of many questions regarding this tech, especially those revolving around where they can be used.

“I suspect there will be some discussion about their use in places where recording is frowned upon or outright banned — movie theaters, classrooms etc,” predicted Johansson. “In other words: people setting boundaries about whether they can be worn at all in certain situations.”

Daniel Ashbrook, a professor at the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, noted how Google Glass was the subject of much controversy because of how difficult it was to discern if someone was recording or not — something Snap appears to be trying to address with the aforementioned wheel of white lights on the corner of the lens. However, he was intrigued by the notion of people acting as if they were indeed always “on.”

“There’s a great episode of either RadioLab or This American Life about a guy who spent years recording his life (just audio) and eventually realized that he was always ‘on’ and always ‘performing,’” he said.

Becoming a Tourist in One’s Own Life

There is also the concern that technology like Spectacles could enable people to be more concerned with documenting life experiences rather than participating in them. Johansson pointed out how this is already an issue, because smartphones already facilitate this type of behavior. “Will smart glasses such as Snapchat Spectacles make this worse? Quite possibly,” he said.

In the eyes of Ashbrook, this dynamic has existed even before smartphones or wearable

tech. “There’s always been a tension between documenting and experiencing,” he noted. “As soon as photography was good enough for ‘normal’ people to use, this was a problem.”

Phelps referred to the countless memes of people photographing things instead of actually looking themselves, as he saw that to a certain extent newer technology has further enabled such behavior. “But there were always people that were going to do that. There’s always the person who spent their entire vacation writing in their diary about their vacation,” he said.

For Phelps, gauging how wearable tech is being utilized will not only come down to its prevalence, but why people are choosing to engage with the likes of Spectacles and the exact form of enjoyment that comes from it.

“I know people that go on vacation and organize photo shoots of various places, because that is what they love to do,” explained Phelps. “If that’s their thing, great.”

It’s when one feels compelled to employ such technology only because of external social pressure to document memories that Phelps saw issues. “You enjoy something, but you then feel the need to document it and put it forward as a way to validate it. That’s where we get into trouble,” he said. “If you’re putting it on Facebook because you want to make other people jealous, because you’re having Mai Tais for breakfast, that’s not enjoyment that’s something else.”

Where is this going to go? Who’s going to see it?

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TO BATHE AND DISAPPOINT YOU

by Rozie Yeghiazarian | illustration by Monica Nguyen-Vo | design by Dennae Makel

“W

hat is your happiest memory growing up?” asked Taylor Jeffs, director of design at the Goddard Group, a North Hollywood-based entertainment design firm.

Riding a hot tub carousel might make it to the top of that list. For some, it might even be wandering around the world’s most disappointing theme park.

Jeffs is part of a team dedicated to crafting these sorts of memorable experiences through a practice known as entertainment design. “Our medium is the only medium that can engage all five senses,” he explained. With advancements in technology to propel the industry, theme parks especially are becoming as enthralling as they are interesting.

THEME PARK DESIGN “Our philosophy is that great entertainment works anywhere,” said Jeffs. “If you can just surprise people in a good way, that’s what leaves them with something powerful.

That’s what leaves them with a positive, happy memory. And also, we try to over-deliver and create something that you can’t see entirely the first time.”

Entertainment design is responsible for such widely loved, family-friendly attractions as theme parks, aquariums, casinos and museums. “Anything where basic architecture or interior design become something beyond that,” Jeffs added.

“We aim to hit all four quadrants in all of our attractions,” he said. “What I mean by that is: male, female, young and old. We want to get everyone.” Jeffs likened theme park design to the clever nature of most animated films. “The movies are actually made for the adults, but the kids will enjoy

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them because there’s little things for them,” he explained. “[We] design attractions essentially for ourselves, but make sure that everybody, no matter who they are, will enjoy them.”

