Spring 2023 Issue 11

Student Senate Surveys Scholars

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Managing Editor

On March 20, the phones of most NJIT students rang with a message from the Student Senate Academic Affairs committee. It proposed three measures to improve undergraduate academic life, which were:

627 students responded to the survey, making up around 8% of the undergraduate student body. Each year and college were represented fairly, with remarkable correspondence between the proportions of students from each college represented in the survey and the overall makeup of colleges at NJIT.

Student Senate president Mark Nashed and vice president of administration Mariam Sharobim met with interim provost Dr. Atam Dhawan, interim senior vice provost for academic affairs Dr. Edwin Hou, and vice president of student affairs Dr. Marybeth Boger to discuss these changes after the results of the survey.

Wellness Days

The wellness day initiative was introduced as a way for students to excuse themselves from class for mental health-related reasons or simply for a break if they are feeling overwhelmed. Excused absences generally require a doctor’s note or other documentation sent to the Dean of Students; adding two wellness days would have allowed students to not attend class without such testimonials.

Although the wellness day idea was overwhelmingly favored by respondents, the administrators expressed concerns about disruptions to classroom instruction, saying that the wellness day excuses would be hard to keep track of for 12,000 students. Excused absences are currently handled by the Office of the Dean of Students. However, as the wellness day initiative would be on a much larger scale, with a large percentage of students likely using it if implemented, it would be difficult for the office or individual professors to manage.

Alternatively, the administrators proposed implementing one wellness day for the entire university, during which no classes would be in session. This day would also have optional wellness-related programming on campus for students and faculty. As the academic calendar for the 2023-24 school year has been planned already, this measure would be introduced in Fall 2024 if approved.

Student Feedback on Wellness Days

“Would you benefit from a wellness day?”

Would Benefit

“Yes I definitely would. I am a student athlete here and sometimes I just need a break from class and prac-

tice. Some days I emotionally, mentally, and even physically just can’t handle being in class. Being a college student is hard and sometimes we just need a day to ourselves without the burden of having to go to a class that is at least 80 mins to almost 3 hrs.”

“There are less extreme reasons to need to skip class that are not necessarily covered by the doctor's note policy (i.e. bad menstrual cramps). I think having these parameters in place help a student succeed in classes.”

“Yes I would. Sometimes, when the semester is in full swing, I just need to stay home and work on my assignments. Commuting 50 minutes each way 4 times a week can be pretty draining at times.”

“There have been several times in my academic journey when I became overwhelmed with assignments or my personal life, but felt I could not take a break to rest because of fear that I would fall behind. But by not stopping when I became overwhelmed, I ended up underperforming in courses where I understood the material very well. Having wellness days would have benefited me then.”

“There are days where I am burnt out and it is hard to focus. I basically pull myself to class for attendance only and will often zone out even when I try to focus.”

“I would benefit from a wellness day because I have a lot of responsibilities outside of school that can be hard to constantly balance with classes sometimes. I also take very long public transport commutes everyday that are incredibly exhausting especially for night classes. Stress physically affects my health and it’s resulted in seeking medical attention for the physical toll.”

“Yes, especially with our hectic schedules, a day to either recover our mental health or physical health could be super helpful. I see way too many students on the brink of either exhaustion from having no sleep the night prior or way too many students having to juggle school and work so having these days will really help our physical and mental health which could actually increase work flow.”

Would Not Benefit

“I do not think a wellness day will be beneficial because there will be work and concepts that we will miss by not going to class.”

“No, most professors do not care if you miss class and explain what is going on in an email. In the professional world as long as you explain your circumstances to your manger/boss they tend to help and understand we you need a day of. It is just a part of life that I think is important to learn in college, better than in the workforce.”

“I don't think I would - While the idea of a wellness day is really nice and makes sense, I could see myself taking advantage of it and I'm sure this would be the case for many others. Sometimes you just have to rally and get yourself to class even if you're not feeling the best.”

Adding a Common Hour

The addition of another common hour was slightly more controversial, with most students electing to keep the Friday common hour if another could not be added and around 87% of respondents desiring an additional period. The additional common hour was meant to give students a guaranteed break between classes, allow for attending more activities, and give clubs another time to host meetings.

Do you support the idea of adding two wellness days to the class attendance policy?

If this policy was implemented, would you utilize it?

Graphics by Areej Qamar

1. Adding two wellness days per student, per semester.

2. Adding another common hour to the weekly schedule.

3. Extending the “drop” portion of the week-long class add/drop period.

THE VECTOR About

As the official student newspaper of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, our mission is to inform and entertain our readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the NJIT community, and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members.

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POLICE BLOTTER

04/16/2023

12:59 a.m. Officers were patrolling the area of Lock and New streets and observed a vehicle with its rear passenger window broken. A report was generated.

9:40 a.m. Officers responded to the Campus Center for a call for a non-affiliate who was sleeping in the basement. The individual was strongly advised and escorted out of the building.

04/17/2023

9:59 a.m. Officers responded to the Central King Building on a call of a possible panhandler. Upon searching the building, no one fitting the description given was found. All units were cleared.

2:16 p.m. Officers responded to the area of James and Nesbitt streets on a call of a male possibly exposing himself in public. Upon arrival, officers determined the individual was urinating; the individual was issued a summons for urinating in public.

9:24 p.m. Officers responded to the area of Nuttman and New streets on a call of a vehicle that was broken into. A report was generated for the incident.

10:24 p.m. Officers observed a suspect fleeing in a stolen vehicle. The suspect abandoned the vehicle in the area of 186 West Market St. before fleeing on foot. The vehicle was towed and the owner was notified.

04/18/2023

12:04 p.m. Officers responded to the area of Wickliff Street and 13th Avenue on a call of a vehicle smoking. Upon arrival, the officers discovered it was unoccupied. After running the registration, it was revealed to be stolen from Bayonne; the vehicle was then towed by Dente Bros.

