"Back on Campus" Special Issue 2021

Stony Brook University introduces three new food concepts at Roth Food Court

By Maria Lynders

Stony Brook University (SBU) has introduced three new food options at Roth Food Court, along with a Peet’s Coffee location in the Alan S. deVries Center.

Now with the expansion, students can enjoy traditional Southeast Asian cuisine, authentic Indian dishes and American comfort food in the form of buildyour-own mac and cheese bowls. Smash n’ Shake, an American style burger joint, Subway and Starbucks will continue to be served at Roth.

Dawn Villacci, the Faculty Student Association (FSA) Manager of Campus Dining, said that after reviewing student feedback her goal with the new concepts was to provide students with “authentic and craveable” menu offerings.

“As Long Island’s most awarded dining program, we enjoy providing exciting collaborative programs, services, learning experiences and opportunities that celebrate diversity and promote greater inclusion for all members of the Stony Brook University campus,” she said.

While Stony Brook offers Asian cuisine at multiple other locations on campus, FSA welcomes celebrity Chef Jet Tila’s Modern Asian Kitchen into Roth.

Tila’s family opened up the first Thai restaurants and markets in the country, all based in Los Angeles, California. He grew up learning the ancient traditions of Asian cuisine from his Cantonese grandmother and by working in the famed Bangkok market and Royal Thai restaurant.

Now Tila is a renowned chef, entrepreneur and television star. In 2013 he partnered with Compass Group, SBU’s food service provider, to launch Modern Asian Kitchen, a Pan-Asian concept with campus locations nationwide.

Modern Asian Kitchen will be open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. from Monday to Friday. It will offer rice and noodle options with lean meats and vegetables.

Entrees include Thai curry with tofu, Thai barbecue chicken and miso glazed sweet potatoes.

Tila will be coming to campus for a grand opening celebration on Sept. 22 later this semester, in which students can participate in a Teaching Kitchen, cooking competition and cookbook signing. For the cooking competition there will be two teams of students competing and Tila will be the emcee.

The second new concept at Roth Food Court is called Tadka, Essence of India, featuring traditional spices and ingredients from the five main regions of India. From Mondays through Fridays, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tadka will offer a diverse Indian cuisine menu and will include vegetarian options. Dishes include lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, coconut curry fish and samosa chaat.

Kenny Desai, a Stony Brook alumni who graduated last May, worked with CulinArt on fine-tuning the menu. She tasted the recipes and provided feedback and suggestions before the rollout.

“Food is the one thing, besides my family, I missed the most when I came from India to Stony Brook University,” Desai said. “So, when I got the chance to provide my input for the new Indian concept in Roth, I was excited to make Tadka authentic and create the familiar essence of India that my fellow international students are looking for amidst the new environment and represent our culture to the Seawolves through our food.”

The third new concept is Mac & Cheesyology, a place to buy American comfort food during the school week from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Students can customize their own mac and cheese bowl by choosing from a variety of pastas, cheeses, add-in veggies, proteins, toppings and sauces.

Careese Cezair James, a sophomore psychology major at Stony Brook, recently visited Roth to make her own bowl.

“It was really good,” James said. “I didn’t get a lot of toppings but I got the smoked gouda cheese and would definitely go back.”

The FSA gave samples of the new Roth concepts in the SAC Circle on Aug. 25, drawing in crowds of students with various reactions.

Amy Cheung, a junior biology major, said she enjoyed her free mac and cheese sample topped with beef, but would have to think about it before purchasing at Roth. “I liked it, but to be honest, it could have been better,” Cheung said.

Another new food location is Peet’s Coffee at the Alan S. deVries Center. During the week from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. students can choose from a variety of roasts and espresso beverages. Peet’s Coffee also offers tea, smoothies, bagels, pizza bagels and breakfast sandwiches. On Sept. 8 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Peet’s Coffee will have its grand opening celebration with free samples of coffee and other menu items, prizes and giveaways for all students

Stony Brook requires COVID vaccine and testing for students and faculty for fall semester

By Viola Flowers

Students and faculty at Stony Brook University (SBU) are required to meet their respective COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements for the 2021 in-person fall semester, according to the Stronger Together website.

Stronger Together, which provides updated COVID-19 guidelines for SBU, affirmed the university’s adherence to New York state policy that all State University at New York (SUNY) students enrolled in at least one in-person course, or using any in-person campus facility, must submit proof of their vaccination prior to Sept. 24 to remain enrolled for the fall semester.