In order to do this, they must consider cultural norms, values and practices must also be considered to properly cater to a target audience. In adhering to Chinese superstitions toward ghosts, for instance, Hong Kong Disneyland reinvented the Haunted Mansion attraction as Mystic Manor in 2013, replacing ghosts with enchanted objects.

BATHING IN AMUSEMENT Such cultural distinctions may also initiate the development of seemingly quirky park concepts like the Spamusement Park Project to be set in Beppu City, Japan, a location known for its hot springs. In the United States, the thought of going to the spa appeals to those looking for an intimate, relaxing and private experience. In places like Beppu, Jeffs noted that there are whole market enterprises funding an industry around communal baths and the like. “That’s very much a cultural difference,” he explained.

The project was announced via a video starring Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano, who marketed the concept as an “amusement onsen city initiative.” The term “onsen” refers to hot springs or establishments centered around hot springs. He pledged to build the park if the video reached one million views.

The clip ends with the statement: “Striving to become the world’s best hot spring city, Beppu.”

An international online source recently published a piece confirming that the spamusement concept received enough

hype to begin construction of the project.

“The issue is, now a lot of parks get announced for ulterior motives,” noted Jeffs. He warned that while some projects are announced with the hopes of raising funds for those actual projects, others are announced to accrue funding for other ventures.

AN AFFINITY FOR IMPERMANENCE Some parks are not meant to last or even explicitly entertain. In fact, parkgoers tend to be drawn toward the ephemeral nature of certain attractions. Banksy’s bemusement park Dismaland, which opened for five weeks in the summer of 2015, wove artwork curation into entertainment design. The park boasted works from at least 58 artists and set a peculiar mood of contemplative dismay throughout its grounds.

“What was really neat about that was that it was temporary,” said Jeffs. “You want to go and be part of it, capture it and share it.”

And many did.

A piece published in The Guardian noted a less favorable encounter with the park, referring to it as “somewhere to come to say you went.” This sort of reaction seems to exemplify the ways in which the park succeeded in harboring an unfulfilling experience for patrons. The article argued that the park fit the definition of an art exhibit more than it did that of an amusement park, and it certainly appears as though the theme park came across as bemusing as its marketing had promised.

Jeffs further noted that if such an attraction were made permanent, it would likely be shut down or perceived by patrons as a gimmick. Fourth year Mechanical Engineering student and co-founder of the RIT Theme Park Enthusiasts Club Robert Cybulski added, “Dismaland was not so much trying to make people laugh, but trying to make people think.”

Having completed its life cycle, the dialogue prompted by each piece in Dismaland will live on through photographs and archived memories.

AN IMMERSIVE INDUSTRY “It’s a mix of art and science,” he explained.

Fittingly, the RIT Theme Park Enthusiasts Club is comprised of majors ranging from engineering to design. They meet every Thursday night from 8–10 p.m. in Gleason 2139 and make various trips during the semester to explore theme parks together.

In 2015, the club attended and placed first at the Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition in Orlando, Florida presented by Universal Creative.

“We were presented with many different challenges to design rides, to design themed rides as well as come up with engineering solutions,” said Cybulski. The team excelled in the themed challenge, pushing the envelope conceptually. “When people go to amusement parks, they don’t want to experience something they can experience in real life, they want to experience something new, different,” he continued.

He and Jeffs both stressed that a love of theme parks and willingness to immerse one’s self in the work are what make for successful designs. “Our job is to know the world, know what’s out there and know what’s happening in theatre, film and every medium,” explained Jeffs. “Pull all the best things, bring them to our world and pick and choose the things that we’ve gotten value from.”

Jeffs recalled, “Steve Wynn, the developer from Vegas, had a great quote. ‘You can’t intellectualize a swimming pool. You have to get in the pool and swim.’”

“[WE] DESIGN ATTRACTIONS, ESSENTIALLY, FOR OURSELVES BUT MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, WILL ENJOY THEM.”

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The desk that greets visitors of the new D&C Digital Building.

