Vol. C Issue 11 by The Vector

ector

The

The Voice of NJIT with Magnitude and Direction Since 1924

Vol. C | Issue 11 Week of April 12, 2021

Senior Class Questionnaire In 1936, only several years following the Great Depression and gearing up for a presidential re-election, the Vector Newspaper conducted a senior class questionnaire to document the opinions of the time. This year, after an aggressive pandemic, unprecedented presidential election drama and the legalization of marijuana in New Jersey, we conducted a similar questionnaire among the senior class. Between 329 students, here is how the senior class voted:

2021

Yes

Do you have a job set up after graduation?

(38%)

(62%)

Do you regret pursuing your major?

Graph By Sandra Raju

1936

Yes

2021

Yes

1936

Yes

Have you any definite possibilities for a job upon graduation?

(70.8%) (29.2%)

Do you believe in strict adherence to one political party?

(6.1%)

(93.9%)

Do you believe in strict adherence to one political party?

(6.8%)

(93.2%)

(10.9%) (89.1%)

Do you regret having studied engineerig?

(4.2%)

Do you believe the United States would be a better country under communism?

(9.1%)

(90.9%)

Do you believe the United States would be a better country under communism?

(9.3%)

(90.7%)

Do you belong to a fraternity or sorority?

(21%)

Do you belong to a fraternity?

(50.9%) (49.1%) Do you want to get married?

(90.6%) (9.4%)

Have you any serious matrimonial intentions at present?

(23.9%) (76.1%)

Do you play a musical instrument?

(41.6%) (58.4%)

(98.5%) (1.5%)

Do you believe that women in the professions should receive exacly the same consideration as men?

(61.9%) (34.1%)

Do you believe Joe Biden will be re-elected in 2024?

Do you believe that men and women deserve equal pay in the same profession?

Do you believe that good personal appearance is essential for ultimate success?

(70.2%) (29.8%)

Do you believe that good personal appearance is essential for ultimate success?

(90%)

Is censorship a problem in the United States?

Do you use nicotine?

(8.8%)

(91.2%)

Do you smoke?

(54.2%) (45.8%)

Can you dance?

(37.7%) (62.3%)

Can you dance?

(79.2%) (20.8%)

Has the economic situation of your family worsened since the pandemic?

(44.4%) (55.6%)

Have the economic conditions in your family improved in the past year?

(44.9%) (55.1%)

Do you believe a large military would promote peace?

(79%)

(95.8%)

Do you play a musical instrument?

(45.8%) (54.1%)

(33.4%) (66.6%)

Do you believe President Roosevelt will be re-elected?

(84.1%) (15.9%)

(60.5%) (39.5%)

Do you believe that the censoring or suppression of sensational crime news is justifiable as an aid towards crime prevention?

(50.4%) (49.6%)

(18.8%) (81.2%)

Do you believe a large army and navy promote peace?

(10%)

(36.8%) (63%)

THE VECTOR

About THE

MEET THE TEAM

VECTOR

ADVISORS Operational Advisor Kristie Damell

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. Deadline for Articles or Letters to the Editor is Thursdays prior to publication at 10 P.M. For more information on submissions, e-mail: managing-editor@njitvector.com. Advertisement Reservations are due two weeks prior to publication and should be sent to: business-manager@njitvector.com

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Week of April 12, 2021

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Friday, Apr. 16th 52°F |40°F 15 mph

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Thursday, Apr. 15th 54°F |41°F 10 mph

Saturday, Apr. 17th 60°F |45°F 9 mph

Memory of Dr. Herman A. Estrin and Roger Hernande

Editor-in-Chief Sandra Raju editor-in-chief@njitvector.com

Business Manager Mark Pothen business-manager@njitvector.com

Managing Editor Yukthi Sangoi managing-editor@njitvector.com

Photography Editor Ethan O'Malley photography-editor@njitvector.com

Executive Editor Nicolas Arango executive-editor@njitvector.com

Web and Multimedia Editor Nick Merlino multimedia-editor@njitvector.com

VECTOR STAFF Copy Editors Victoria Nguyen Parth Agrawal James Nanchanatt Sreya Das Karim Gueye Anthony McInnis Contributing Writers Fatima Osman Staff Writers Saanika Joshi Maksim Sokolov Samira Santana Alexandra Griffith

Senior Staff Isaac Scafe Parth Agrawal Birju Dhaduk Prem Naik Anthony McInnis Katherine Ji Sean Slusarz Sabastian Fernandes Daniil Ivanov Karim Gueye Maksim Sokolov Evan Markowitz Sreya Das

Layout Assistants Birju Dhaduk Gilliana Loyola Soojin Ahn Leanne Burgos Maksim Sokolov Karim Gueye Areej Qamar Yash Kewlani Graphic Designers Sreya Das Evan Markowitz Photographers Sean Slusarz Hannah Lenkowski

Upcoming Events WEDNESDAY, Apr. 14th 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Highlander Fest Minds Matter Game Night Destress Paint and Sip

Campus Green Virtual Event Virtual Event

THURSDAY, Apr. 15th 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Yoga for Respiratory Health

Virtual Event

FRIDAY, Apr. 16th 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm

DPhiE Tie Dye Fundraiser NJIT Honors Green Are You Smarter Than a Miracle Kid?- Virtual Event Highlanderthon

Don't Forget to Vote!

Student Senate Elections Illustration By Evan Markowitz

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 12, 2021

2021

Yes

1936

Yes

2021

Yes

Would you take up arms for the United States in war?

(35.3%) (64.7%)

Would you take up arms for the United States in war?