12:10 p.m. An officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Norfolk and New streets. It was revealed that the driver had an open warrant from Irvington; the individual was arrested and

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taken to headquarters for processing.

04/19/2023

2:07 p.m. Officers responded to Warren and Nuttman streets on a call of a minor mulch fire. The fire was put out, and all units were cleared.

04/20/2023

3:40 p.m. An officer conducted a motor vehicle stop in the area of James and Boyden streets. The driver was confirmed to be wanted in Newark. The individual was arrested, processed and transported to the Newark Police Department’s 5th Precinct.

4/21/2023

9:13 a.m. Officers were patrolling the area of Central Avenue and Newark Street. They observed an individual panhandling. The individual was issued a summons for panhandling and sent on their way.

3:25 p.m. An officer was patrolling the area of Norfolk and New streets. The officer observed an individual urinating in public. The individual was issued a warning and sent on their way.

5:14 p.m. An officer was patrolling the area of James and Boyden streets and observed a vehicle with its rear passenger window broken into. A report was generated.

5:51 p.m. Officers were patrolling the area of Newark and New streets. Officers observed two individuals exiting the jail on Newark Street. After record-checking the two individuals, it was revealed that they both had open warrants. Both were arrested, taken to headquarters, and processed.

8:10 p.m. An officer responded to the area of James and Summit streets on a call of a stolen vehicle. The officer took the individual’s statement, and a report was generated.

9:37 p.m. An NJIT student came to headquarters to report becoming a victim of fraud. An officer came to headquarters, took the individual’s statement, and generated a report.

The Vector is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Herman A. Estrin and Roger Hernande

Student Senate Surveys Scholars

continued from page 1

How

Students who were opposed primarily cited scheduling concerns, saying that they would find it difficult to add the necessary classes and that the system of common times for class might be thrown off. The administrators also expressed this concern, saying that an additional common hour would not be compatible with the goal of providing as many courses and course sections as possible. The Student Senate committee for academic affairs requested a heat map of common class and noticed that very few classes are in session on Wednesdays from 4–6 p.m.

As a result, instead of adding a new common hour, the Wednesday common hour will be extended from 2:30–6 p.m. starting in Fall 2023. This will allow clubs to spread out their events and general body meetings, potentially letting students to be involved in more activities. The Senate also suggests Mondays from 4–6 p.m. for events, as fewer than 25% of classes meet during this time.

Student responses expressing concern:

“Personally, I am content with the common hours that we have now and I think adding another one would make it difficult to organize my schedule to be able to take all of the classes I want to take during a given semester.”

“The idea of an extra common hour sounds nice however I feel like it will also decrease the amount of classes available.”

“This idea, in my opinion, is not fully thought through. In terms of scheduling for classes this is a nightmare for the school to deal with. On top of that this would mean that classes that are usually during this time would have to move to a different time and day and potentially cause overlapping classes. This wont help students when they are planning their courses for the following semester and might make more people take summer classes.”

Extending the Drop Portion of the Add-Drop Week

This question accrued somewhat mixed responses, with 61% of students saying that the one-week add/ drop period is too short, and the other 39% disagreeing. However, a vast majority of students supported the idea of the drop period being extended. This initiative was meant to allow students to get a better judgment of their class’s structure and content; while most classes meet twice before students must decide whether to keep the class, night classes meet only once. Additionally, many respondents expressed the concern that some professors do not provide syllabi or course materials within the first week.

Administrators disagreed, saying that the measures would result in disruptions in financial aid packages and cited a pilot that was tried several years ago. Nashed and Sharobim brought up the issue of students enrolled in classes that do not meet during the first week, such as select labs. For these special circumstances, the committee of academic affairs plans to ask if exceptions can be made for students who have not had their first class until after the end of the add/drop week.

NJIT’s Digital Commons is an online database on which students can access previous course syllabi; the humanities department, for example, often posts course syllabi for each section on this website. Nashed and Sharobim requested that the administrators push for other departments to use this database, as being able to access previous syllabi will help students select courses and professors prior to registration.

Student Feedback

Would benefit:

“yes, i’ve had professors fail to provide syllabi, an overview of the course, or even show up during week 1 and i had to go in blind for the rest of the semester. on top of that, syllabus week lectures usually don’t match the tone for the rest of the semester.”

“I would definitely have benefited from this last semester because I didn’t realize until a week and a half

in the course that it was just too difficult for me. I need to get to the core concepts so that extra week to drop would have been helpful instead of just withdrawing.”

“One week is definitely not enough time to judge if a class is worth taking at the time or not. As one week of classes encompasses only 1 day of classes in reality as the other day you go over the syllabus the entire time. To judge the class it’s better to extend it by another week so we get at least 2-3 classes to determine Load of the class and wellness.”

“yes because a week isn't enough to decide whether to switch or keep a class. Especially since the first classes are usually for the syllabus.”

“Sometimes, you need at least 3 classes to gauge whether you and a professor or class work together for you. If it is a 6-9 class on a Monday, you only have ONE class meeting before you HAVE to decide whether to drop this class and add another one. That is extremely unfair to many students.”

Would not benefit:

“Personally, it doesn’t really matter to me because my schedule is pretty set in stone and there are no plans to deviate, however, for others, it might be very useful.”

“I do not think it is necessary to add more time to the add/drop period as it should be a fast decision, rather than drag out.”

“Not really since I’m in the mindset of just having to deal with bad classes.”

Suggestions:

“I would benefit from this extension because one week is not long enough to determine if the class is right for me and how well I could perform. However, I would probably benefit more from the add portion if space fills up in a class that I wanted or suited my schedule better.”