A DAY AT DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

by Bryanne McDonough | photography by Becks Ashley | design by Paula Piedrahita

A

large, naturally-lit entryway welcomes the visitors of D&C Digital, a beautiful new building which houses the Democrat and Chronicle. What is not immediately apparent are the pods of hard-working journalists on the second floor, the sales and marketing teams, photographers and videographers, all working together to produce high-quality news.

The newsroom at D&C Digital is a sight to behold. Five televisions line “Mission Control,” monitoring the news and following traffic trends on their website.

The open workspace environment facilitates the communication necessary to produce excellent journalism. Journalism is about more than just releasing stories. It is about investigating corruption, keeping the government accountable and educating the community. As the world becomes more digital, journalists must adapt to the changing landscape, and the Democrat and Chronicle (D&C) is doing just that.

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HOW THE NEWS GETS REPORTED Sarah Taddeo, suburban trends reporter, joined D&C in April 2014 and excels at her job having won the prestigious Michael Hendricks Young Journalist Award. She sat down to talk with Reporter about journalism.

Her day starts with the “A-team,” a group of reporters who tackle breaking news in the early morning.

“We’ll come in, have a meeting, talk about what we’ve seen on social media the day before or overnight and see how we. . . could get them out on our site,” she said. “We try to get them up as quickly as we can.”

She then typically tries to start on a story pitched at that meeting or an idea that has been on her mind. Story ideas can come from social media, press releases or an editor.

Taddeo said that while there are many ways a story can come to her, ideas most often come from residents through email or social media.

Investigative pieces tend to take longer, as many sources must be gathered and the piece

is longer, so she will dedicate some time in her day to tackling those. She does interviews throughout the day, as sources get back to her. Taddeo will record the interviews and then spend time pulling quotes from them to use in her articles. Between 12 and 3 p.m., Taddeo will submit completed stories and then she will go back and forth with an editor to improve them.

Taddeo will sometimes shoot photographs and videos for her own stories. “A typical shoot day could be: shoot some video, talk to a source at 10 in the morning, come back, put together the video and write the story after the video,” Taddeo said. “A video can be a short snippet of the story, so it’s actually better, sometimes, for me to do that before I write the story so I can get a really encapsulated view.”

During the editorial writing process, the writers will be thinking about art. Taddeo will also take photos and video herself or reach out to staff photographers and videographers.

Then, if the article is for print, it will go off to the designers in the afternoon. In the case

The First Amendment is displayed on the wall of D&C’s popular meeting room.

of time-sensitive coverage, like sports and breaking news, the piece will go to design later in the day.

The designers are located in New Jersey and work for multiple papers that are owned

by D&C Digital’s parent company, Gannet Company, Inc. Editors talk to the designers about their expectations for longer stories and decide where the story will appear in the paper. At midnight, the design is sent to the presses, located in Canal Ponds Business Park in nearby Greece, NY. The newsroom itself contains 55 people, in addition to many freelance contributors.

Karen Magnuson, editor and vice president of the news department, leads the busy newsroom from the center. While she has an office off to the side, she prefers to sit at her desk, identical to the others, on the newsroom floor.

“There is no typical day,” Magnuson said about her job. “I try to spend time in three different areas. Number one, working with the leadership team on day-to-day news.

Number two, strategic planning for the future.

And number three, people development.”

Being an editor is about more than just correcting grammar. In fact, Magnuson only looks at the Sunday packages, highly sensitive articles and special reports, letting her team of editors do the rest. Part of her job includes meeting with the executive committee, which involves all the of the major parts of producing a paper and website. Sales, marketing and production team leaders all sit at that table.

“We all have a weekly meeting to talk about what we’re working on,” Magnuson said. “We figure out how we can align ourselves to make sure that we’re doing the best we can to serve our customers and grow our business.”

THE WHY OF JOURNALISM “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” states the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

At D&C Digital, there is a large room for holding meetings, often with the public, called the First Amendment room. The words of the First Amendment, the amendment that establishes the rights of the press, adorn one of the walls. For Magnuson, freedom of the press isn’t just a right; it’s a responsibility.