As of Aug. 27, Stony Brook reported that 89% of students taking at least one in-person class have submitted proof of vaccination.

“Our Student Affairs team will continue to follow-up with students to ensure 100% compliance, as this is an important health and safety measure for our campus community,” Stony Brook officials said in an email sent out to the student body on Aug. 25.

Vaccinated residential and commuter students are still subject to regularly scheduled COVID-19 testing after submitting proof of vaccination.

Residential students will participate in testing every other week while commuter students will be tested once each month. Unvaccinated commuter students must get tested weekly to continue with courses until submission of vaccination prior to Sept.

24. Testing locations and appointment scheduling can be found online through the Student Health Services website.

Faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated are required to test approximately once a month. As of Aug. 19, 68% of faculty and staff have reported in SOLAR that they are vaccinated.

Unvaccinated faculty and staff must adhere to weekly testing and all COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. If faculty choose to remain unvaccinated, they must make it known to the university and ensure that all mask wearing and social distancing guidelines are being followed in addition to their regular testing.

There are limited exemptions to the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Requests must be approved by the university with documentation provided by medical personnel or a personal statement of religious concerns and can be submitted online.

For those who are looking to get vaccinated, vaccines are offered at the Student Activities Center in rooms 226 and 227. Stony Brook West Campus offers both the Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer vaccines with no appointment required for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

To schedule a Pfizer vaccine appointment or view hours of operation, visit the Student Health Services website.

Reconnected: Stony Brook community reunites after over a year of virtual campus environment

By Viola Flowers Stony Brook is transitioning back to an environment centered around in-person learning and face-to-face social events during fall 2021, providing long-awaited relief to many students on campus.

In the spring of 2021, life was much different at Stony Brook University. Faculty and staff were teaching remote classes, students were found few and far between and campus life suffered. Everyday activities, like self-serving stations at the dining hall, and annual campus traditions such as Homecoming and Roth Regatta were modified to include virtual events in effort stop the spread of COVID-19. Roth Regatta, traditionally a cardboard boat race, expanded to virtual Jeopardy, Family Feud and paint night.

This fall, Stony Brook will see the return of Wolfieland, an in-person homecoming, and the inauguration of Stony Brook’s sixth president, Maurie McInnis. Sports events will also reopen to students and spectators.

Aside from the absence of campus life, the virtual environment proved challenging to many students throughout the pandemic.

Tr a n s i t i o n i n g f ro m in-person instruction, with hands-on learning and engagement with peers, classes were stripped to lectures through an isolated computer screen. According t o t h e U . S . C e n s u s Bu re a u , 9 3 % o f s c h o o l a g e d c h i l d re n we re e n ro l l e d i n a f o r m o f “d i s t a n c e l e a r n i n g” by Au g . 2 3 , 2 0 2 0 .

“I definitely learn better in-person,” Maciej Adamczyk, a freshman biochemistry major said.

“When you’re on a computer, there’s just a temptation to not listen or focus. I’m much more handson, I learned better actually being in a lab doing stuff, because labs last year were all over Zoom and just to watch someone do the same procedure every single time was incredibly frustrating.”

Adamczyk is not alone in favoring class-

room engagement and hands-on learning over virtual classes.

“I like to learn by doing things,” Jillian Liguori, an undeclared freshman said. “If I just hear it, I will not remember it at all. If I read it, it’s in one ear and out the other. I like to be able to actually do the thing I’m learning.”

More than 80% of classes are in-person for this Fall semester. The only courses remaining online are those that were designed for online or larger classes that can no longer be offered in person due to renovations of the Jacob K. Javits Center lecture hall.

For many students, the pandemic’s devastating effects on mental health and social interaction were more than enough to spur excitement about returning to in-person classes.

“I think my mental health has only gotten better,” Adamczyk said. “I think just being able to go out and actually talk face-to-face with people is much better than when it was just me, alone in my apartment.”

With the revival of social life, interpersonal communication skills have been put to the test as well.

“When I have a mask on, sometimes I’ll make

faces that I’m not supposed to or mouth things, and now I take off my mask and realize I’m still making those same faces,” Liguori said, adding that in terms of her social relationships she’s “so used to texting people, now when I want to see them I’m like oh, I can actually see and talk to you now.”