“I do support the extension. However, this is the least out of all 3 initiatives that I think are overall beneficial. An extended week of drop means that there will be gaps in classes and they will not be filled to their capacities. Although that does have its benefits, it’s not really fair for students who wanted to get into those classes, just for others to drop it with no means for those students to get in. I hope this makes sense, but if there was an extension for drop, there should also be an extension for add, or don’t do it at all.”

“Why not extend the add week too? It's not administration's issue whether students are unable to catch up with class or not. Should be student's choice in consultation with professor.”

Do you feel that the add/drop period being only one week long is sufficient for you as a student when finalizing your course schedule for a given semester?

ANURAKTI Enriches NJIT with Indian Culture Showcase

By Yukthi Sangoi | Editor-in-Chief

During the early evening on March 31, Rutgers-Newark and NJIT students gathered in the backstage dressing rooms of the Jim Wise Theatre to adorn themselves with traditional clothing and piercing makeup. Anurakti, defined as “a passion that transcends time,” was the first event hosted by Thillana, NJIT’s first-ever Indian classical dance team.

The showcase featured pieces by KOSHISH, a Raga Jazz group; Rajni Menon, who performed a Kathakali dance; Ehsaas, Rutgers-Newark’s Bollywood fusion dance team; and Thillana, who performed an original dance drama to end the night.

Akshitha Singathi, third-year NJIT computer science major as well as director and founder of Thillana, expressed that “Anurakti is an initiative to make classical dance and music enjoyable to a modern audience while celebrating Indian culture.” The program showcased the power of storytelling through the realm of theatre.

“I remember bringing this idea to the group at the beginning of January; most of the dancers on stage were new to the team at the start of this idea,” she explained. Geetika Padala — third-year Rutgers-Newark marketing and finance student, co-captain of Thillana, and captain of Ehsaas — helped Singathi plan the event and decide on a storyline for Thillana to perform.

“Dance to us is not just a form of expression, but a passion that consumes you beautifully and a tool to join multiple communities together. This event to me is a representation of our vision of being a unique [form of] South Asian arts,” Padala said. “I remember how [Singathi and I] hopped on a call and quickly agreed on portraying the concept of love. I then suggested we portray a love story through a queer lens.”

The final performance followed the hidden love story of a princess and a female warrior in a time of ill-acceptance. As the princess and warrior rekindle a childhood friendship after years of separation, the protagonists uncover their true feelings for each other, only to be faced with the harsh realities of their pre-destined circumstances.

“We wanted to break through the taboo of people being queer in the South Asian community,” Padala commented. Singathi added that the drama was aimed to encompass the spirit of self-discovery and attachment through heroines that challenged societal norms while finding truth in love.

“The group portrays the setbacks of society while celebrating love through a queer lens, while also highlighting that the challenges and difficulties of life are what make living all the more worthwhile,” Singathi stated.

Shakthika Thevarajah, second-year NJIT mechanical engineering student, is a member of Thillana who appreciates the inviting atmosphere of the group. “I was surprised by how quickly I had become comfortable with the team — I was asking for help, making suggestions to improve our performance, and catching up with the pace of all the preparations,” she added.

First-year NJIT interior design major Samita Pandit also performed as part of Thillana, as she has been training in Indian classical dance for many years. She mentioned, “Anurakti means a lot to me, as it was the first-ever event on the campus of this kind, and I am so proud that as a first year, I was able to participate and represent our rich Indian culture!”

continued on page 5

Layout by Areej Qamar

Photos by Yukthi Sangoi

ANURAKTI

After the program’s intermission and before Thillana’s performance, second-year Rutgers-Newark and NJIT biomedical engineering graduate student Chirag Motwani showed the audience a presentation of Navaras (shown below in photographs), the nine forms of human expression according to the Natyashastra, a Sanskrit text on performing arts.

“Initially, I had concerns about losing touch with classical dancing techniques since it had been nine years since I last performed,” he said. “Nonetheless, all the members of Thillana welcomed me heartily and treated me like family, making it a wonderful and memorable experience.” He also commented that this

continued from page 4

was his first live performance in the United States, making him more excited for future opportunities like this program.

Some performers are children of parents who immigrated to the United States and saw Anurakti as a chance to reconnect with their cultural roots.

“It is important to remember the heritage and traditions of the cultures that make up India and the beautiful community,” said Deepkamel Singh, third-year NJIT architecture major. “Our parents came to a different land away from the culture they were born in, and we all have the opportunity to build and nurture that cul-

ture in a different world.”

Singathi emphasized that with artists trained in a plethora of classical styles, the team encourages freedom and innovation with the arts through personal works and collaboration. Thillana allows dancers to ignite their creativity through cultural immersion, while strengthening their technique and form.

She concluded, “In the future, Thillana aspires to further nurture its dancers’ skills while continuing to educate the Newark community on the beauty of ancient Indian arts through performance and discussion.”

Shringar ras Love

ras Laughter

Karuna ras Sorrow

ras

Layout by Areej Qamar

Photo by Swaprakash Yogeshwaran

Rutgers Strike Is Resolved

For an intense week from April 10 to April 15, an unprecedented strike on all four Rutgers campuses — New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, and Biomedical Health Sciences — brought class to a standstill and all eyes on New Jersey. The event was the first strike in the state university’s 257-year long history by academics and faculty; it revolved around the issue of low wages and a lack of job security for graduate workers and untenured faculty.

The story began in June 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the United States. Rutgers, the largest public university in New Jersey and the state’s fourth-largest non-governmental employer, declared a fiscal emergency and laid off over 1,000 staff members, including adjunct faculty. This number composed over 5% of the university’s total union membership, raising concerns about the job security of other employees.

Although the issue was resolved in 2021, the labor contract between the Rutgers administration and the Coalition of Rutgers Unions, made up of the university’s 19 unions, expired in June 2022. For eight months, negotiations failed to produce another contract. On Feb. 28 of this year, the coalition opened up a vote for strike authorization; 80% of union members voted, and 94% of respondents voted for a strike.