(68.5%) (31.5%)

Did you vote in the 2020 presidential election?

(81.8%) (18.2%)

Has your study of science weakened your religious beliefs?

(28.9%) (71.1%)

Has your study of science weakened your religious beliefs?

(24.4%) (75.6%)

Do you believe our system of justice is flawed?

(89.7%) (10.3%)

Can you sing?

(31%)

Can you sing well?

(17.5%) (82.5%)

Do you believe that the Constitution of the United States is antiquated, and should therefore be revised? Should Donald Trump be charged with inciting an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021?

Should the United States have a presence in the Middle East?

(69%)

(61.1%) (38.9%)

(70.2%) (29.8%)

(22.2%) (77.8%)

Graph By Sandra Raju

Do you believe that the Constitution of the United States is antiquated, and should therefore be revised?

(40.2%) (59.8%)

Do you think the Roosevelt administration has attempted to violate the essence of the constitution?

(40.5%) (59.5%)

Do you believe Italian conquest of Ethiopia will eventually benefit the Ethiopians?

(48.3%) (51.7%)

Have you read most of the Bible?

(31.7%) (68.3%)

Do you think that trial marriages would make for wider marital happiness?

(27.7%) (72.3%)

Do you believe government ownership of utilities would be efficient?

(25.4%) (74.6%)

Do you like the food from GDS?

(28%)

Do you like most of your instructing staff at N.C.E.

(88.1%) (11.9%)

Do you believe humans are causing climate change?

(94.2%) (5.8%)

Would you marry a woman your superior intellectually?

(54.3%) (45.7%)

Do you believe we need a climate plan to address climate change?

(92.7%) (7.3%)

Do you believe that amendments to the United States Constitution should be more accomplished?

(37.1%) (62.9%)

Do you believe that amendments to the United States Constitution should be more accomplished?

(37.1%) (62.9%)

Do you favor the Liberty League's attempts to discredit the present administration?

(30.8%) (69.2%)

(79%)

(21%)

Graph By Sandra Raju

Should we increase the federal minimum wage to $15/ hour?

(73%)

(27%)

Should we tax the top 1% more?

(80.9%) (19.1%)

Are you pro-choice?

(82.7%) (17.3%)

Do you have hope for the future of humanity?

(77.5%) (22.5%)

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

(32.8%) (67.2%)

Are we alone in the universe?

(87.8%) (12.2%)

Do you believe Big Tech is too powerful and needs to be regulated?

Yes

Do you believe in fraternities?

(81.5%) (14.5%)

Would you have devoted less time to your studies if N.C.E. were a coeducational institution?

(39.7%) (60.3%)

Would you have devoted less time to your studies if N.C.E. were a coeducational institution?

(39.7%) (60.3%)

Do you believe movies influence the morals of the individual?

(63.3%) (36.7%)

Do you believe movies influence the morals of the individual?

(63.3%) (36.7%)

In your opinion, will the Depression end in the next two years?

(55%)

(45%)

Yes

Graph By Sandra Raju

Is NJIT serving your needs as an institution of higher education?

(72%)

1936

(8.2%)

2021 Do you have the right to be happy?

(91.2%) (8.8%)

Do soulmates exist?

(61.4%) (38.6%)

Do you think we will see Artificial Intelligence become sentient in this century?

(69.6%) (30.4%)

Do you think we will see Artificial Intelligence become sentient in this century?

(69.6%) (30.4%)

(91.8%)

Is it better to have loved and lost than to have never have loved at all?

(83.3%) (16.7%)

Do you believe in a higher power than yourself?

(76%)

Are you interested romantically in people of the same gender?

(15.2%) (84.8%)

Do you want to have children?

(82.4%) (17.6%)

Are you a vegetarian?

(14%)

(86%)

Are you a vegetarian?

(14%)

(86%)

Are you personally opposed to the idea of sex before marriage?

(15.5%) (84.5%)

Do you read for pleasure? Do you workout?

(24%)

Graph By Sandra Raju Do you use marijuana?

(23.4%) (76.6%)

Are you personally opposed to the idea of casual sexual encounters (hookups)?

(30.7%) (69.3%)

(61.7%) (38.3%)

Do you play video games?

(74.2%) (25.8%)

(69.9%) (30.1%)

Do you enjoy eating out?

(93.6%) (6.4%)

THE VECTOR

Features 2021

Yes

Do you watch anime?

(48.6%) (51.4%)

Do you believe we will ever go back to normal after the pandemic?

Have you been more lonely during the pandemic/ quarantine?

Week of April 12, 2021

2021

Yes

2021

(83.6%) (16.4%)

What year of college has been the most difficult?

(52.6%) (47.4%)

Do you believe NJIT has done a good job with handling the COVID-19 pandemic?

1st (12.5%) 2nd (15.5%) 3rd (39.8%) 4th (22.5%) 5th+ (6.7%)

(85.4%) (14.6%)

(65.7%) (34.3%)

Is The Vector an effective newspaper for the NJIT populace?

Which operating system is your favorite?

Windows (75.1%) macOS (22.2%) Linux (2.7%)

What year of college did you prefer the most?

1st (20.1%) 2nd (28%) 3rd (24.6%) 4th (21.3%) 5th+ (6.1%)

or :) ?

Who did you vote for?

Biden (50.6%) Trump (13%) I did not vote (18.2%) I prefer not to say (13.3%)

Cats or Dogs?