Mark Koch, a senior biomedical engineering major, is looking for ward to the return of the Martial Arts Association. Koch, the club’s president, is searching for coaches to teach members in-person again.

However, there are some hesitations with returning to the traditional campus lifestyle.

Koch shared that while he does not feel particularly concerned for his own safety returning to campus and classes, he does have concerns about having to once again face remote learning.

“I’m nervous that the Delta variant would force us to go back to how it was,” Koch said.

Ev e n w i t h c o n cerns, students still share an appreciation for the in-person education they may have taken for granted before.

In c r e a s e d r e s p e c t for teachers and s t a f f, g r e a t e r v a l u e of clubs and social events and the familiar comfort of hands-on experiences are drawing students back to the lively campus a t m o s p h e r e St o n y Br o o k u s e d t o k n ow. T h e participation of both new and returning students at events has begun the restoration of campus life, solidifying a much needed r e c o n n e c t e d Se a w o l f c o m m u n i t y.

“I think in-person education is something that we took for granted, and it’s only after it got taken away from us that we really saw how important it was,” Adamczyk said.

With new parking policies, Stony Brook students are enraged

Administration remains dismissive

By Tim Giorlando

A sea of vehicles line the parking lot outside of Chavez and Tubman residential halls. Littered in variety, it seems simple to find a spot — assuming one is a faculty member. If you are one of the 1,000 residents who live within the most expensive residence halls on campus, parking is reserved for zone five, a small space that is shared with Mendelsohn Community.

Stony Brook University (SBU) issued new parking maps for the fall 2021 semester, reducing the number of residential parking zones available to students.

Beginning in the fall 2021 semester, parking zone five, which used to extend to Chavez and Tubman, was reduced to a shared lot with Mendelsohn Community.

As of the fall 2021 semester, all parking spaces around Roth Community are now almost totally designated for faculty parking; students who can park there are fully upperclassmen. Residents of Roth who want to park their cars now have to share a parking lot with Tabler Community, which is not only partially reserved for faculty but is also a 10-minute walk from many portions of Roth.

Residents who cannot find any p a rk i n g s p a c e s a re l i m i t e d t o t h e c o m m u t e r l o t s , i n t h e So u t h P a n d t h e L o n g Is l a n d R a i l Ro a d (LIRR) lots.

“It’s unfair because there’s so much parking for faculty in Tabler, but they all park behind Hendrix,” one resident wrote on Instagram, where enraged students have frequently expressed their worries over parking on campus.

“People are that desperate,” said Christine Sukhwa, a junior who has experienced increasingly more stringent parking situations alongside her sister, Celene Sukhwa. Both are commuters and biology majors.

“Where am I going to park now?”

Celene said.

The increased demand for residential parking has also raised concerns about commuter space.

“There are not a lot of spots you can park to and walk to campus from,” Dylan Rehman, a senior business management major said. “A lot of people just refuse to park in South P,” Rehman, who is also the commuter assistant and communications director for the Commuter Student Association (CSA), a student-run or-

ganization focused on the issues of commuters at Stony Brook, said.

The South P Lot is one of the main parking lots for commuters, but it’s also one of the least desirable because it’s nearly a mile away from Main Campus.

“I don’t want to go to South P,” Rimsha Farooq, a senior health sciences and biology major and president of CSA said. She tries to avoid the lot as it is far from East Campus and “there are no lots for health science students.”

But the problem extends beyond students going to class on East Campus.

Commuters appear to be having issues across the board.

“We wake up at 4:30 a.m., we leave at 6:00 a.m., and we get here at 7:30 a.m. and we can’t get any parking at all,” Christine Sukhwa, who faces issues with the expanded faculty lots as well, said.

“All of the gym lot would be full, and the part reserved for faculty is all empty.”

According to Celene Sukwha, parking issues have only recently arisen. Pre-pandemic parking, she added, was never an issue for her, despite how crowded it was. “At 8:00 a.m., I wouldn’t have to look for parking,” she said.

Last semester, SBU allowed students to use the Island Federal Credit Union parking lot, along with temporary spaces in Tabler, Roth and Kelly Communities. These areas are no longer available to students.

Parking Services, in an email addressed to the student body, said that they have added 267 spots in the LIRR lot for commuter residents. They have even added the new section as part of the official 2021 Stony Brook Parking map.