What ensued was one of the highest-profile protest actions in the country. Three unions — Rutgers AAUPAFT, or the American Association of University Professors - American Federation of Teachers; PTLFC-AAUPAFT, or the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union; and the Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey union chapter — went on strike; they collectively represent 9,000 faculty workers across all Rutgers campuses.

Rutgers AAUP-AFT released a joint statement on the matter that read, “The administration doesn’t understand that we are determined to fight together for equal pay for equal work, a living wage for all, real job security, race and gender equity, and a fair salary increase. We have no other choice than to go on strike to build a university that truly values its workers and its students.”

The goals of the strike were to increase the salaries of full-time faculty, guarantee funding for graduate students, increase the salary per credit for part-time faculty, and improve job security for adjunct faculty members, amongst other requests. During the week of the strike, over 67,000 students were affected, and the vast majority of classes did not meet.

Dr. Jonathan Holloway, president of Rutgers University, primarily communicated with Rutgers community members through email. Regarding the beginning of the strike, he commented, “To say that this is deeply disappointing would be an understatement, especially given that just two days ago, both sides agreed in good faith to the appointment of a mediator to help us reach agreements.”

A mediator did indeed become involved: in anoth-

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Managing Editor

er unprecedented event, it was none other than New Jersey governor Phil Murphy who invited both sides to his Trenton office to discuss resolutions to the crisis. The Rutgers administration was interested in filing an injunction against strikers, arguing that “New Jersey courts consistently and expressly have held that strikes by New Jersey public employees are illegal.”

However, Murphy personally urged Holloway to refrain from taking any legal action against the strikers. “The Governor ... asked us to delay taking legal action asking the courts to order strikers back to work so that no further irreparable harm is caused to our students and to their continued academic progress,” announced Rutgers spokesperson Dory Devlin.

Politicians and activists from around the state weighed in on the matter, with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka issuing, “I stand with the faculty unions. Do better, Rutgers.” United States Senator Bernie Sanders expressed support as well, and New Jersey Democratic Representative Frank Pallone visited the picket lines to show solidarity with strikers.

On the morning of April 15, the university and unions reached an agreement with numerous clauses as a compromise, allowing classes to resume the following week. This framework included:

• Salary increase of at least 14% by July 1, 2025 for full-time faculty and educational opportunity fund counselors.

• 43.8% increase in per-credit salary rate for parttime lecturers over the four years of the agreement and strengthening of their job security.

• 27.9% increase in the minimum salary for postdoctoral fellows and associates over the same contract period.

• Health care coverage, free tuition and fees, and 10-month salary increase to $40,000 over the course of the contract for graduate students.

These contracts are retroactive for up until July 1, 2022, and will provide retroactive payments to employees.

With the agreement above in place, seniors were allowed to continue preparing for graduation with classes resuming on Monday, April 17.

“We all were out there and students were out there and we did this as a university,” said Amy Higer, the president of PTLFC-AAUP-AFT, while thanking students, tenured faculty, and the community for the widespread support of the strike. “We all recognize that something was not right at Rutgers.”

“Nothing we do is as important as living up to the expectations that our students and their families have of us to be fully supportive of them and nurturing of their academic ambitions and dreams,” concluded Holloway.

Photos by Ethan O'Malley

Interim Dean Talks HCAD Enrollment and Retention

By Yukthi Sangoi | Editor-in-Chief

Students in NJIT’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design, or HCAD, expressed concerns about low faculty retention and high student attrition rates. Some have noticed that their class sizes are getting smaller, while others acknowledged that some instructors did not get any information regarding the courses they are teaching before the beginning of the semester. The college’s interim dean and architecture professor, Dr. Gabrielle Esperdy, addressed these topics to clarify any confusion amongst students.

“We can plan as much as we can in May, June, and even July, but because of the university’s rolling admissions and the way transfers are processed, we will often find out two weeks before school starts that we have a certain number of students being added to the program,” Esperdy said, “meaning that we're going to need to hire an additional studio faculty.”

She explained that once there are beyond 15 additional students, there aren't enough hours in studio time for critics to give those students the feedback that they need. Thus, it is essential to maintain smaller sections, which is difficult to plan if student numbers get updated so close to the start of the semester.

Esperdy also highlighted the difference in the type of instruction in HCAD versus other colleges at NJIT. “I was lecturing before the pandemic, and it was easy for me to transition to doing my lectures remotely,” she mentioned. “But HCAD is hands-on — studio-based education is a practice.” One of the reasons students get into architecture and design is that they want to be a part of the studio culture.

However, not all students aim for this experience; there are four-year — Bachelor of Science in architecture — as well as five-year — Bachelor of Architecture — programs available based on the students’ interests. The four-year program provides more freedom to study varied subjects,

such as ones based on history and theory, rather than the studio-focused five-year program that directly leads the student through professional requirements. The latter allows a faster route for those who are set to become architects upon graduation.

Esperdy mentioned that there is always a high attrition rate, or percentage that measures the number of students who leave a program before completing it, from first to third years; the spring cohorts are always smaller than the fall ones. Students decide on a program when they apply to universities at, most commonly, 18 years old — they don’t always have a strong idea of how well they will like a program until they have completed around two years.

“We call second- and third-years in architecture the core, because when they get to their third years, expectations increase significantly in terms of the scale of what they’re doing in studio,” she explained. “It's often a moment when a lot of students say, ‘I think I'm going to either switch into the Bachelor of Science degree or come back to architecture another time.’”

These are some aspects that affect how many students continue in the programs that they originally registered for, which in turn affects cohort sizes and the studio spaces necessary to make sure there is enough physical space for students. “We've been looking at ways that we can work with Facilities Services to rethink the spaces that we already have, so we can use them as efficiently as possible,” Esperdy said.