Cats (28.7%) Dogs (71.3%)

(45.7%) :) (54.3%)

Graph By Sandra Raju Graph By Sandra Raju

HighlanderThon Fundraising Through a Pandemic

By Sreya Das | Senior Staff Writer

Starting from March 22, members of the NJIT community came together for Miracle Madness, a week-long philanthropic event organized by HighlanderThon. This student-run organization is part of a larger movement of dance marathons fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial and emotional support for the children and families treated at children’s hospitals. In the past, HighlanderThon would host an annual in-person 12-hour dance marathon at NJIT. In 2019, the group fundraised $26,763.05. However, due to the pandemic, all events have gone virtual for the second year in a row. “COVID-19 has definitely impacted the outreach of HighlanderThon, but through this, the board and members of HighlanderThon have done their absolute best to adjust to the circumstances and raise as many funds for the Children’s Specialized Hospital which is always our priority. From virtual events

with club involvement and much of our fundraising being social media based, we have adjusted well,” said Paula Kaczynski, third year biology major. As the Student Life Relations Chair of HighlanderThon, she played an instrumental role in increasing involvement among the NJIT community by forming network connections among the numerous clubs and organizations on campus. “Student organization participation was vital in increasing the fundraising capacity for Miracle Madness,” continued Kaczynski. “The Art Club stepped up on Drawing Day to teach participants how to draw Woody from Toy Story, and as always we are thankful for any participation!” Other activities throughout the weeklong event included a “bet day” where individuals were allowed to dare a member after making a donation, an Among Us tournament where individuals competed for gift card prizes, and a day dedicated purely for fundraising.

Despite the pandemic, this year’s fundraiser is going strong. As of the first week of April, the organization has raised about $9,000, according to fourth year biology major and HighlanderThon Finance Director Mehak Farukh. “We're still in the process of fundraising and we'll be doing so until about April 23rd. Up until now, we're doing similar to how we were doing last year, despite the challenges of the pandemic,” said Farukh. “We expect this to go up significantly the week of April 19th since that will be our main event week. We will be doing many more fundraising pushes then. As for activities that have raised the most funds, it's actually been social media pushes that have done the best. We've had a few social media fundraising push days the past couple of months, where people post fundraising templates to their social media and spread the word about HighlanderThon. Due to COVID-19, social media has been our best friend.”

HighlanderThon is active on various social media platforms to promote their fundraising events and educate followers about Children’s Specialized Hospital and the children they are supporting (referred to as “miracle kids”). Every week, the organization’s Instagram (@highlanderthon) highlights the patient story of different “miracle kids,” who have smiles on their faces despite the challenges they faced, such as brain tumors, cerebral palsy and life-threatening blood clots. “Everything we do here at HighlanderThon is for the Children’s Specialized Hospital,” said Kaczynski. “Every penny collected is given to support the hospital which in return supports the families of the children. HighlanderThon is only as strong as the community that makes it up, and here at NJIT we do our part. I am grateful to be a part of an organization that is so selfless and beneficial to the communities around us.”

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 12, 2021

Presidential Campaigns for Student Senate 2021-2022 By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor

u ss a o M

e ti

Mic h

Elections for the 2021-2022 positions in the Student Senate are currently active, and the presidential candidates are Michael Moussa, a third year computer engineering major, and Anuja Badeti, a third year computer science major. Moussa has served as the Vice President of Finance this past academic year, and Badeti has served as the Vice President of Student Affairs. The two competitors were interviewed about their plans and reasons why they are competent to serve as the following academic year’s Student Senate President.

ja u An Moussa’s goals include “increas[ing] the sense of community and pride among NJIT” students, with his main course of action being reaching out to student leaders to “receive their support and outreach.” “It is not a secret that the Student Senate can not reach all 8,000 undergraduate students that attend NJIT; however, we are provided with a direct link to all organizations that are present on campus,” he explained. He also mentioned that this ties into the divide the virtual setting introduced last year. Due to the considerably high volume of students who have not had proper face-to-face experiences this year, he said, “I believe that holding a forum early on in the semester to discuss student needs and concerns and presenting those to NJIT faculty will facilitate a smooth transition to in-person learning… I hope, as president, I am able to provide this normalcy to the student body.” Being the Vice President of Finance this year, Moussa has gained a greater understanding of Student Senate, organizations and university finances. He also currently sits on the Board of Trustees Auditing and Finance Committee, in which he has “a direct voice to the individuals that make financial decisions on behalf of the university.” He aims to “help student organizations receive the funding they need in order to hold events and different activities on campus for the student body, while at the same time [working] with Senate to create and propose larger, funded events, similar to the previous A Boogie Concert.” Moussa expressed that the best way to increase student involvement is through different organizations, whether they are funded by Student Senate or not. “One of my goals as president is to work with the Vice President of Finance and the Director of Student Organizations to create an ‘Organization Success Grant’ in order

to allow organizations who were able to make an impact on campus to continue to hold events and impact campus positively.” A matter that Moussa would like to address as President is the student body’s unfamiliarity with Student Senate and its functions. “I hope to provide the student body transparency with the Senate for them to see its impact on campus. Creating transparency, while being a vague goal, is a necessary goal,” he stated, since he has noticed students complain that Senate does nothing or that they are corrupt. “While these two statements are false, students have not been provided proper insight defaulting them to have this mindset.” He would like to hold events to which the students can come and provide feedback for the Senate while also being introduced to the Senate’s purpose and goals.” During his time in Student Senate and other organizations in the past, Moussa is proud to have achieved several goals for the NJIT student body, including refunding approximately 35% of the Student Activity Fees to students in the spring and working with administration to ensure that NJIT was able to have a balanced budget without increasing student tuition. He also started the Student Senate publicly accessible Drive and organized it in an easily accessible fashion. As Commuter Representative, when he noticed the lack of representation of commuters, he helped to establish the Off-Campus & Commuter Association (OCCA) with the goal of representing all commuters, similar to the Resident Hall Association. Moussa indicated, “I was able to accomplish all these goals by making myself available to the student body and being able to place myself in the position to examine and listen to my peers to help them as much as possible in my elected position.”

