Vol. C Issue 13 by The Vector

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Vol. C | Issue 13 Week of April 25, 2021

Support for New University Hospital Facility in Newark By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor

On April 14, New Jersey state and local officials came to University Hospital and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School to show support for Governor Phil Murphy’s approval of $500,000 in funding earmarked for the construction of a new University Hospital facility in Newark in 2022. According to the news release, “the current 519-bed University Hospital opened in 1979 and has been relying on its aging infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the community it serves. In 2020, University Hospital handled 83,122 emergency department visitors, 15,572 inpatient admissions, and 199,804 outpatient clinic visits.” It is a principal teaching hospital for all Newark-based medical education health centers, a notable one being Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, and stands as the Level 1 Trauma Center for northern New Jersey. The news release also included data about the hospital’s enhanced performance since its initial establishment, stating that “through careful control of expenses and smart capital investments, UH now boasts positive bottom-line results after several years in the negative.” Additionally, after compiling information about conditions and infections acquired through hospital care, the quality of care has dramatically improved. The

Photos by Sean Slusarz

facility will allow for more technological advances to be implemented during practice, emphasizing the growth that the hospital has had throughout its history since 1882. Dr. Shereef Elnahal is the president and CEO of University Hospital. “With the growing primary care needs of our community, health equity lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, a budding, post-pandemic mental health crisis, and the community’s demand for more comprehensive and specialized care, our current facilities are bursting at the seams,” he acknowledged. “A new, modern facility will allow us to meet and exceed these needs, in our quest to build a thriving and modern biomedical campus.” “Completing over 96% of the State Monitor’s recommendations and invigorated by the momentum built over these last few years,” the news release stated, “the Hospital is destined for excellence, which will continue to be reflected in future reporting that includes more recent data.” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka commented on the potential to improve access to healthcare for residents in the area. He believes it will “strengthen our entire health and medical community, especially as we emerge from the pan-

demic.” New Jersey State Senator Teresa Ruiz stated, “A new facility doesn’t solely open its doors to offering patients a better healthcare experience; it can create opportunities to expand the footprint of services offered and attract research funding. With the ongoing critical financial support from the state, UH will continue to be a place that offers equity

can serve Newark and its surrounding communities.” He highlighted that Rutgers is undoubtedly going to continue supporting Newark during this movement, whether it be through providing quality patient care, conducting research or responding to the pandemic as a city. County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo,

“A new facility doesn’t solely open its doors to offering patients a better healthcare experience; it can create opportunities to expand the footprint of services offered and attract research funding” Teresa Ruiz New Jersey State Senator in healthcare and will become one of the country’s best biomedical campuses.” Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor Dr. Brian Strom remarked, “The Governor’s proposed budget allows us an opportunity to study what an academic health center should look like in the 21st century and how it

Jr., among many other officials, thanks the governor for allocating this funding, which will contribute “greatly to the economic stability of Newark and Essex County. Developing new infrastructure is long overdue and will enable UH to continue to provide quality health, medical and emergency care for future generations.”

FEATURES

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

VACCINE ROLLOUT FALTERS

MY EXPERINCE WITH WEIGHT LOSS

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

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See pages 6

See page 7

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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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4/21/21 6:03 PM Officers responded to the ground level of CKB on a call of a large gathering. Upon arrival, individuals were properly distanced and no further incidents were reported. 4/23/21 11:29 PM Officer observed a large crowd forming outside 265 MLK Blvd, non-affiliate resident. The organizer of the party admitted 60 attendees inside and outside combined. He was reminded about the Executive Order parameters and had 40 guests leave to be in compliance.

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THE VECTOR

Week of April 25, 2021

Meet Your 2021-2022

Features

Student Senate Eboard! By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor Third year computer science major Anuja Badeti wanted to run for the position of President because of her drive to establish positive change in NJIT. She “felt that [she] found a community that was equally driven” to do so, and being in Senate would allow her to enforce these potential modifications. This is something she has understood through her past role as Vice President of Student Affairs, showing her “how impactful Senate can be in being the voices of change that students want to see.” Two of her completed and impactful initiatives include the dining services offering reusable bags and students’ ability to purchase introductory level textbooks at the library. Much of her platform for the next year includes working with other student organizations on certain events to increase engagement across campus. In the past, she has combined the Senate’s and organizations’ “ideas and resources to come up with highly sustainable solutions to our problems.” The most pressing concern at the moment, however, is the transition to completely in-person learning this fall, acknowledging that “[b]eing able to safely plan events all the while still enforcing guidelines will definitely be challenging, however, I’m confident that myself and the rest of Senate will be able to address any issues that arise in the best way that we can.” Badeti added she is excited to serve as President and “enact change from the moment that I start.”

Vice President of Administration Mariam Sharobim

A second year forensic science and biology major, Mark Nashed served on the Finance Committee during his freshman year and found it highly rewarding to aid organizations financially to “function and flourish,” motivating him to run for Vice President of Finance. He also served as the Director of Public Relations this past year. With experience on the committee as well as the Eboard, he learned that “no matter what the committee's task has at hand, the end goal is always for the amelioration and strengthening of student life on campus.” In the upcoming year, he would like to facilitate student organizations' financial processes, meaning providing “easy-to-follow tutorials on our website that organizations can access at any time” and “working with administration to shorten and simplify” processes such as organizing credit information and inputting reimbursements for students. Nashed stated, “the primary goal is always to make every student's life here on campus a safe, enjoyable and educational one.”

