Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 105, Issue 17
TheFordhamRam.com
Fordham Addresses First Bias Incident of 2023
October 11, 2023
McShane Commuter Lockers Remain Unavailable By NORA MALONE
By EMMA KIM NEWS EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Sunday, Oct. 1, a bias incident was reported on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Martyrs’ Court Goupil Hall. It was reported that the door was vandalized with a racial and misogynistic threat. After this was reported, Public Safety began an investigation and the NYPD was notified. The individual responsible — who was not a member of the Fordham community — was identified and banned from campus. “Staff have been supporting the students who were understandably upset to find this on their white board/door. Though the offender is not a Fordham student, these actions shocked and offended our community and are in stark contrast to our values,” said Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Rose Hill. Fordham’s student handbook has a section called “Bias-Related Incidents and/ or Hate Crimes.” Under this section, the university details
At the beginning of the 2023-24 year, the McShane Campus Center arcade opened to the public after being under construction since January 2020. It offers a variety of seating and places to study, an alternative to the library for many commuter students. Below the arcade, near Dagger John’s, another benefit for commuter students was added: new lockers. There had been lockers in the McShane Center previously, but they were removed to make space for the new, technologically-advanced lockers. These lockers can be accessed via an app and don't require students to purchase locks. Planned to be free this semester, the lockers are not available yet, and students will have to pay for them in the future. To mitigate the need, Fordham has returned the old lockers to the second floor of McShane outside of the Office of Student Involvement. “The old ones were sufficient in previous years,” said Crystal Wu, GSB ’25, a member of the Commuting Students Association (CSA), “However, the old ones will be insufficient from here on forward since there are more commuters than I’ve expected this year.” CSA had an initiative to add more lockers. Previously there were 90 lockers on the second floor of McShane, where the temporary dining hall now resides. There are approximately 120 of the new lockers. The old lockers were $25 a year and rented via OSI. The price for the new lockers is not yet decided, and students will reserve them via an app accessible from My Fordham. Students choose the locker
SEE BIAS, PAGE 4
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
President Tetlow attended her second annual President’s Ball on Oct. 6 and took photos with students.
Fordham Community Celebrates Homecoming Weekend By MICHAEL DUKE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This past weekend, Fordham University celebrated its annual Homecoming Weekend and second year with President Tania Tetlow. Starting on Thursday, Oct. 5, Fordham Athletics inducted eight individuals into the Fordham University Athletics Hall of Fame. The individuals honored this
year for their performance and legacy left on Fordham’s athletic programs were Samantha Clark FCRH ’16 (Women’s Basketball), Chase Edmonds FCRH ’18 (Football), Titi Fagade GSB ’15 (Women’s Track and Field), Elise Fortier FCRH ’14 (Softball), Jason Harris FCRH ’01 (Men’s Basketball), Nick Macarchuk (Former Men’s Basketball Head Coach), Ifeatu Otue FCRH ’74 (Men’s Soccer) and Natali Sunara
FCRH ’96 (Women’s Tennis). Following Thursday’s festivities, the annual President’s Ball was held on Edward’s Parade on Friday evening, and students dressed in semi-formal attire to celebrate the commencement of homecoming. A tradition started in 2003 by Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president emeritus, it is credited as being an important SEE HOME, PAGE 4
Public Safety Releases Annual Security and Fire Safety Report By GRACE GALBREATH ASST. NEWS EDITOR
COURTESY OF LAUREN LOMBARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
The scaffolding outside of Loyola Hall has been there since before the start of the fall 2021 school year.
Loyola Renovations Expected To Be Completed By This Semester By CRISTINA STEFANIZZI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Current residents of Loyola Hall were informed via email by Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Charles Clency that the
current renovations on the building, which started prior to the fall 2021 semester, are expected to be completed by Nov. 30. The renovations to the building’s exterior have resulted in the presence of scaffolding on the south and east sides of the building,
according to Clency’s email to residents. “The work will be conducted from 9:00 a.m. through 4 p.m. as well as Saturdays beginning Sept. 30, 2023 concluding on Nov. 30, 2023,” read the email. It was not specified what renovations were being made to the building. SEE LOYOLA, PAGE 3
The Department of Public Safety released the annual Security and Fire Safety Report for 2023-24 on Sept. 29. The report lays out the university’s safety policies and includes statistics for all crime and fire incidents on Fordham campuses ranging from 2020-2022. Associate Vice President of Public Safety Robert Fitzer notified the Fordham community of the report via email. Fitzer said the report is produced annually by the public safety office. Fitzer said, “This report is required under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). The report outlines safety tips, reporting procedures, incidences of crime and fire, and Title IX procedures SEE FIRE, PAGE 3
SEE COMMUTER, PAGE 5
in this issue
Opinion Page 9 Eric Adams’s New Toy Robot Won't Fix NYC’s Subway
Culture
Page 15
The Mimes & Mummers Classified as “Legally Blonde”
Sports
Page 20
Football Tops Lehigh on Last Second Field Goal
NEWS
Page 2
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Oct. 5 Off-Campus 12:47 a.m. On Thursday, a student reported that there was a person scratching on their bedroom window. A supervisor responded to Cambreleng Avenue and interviewed the student, who said they were in the bedroom and heard what sounded like scratching on the security gate on her bedroom window. Public Safety searched the area and the offender was not located. The NYPD responded and prepared a report. Oct. 5 Online 8:33 p.m. On Thursday, a student reported that they received a suspicious email. The email appeared to be from the IT Desk and stated that to avoid termination of Office 365, the student should copy and paste a link within the email into their browser to avoid losing emails. The student did not respond to the email and contacted Public Safety. Fordham IT determined the suspicious email originated from a compromised account and deleted all of the sent emails from the account. Oct. 7 O’Hare Hall 2:07 a.m. On Saturday, a student got stuck in the O’Hare Hall elevator. A supervisor responded and called the elevator company. The supervisor called FDNY, who responded and freed the student.
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October 11, 2023
“Super Senior” Investigates Galactic Archaeology and Red Giant Stars
By ALEXANDER HOM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham doesn’t have data on how many fifthyears are enrolled in its nine schools spread across five campuses, but Benjamin Coco, FCRH ’23/’24, said he is willing to bet his lucky stars that he’s the only one in the Ram universe who’s studying the secrets of the cosmos. The Brooklyn native is a fifth-year “Super Senior,” a simultaneous past and future graduate of the classes of ’23 and ’24 who’s continuing his dual majors in physics and English with a creative writing concentration. “My heart belongs more to the class of ’23,” he said, though he said he gratefully acknowledges his appreciation for the Fordham Founder’s Scholarship, which has enabled him to remain at FCRH for one more year. Coco has been involved in research at Fordham since the start of his junior year, but most recently traveled to Notre Dame University in Notre Dame, Ind. At Notre Dame, he participated in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) given by the Nation Science Foundation. REUs are competitive summer-long programs that prioritize admission to students from smaller schools with less robust research opportunities compared to the rest of the nation — such as Fordham, which doesn’t offer fields as specific as Coco’s astrophysics aspirations. Coco said the inspiration for him to apply to Notre Dame’s REU came in a dream, and after three years of applications of near-success, he finally joined 2% of candidates accepted to the summer 2023 season. “This year was the year I finally got my golden ticket,” Coco said. At Notre Dame, where he was one of only 23 students accepted from around the world, Coco studied galactic archaeology. Known for
being the research field that studies the formative origins of the Milky Way Galaxy, Coco applied it to scrutinize globular clusters — regions of space that have a high density of stars. “My research over the summer analyzed Globular Cluster M15 to seek and find the origins of neutron-capture elements,” Coco explained. “We wanted to either confirm this relationship or learn that Globular Cluster formation is unique to each Globular Cluster.” With the present knowledge that elements of the periodic table with an atomic weight up to that of iron can be formed by stars, Coco set out to determine the possibility of any of those heavier than iron — neutron-captures — appearing in stars as well. “The heavier elements are known as neutron-capture-elements and currently only have one confirmed source: BinaryNeutron Star Mergers,” Coco said. He built on the published work of his summer advisor, Dr. Evan Kirby, who in a recent paper to The Astrophysical Journal detailed the identification of a relationship in Globular Cluster M92 demonstrating the likelihood of a secondary source of neutron-capture elements. “Using data collected by the Keck Observatory in Waimea, Hawaii, our tentative results show a different relationship in M15 which indicates that Globular Clusters form differently across the Milky Way,” said Coco. “By studying different Globular Clusters, we can gain unique puzzle pieces of information about how our galaxy formed.” Coco presented his research at a seminar on Sept. 20. Hosted as a colloquium by the building’s physics department, he shared his astrophysics work and REU experiences over the summer. “My best friend thought I was examining fossilized stars; others think I’m studying moon rocks,” Coco said,
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN COCO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Benjamin Coco, FCRH ’23/’24 with his advisor, Professor Kirby.
laughing. Ten days later, he did the same in a Zoom presentation for the Virtual REU Conference, where he communicated and mutually learned with students who’d participated in REUs across the nation. “My guiding philosophy for the summer was to take advantage of every opportunity that came in front of me,” Coco said. “Taking part in the conference was a wonderful opportunity that connected me to interesting research and potential peers in my grad program.” Coco’s desire to pursue his Ph.D. was strengthened by his time at Notre Dame, but he credits his Fordham roots. Along with the physics department’s Professor John Cunningham, Ph.D., S.J., David Brown Ph.D., S.J., Christopher Aubin, Ph.D. and Vassilios Fessatidis, Ph.D., Coco modernized the data processing pipeline of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope of the Vatican Observatory located in Safford, Ariz. Coco’s earliest studies focused on Red Giants, “dying” stars which have depleted their core’s hydrogen and are undergoing thermonuclear fusion, where the heat and force of colliding light atomic nuclei release massive quantities of energy. He harnessed emission spectroscopy, a pre-quantum mechanics
technique measuring the wavelengths of photons emitted by atoms during their transition from an excited state to a lower energy state to ascertain the levels of different chemicals and trace elements in celestial bodies. Coco specifically derived the intensity of light emitted from stars at a particular wavelength to determine the percentages of alpha-peak elements and thus the age of a star, and created a Python code for future Vatican projects. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to study the infinite sandbox of possibility that makes up the cosmos, and was always encouraged by grandparents, especially my grandpa,” Coco said. “My only regret in pursuing research and making discoveries is that he isn’t here for me to share those with him anymore, but I’ll always be grateful to him and my grandma for helping foster my love of space. Through my work, I continue to cherish his memory, and treasure the time I have left with my grandma.” “This summer I made extraordinary friendships with people from around the world,” Coco said, “and I’m fortunate to know that the friendships formed in the REU, combined with connections throughout my years at Fordham, will last for a lifetime.”
This Week at Fordham Thursday Oct. 12
Thursday Oct. 12
Friday Oct. 13
Sunday Oct. 15
Monday Oct. 16
Java with Jesuits
Oh the Humanities!
IC4A Championship
WSOC vs. Saint Joseph’s University
Reverse Career Fair
Freeman Hall 9:30-11:30 a.m.
McShane 221-A 1-2 p.m.
Van Cortland Park 10:45 a.m.
Jack Coffey Field 1 p.m.
McShane Campus Center 1-2:30 p.m.
Join Fordham’s young Jesuits on Thursday for lively conversation and freshly-brewed coffee. If the weather permits, the coffee chat will take place outside of Freeman Hall.
Stop by the McShane Campus Center to hear student ambassadors talk about the importance of humanity degrees. For more information visit the Career Center website.
Do you want to go on a trip? This Friday, Fordham Cross Country will compete in the competitive IC4A Championship at Van Cortland Park, just a short ride from campus!
On Sunday afternoon, Women’s Soccer takes on the Saint Joeseph’s University Hawks at Jack Coffey Field. Stop by to cheer your Rams on to victory at their annual Senior Night.
On Monday, the Career Center is hosting a reverse career fair. The event invites student clubs to table while employers stop by to engage in lively conversations and employment discussions.
NEWS Public Safety Releases Annual Security and Fire Safety Report October 11, 2023
Page 3
FROM FIRE, PAGE 1
and other policies and procedures.” The contents of the report also includes a list of university authority figures and explains the university-wide investigative reporting process. The report also provides a list of university safety features. The list boasts amenities including Fordham’s extensive Emergency Blue-Light Telephone System, State-of-the-Art Emergency Notification System and OffCampus Shuttle Service. The crime statistics portion of the report breaks down incidents according to each of Fordham’s campuses: Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, Westchester, the Louis Calder Center, Fordham in London, Fordham in Granada and Fordham in Pretoria. The university recognized a
rise in the number of crime incidents on the Rose Hill campus from 2021 to 2022. The rise was most notably seen in the number of burglary incidents, motor vehicle thefts, rape incidents, drug abuse violations and weapon possesion incidents. The university also reported a rise from zero on-campus hate crimes in 2021 to one on-campus hate crime in 2022. The university also saw a rise in the number of crime incidents on the Lincoln Center campus. The rise from 2021 to 2022 was most notably seen in motor vehicle thefts, rape incidents, domestic and dating violence offenses, stalking offenses and liquor law violations. Fitzer commented on the rise in incident numbers: “We have experienced increased Clery incidents at our Rose Hill and
Lincoln Center campuses, mainly attributable to a rise in vehicle thefts in our area. The increase is driven by the proliferation of electric scooters on campus last year, many of which were reported stolen from in front of our buildings and lobbies. (Electric scooters are classified as motor vehicles under federal guidelines.) We also saw an increase in robberies: the majority of these incidents did not involve Fordham community members, but the University is required to report crimes that occur on the sidewalks and streets adjacent to Fordham property.” In comparison to the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses, the Westchester, Louis Calder Center, London, Granada and Pretoria campuses reported few to none crimes. Fitzer said Public Safety
published the report to be used as a helpful resource for the Fordham community. Fitzer said, “The goal is to provide a safe learning environment and keep students, parents and employees well informed about campus security. It also provides a resource for prospective students and employees to make informed decisions in their college search process.” Fordham students agreed that publishing the report gives students access to helpful statistics. Nicolette Scarlotta, FCRH ’26, had not previously heard of the annual report, but feels that it is important that Public Safety continues to publish the data. She also added that she thinks the incident reports should be better publicized to the Fordham community.
Scarlotta said, “I feel like maybe they could send a little more information about it. Usually we get just one email every few weeks that says ‘this happened at Lincoln Center or this happened a few blocks from campus.’ It is helpful to know, but maybe they should send out a little bit more information so that students are more aware.” Fitzer emphasized that the Public Safety Office will continue working with the Fordham community to ensure safety of all individuals. “Public Safety members are committed to ensuring the well-being of everyone on campus. The information in this report helps our community to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone,” said Fitzer.
Loyola Renovations Expected To Be Complete By This Semester FROM LOYOLA, PAGE 1
Some students have said that the noise caused by the construction can be bothersome, although workers have been instructed to work during hours where most students are out of the building. “On a day I might have a later class and have been doing homework late at night, to be awoken by drills with a person outside my window is abundantly distracting to my sleep, which is pertinent for students,” said Owen Mullaney, FCRH ’27. Rucha Kulkarni, FCRH ’27, shared a similar sentiment. “The construction is not very distracting to me as I’m usually out of the room during the day, but it can be a nuisance when I’m in my room trying to do homework or take a nap and I can hear people drilling and hammering outside.”
Clency’s email stated privacy screens were added to windows to prevent workers from being able to see into the building. The screens are tinted blue, which many students have not expressed much interest over. “During the day, the privacy screens make the whole room look blue,” said Aspen Collins, GSB ’27.“It puts a strain on our eyes, but it’s also just an annoyance not having a view outside of our windows.” While Collins’ room is only partly blocked by the scaffolding, other students’ windows are fully covered by the ongoing construction. “I can’t open the windows to get fresh air, making the room feel stuffy,” said Nico Llorente, FCRH ’27. “With the lack of my ability to keep my windows open because of the [privacy screens]
and scaffolding, I become disoriented by what time of day it is and that affects my daily circadian rhythm,” said Mullaney. “I don’t like the scaffolding, it’s terrible,” said Loubo Dachev, FCRH ’27. “It blocks my view, and there’s no natural light — it’s depressing and having no natural light affects the mental health of students.” Some students have shared that the privacy tape does not cover their windows completely, leaving them to keep their blinds closed, sacrificing natural light to protect their privacy. “My roommates and I don’t feel comfortable keeping our blinds open as there are often men working outside,” said Kulkarni. “The blue tape does not cover my windows perfectly, so workers can see into my room,” said Dachev.
To some, the scaffolding is not as much of a nuisance. “The scaffolding doesn’t really bother me at all,” said Issac Singh, GSB ’27. His roommate, Aidan Nanquil, FCRH ’27, shared the same sentiment, adding that “the noise is a bit loud in the mornings, but otherwise it’s not much of a hassle.” Some students have even expressed an appreciation for the
university in renovating the building. “I appreciate that upkeep and restoration of old buildings is an important process,” Maddie Bruns, FCRH ’27, said. “I can understand that it takes a lot of time, but that said, the construction has seemed to be going on for a while. While they’ve set an end period, I hope it will be kept to.”
COURTESY OF LAUREN LOMBARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Loyola Hall renovations are expected to be finished by the end of the semester.