“I call that our First Amendment responsibilities,” she explained. “Being a watchdog for the community, that’s our highest priority.”

While Magnuson considers holding the government accountable to be the highest priority, journalism serves many other positions in society. Journalism can bring communities together by spreading information and inciting discussion. In a special edition of the paper, announcing its move to the D&C Digital building, Erica Bryant, a columnist, laid out the mission of D&C. “Find the truth. Tell good stories. Give people information they will value.”

“We try to help readers understand what’s going on in their communities and collect various viewpoints for them to read about,” Taddeo said.

Larger news organizations are sometimes unable to keep in touch with large reader bases, and therefore can seem out of touch.

Local news organizations are able to focus on the community and write stories that readers can connect with on a personal level. Magnuson explained that local media organizations like the D&C allow readers to have a voice by sharing their opinions through their website, social platforms and letters to the editor.

“I can’t imagine a job that would be any more fulfilling, or more rewarding for me. . . You’re really serving the community,” Magnuson explained.

When talking to them, it is clear that both Taddeo and Magnuson love what they do and take their jobs very seriously.

“I’m like a platform and a conduit for people to be able to share what they’re thinking about our community,” Taddeo said.

A new digital studio is used by the D&C for multimedia journalism.

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Journalists work in the newsroom to create content for the Democrat and Chronicle.

Sarah Taddeo, center, conducts an interview.

FAKE NEWS

In recent months, the prevalence of fake news on websites such as Facebook has become obvious. The sharing nature of social media makes it easy to spread false stories, especially when people share without first fact-checking the article. “[Be] engaged with your journalist. . . rather than relying on your Facebook news feeds to tell you the truth about things,” Taddeo said, although she encourages readers to check their reputable organizations for bias. “We take [feedback] to heart, so if you notice that we have a bias, or that we’re not covering something, tell us.”

Instead of trusting a singe article, Taddeo suggests looking into other sources and trying to read different viewpoints. Pay attention to the website hosting the article in question and determine if

22 Features

it is a reliable source of information.

Magnuson explained that the D&C is very concerned about fake news and is trying to become more open about their process to combat it.

“Every year the Democrat and Chronicle’s Editorial Board sets an agenda outlining the issues that we will prioritize over the next 12 months.” “In 2017, we are including an overarching ideal. Transparency,” explained the D&C’s Jan. 1 editorial. “A healthy democracy requires honest and complete information on which to base critical decisions, recognize wrongdoing and emulate successes,” the editorial explained.

The landscape of media is changing, however, and journalists must adapt to continue providing their service.

“FIND THE TRUTH. TELL GOOD STORIES. GIVE PEOPLE INFORMATION THEY WILL VALUE,” BRYANT SAID.

Karen Magnuson discusses her recent editorial introducing the D&C staff.

THE DIGITAL AGE The D&C has always prided itself on being at the forefront of new technology.

“In 1997, in partnership with Kodak and Rochester Institute of Technology, we became the first metro newspaper in the United States to move from film to 100 percent digital photography,” wrote Dennis Floss, director of client strategy in an article for D&C. This ideal hasn’t changed as media becomes more digital, but that doesn’t mean D&C will abandon the print edition anytime soon.

“We reach more than 50 percent of the adults in this market,” Magnuson said.

“We have one of the highest reaches of

“GOOD INFORMATION WILL ALWAYS BE VALUABLE. THAT DOESN’T CHANGE NO MATTER WHAT MEDIUM IT IS CONVEYED THROUGH.”

“[D&C HAS] ONE OF THE HIGHEST REACHES OF AUDIENCE IN THE COUNTRY, FOR THE SIZE OF OUR MARKET,” MAGNUSON SAID.

audience in the country, for the size of our market.”