Farooq and the Shukwa sisters said that this claim is misleading. “Commuters would be able to park there just fine … it’s always been,” Farooq said. “When I read we added 267 spots, I was like, ‘I don’t know… it’s always been that same strip.”

Prior to this semester, the LIRR lot was accessible for anyone to park in.

While the number of spots haven’t changed, the requirements to park there have — now everyone must have a commuter pass.

The Statesman reached out to both Daniel Akins, the parking manager of West Campus, and Erik Andersen, the director of West Campus Parking Services. Akins didn’t respond in time for the publication of this article.

Andersen’s comments came from himself, members in the Parking & Transportation Department and members in the Facilities and Services Department. The response attempted to explain the situation as part of a transition process to overall better parking, according to an email sent to The Statesman.

The parking plan is said to “improve the University’s parking and transportation infrastructure, reduce on-campus traffic congestion, increase the number of parking spaces available for our campus community, and thoughtfully allow for future growth at the University and Hospital in the years ahead.”

The department acknowledged criticisms about the new arrangement but said the overall parking situation will “improve rather quickly.” Andersen also said that expired residential parking

passes and misuse of the now smaller lot in front of the Mendelsohn Community were the reason for recent congestion.

Parking Services will ticket students who have an expired parking pass or none as of Aug. 31 to resolve the situation.

Similar statements were made about parking zone four lots in Roth, saying the recent reallocations in the Tabler Community Lot provide more space than previous designations.

The University also said that the commuter parking expansion, as well as the addition of six new shuttle buses from South P, aims at reducing commuters’ travel time.

Rehman feels more sympathetic towards SBU’s attempt at a new policy.

“A lot of students are struggling to understand parking,” Rehman, who helps run the Commuter Student Services Instagram page and answers student’s questions there, said. “A lot of parking is just frustration. I don’t think there’s a really big issue.”

Rehman also understood the increased faculty parking. “There’s a lot more [faculty] than students think … those people need to be a little closer than most,” he said. “As faculty, you kind of earn that privilege.”

Others believe the issue has gone on for far too long.

“If [students] are complaining about it … something has to be taken away for them to say something like that,” Farooq said.

Andre Ayala, a junior psychology major, has created an Instagram account called @sbuparkingsucks that attempts to expose the flaws of the new student parking policies.

“I’m really sick and tired of the parking at Stony Brook,” Ayala said.

Originally trying to get a residential parking pass for zone five, the closest parking to their residence hall, Ayala was denied a parking pass because of the lot being full.

“The people working there know that this is a problem, it’s kinda obvious,” he said. “You can see it on their faces.”

When Ayala called Parking Services later to address their concerns, he failed to reach anyone.

Ayala refutes many of the claims presented by SBU, saying that the current parking arrangement heavily favors faculty and lots reserved for faculty are rarely full.

“We have a student to staff ratio of 18:1. The national average is 15:1,” he said. “But if you look at the map you just don’t see that at all.”

Ayala's account has reached many students who have reached out to their cause. The Instagram account currently has 460 followers, and a subsequent petition on Change.org created by Ayala has nearly 1,500 signatures.

“It’s obvious everyone is upset about this,” he said.

While currently no demands are specified in the petition, he hope it will force the administration to pay attention to their concerns.

“I just want to make sure, when we strike, it’s not ignorable,” Ayala said.

They wish to increase their presence on campus through fliers and peaceful demonstrations on campus in the coming weeks.

New Dean of Students emphasizes experience in student life

By Joy Joy Sze Sze A coffee machine and baskets of snacks guarded by a plush toy made by his former student — this is Ric McClendon’s “little coffee bar station,” funded out of his own pocket. Sitting by the table, the new dean of students gets to hear students’ stories and experiences at Stony Brook, good and bad.

“That’s just my way of supporting students,” McClendon said. “My little token of saying, ‘come and chat.’”

McClendon was appointed as assistant vice president and the dean of students on May 12, according to an announcement from the Division of Student Affairs.

A veteran in higher education leadership, McClendon came on board in July as Stony Brook got ready for its first in-person semester since the beginning of the pandemic. Since assuming his position, the new dean has already participated in several campus activities to connect with the students.

“It was just fun just to connect and shake students’ hands and just say hello, and meet and greet them,” McClendon said.