Badeti has similar objectives if elected as President in the coming year; she stated, “I want to collaborate with student organizations to be able to work together on events and/or initiatives, have bigger and better engagement from students and bring more awareness to their communities.” She explained, “The main motivator towards this becoming a staple in my campaign is from my experience as the Vice President of Student Affairs. One of the initiatives that we were able to pass and complete was designing and distributing [reusable] GDS bags” after students showed concerns about sustainability on campus. “I took that feedback as an opportunity to work closely with NJIT Green to come up with a sustainable replacement for plastic bags and to see how Senate’s resources were able to help.” According to Badeti, Student Senate and NJIT Green will continue to work together to make Earth Day the best that it can be. “My ultimate goal with regards to activities is to get as much engagement as possible to boost pride in NJIT and make campus lively. This means delegating tasks to my fellow e-Board members and their committees, prioritizing as many streams of advertising as possible and knowing when to fight for certain controls and when to relinquish them,” she described. Three of the most prominent matters that Badeti projects to work through are “having a greener campus, boosting NJIT pride and establishing transparency of ongoing senate initiatives. In regard to boosting NJIT pride, I want to collaborate with NJIT’s athletics department, its commuter association and other larger organizations to be able to host and execute large scale events for the NJIT community,” she said. “I want to address the transparency issue by either creating or enforcing the utilization of the Student Senate discord” in order to relay up-to-

date information about Student Senate’s initiatives. Badeti believes the most pressing concern at the moment is the transition to a fully in-person semester. With this in mind, she mentioned that the OCCA is “an organization that I envision having the biggest adjustment going from an online semester to a completely in-person one… I want to put a large focus on planning events for our large commuter population.” While speaking about her experience as the Vice President of Student Affairs, she said, “I think that out of all the e-Board positions on Senate, the Vice President of Student Affairs is most similar to President in that I am very close to students in listening to their feedback, and I’m able to direct and delegate tasks to my committee to work towards the goal of solving these issues.” She added that “the role of Vice President of Finance, in nature, requires less student interaction and problem-solving abilities.” Badeti believes her role has allowed her to “advocate for students with campus-wide changes, understand how to view finances on a macro level and to fight for the changes that students want to see.” Two initiatives that she has created and completed include providing reusable bags in Gourmet Dining Services and purchasing introductory level textbooks to be available at the library. She has made substantial progress on “providing free pad/tampon dispensers, buying solar paneled outdoor umbrella tables, collaborating on Earth Day and Mental Health Day plans and drafting plans to have a firepit on the [campus] green.” She stated, “I have worked on a wide range of projects that will affect students in all communities, and I hope to continue to have this level of ambition and dedication in my role as President.”

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 12, 2021

Returning to Campus

Photo by Romer Jed Medina/Flicker

By Katherine Ji | Senior Staff Writer & Sreya Das | Senior Staff Writer On March 8, almost a full year after NJIT’s unexpected move to online learning following the COVID-19 pandemic, President Joel Bloom sent an email to the community announcing that the university is planning for an in-person Fall 2021 semester. This in-person return would include primarily in-person instruction with full residence halls, events and activities and active research labs, with all buildings and other facilities operating at full or nearly full capacity. The current academic year is the first full year that was completely conducted in online or converged learning mode, aided by the thorough planning and organization of NJIT administration and staff. “Even before the pandemic was formally declared, watching what was happening in other countries, NJIT established a small committee to prepare and consider possible approaches for remote education and research continuity in case we had to close the university,” said Provost and Senior Executive Vice President Fadi Deek.“The work of that committee allowed us to almost overnight transition from our regular operation to one that was fully virtual. Upon NJIT’s closure in March 2020, that original committee was expanded into the Steering Committee of the Pandemic Recovery Plan.” This Steering Committee was subdivided into smaller subcommittees, each “chaired by one or two members... with the intent to address specific issues” such as the Instructional Delivery Subcommittee, according to Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Student Services Basil Baltzis. “We believe that the plan, its implementation and alterations as needed served the university very well in the past 13 months.” However, Deek and Baltzis noted that the Steering Committee saw no need to return to the now familiar converged learning mode modality in Fall 2021 if not strictly necessary, with a decision finalized, contingent on the pandemic conditions throughout the semester. “As you very well know,” said Baltzis, “despite all our efforts, the real converged mode did not actually work as we planned and hoped for. A small number of students attended in person and this was coun-