Vice President of Student Affairs Lauren Azer

Second year civil engineering major Lara Rios wants to bring back the vibrant campus life by promoting participation in organizations. She recognized that “[t]his past year, our current student organizations committee has worked hard to improve the ways we keep track of these organizations, and some of my first steps would work to build upon this system.” She wants to ensure that all organizations are able to fulfill their purpose and continue to grow, so students who are interested in getting involved on campus can find the right place for them. This includes commuters, as she is one herself. Rios included, “I know how hard it can be for commuters to feel at home here, but I also know that being a part of Senate these past two years,” as a freshman representative and then as Civil Engineering Representative, has really helped her.

President Anuja Badeti

Mariam Sharobim is a second year biomedical engineering major who has served as the Newark College of Engineering Representative and a member of the academic affairs committee. These positions have given her “experience in leadership and collaboration, meeting with faculty and administrators, reviewing NJIT policies and documents and voicing student concerns.” She is passionate about academics and sees opportunities to make a difference in that area. One of her main objectives is to “expand NJIT’s tutoring program and collect student feedback on the curriculums of every major to ensure that our academic programs are up to date with their corresponding job fields.” Additionally, she would like to increase the communication between the Senate and the rest of the NJIT community. She added, “A final goal in relation to my role in Senate internally is to reach out to the students of unrepresented majors in order to fill up vacant positions.” Sharobim believes NJIT is the university it is today because of its students, so she wants to make sure she, along with the rest of the Senate, advocates for the students as much as possible.

Vice President of Finance Mark Nashed

Lauren Azer is a first year biomedical engineering major, spending this past year as a freshman representative. For the next academic year, she aims to “focus not only on residential life, but also specifically on commuter life,” hoping to work with administration and public safety to lower the fees of the parking deck. Additionally, as a result of the pandemic, she noticed the detachment among students, so she wants to make sure events held in the upcoming year are accessible and enjoyable to students both on and off campus. Some of her goals include “maintaining to-go GDS meals, getting the charging stations around campus fully operational, implementing more water filling stations around campus, and lastly renovating worn out parts of campus as a whole,” Azer said. “While these aspirations may seem like an uphill battle, I am more than willing to put in the time and effort to make these goals into a reality.”

Director of Student Organizations Lara Rios

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 25, 2021

continued from page 3 Philopateer Ibrahim is a second year biology and forensic science major who has reinstated his role as Secretary from this past year. He has taken his role very seriously, “never missing an assignment requested by the Executive Board, making sure that the Senators are attending the General Body Meeting to address the student's issues and even making sure that the Senate come to their office hours to address students when they come to the Student Senate office for assistance.” He understands the importance of keeping documents organized, accessible, and up-to-date to help the Senate do its job. Having students’ positive experiences at NJIT in mind, Ibrahim said that “it is important to make sure everything is functional from the inside to work externally such as how the human body has to be healthy from the inside to function properly.”

Secretary Philopateer Ibrahim

NJIT Food Pantry Addressing Hunger among College Students

Photos by Ahmad Jamhour

By Sreya Das | Senior Staff Writer

On April 13, the Department of Human Services announced increased funding for New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, colloquially referred to as food stamps. The recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, signed Dec. 27, 2020, temporarily expanded the program’s eligibility to include college students who are enrolled in at least half-time and are eligible for work study programs or have an expected family contribution of $0 in the current academic year; ordinarily, students enrolled in at least half-time higher education institutes are ineligible for the program. This recently passed legislation, which will remain in effect until at least 30 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency is officially lifted, further highlights the growing issue of food insecurity, particularly among college students. The NJIT Food Pantry, located on the 4th floor of the Campus Center in room 478, is one of NJIT’s initiatives for addressing food insecurity on campus. Following NJIT’s first Homecoming food drive in Fall 2018, which helped create the initial stockpile of donations, the pantry officially opened in February 2019. It has continued operations since then, even following through summer appointments. “There has been a trend across the United States where colleges basically

realized that there were food insecure students on their campuses,” said Amber Danku, Assistant Director for Commuter Life & Operations. She also serves as the operating manager of the NJIT Food Pantry, which falls under the Office of Student Life. “Back in 2012, there were only 88 food pantries across the whole United States on college campuses. Now there are about 700 plus. It’s not necessarily solving the issue — it’s more of a band-aid on the bigger issue of food insecurity, but NJIT wanted to take a step towards helping our students. “For the first year ending with the pandemic in the spring of 2020, we had 1389 appointments with 266 unique users on campus. So, there were 266 total students who used [the food pantry] within that year,” said Danku. The pantry is planning on sending out a survey in May to further gauge students’ level of food security on campus. “This year, we are a little bit lower than that because we have fewer students on campus, but the expectation is that when students come back, we may have a large increase in appointments and the number of students actually using the pantry.” As with most other aspects of university life, the food pantry has adapted in some ways to the pandemic. Students and staff members follow a number of COVID-19 precautions, such as scheduling and confirming appointments

virtually before in-person pickups and incorporating social distancing plastic dividers. One of the most significant changes is that “rather than allowing students to walk around the food pantry to select their preferred food, they are required to stand behind the red line upon entering and have to point out what they want instead,” according to Logan Reyes, a junior information technology major who began working for the NJIT Food Pantry in the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester. As an assistant, he has to organize food on shelves, discard any expired food, pack food bags for students, accept shipments and serve any students who are in need on a weekly basis. “Pandemic or not, there will always be students in need of assistance to mitigate food insecurity. I feel that with less people commuting to and living on campus because of online classes, food insecurity is definitely more prevalent,” said Reyes. “When people are obligated to come to campus for classes, the food pantry is convenient and can assist a lot more people. With online classes, people may feel that the transportation is not worth it, and will remain food insecure. I am hoping that in the Fall 2021 semester with most classes in-person, we can reach more students.” Although numbers of appointments currently may be on the lower end, both Danku and Reyes encourage students to