During the involvement fair last Friday, McClendon was spotted outside Shop Red West, inviting students for pictures in front of an inflatable chair. Not only did he take photos with students, but he published them on the Dean of Students Instagram account, which he personally manages to maintain an online presence and connect with students over social media platforms.

Besides joining the “fun” parts like Welcome Week, Red Day and new students’ orientations, the dean also talks with student bodies to discuss serious matters.

“There’s nothing formal that we’ve set thus far … but Dean McClendon was definitely interested in [looking into discussing the renaming of Sanger College],” said Sowad Ocean Karim, the vice president of communications at the Stony Brook Undergraduate Student Government, referring to a petition initiated last year.

Supported by a team of about 30 professionals from departments like the LGBTQ* Services and the UNITY Culture Center, McClendon will be working closely with various student organizations and offices to connect students with campus resources and address their needs.

Before leading student engagement in higher education institutions such as Western Carolina University, Colgate University and Shenandoah University, McClendon studied and worked in the hotel management industry for 10 years. Creating experiences, he said, is key in both sectors where people are looking to make connections.

“You want to find community, you want to build community, you want to create an experience for yourself,” he said. “And what better way to do that than through student life?”

Students are hopeful that the new dean will bridge the communication gap long existing between students and the administration.

“There is a lot of disconnect between the student body and the administration in terms of communications,” Karim said. “And it shouldn’t be really hard for faculty and staff to come to students and talk to them directly.”

Manjot Singh, the president of the Stony Brook Undergraduate Student Government, said that McClendon could be “a true bridge to the administration side of the university and to the student side.”

Rebuilding and reconnecting the Stony Brook community will take more than just a few meetings and proposals. To advocate for students — or in McClendon’s words, “to put students in the driver’s seat” — means to stand alongside them and bring them into the process of creating a unique college experience.

“I think a great thing about [Dean McClendon] is that when he interacts with us, he makes it seem like he himself is a student,” Singh said. “He really integrates himself into the student body.”

As Stony Brook re-emerges from COVID-19 pandemic, McClendon sees opportunities to engage students in a hybrid approach to create a sense of belonging.

“For folks who are commuter students or transfer students, how do we still do virtual programs that encourage you to invite everybody to the table, and also create those in person moments and opportunities,” McClendon said. “So I think we all learned a lot on how we engage students.”

to what the students are interested in and what’s going on in the world.”

The UGC staff decided on three colleges, one for each freshman community, that would reflect what topics students were interested in and global issues, like climate change and social issues. They asked current and past UGC fellows, and faculty and staff from all campus departments, for suggestions before realizing they could group a wide range of subjects into three themes.

“They were clustering in these [three] areas, with different tweaks,” Zannettis said. “But it was like, these are the things that pop out, and are really the topics people are thinking and worrying about and are trying to solve.”

The undergraduate college system started in 2003.

That makes it as old as the class of 2025’s average age, 18.

UGC fellows, who are sophomores prepared to aid in SBU 101 and 102 classes, will remain a vital part of the system. Fellows often aid freshmen as a student-to-student guide to all things SBU. Some fellows, like sophomore journalism and psychology major Charissa Buchan, felt “a little worried” when they heard about the shift.

“Since everything changed I was also scared that I wouldn’t remember the acronyms, where on cam-

pus each UGC is located, or that I would keep comparing the new system to the old system,” Bachan, an SJE fellow, said. “As time goes on, I feel like I’m adapting well to that change and what it brings.”

Kevin Zeng, another SJE fellow, attended a meeting about the UGC changes before it was announced to the public. Zeng said they were “pretty surprised” because when they were accepted, they believed they’d be a fellow for Information and Technology Studies.

“The sudden shift from the 6 college model to 3 colleges was definitely unanticipated, but also exciting,” Zeng, a sophomore computer science major, said.

Freshmen will still take 101 and 102 classes similar to the old system but with the new course code SBU. For the SBU 101 final project, students must create a group community service project relevant to their college’s theme.

Dillon Pekoff, a forever fellow, meaning a past fellow, believes the final project is one of the “best parts” of the SBU 101 class.

“It also just allows for them to contribute to those who need in the best way possible,” Pekoff, a junior biology major said. “I believe once they get a taste of helping others, they will love it and want to do more, which will only make for better citizens.”

Undergraduate colleges and communities revamped for fall semester

By Niki Nassiri

Stony Brook’s undergraduate college (UGC) system transformed from six learning communities to three new ones during the summer to prepare for the class of 2025.