terproductive.” Deek acknowledged that even “against all expectations,” in case COVID-19 conditions worsen next semester again, “the converged mode may be of use” once again. Many students are eager for the return to in-person classes and on-campus social life, citing difficulties focusing or staying motivated. “I have a lot of attention issues. And I'm quite social. Being forced to stay at home for three semesters was both a blessing and a curse,” said Kevin Pereira, fourth year computer science major. According to Pereira, time at home allowed him to develop new hobbies, such as gardening and brewing mead, but he became unmotivated to focus in classes online, even in his favorite subject, history. “I was living on campus before COVID-19 hit. I would love to go back,” said Salmaan Saeed, second year information technology major. “Online learning is too stressful and makes me unmotivated and lazy. I like the social life at campus. At least I did not have to pay for lousy cafeteria food for three semesters.” “I don't want to selectively commute to school just for one or two classes. The inconvenience of commuting outweighs in person classes,” said Mervyn Mathew, junior computer science major, regarding the converged learning mode. Mathew has been a commuter since freshman year and intends to commute next year as well. However, he is also looking forward to going back to campus. “Although I don't mind online, I do miss being on campus and being able to just walk around, and in person classes do force me to pay attention.” The decision to eliminate converged learning instruction has also been met with mixed feelings. Over the past 13 months, students have adapted and become accustomed to the new mode of learning, which has its own unique benefits and challenges. “I feel like it should go back to the way it was in Spring 2020 where every class is converged, because I really don't know if I'm ready to get up and go ... to every single class I have,” said Adebusayo Kolade, a sophomore electrical engineering major. “Honestly, it scares me just thinking about it. My pandem-

ic habits are just so different from what I was used to before, and the thought of getting suddenly thrown back into what I was doing before everything... it makes me anxious. I'd love for some way to slowly transition to fully in person classes that would still allow people who are more than ready to jump right in. Give us the option to go at our own pace, you know?”

ful that a large majority of the university population will take advantage of the availability of the vaccine. “We are aware that many of us have already been vaccinated and the recent opening of a vaccination site on our own campus will facilitate this further for us,” said Deek. “It is reassuring that vaccine supply is not expected to be an issue [by the fall semester].”

“The current plan is that the entire university operation returns to its pre-pandemic conditions,” emphasized Deek and Baltzis. They said the Instructional Delivery Subcommittee has received ample feedback from students and parents that they would prefer semesters in person. In fact, they revealed that they had been receiving feedback from newly admitted students that have “indicated that in case we do not return to regular operation, they will opt to either delay the start of their studies at NJIT or will choose another university.”

However, it appears instating a vaccination policy is not off the table. Should NJIT announce a vaccination policy, Deek and Baltzis said verification will closely resemble verification of COVID-19 testing that has occurred at the beginning of the past two semesters.

With this goal in mind, the same schema of a dedicated group under the Steering Committee of the Pandemic Recovery Plan was utilized for the next school year. Deek, also co-Chair of the Pandemic Recovery Steering Committee, said “the Subcommittees and Steering Committee followed various developments at the city (Newark), state and national levels, the progress and availability of vaccinations, and prepares for a safe return to the university the students had applied to; a university with a vibrant campus life and the in-class and extra-curricular activities that prepare our students for a successful career upon graduating.” One major turning point that opened up the possibility of a return in person has been the rapid release of the COVID-19 vaccine. Only last week, President Joe Biden pushed the planned vaccine eligibility deadline up by two weeks, such that all American adults should be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19. Over a dozen U.S. colleges, including Rutgers University, will require that students returning to campus in the fall must have received the COVID-19 vaccine before the first day of class. According to Deek and Baltzis, final decisions regarding a vaccination policy have not yet been made. They are already hope-

Kolade expressed support for a mandatory vaccination policy. “It’s really important we do whatever to slow the spread… anyone who is regularly coming to campus or staying here should be vaccinated if possible.” Mervyn Mathew, third year computer science student, argued that if going in person is mandatory, that it only makes sense that a mandatory vaccination policy is instated. Concerns about a mandatory vaccination policy have also been raised regarding access, especially to international students, and religious or medical accommodations. However, according to Deek, “it goes without saying that members of our community who have health issues will be accomodated. It has also been a standard practice of the university to protect and respect freedom of religion.” Further, regarding lack of access to vaccinations, particularly of international students, “should vaccination be required the university will have a plan in place to accommodate all of our international students, including the incoming cohorts, in a timely fashion.” Deek and Baltzis said the ultimate goal is to return to a campus strengthened, despite inevitably new challenges. “We are looking forward to a university community informed and strengthened by the challenges of the pandemic, perhaps more accepting, engaging, empathetic and humane than ever before.” Evan Markowitz contributed to the reporting of this piece.

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of April 12, 2021

Online Learning: Not "Good Bye," But "See You Later" By Evan Markowitz | Senior Staff Writer Let's face it: if you're reading this, you have probably been affected in one way or another by the phenomenon we've come to know as "online learning." Whether in the form of "synchronous online," "asynchronous online" or "converged learning," the idea of taking classes at your computer or phone instead of in the classroom has become a staple of college life during the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, as the fall semester grows closer and NJIT continues to outline their plans to return to in-person learning as the primary teaching modality, it would seem that the days of online learning are behind us. Naturally, then, it's probably time to say goodbye to twice-weekly Webex sessions in favor of the true classroom experience… but I think there is significant reasoning behind letting them stay. As much as I personally struggle with learning from home, I'm genuinely hoping that, at the very least, the option is here to stay. For one, I think that many instructors and students are finally starting to "hit their stride," with both the technological and social aspects of distance learning. After over a full year of training, conditioning and practice, the

community is really getting the hang of this online learning business. This isn’t to say that there aren’t issues, but Information Services and Technology, the administration, faculty and students have all risen to the challenge and, in my opinion, have made a ton of progress. It would be a shame to see all of that go away.

ter, I’m sure plenty of them would love to avoid traffic by taking courses at home. Like I said before, while I personally hope for a continued option of online learning for those who prefer it and could benefit from it, I am beyond excited to return to the classroom, or at the very least, back to campus. I know that my personal mental health took a toll

There are a few practical benefits too for retaining some level of online learning. For example, NJIT caters in various ways to working adults and other nontraditional students in the form of evening classes. Wouldn’t it be nice if those students, if they wished, could take those courses from anywhere? That was the ethos of Converged Learning from all the way back in 2013 when the concept was first introduced. With the university continuing to serve nontraditional students such as with NJIT@JerseyCity , a satellite campus for graduate-level computing degrees, it seems only natural to offer an online or converged option for those groups post-pandemic. It isn’t just non-traditional students either who could benefit from a limited online learning option. With 77% of students living off-campus in the Fall 2019 semes-

over the last year both from the added stresses of a fully remote course load and from not being able to see the people I care about. For those who feel similarly, I hope next semester gives you the opportunity to catch up with both the people you’ve missed and your academics. For everyone else, though, I hope that this isn’t a “goodbye” to online learning, but a “see you later.”