benefit from the food pantry and are optimistic that with an in-person Fall 2021 semester, more people will be able to access the food pantry. All members of the NJIT community are permitted to visit the pantry weekly, provided they have a valid NJIT ID. “There is a lot of supply. To encourage my peers to come to the food pantry, I always make this joke: ‘we have so many beans!’ This joke is completely true. External donations, fundraising events from NJIT fraternities and sororities and the wonderful NJIT community have allowed for the food pantry to consistently maintain full shelves,” Reyes said. Inventory in the food pantry includes a wide variety of nonperishable items beyond beans, including oatmeal, cereal, soup and even macaroni. “As mentioned before, with less people commuting to or living on campus, sometimes the demand is not as high as we would like. As the weather warms up, I am confident we will see more people coming to the food pantry. “If you or an NJIT peer are experiencing food insecurity, please do not hesitate to reach out for help. You are a part of the Highlander community just as much as we are. Do not feel embarrassed if you need food assistance. Our mission is to provide you with a support system so that you can fully dedicate yourself to being a successful student!”

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 25, 2021

continued from page 3

A first year law, technology and culture major, Michael Schober wants to build student pride in NJIT. He acknowledged that the pandemic has robbed the the students of their college experience, so “[i]f safety guidelines permit, I want Senate to do everything in their power to bring back a sense of normalcy to campus.” This past year, he was a part of the Public Relations Committee, and its director at the time inspired him to run for the position. “I believe a university is only as good as the students attending it,” he said. “With depression at an all time high amidst the COVID-19 pandemic I want to focus on improving mental health for students.” Acknowledging this, he would like to concentrate on student growth, well-being and happiness, also wanting to promote diversity, inclusion and self-expression among students. Another challenge he would like to address is the disconnect between students and administration. Schober stated, “I want to reaffirm the fact that Senate has students’ best intentions in mind and is an outlet students can go to with any problem at all.”

Director of Public Relations Michael Schober

Stayin’ Alive How One Newark Hotspot Turned the Living Room into a Dance Floor By Sabastian Fernandes | Senior Staff Writer It seems that nowadays, life can take place almost anywhere. From doctors’ checkups in your kitchen to college lectures in your bed, remote meetings are widely used as a substitute for the faceto-face life. One Newark business is taking it a step further — a weekly nightclub with live DJ-ing, right in your living room!

the channel to help keep the business afloat.

QXT’s is an alternative dance club on the corner of Mulberry and Elm just three blocks down front of the Prudential Center in Newark, and it carries with its name a rich history of urban entertainment. Adapted from the restaurant Don Quixote about 30 years ago, it has functioned as a mix between a lounge and a mosh pit for music seekers of a variety of genres such as EDM, goth, punk and rock, attracting a niche crowd of partygoers from the area for decades. Recently, along with many other businesses and people in the entertainment industry, QXT’s has closed its doors to customers. In Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka has instated a number of rules and curfews for non-essential businesses. But that doesn’t mean the party has stopped altogether.

“[I]n the midst of a very difficult economic time for so many… we decided not [to] have people pay. We are blessed to have an amazing group of followers who have been loyal and so supportive over the last 30 years,” said Manna. “Streaming was not designed to raise revenue but to give back a bit of joy to the thousands of followers.”

Current owner of the QXT’s nightclub Rolando Manna and his team of innovative DJ’s have taken to the virtual stage ever since last summer, streaming their usually unusual mix of alt jams on their Twitch streaming channel, ClubQxTs. “The idea of streaming came from… our resident DJs,” said Manna. “Some of them had already [begun] to stream from home and obviously, we all agreed to the concept of reaching out and connecting with our QXT’s fan base.” Twitch is a widely popular live video streaming service that has developed its large following in the video game industry, but it has since grown to a medium that supports all sorts of creative streams that any user can put up for free, with ads and options for fans to subscribe to

Folks at QXT’s however — while still driven closer to the brink of economic meltdown due to a lack of clientele — have taken to this new-age approach of letting their fans know they’re still kicking. And at no cost, too!

For the QXT family, the maintenance of their fanbase has been their top priority. Anyone can tune in from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Saturday on the club’s Twitch channel to watch a live video feed of the club’s DJs continue to spin tracks on the QXT stage complete with colorful strobe lights and smoke machines. And every night, the stream’s live chat is filled with excited at-home party-goers, looking to chill out and talk with their fellow viewers. It seems that although the physical aspect of the club has been forgone, the team seems to have pulled together all the right elements: good sound, good vibes and good company. The stream peaks at about 150 - 175 viewers, and on average it receives 80-90 people per night. The club’s latest stream upload has clocked in at just under 1200 total views, which is not too shabby for a fairly new Twitch channel launched in May 2020. “[Live streaming] would never replace the energy level of a dance floor... Nor can it provide the synergy of a crowd with a live DJ. Still, we are glad to have it and we will continue to use it in the future.”

Although they are crushing the streaming game, Manna and his team, alongside so many others are planning to reopen sooner rather than later. QXT’s is reportedly expecting to allow customers in as a small-scale lounge hopefully this year, where their unique collection of music can be heard, accompanied by food and drink, tapas style. They are currently waiting on the city’s official approval to install a kitchen. Alas, the pandemic has slowed all of government down along with business. Despite all of this, Manna is hoping to open the doors QXT’s “The Crypt” and “Area 51” dancefloors in the coming year — at decreased capacity of course. Until then, though, QXT will continue to rely on the charity of their fans to help them stay afloat until the point of their return to business as usual. A team of fundraisers opened a GoFundMe campaign titled “QXT’s 2021 Home Away From Home Relief” on behalf of Manna’s club last May, and have since amassed close to $36,000 of their $50,000 goal. Instructions read, “Please donate and share words of encouragement,” so the club has received an outpouring of love

from all corners of the alt scene. Preachings of love and adoration flood the donation box, along with gifts of anywhere from $20 to $600. Everyone donator refers to QXT’s as home, and in an ironic twist, the current situation has brought the essence of the club into the homes of the fans forthwith, to the forefront of their thoughts and prayers. “[W]e can honestly say that our patrons' generosity is the main reason we have not given up… If our plan [to reopen as a Lounge with a kitchen] works, we are committed to have QXT's as a venue… for many more years.” Although the current state of things is fairly bleak, the future is looking brighter — or, in QXT’s gothic themed halls, darker — every day. Staples of community and culture such as this nightclub are struggling, but through the continued support of their loyal patrons, they will make a full recovery in due time. And the wonderful thing is that nowadays, the greatest thing that one can do to show support is to sit back, relax and headbang to a punk-industrial-darkwave song streaming from your laptop. Now that’s metal.