USG Discusses Business Updates and Review Bylaws By SOFIA DONOHUE ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Oct. 5, to discuss business updates and review the USG constitution and bylaws. The Residence Hall Association (RHA) delegate announced that RHA special elections are underway and that Oct. 5 is the last day to vote. Judy Rothschild, assistant director for IT Service Desk and Student Relationship Management, gave a presentation on Fordham’s IT Services. Rothschild said IT will be sending out a new satisfaction survey for commuter and resident students. Rothschild said IT is trying to increase student involvement and the department is open to feedback from students. Brittany Perez, employer relations specialist, gave a presentation on the Career Center’s upcoming Reverse Career Fair. The fair will consist of student clubs and organizations tabling while companies visit each table. The Reverse Career Fair will host various employers such as non-profits, law firms, schools and business and finance companies. The fair will be on Oct. 16 from 1-2:30 p.m. Executive Vice President Ava
Coogan, FCRH ’25, announced that, moving forward, USG will award club of the month to more club-focused organizations. The Freshman Advising Mentorship Program delegate accepted the certificate for September club of the month. Vice President of Health and Security Molly Ewing, FCRH ’25, proposed a budget request for the Committee of Sexual Misconduct (CSM) for their annual Clothesline Project. Executive President Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, and Coogan reviewed USG’s Constitution, bylaws, Robert’s Rules and meeting standards. Coogan said they wanted to review the documents to reiterate everyone’s roles in USG and to remind newcomers and returners of USG’s standards. Vice President of Operations Lauren Walczyk, FCRH ’25, said they are trying to reschedule the club training on Sep. 29 that was canceled due to weather. Operations Committee budget packets opened on Oct. 2 due to technical difficulties and will close on Nov. 2. If students need help completing budget packets, there is a guide available online. Vice President of Student Life Brian Inguanti, FCRH ’24, said that Keating Steps will possibly be rescheduled to the spring. There
will be an art exhibit in JMCC, and there will be an event to encourage submissions. Vice President of FCRH Emma Balint, FCRH ’25, announced the undergraduate research committee met with the head of undergraduate research to discuss hosting a panel with students and professors who work in undergraduate research. The panel will aim to clarify how research at Fordham works. The STEM department will host their own panel and Q and A. Balint said they’re meeting with the director of study abroad to debrief the week; they will try to host a town hall with study abroad this semester to discuss upcoming changes to the department. Vice President of Gabelli School of Business Catie Flores, GSB ’25, said the mentorship committee is working on a networking event with upperclassmen and underclassmen. Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Mirei Fukushima, GSB ’25, said they are working with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council to incorporate a DEI workshop into GSB’s Ground Floor classes. Ewing announced CSM is tabling on Oct. 25 for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and they’re planning a budget request for CSM’s Week of Action. CSM is
working with Dean Rodgers to make posters with reporting resources available in bathrooms. Senator Aiden Costello, FCRH ’27, gave feedback on CARE sessions and said that Fordham should implement educating students on safe sex. Due to the administration’s strict rhetoric on what’s included in presentations, the class of 2027 senators are looking into optional peer-led sex education, possibly through Rodrigue’s Coffee House. Al-Omoush and Coogan
announced the first senior night is Oct. 12 and the second senior night is Nov. 9. Family weekend is Oct. 27-29. The Fordham University Emerging Leaders (FUEL) program application will go live in the next couple weeks. The digital commuter lockers in the McShane Campus Center are still in the testing phase and it’s projected the lockers will be up and running this month. In the meantime, students can sign up for a locker at the Office of Student Involvement.
COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
USG reviewed their constitution and bylaws on Thursday.
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NEWS Fordham Community Celebrates Homecoming Weekend
October 11, 2023
FROM HOME, PAGE 1
event of the year for many undergraduate students. It aims to bring the community together and offers the chance to speak one-onone in an informal setting with Tetlow. With the bulk of the events starting on Saturday, Sept. 7, the 12th annual 5K “Ram Run” was held early in the morning. Shortly after, Fordham alumni and current students were excited to hear the president speak in the McShane Campus Center about her reflections on the past year. The admissions office also held guided tours around campus to show off student life on campus. From dorm buildings to the
newly-renovated McShane Campus Center, alumni and families could see student life at Fordham. Early in the afternoon, the tent on Edward’s Parade opened for the weekend’s festivities, and alumni were invited in before the homecoming football game to celebrate the university community and enjoy food and drinks. Fordham Football played a close game with Lehigh University, and ultimately, Fordham ended up winning the game 38-35 with a last second field goal. Concluding the weekend on Sunday morning, Mass was cel-
ebrated at the University Church. “I enjoyed homecoming week-
end. The events were very well put together and I enjoyed dressing up
with my friends for the President’s Ball,” said Andrew Puzio, GSB ’26.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Fordham Football won against Lehigh University 38-35 during the homecoming game.
Fordham Addresses First Bias Incident of 2023 FROM BIAS, PAGE 1
what an incident is and what protocol is. The handbook states that when a bias-related incident or hate crime is reported that after consultation with the victim/complainant and consideration of the case that “an investigation of the incident will be conducted by the Department of Public Safety and/or the Dean of Students so that appropriate student conduct action may be taken.” Further, when the incident possibly involves a university employee as the perpetrator of the victim, the Office of Human Resources will be notified and participate in the investigation. Under the Frequently Asked Questions section of the student handbook, it notes that students who want to report an incident can go to the Department of Public Safety office, any university staff, resident assistant or commuter assistant. Students also have an option to confidentially discuss the situation and the options with someone from Fordham Counseling and Psychological Services or Campus Ministry staff if they
are not ready to file an official complaint. According to the annual security and fire safety report, there were two hate crimes reported in 2020 — both acts of vandalism — no hate crimes reported in 2021 and one hate crime reported in 2022 — an assault characterized by racial bias — on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. According to the 2021 hate crime statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 8.1% of hate crimes that year took place at schools/colleges. In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that the three most common types of hate crimes in degree-granting postsecondary institutions were intimidation, vandalism and simple assault. The most frequently reported categories of bias motivated hate crimes were race, sexual orientation and ethnicity. In 2020, 571 reported crimes were classified as hate crimes on the campuses of post-secondary institutions — though this number is 25% lower than in 2019 most likely due to on-
line classes. From 2012-2013 across Fordham’s campus, there were four bias incidents with the first three happening all within a month’s timespan. Martyrs’ Court has also been investigated for bias incidents before. The LaLande wing had two separate incidents in a one-week timespan in September 2015. The first incident was a racial slur scratched into the door while the second was a swastika scratched into a stairwell wall. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force deemed the vandalism to be a “non-bias criminal mischief case.” Two more incidents occurred in November 2015 at different campus locations, and a fifth one during the same school year occurred in March 2016. In response to these bias incidents, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president emeritus, created the Diversity Task Force to study the climate of the university, which resulted in a 10-page report about a timeline for a diversity action plan.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Fordham has had a total of four bias/hate crime incidents in the last four years.
Fordham Junior Researches Metal Nanowire Catalysts By EMMA KARN STAFF WRITER
Gabriel Roman, FCRH ’25, is a mathematics major conducting research with Dr. Christopher Koenigsmann. He describes his project as “using novel techniques to improve the affordability and cost of transition metal nanowire catalysts for use in fuel cells.” While this technology is not new, Roman seeks to develop current techniques in order to make positive breakthroughs in the renewable energy sector. He was inspired to carry out this research because of “a desire to help improve the field of renewable and green energy.” Roman and his team expected that a combination of materials — cobalt and platinum — would be more effective than platinum alone, when it came to constructing nanowires. Their hypothesis was that “doping cobalt nanowires with small amounts of platinum would enable comparable or
increased performance at a fraction of the cost versus pure platinum nanowires.” Not only did they anticipate better results with a mixture of metals, they were determined to develop a more cost effective method for use in fuel cells. This, they hope, will prompt more general usage of fuel cells and make an impact on saving the planet. In the John Mulcahey Hall laboratories, Roman and his colleagues synthesized pure cobalt nanowires. This was done using the U-tube method, where “a solution of reducing agent and a solution of cobalt ions are poured on either side of a set of glass tubes with nanopore filter membrane in between.” Within these pores are a sort of reaction chamber where the cobalt ions are reduced to cobalt metal. The next step is to dissolve the templates with an organic solvent, revealing the cobalt wires. The wires are then doped with platinum and tested with an instrument
called a potentiostat. Performance testing is an important part of the process, and is done at oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction, and also using a base cyclic voltammogram. These methods were unfortunately difficult to reproduce, and did not generate results that indicated increased performance. This has spurred an investigation of other methods, in the hopes that progress will be made in the field and some conclusions can be published. Roman said that “this is part of an ongoing project on renewable energy research.” This project connects closely to Roman’s professional goals, as he hopes to work “in the field of renewable energy and the financing of renewable energy projects.” His favorite part was working on a team. “My mentor provided the expertise and knowledge,” he said, “and also provided potential ideas that myself and my lab partners, Gesilda Noka and Ken Haesslein, tested and analyzed.” Being able to develop new
techniques, discuss results, and speculate about potential causes was an exciting process for Roman. “Although most of the development process happens via my mentor I do play a role in decisions
which is wonderful,” he said. Throughout this project, Roman learned from his mentor and from his peers, and looks forward to taking this knowledge and experience with him into the future.
COURTESY OF LINKEDIN
Roman is a junior in Fordham College Rose Hill majoring in mathematics.
NEWS
October 11, 2023
Page 5
McShane Commuter Lockers Remain Unavailable FROM COMMUTER, PAGE 1
COURTESY OF ALEX ANTONOV/THE FORDHAM RAM
The new lockers are located on the bottom floor of McShane.
on their phone and then unlock it through a button on the app. The lockers will be locked when closed and can only be unlocked by the student. They are on a backup battery, so in the case of a power outage, students could still access their belongings. However, not all commuter students use or know about the lockers. “I’ve never used them before,” said Matthew Petrella, GSB ’27. “I guess they're enough, but I just don’t use them.” CSA sponsors many events and activities for commuter students, along with their initiatives. They aim to give
commuter students the same opportunities as resident students. “Fordham hasn't done enough yet,” said Wu. “Being on CSA for the past two years, we have been trying to pass policies that better commuter life. The Fordham admin has denied and objected to many of our proposals.” “I feel like they [Fordham] should do a little bit more. There's definitely a lot of things they could improve on to make the commuter experience better,” said John Silaban, FCRH ’27. Last year, CSA advocated changing the registration time for classes. Previously, it was at 7 a.m., which was inconvenient for many commuter students who were in the process of commuting
at that time. The time was changed to 8 a.m., but CSA said they still has more they want to accomplish. “[That] is still not the proposed time registration we wanted, but we could still nudge Fordham admin a little bit,” said Wu. Overall, Wu says she does look forward to the new lockers, because “they look clean and easy to use,” she said. Commuter students often struggle having to bring things like laptops, notebooks, and extra clothes with them everywhere. These updated lockers, once available, allow for easy access and reservation while keeping students’ belongings and valuables safe.
Fordham Remains Prepared for Severe Weather By SAMANTHA MINEAR FEATURES EDITOR
New York City experienced severe flooding across all five boroughs on the weekend of Sept. 30, causing closures of several vital Bronx highways and Metro North lines. A public safety advisory was released at noon, many hours after the rain initially made landfall. Despite the fact that the city went into a state of emergency by mid-afternoon, Fordham remained open. A follow up response ceased Ram Van service between campuses at 7 p.m. The university is not foreign to experiencing severe weather. Although this past September was New York City’s wettest on record, early autumn has
always been considered New York’s unofficial rainy season. On Sept. 1, 2021, the university was ravaged by Hurricane Ida, forcing the second and third day of classes to be canceled as a result of severe flooding in a handful of residence halls, Walsh Library and the basement of Keating Hall. Many priceless artifacts were destroyed in Ida’s wake as a result of nearly four feet of water inhabiting Walsh Library’s basement, with lesser but still substantial amounts of rainwater in other basements across campus. Since that event, the university has made a concerted effort to strengthen its infrastructure against flood waters and other severe weather. “The University has made
improvements to Walsh Library to reduce risk or damage from flooding, and facilities continue to harden campus infrastructure against severe weather,” said Robert Fitzer, associate vice president for Public Safety. “Additionally, our Public Safety officers monitor conditions on campus and direct University assets to address unsafe conditions caused by the storm immediately.” Additionally, decisions surrounding class cancellation and school closure are determined by the university’s Emergency Management Team (EMT). The EMT consists of a group of staff members from various academic disciplines and departments. “We [consider] several factors,
including class schedules, road conditions during the affected times, the state of mass transit, and whether our facilities and grounds staff would be able to have the University ready in time for classes,” said Fitzer. “In many instances, we will not close the University or cancel classes, and instructors will be directed to consult with their Academic Deans or department heads to make alternative arrangements such as asynchronous learning or remote classes. Community members should always consider local conditions when traveling to and from campus and contact their instructors for alternative arrangements if they cannot attend classes.” Many students were upset about the perceived inaction of
the university, as Fordham remained fully operational despite New York’s governor recommending to avoid mass transit. However, the department of public safety insists that school closure is a holistic decision, prepared in advance as much as possible. “We review numerous weather reports, including a paid subscription service that offers a meteorologist with whom we can communicate to provide information specific to our campuses,” said Fitzer. “We will also have conversations with various University entities, such as Facilities, Grounds, Dining Services, and Ram Van, to ensure they are aware and preparing for the weather event.”
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Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses.
Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Editor in Chief Isabel Danzis Managing Editor Sebastian Diaz Editorial Director Jamison Rodgers Production Editor Michael Sluck Multimedia Director Frances Schnepff Business Director Matthew Colucci Copy Chief Hannah Boring Assistant Copy Chief Sophia Forlenza News Editor Emma Kim Features Editor Samantha Minear Assistant News Editors Sofia Donohue Grace Galbreath Opinion Editor Nicole Braun Assistant Opinion Editors Evan McManus Allison Schneider Culture Editors Kari White Ilaina Kim Assistant Culture Editor Lauren Lombardi Sports Editors Nick Guzman Maddie Bimonte Assistant Sports Editor Lou Orlando Social Media Director Rory Donahue Digital Producers Ava Carreiro Julia Ocello Grace Campbell Claire Krieger Video Editor Skylar Harris Photo Editor Alexandra Antonov Advertising Directors Kathleen Hollinger Grace Miller Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorial reflects the editorial board’s opinions or views. Opinion Policy The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Fordham Ram. Submissions Policy The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject or edit any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. No part of the The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.
October 11, 2023
From the Desk | Sam Minear
The Tie That Binds: Today, Tomorrow & Forever French sociologist Émile Durkheim coined the term “collective consciousness” to describe a belief system he felt unified society. He insisted that despite each individual’s differences, there were core tenets to being human that made us one — an invisible string which keeps us tied together. On one end of the spectrum, the contemporary applications of this idea can be seen in the sharing of memes, the growing prevalence of solidarity movements and the power of the Internet to enable cross-cultural understandings. However, the worst of Durkheim’s theory coexists parallel to societal solidarity. The pervasiveness of online echo chambers — giving way to the metastasization of bigotry — as well as a rise in mis- and disinformation have resulted in an onslaught of separatism amongst the American public and across the globe. Like the rest of the class of 2024, I packed up my things and arrived in New York for my first year of college amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a harrowing time; the era before the vaccine was filled with so much confusion, fear and disorganization. Nevertheless, I marched on through a field of online Zoom classes, zero peer-to-peer interaction and pandemic restrictions galore. During this time I observed the country’s collective consciousness to be one filled
with tremendous anxiety but also — to a certain degree — unity, as we shared a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would undoubtedly shape the rest of the century. Somewhere along the line, things changed. When the first vaccines were introduced, it was like we had permission to live our lives again. But the pandemic was still ongoing, and while myself and thousands of others proceeded with caution, there were many who hit the ground running in an attempt to make up for stolen time. It was no longer trendy to wear a mask or social distance or make Dalgona coffee during quarantine, even though thousands of people were still dying every day. In May 2022, the U.S. reached a milestone: one million people died from COVID-19. And that number continues to rise. Make no mistake: the pandemic is ongoing. But the world has entered a period known tentatively as “post-pandemic,” where we are able to look back and observe our behavior from months and years prior. It has also heralded a new phenomenon known as post-truth politics; the rise of COVID-19 ushered a new wave of conservatism in the United States, especially right-wing extremism, as displayed on Jan. 6, 2021 in the nation’s capital. And this conservatism is not the Reaganomics or Rockefeller Republicanism of
years past, but a much more dangerous fantasy of control, manipulation and sedition. As I prepare to graduate this May, I have been reflecting on what this year’s collective consciousness looks like. I know on a micro level, I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by some of the brightest people I know in B-52 every Tuesday. The resident hall staff of Loschert, O’Hare and Finlay have given me more than I could ever realize I needed in wisdom, comfort and solidarity. Each one of my professors has shaped me in an infinitesimal way, and the friends that I have made during my time here are hands I will hold for as long
as I’m earthside. Around us, there is chaos. Society has experienced wars longer than some natural lives, violence incongruent with our God-given humanity and disarray that seems impossible to solve. There has been grief and loss and love and, again, loss — more than anyone could have ever anticipated. I feel privileged in the fact that no matter what is happening around the world, I am lucky because of those I am fortunate enough to live alongside, and that is much stronger than any fear or frustration I have ever felt. And I hope one day it is enough for the rest of our world, too.