COLLECTIONS voices from around campus Submit your responses to @njit_vector on Instagram!

Who should be the new Student Senate President! Wrong answers only! "Joel Bloom" "Evan... I would put my trust in any Evan" "The Highlander" "The Clocktower because that curse

held a tight grip on students"

accounts for a day "I think the ladies for the memes then at GDS could get we finally impeach anyone to listen" "NO PRESIDENT!!! him" ANARCHY" "honestly anyone "you know I who can talk to "okay hear me out... think I might be other people" Trump but just interested.... where have him handle do I sign up?" "a woman would be the NJIT social nice"

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of April 12, 2021

Image From Republic Records

Fearless

(Taylor's Version) Review By Evan Markowitz | Senior Staff Writer I was nine years old when Taylor Swift first released “Fearless,” her sophomore album. At the time, I didn’t know much except that “Love Story,” one of the project’s singles, was an absolute bop. Why then, nearly thirteen years later, did Swift decide to once again release an album called “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and why am I reviewing it? For that, we will need a bit of a history lesson.

Swift decided that rather than continue to try to buy the masters to her first six albums, she would simply re-record them, thus controlling the masters to the new records and devaluing the originals. The first of these re-recordings, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” was released in April 2021, bringing us to the present. With that history lesson out of the way, let us look at the album itself.

Taylor Swift got her start on Big Machine Records, an independent record label founded in 2005. On Big Machine, she released every album from her debut, “Taylor Swift,” up until her sixth full-length album, “reputation,” released in 2017. While her contract at this point with Big Machine had expired and she was free to sign to another label, Swift did not have ownership of the masters for those original six records, meaning that Big Machine would retain control of those albums.

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is a 26song behemoth of a release, featuring 19 songs from the original “Fearless” album from 2008, an extra single from 2010, and six previously unheard songs originally written for the 2008 record. The first 19 songs are… well… the first 19 songs from “Fearless,” but they feature a better sonic quality which could be attributed to modern recording, a more mature Swift, and just better instrumentation in general.

In June 2019, those masters, along with the rest of Big Machine Records, were acquired by a man named Scooter Braun. Swift alleges that, “for years,” she attempted to purchase her masters from Big Machine to no avail, while those claims are disputed by Scott Borchetta, the former president of the label. Needless to say, there is some level of controversy. In August 2019, though,

Looking at the aforementioned “Love Story,” the improved production and vocal quality are immediately apparent, with Swift sounding more in-control of her voice and her accompaniment being absolutely on point. Don’t get me wrong; this is still “Love Story,” and the song definitely remains faithful to the original 2008 single, but it is just that much better in 2021. As this is a re-recording of “Fearless,”

the first thirteen tracks match the ordering of the 2008 release, including Track 5: “White Horse.” For those unfamiliar with the legacy of Track 5, the fifth song in each Swift album, bar “1989,” has been the emotional high point of the album. The track discusses the time right before a romantic break up and realizing that things are about to end. It’s a good song, albeit not my favorite on the record nor my favorite Track 5. Overall, the songs that come from the original album are all just as great as they were when they were originally released, which is to say that they were wonderful to listen to again. The interesting part are those last seven songs, and specifically, the last six. Those six, known as the “From The Vault” tracks, are songs that Swift wrote while making “Fearless” that didn’t make it onto the original LP . “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version),” one of the “From The Vault” singles, features the country-pop stylings that you would expect from 2008-era Swift, discussing her personal life in contrast to her more modern songs, but manages to sound fresh all the same, showcasing Swift’s songwriting prowess even as a teenager. Remember, this was a song that didn’t even make it onto “Fearless” originally but still manages to fit right into today’s musical landscape.

The features on this album all fit quite well, including the freshly re-recorded vocals by Colbie Caillat for “Breathe (Taylor’s Version).” Besides that one track, the record features vocals from country-pop singer Maren Morris and country legend Keith Urban. Swift and Urban had known each other from when she was his opening act around the time “Fearless” was originally released, so things have come full circle in a way. Additionally, the “From The Vault” tracks feature production from Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, who both worked on previous albums “folklore” and “evermore.” I was curious when Swift originally announced “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” to see how she would differentiate this release from its 2008 original, and I think she has done a good job on that front. From the “new” music in the “From The Vault” songs to the improvements to the original tracks, she managed to bring a whole generation of fans thirteen years into the past one more time. There were a lot of ways an album re-release can go wrong, even if you have an army of “Swifties” ready to listen to anything you release, so to see that this album was done so well leaves me excited for the future. I cannot wait to hear the next re-release, whenever she decides to put that out.