The new communities are Social Justice, Equity and Ethics (SJE), Creativity, Technology and Innovation (CTI) and Global Health, Wellness and Community (GWC). Freshmen, who are all required to join a UGC, pick based on their interests and take introductory courses to Stony Brook in their fall and spring semesters with the rest of their community.

The change came as the housing model was relooked at for the 2021-2022 school year. Campus Residences’ Housing Task Force believed freshmen would benefit from living in freshmen-only communities. After making the Roosevelt, Mendelsohn and H communities freshmen-designated living areas, Anastasia Zannettis, the assistant dean and director of the Undergraduate Colleges, was one person tasked with deciding what to do with the previous six college systems.

“We were thinking, what do we want this to look like in five to 10 years?” Zannettis said. “And once we started looking at it that way it was like, let’s align it more with the housing system, let’s align it with what other schools are doing, let’s make the themes more relevant

CONFLICTING RESPONSES:

By Benjamin Joffe

By Benjamin Joffe The United States’ path towards returning to post COVID-19 normalcy has been in a state of limbo for the past several months. Nationwide vaccination efforts have resulted in 53% of Americans being vaccinated.

However, vaccination and case rates differ state by state. While New York may have 68% of its population vaccinated, Mississippi only has 48%. Because of this, national reopening efforts have hit a roadblock.

The state of limbo is caused by the spread of the Delta variant, a variant of COVID-19 that is nearly twice as contagious as the original Alpha variant. The Delta variant now accounts for over 93% of nationwide cases.

Universities and employers around the nation are requiring proof of vaccination. Stony Brook is one of these schools, and because of that mandate, 99% of campus residents, 83% of commuters and 68% of employees are vaccinated.

As an added precaution and as a response to the spread of the Delta variant, SBU guidelines require that all students, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks and socially distance in all campus buildings.

However, the application of current COVID-19 guidance is often counterintuitive. For instance, current guidelines say that students don’t need to wear masks while they eat. Yet at East and West Side Dining, with both cafeterias serving thousands of students every day, the scene is often congested with maskless students dining in.

If current guidelines are shaped by the assumption that vaccinated students must still abide by COVID-19 protections, then the scenes that unfold at dining halls objectively undermine that assumption.

While the threat of the Delta variant places pressure on the administration, SBU’s guidance must reflect the most recent scientific data.

By considering different points of data, such as rates of vaccination on campus, breakthrough cases and vaccination status of hospitalized individuals, one finds that much of Stony Brook’s COVID-19 response is counterproductive and contradictory.

One of the most important questions to consider first is whether COVID-19 precautions, such as mask and social distancing requirements, are appropriate for a virtually fully vaccinated community. The best factor to

STONY BROOK’S COVID-19 POLICY SHOULD BE REEVALUATED

gauge this would be looking at breakthrough cases and hospitalizations amongst vaccinated individuals.

As of Aug. 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that of the 171 million vaccinated individuals, 11,050 have been hospitalized or died because of a breakthrough case, a rate of aproximately 0.0065%. Furthermore, 70% of those who were hospitalized with breakthrough cases were over 65 years old.

There is currently limited data regarding the actual rate of breakthrough cases state-by-state, but current data shows nationwide rates of breakthrough cases being about 0.01%.

These numbers overwhelmingly show that the chances of breakthrough infection amongst vaccinated individuals are virtually negligible, and confirm what has been known for months: vaccines are highly effective and that it would be wise to translate that fact into policy.

The issue now may shift to how vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals may transmit COVID-19. While current data is inconclusive, the Delta variant has been shown to have a much higher viral load and therefore could cause a vaccinated individual to spread it to an unvaccinated individual.

As shown with the previous point, however, the rate of breakthrough infections that would cause this to occur comes about only in 0.0065% of the vaccinated population.

However, the chances of a vaccinated person with a breakthrough case and then spreading it to another vaccinated person, causing another breakthrough case, is so profoundly low it is likely statistically insignificant.

The bigger issue to consider is breakthrough cases amongst the vaccinated spreading to the unvaccinated, causing serious infection, but that is outside the relevance of SBU policy since the overwhelming majority of those on campus, both students and faculty, are vaccinated.

Finally, one must consider the leading perpetuating factor of the present increase in Delta variant rates: unvaccinated individuals. While there are outlier cases where individuals may not get vaccinated because of medical or religious reasons, the current unvaccinated population remains unvaccinated overwhelmingly out of choice.