Editorial | Subway Flooding
Flood Gates Open On U.S. Infrastructure If you were in New York City a few weeks ago, you undoubtedly either experienced the intense flooding that took over the city first hand or saw the wreckage it left behind on the news. New York is no stranger to extreme weather from arctic temperatures in the winter, the Canadian wildfire smoke that hazed the city for days this summer and the recordbreaking heat seen this summer as well. New York has even had experiences with flooding in the past, but questions renewed with this last bout of extreme weather of how New York is going to adapt to these increasingly more common extreme weather events. The recent flooding has brought up questions about how New York’s infrastructure can handle heavy rainfall in the future. When seven inches of rain fell on the city in 24 hours, the infrastructure could not keep up. Streets turned into rivers, with some water levels reaching a height to completely submerge vehicles, the subway halted many lines as water streamed into the underground throughway and water even flooded out through gaps in the walls in subway stations. New York’s infrastructure was tested against heavy rainfall two years ago with Hurricane Ida where similar conditions were observed with flooding of the
subways and busy parkways and highways. Before that, people were hopeful that the 2012 Superstorm Sandy, which also flooded city infrastructure, would be the wake up call to investing more in upgrading the crumbling systems around us. New York needs to update their infrastructure now. Some of these systems were built a century ago and little has been spent to keep it from crumbling down around us. It is reported that the condition of Grand Central Terminal and the Park Avenue viaduct is making trips dangerous for nearly 98% of Metro North services. The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) needs updates to their bridges, viaducts and signals. Several subway cars have reached the end of their lifespan and several more will within the next 20 years. New York transit is fundamental for residents to travel around the city so the need for repairs should be a priority. However, this problem is not exclusive to New York City. The United States in general has not prioritized funding for infrastructure and it shows. Bridges are collapsing, dams can not hold the amount of stormwater that is coming down and water systems are continuously being contaminated. The U.S. has only been spending 1.5-2.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) whereas the European
Union spends more than half of that on their infrastructure. This lack of funding to update infrastructure that is surpassing 50 years service is very apparent, especially in the face of these extreme weather events. Climate change has made it imperative that U.S. infrastructure be updated. These systems were not built to handle the calamity that these events bring. Looking at heavy rainfall in New York specifically, climate change is bringing warmer weather which can hold more moisture which in turn makes storms more intense. Our infrastructure was not built to withstand the wreckage that climate change can deliver to the city and this problem will only become worse in the future if left unaddressed. New York City is not built for heavy rainfall as the makeup of the urban environment
is many impermeable surfaces and not enough green space to absorb this moisture. Additionally, the drainage system was not built to accommodate this level of rainfall resulting in flooding. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, the impact on infrastructure, such as our transit and drainage systems, will only become more severe. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy cut the power for two million people, killed 43 city residents and cost $19 billion in damages. In the 11 years since then, not much progress on updating the decrepit infrastructure that allowed for those catastrophes has been made. The time is now for New York, and the U.S., to show their commitment to protecting their citizens by investing in infrastructure that is made for today’s world.
OPINION
October 11 , 2023
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Schedule F Endangers Federal Bureaucracy By ABIGAIL SMITH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Working for the U.S. government should be a promising, life-long safety career for many Americans. And for tens of thousands of career civil servants, their job protections are their safety, preventing them from being fired at will and working from one presidency to the next. However, since the executive order, Schedule F, was initiated under former President Donald Trump back in October 2020, uncertainty about these protections looms over the heads of these civilians. Unlike today’s modern civil service system, Schedule F allows every civil servant to be fired by the president, and no president should have this control over ending their federal employees’ careers. Schedule F dates back to Trump’s re-election loss in 2020, enacted in the heat of his anger. Under President Joe Biden in 2021, Schedule F was rescinded shortly after he took office. However, Trump promises to restore Schedule F if he wins the 2024 presidential election. In 2022, he spoke at a rally in South Carolina, saying he would pass critical reforms that would make every executive branch employee fireable by the president. Any executive employee with influence in
confidentiality, policy-making, policy-determining and policyadvocating would be at risk. These employees are considered critical of the president’s agenda, something Trump would not take constructively as president. That is about 50,000 employees out of a workforce of two million fired for no good reason. Civil servants are supposed to be hired on merit and hard to fire. But Trump wishes to replace these workers with “loyalists” in the “deep state,” in which he refers to the government secretly conspiring manipulative policies. At his rally in South Carolina, he exclaimed, “The deep state must be brought to heal.” He believes the government is filled with “villains” who are globalists or Marxists and anyone who ever raised objections to his policy agenda. Trump and his officials felt that firing employees was “justified” as they believed they deliberately sabotaged his agenda. A federal bureaucracy with so-called “loyalists” resembles the 19th-century spoils system before the current civil service system. Back then, the president would thank voters by appointing them to government positions, but this system ended around the passage of the Pendleton Act of 1883. In 2023, reverting to old patronage systems is not what a
modern government entails. Instead, it mimics authoritarianism, favoring supremacy and fear within the leader. Trump is paranoid about sabotaging his agenda by civil servants, even though they are unbiased. Allowing a president to fire thousands of employees because he fears his agenda is being obstructed would be a crime. An executive branch filled with Trump praisers should sound alarming, as they could push his agenda so much that it could throw off the balance of power between the three branches of government. Schedule F has unveiled the fragility of the civil service system that has been in place for 140 years. The Biden administration plans to pass an executive order to protect federal employees from Schedule F’s intentions, tightening the definitions of what types of federal jobs are exempt from the rule. The plan excludes all non-career political appointee positions turned over when a presidency ends. The protections include the right to repeal any firing or reassignment, arguably strengthening the federal bureaucracy because career civil servants have institutional memory — they have expertise and technical knowledge, which a loyal new hire would not. Truthfully, firing tens of thousands of employees would
weaken the federal bureaucracy and sacrifice expertise critical to keeping the executive branch in line. Nevertheless, legal experts say Trump could easily thwart these protections should he become president again. Trump knew that Biden was planning to block his attempts, but Schedule F lies on a solid legal base. Any roadblocks imposed by Biden are a joke to Trump and his former administration officials, who see it as a delay to the rest of his agenda. A president can simply revoke Executive orders at any time; undoubtedly, Trump would be quick to do so. Other campaigning Republicans wish to take Schedule F a step further, like presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who outlined an even more radical plan than Trump, shutting down multiple federal agencies and firing 75% of the federal workforce. However, legal and practical substances were not potent here. Biden’s current efforts are not enough to protect the employment of civil servants. To do better, they need to make tackling Schedule F a top priority by taking the issue to the House and Senate, though it has been in the past. The problem lies with getting Republicans to agree, which could be unthinkable. Legislation can show that the federal
government needs a civilian workforce of tens of thousands of experts. Otherwise, the grapple of power by the next president is only by simply revoking an executive order. The Schedule F ordeal has taken a toll on civil service employees, many of whom are facing hangovers from when Trump issued the executive order in 2020. They are anxious about what could become of their careers if Trump wins back the presidency and enacts Schedule F again. Federal employees not appointed by the president should feel free to agree or disagree with the political agenda without worrying about repercussions. The federal bureaucracy must remain run by the American people, not a group of mindless bureaucrats who only answer to the president’s political agenda. Today, public trust is not exactly favorable in government, and replacing tens of thousands of civilians for loyalists may sink that trust even further. Schedule F is a doubleedged sword that should never be used, with the cost being the loss of career-long expertise in place of newbie loyalists.
Abigail Smith, FCRH ’27, is an English major from Verona, N.J.
End Exploitation of Imprisoned Workforce for Profit By ADITHI VIMALANATHAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Within the United States, prison labor makes up a significant part of the national economy. Largely benefitting government and private agencies, prison labor severely exploits incarcerated workers by prioritizing economic benefit over working conditions and continuing an American legacy of racial oppression. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) estimates that 791,500 of two million incarcerated persons are subject to work (the most recent federal data on the issue dates back to 2005). Nearly all prisons have prison labor programs, whose assignments range from public works, prison upkeep and maintenance, private production and agricultural work, which is notably often conducted on land that was once plantations. Prisoners are often paid in cents and face starkly unfair working conditions. Penal labor was explicitly provided for by the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery with a key exception for imprisoned individuals. With the legal basis provided, prisoners soon became a profitable source of labor apt to fill the role left empty by slavery. In the wake of the Thirteenth Amendment, the South quickly crafted the Black Codes — laws
that openly sought to imprison, fine and convict African Americans on grounds such as quitting employment, being armed and being homeless. The imprisoned then entered convict-leasing systems, where states would loan them to plantations and private industries where they faced torturous conditions and were frequently worked to death. The system was so profitable it left little room for organized labor — union pressure eventually pushed the use of prison labor to be mainly restricted to government agencies. Federal and state governments today reap strong profits from prison labor. Both private and public prisons are able to save costs by having workers themselves handle maintenance and prison upkeep. Moreover, according to the ACLU, government agencies are often required to buy goods (such as furniture, food and uniforms) from prisons, keeping their costs low. Federal Prison Industries (also known as UNICOR) which employs 12,000 laborers across 83 prisons, produces a diverse set of products for state agencies and military uniforms and helmets for the U.S. armed forces. In negotiations, they are often guaranteed multi-million dollar contracts to state entities and are additionally able to often out-bid small businesses who
are also trying to secure contracts with government agencies. We see that like under the Black Codes, imprisoned labor is so profitable that it is able to outcompete free labor. The economic incentive provided for initially by slavery and then through prison labor is a strong cause for the exploitation of the imprisoned today. In the sea of benefits promised to governments and private industries, prisoner rights and conditions are swiftly swept under the rug. Prison labor emerges starkly different from common employment through a fierce loss of rights. Prisoners do not have the right to refuse to work, which eliminates a protection against employer abuse and is a key argument used to compare their status to that of enslaved people. Moreover, prison labor features a stark imbalance of power where supervisors have leeway to make punitive decisions regarding work with little accountability. The ACLU notes agricultural workers who cannot or do not work often face solitary confinement. In interviews with The Washington Post and The Marshall Project, incarcerated laborers faced or feared direct forms of retribution for speaking out about their conditions. Moreover, prisoners do not have a right to unionization or fair pay.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
The current prison system is another example of institutional racism.
These lost rights contribute to working conditions that are inherently unfair — without the ability to criticize, advocate or defend oneself in a workplace, prison laborers are open to innumerable abuses. Advocates of prison labor argue that prisoners receive training that would prepare them for life after prison and reduce recidivism. Though inmates are forced to manufacture specialized goods, they are often not inadequately trained and sustain severe injuries — prisoners have lost fingers, been struck by fallen trees and sustained brain injuries due to improper and inadequate training. When seeking legal redress, many prisoners come up empty. Working conditions themselves are additionally unsafe: UNICOR has received reprimands for exposing workers to toxic chemicals at recycling plants. The ACLU reports that 64% of surveyed inmates felt concerned for their safety while working. The U.S. is known for having the world’s highest rate of incarceration. During the War
on Drugs, African Americans were arrested at rates much greater than whites on lowlevel drug offenses. As a result, today, the prison-labor force is composed of mostly Black individuals, establishing a clear continuity of injustice. Even within prisons, discrimination is prevalent as more lucrative jobs are frequently afforded to white prisoners. The legacy of exploiting people of color within America is continued by the current state of prison labor. Economic incentives that favor the historic oppressors of government and for-profit private agencies cloud over discussions of racial equality and worker rights, safety and agency. It is time for forced prison labor to end, and for humane treatment of prisoners to take precedence over economic benefits.
Adithi Vimalanathan, FCRH ’26, is an economics and English major from Jersey City. N.J.
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October 11 , 2023
TikTok Tears Down Collective Internet Culture By SOPHIA FORLENZA ASST. COPY CHIEF
If you ask any communications professor at Fordham, they’ll tell you they’re done talking about TikTok, and sometimes, I feel like I am too — in classic DTEM major and Assistant Copy Chief style, I’m pretty sure I’ve written a couple articles for the Ram about TikTok already. I can feel the beginnings of a collective eye roll already; I’ve seen it enough times in my communications classes whenever yet another student brings up TikTok during a discussion to know. But regardless, I genuinely believe that we haven’t even hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the magnitude of TikTok’s influence. If you’ve taken a communications class before, you’ll often hear students offer up concerned opinions about shortened attention spans, endless doom scrolling over terrible social injustices and the worrying state of the U.S. political climate and just generally the constant overconsumption of online media. These are all valid and interesting points, but instead of thinking about larger media effects on people, I’m more focused on the way TikTok has irreparably changed digital cultures and humor. Because somehow, in an era where millions of people are at my fingertips, I feel more disconnected from everyone else than I have in my
entire life. I’m struggling to understand why this is — but I’m pretty sure that it has something to do with TikTok’s rapid trend cycle and hyper-nichification. Let’s go back to the mid-tolate 2000s and early 2010s. As college students now, we were a little too young for the release of YouTube, Twitter and Tumblr, but we were definitely around when Instagram and Snapchat launched, and I remember those days with extreme clarity. The internet has always had a multitude of pop culture niches, but back then, I feel like I was at least partially aware of a great deal of them, and they seemed much broader than they do now. I’ll refrain from listing everything I remember or was involved in at the risk of losing half of you and branding myself as a chronically online loser who watched too much YouTube. But if you asked me or other people my age, I feel like we could easily name the most prominent pop culture aesthetics of the time: the 2012-2016 Tumblr discourses about fandoms, identity politics, the ArcticMonkeys-esque fake grunge versus the Victoria’s Secret Pink Starbucks Secret Menu Unicorn Frappe; the 20142017 YouTube era with beauty gurus and Tyler Oakley-style influencers; the unforgettable death of Vine in 2016-2017 and how that completely defined online humor for the year.
I guess my point is that somehow, these niches felt larger and more accessible to everyone back then — now, I feel like TikTok has created such hyperindividualized niches which are just so perfectly catered “For You” that it feels impossible for me to define what the dominant cultural shared themes are. If you asked me how I would define 2020 onwards, I honestly wouldn’t know what I’d say. Everyone and everything just feels so separated. This cultural shift has a lot to do with humor, too. Remember when meme accounts on Instagram had yearly meme calendars? We actually had a recurring joke that was used so consistently by enough people and for a long enough amount of time that people would define it as the meme of the month. To me, there is no 2023 equivalent of this kind of shared cultural humor. Obviously today we still have common jokes — tell me in the comments online what your “Roman Empire” is and what you had for your “girl dinner” last night. But you have to be really deep into TikTok, really deep into some niche, dictated by TikTok’s algorithm that has somehow given you the opportunity to stumble across those particular sounds to let you “in” on the joke. There’s a strange inaccessibility to humor now that wasn’t present before. And these barriers are furthered because of how trend cycles on TikTok go away almost as
COURTESY OF TWITTER
TikTok creates hyper-nichification that erodes collective internet cultures.
quickly as they arrive. Because of how segmented and perfectly curated these niches are, you have to be deeply mired in various, uber-specific parts of TikTok to truly understand what a lot of people are talking about, especially considering that these jokes are ridiculously self-referential and intertextual, and even then, the joke becomes obsolete and forgettable in two months’ time. I couldn’t tell you what came before “girl dinner,” but I can name multiple months of the 2016 meme calendar with great ease: remember Harambe? Scared SpongeBob? The confused guy with question marks? (In the least normie and most post-ironic way possible, that guy is how I feel while talking about this.) It’s also necessary to consider how greater cultural contexts interact with these trends. I’m sure things change when
you consider how these cultural niches have interacted with gender and race, and I also think that the COVID19 pandemic occurring simultaneously with the rise of TikTok has something to do with it too. Obviously I don’t have all the answers — by no means am I saying this is allencompassing; it’s merely my first seriously confused attempt at conceptualizing everything I’ve experienced online in the past decade, hoping to discover why I feel so alone online when there are practically endless people right there with me. But maybe, if I’m lucky, I’m onto something here and you feel it too, and maybe we can be alone together while we try to figure it out. Sophia Forlenza, FCRH ’24, is a digital technologies and emerging media major from Brookfield, Conn.
Choo Choo Choose Train Travel Across America By CAILEE ZERAAT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As someone who has been to countries all over the world, I have endless experience with every form of travel, from boats to buses. However, nothing excites my traveler brain more than a high-speed rail network. The prospect of moving between the world’s major cities without congested highways or flight delays is something I have been anticipating in the United States. China, Japan and Europe all have extensive high-speed passenger rails, so why has the United States failed to catch up? The United States’ passenger rail system is largely controlled by the government under Amtrak. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1970 to manage the country’s intercity railway system that had previously been controlled by private companies. Since the takeover, freight railroads have seen success, but passenger railroads have become a lower priority for an oil and auto-focused government. Due to airlines and motor companies lobbying to keep their industries at the forefront of American transportation, rail travel has been shut out for a long time. However, the recent rise in environmental concerns
has passengers looking for more carbon-conscious ways to complete their trips. One private corporation, Brightline, is making history with their test run of highspeed rail between Miami and Orlando, Fla. Brightline is the first privately-owned passenger rail company to open in the United States in 100 years. The trip between the two major Florida cities will take 30 minutes less than driving. Prior to the opening of Brightline, however, Amtrak’s Acela network was the only high-speed rail in the United States. With the government failing to take the lead on improving and expanding a promising transportation system, Brightline may have the opportunity to win over passengers. Amtrak’s Acela line currently operates between Washington, D.C. and Boston, and Brightline will launch with service between Miami and Orlando. While both lines are limited at the moment, Brightline has an advantage over Amtrak: the Florida company is privately owned. This allows Brightline to bypass the airplane and auto lobbyists and solely focus on the consumer. The big question now, however, is if the consumer will bite. As I mentioned earlier in
this article, Brightline’s trip is a mere 30 minutes shorter than what it would take to drive. Solely considering travel time, the switch to high-speed rail may not seem worth it. However, looking past the surface, there are clear environmental benefits to this line. Brightline, in contrast to Amtrak, runs solely on biodiesel. More than 90% of those who make the journey between Miami and Orlando do so by car. It is no secret that cars produce pollution, so for the 40 million people who make that trip a year, switching to biodiesel trains would be a big win for the environment. If Brightline succeeds and is able to generate enough revenue, this could mean expansion to other states and major cities. I see Brightline having major potential to outperform its outdated and slower counterpart, Acela. I used to regularly take the Acela trip from New York to D.C., but as the trains have worn down and the lines have not gotten any faster, I find myself opting for airline travel. With the rate at which airlines are growing and trains are falling behind, it doesn’t really make a lot of sense for me to choose the three-hour rail trip over the 45-minute plane ride, both of which usually end up
COURTESY OF TWITTER
Private railways should be a part of the future of rail travel in the U.S.
being the same price. Brightline is finally giving trains a chance to compete with other forms of travel. I went on the Brightline website to book a trip between Miami and Orlando for a weekend in December. The round trip costs $158 and will take three and a half hours each way. Next, I went on the Amtrak website and tried to book the same trip for the same dates. Now, this one did only cost $78 round trip, but the travel time came in at a whopping five hours one way and closer to six hours on the way back. While the price was half of Brightline’s, I would never choose a train ride longer than a car ride, regardless of cost. With three options lined up in front of me — Amtrak, Brightline or car — I would never choose Amtrak for that trip. There may be other instances where Amtrak makes sense, especially in cities where Brightline doesn’t exist yet, but
if Brightline faces success and is able to expand to other destinations, then Amtrak will cease to be useful to the average traveler. Amtrak and, subsequently, the government cannot keep up with the demand for more environmentally-friendly and less car-focused transportation. This country’s investment in railroads is quite frankly embarrassing compared to countries across the world that are seeing top speeds of 200 mph on trains. If it takes private corporations to do what the government should have done 20 years ago, then I will happily hand over my money to Brightline. The world is moving past highways and TSA lines. The United States is operating in the past of transportation, and one more lane won’t suffice. Cailee Zeraat, FCRH ’25, is an English major from Fairfax, Va.