While the print edition still has life, D&C Digital understands that digital is the future. The rebranding and new building are a testament to that. The large windows on the outside of the building reveal a large multipurpose studio equipped with television cameras, a news anchor desk and a green screen.

“It’s a brave new world in newspapers, and video production has become integral to their storytelling,” said David Andreatta in an article about the studio.

In a quote for Magnuson’s editorial, News Director Dick Moss said that “Good information will always be valuable. That doesn’t change no matter what medium

it is conveyed through.”

It is no secret that younger generations prefer to consume their news digitally.

However, a fully digital D&C won’t be seen in the near future, as there is still a strong print market in Rochester, especially among older generations.

“A lot of people still want to see a really welldesigned, well-executed paper on their doorstep every day,” Taddeo said.

Democrat and Chronicle is truly that, a well designed, well executed paper. And it is more than that. D&C Digital is a website, a collection of passionate staff, a standard of journalistic integrity, an innovator of digital media, a government watchdog. It is Rochester’s largest news organization. It is Rochester’s voice.

The façade of the new D&C Digital building.

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THE VALUE OF SPORTS: THROUGH THE EYES OF ATHLETES

by Samantha Wagner | illustration by Monica Nguyen-Vo design by Dasha Buduchina

24 Sports

“SPORTS HAVE SHAPED MY LIFE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME MANY LIFE LESSONS WHILE I GET TO PLAY WHAT I LOVE.”

T

o people outside of the athletic world, it is occasionally confusing why others decide to commit countless hours to a sport. It is simply too easy to dismiss sports participation as just another after-school activity to try.

But to many athletes, being part of a team or competing has taught them timeless and valuable lessons.

For that reason, Reporter sat down with a handful of RIT student athletes to talk about what sports really do mean to the ones playing them.

“Sports have shaped my life because they have taught me many life lessons while I get to play what I love,” said Emily Nuñez, a first year Business Exploration major and member of the women’s basketball team. She has been playing competitively for eight years.

“Everything I do in my life resolves around basketball, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

Third year Finance major and runner Emily Young agreed that there are many valuable lessons to be found in sports.

“Competing with and for a team really shapes you as an individual,” she explained. Young competes for the track and field team, and this is her ninth year of running.

For some athletes, their sports have also taught them how to handle busy schedules more efficiently.

“YOU LEARN TO NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE THE OUTCOME IS WORTH IT” “To be an athlete means to have tremendous time management because it is not easy balancing practice [and] games with school at times,” explained Nuñez.

Fourth year Journalism major and member of the women’s soccer team Lauren Peace agreed. “Because our schedules are kept full with practices, lifts, recovery and of course our school work, good time management skills are essential,” she said.

According to others, sports have instilled values in them that are not only crucial on the court, but can also be translated into everyday life.

“You learn to never give up because the outcome is worth it,” said Nuñez.

Nicholas Amendola, a fourth year Microelectronic Engineering major and member of the men’s crew team, agreed with Nuñez when he talked about the types of principles crew has imparted to him.

“Sports make you push through obstacles in which you must persevere through,” he said. “When an athlete gets done with practice, they’re not done for the day. They must go home, study and do homework.

Athletes must push on to better themselves and the people around them.”

Along with perseverance and determination, sports offer lessons in work ethic, said Nuñez. “It teaches me to work hard at what I do and nothing will come easy,” she said. “You have to work hard on the court or field, and never take a day off in order to become the best player that you can become.”

The idea of a team and what a team means is a key part to what sports are all about. When the athletes were asked what it meant to be a part of a team, they highlighted some valuable points about working with others.

“The job can’t get done unless everyone is on the same page and willing to work their hardest, which will apply one day when we are all working,” said Nuñez, proving the benefit of learning teamwork skills.

Based on her own experiences, Peace had come to a similar conclusion. “To be on a team you have to be selfless, in a sense, but you’ll always have your teammates looking out for you in the same way that you’re looking out for them,” she said.