She acknowledged the hurdles of making sure there’s transparency between students and administration on matters like these. Esperdy stated that It's difficult sometimes because “students are only seeing the other side of things. They're not fully aware of how much planning went into all of the changes that were rolled out, which is always a challenge.”

RADIO UPDATE

Week of April 23, 2023

We're Just The Best Radio

Good luck to all those taking their finals in the upcoming weeks! One must speculate that singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco felt the stressful season coming and decided to soundtrack some studying sessions; it’s hard to imagine anything else that might have motivated him to release eight hours of collected songs in his new album “One Wayne G.”

Italian composer Caterina Barbieri announced her upcoming album “Myuthafoo,” out June 2. It’s made up of songs recorded during the same sessions as her 2019 album “Ecstatic Computation.” If the lead single, “Math of You,” is anything to go by, it’ll be built with the same swirling, enchanting electronics that Computation excelled in.

The intelligent dance music star Clark will release a new album called “Sus Dog” in May. Reasons as to why he called it “Sus Dog” are sought after, but none have emerged yet. In other news, Fenne Lily put out “Big Picture,” further enhancing her sad-girl indie-rocker vibe. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers and Julia Jacklin, take note of this artist!

WJTB’s shows have officially closed up shop, but maybe some stragglers will remain on air in their free time. We hope you enjoyed our time on air! Come back next semester for new and old shows alike — hopefully there’ll somehow be even more than this semester!

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Photo from NJIT

Newark Hosts Its First LGBTQ+ Film Festival

By Yukthi Sangoi | Editor-in-Chief

“We thought about how we could do something that amplifies the voices of Newark’s creative people who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC); filmmakers; and artists in different ways,” said Denise Hinds, board president of the Newark LGBTQ Community Center. For the last three to four years, the center had looked into the idea of holding a film festival centered around the queer community, and the organizing team was finally able to put it into play on April 14-16 at various locations within Newark.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a substantial factor that impacted the execution of this program. “It prevented us from being able to focus on holding anything as a public event,” she said. The center also had difficulties with maintaining a physical space for the organization, having to move twice in the last three years.

“We originally had a place on Halsey Street, and then we moved to the library because the staff was nice enough to give us space,” Hinds explained. “But we realized over the last few years that it was really not the best place for us in terms of being able to have exposure to the community — the library has certain hours of operation.”

About a year ago, however, the center’s board started seriously thinking about how to execute the idea and formed a group out of New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s LGBTQ Advisory Council. The council was excited about the initiative and became one of the center’s strongest partners for organizing the festival. “We also got interest from

individuals in Essex County — LGBTQ+ folks and allies who are artists,” Hinds added.

One of the films that the team wanted to highlight since the initial parts of the planning stage was “The Inspection,” a 2022 film following a young, gay Black man who decides to join the Marines. This was mainly because it would help gain traction from potential audiences if an already-well known piece was in the headlines for the festival.

The committee then put out a call for films to display during the festival, and it received over 90 submissions. “We had a group of folks who took days and days to review all of them, and we made decisions based on our own ratings,” Hinds said.

“We then wanted to make sure that we had predominantly all BIPOC filmmakers. We wanted to ensure that we were capturing any folks who were newer filmmakers in particular. We also made sure that we were covering our community in all its diversity as well,” she continued. “We didn't want just the [lesbian] representative or just the [gay representative] — we wanted the whole spectrum.”

The team received many international submissions as well, but since it’s the first year of executing this program, the members decided to not look at any of those this time around. They focused on prioritizing the Newark community along with artists within New Jersey. The committee wanted to highlight stories that often don’t get uplifted in major media outlets.

Newark LGBTQ Community Center

Another challenge the team faced was finding spaces to hold the screenings and events for the festival. Some of these include the Newark Museum of Art, Essex County College, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Rutgers Paul Robeson Center.

“Hosting a first-year festival with no real funds dedicated, we found it important to find spaces that would give us the space, and we did find a few,” Hinds commented. “We've raised some money to pay for a couple spaces as well.”

The festival had two workshops offered to those who may not have the funds or opportunities to go to a film school but are really interested in understanding more about the film world. “Doing more community engagement and community support — that's part of the mission of the center, which is why we want to make sure that we keep those workshops front and center,” she mentioned.

Even though she has never lived in Newark, Hinds participated in a Newark church and got involved about seven years ago. “As a Black, gay woman, it's

important to me that our community has opportunities for expression,” she said. “I just love hearing about the different ways that our community shows up in real life in real time. I especially love the documentaries in the festival because it really brings that to life in a way that's tangible — that we can feel, that we can see, that we can believe.”

Hinds appreciates all the hard work of filmmakers, actors, and anyone involved with this field and is glad to be making a difference in her own small way. She noted that many of the volunteers happened to be younger individuals in high school and college, including some from NJIT. Spectrum, the student-led LGBTQ+ organization at NJIT, announced the film festival to its members after Hinds was able to contact the club.

“It's really important to us in the planning group that we're exposing the next generation of queers to their own history and to their own experience — to help them to see and know the possibilities of what queer life can be,” she concluded. “These stories need to continue to be told. We don't do this for ourselves.”

“We're exposing the next generation of queers to their own history and to their own experience — to help them to see and know the possibilities of what queer life can be.”

Denise Hinds

Board President

Campus Catalog A Feature on the NJIT Community

By Yukthi Sangoi | Editor-in-Chief

What are your interests like?

My hobbies include playing sports, generally tennis, but I dabble in soccer, volleyball, running, and swimming. I also like to eat food; Peruvian cuisines are my favorite, but I have a strong interest in Asian cuisines. Another interest I have is traveling. I've traveled through some states, but I wish to try out some countries. I plan to travel this winter to Japan and hope to see their culture and landscape with my own eyes.