OPINION
October 11, 2023
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Eric Adams’s New Toy Robot Won’t Fix NYC’s Subway By DAMIEN MOSHMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The perpetually controversial New York City Mayor Eric Adams has decided that the best way to fight crime in the city’s subway network is with a 5-foot-2, 400-pound security camera that moves at a speed of three miles per hour. The K5 patrol unit, created by the California-based company Knightscope, is the mayor’s response to policing in this era of financial difficulty. The robot is akin to a heavily modified Roomba, as it autonomously patrols around a specific area with its own docking point that doubles as a charging station. The unit comes outfitted with 360-degree cameras for security monitoring and buttons that citizens can use to report crimes. The attempted installation of the K5 security robot is simply another example of Adams’s irresponsible decisions with the money of New York City’s taxpayers, as he attempts to look for a quick and cheap way to cut costs rather than invest in the city’s future using the already-developed infrastructure. As New York faces a migrant crisis, housing instability and growing infrastructural concerns, attempts to cut funding for social and educational services to experiment with
a higher-tech equivalent of a security camera is a bad look for the Adams administration. The K5 is the latest of Adams’s attempts to digitize the New York Police Department after his controversial endeavor to bring robot dogs to the police force. This original attempt at technology implementation in the department has opened up a wave of controversy. Some, including Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights council member Chi Ossé, have accused the NYPD of stealing residents’ property and unfairly cutting funds to social programs to finance these unnecessary developments. It’s hard to disagree with the criticism, especially considering the administration’s past significant proposed budget cuts to non-NYPD government departments. Additionally, the K5 has brought a slew of privacy concerns, with many worried about the robot recording its surrounding sound and collecting images for the use of artificial intelligence. The NYPD has claimed the robot would not be making use of the machine’s audio and AI capabilities, but these claims have not stopped public concerns regarding privacy and misuse. Adams is particularly fond of the K5 due to its perceived low cost — only costing around
$9 to lease per hour versus the $58,580 starting salary it would cost to pay a normal police officer. Cost-cutting has been this administration’s bread and butter; his most recent round of budget cuts is calling for NYC government agencies to reduce spending by 15% in response to the migrant crisis, although he has been cutting costs since the early days of his term. He previously received backlash from slashing funds towards libraries, universities and preschools back in January 2023. However, this $9 cost fails to consider the extraneous details. Who is paying for the engineers currently stationed at Times Square to monitor the K5? Also, if New York’s police department is so strapped for funds to the point where paying officers to patrol the subway stations is too expensive, why was so much time, money and effort invested in hundreds of cameras already installed across New York’s subway system, not to mention the hundreds left to be installed? Better yet, if a violent criminal is on the subway platform, what is a robot in a completely different area of the station going to do about it? Also, it is crucial to note that the K5 is not nearly as efficient as the Adams ad-
ministration would like it to seem. The mayor claims that the K5 is beneficial to police officers because it doesn’t need bathroom or meal breaks. Adams is correct — instead of the traditional 60-minute lunch break and a few fiveto-10-minute trips to the bathroom per shift, the K5 unit will diligently patrol the station for two hours until taking a 30-minute break to charge, according to Knightscope’s website. According to The New York Times, the eventual goal for the K5 is for it to be able to patrol the mezzanine of stations, allowing it to function as a moving camera that strangers can use to call for help. Why is a help button attached to a mobile camera needed when there are often dozens upon dozens of officers at a more populated station? The answer is simple. Many officers aren’t actually patrolling the subway system, even after Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to increase police presence nearly a year to the date this article was published. When on a subway platform, there are oftentimes never cops around to see in times of crisis. If a person is being harassed or followed, there often isn’t a cop to turn to, either on or near the platform.
Instead, they’re more than likely posted a few feet away from the turnstiles, hidden from the view of people who might dare to hop the turnstile and avoid paying the $2.90 fare. Or, like at Grand Central Terminal subway station, they all tend to gather in front of the turnstiles, talking amongst themselves or menacing any passersby whom they might suspect of fare evasion, one hand on their ticket book and another on their cell phones. I can’t help but conjure up the image of Mayor Adams, known for his partying lifestyle and fragile ego, hunched over his cell phone at a function as he watches the K5 livestream while patrolling a random subway mezzanine. The camera diligently records the goings-on at the station: most people walking in a rush to the platforms, a few buskers playing music, a vendor selling fresh fruit and cops guarding a turnstile ready to pounce on an unsuspecting fare evader. “There,” he thinks to himself as he sips on a flute of champagne, “I’m saving New York City.”
Damien Moshman, FCRH ’25, is a political science and journalism major from Princeton, N.J.
It’s Panda-Monium Between the United States and China By MADDIE BIMONTE SPORTS EDITOR
While tensions are on the rise between China and the United States, the number of panda bears in the U.S. is being reduced to zero by the end of 2024. In what was a breakthrough in China-U.S. relations back during the presidency of Richard Nixon, panda bears are leaving the Washington D.C. National Zoo and the Atlanta Zoo as the loan from China Wildlife Conservation Association ends. But this is more than just a black-and-white issue, being more diplomatic and strategic than meets the eye. People, like Dennis Wilder of Georgetown University, coined the phrase describing this issue as “punitive panda diplomacy.” This means, China is using the ever-popular animals for zoos as bargaining chips amidst a back-and-forth between the two nations. For example, the U.S. government has implemented sanctions of Chinese citizens and officials, as well as restrictions on computer parts that fund the Chinese economy. U.S. officials have also said that China-produced drugs, such as fentanyl, have popped up across America.
Then we have the Chinese spy balloon debacle and the ever growing debate around TikTok being a spy device, and yeah, you could say tensions are pretty rough. But in China, Americans aren’t really that popular either. A lot of the issue can be traced back to the death of panda bear LeLe, who was on loan to the zoo in Memphis, Tenn. LeLe died suddenly in February 2023 at the age of 24. For context, pandas generally live 15 to 20 years in the wild, while those in human care can live to be around 30. While it was debunked that LeLe was mistreated, the tensions between fierce supporters in China and the U.S. only grew worse by the day. So now, China has decided to retaliate, much to the dismay of many zoo-goers, by taking back all the panda bears in the U.S. Personally, I think it’s a cheap shot between two governments who have trouble communicating. For many kids, going to the zoo is a highly fun activity, as they get to see animals they’ve only dreamed of seeing in real life. For many, the panda bear is one of the most popular animals at the zoos, with movies and TV shows and
stuffed animals always flying off the shelves. Furthermore, I also think it’s a little weird that we’re treating animals as serious diplomats now. The whole purpose of having animals at zoos is to learn about them. When you go, you’re not there to learn about the diplomatic ties between two nations, you’re there to learn about the animals’ eating habits. I think my specific grievance comes from the loaning process, which has been warped due to the tensions. The whole point of the loaning process was to definitively increase the number of pandas as well as raising significant funds for research that would benefit the conservation of wild pandas in China. However, the key problem of the process itself is the fact that the U.S. is only borrowing them, giving China permanent ownership of the beloved animals. Essentially, the use of pandas as a diplomatic tool has created a mockery of the whole good nature of conservation, replacing it with an emphasis on politics rather than the actual well-being of the animals. But someone that suffers even more than brokenhearted
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The only thing black-and-white about this issue is panda fur.
American kids at the zoo? Wild pandas. As a result, all the wild pandas are now losing conservation funding as well. The U.S. loan money funded annual fees ranging from $1 million to $2 million per pair, plus mandatory costs to build and maintain facilities to house the animals. When a baby panda is born, it can be leased for an additional fee as well. So now, all this money is essentially disappearing, and pandas in the wild dwindle day by day as well. While the number of pandas have reportedly started to increase, mostly thanks to conservation efforts, as Chinese officials announced in 2021 that they
had moved from endangered to vulnerable, pandas are not out of the clear yet in terms of population. The latest population count puts them at 1,864, but even then it is hard to know for sure if that number is completely accurate. One can only hope something can be worked out in the future, and pandas will grace the enclosures of American zoos yet again. If and when the next loan occurs, we need to treat the pandas as animals, and not diplomats. Maddie Bimonte, FCRH ’24, is a journalism major and political science minor from Raleigh, N.C.
OPINION
Page 10
October 11, 2023
Hasan Minhaj’s Web of Lies is Not Funny By ZACHARY BADALAMENTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Hasan Minhaj, comedian and writer of “The Daily Show,” has been caught embellishing some of the stories told in his standup specials. Mainly performing political satire, his stories were meant to be insightful. In reality, they were only endorsements of his confirmation bias. While any seasoned comic would admit to embellishing stories in their acts for comedic effect, not all jokes are created equal. The difference with Minhaj’s fake stories is that he has never truly been portrayed as just a comedian in mainstream media. Since his first Netflix special “Homecoming King” in 2017, critics and the media have praised him for his nuanced perspectives on race and culture in the United States. Scrolling through the reviews of the special, many people resonated with his personal stories about navigating life as the son of immigrant parents in the United States. One story, in particular, that resonated with viewers was when he talks about the time a white classmate rejected his invitation to homecoming because he was Indian. The New Yorker later revealed the story was
fabricated, but not before the woman had been harassed online. With that in mind, the lie created a joke that portrayed himself as a martyr for racism in the United States and vilified an innocent woman. Another lie told in the special was that Minhaj attended the Saudi Arabian Embassy on the same day that Jamal Khashoggi had been assassinated. This was not the case as he attended the embassy the month prior. The perceived authenticity of his stories was the initial reason viewers connected with his comedy special. However, in hindsight, it becomes clear that Minhaj’s fabrications served as a means for him to elevate his own sense of importance. The 2017 comedy special would be the beginning of a pattern of behavior for Minhaj as stories told in his 2022 Netflix special “The King’s Jester.” Although, the lies told in his 2022 special feel bolder than the ones made in 2017. In one of Minhaj’s stories, he recounts an incident from his childhood when his mosque was infiltrated by an undercover FBI agent due to unjust suspicions of terrorism. Minhaj’s story supposedly refers to Craig Monteilh, an FBI agent who was, in fact, tasked with going undercover
to different mosques as a form of counterterrorism. However, a significant issue with Minhaj’s narrative is that Monteilh was actually jailed at the time Minhaj’s story is set, making it impossible for the story to be verifiable. Some have argued that although the story is fake, Minhaj is shedding light on an important societal discussion about the history of unjust surveillance of Muslims in the United States. Their argument points to the fact that there is an extensive track record of U.S. government officials unrightfully persecuting Muslim Americans for the sake of “counterterrorism.” While there is merit to this argument, the real question is why does Minhaj have to be the center of the story? If he did not create an elaborate tale that made him an actual witness to the undercover FBI agent, could he not think of another way to talk about such surveillance existing? One could argue that he simply lacks the creativity needed to talk about such complex issues as racism towards Muslims in a way that is not through a personal anecdote. Or, one could argue that this lie, like the lies told in “Homecoming King,” only serves to boost his own sense of significance.
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After being exposed for lying, fans struggle to support Hasan Minhaj.
Another fake story told in “The King’s Jester” was that he rushed his daughter to the hospital after she had opened a letter filled with anthrax that was addressed to Minhaj. Unlike the other lies, Minhaj admitted that this story was fabricated and based on the time he received a letter filled with a powdery substance. Although he admitted the story did not happen, this lie is another instance of Minhaj instilling self-importance into his act as there is an implication from the story that he is such an important, disruptive figure that people attempt to legitimately threaten his life. In both of the previously mentioned comedy specials, Minhaj does not embellish stories, rather he just makes them up almost entirely. From story to story, Minhaj takes a shred of truth and stretches it into
a story where he is the protagonist. This is problematic because Minhaj’s stories are meant to be insightful and authentic to the reality of growing up as a minority in the United States. Additionally, “The Daily Show” and “Patriot Act” have developed from being seen as comedy programs to ways for people to keep up with current events in a fun, entertaining way. In the eyes of the public, Minhaj is more than just a comedian, he has an elevated level of social credibility that not many other comedians are privy to. His political opinions and ideas are trusted more than others. For that reason, lying should be very damaging to his career.
Zachary Badalamenti, FCRH ’25, is a journalism major from Oakland, Calif.
Congress Averts Shutdown: Short-Term Fix By MICHAEL DUKE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The idea of a government shutdown is something that other nations view as something purely unique to the United States and occurs only in the most extreme circumstances. For the United States, it might occur because of gridlock on Capitol Hill between Republicans and Democrats. However, outright contrasting the circumstances that require a shutdown in the United States, a shutdown in nations like the United Kingdom is typically because of actions like when the Prime Minister is removed due to a vote of no confidence. The difference is clear and makes a strong statement: the United States has a failing system that goes to extremes when simple measures fail. With a deadline of Sept. 30 at midnight, if Congress had failed to deliver to President Joe Biden’s desk the 12 appropriation bills that set discretionary spending levels, the United States would have experienced a government shutdown. If it occurred, all nonessential staffers and federal employees would be temporarily out of a job. However, it is the Republican infighting over government spending and allocation of federal funds that are unique to this scenario in September and differs from previous shutdowns.
Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) led the band of rebel Republican lawmakers that firmly told former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) “No” to any plan of a stopgap bill that would have allocated federal funds or resources to any entity that was not in America’s best interest or bills that would have extended this issue into further deadlines down the road. Gaetz was quoted as saying that Speaker McCarthy “brought us to this moment.” With specific and highly controversial inclusions in the appropriations package that outlined further financial aid to the Ukrainian people after a previous $75 billion-dollar package and military equipment, alongside a lack of government spending cuts, Gaetz openly criticized McCarthy for failing to adhere to agreements that were made to hand McCarthy the gavel in this year’s earlier battle for the speakership. The issues with the federal government’s spending through appropriation bills were the tipping point for Gaetz, and the result of the debate on appropriations is demonstrative of the priorities of politics of the moment. Though the shutdown was averted with Democrat support in both the Senate and House, with Biden ultimately signing off on the measures to avert the shutdown, Gaetz vowed to remove McCarthy from office for
failing to keep promises that he had made in regard to government spending. Keeping to this position, Gaetz alongside eight other Republican lawmakers ousted McCarthy from the office of Speaker of the House on Oct. 3, making McCarthy the first speaker in United States history to have been removed from office. Ultimately, though, it was McCarthy who did himself in as he had restored a previous longstanding measure as a result of the January deal with Gaetz. This measure made it so that any one member of the house could call for the Speakership to be declared vacant and force a vote on the fate of the speakership. With one mess of a shutdown being replaced with an ongoing battle for the gavel, Democrats hope to place Hakeem Jeffries as speaker. In contrast, Republicans like Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) or Steve Scalise (R-La), who possess mere name recognition and legislative accomplishments, are the more likely candidates to hold the gavel after the vote to replace McCarthy occurs on Tuesday, Oct. 10. The main message coming from the issue of the government shutdown isn’t that the government is working, but that Republicans, through McCarthy’s carelessness in his path to become speaker, have created a dire weakness
in the party. Just imagine a nation where one person could stand up and call for a measure to remove Biden from office because of one of Biden’s many gaffes or legislative failures. Further, imagine if 50% of the nation who were Republicans agreed to the measure, plus roughly 2% of the nation who identify as Democrats. Would we call ourselves a constitutional republic or a banana republic? The correct term for this circumstance is guided misdirection due to partisanship. This is the point to be made. The issues over the appropriation bills were never about legislating according to what Republicans campaigned and won on. It was never about Republicans reforming the government of late and instituting conservative values of limited government or sensible spending. It was about Gaetz flexing the power he decisively implemented earlier this year. He didn’t care about whether the government shut down. He wanted to be the biggest fly in the Democrats’, Republicans’ and McCarthy’s faces. The issues facing America are significant at the moment as it is. The United States is $33 billion in debt. The U.S. southern border is open, and states like my home state of Arizona are experiencing the most significant issue of illegal immigration in United States history.