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 25, 2021

Behind the Paper My Reflection on Four Years at The Vector By Daniil Ivanov | Senior Staff Writer

Within the first few weeks of my freshman year I joined The Vector Newspaper. I had never written for a newspaper before—in fact, I had hardly even read newspapers before. But, I loved writing and I thought I had a lot to offer to the paper. My start was in covering politics: gun laws in New Jersey, corporations not paying taxes and reading more of Trump’s Twitter account than I could have imagined. Fellow student, Anuj Patel and I even drove out to Montclair State University to help NJ Spotlight with updating a live map of the gubernatorial election on the night that Phil Murphy was elected as governor of New Jersey (my car also got T-boned at an intersection on the way over, but that’s a story for another time). As I put more all-nighters into writing articles and rose to senior staff writer, I wanted to become the managing editor of the paper—the person who is in charge of all story ideas and written content. I laid out my plan for how to ‘fix’ the paper to a room where most people didn’t know me and, rightfully so, I lost that election. Actually, someone later told me that it wasn’t even close. Ouch. I kept writing, doing reviews and writing articles that I was more passionate about. I started focusing more on interviewing people and trying to become an actual journalist. Over the last four years, I’ve picked up a journalism minor here (yes, they offer a journalism minor at NJIT). One thing I learned that wasn’t in a journalism class, though, was from reflecting on why I lost my first election. It wasn’t necessarily because I wrote worse or couldn’t take the challenge— and it is a challenge—but it was because I didn’t know anybody there. Over that year I built friendships and relationships with people in Vector that I continue to hold. I took the same approach to my journalism, getting to know people all over campus because when I needed them for a story they would be there for a quote or to point me in the right direc-

tion. I became managing editor for my junior year, squeaking through another tough election thanks to my new friends vouching for me. I learned a leadership style on the job that I try to apply to other aspects of my life: I’m not telling workers to do something, I’m asking friends for help. Every person that wrote for me, in my eyes, was doing me a favor because I wouldn’t have to write that article and they made me look good in my position. I even spent about ten hours making a full Thanksgiving dinner for the entire staff for a meeting, including a ten-pound turkey that I baked in my Oak Hall dorm room oven. The next thing I learned was how to teach people. Anyone can tell people what to do, but when someone comes in and tells me that they want to write, it was up to me to bring the best out of them. One time, I worked all day at my job as an EMT, drove back to Newark after a long shift, sat off to the side at a meeting that one of the writers was in for another club until he was done, and spent the next half hour revising an article together because that was the only time he was free. One of my favorite feelings over the last four years has been to see writers produce great work, because they were able to unlock the potential that we all have. The next lesson, and the most important one that I learned from being in the paper, is that it’s not about me. Movies like “Spotlight” and “The Post” make journalism out to be a glorious pursuit where you’re trying to uncover a scandal. My favorite articles to write ended up being club spotlights and on-campus news. When I sat in on meetings for small or new organizations, talked to their leaders, took photos of events and briefly became part of their community, I felt the passion that lives through this campus. When I’ve talked to NJIT’s leadership, the same passion can be heard in their voice—these aren’t just names and titles on emails but rather people who

come here every day to make this community a better place. This past and final year, I have been the editor-in-chief of the paper and gotten to step back from the daily grind of being the managing editor. I got to lead an amazing team through a global pandemic, where we had to quickly adjust to how we would cover a mostly empty campus with almost no events. Our managing editor, Katherine Ji, was able to step up to the plate and think of great stories every week. Our executive editor, Sandra Raju, assembled a team that rewrote our entire layout guidelines and started a graphic design branch of the layout team. Sreya Das, our web and multimedia editor, was instrumental in keeping the paper alive after we stopped printing and went fully virtual, and our business manager Mark Pothen, was able to pivot his role from making sure papers were printed to taking a leading role in getting our website redeveloped. Finally, our photography editor, Ethan O’Malley was given a limited amount of material to work with considering the campus has only recently begun to open back up, but he has been flexible in taking assignments and contributed heavily to the creative process of the paper. Kristie Damell, our Director of Student Life, would meet with me every month, checking in on how the paper is doing and how our Eboard was doing. She’s given us all of the support that we could want from an administrative perspective and as a mentor for the club, helping the leadership do our jobs well. I learned from many people, including our advisor, Miriam Ascarrelli, who always gave us the tools to become better journalists and a better paper. Miriam gave out her cell phone number to Eboard members, stayed up past midnight when we were struggling to edit a very long story and has always emphasized that we try to prioritize ourselves and our health before crashing and burning from working on the paper.