What do you like most about food?

I always look forward to new food. When I was younger, I would always eat Peruvian food at home or whatever my school had for lunch, and those were the only types of food I experienced. Once in college, I got to try out some Asian food like Indian, Japanese, Korean, and even Thai food. There's something special about finding new food and being glad you discovered it.

How did you first get into traveling?

Back in middle school, I always went to North Carolina. My parents had to visit there, so they always took me and my sister with them to make it a family road trip. We would stop and check out some food or attractions on the way to the state and made a vacation out of it. I was also fortunate enough to go to Peru when I was in middle school. I saw how different life is over there and met some family there. It's been a while since I traveled, and I miss it; I plan to save up some money and hopefully have enough to go to another country. Japan is my next target — I want to see all the good food and famous landmarks when I get there. I know that seeing it in person will be different from witnessing the environment through a screen.

Kevin Colonia Fourth-year Civil Engineering Major The Vector's Distribution Manager

What are your favorite parts about visiting Peru other than meeting with family?

I love seeing all the food and unique places over there. I’ve mainly seen traditional Hispanic and street food. As for the places, I saw some landscapes and places such as some ruins, parades with dancing, and hot springs. I especially liked the rural areas, where I was able to see more animals, plants, and even stars in the sky.

How do you keep in touch with your Peruvian roots while in America?

The way I reconnect with my culture is by eating foods part of Peruvian cuisine. By going to restaurants, festivals, or even home, the food is always a reminder of Peru — food like Ceviche, arroz chaufa, and tallarin verde. Also, in restaurants and during festivals, I would be amongst other Peruvians and can connect with them there.

What are some things you've cherished about your college experience?

I appreciate the time I’ve spent with my friends in college. It wouldn't have been as fun without them. I was able to do more activities because of them like trying new food, checking out new places, and even finding fun things to do on campus.

What do you love most about The Vector?

I enjoy the atmosphere during the meetings. You can get comfortable, have some food, and listen in on some stories or take part in whatever activity is going on. I would recommend people to stop by to meet the people and also help eat the food.

Photos by Yukthi Sangoi

Flower Power: The History of Branch Brook Park’s Cherry Blossoms

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Managing Editor

Every April, over 10,000 visitors flock to Branch Brook Park to stroll around its lakes, ponds, and most importantly, Cherryblossomland, the nickname for the park’s collection of over 5,000 cherry blossom trees. The Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Festival, a two-weeklong celebration of spring, takes place in mid-April and coincides with the peak bloom period of these flowers. However,

At the time, custom linen and specialty jewelry were in style. Louis Bamberger, a Newark resident, co-founded one of the largest department stores in the United States in October 1912, at what is now 165 Halsey St. His sister, Catherine Bamberger Fuld, handled the department store’s philanthropy. After a visit to Japan, she fell in love with the scented flowering trees that bloomed every

around 40 years on average, the collection has required plenty of replenishing. Yet the trees have added to Olmsted’s vision of open air and a natural design; unlike other collections, the cherry blossoms are not planted in rigid rows, but cascade over the park’s slopes and drape over its pond. Some particular favorites amongst visitors are “weeping trees” of the Higan variety, which have long, thin

to an economic downturn and a lower tax base for the municipal department to maintain Branch Brook Park. At the time, the trees numbered fewer than 1,000. Today, with preservation efforts and the increased revitalization of the city, the collection numbers more than 5,000 trees, the largest on the East Coast.

The park faces numerous challeng-

Photo by Areej Qamar

Latin Pub Night

Veteran Students Organization Ball

The Veteran Students Organization hosted its Award Ceremony and Ball in the Campus Center Ballroom, where they recognized the members who went above and beyond, celebrating with dancing and food.

Layout by Areej Qamar

Photos by Alisha Valentin

The Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity ETA Chapter hosted a Latin Pub Night in the Highlander Pub that included music, games, and food!

Photos by Yukthi Sangoi

March of the Machine Magic Draft

Dice and Decks hosted a card draft to bring in the latest expansion set of Magic the Gathering! Packs were distributed among attendees and snacks were as well!

NJIT's Association for Computing Machinery and the NJIT Information and Cybersecurity Club hosted the third annual JerseyCTF 24hour capture the flag competition. 1,515 people registered for the event, which included guest speakers, food, and karaoke!

Layout by Areej Qamar

Photos by David Bendezu

Photos by Ethan O'Malley

Holding This Song 'Next To Me,' Even in My Grave

By Yukthi Sangoi | Editor-in-Chief

Content warning: this article contains mentions of death and gun violence.

“I don’t typically write love songs,” said a writer of one of the most spectacularly devastating love songs I’ve heard. Dan Reynolds, lead singer of American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, spoke in an interview about “Next To Me,” the first track on a re-issue of the band’s 2017 third studio album “Evolve.” The almost four-minute track is marked as the band’s debut love song and came out in February 2018, with a 12-minute short film as a music video released a month later.

“I started writing when I was about 13 years old, and it was a source of an escape from school from depression — from feeling lost — and it was never a romance,” Reynolds said in the same interview, “so for me, this is [one] of the first times that I've really explored diving into my mind and the musicality and sonicality of romance.”

I think one of the reasons this song reached so many people is that it utilizes Reynolds’ background in writing about topics he’s used to covering, like depression and feeling lost. The track is actually about his relationship with American singer Aja Volkman. The two got married in 2011 and had three daughters before the couple started not speaking to each other in late 2017.

After seven months, Reynolds announced that they were separating, looking towards a divorce in the near future. While it didn’t end up going through at the time, he and Volkman made sure to be there for their children while they

were figuring out their relationship. They got back together by 2019 and welcomed a son to their family.