Compared to vaccinated individuals, hospitalization

rates among unvaccinated individuals are six to 31 times higher. Nationwide, 97% of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

This data, in totality, supports a logical conclusion: the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is vaccination. The goal of national, state and local responses should be to facilitate a return to normalcy by reducing rates of transmission. In order to reach that goal, vaccination must be emphasized above all else.

It is impossible to reach this goal by simply accommodating those who refuse to protect themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated through continuing practices such as mask and social distancing mandates, especially when it is the unvaccinated who remain the least likely to wear masks.

If the priority of the SBU guidelines is to keep its student body safe, it has taken by far the most significant step in that direction by mandating vaccination for students. To take the next step, SBU must mandate vaccination for all its faculty as well.

By not having the same standard of mandatory vaccination for its faculty as it does for its students, SBU’s policies risk falling short of taking the steps to create the campus environment safest from COVID-19.

The fact remains, supported by various points of data, that there is no practical reason a vaccinated individual in a community of vaccinated individuals should be required to wear a mask.

If Stony Brook fails to re-evaluate its policy on mandates, it would send a message to its student body that regardless of vaccination status, there can be no timeline presented where a return to normalcy is appropriate.

It is also essential that the student body remains comfortable and confident in their physical safety if masks are no longer mandated. It is important that Stony Brook clearly conveys the effectiveness of vaccines and the incredibly low rates of breakthrough infection. This will allow students to be more confident moving away from masks, especially those who may be immunocompromised or have immunocompromised or unvaccinated families.

As the semester presses forward, the question must be asked: at what point should we re-evaluate the current guidance laid out to keep students safe while also allowing them to enjoy college to the fullest?

FALL SPORTS FALL SPORTS PREVIEW PREVIEW COMING SOON

By Skylar Sena

Back to School Playlist

What better way to start off the year at Stony Brook University than with a festive frenzy of songs designed perfectly for the back-to-school season? An eclectic mix of the vintage and the modern, you’ll be humming this back-to-school playlist as you make the dreaded walk across campus this fall semester.

This playlist’s inaugural number is “Dark Red” by Steve Lacy. So niche and underground, right? And still, one of Tik Tok’s latest musical infatuations opens this mix. Pitchfork concurs the ditty is worth the number one spot, with its “big beautiful strings, a funky bassline, and coos to rival the sweetest of doves.”

Lacy’s jam worthy track is the perfect song for head-bopping on the way to class or as the backdrop for a good study sesh; the soft R&B underbelly makes it gentle on the ears for any kind of casual listening, not to mention its lyrics that will stick with you long past when the leaves change color.

The second track in this list is another recent melodic phenomenon called “Meet Me in the Hallway” by Harry Styles.

The inclusion of Styles’ soft rock hit is twofold; first, the almost too obvious connection for residential Stony Brook students is the idea of meeting friends and hall-mates in the hallway between dorms, ready to engage in all the autumn activities around campus. Second, the folksy guitar-centric instrumentals offer the perfect cozy backing track for such gatherings amongst newly-made friends, offering a wonderful introduction to the fall season and to each other.

At our halfway point, we have the recent indie-pop hit “It Gets Better” by Rex Orange County. NPR Music con-

sidered this song’s album, Pony, to be “detailed with unrelenting clarity and maturity,” making it a great addition to this mix.

“It Gets Better” is the perfect reminder that though things may seem difficult at the moment — like when the mound of textbooks on your desk only keeps growing — that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. The song’s underlying disco beat and encouraging lyrics create the perfect atmosphere for a mid-homework pick-me-up, often much needed by many Seawolves as the fall semester kicks into gear.

Fourth on this list is the grungy hit by The Smashing Pumpkins, “1979.” This ‘90s nostalgia trip caresses you with the crisp fall air as Billy Corgan’s unique vocals and infectious guitar riffs craft the perfect image of autumn adventures. The singer’s musings about the rollercoaster of emotions that come with adolescence — angst, joy and uncertainty — will hit home with nearly every college student reminiscing on their high school years. Queue up this alternative rock favorite when you need a taste of youth and bask in the captivating sound that will fill both your headphones and your heart.