Finally, I would like to thank every person who has contributed to the paper. We come to this school to get a degree and get ready for our future, but there are some who stop to uplift the community. Without the many people who decided to stop by the Vector office or join the Vector Discord or join our Friday meetings, we wouldn’t have a paper. While covering the communities that are built throughout NJIT, we’ve built our own community that’s stronger than I could have ever imagined. This year alone, we’ve had five different members win state or regional awards for the work they’ve produced for us. More importantly, we’ve told the stories on campus that matter. One of my other big joys that I’ve gotten over the last few years is when I see someone reading the paper, or when someone mentions an article in the paper. At the end of the day, The Vector—and journalism as a whole—is about telling stories. After four years, it’s hard to think about giving all of this up and moving on. But, looking around at the wonderful talent that we have in our little newsroom, the support that we receive and the many more stories to be told around campus, I know that this isn’t about me. The Vector that I’m leaving behind will keep giving voice to those stories and keep moving forward with magnitude and direction. Thank you to everyone who has helped me grow over the last four years. I’ve become a better writer, a better leader and better person from all of the influences that have been around me, and The Vector will always be an integral part of my college experience. I thank you for reading the paper and continuing to support our quirky group of journalists, and I wish the new Eboard the best of luck for the upcoming year. Daniil Ivanov, 2020-21 Editor-in-Chief, 2019-20 Managing Editor

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 25, 2021

To the Students of NJIT A Farewell from your Student Senate President By Anuj Patel | Student Senate President, Contributing Writer

It’s been an incredible privilege to have served as the Student Senate President in the 2020-2021 term. Right off the bat, I have to talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed society in the past year; most importantly for this position - how much of an unproportionally large negative influence it has had on the mental wellbeing of specifically the college student demographic. I could not be more grateful for being able to work with the incredible, hardworking, creative, driven, passionate and caring Student Senate and Eboard this year. From the very beginning of last summer, we’ve discussed as an Eboard how to make this year the best it can be and how to utilize creative solutions to continue to impact students in meaningful ways even in such unprecedented circumstances. NJIT worked relentlessly to be a trailblazer in showing what a hybrid college experience looked like; During our pandemic recovery committee meetings, we were so proud to hear that colleges across the country were using NJIT’s meticulous Pandemic Recovery Plan as

Student Life to create a campus life centric pandemic recovery plan outlining how students would be able to exercise their passions in student organizations and activities while following the guidelines during each point of the year. Since the creation of the pandemic recovery plan, everything felt as though it happened so quickly - from our donation to the Highlander Emergency Fund, Tent proposals, GDS reusable bags, the mental health day initiative, pass/fail resolutions and a student activities fee refund which all aimed to solve COVID-19 related issues directly to the more indirect and student life improvements of OER Textbooks, NSO T-shirts proposal, Student Organization Tiering documents and Good Standing Bonus funding, Food Pantry expansion proposal and Highlander Hype Fest, just to name a few. In addition to these, I wanted to stress our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We created a diversity and inclusion committee and although it is admittedly still trying to figure out its direction and

“I want to thank you, the students, for making campus so vibrant, lively and creating a culture of being so vocal.” Anuj Patel Student Senate President a measure of where to aim. We’ve been very grateful for the opportunity to have Student Senate representation on the pandemic recovery committees all year to provide student input and feedback on decisions of monumental scales. Alongside this, we worked closely with

purpose, for this year we have sponsored Black History Month and made sure that we have stepped up in this remarkable year full of civil rights movements to ensure that our student body knows that they have support from us.

Moreover, I can’t express how much Senator work goes behind the scenes. I’ve listed many accomplishments above that are tangible, quantifiable and have official voting procedures, however, there is so much more. Senators

zation and the impact of it is sometimes clouded through constant meetings and emails, but moments like these really touch us and refocus us on the reasons we joined Student Senate. What we’ve done this year has encompassed

“Pre-pandemic the student body was already so hardworking, passionate, driven and so much more, but this year elevated it to the next level.” Anuj Patel Student Senate President go to meetings after meetings discussing issues from proctoring for exams, class schedules for students, problems with professors and syllabi and solving non-academic issues as well. It’s such a great feeling to be a part of an organization with students so driven to want to make changes for others, even if much of the work goes behind the scenes. Conversely, there are moments when the impact of our work is strikingly concrete. While several of us were cleaning up in the Student Senate office from the Highlander Hype event, we all mentioned how surprised we were that a ton of students went out of their way to approach us and tell us how great of a stress reliever Highlander Fest was and how much hope it gave them for normalcy again as the pandemic isolated them for months. In the event feedback form, one freshman said they were seriously considering transferring from NJIT, but this event gave them motivation to give NJIT a second chance to see the livelihood of campus next fall. The work that goes into this organi-

so many aspects of the student experience; I believe this is attributed to some of the best characteristics of this Student Senate, the open-minded mentality to accept ideas and adaptability to our surroundings. While we were able to do so much this year, it came with even more hurdles and rejections. We had to grow in a way we never expected, but appreciated every moment of it. I want to reiterate how grateful I am to have been able to work so closely with this Eboard and take on this challenging year with so much energy and hope. I also want to specially thank Kristie Damell, the Director of Student Life, for not only being my advisor for over 2 years, but becoming a mentor figure for me and helping me develop in this position and as a person. Lastly, I wish Anuja and the next Student Senate good luck in their journey to revitalize campus next year and bring back the normalcy and hope that everyone is seeking .