In late 2022, however, Reynolds stated that he and Volkman were separating once again, leading to the most recent news of an official divorce on April 18, 2023. As they did earlier, the duo has promised to continue coparenting their children as best as they can while not being together. Volkman mentioned that navigating their relationship while being in the public eye was difficult.

Based on this timeline, “Next To Me” must have been written during the first period that they split. Although the release of the short film demonstrates the importance of this song to Reynolds, I think it speaks enough volume that the song was put as the first track on the re-issued album, even if the film had never been released.

The film is quite the cinematic piece and was directed by Mark Pellington. It begins with Volkman reading out loud a letter she wrote to Reynolds presumably after having some conflict within their marriage. The visuals show clips of the couple, natural scenery, and each person separately. The scenes with them together are much brighter and warmer in color, representing the blooming love they had while with each other.

Volkman’s voice in itself is so unique with a raspy tone, and it’s clear that her voice is breaking from tearing up while she’s speaking in the beginning. “Maybe you knew all along you would just string me along for all these years… I will erase you from my heart, from my mind; I will

wash you away, and I will never look back,” she forces out.

As she finishes reading the letter, the video pans in on Reynolds entering a pawn shop with his bandmates playing some of the characters in the shop. There’s strong tension between Reynolds and the shopkeeper as Reynolds holds up his wedding ring, asking for its price. The lighting is cool and dark, signifying the breakup having taken place prior.

Ambient and slightly unsettling music continues to play as the speech between the keeper and Reynolds stays inaudible to the viewer until the keeper says the ring is only worth $200, which is also narrated in a distorted, slowed-down voice. Reynolds takes the ring back and looks around the shop angrily, with his voice starting to become clearer.

He says, “I beg you to never know me — to forget every wrong thing I ever did, I ever said,” in the voiceover as he pulls out his gun and tries to take all the keeper’s money. A heartbeat plays in the background with soft strings full of sorrow; Reynolds ends up shooting at the shopkeeper while he was trying to find his own gun. Reynolds stands in front of the bloody body in disbelief and runs out of the shop with his hands up as policemen show up outside.

His voiceover continues as he’s taken to prison: “The skies open, and the ghosts came back. These are the witnesses — the ones who know all my sins. I failed all of you. I let you all die. I let you go. Part of me is next to me.” As he says that last sentence, the visuals show a prison wall with “We’re all guilty, yet we’re all loved” scratched into it.

More and more clips of oranges, orange tree fields, orange-themed curtains, and orange lighting are shown in the film. He gets released from prison and the song begins to play.

I always admired how the guitar plucking in the background of the whole track sounds so whimsical, perfectly fitting the aura of the film. I also appreciated the 6/8 feel and the song having a strong downbeat on snare drums followed by light hi-hat hits. I’ve always looked at this as Volkman being his strong, reliable snare beat during their relationship.

The orange theme continues, with most of the warmer scenes containing intimate flashbacks of Volkman and Reynolds together. The lyrical message of this song is concisely stated by the aforementioned prison wall quote. Some lines from the chorus include, “I always let you down / You're shattered on the ground / But still I find you there / Next to me.”

This speaks to what I mentioned earlier about the track including themes that Reynolds is accustomed to writing about — mental illness and disorientation. Being in a relationship with someone who is constantly second-guessing themselves and doesn’t always make the best decisions for themselves can present unique challenges. “Next To Me” displays the responsive point of view of someone who plays this role in the relationship, and is thankful towards their partner for being there for them.

Reynolds has spoken about being fallible in a different interview, saying that

“Marriage is not perfect. Relationships aren’t perfect… I have depression. I have anxiety. We’re all humans,” which reflects the theme of this song even more. He and Volkman were on their way to a divorce, but continued to describe themselves as each other’s best friends because of how much love they had for one another.

Even now, with the announcement of their most recent split, he said, “I love [Volkman]. She is my best friend and an incredible mother, and we are going to be great parents to our kids. Relationships are so complex — here we are, at the close of a chapter, and it feels hard; it feels like mourning for me. But it also feels like I'm just on the path I'm supposed to be on in life.”

It aches me knowing how vulnerable they both had to be to put this film together while they were split, explaining to the public that it’s mutual and that they both knew they had to work to build up their relationship again.

The meaning of the oranges throughout the film continues to feel hazy to me; the most relevant connection I could gather includes the juxtaposition of orange clothes worn by someone in jail — Reynolds — and orange representing change, movement, and transformation within nature, like when vegetables ripen, or trees change color in autumn — illustrating the change in relationship between the two.

The bridge of the song introduces a mostly-acapella section with Reynolds singing, “Thank you for taking on a chance on me. I know it isn’t easy, but I hope to be worth it.” It repeats a few more times in the film than it does in the official track, and I also found it interesting that the gunshot sound from earlier replays right after one of these lines, with the visuals showing that he’s being sentenced to death for murdering the shopkeeper.

Volkman is heard reading a letter from Reynolds saying that he failed them both and is sorry. He’s sitting on the electric chair for his death penalty, and she’s watching him from the glass window. The “thank you” line from the bridge continues to repeat, and Reynolds is seen happy and content while there are scenes playing of him in the chair.

The only way I can describe the next clips is aching serotonin; an orange is bursting with juice and flavor, and contrasting scenes of the couple together and Reynolds’ death sentence are shown. “We ask for forgiveness from ourself, from the monster we can’t see… The possibility of life without love,” Volkman says in a voiceover.

Reynolds responds with, “Touch me now before I go. Let me know I’m alive,” as he’s sitting dead on the chair.

It’s incredible how well this film portrays the passion they had for each other, at least at the time. It feels like the picture-perfect depiction of soulmates if there was one, and Reynolds, Volkman, and Pellington did a spectacular job of capturing the tenderness of it all. Five out of five crabs for “Next To Me,” a masterpiece of a song and film.

Layout by Areej Qamar

Taylor + Swifties: Healthy or Obsessive?