But no, let’s not hold Congress in contempt so they can focus on the issues that require immediate action so that the modern idea of manifest destiny doesn’t die. The American dream becomes more distant than it already is when we focus on other trivial issues. Instead of focusing on issues that Republicans are waving red flags on, Gaetz has let partisan issues and grudges force many Americans to question whether they will need to find a job in the short term should a shutdown occur. He has delivered chaos. Gaetz was wrong in directing the Freedom Caucus to hold our government ransom. However, he did make a point. If Republicans hold control of the House of Representatives, they should govern and act like they do. They shouldn’t always be trekking over to Democrats, begging for votes to bail them out of issues presented by Republicans yet cannot be resolved by Republicans. That implies weakness. Instead, Republicans should do what Democrats have demonstrated and seemingly perfected: rally their caucus and tow the party line. Gaetz is a liability to the Republican Party, Congress and our nation’s sense of security.
Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is undecided from Scottsdale, Ariz.
CULTURE
October 11, 2023
Page 11
Who’s That Kid? | Tarchithaa Chandra Sekharan, FCRH ’24
Fordham Senior is a Lifelong Organizer By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR
It’s difficult enough trying to save the world from climate disaster, but Tarchithaa Chandra Sekharan, FCRH ’24, has plenty more on her plate. She’s a full-time student with a part-time job, a resident assistant (RA), co-president of Students For Environmental Awareness and Justice (SEAJ) and, as a senior, she’s under tremendous stress to have fun. Her laundry list of responsibilities doesn’t keep environmental disasters from happening, and it certainly doesn’t prevent her from attending marches like Sept. 17’s March to End Fossil Fuels. They do, however, pose the threat of burnout. And to Chandra Sekharan, that’s a very serious concern. “If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t help other people. That’s what it boils down to,” said Chandra Sekharan. In her view, it doesn’t matter how gifted of an organizer or leader someone is, “If you are not taking care of yourself, you will crash and burn.” This statement was a surprisingly somber departure from the 21 year old’s usual demeanor of welcome smiles and easy laughter, which had filled the cramped, RA office up until that point. But this shift in tone suggests an ever-present problem for young activists, especially those still in school: How do they take part in causes they care about without sacrificing
their mental health? Chandra Sekharan has four words: “Thank you Google Calendar.” She swears by her calendar, insisting that all college students interested in activism need to develop time-management skills. Her calendar is how she managed to spend her freshman year taking classes online, working, writing for Operation Four magazine and phone-banking with For The Many. It’s how she’s now able to deal with all the pressures of senior year with the added stress of organizing for movements close to her heart. Even during the interview, she had her Google Calendar pulled up on her laptop screen. Big blocks of time dedicated to class, work, clubs and resting, marked the days of her week in bright colors. Her calendar, however, is not her most important tool. No, it’s her community. “A huge part of [being successful] is having dependable team members,” said Chandra Sekharan. “It does matter that you’re surrounded by people who have empathy for the people they’re working with.” She quickly listed off the names of her teammates in SEAJ, mentioning how during days when she’s so overwhelmed that she cannot lead their weekly meetings, one of her fellow executive members will step up. When discussing the March to End Fossil Fuels, she made a point to laud her co-president, Stizzie Demacopoulos, FCRH ’24, for the work they did to help
facilitate the march by working with the Fridays for Future NYC. Even the events she holds speak to her love of community. Her favorite event throughout the year is a semesterly SEAJ poster-making workshop, where members of the club bring paint, cardboard and a variety of craft supplies to create posters for the climate marches that take place every fall and spring. This year, SEAJ gathered at a collection of picnic tables outside one of Fordham’s resident halls, preparing their posters for the March to End Fossil Fuels. Chandra Sekharan wandered the tables, ensuring everyone had enough supplies and greeting people with a smile. The club members chatted with their friends as they painted their posters, but many spoke across the table to new
faces. It was truly a communitybuilding event, so it’s no wonder that Chandra Sekharan describes it as her favorite. “I really, really enjoy that we take the time to prioritize getting people to know each other, and learning about each other’s life to actually show up and support each other,” she said. A community of support. That’s Chandra Sekharan’s ethos. Sure, her calendar is helpful, but community is the where, the how and the why to Chandra Sekharan’s activism. That’s evident in her insistence on highlighting her teammates, her welcoming nature and the environment that she has created at SEAJ. The work of community building is not just an added bonus on the route to advocacy, but a crucial step. In her view,
activism without community loses its power. “If you are only doing [activism] through your career, then you lose something important,” said Chandra Sekharan. “You have to show up as a person, as a community member.” Instead, Chandra Sekharan plans to pursue a justice-oriented career, and hopes to continue advocating for the climate movement, as well as other movements like labor rights and immigration reform, long into the future. She’s not sure where she will end up, or in what career she will find herself in. What she does know, however, is that with her calendar organizing her schedule and her community providing her support, there’s one thing she’s sure of: “I am going to be a lifelong organizer.”
COURTESY OF TARCHITHAA CHANDRA SEKHARAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Chandra Sekharan swears by Google Calendar as an important time management tool for young activists.
The Fleeting Joy of “Stop Making Sense” By LANDIS HALL
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“Stop Making Sense,” the recently re-released 1984 concert film featuring Talking Heads, is a film all about movement, specifically movement as a liberating force. In the opening moments, frontman David Byrne, unaccompanied by the rest of the band, greets the audience with acoustic guitar in hand. Switching on a boombox, he says he’d like to play a tape, and a tight, pulsing 808 drum begins. Surrendering to the rhythm of the beat, Byrne launches immediately into a jittery performance of the band’s 1977 hit “Psycho Killer,” pulsing and twitching at each successive kick drum in a visual echo of Jean Paul Belmondo at the end of Godard’s “Breathless.” This opening sequence acts as the film’s thesis statement; by surrendering to the beat as Byrne does, we can, for a brief moment, transcend rationality and embrace the purest sense of joy. If the film has the same effect on you as it did on me, you’ll be bouncing up and down in your seat right along with the music. The film is a sensory overload by design, but thankfully it eases you into the madness. After Byrne’s solo rendition of
“Psycho Killer,” he’s joined by his bandmates one-by-one with each successive song. Their visual presentation is sparse and plain. Stark white lighting illuminates the simple black stage, and the band are dressed modestly and without makeup — a sharp contrast to the gaudy excess typically associated with rock music. There’s no hyper
masculine posturing to be found either, and a sense of childlike wonder dominates the images. Already tuned into the band’s playfully eclectic sensibility, director Jonathan Demme captures the show with the giddy delight of a kid in a candy store. The cameras weave, bob, glide and bounce across the stage as energetically as their subjects. Demme and crew
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A24 oversaw the 4K restoration of “Stop Making Sense” in theaters.
are clearly mixing business and pleasure, and it’s their infectious glee that invites the rest of us to join the fun too. The songs featured in the band’s setlist really don’t need any introduction. What’s particularly special about the concert is the way the band takes a list of tracks that could easily be a greatest hits compilation and flips each song on its head. They’re familiar favorites imbued with the feel of a first-time listen. “This Must Be the Place” finds Byrne slow dancing with a floor lamp, an expressive take on the song’s tender warmth. Setlist closer “Crosseyed and Painless” is a carnivalesque madhouse of sound and dance, with the interlocking guitar solos of Byrne and guest musician Alex Weir only adding to the chaos. During “Girlfriend is Better,” Byrne dons his iconic “big suit,” that oversized, baggy garment that has become synonymous with the band’s image. But it’s the small moments occuring throughout that really make this film so endearing: a sweat-drenched, wide-eyed Byrne flips his microphone towards the camera, and percussionist Steve Scales almost bumps into the camera at one point, jokingly sticking his tongue out at us. In
most other concert films, these tidbits would end up on the cutting-room floor so as to not break the so-called illusion. In this one, they’re the heart and soul of the whole experience. Indie distributor A24 oversaw the 4K restoration of the film, and Talking Heads made a rare reunion in order to promote the re-release. The band as shown in the film and the band who promoted the film couldn’t be more opposite. Talking Heads broke up in the early ’90s after Byrne left the group unannounced; drummer Chris Frantz would learn of this days later while reading the paper. The tensions between Byrne and the rest of the band, especially bassist Tina Weymouth, unfortunately persist to this day. The Talking Heads of “Stop Making Sense” are warm and bouncy, but they’re icy and stiff in their recent public appearances. The fact that a group of talented musicians capable of coming together to make such positive music are, in reality, defined by resentment and animosity would seem to discredit the film’s message, but I prefer to take the glass half full perspective. Joy, like all emotions, is fleeting and temporary. So maybe the best thing we can do is let it grab us by the collar and take us away.
CULTURE
Page 12
October 11, 2023
Editor’s Pick | Television
The Value of Complexity and Pace in “Mad Men” By EVAN McMANUS ASST. OPINION EDITOR
A great show is one that stays with you and, for me, that’s “Mad Men.” “Mad Men” is about ad executive Don Draper and his colleagues at Sterling Cooper. The show’s premise may sound simple, but as it develops and you learn more about Don, his family and the employees at Sterling Cooper, it morphs into a complex examination of
the human condition. Unlike many shows that seem to try to escape the complexities of life, “Mad Men” embraces them. The heart of “Mad Men” is its characters. Don Draper has a place among the great characters in television history. Don never wants to let anyone in. He constantly wavers from being confident and brash when making some of the best ads of the 1960s to having a self-destructive behavior that leads him to drive
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“Mad Men” is full of complicated characters and developed settings.
his loved ones away. The distance he has is because of the many secrets about his identity that the audience gradually becomes aware of throughout the show. Another great character is Peggy Olson. She starts the show as a quiet, young receptionist from a Catholic household in working-class New York. As the show progresses, she realizes she is skilled in advertising and becomes Don’s protege. She grows from being soft-spoken to outspoken and, by the end of the show, is the copy chief of the ad firm. The final character I’ll mention is Roger Sterling. He is an aging partner at the firm whose better years are behind him. He is my favorite because his quick wit always makes me laugh and gives the show much more humor than you would expect in a drama. There are so many other characters in the show, like Joan Harris, Pete Campbell, Betty Draper and Sally Draper, just to name a few. Instead of feeling like one-dimensional characters from a soap opera, all of them are written as complicated people trying to find their own form of happiness. The show does not have explicit heroes or villains, with many characters doing terrible things throughout the show. Yet, the show does not tell the audience what to think about these characters and instead allows them to decide. Another crucial aspect of the
show is its setting in the 1960s. The ’60s were a dramatic time of change for our nation, which is a fact well reflected in the show. In the first episode’s opening scene, which takes place in 1960, Don sits in a bar while oldschool ’50s music is playing. By the time the show enters its final season, which is set in 1969, its music changes to the Beatles and other popular bands of the time. The character’s taste in clothing also evolves from being more conservative at the start of the show to becoming more loose and liberated once the “swinging ’60s” have fully arrived. “Mad Men” also incorporates major historical events of the decade, like the assassination of JFK, the Vietnam War and the moon landing, by showing the audience the impact of those events on the character’s lives. Finally, the show reflects how women’s roles in workplaces changed with second-wave feminism by showing the evolution of Peggy and Joan. At the show’s start, Sterling Cooper is in a workplace full of sexism, which both characters have to navigate even when they get promoted to higher roles at the company. With the show being set in a period of great change, it allows the writers to show how these characters adapted or resisted the inevitable change that the ’60s brought. The show’s creator, Matthew Weiner, is quoted as saying that
an episode of “Mad Men” was not about what happened but how it happened. That thought perfectly encapsulates a reason why the show works so well for me. Instead of each episode being plot-heavy with life-and-death stakes, most are simply about the day-to-day lives of each character. Some may think that it makes the show boring, but not to me. The show’s slow pace allows it to feel more like the drama within our own lives. Life for most of us will probably not be like the fast-paced drama of “Breaking Bad.” For most of us, the drama of our lives could be feeling undervalued in a job like Peggy did at Sterling Cooper, or isolated from others like Don does throughout the show. Like the show’s characters, there will be periods of time when we may feel uncomfortable with ourselves and struggle to find what gives our lives purpose and happiness. The show’s focus on its characters and the deep themes they struggle with have impacted how I view life. The show reflects how life can be dramatic, funny, sad, joyful, sometimes meaningless or even purposeful. The sensitivity and empathy the show has for its characters has challenged me to be less judgemental of others. No one is simple. Just like the characters of “Mad Men,” the more you get to know someone, the more complicated and human they become.
Wave Hill: A Hidden Oasis in Riverdale By RORY DONAHUE SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Tucked away in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx lies a 28-acre estate named Wave Hill, consisting of public gardens, a cultural center and expansive views of the Hudson River. Over a century ago, the property was developed by William Lewis Morris, who named the estate Wave Hill. The land was occupied over the years by famous figures such as Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt. It was designated a city landmark in 1966 and was intended to be enjoyed as a public garden for all New Yorkers. In 2013, they completed a $9.8 million renovation to restore the estate. Riverdale is a residential neighborhood of the Bronx, best known for its green space and quiet, secluded nature. Wave Hill is located by the water, about a 10-minute drive from downtown Riverdale. The best way for Fordham Rose Hill students to travel here would be by driving (about 15 minutes), bus (40 minutes) or you could take the Metro North to Harlem and transfer to the Hudson line. I decided to call an Uber, which took about 15 minutes, for my visit on this warm, sunny October day. Admission costs $6 for students or you can go on Thursdays for free, as I
decided to do. Upon entry into the gardens, I was in awe of the beautiful setting and picturesque views of New York. I observed the peaceful nature of people as I wandered into the gardens, and I could not believe I was in the Bronx; it felt like I had been transported to a peaceful oasis in Europe. I took in a stunning view of the Hudson River and New Jersey Palisades along an ivy and plant-filled terrace. The grounds are filled with different historical buildings, each having its own unique architectural design. My favorite building was Glyndor Gallery, which was home to the art from the exhibit “Light from Water” by Heidi Howard and Esteban Cabeza de Baca along with Liz Phillips. The work was inspired by the water and vegetation of Wave Hill. All of these artists currently reside in New York and collaborated on portraits, self-portraits and installations. I suggest exploring all of the grounds and taking in all of the elements of the garden. If you are hungry, I recommend checking out their beautiful cafe and terrace, featuring locally sourced cuisine and freshly baked goods. They also have an array of chairs and tables overlooking the river, perfect for an afternoon study session or just spending time with friends.
As someone who loves to explore different parks and gardens, Wave Hill offers not only a stunning green space but also captivating arts and historical
centers. It’s unique to other gardens in New York City with its historical, environmental and artistic significance. Over the next few weeks, with the fall leaves
changing color, I imagine the garden will become even more vibrant. Explore the quiet charm of Wave Hill as a destination for your next fall outdoor excursion.
COURTESY OF RORY DONAHUE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Wave Hill, a picturesque oasis in the heart of Riverdale, offers historical centers and stunning artwork.
CULTURE
October 11, 2023
Page 13
College Cuisine | Spinach-Artichoke Pasta
Discovering The Virtues of Big Batch Cooking By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR
While we’re about halfway through the semester, I’ve been stumped trying to feed myself. It’s the same struggle that college students experience throughout campus, regardless of school or year. With classes, clubs, jobs, internships and the human needs to exercise, socialize and sleep, there’s little time left for food prep. Of course, eating healthy, nutritious food is essential for ensuring that we’re at our best for all of the demands of the day. And, in college, there’s a lot. So, recently I’ve been exploring meals that are hearty, filling, tasty and — most importantly — make big, heaping batches of leftovers. I’ve discovered pearl couscous with feta, which I’ve scheduled for the weekend’s big bake, a couple casseroles and the dish I’ll be discussing here: baked spinach-artichoke pasta. Advertised as being for lovers of spinach-artichoke dip, the dish combines the two greens in a creamy sauce flavored with garlic, red pepper and parmesan. Topped with mozzarella and baked in the oven, it’s a filling, fragrant meal, perfect for fall. In addition, it also freezes well, making it a great dish to prepare ahead, freeze and bake on a busy night. The recipe I’ll be making comes from the New York Times Cooking website, which does, unfortunately, have a paywall, but Food Network has a similar recipe. The only difference between the two is that NYT Cooking swaps Food Network’s cream cheese for heavy cream
and forgoes the 3/4 cup of leftover pasta water. First off, the cost of the dish. The recipe calls for pasta, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, baby spinach, artichoke hearts, heavy cream, parmesan, black pepper and mozzarella. It’s a long list. Fortunately, I already had olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper and parmesan as some of my pantry staples. The rest I got from Trader Joe’s and Cherry Valley. The pasta was $0.99, the spinach $4.99, the artichoke hearts were $2.49, the mozzarella was $3.50 and the heavy cream was $10. The spinach was organic, so it was priced higher than plenty of other varieties at the store. Similarly, I splurged on the heavy cream because it was from Horizon, a company that I trust more than other dairy brands. There were also other varieties of heavy cream that were a dollar or two cheaper. All in all, the total cost came to $21.97, which, when divided into four portions, comes to $5.49. For a hearty helping of pasta, cheese and packed with nutrients, I would say that’s not too bad. Also, I did not use all of the mozzarella, so I’ll be able to incorporate that into meals in the future. The recipe itself is pretty straight forward. Before anything else, you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, you boil pasta in a pot of water. That’s fairly simple, and if you’re confused, there’s often directions on the packaging. The more involved part is the sauce that the pasta will be baking in. First, you heat up the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes
in a pan. Once the mixture is fragrant, you add the spinach, cooking it until it wilts, then the artichoke hearts. After a minute or two, add the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add in a cup of grated parmesan. When the parmesan has melted, take the mixture off of the heat and add in the pasta. Fold the pasta into the sauce, making sure to mix the chunks of artichoke hearts and spinach evenly throughout. Finally, sprinkle mozzarella on top, and stick the whole concoction into the oven for twenty minutes — or until the mozzarella has browned. Let it cool, and then serve! As I mentioned before, a terrific facet of this recipe is that it can be frozen and baked later. After folding the pasta into the sauce, place the mixture into the freezer. When you want to bake it, simply take it out of the freezer, let it thaw, then sprinkle the mozzarella on top. It’ll taste just as delicious as if you prepared all of the ingredients that day. I love this recipe. I’ve loved it since my mom made it a few years ago, desperate for a delicious dish that she could make in large quantities. Even though I don’t particularly like artichokes, this is a delicious, fragrant dish that’s relatively simple to make. While this batch will sit in my fridge and wait for me, I plan on making it for friends in the future. It’s easy, it’s nutritious, it’s tasty and it’s affordable. Buying groceries is expensive. With grocery costs continuing to increase due to inflation (and, in some cases, price gouging),
it becomes harder and harder to live within the scant means of a college student and create meals that nourish the entirety of you — your mind, body and soul. My grocery store bills have made me nervous, and make me wonder whether or
not I should just succumb to a diet of rice and beans. But, while I might eat rice and beans more frequently, I’m going to occasionally splurge on a bushel of spinach and a pint of heavy cream. Difficulty rating: Walsh Hall.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Cooking dishes in large quantities can make eating well easier.