The fifth track on our playlist is “Black Coffee” by Sarah Vaughan — you’ll be hard-pressed to find a college student who can’t relate to the singer’s jazzy 1949 tune. Many young academics will find themselves sighing in solidarity as Vaughan croons about her lack of sleep and struggles with the inevitable “Sunday Blues” we often feel at the start of a new school week.

The female jazz powerhouse’s most notable track provides the perfect transition into the cooler weather with its silky vocals and sultry woodwinds, making it an excellent choice for a sleepy autumn Monday morning accompanied by a nice cup of — what else — black coffee.

To wrap up our fall-time mix, we have the seventies heartbreaker, Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Stevie Nicks’ epic folk-rock masterpiece expertly illustrates the idea of coping with transition, a struggle for all college students as the new year opens; whether it’s a wide-eyed freshman or an overtired senior, every Seawolf can relate to the singer’s musings about growing up, moving on, and being terrified of the road that lies ahead.

“Landslide” made it to number five on the Billboard chart just this past year, and for good reason. The emotional track serves as the perfect refuge for times when things feel unsure; even the biggest rock stars feel lost sometimes too.

Our two honorable mentions satisfy both ends of the spectrum: those desperately clinging to the last licks of summer and those sprinting to Roth Starbucks for pumpkin spice lattes. The Neighbourhood’s “Stargazing” has an upbeat, bouncy tune that recounts reckless summer adventures, while Billie Holiday’s “Autumn in New York” offers vivid descriptions of the beauty of the city in the throes of the season.

This playlist and its lovely additions will hopefully capture the intense variety of emotions that autumn brings and provide the soundtrack for the next stage in your academic journey.

The Staller Center brings live performances back to Stony Brook

By Amaya McDonald The Staller Center can finally welcome both performers and audiences back to the theater.

A year and a half have passed since Broadway legends Kelli O’Hara and Sutton Foster performed at the last Staller Center Gala since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. After months of virtual performances and viewings, the Staller Center is now opening its doors to patrons starting on Sept. 25 with a musical performance

by Grammy-winning trumpet player Chris Botti.

When the entertainment venue initially closed, the Staller Center staff worked quickly to ensure that their patrons could still enjoy the arts.

“We did already have a plan for who was coming [to perform in the spring 2020 semester], but that majorly changed,” Marketing Director Samantha Clink said. “It was a combination of us not wanting to offer as many shows because we didn’t know where we would be this fall, and because of the Delta variant, we didn’t know how comfortable our audience would feel coming back in full force.”

To keep audiences engaged, the Staller Center partnered with iNDIEFLIX, to make the 25th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival available for streaming for the first time. Almost 2,000 movie lovers used the program to watch in-

dependent films featured during the festival through the streaming service in the past year.

Digital art galleries and concerts were also crucial in keeping students, alumni and patrons engaged during a time when live performances were inaccessible.

“It’s not the same,” Staller Center Director Alan Inkles said. “And there is nothing like being there live. That’s one of the things I’m talking about with all the things we’re doing this fall.”

Clink expressed how expected the re-opening was for the new semester as well, “While we all loved binge-watching Netflix over the last two years, I think as soon as you come back into the theater and see all that energy and watch as the performers feed off of the audience and vice versa, I think that’s something that is impossible to recreate in any other way regardless of how many virtual options you give.”

This season, the theater will present 10 shows including acts from comedian Wayne Brady, R&B singer Sheléa and the Emerson String Quartet.

Only vaccinated patrons, who will be required to wear masks, will be admitted to these performances.

Children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, will be allowed in the

theater when accompanied by an adult who meets the aforementioned requirements.

In addition to these changes, the Staller Center has introduced tiered seating, a system used by entertainment venues in which the price of an audience member’s seat is determined by the patron’s proximity to the stage.

“Most other thousand seat venues have a tiered seating system because it should cost more for seats that are up close,” Clink said. “Most people are accustomed to that now … We were a little worried thinking that our devout audience might be upset with the change.”

Clink also said that so far there have been no complaints from patrons about the changes in ticket prices due to the new tiered seating system.

Stony Brook students will be able to see any show for a discounted ticket price of 10 dollars. Freshmen, sophomores and first-year transfer students will be able to see their first show at The Staller Center at no cost through the “First on Us” program.

“We want our students here,” Inkles said. “There’s something for everyone. You have my commitment going forward, you’re going to see more and more things at the Staller Center that students are interested in. That’s the way we have to go.”