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Managing Editor

There are some events that are so monumental, so life-changing, that for the rest of your days you’ll remember what you were doing when you heard the news. For example, I’ll never forget doing my math homework at my desk on the morning of April 8, thinking that I should really try using a vacuum one of these days, when I received an Apple News notification that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn had allegedly broken up.

I wondered why I — along with millions of fans online — was sad. For years, I had scorned mega-fans of celebrities ranging from Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande, who insisted that singers, actors, or influencers were pure, evil, or anywhere in between. Of course, we don’t know these people personally — almost everything they share with the world is curated.

Feeling this way is one of the markers of a parasocial relationship, which the National Institutes of Health define as a “nonreciprocal socio-emotional connections with media figures such as celebrities or influencers.”

To be sure, Swift’s music, which is heavily influenced by her life, creates a — perhaps unwarranted — sense of personal understanding amongst listeners.

However, being attached to your idols isn’t necessarily bad — or even abnormal. As human beings, empathy for another, especially someone whom we analogize with ourselves, is simply natural. Additionally, parasocial relationships can fulfill us in ways that may not be achievable in real life; a 2017 study from the journal Developmental Psychology found that young girls sought friendship in admired celebrities, while boys found role models and aspirational figures.

The journal Current Opinion in Psychology’s June 2022 edition found that parasocial behavior can actually be beneficial. Not only do viewers adopt healthy habits promoted by their favorite celebrity, but they

can also gain a sense of companionship by being part of a fandom. For those who are bullied or ostracized in their real lives, online communities can provide vital outlets and support. Additionally, media figures often provide inspiration for self-development.

As long as admiration and empathy for one’s favorite pop star or soccer player is all that you feel, parasocial relationships can be perfectly healthy. On occasion, however, such relations can develop into unhealthy obsessions that impact both fans’ mental health as well as celebrities. A disturbingly common phenomenon is when fans stalk the social media accounts of those they consider the “enemies” of their favorite celebrities.

For example, a feud between singer Selena Gomez and model Hailey Bieber has recently been generating headlines, with thousands of posts and videos proliferating online with “evidence” of one supposedly bullying or being rude to the other. These acquire hundreds of comments that feed into the discourse, with several on the Instagram pages of each celebrity.

This is an example of negative community-building, classified by a strong sense of loyalty towards the “ingroup” and hatred towards the “out-group.” Other negative impacts include engaging in risky behavior that is promoted by a celebrity, as well as body image issues and depression. It can also contribute to withdrawals from real life and more attention to online communities, which may increase ostracization.

Other, and more controversial, examples of intense fandoms include the Beyhive, Directioners, and fans of K-pop. However, almost every celebrity, no matter how unworthy of glorification they may seem, has interesting stories to tell. For example, Jared Leto of “Morbius” fame was once sent a severed ear by a fan, alongside the note “are you listening?” Leto then proceeded to

wear the ear around his neck.

I find Swift’s — and all musicians’ — cases unique from other celebrities, because a primary reason for their connection with fans is because of their direct communication through the lyrics. Swift’s lyrics are often very personal; something that drew me to her music is her ability to hone in on specific details from her own experiences while capturing universal feelings.

In this case, a parasocial relationship can be a form of positive connection — specifically, music allows a listener to feel understood while connecting with other listeners to find community. Fans often comment that going to Swift’s concerts feels like attending a sleepover; this is due to both the sense of community amongst listeners and her own tendency to reciprocate their affection by dropping hints and Easter eggs.

In short, I don’t feel that it’s unhealthy to be personally attached to an artist or celebrity, and it can improve your life in several ways! In the same way that we’re fond of our favorite book or television characters, we can enjoy what celebrities offer us — parts of their life — while remaining cognizant that the relationship is one-way and that it’s important not to invest too much time and energy into what is ultimately not a mutual bond.

Additionally, on the other side of the debate, remembering that celebrities are human as well is just as crucial. Idolizing or villainizing them is incorrect, and it’s important to remember that they don’t have all the answers to your problems. Therefore, for the time that you spend interacting with a celebrity, try to spend a similar duration in your real-life relationships and participating in other activities that you enjoy.

COLLECTIONS

voices from around campus

What was your favorite Vector or Scalar article from the past year?

"That's like asking me to pick between my favorite children"

"Ramen Gami returns"

"I can’t parallel park"

"The love letters to Colleen Hoover and GDS"

"the lincoln lawyer review"

"menstrual product article. period."

"Xoxo, njit confessions"

"UCAN protest!"

"Prof. ChatGPT"

"Mysterious Stench Plagues Campus, for obvious reasons"

"can I say the sudoku on the back"

"President Lim going on strike"

Graphic by Areej Qamar with photos from IMDb

Horoscopes

By Clairvoyant Cancer Conveying the Current Chances LIBRA

ARIES

Karma is making its way around this week. And not just the Shah.

TAURUS

Take this week to meet new people and figure out who your true friends are.

GEMINI

No one wants to see public displays of affection. It literally makes everyone uncomfortable.

CANCER

Learn from people who are all in different stages of their lives. They might help you figure out what you want to do with your own life.

LEO

This week will contain some major networking opportunities. Connect with people who can better your career.

VIRGO

Keep an open mind and be receptive to different points of view.

Make a plan for personal growth by setting boundaries and changing habits.

SCORPIO

This is the week to connect with your partner romantically. It’s perfect for a date or a lovely surprise.

SAGITTARIUS

Make this your most productive week of the month, but take a mental health day before each work session.

CAPRICORN

Tell people exactly how you feel, with full transparency. You’ll be surprised by how mature the conversation is.

AQUARIUS

It is not yet the best week for your significant other to meet your family.

PISCES

Don’t let disappointment bring you down this week.

By Giuliana De Cunto

Do You Even Sudoku? Word Search

Crossword

Joe Marquez