CULTURE
Page 14
October 11, 2023
Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” Plays By The Rules...Mostly By LAUREN LOMBARDI ASST. CULTURE EDITOR
There’s only so far one can run before the weight of themselves catches them. In the case of Bradley Cooper’s sophomore directorial feature, “Maestro,” the person in question is Leonard Bernstein (played by Cooper), and his problems range from the effects of fame to confronting his sexuality head-on. In order to run from the things that consume him, Bernstein unforgivingly throws himself into his music. On Oct. 2, the North American premiere of “Maestro,” at the New York Film Festival (NYFF), was held in David Geffen Hall: a concert hall part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex and the home of the New York Philharmonic. It’s no coincidence that the film’s subject served as a music director here and was named Laureate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic during his lifetime. Seeing “Maestro” in the second home of its subject, enunciated by two of Bernstein’s children sharing words of excitement before the movie, was a great move by NYFF. The setting added an extra note of sentimentality and made the film resonate more than it would have otherwise. The two-part structure of “Maestro” is unbearably clearcut. While the 20s of Bernstein’s life and the early stages of his
relationship with his wife, Felicia (Carey Mulligan), are in black and white, the life of the aged Bernstein, who has marital and interpersonal problems, is displayed in color. Though distinct in look, the difference in color grading feels like a mostly surfacelevel add-on. In the blackand-white portion, Bernstein was allowed the luxury to be his fluid self, both socially and sexually, had not yet faced the critique that comes with celebrity and was praised as the “first great American conductor,” a scene set in the opening of the film, when our protagonist awakens next to a man, leaps out of bed and conducts an orchestra of dreams. Bernstein looks back on this time in a black and white frame: it’s simple, it’s ideal, it’s before. In the start of the second half of the film, problems start to arise for old “Lenny.” We’re shown, in warm hues of color, an aged Bernstein leaving his wife and kids in the corner of their own home to kiss a young man upstairs. Suddenly, everything is complicated by the intertwined elements of his life, and the tone is set for the rest of the film: Bernstein is torn between exercising his desires, and honoring what he feels his family needs from him. The two-act structure makes sense, but it doesn’t add anything particularly groundbreaking to the biopic. The audience
would have understood the stark difference in our protagonist without Cooper’s impulse to toy around with black-andwhite cinematography because of the simple, linear style of storytelling. Bernstein is free as a young person, but problems soon arise; isn’t that how it always goes? But I have to say, if not anything else, the first portion was goofy. The crowd got a kick out of every line Cooper wanted them to. Possibly the only aspect of the film in which “Maestro” soars above other biopics is how it allows the audience to truly gauge its subject’s love for his craft. It’s not a story we’re told in structures that conveys this, it’s the interspersed scenes of Cooper conducting, with sweat dripping
down his forehead and a smile on his face; Bernstein’s love for his craft is infectious. In a scene following a blowout fight between Bernstein and Felicia, she watches him conduct a performance and runs crying into his arms, saying, “You have no hate in your heart.” It’s his passion for music that motivates everything in his life, not just his career, but it’s a reason why Felicia doesn’t end their life together and, as he tells interviewers throughout the film, it’s why he doesn’t end it all. It’s not just noise emitted due to the movements of his hands, the weight of music is Bernstein’s entire reason for being. Cooper translated this element of the subject’s life the best, as both the actor and director.
Not only was it translated well emotionally, but in David Geffen Hall a Dolby Vision projection system and Dolby Atmos sound system had been installed (we were told this had only been finished 36 hours prior to the screening). Hearing the projection of the music during the conducting scenes added to the experience tenfold. It’s one thing to be told you’re watching a portrayal of a musical genius, it’s another to actually hear his music crystal clear. “Maestro” is good enough, but on the heels of “A Star is Born,” it’s not Cooper’s best film. It’s not even his best film about a musician in an emotionally exhaustive relationship. However, it is his best film that dedicates a scene to Snoopy (count: one).
COURTESY OF TWITTER
Cooper’s newest film captures the obsessive love of an artist, but fails to capture audiences’ hearts.
A Visit to the Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery By GRACE McCARRON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As college students in New York City, we are incredibly fortunate to have easy access to some of the best art museums in the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. However, lesser-known galleries that are scattered across the city should not be overlooked as destinations for the art fan. I had the chance to visit the Throckmorton Fine Art gallery in midtown Manhattan one weekend to view their “From Land to Air, a Trail of Life Experience” exhibit. The exhibit places a special focus on capturing “different latitudes and visions of Latin America,” and exclusively features women photographers from countries including Mexico, Cuba and Argentina. The gallery can be found on the third floor of an office building on 57th Street and Lexington Avenue, not far from the south entrance to Central Park. The second exhibition in this space, the “Trail of Life Experience” exhibit, is a continuation of the 2015 show “Women Pioneers,” which had a similar concept of featuring work by notable Latin American photographers of the 20th century.
When I visited the gallery, I found it to be a very enriching experience. I was greeted by very kind workers who were happy to show me around, but also leave me to observe the works for myself. The gallery is a small space, allowing for a quick trip while still seeing everything. I spent about 30 to 45 minutes there and was able to view each piece several times. Each piece was numbered, and I was given a guide with images of each work along with the photographer, date and pricing. When I looked for more information about the photographers after my visit, I appreciated how even with how different each of their careers are, this gallery was able to bring their works together into one space. Betina Zolkower, an Argentinian photographer, had many works featured in the exhibit. She is a mathematician alongside her work as a photographer, and is known best for her photographs of New York City, where she currently lives, and Buenos Aires, her hometown. Isabel Muñoz of Spain enjoys photographing dance, and works were chosen for the Throckmorton exhibit from two of her series on Latin American dance. Margo Davis was born in the United States, but much of her career has
consisted of traveling throughout Latin America to capture “the essence of the people.” I felt as though the exhibition showed examples of many different photographic subjects, which enhances the appeal of the exhibition to more people as a whole. Overall, I really enjoyed the artworks displayed in this small space, which included many photographs as part of the exhibit, alongside some sculptures hidden away in corners. One piece that especially stood out to me was a Laura Gilpin photograph of Chichén Itzá, an instantly recognizable site in Mexico. The photograph was very small and situated on a white backdrop, making it critical for the viewer to lean in and observe finer details about the structure rather than just glancing at it. Another aspect of the gallery I enjoyed was a Zolkower photograph titled “Social Distance” from 2018, which depicts two dark figures in the windows on different floors of a building. I got an ominous feeling from the title, knowing that social distancing would become such a widespread term only a couple of years later with the spread of COVID-19. Finally, a top choice for my favorite part of the exhibit was a table with photos of Frida Kahlo, which
when turned around revealed a Kahlo work on the back. Visitors cannot photograph this part of the exhibit, but I really enjoyed the homage to Kahlo’s career. Unfortunately, this exhibit closes Oct. 7, but I am so thankful I got
the chance to visit this gallery and hope they open up a new exhibit in the near future. The visit served as a reminder not to forget smaller art galleries as gems across the city for a quick dose of art.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Visiting smaller galleries can introduce many to fascinating exhibits.
CULTURE
October 4, 2023
Page 15
The Mimes & Mummers Classified as “Legally Blonde” By SOPHIA SEMPER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This past weekend, the Mimes and Mummers put on a phenomenal production of the 2007 Broadway musical “Legally Blonde.” Based on Amanda Brown’s novel of the same name and the 2001 movie, this musical adaptation is centered around a Malibu sorority “it” girl, as she attends Harvard Law School and is transformed along the way. Prior to the opening night of the show, I met with Kaitlin Davis, the director, and James Stryska, the music director, to discuss the musical. When I asked Stryska why they wanted to be a part of the Mimes and Mummers’ production, they said, “I really love the show; I love what it stands for, the music is so fun and I think it’s brilliantly composed. And it’s just a lot of fun to do. I have been obsessed with the show ever since high school, and I have not gotten sick of it.” For Davis, this production hit close to home, as she herself is a Fordham alumna and was a part of Mimes and Mummers during her time here. Davis explained, “For me, this is a story about looking beyond somebody’s external characteristics and discovering who they really are and doing it in a fun, pink kind of way.” Davis spoke about how she is excited for the audience
to see how incredibly talented every cast member is, and to enjoy the show as much as they enjoyed making it. On Thursday’s opening night performance, the Collins Theater was buzzing with anticipation as students and families gathered in the auditorium. The excitement was almost palpable as the lights dimmed, the band played the overture and the curtains began to open. There were a multitude of performances and actors that stuck out to me as I watched the musical. The leading actress, Christina Priestner, FCRH ’26, was the perfect pick for Elle Woods; she was able to perfectly display the bubbly and intelligent personality of her character while also performing intricate dance numbers and singing flawlessly. My favorite performance of hers was “Find My Way,” the finale; after almost two hours of performing and barely any time to rest, she ended the show with a perfect performance that highlighted her incredible vocal range. Nicky D’Abundo, FCRH ’26, who played Emmett, Elle’s love interest and Professor Callahan’s assistant, also showed off his great vocals and acting skills, with my favorite performance of his being “Chip on Your Shoulder.” My personal favorite characters were Paulette, Elle’s supportive best friend who was played by MaryKate Logler,
FCRH ’26, and Kyle, the delivery man, played by Dylan Ayer, FCRH ’25. Both of their comedic timings were perfect, and they made for a very funny viewing experience. Paulette’s comedic performance of her two songs, “Ireland” and “Bend and Snap,” both showcased Logler’s amazing vocals and her incredible acting skills, as both songs were comical and garnered laughs from the audience. While I thoroughly enjoyed every musical number, my favorite songs and performances were “Whipped Into Shape” and “There! Right There!”.“Whipped Into Shape” was performed by Katie Scott, FCRH ’26, who played the defendant, Brooke, and was set in a prison as Brooke and other convicts danced around and used jump ropes. This musical number was, in my opinion, the most impressive, as Scott and the rest of the ensemble had to perform complex dance moves and jumps while singing throughout the entirety of the song. “There! Right There!” was, by far, the funniest number in the musical. As the defendant’s team tries to find evidence to prove Brooke’s freedom, they sing a song in an attempt to debunk the prosecution’s witness by showing that he is gay and, therefore, could not have been having an affair with the defendant, as the prosecution had claimed. The cast then sings this number as they try
to determine whether the witness is gay… or European. The comedic timing in this performance was perfect, and it received many laughs from the audience. The overall performance of the musical was exceptional; however, they did seem to have a few issues with the microphones the day that I watched the show. At some points
throughout the performance, the microphones would get feedback and muffle the voices of the actors and, at times, the music from the band overpowered the cast’s voices as well. Other than those minor issues, the show was great. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it very much, and I will definitely be going back for more of their productions!
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
The Mimes & Mummers performed “Legally Blonde” on Oct. 5-8.
“Only Murders in the Building” Season 3 Kills the Fun By MICHAEL SLUCK PRODUCTION EDITOR
There are two central reasons that people tune in to watch the Hulu hit “Only Murders in the Building.” First, like any great whodunit, you watch for the mystery. Second, you watch for the hilarious interactions between the show’s main leads, which has garnered critical and audience praise over the show’s run. So why does season three of “Only Murders” have so little of both? “Only Murders in the Building” season three returns with more homicidal shenanigans centered around Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) as they try to solve the mystery of the murder of leading man Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd). With a host of suspects, each with more motive than the last, the trio attempts to figure out who did it, all while dealing with a host of their own problems. After last season’s lackluster showing, the beginning of season three provided some hope that the show would remedy some of the issues of the past season. And while season three has a strong opening, the middle section of the show becomes almost dull, nothing more than a waiting act for the climatic reveal.
There are some bright spots in the show. Both Rudd and Meryl Streep (who plays aspiring actress Loretta Durkin) bring their signature talent and charms to their roles. Following season two’s rather unsatisfying murder reveal, the ending of season three feels much more earned, and it’s a much more entertaining result. The comedy, when it’s there, is still funny. And despite how distracted some of the episodes feel, there is a desire to come
back every week, if only to finally see whodunit. Unfortunately, rather than focusing on the mystery, “Only Murders” tries to fill up its time with half a dozen B-plots that go nowhere, and have little to no emotional impact on the viewer. From romantic interests for each of the three leads (each less interesting than the last), to Oliver’s health problems, to Mabel’s housing situation, to Charles’ stage fright, to the trials and tribulations of half
a dozen supporting characters, almost every episode is at least half-filled with fluff that does nothing to advance the central plot. Even the comedy seems to take a backseat this season, instead focusing on dramatic moments that I can only assume are supposed to be compelling, but instead provoke little emotional response at all. Once again, the length of the show makes it challenging to make a compelling murder mystery. By this point in the show,
COURTESY OF TWITTER
Season three of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” furthers the flaws that plagued it in season two.
seasoned fans are well aware the murderer won’t be revealed until the finale. Therefore, any character that is suspected before episode 10 is almost certainly innocent. One feels that this entire show might work better as a two-hour movie that keeps the viewer rooted to their seat, rather than 10 episodes of sitting around waiting for the murderer to be revealed. Most unfortunate is the decision to split up the central trio of the show — the characters spend most of the episodes apart from one another, either chasing down clues themselves or (more frequently) dealing with their own personal problems. Considering one of the main draws of “Only Murders” was the dynamic between the three protagonists, choosing to separate them for much of the season is a baffling decision. I loved the first season of “Only Murders,” I was disappointed by the second, and I had high hopes for the third. But while “Only Murders” is still entertaining, the overwhelming focus on the non-mystery aspects of the characters’ lives makes the show feel sluggish. Many of the problems I recorded in my review of season two have only gotten worse in season three, and as the show continues, the biggest mystery is why we’re still watching.
SPORTS
Page 16
October 11, 2023
#17 Water Polo Wins Home Opener
Fordham Volleyball Gets Back On Track in Conference Play By BRETT TULIP STAFF WRITER
By LOU ORLANDO
Since last week, the Fordham volleyball team has competed in three hard-fought Atlantic 10 matches, all against other schools who also go by the Rams. The first was a successful 3-0 victory against the University of Rhode Island. The second and third were a pair of matches against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), in which they split 1-1. Starting at home last Wednesday, the team looked to bounce back against Rhode Island after a deflating set of losses against a ranked Dayton squad. They managed to do just that and came firing out of the gate with a 25-19 victory in the first set. The set was closed by two clutch kills by sophomore Audrey Brown, who ended with 12 on the day. In the second set, Fordham remained in control and won in a solid 25-20 victory. Lastly, they wrapped up their 25-19 victory in the third set with an 8-1 scoring streak to send Rhode Island home and complete the shutout. Aside from Brown, standouts included graduate student Nailah Jenkins and senior Whitley Moody with seven kills. On Saturday, the team traveled to Virginia to take on VCU. Fordham won the first set 25-21 thanks to their stellar 14-2 run at the start of the match. VCU was
able to sneak back in the first, but would fall short. Unfortunately, the team lost the second set in an intense back-and forth where VCU would win in an extra-long 31-29 victory. After this, Fordham had seemingly run out of gas. They lost the third 25-21, and were crushed in the fourth set with a 25-11 loss. Moody led with 17 kills, yet it was not enough. However, Fordham came back ready to play the next day and on Sunday they took down VCU 3-1. It began with a three point victory in the first, followed by a seven point victory in set two. Their only loss on the day was in set three where they were unable to close it out and lost 25-18. They stepped up when they needed to, and won the fourth set 25-22 partially thanks to sophomore Zoe Talabong. Not only did she have a phenomenal day with 17 kills and 15 digs, but she scored the gamewinning kill to bring the Rams up to 3-4 in conference play. Their next matchup will come against the Saint Louis University Billikens this Friday. Saint Louis stands at a middling 9-10 overall and 2-5 in conference play, but it still remains to be seen if the Rams will play up to their standards to bring the team back to .500 in Atlantic 10 play.
Athletes of the Week As one of three Rams to qualify for the ITA Super Regionals, the graduate student shined in the singles competition, winning all of her matches. Alhach started off her day in the round of 64, defeating Mia Palladino from Stony Brook University (6-2, 6-4). She then went on to defeat Isabella Chhiv from Princeton University (6-0, 6-4) and Marianthi Christoforidou from Temple University (6-2, 7-5).