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of April 25, 2021

Hybrid Commencement Decision Made By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor The main commencement ceremony for NJIT’s August 2020, December 2020 and May 2021 graduates will be taking place on May 18 at 5 p.m. All the ceremonies will be combined in a hybrid format, with both in-person and virtual components. Certain candidates will be allowed to attend their respective ceremonies in person on May 12, May 14 and May 15, without family, while the all-virtual event will take place on May 18. The Director of Development and Alumni Events, Eladio Ruiz 3rd, spoke about the decision-making process regarding the commemoration. “Commencement is an opportunity for the NJIT community to recognize and celebrate the hard work, talents, and many achievements of its graduating students,” Ruiz said. “To do so in a way that reflects the university’s tremendous pride in its soon-to-be new alumni, while working within the state of NJ’s pandemic guidelines for public gatherings, President Bloom encouraged the Commencement Committee to incorporate as many in-person components as possible into this year’s Commence-

ment exercises.” The committee has a tagline associated with commencement: “The Best Day Ever!” The members, Ruiz being one of them, firmly believe that and have strived to live up to the catch phrase. In order to make it the ‘best day ever,’ “[a] ll participants must wear a face mask, maintain social distancing and, if they are symptomatic, although a difficult decision, they should not participate.” Having an entirely online ceremony was the only option for May 2020 graduates, and it was certainly possible to have the same format this year; the committee received a 93% approval rate from the participants last year. However, “[t]his year we were hopeful that state guidelines would permit us to allow students to share the experience in person with their classmates and families,” Ruiz commented. There was a survey conducted this February for the candidate to voice their opinion on how they want to see their ceremony being carried out. While

the majority of graduates expected an all-virtual commemoration, three responses were common among all of them: having an in-person component if possible, sharing the experience with classmates and sharing the experience with families. Ruiz said that some alumni have wished “they had the current experience as it is more personal; candidates do not have to report to a venue at 7 a.m. and they do not have to sit through a threeplus hour event, as we traditionally call all students to the stage.” The current graduates have the opportunity to celebrate in a more intimate fashion with family at home on May 18. According to Ruiz, “[t]his year was also unique because of the incredible input and participation by some of our student leaders,” which include Student Senate President Anuj Patel, Senior Class President Victoria Nguyen, Graduate Student Association President John Stefan and Office of Graduate Studies Vice President for Programming Wuraola Ogunnowo.

Ruiz has treasured being a graduate of NJIT himself in 1987. “The moment I most look forward to this year and every year is when the chair of the Board of Trustees confers the degrees and asks the candidates to move their tassels. At that moment, candidates are welcomed to a group I am proud to be a member of: The Alumni Association of NJIT. That is the moment at which all candidates can stand with pride as they have accomplished a dream – a dream that, for many NJIT students, has been in the making for generations.” He also mentioned that this year’s moment will be even more memorable because the Class of 2021 members will be the “first to be conferred their NJIT degrees by the new chair of the Board of Trustees and three-time NJIT alumnus Robert C. Cohen ’83, ’84 and ’87.” The hybrid ceremony will be remembered for years to come, and the Commencement Committee has been dedicated to making this occasion its best possible version for students to look back on and appreciate.

COLLECTIONS voices from around campus

Submit your responses to @njit_vector on Instagram!

How do you study for Finals? Wrong answers only! "I dont"

"I put my textbooks under my pillow "By eating so that I gain Cheeseburgs while knowledge watching movies!!" through osmosis" "Bold of you to assume I study"

"Whats studying, it's all open note when online"

"Write the answers on my feet and crack certain toes for a b c d answers"

"Calculate the trajectory at which your life will hit it's quarter life crisis"

"I open my laptop, stream Taylor Swift's "this is my trying" and don't do anything else"

"They're Rutgers classes, the answers are on quizlet anyway"

"Eating two blueberries, spin "Hour long study around 2 times, and sessions with 15 "Finals?" sleep!" minute breaks in between and going "Study?" "Reading a book" to bed early"

"Procrastination" I'll find a hack on Tik Tok"

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of April 25, 2021

Advice to Future Highlanders By Samira Santana | Staff Writer My first semester at NJIT feels like it was just yesterday. I’m now in the final leg of my sophomore year, and personally, my mental growth has seen noticeable improvements— something that I think many college students can relate to even if they don’t realize it. I’ve reached new levels of independence and motivation, but I’m still continuing to grow nonetheless. I want to impart some knowledge that will hopefully make the transition from high school to NJIT easier for you and will help shape you into the successful college student you hope to be. One major change I’ve noticed since my freshman year of college has been my time management. I think it’s safe to say that I was struggling my first semester. I had trouble studying, and because of this, I would spend hours on end at a desk. I also didn’t participate in many organizations nor did I have a job. To combat this, I’ve watched plenty of YouTube videos and read many articles on how to study effectively so I highly recom-

mend doing research for anyone looking for new methods of studying to add to their toolkit. Using your professors as a resource is so crucial when you’re having trouble understanding your schoolwork— many professors at NJIT are more than willing to help their students. Some high-quality study methods I’ve learned are spaced repetition and active recall. Spaced repetition means studying in intervals to combat the ‘forgetting curve.’ Active recall is testing yourself, whether it’s verbally asking yourself questions or taking practice exams. But, one of the biggest takeaways I’ve learned is the Parkinson’s Law. This law states that work fills the time allotted to it. Basically, if you don’t set specific times in your days to study or do homework, then you will most likely be spending lots and lots of time doing that thing. Instead, fill your schedules, within reason, so you have to finish your academics within a set amount of time.

get involved in extracurricular activities or organizations that can be found on Highlander Hub or find a job so that you have something else to do other than academics. This may seem contradictory but when done well, it helps balance your life. During freshman year, join any and all clubs that interest you— go to the club fairs and the major/minor fairs that are hosted in the fall semesters. This way you can meet new people and see where your interests lie. Get to know these organizations and get involved in campus events. By sophomore year, you can identify the select organizations that you want to continue pursuing. All in all, college, just like high school, goes by in a blink. Don’t spend all of your time stuck in the library hitting the books when you could be exploring new interests and meeting new people and still doing well in your academics. I hope these small changes can help make your NJIT career one to remember.