As part of a team, athletes learn more about other people as well as working with others, explained Amendola. “Sports teaches you compassion,” he said. “This could be applied to many different situations, like seeing what [others] are struggling with and encouraging [them] through the situation.”

According to Amendola, Peace and Nuñez, teamwork has not only taught them to work together on a more personal level, but also has fostered a sense of belonging they have not found elsewhere.

“It’s more than something physical.

It makes you part of a team and enables you to grow,” said Amendola.

Nuñez agreed. She explained, “To be part of the team is the best feeling, because it is like having a built-in family.”

All this time spent with the same people day in and day out is not something that just ends overnight. All four athletes said that the bonds they formed with their team continue to stay with them long after the season is over.

“IT’S MORE THAN SOMETHING PHYSICAL. IT MAKES YOU PART OF A TEAM AND ENABLES YOU TO GROW.” “Being a part of a team is everything. I’ll carry my time with my teammates with me for the rest of my life,” explained Peace.

Nuñez found this to be the case in her own experiences. “I can truly call RIT home away from home because of how much fun I have with my teammates on a daily basis,” she said.

Crucial life lessons might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sports, but it is clear when listening to these athletes that lessons play an important role in the athletic world. Although Nuñez, Young, Peace and Amendola all play different sports, their shared experiences suggests the true value and worth of participating.

Sure, sports are fun to play and watch, but they have the ability to provide infinitely more than just entertainment.

Sports 25

WHY WE NEED

S L AC K I TV

by Shay Alice McHale | illustration by Unique Fair | design by Kendra Murphy

P

eople have always found ways to express their displeasure towards “The Man,” be it protesting in the streets, building barricades or even just refusing to move. Recently, however, people have been refusing to move in a much different light — this time the light of phone and computer screens — as more and more people take their protests to the web.

But with the advent of the internet, social awareness of activism has become more vital to the survival of protests than ever.

Slacktivism has attained a very negative connotation in a time where people are taking to the streets in protest movements like Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March or the Dakota Pipeline occupation. In the case of the pipeline, this was one of the conflicts in which you saw both kinds of activism; while protesters were being attacked by the police, over a million people checked in to the Standing Rock reservation on Facebook. This made a lot of people question whether slacktivism was really helping, and with good reason. While people were out risking their safety to try and fight for what they believed in, others protested from the safety of their own homes.

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The argument against slacktivism is a simple one: if people really cared, they would get out of the house and protest. However, the idea that anyone who wants to protest can simply go do so is fundamentally flawed. For starters, protesting is great, but as a college student I can’t afford to fly out to North Dakota just to protest. Money isn’t something that everyone can spare. Not to mention that protesting is just not feasible for many people who have disabilities, work constantly at jobs they can’t get time off from or simply do not have the means of transportation to protest where it really matters.

Slacktivism is less active — the literal meaning of the term is activism for slackers.

Yet this kind of activism is not only accessible for those who cannot go out to protest, but also those who otherwise wouldn’t. When over a million people check into a place on Facebook, it isn’t like the police are just going to run away because they actually believe a million people traveled overnight to the reservation. The real effect is that friends of each of those million people saw it. That means that, if you average out how many people they are all friends with, the total amount of people who would have seen

this massive online protest is more than the entire U.S. population.

As much as we like to believe the media covers every event in the world, few can say they are totally unbiased in how or what they cover. Protests in movements like the Civil Rights era succeeded because they got the eye of the country through the news. Back then, the news was how most people got their information — be it from a paper, television, radio or even other people who had heard the news. In modern society, many people get their information from social media. Even news agencies have accepted that the best way to communicate news is online.

In the case of the Dakota Pipeline, the massive amount of protestors brought the fight to the attention of people around the world, leading to tremendous outcry for the injustices the indigenous people were suffering. Before it was brought to the public’s attention, the protesters were being attacked violently because the police knew nobody was watching.