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
It took more than a month for Fordham Water Polo to play in front of their home fans, but the Rams made it worth the wait for their excited crowd, defeating the Wagner College Seahawks 17-11. Thirty-two days separated the Rams’ season opener on Sept. 2 from their 2023 debut in the Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center on Oct. 4, snapping a lengthy stretch of 14 road games to start the season. For Fordham fans, seeing their Rams at home should bring back fond memories. Flashing back to November of 2022, when Fordham hosted the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) tournament and swept it in dominant fashion. The championship clincher, a 14-7 win over Bucknell University, saw the Rams celebrate their second straight conference title in front of a jam packed home pool. “Every time I think about it, I still get a smile on my face,” said head coach Brian Bacharach. It was a special moment for Bacharach and associate head coach Bill Harris, celebrating the title by leaping into the pool to celebrate with the team. “We both commented on how special it was to be sitting there and just hear the reverberation amongst that pool and those walls. It was just electric.” Eleven months removed from that memorable victory, the #17 Fordham Rams returned to the Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center, set to take on Wagner in their eighth straight MAWPC contest. Fordham and Wagner had already crossed paths this season, with the Rams triumphing 14-5 in a defensive masterclass that saw them hold the Seahawks scoreless for nearly two and a
AWAY
Graduate Student Women’s Tennis On Homecoming, leading the team was none other than senior Brandon Peskin, who kicked in the winning field goal to edge Lehigh University, 38-35. Peskin was good on all three field goals. The 45-yard winning field goal was a career long for Peskin. He was also named FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 6 college football games ending Saturday, as well as Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week. On the year, Peskin is 9-for-10 on field goals.
Brandon Peskin Senior Football
half quarters. Fordham would hope for a repeat effort, seeking to win their home opener and maintain a perfect record in conference play. The Rams started off strong, grabbing a 5-2 lead after one behind a first quarter hat trick from junior George Papanikolaou, accompanied by markers from juniors Luca Silvestri and Lucas Nieto Jasny. The lead would increase 10-3 by halftime with Silvestri and senior Christos Loupakis adding two apiece. After a game and a half of getting stymied by the Fordham defense, Wagner would finally break through, netting seven goals in the second half. It wasn’t nearly enough to catch up to the Rams however, as Fordham tallied five in the third and two in the fourth to secure a 17-11 win. Papanikolaou and Silvestri, the team leaders in points and goals respectively, each posted
Wednesday Oct. 11
Thursday Oct. 12
five goals in the affair, leading Fordham to their first home win of the 2023 season. Sophomore Balazs Berenyi notched a hat trick as well while junior goalkeeper Riccardo Di Giuseppe posted five saves and an assist. With the win, Fordham extends their winning streak to eight games, improving to 12-3 on the season and a perfect 8-0 in MAWPC play. After 14 straight road games to start the season, the Rams will host six of their remaining 14 games prior to the MAWPC tournament, hosted by Bucknell this year. Two of those home games will come next weekend as the Rams host a Saturday doubleheader against the United States Naval Academy and Gannon University. #19 Navy will look to even the season series after a 12-9 defeat just two weeks earlier while Gannon marks the start of seven straight non-conference games.
Monday Oct. 16
Tuesday Oct. 17
7 p.m. St. Joseph’s
7 p.m.
1 p.m. Massachusetts 1 p.m. Stony Brook
Football
3:30 p.m.
Men’s Swim and Dive
Manhattan
Women’s Swim and Dive
Manhattan
Golf
Sunday Oct. 15
La Salle
Men’s Soccer
Water Polo
Saturday Oct. 14
St. Louis
Volleyball Women’s Soccer
Friday Oct. 13 IC4A Championship 10:45 a.m. ECAC Championship 10:45 a.m.
Men’s Cross Country Women’s Cross Country
Rowing Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”
The highly-anticipated home opener for the Rams was a success.
Varsity Calendar HOME
Raffaela Alhach
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
6 p.m.
6 p.m. Sacred Heart TBA Navy / Gannon 11 a.m./ 1:45 p.m.
SHU Fall Classic
SPORTS
October 11, 2023
Cross Country Yields Incomplete Showing at Metropolitan Championship By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER
Fordham Cross Country competed at the 2023 Metropolitan Championship in Newark, N.J. this past weekend. The women’s side finished fourth in a field of 10 teams, and while the men’s unit did not have enough runners to earn a team score, there were a few individual standouts who performed respectably. St. John’s University won the women’s team circuit, and Hofstra University graduate student Jordyn McDonnell took home the individual crown with a speedy time of 17:09.48. Fordham’s women were led by senior Marin Bogulski. The Orchard Park native took home 16th place in a field of 82 runners with a final time of 18:36.03. Seniors Clodagh McGroary and Maddy Kopec were the next Rams to complete the 6K. McGroary finished 23rd in 19:06.91, while Kopec placed 24th with a time of 19:07.57. Freshmen Sarah Zahaykevich and Meredith Gotzman rounded out the scoring group and were not far behind. They finished 27th and 30th with times of 19:11.70 and 19:18.97 respectively. There were also a flurry of
other runners who competed for the Rams. Sophomore Quincy Biddle took home 34th in 19:27.18. Freshman Cate Roche finished 36th with a mark of 19:29.37. Junior Madeleine Ryan was 43rd with a time of 19:42.12. Freshman Brenna Sears placed 46th in 19:47.78. Freshman Megan McCann was 47th with a time of 19:50.15. Graduate students Alexandra Thomas and Mary Kathryn Underwood were 51st and 54th with final times of 19:56.20 and 20:10.75. Freshman Grace Kenny was the final Fordham runner to cross. She took 61st place in 20:29.16. On the men’s side, Columbia enjoyed a clean sweep. The Lions won the men’s circuit, and sophomore Matt Gatune took home 1st place with a time of 24:43.99. The Rams were led by sophomore Darren Croke. The Bronx product completed the 8K in
26:23.33, good enough for 26th place. Freshman John Corrigan was not far behind. The Ohio native placed 33rd in 26:38.42. Sophomore Nicolas Grabarz and freshman Jake Frayler were the final Rams to finish. Grabarz took home 37th place in 26:43.20, and Frayler was 61st overall in 28:30.07. Additionally, freshman Tadael Mihret started the contest as Fordham’s fifth runner but was not able to finish the course. Fordham was certainly hoping for a more complete showing at this year’s Metropolitan Championship. Both the men’s and women’s teams placed first in their respective fields at last year’s event, and enjoyed strong performances from a mix of runners. Cross Country will hope for a more complete showing on Friday, Oct. 13 when they compete in the ECAC/IC4A Championship at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.
Page 17
Varsity Scores & Stats Football Fordham Lehigh Water Polo Fordham Wagner
38 35
Women’s Soccer Fordham Rhode Island
2 2
17 11
Men’s Soccer Fordham St. Joseph’s
2 1
Fordham Rhode Island
0 1
Fordham Hofstra
? ?
Volleyball Fordham Rhode Island
3 0
Fordham VCU
1 3
Fordham VCU
3 1
Men’s Cross Country Metropolitan Championship DNS (Did Not Score) Women’s Cross Country Metropolitan Championship 4th/10 teams Men’s Tennis ITA Northeast Regionals NTS (No Team Score) Women’s Tennis ITA Northeast Regionals NTS (No Team Score)
–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte
News & Notes Rams Advance to ITA Super Regionals
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Cross Country experienced mixed fortunes at the Metropolitan Championships.
Three Fordham Women’s Tennis players qualified for the ITA Super Regionals after their showing in the ITA Northeastern Regionals this past week. Graduate student Raffaela Alhach (singles) and senior Xiaowei “Rose” Hu and freshman Anlin Xie (doubles) advanced, with their next event now set for Oct. 2022 at Army West Point.
Verstappen Captures Drivers’ Championship in Qatar By ALLIE COPPOLA STAFF WRITER
In a weekend riddled with track issues and tire restrictions, the Qatar Grand Prix saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen clinch his third straight drivers’ championship in the sprint race on Saturday. McLaren continued their streak of dominance with a second straight double-podium after achieving a 1-3 result in the sprint and a 2-3 result in the main race on Sunday. Ferrari had an abysmal weekend, while Mercedes looked strong at the beginning, but were unlucky in the main race. After a string of bad results, Alfa Romeo jumped in the constructors’ standings with a double points finish, landing P8 and P9. With only five races left and two sprint races remaining, the push for second place in the constructors’ standings is heating up. The weekend was a difficult one for the drivers after multiple issues were pointed out with the track and the tire performance. After the first practice and qualifying on Friday, changes were made to the curbs for Saturday due to a dangerous amount of floor damage and tire degradation being reported by the teams. The wind was at a dangerous level on Friday, and the sand on the track made it difficult for drivers to warm their tires to increase their grip. Saturday wasn’t much better in terms of wind, but the presence of sand was reduced and the curb changes proved to be helpful for lap times and overall damage. On
Sunday however, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that teams could not use any of the tire compounds for more than 18 laps at a time, forcing some teams to implement a four-pit-stop strategy during the 57 lap race. This rule benefited drivers like Lando Norris, who realized early on that his team would be able to push the hard and medium compound tires as hard as they could on four different stints and not have to worry about tire degradation. McLaren further proved that they’ve turned their season around with Oscar Piastri claiming the win in the sprint race, which is his best result since entering Formula One this season. The race on Sunday was more of
the same: Piastri finished P2 after exploiting the gap at turn one in the opening lap, and his teammate Norris finished behind him after making up ground past Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. They benefited from the Mercedes cars crashing into each other and losing top positions early on. Piastri is having one of the best rookie seasons in Formula One since the legendary Lewis Hamilton’s rookie season, where he was only a few points short of winning the title. Piastri is down to ninth in the standings because of McLaren’s mediocrity in the first half of the season, but he has a chance to rise in the standings due to those ahead of him that are underperforming. Mercedes drivers Hamilton
and George Russell were the ones that allowed Norris and Piastri to take P2 and P3: in the opening lap, Hamilton turned in on Russell and bumped his tire, which sent Hamilton flying off into the gravel and he was unable to continue. With nowhere to go without crashing into someone else, Russell was frozen between two cars and continued the race with damage. He pitted in that opening lap and ended up P4, which was an incredible result considering how his race was almost ruined. Hamilton later took the blame for the crash, but Russell also said how he wasn’t checking his mirrors while trying to stay wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen through the first turn. This was Russell’s second crash
COURTESY OF TWITTER
Max Verstappen has now won three consecutive drivers’ championships, cementing his dominance of F1 in recent years.
in three races, raising concerns about his awareness on the track. Ferrari’s weekend was one to forget after a string of good races through September. Leclerc qualified P5 for the main race and P6 for the sprint race, while Carlos Sainz qualified P12 for the main race and P5 for the sprint race. While they looked quick in practice, they couldn’t keep the pace up for the rest of the weekend. Sainz only finished P6 in the sprint, and Leclerc picked up a penalty to finish P12 out of the points. Sunday only got worse for Ferrari: just an hour before the race, it was announced that Sainz would not participate in the race due to a fuel system issue in his car, wiping away a projected top10 finish that could push them over the edge to second in the constructors’ standings. Leclerc finished one position up from his qualifying result in P4, capturing 10 points for the team, but Russell nabbed 12 for Mercedes giving them a two-point gain for the weekend. McLaren is also slowly creeping up the standings with two back-to-back 33 point weekends, plus the 14 from the sprint race. The fight for the top spots in the constructors’ standings is coming down to the wire with the remaining five races this season. The world tour of F1 returns in two weeks with the first U.S. race since Miami earlier this season, as the teams flock to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
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SPORTS
October 11, 2023
Overtime: Why Are We Playing Postseason Baseball at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday?
By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The postseason in the MLB is some of the best television you can watch. As we enter the Division series, this year should be no exception, with a crop of fun teams still in play to shake things up. You have the Arizona Diamondbacks making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after a very rough five years. The Baltimore Orioles won the AL East just two years after finishing with the worst record in baseball. The Texas Rangers are back in the dance following a six year playoff drought. That’s on top of powerhouse teams we’re all familiar with like the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros. All this intrigue should translate to eyeballs. But it’s not. The MLB Wild Card series, carried by ESPN and ABC, averaged 2.25 million viewers. That’s not awful, but on average, it’s down 2.8 million from last year’s slate. Granted, each year brings different matchups, some sexier than others, but a nearly 3 million drop in viewership goes deeper than who’s playing who. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred went out of his way to make baseball more appealing to the average viewer this season. Instituting massive changes like a pitch clock that has sped up pace of play across the league exponentially and strict limits on defensive shifting, the league sought more action and in a quicker fashion. The changes
were a resounding success in the regular season. Viewership was up across the board on ESPN and FOX, with FOX reporting a 31% increase during the summer. Social media engagements with MLB on Twitter and Instagram went up 25%. There was even an uptick in fan attendance, with total fan attendance crossing the 70 million threshold for the first time since 2017. Fans seemed to appreciate the quicker games and a style of play that was a bit more reminiscent of the early 2000s. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was a step in the right direction for a sport that’s been on the downward slide when it comes to national attention. Despite all of this genuine progress, the MLB just can’t get out of its own way. The Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins squared off in an American League Wild Card series matchup just one week ago. With neither team boasting much playoff success since the mid ’90s, the series would be a massive triumph for whichever franchise emerged victorious. The Twins ended up sweeping in two games, claiming their first postseason series win since 2002. That’s an amazing moment for a team that hasn’t had any form of playoff success in 21 years — it’s a moment that baseball fans everywhere should have been able to witness. Unfortunately, the series clinching game was played on a
Late Goal Saves Match for Women’s Soccer
Wednesday at 4 p.m. And it’s not the only series to suffer from weekday afternoon treatment. The Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers probably got the worst of it, with both of their Wild Card games being played at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether or not you think the matchups are true needle movers kind of goes out the window in postseason play. These are some of the most important games that will be played all season. Do or die games. Why are we playing these games at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday? No, I’m genuinely asking. I think that 3 p.m. is a wonderful time in general. I love 3 p.m. Easily in my top 12 hours of all time. Tuesday’s not a bad day either. But it’s really not easy for me, or anyone else for that matter, to sit down and watch a playoff baseball game at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. Most people aged 22 or under have school. Most adults have work. Even with how easy streaming is nowadays, people are busy during the afternoon on weekdays. I’m by no means opposed to watching a game on my computer during class or work. I love undermining the establishment. It’s just gonna be way more difficult to give my undivided attention to a game that undoubtedly deserves it. That’s a 3 p.m. start time for East Coast viewers by the way. If you’re on the West Coast, that
By JOE MASTERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Fordham women’s soccer team had a much-needed weeklong break from games after starting off 4-6-3 overall and 2-1-2 in Atlantic 10 play. They continued their stretch of conference play to conclude the season, traveling to play the University of Rhode Island on Sunday. The first half was a defensive battle between the two schools, with limited scoring opportunities. Fordham managed five shots, two of which were on goal, while Rhode Island took six shots, with only one being on goal. However, Fordham did not take their first shot until over 20 minutes into the half and took two within the final minute of the half. The second half was the opposite of a defensive battle between the two sides, with offenses making their mark on the game. The game’s first score came off a Fordham corner kick in the 50th minute. Freshman Lena Johnsen booted the ball into the box, finding graduate student Emily Crocco,
who headed it into the bottom left corner. After several attempts on goal for the equalizer, Rhode Island broke free for the tying score in the 67th minute courtesy of Sam Haggerty. Just 83 seconds later, a foul inside Fordham’s box awarded Rhode Island a penalty. Jordyn Allen converted the attempt to put Rhode Island up 2-1. It looked as if the penalty kick would be the difference in the game and Fordham would be sent back home with their second conference loss. However, with seconds left in the match, junior Fernanda Serna corralled a loose ball, evaded a defender and put it into the back of the net for the game-tying goal with seven seconds to go. The goal was Serna’s first of her career. With their fourth tie of the season, the team goes to 4-6-4 overall and 2-1-3 in conference play. Fordham returns to the pitch this Saturday with another A-10 clash against the La Salle University Explorers in Philadelphia.
with earlier games and limiting potential overlap. I’d like to disagree. I think it’s easier to throw on two games at once than it is to watch a game in the middle of a school/ work day. On most football Sundays, my roommates and I organize a two screen setup to get as much football as possible. It’s great. I’d happily do the same with playoff baseball. Heck, if you want to get archaic, you could just flip in between games during commercials. You still might get more out of it long term. I have admittedly not watched as much postseason baseball as I’ve done in years past. A large part of that was my beloved New York Yankees exterminating any shred of happiness I possessed by late July. The Yankees missing the playoffs has undoubtedly fed into my delightful sarcasm and the occasional screaming fit directed towards my two foster kittens, but it has not diminished my love of watching baseball. Playoff baseball is an absolute delight, and I’m still trying to consume as much of it as possible. It would just be nice if the games were played at night, the way most other professional leagues conduct their postseasons. But for the time being, that appears to be wishful thinking, so I’ll settle for watching the 1-4 New York Giants drive my dear friend Brian Rabacs, GSB ’24, into utter madness.