This leads to my next piece of advice:

Senior Formal Snapshots Photos By Katherine Ji | Senior Staff

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of April 25, 2021

NBA Play-In Tournament: Race to the Playoffs By Samira Santana | Staff Writer Coming off March Madness, which ended in a shocking fashion on April 5, basketball fans everywhere are looking to the NBA for some big-time entertainment this spring. These fans can look forward to the newly established “NBA Play-In Tournament.” Let’s take a second to visualize this: the ninth and tenth seeds of the Eastern and Western Conferences will be given the chance to earn a spot in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, while the seventh and eighth seeds have to defend their positions. This might not seem like a big deal at first, but for many long-time NBA fans, this creates a whole new dynamic for those teams hoping to have a chance to redeem themselves. Every year, the playoffs only star the top eight teams in the conferences, but the NBA

start off, the seventh-place teams will host the eighth seeded teams. The winner of this game will earn the seventh seed going into the playoffs. On the other hand, the ninth seeded teams will host the tenth seeds and the winner goes against the loser of the seventh-eighth seed game. The winner of this game will earn the eighth seed.

as Ball is scheduled to return from an injury soon. The Indiana Pacers, sitting at the ninth seed, have the play-in tournament to thank because without it, they’d be packing their bags. The Washington Wizards are located at the cutoff tenth seed, held up by the skill

the record for most 30-point games in a row. The ninth seeded San Antonio Spurs are looking to play the West’s top two seeds, while the New Orleans Pelicans have their eyes on breaking into the tournament. This event is only three weeks away but each team

The NBA regular season has been well under way and some teams have their eyes set on this golden opportunity while others try to avoid it. Starting in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat, coming off an impressive performance last year ending in the NBA Finals, are looking to claim the sixth seed from the Boston Celtics and fly past the play-in tournament. The Charlotte Hornets, now seeded eighth,

Photo By Miltiadis Fragkidismy/Unsplash of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal.

decided to spice things up a bit this year. The play-in tournament will start on May 18 and end on May 21, lasting a mere four days and transitioning into the start of the playoffs on May 22. To

are looking to stay afloat with this second-chance opportunity, especially performing without their two greatest assets, potential rookie of the year LaMelo Ball and veteran player Gordon Hayward. This is especially true

Turning our attention to the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks have overcome the Portland Trail Blazers who lost their enviable position only recently. The eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies are coming in hot with Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas looking to beat the Trail Blazers two times in a row before the postseason. The tenth seed Golden State Warriors will come out fighting, especially after the stellar performance of Stephen Curry this season who is averaging around 25 points per game and recently holding

still has about ten more regular season games scheduled. With this in mind, many teams may lose their coveted spots while others may advance by the time the tournament comes around. While the higher seeded teams can relax knowing they have a spot in the playoffs, there are teams looking to overcome their odds and the results of a season full of injuries and COVID-19 related team disturbances. The NBA playoffs start on May 22 and will go through July 22— it looks like the entertainment will last through the summer.

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of April 25, 2021

Top 10 Reasons to Watch

By Anthony McInnis | Senior Staff Writer and Prem Naik | Senior Staff Writer

“Neon Genesis Evangelion” is one of the most iconic anime series of all time. A massive success during its initial release in Japan in 1995, it still remains one of the most popular anime franchises. The show tells the story of Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy who pilots the robot Eva Unit 01 to protect Tokyo-3 from behemoths in the ‘futuristic’ year 2015. With a run-of-the-mill science fiction set up, the show goes much deeper than it appears at first glance. Here is a compilation of the top ten reasons you should watch “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” 10. The creator Hideaki Anno is one of the most wellknown Japanese animators and directors, having started his career with the world-renowned Studio Ghibli. He has a signature style of surreal and conventional storytelling. “Neon Genesis Evangelion” has been his main work of passion for over 25 years, and its iconic status makes it stand out. 9. Deconstructs of a genre Having teen characters pilot giant robots to save the world has been a staple of Japanese animation for decades. Part of what made the anime so influential is how it flipped common tropes within the “mecha” anime genre. Rather than being a power fantasy, piloting the giant robots in “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is a horrific experience. The young characters are put in situations in which they see mass destruction and must cope with their own struggles because of that. Anno took a typical anime like “Gundam” and made the characters respond realistically to the circumstances they’d be under. 8. The complex characters

Shinji, Asuka and Rei are the three main characters, and their dynamic drives the emotional core of the story. They are written as flawed and realistic adolescents, a far cry from what you would expect from a typical science fiction anime. The main character’s complexity is perfectly matched by the deeply troubled adult characters of the show. Shinji in particular has the most development as he gradually goes on a journey of self-actualization. 7. The visuals and art style The entire series simply has gorgeous animation. It represents some of the best-looking traditional hand-drawn animation ever put on television. Saturated and vibrant colors perfectly contrast the darker and heavy themes lying beneath the surface. It balances fast-paced fluid action with moments of slow beauty, some of which are sure to be ingrained in your memory. The robots themselves, the Evas, exude cool, and the purple and green Eva-01 amidst the backdrop of Tokyo-3 is a sight to behold. 6. The themes During the original production, Anno suffered through severe depression and addiction. Through that pain, he explored many psychological and spiritual themes in “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” All the characters must overcome some part of their own psychological trauma, from Shinji’s complicated relationship with his father and mother and Misato’s survivor’s guilt and reckless decisions to Rei’s journey to define what it means to be human. The story as a whole is also steeped in biblical symbolism, as the giants, robots and monsters they fight are meant to represent various figures in Christianity.