Photo From Interscope Records

Chemtrails Over The Country Club Review By Prem Naik | Senior Staff Writer It seems like just yesterday that the tunes of “Norman Fucking Rockwell” took over my weekly repeat playlist, but on March 19th, Lana Del Rey delivered it’s successor, “Chemtrails Over The Country Club.” Building on the trademark sound of her last album, Del Rey delivers more of what worked in her last album, albeit with a more uplifting dreamlike vibe conveyed through her lyrics and captivating melodies. While many fans may enjoy Del Rey’s new album , it is important to note that her sound is not for everyone, and I can completely understand why some may not like her music in general. Having come a long way from her “Born To Die”

days, Del Rey has built a certain niche sound, which over the course of each album has taken on a character of its own. Long- time fans can attest to the fact that each album invokes an old school nostalgic aesthetic with a tinge of darkness, which can also bring an exclusivity to her fanbase. “Chemtrails Over The Country Club” is not majorly different ; it sounds like much of the same music, but with a slight lightness in comparison. The title track, which is my favorite of the album, is a welcome change of pace, full of lyrics that call back to warm summer days and “suburbia.” This is perhaps the most upbeat sounding Del Rey song since the

title track from 2017’s “Lust For Life” or “Not All Who Wander Are Lost,” another track from “Chemtrails Over The Country Club.” “Wild At Heart” is another song with slow, uplifting melodies and unexpectedly happy lyrics. This lighter tone is also exemplified by the fact that only two of the album’s songs are explicit, as opposed to a whopping eight on her last album. With the inclusion of this happier sound, “Dark But Just A Game” does sound out of place in the middle of the album. An outlier amongst the happier songs, the song references the facade music artists put on for fame. Still, “Let Me Love You Like A Woman” and

“Dance Till We Die” feature her trademark melancholic musical sound and work well with the rest of the album. Overall, “Chemtrails Over The Country Club” does not offer much new in terms of production or sound. A very safe album, it does not experiment much, and for fans, that’s not a bad thing. The inclusion of featured artists on “Breaking Up Slowly” and “For Free” is a welcome addition, but there could have been more to add greater variety, especially following her last album. If you enjoyed “Norman Fucking Rockwell,” you are bound to enjoy Del Rey’s latest record.

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of April 12, 2021

Photo By Medium

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Review

By Karim Gueye | Senior Staff Writer

“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” now the second television series to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, takes place in the year 2023, 6 months after the events of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” Anthony Mackie reprises his role as Sam Wilson, the flying superhero Falcon, while Sebastian Stan continues to play Bucky Barnes – the time-displaced, brainwashed, assassin-turned-hero Winter Soldier. With the defeat of Thanos in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” the Avengers have disbanded, and its members have gone their separate ways. Falcon has returned to the U.S. Air Force. Barnes attends therapy sessions to help make amends with his past.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is the first Marvel Studios production to take a deep dive into the world after “the Blip” – the moment when all the living beings killed by Thanos were revived by the Avengers. The Disney+ miniseries doesn’t shy away from the consequences of the Blip. The world moved on without those who were lost at the end of “Avengers: Infinity War,” death certificates were signed and social security numbers were cancelled. Earth is forced to care for a countless number of refugees at the expense of those who never died. This leads to the creation of the Flag Smashers, a terrorist group that Falcon pursues. This is the most relevant Stan and

Mackie’s characters have been in Marvel Cinematic history, and both actors look great with story’s spotlight above them. Mackie sells Falcon as a cool, quipping, air-force agent while Stan makes the ex-assassin feel so much endearing than his archetype would make you assume. Barnes grapples with his mental health throughout the miniseries, and Stan’s performance as a regretful killer makes the audience want to see Barnes happy. “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” executes its plot with a warmth not seen in other Marvel Studio productions. Creator and head writer Malcolm Spellman brings each character to life with believable motivations and natural, modern dialogue.

Each of our heroes and antagonists have their own unique goals, and the show’s creative use of dialogue means that each character contributes to the setting as well. Characters will regularly use modern slang and play off nervous stutters. Falcon shoots jokes at Bucky, and he tries – and fails – to hide his shock whenever Bucky successfully ribs him back. Every conversation is delightful and entertaining. With four fantastic episodes at time of publishing, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” isn’t just a great Marvel Studios production, its arguably one of the best TV shows currently on air. This is a must watch for anyone even moderately familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe .

March Madness 2021:

A Dominant Performance from a Well-Deserved Team By Samira Santana | Staff Writer

This year, the month of March came by faster than anyone expected. On the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown , there was one thing many Americans were looking forward to: the NCAA Men’s March Madness Tournament. The tournament features the best college teams in the U.S. — it is full of excitement, bets and many, many upsets! Although it is the only time many of us actually watch college basketball, it is still a time for friends and family to enjoy together and participate in bracket drawings in the hopes of getting recognition or, in some cases, money. Every tournament has a crowd favorite, the team who has proved in their season that it has what it takes to win the national championship. There are many teams that had the upper hand coming into this year's tournament. One favorite was Gonzaga, the number one seed in the West, sporting an

impressive undefeated record of 26-0. Senior Corey Kispert led his team with two stand-out players, sophomore Drew Timme and freshman Jalen Suggs, this was quite literally the team to beat. Another favorite coming into the Big Dance was Illinois, with a 23-6 record and an all-around roster with two All-Americans, junior Ayo Dosunmu and sophomore Kofi Cockburn, freshman star Andre Curbelo, and many experienced players; this year they were bound to live up to their name: the Fighting Illini. However, as it is with many top seeds, there are going to be upsets and games that no one ever sees coming, which is exactly what happened this year. The Fighting Illini only survived past the first round and were unfortunately sent home in the next round by a menacing eighth seeded Loyola Chicago. Let’s just say many felt the impact of that one on their brackets. Gonzaga, on the other hand, was sent home in one of the most surprising final games ever. The team won by more than 16 points before they faced UCLA in the quarterfinals, where many believe they