Fordham Men’s Tennis Battles at ITA Regionals CONTTRIBUTING WRITER
By NOAH HOFFMAN
game is starting promptly at noon. I am, selfishly, very grateful that major sporting events base a lot of their scheduling around east coast viewers. But if 3 p.m. is difficult for myself, an East Coast viewer, what does that mean for a West Coast viewer that just wants to watch some playoff baseball? We’re in the Divisional Series now and it’s still an issue. If you had told me, “Hey the wild card games are gonna get played on weekday afternoons, but that all stops once the DS starts,” I can get behind that. That’s not the case. The Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins are locked in a 1-1 tie in their ALDS matchup at the moment of writing. The series is guaranteed to go two more games with a potential third if necessary. All three would take place on a weekday afternoon. The series will either be decided on Wednesday, a 2 p.m. start, or Friday, a 4 p.m. start. Either way, a team will be advancing to the ALCS while people are hard at work. Those should be some of the most electric baseball games we get all season, and the league is limiting their potential viewership simply by scheduling them on a weekday afternoon. I get the fear of putting games against each other. It’s the playoffs. You want your fans to be able to watch every game. The MLB believes that they’re picking the lesser of two evils by spreading out the slate
The Fordham Rams men’s tennis team hit the road last weekend to New Haven, Conn. to compete at the ITA Regionals at Yale University. In just their second action of the season after taking part in the Fairfield Invitational last month, the Rams secured key victories across both the singles and doubles slates. At the Fairfield Invitational, Fordham were only able to compete in a handful of matches before the competition was canceled due to poor weather. The fireworks started early in New Haven as sophomore John Mascone came from behind against the College of the Holy Cross’s Teddy Callery 3-6, 7-6, 5-1, . Mascone’s win is encouraging as he looks to build off a strong 2022-23 season in which he finished 5-4 in singles action and 3-1 in the fourth singles spot. Coming up just short in his singles match was sophomore Stefan Stojanovic. He battled closely with Zino Varouhas-Poole of Siena College, but ultimately came up short 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The Rams locked down yet another victory on the doubles
courts courtesy of senior Nicholas Kanazirev and sophomore Dhillon Virdee-Oakley, 8-5. After finishing 6-10 in 2021 and 8-12 in 2022, the Fordham Men’s Tennis squad will look to continue to improve as they head into a new season. While official spring season play won’t begin until late January, victories and added experience in the fall will help
build momentum for the long season ahead. The Rams will be back in action from Oct. 21-22 when they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take part in the Marist College Invitational. After that, Fordham will have one final competition in the fall when they host the Fordham Four Invite on Oct. 21-22.
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The ITA Regionals is an important match for the Rams during the season.
SPORTS
October 11, 2023
Page 19
The Cry of the Creatures By NOAH HOFFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
If you’ve ever been to Yankee Stadium, you may know of the many unique aspects the ballpark has to offer. Monument Park, located in center field, is where all the great Yankees are immortalized. The Yankee Museum is where one can see a signed ball of almost every player who donned the pinstripes or the bat that Babe Ruth used to christen the “House that Ruth Built.” One of the more unique parts of the Yankee Stadium experience is “the Bleacher Creatures,” who man Section 203 in the right field bleachers. I had the opportunity to talk to one of the current leaders of the section, Marc Chalpin, or “Marc from the Bleachers,” as he introduced himself to me. Chalpin, who has been sitting in the section since 1999, told me their history “goes back to the 1950s with a man named Ali Ramirez, who used to ring a cowbell here.” Of course, this was before the new Yankee Stadium was constructed in 2009; therefore,
they manned sections 37 and 39 in the old stadium. Although Ramirez passed away in 1996, his legacy lives on in the new stadium in Section 203, with a plaque occupying what would be his seat. The inscription on the plaque reads, “This Seat is Taken In Memory of Ali Ramirez, The Original Bleacher Creature.” Chalpin said the true “Bleacher Creature” identity formed “around 1983,” when “a woman named Tina Lewis started sitting around the section, and the section started to grow and grow and grow with a group of regulars that continued through the ’80s and into the ’90s.” Lewis was instrumental in establishing the infamous “Roll Call,” one of the many Creature traditions in which the section acknowledges every Yankee starter with a series of chants directly after the first pitch. Vinny Milano, also known as “Bald Vinny”, was the previous leader of “The Roll Call,” but after his retirement in 2015, Chalpin took over the duties. He does not take the honor bestowed upon him lightly, saying: “I consider
COURTESY OF TWITTER
Marc Chalpin, a current leader of the group which dates back to the 1950s.
COURTESY OF TWITTER
The Bleacher Creatures, located in right field, are a unique and iconic part of Yankee Stadium lore.
it a very big deal… It’s a legacy that gets passed down through the years, and I guess it’s now my turn.” The player’s acknowledgment of the fan’s chant was always followed with a wave. Custom salutes to a player’s chant did not come until Johnny Damon joined the team in 2006 and recognized the crowd by crouching down and kneeling. Due to this, Chalpin said that has been his favorite salute. Although the “Roll Call” has been a Yankee staple for several years, Chalpin does not credit that to getting the crowd fired up. He said, “It’s not hard to get people to do the Roll Call, plus we have so many regulars they all know what to do whether I’m here or not. The Roll Call will happen.”
Chalpin credits energizing the crowd to Milton Ousland, known as the “The Cowbell Man,” after inheriting the duties from the late Ramirez in 1996. Chalpin said, “When he’s here, he gets the crowd going since the cowbell is a longstanding tradition, even more so than the Roll Call.” Although Section 203 gets visibly rowdy, there are rules to being a “creature.” One of those rules is that you cannot do the wave. Chalpin said, “It’s really not a Yankee thing, we innovate, we don’t imitate… We’re better than the wave, we do our own things and don’t need the wave. It’s un Yankee-like.” If you have been following the 2023 New York Yankees, you would know that it is not the season
they or “the Bleacher Creatures” expected. In any year, Chalpin noted that the section will always be more lively when the team backs them up, and when they don’t win, it’s harder to be as energetic as they are. Even with the disappointing season, he did say, “If you notice, we’re here. It’s been a bad year, but these regulars are still coming, and they haven’t left just because the team isn’t doing well.” He added, “If you can’t handle the bad, then you don’t deserve the good,” acknowledging the resilience and dedication that his troop of fans exhibit. Through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, one thing will remain constant at Yankee Stadium: Section 203, home to “the Bleacher Creatures.”
Nationally Ranked Rams Win, Tie and Lose This Past Week By MADDIE BIMONTE SPORTS EDITOR
Fordham Men’s Soccer suffered their share of wins and losses this past week as they faced three different opponents in Saint Joseph’s University, Rhode Island University and Hofstra University. The 24th NCAA ranked Fordham Rams had their fair share of matches this past week against tough opponents. Their first match of the week came against Saint Joseph’s Hawks at home in the Bronx. The Rams were playing down right away, as in the fourth minute of play, the Hawks’ Luke Johnson got the early lead as a pass from teammate Mikkel Andersen came across the pitch, and Johnson was able to make use of a breakaway chance, burying it in the net past Fordham graduate student goalkeeper Carter Abbott. Graduate student Liam Salmon moved the Rams to a tie with the Hawks as he drew a foul in the penalty box. Taking the kick was graduate student Timo Hummrich during the 14th minute. Going into it, Hummrich was perfect on the season, with three made penalties, and increased to four-for-four in
the penalty situation. Fordham continued to apply pressure, looking for that second goal, as graduate student Kai Greese’s almost goal narrowly avoided the goal as it hit the crossbar, and graduate student Shizu Yohena right before halftime unloaded a shot that just missed out on the back of the net. The second half marked a turning point for the game, as Fordham severely outplayed the Hawks. In the 68th minute, they were rewarded with the advantage as graduate student Sigfus Arnason was able to shake a Saint Joseph’s defender, finding the foot of senior Florian Deletioglu at the top of the box. Deletioglu blasted his shot to the upper-90 of the net, securely winning the game for the Rams, 2-1. The nationally ranked Rams proved their dominance, especially as Saint Joe’s did not register a shot attempt or a corner kick in the second half. But the Rams’ week didn’t stop there as they suffered their first home loss this season to Rhode Island, in a tough 0-1 match. The first half remained quiet on both sides, as neither team could find the back of the net.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
The Rams competed in three challenging games this past week.
That’s not for lack of trying of course, as the Fordham Rams had six shots in the first half. However, in the second half, Brandon Bermingham was the Rhode Island Rams’ savior, collecting a long pass near the top right corner of the box, and then dribbling through a pair of defenders. He beat Abbott’s dive to the left, sending a shot to the back of the net. Fordham had a few more chances, furthered by the fact that Rhode Island had to survive the final 2:30 a man down
because of a scrum in front of the URI goal, in which a red card was issued to Rodrigo De Castro. However, the Rams were not able to lock this one down. The last matchup for the week for the Rams came against #16 ranked Hofstra University. Just five minutes into the game, the Rams got on the board off of a set piece goal started by Yohena. He delivered a corner right to graduate student Louis Lehr, who was positioned at the top of the box. He slotted one into the bottom corner for the 1-0 advantage
for the Rams. From then on, most of the game remained quiet with both sides fairly evenly matched. Hofstra was able to just edge Fordham in terms of shots on goal. Junior Jed Dixon tried to recreate the earlier set piece goal, this time heading it into the goal to have the ball just batted away by the Hofstra goalkeeper. Trouble spelled for the Rams with 33 minutes left in the game as sophomore Daniel D’Ippolito attempted to head down a ball from a cross into the box. In his efforts, the ball ricocheted off of his hand and a penalty kick was issued to the Pride. Eliot Goldthorpe took the kick for Hofstra, burying it to the opposite side of Abbott and evening the score, 1-1. The Rams had a couple big chances late into the game but neither side was able to overcome the tie. Now on the week, the Rams acquired a win, tie and loss and are 6-2-4 on the season. Next the Rams will take on just one match for the week, against the University of Massachusetts on Saturday, as they enter in the last three Atlantic 10 matches of the season.
SPORTS
Page 20
October 11, 2023
Football Tops Lehigh on Last Second Field Goal By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR
After being stunned by Georgetown University on a late touchdown last Saturday, Fordham Football returned to Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field on Homecoming weekend in desperate need of a win. On paper, a matchup with Lehigh University seemed like a game that Fordham should win handily. The Mountain Hawks entered the game at 1-4 on the season and were coming off a 49-7 drubbing at the hands of Monmouth University. But as Fordham learned last week against Georgetown, all Patriot League matchups are tough. Fordham and Lehigh played out a thrilling contest on Saturday, with the Rams winning 38-35 on a last-second field goal by senior Brandon Peskin. The 45-yarder was a career long for Peskin, who was named FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week for his heroics. Fordham again started out slow in this one, falling behind 21-7 midway through the second quarter. Lehigh quarterback Brayten Silbor connected with Dylan McFadden for a 52-yard score on the Mountain Hawks opening drive of the game to push Fordham onto the back foot early. The Rams were able to finish the first half strong, with junior running back Julius Loughridge punching in a three-yard touchdown and Peskin connecting on a 27-yard field goal to make the score 21-17 Lehigh heading into halftime. Loughridge was
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Brandon Peskin was the hero on Saturday as he kicked a game-winning, career-long field goal as time expired.
Fordham’s leading rusher on the day, totaling 170 yards on the ground in addition to two touchdowns. As a team, Fordham posted over 200 yards rushing against the Mountain Hawks defense. Fordham carried their momentum from the end of the first half into the second. Sophomore quarterback CJ Montes connected with graduate student receiver Garrett Cody for a 35-yard gain on the first play of the second half. The drive ended with Fordham near the goal line, and Loughridge punched the ball in from close range to give Fordham their first lead of the day at 24-21. Lehigh did not go away, however. A fumble from freshman running back Jacob Rodriguez followed by a personal foul penalty set Lehigh up in Fordham territory. The Mountain Hawks promptly took advantage of the short field, going back up by four on a three-yard touchdown pass from Silbor to Geoffrey Jamiel. Montes and Fordham immediately responded with a
solid drive of their own, but it stalled on fourth-and-one from the Lehigh 12-yard line. Loughridge took the fourth down carry but was unable to convert, handing the ball right back to Lehigh. They took advantage of their huge defensive stop, marching right back down the field and scoring another touchdown to go up 3524 over the Rams. With 11 minutes to go down by two scores, Fordham were in desperate need of a touchdown. In just five plays, the Rams drove 85 yards to do exactly that. Montes found senior Cole Thornton on a deep ball over the middle of the field for a huge 49-yard gain, which was followed by a 14-yard touchdown from Montes to senior MJ Wright. Fordham converted the two-point conversion as well to make the score 35-32 in favor of Lehigh. The drive took less than three minutes off the clock and was exactly what Fordham needed to get back in the game. Fordham’s defense was able to get off the field with a big
third down stop, handing the ball back to Montes and the offense with five minutes left and a chance to tie or take the lead. They moved the ball into Lehigh territory, but a sack and a failed third down conversion made Fordham settle for a game-tying field goal attempt. Peskin connected from 42 yards, tying the game up at 35 with 1:48 to play. Still with all three timeouts, Lehigh had plenty of time to drive down the field and win the game. Aided by a pass interference call, the Mountain Hawks moved the ball near midfield, but senior defensive back Cameron Blair made a huge play on third down to force a punt. With two timeouts, 52 seconds to play and the ball on their own 11, Fordham’s offense would need to work quickly in order to set up a potential game-winning field goal. A big run from Julius Loughridge and a 22-yard connection from Montes to Cody set Fordham up with a first down on the Lehigh 38-yard line, still outside of Peskin’s range with
only five seconds left. In need of a few more yards, Montes once again hit Cody on an 11-yard curl route down the sideline. Cody got out-ofbounds with just one second left, giving Peskin a chance at a game winning field goal. Lehigh attempted to ice the Fordham kicker by using their final timeout, but Peskin showed no nerves and drilled the 45-yarder to give Fordham the thrilling 38-35 win. Montes finished the game with 382 yards passing and two total touchdowns as Fordham improved to 4-2 on the year and 1-1 in Patriot League play. Fordham simply needed a win against Lehigh, and they performed clutch down the stretch to get their first conference win of the season. Peskin was undoubtedly the hero, though. After the game, Peskin joined head coach Joe Conlin for the post-game press conference. On his game-winning kick, Peskin said, “I actually thought it came off my foot really good. A little bit of wind at the end pushed it to the left, it hit the upright but still went in… It felt good.” “It hit the upright?” Conlin responded. “I didn’t know that.” The kick was Peskin’s first game-winner in both high school and college. Fordham is back in action this weekend on the road against Stony Brook University, a rare non-conference matchup during the heat of Patriot League play. That game is set for a 3:30 PM start on Saturday and can be streamed live on FloFootball or listened to on WFUV 90.7 FM.
Women’s Tennis Competes at ITA Regionals By JONAH RING
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham Women’s Tennis found themselves in the midst of a highstakes tournament this past weekend, having traveled just a bit south to Manhattan in order to participate in the 2023 ITA Division I Women’s Northeast Regional Championship at Columbia University on Oct. 20. This prestigious tournament supposedly features the strongest amongst those athletes who call the Northeast their home, with big-name institutions such as Seton Hall University, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Rutgers University and Princeton University being just a selection of the renowned programs represented. In terms of logistical structure, the playing field of the tournament was absolutely massive, with the singles side being composed of 112 total competitors and the doubles field being composed of 55 total teams. A good portion of this gargantuan field wore maroon, as Fordham had a glut of players qualify for the competition, including four players on the singles side and three duos on the doubles side. Looking first at the singles portion of the tournament,
Fordham’s performance on this side was characterized by some really high highs and some quite low lows. For instance, freshman Anlin Xie simply kept on rolling this past weekend, continuing to dominate her opponents during the infant stages of her young collegiate career. Elaborating on this, she kicked off the weekend with a commanding 6-0, 6-4 victory in the first round, following this up with a much tighter but nonetheless impressive, 6-0, 7-5, [10]-[8] win in an absolute slugfest against UPenn’s Eileen Wang in the second round. However, her strong run would unfortunately come to a close in the third round, as she would fall to Cornell University’s Michelle Ryndin. Likewise finding herself in the win column this past weekend was senior Rose Hu, as she played
herself into the third round on the back of a first round bye and a second round 6-2, 7(7)-6(4) triumph (like Xie, she would sadly go on to lose to her third round opponent). Fordham’s most impressive singles competitor this past weekend, however, was by far graduate student Raffaela Alhach, as she embodied pure domination throughout the three days of matches, using a first round bye and three subsequent straight-set victories to reach the quarterfinals and secure a berth in the ITA Northeast Super Regional Championships on Oct. 20. However, despite these rather successful runs, the Rams’ lowlight of the weekend may have been the disappointing performance of their normally dependable superstar senior Eleni Fasoula, as she shockingly fell in a grueling 6-4, 5-7, [7]-[10]
first round battle against Drexel’s Isabel Cabrerizo for what is certainly her earliest exit in a tournament in a long time. Turning now to the doubles portion of the weekend, the Rams encountered the same sort of varied levels of success that they encountered on the singles side. Starting with the strongest doubles performance, Hu and Xie masterfully played themselves into a Super Regionals spot, using a first round 8-2 victory over a pairing from Wagner College, a second round 8-5 victory over a Hofstra duo, a third round automatic bye due to an injury withdrawal and a 8-5 quarterfinals victory to secure a berth to play on the big stage on Oct. 20. Unfortunately, the extremely strong duo of Alhach and Fasoula could not find this same level of success, as Fasoula’s
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Fordham Women’s Tennis had three players advance to the ITA Super Regionals after strong showings this weekend.
somewhat frustrating weekend only continued on the doubles side of the tournament when her and Alhach saw their doubles’ journey end with a 1-8 thrashing in the third round. Lastly, while Fordham’s third and final doubles pairing featured two players who did not participate in the singles flight, the team of graduate students Demi Jhaveri and Franny Shea still found themselves in the win column after just barely eking out a first round 8(7)-7(3) victory. Unfortunately, like Fasoula and Alhach, they would see their doubles campaign cut short after a single victory, suffering a 3-8 second round defeat to a strong Rutgers duo. Overall, it was a rather successful weekend for the Rams despite some hiccups here and there, as the Rams managed to qualify both a singles player and a doubles pairing for the upcoming Super Regionals. While it remains to be seen whether or not the Rams will actually make noise in these upcoming high-stakes matches, there is something to be said about simply qualifying for them in the first place. This team should truly be proud of what they accomplished this past weekend considering all the questions surrounding the roster during the offseason.