5. Surprisingly uplifting message Shinji, the show’s protagonist, struggles with depression and loneliness throughout the series. Battling giant monsters in a mech suit, while feeling alienated from the people around him and ignored by his father, does nothing to help his mental state as the show progresses. “The End of Evangelion,” the cinematic conclusion to the show, gets very bleak and downright weird with the way things play out, but both “The End of Evangelion” and the original 26th episode ending are much more nuanced. This anime is a story about coming to terms with existence, opening yourself up to others and caring for those around you, ultimately allowing others to do the same. 4. Amazing opening and soundtrack The theme song is bound to get stuck in your head, and in the case of “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” it’s not a bad thing. Catchy, dramatic and iconic, “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” stands out as one of the best theme songs, the “Skip Intro” button on Netflix be damned. Paired with an iconic animation, the opening stands out as one of the most recognizable of all time, and for good reason. The soundtrack itself is also outstanding. Tense and energetic during big battle sequences, and chilling and unsettling during the more introspective moments, the music matches the show perfectly. 3. It’s finally accessible Netflix is home to a collection of some of the best animated shows, and as of 2019, it houses yet another thanks to its redub and inclusion of “The End of Evangelion.” Infamous for being cryptic and confusing, the show begs for cer-

tain scenes to be revisited. Now that it’s finally accessible, it’s the perfect time and place to check it out. There are in fact two endings to the series, and understanding each takes a little effort. As a first-time viewer, it was definitely a trip down a rabbit hole. 2. It’s the perfect time to catch up When originally working on “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” Anno and his team grappled with a limited time schedule. While he was happy with the original product, he decided to make a new adaptation, free from budgetary and time constraints. Overindulgent at times but still fantastically animated, four films known as “Rebuild of Evangelion,” an altered retelling of the series, were created by Anno. With “Evangelion 3.0+1.0,” the fourth film in the series, finally being released in 2021, long-time fans will finally get closure to the series as a whole, and for new fans, it’s the perfect time to start with the original. 1. It’s engaging even for non-anime fans The aesthetic, nonlinear narrative and the unconventional, sometimes surreal, approach stands out even for those who were never anime fans to begin with. As someone who started out with Miyazaki’s works last year, Anno’s devotion to real human emotions in a fantasy setting echoes the Miyazaki method, all while giving Anno’s own twist. The show as a whole was made as a response to anime fans who overindulge in escapism, often ignoring the real world and their problems as a result. In the same vein, anyone who watches “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is sure to take away at least something valuable.

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of April 25, 2021

Horoscopes

Do You Even Sudoku?

By @poetastrologers

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Speaking your feelings will never be the wrong thing to do. Although it can be hard, you should just say everything. There is momentum. Even though for you it might seem too slow, things are moving.

It has almost been a while now but not quite. You will still look to the letters for anything like a solution. If you can, hold your head up high. There’s nothing quite like the sky.

A thousand new ideas will come flooding in. There could be everything and nothing. A new friend brings an answer. But you won’t be sure you asked a question.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Holding a ceremony is more for you. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Quite the opposite, take some time now to do what you want. What can be perched up can also go quickly.

You are starting to be in the middle of something important. Don’t question it too much. A long line of trees surround everything. There will be circular emotions.Ss

If you can let it pass then it might be fine. The question is can you do this. You are looking far off and you can see a hopeful sign. You can see yourself in love.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Orange walls and a new outlook. You will find yourself back in an old place. Two arms outstretched to form a purple globe. There might be a coat.

You might hold on to the surrounding light. But what really moves you is what you can hear in the distance. Make it there if you can. So much blue will be uttered.

It’s you again, so don’t worry. A red cape will envelop the day. Two columns are on either side of the idea. It’s the poem you are after.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

It’s the same story but this time it could be different. A blue chair is a nice place to rest. Oh but you don’t want to. You want to fall into the surrounding air.

The wind is everywhere. You have a book open. There is one word written but you can’t make it out yet. Everyone is waiting.

Go out and see the open space. More lilac in the sun is necessary. You will get there but you need to go through this first. There will be enjoyment.

EASY

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. Type of winner? 6. Terrific time 10. Unsurpassed 14. "Message received" 5. Tub contents, perhaps 16. Start of a graph? 17. Mental picture 18. Actress after an extreme diet? 20. Jason's Golden Fleece accomplice 21. "Volpone" playwright Jonson 22. Atmospheric concern 23. Like Montmartre

25. Klondike find 27. "Native ___" (Richard Wright novel) 28. Clever warm-up acts? 33. Shade 34. Word with women's or ad 35. Request 39. Burnoose wearer 41. Small hill 43. Othello's undoer 44. Cuomo's successor 46. Profit 47. Senator Roth creation 48. Kindergarten math whiz? 52. WWII enlistee 55. Paris-to-Amsterdam dir.

56. Mexican ma'ams 57. Last word in a Willie Nelson hit title 59. Pledge-week network 61. Show clemency 65. "Funny Girl" correspondence? 67. Connective tissue 68. Uniform 69. Jai ___ 70. A Ford 71. McCarthy's prey 72. Thin strand 73. Isn't straight

Down 1. Cup limit 2. Apple beauty 3. Cousin of forsooth! 4. Mediterranean offshoot 5. Bleak 6. Hair accessory 7. Burn remedy 8. "I Am the Walrus" singer 9. Silver screen star Myrna 10. Sixties folk legend 11. Continental capital 12. Help for a dictator? 13. Kind of resistance

19. Enterprising folks 24. Middle-earth creator 26. Garage sale pro? 28. Gent 29. Mystique 30. Shipshape 31. Jet rival 32. Word with water or jet 36. Miss the mark 37. Hideous creature 38. Bellow 40. Baseball club 42. Leaks, in a way 45. Pop singer Loggins

49. Katmandu's language 50. Mortarboard adornment 51. Be ambitious 52. Communion offering 53. Century plant 54. Switch-hit? 58. Rustic retreats 60. Inhibitor of impartial judgement 62. Tutor of Siamese royalty 63. It's straight from the horse's mouth 64. Certain dams 66. Breadbasket

THE VECTOR

Week of April 25, 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)