met their first real competition. The Bruins participated in the play-in game as the 11th seed and trailblazed past their competition, including two huge upsets against second seeded Alabama and first seeded Michigan. This quarterfinal game was everything but easy for Gonzaga, who had to put everything on the line to advance. People claim this was one of the best Final Four games ever in the history of the event, ending in a buzzer beater to send the Bruins home and continue the Bulldogs' path to the championship. Baylor, the first seed coming from the South, won by more than nine points in all their games. Throughout the final game, they dominated Gonzaga, toppling them from their undefeated tier and coming home with the first ever title for the university. Gonzaga, like the few teams who have gone undefeated in their season, could not shake the fate of losing in the finals, a feat only seven other undefeated teams have accomplished. In the end, Baylor’s win was well-deserved, putting all their efforts in each game and dominating their opponents until the final buzzer.

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of April 12, 2021

Horoscopes

Do You Even Sudoku?

By @poetastrologers

ARIES TAURUS The time is now to bring in the

green landing. You will weigh so many options. The real choice is beyond obvious. Take solace in the red flowers.

CANCER

You’ve gone places but none are as bright as this. You will fall in love with a plate. Your ideas cannot be contained. Keep dreaming dreams of right now.

LEO

GEMINI

There is a type of fixture that you can focus on. But instead of that why not hang up everything beautiful. You haven’t even begun. Take comfort in that while you are waiting.

It’s time for a gentle sleep. Then after get ready to really work. All of your tools are ready and you will be, too. A lemon and a fig are on the table.

You will be so helpful to a friend. There is a way that you always know what to say at the right time. Now is a good time to also say what you mean. If you love, then love.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Purple gauze and a moon. You will stand on a rock for a long time. Conversation has its benefits and there are many. Riches will be coming to you.

On a tray is a series of turquoise cups. Make sure you fill one for yourself. You can hand anything to a friend and they will step up. But those who don’t, remember that.

Two butterflies are perched in the ether. They are going and coming and leaving again. So too your heart finds its own balance. You don’t have to throw out the past to have a good future.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You might be getting ready for something. It’s hard to know yet. You are looking far off in the distance. It might not be over yet.

EASY

VIRGO

There was a lot you needed to do but now you have more time to sit and think. You might ponder several questions. Don’t worry yet about an answer. There is a turtle.

An ice bucket can hold so much. Tears will fall out of joy. Now you can circle around the edge of the situation. Painted on every scarf is your story.

You will have to do some extra work. You won’t mind this because it is about something you love. A bowl of cheerful songs will sit there. Pick it up and pick one.

MEDIUM

HARD

Comics EVIL

Crossword Crossword credited to onlinecrosswords.net

Tweet @TheNJITVector a photo of your completed crossword puzzle (only if you can solve it, though)! Across 1. Walk of Fame attraction 5. Machu Picchu builder 9. Some salmon 14. Sharpen, as on a whetstone 15. Crucifix 16. Unconcealed 17. Bow shapes 18. Pizza topping 20. Furniture wood 22. Medusa was one 23. Flamenco exclamation 24. Back from flying

25. Decorative bedspread 30. Earth prefix 31. "Exodus" hero 32. Cockatiel kin 34. Fields persona 38. Take a gander 40. Chick's pronouncement 42. French military cap 43. Baffling question 45. Clark Kent's pal 47. Some people don't care if its tip is felt 48. Stroke 50. Penniless

52. Red-faced 55. Low digit 56. Certain fuel carrier 57. Money or property, e.g. 62. Pizza topping 64. Word with canal or beer 65. A Barrymore 66. Read quickly 67. One of the seven deadlies 68. Outbuildings 69. Shepherd 70. Per ___ (daily allowance)

Down 1. Subterfuge 2. One-third of the title of a movie about 12/7/41 3. Pizza toppings 4. Do a cobbler's job 5. "___ La Douce" 6. Time for a break, often 7. Teapot cover 8. Wood dresser 9. Small crown 10. Scenic viewpoint 11. Andrew Wyeth's model 12. Acrylic fabric 13. Rise

19. Highly excited 21. Microorganism 25. Abner's artist 26. Nabisco goodie 27. Varnish ingredient 28. Reverberation 29. Chinese weight units 33. Needle point? 35. Pizza topping 36. Rapier's cousin 37. Lemon component 39. Fought off 41. For each 44. Closes up again 46. Western defense assn.

49. Way header 51. Rained cats and dogs 52. Yearns painfully 53. Place for a phone 54. Bat maker's tool 57. Word with foot and rat 58. "Magnet and Steel" singer Walter 59. Transmit 60. Small inlet 61. Study of word origins (Abbr.) 63. Concorde, e.g.

THE VECTOR

Week of April 12, 2021

HELP KEEP NJIT’S CAMPUS SAFE...

BY GETTING TESTED!

To ensure the health and safety of

*Volunteers accepted based on availability of test kits.

the university community, NJIT is conducting weekly COVID rapid antigen testing of 400 individuals on campus. That’s 320 students and 80 faculty and staff each week. Invitations to be tested will be sent out via email. We strongly encourage voluntary registrations as well.* Testing will be administered by New Jersey Innovation Institute in conjunction with Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.

TESTING HOURS Monday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

NEW TESTING LOCATION M2CU Unit Corner of Warren & Lock Streets (across from WEC)