This is why we need slacktivism in the modern day. Slacktivism acts as a source of news, bringing the public eye to different events around the world. Facebook has a

widget where it shows what everyone is talking about on a given day. Twitter has trending hashtags; This means that people are seeing what is going on in the world through other people, not just from news agencies. It may seem like slacking off and not actually putting in effort, but it spreads the word like few other things can. Bringing attention to a fight is just as important as the fight itself. It just goes along with the age-old adage: “If a tree falls in the forest and nobody’s around to hear it, does it still make a sound?” If a protest happens and nobody hears about it, did it actually matter?

The effects of slacktivism are greatly

I SM

underappreciated, but in reality it already has accomplished so much. One of the biggest “slacktivist” movements, the ALS ice bucket challenge, is a prime example of this. Through the challenge, started by founder Pete Frates, people ended up funding a new surge into research of ALS that identified a new gene linked to the disease as well as provided support to organizations dedicated to helping those who already have it. This was not a protest that took going out on the streets — although I sincerely hope very few people did it on the comfort of their own couch with their computer in front of them — yet it still had major impacts.

This is not to say that in the future there will no longer be a need for people protesting in the streets. It is still an integral part of what defines the U.S., and is vital to the protection of the rights of people throughout the country and the world. The internet, however, has made it so that slacktivism and activism are becoming more and more codependent. Activists can’t make a difference if they aren’t heard, and slacktivists cannot have the same physical impact that makes protests so tangible. Even though we have come so far as a civilization, “The Man” is still getting the fight brought to him, no matter what.

Although this time, he might lose a few Facebook friends in the process.

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WOTS Word On The Street

photography by Joey Ressler | design by Paula Piedrahita

“When I showed up to the date she was there with her boyfriend.”

Jovon McCullough Liberal Arts Exploration Second year

What’s the WORST date you’ve been on?

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“I met up with him at Lux and he was already completely smashed, and he was very touchy-feely and he just went in for a kiss. And then I was like, ‘I have to go to the bathroom,’ and I just left.”

Joyce Britton Java’s Manager

“I’ve never been to a date.”

Ibrahim Aldosari Software Engineering Graduate student

“When we went there we ordered the dinner and some of the drink spilled on the jeans of my friend.”

Hamed Fatemi Engineering PhD

“It was like a set up date. My friend was like, ‘You’re gay, he’s gay, and you guys should go on a date.’ It was one of those. And then we went to Gracie’s together, and it was hella awkward. There was nothing to talk about.”

Jacob Claudio Imaging Science Third year

“Nothing so bad. I was rude, so I was probably the worst one.”

Sireesha Vangala Imaging Science Graduate Student

“My sort-of boyfriend’s dog bit my brother on the nose and he had to get surgery. And I don’t think I saw him after that. I guess that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

The views expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

Bríd Hanna Economics professor

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RINGS Have something to say? Text or call: 585.672.4840 compiled by Kevin Zampieron| illustration by Cassy Smithies | design by Rebecca Wolinski

“When someone’s bumper sticker says “Dog grandma”, does that mean they are a grandma with a dog? Or their dog has puppies? Or their son/ daughter has a dog? Or they are a dog that learned to drive a car who has grandpuppies?”

1:18pm, December 12th, 2016. Text.

“Sometimes I feel like the only thing that gets accomplished when you ask someone to watch your stuff while you go to the bathroom is that you make a stranger uncomfortably aware of how long you spend in the bathroom.”

2:10 p.m., November 20, 2016. Text.

“Lately, my computer has been changing “McGraw Hill Connect” to “MacGregors” in the search bar so it obviously understands where my semester is at now.”

2:41 p.m., December 7, 2016. Text.

“Grandpa asking about Snapchat: “Is that one of those Internet things, like Goggle or Porn?””

5:36 p.m., December 13, 2016. Text.

“I reeaaalllyyy need to use the bathroom, but I don’t want to risk losing the couch I claimed in Java’s.”

4:20 p.m., December 15, 2016. Text.

The views expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER. 30 Views

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