End of the Semester In the final week of classes, RSOs hold their closing events in anticipation of the holidays and campus leaders discuss sexual assault.
STUTE THE
The Stute The official campus newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904, and creator of the Stevens mascot, Atilla the Duck.
We write Stevens history.
Volume CXIII • Issue 15
Friday, December 11, 2015
TheStute.com
Greeks key in water main break
by KHAYYAM SALEEM Staff Writer
Due to the water main break in Hoboken on Sunday, November 22, much of the city was left without potable water for some time, including the campus of Stevens. The
Stevens Police Department Chief of Police Tim Griffin and Captain Tom Maggi met to assess the needs of campus that Sunday and arranged for an emergency supply of water bottles to be delivered to Stevens. Captain Maggi reached out to the Greek life representatives to aid in the delivery of drinking water to students and faculty on campus. Among the groups he contacted were Sigma Nu, Theta Xi, Sigma Delta Tau, Phi Sigma Kappa, and Delta Phi Epsilon. Maggie reached out to the fraternities and sororities a few years ago to help out during Hurricane Sandy. The organizations were happy to help then, so Maggi he did not hesitate to contact them about this issue. Those who came to help did not disappoint. Over 30 fraternity members came out to help unload the bottled water deliveries from trucks that
day and carry them up to the Howe Center for distribution. The members of the sororities oversaw the tables in the Howe Center all day in shifts, distributing water bottles to whomever needed it as they entered and exited the Howe Center. The next day, another one hundred packages of water arrived and members of Greek Life helped out once again, making the whole ordeal a lot easier to deal with for those who remained on campus. Captain Maggi extends a special thanks to Stevens Greek Life. “These are good, responsible, contributing members of the community. I could ask them at [4 p.m.] for 50 volunteers and there would be 100 of them outside by [5 p.m.]. They do great work for Stevens and the Hoboken community and I can always depend on them.”
‘Hunting Ground’ spurs conversation among campus leaders about sexual assault by OLIVIA SCHREIBER Outreach Chair
Dr. Kristie Damell and Steven Couras jointly hosted a screening and discussion on The Hunting Ground for all Stevens Resident Assistants, Sorority Fraternity executive boards, varsity sport captains and other campus leaders this past Wednesday. “This documentary has been shown across the country at over 700 universities for and by students already,” said Couras, who serves as a Title IX Investigator at Stevens. After welcoming students to the event, he opened with a presentation on Title IX, which is federal legislature that prohibits sex-based discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The Hunting Ground was first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, which functions to showcase independent films and other works of theater. Kirby Dick wrote and directed The Hunting Ground, following his critically-acclaimed feature, The Invisible War which illustrates the rape epidemic within the U.S. military. The documentary opens with young women discovering that they have been accepted to college. The laughter and joy that comes with matriculation into college is soon quelled as Andrea Pino, a young woman who graduated from University of North Carolina, recounts a violent sexual assault that took place before classes even began. The film examines many college and universities’ failure to re-
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Dr. Kevin Ryan works to create more interactive web courses by CHRISTIAN CHIU Layout Editor
Dr. Kevin Ryan teaches his graduate-level classes a bit differently than the norm. In his Business Information Networks course (TM-610), Ryan employs the use of a portable projector, a pen-tracking device called eBeam Edge, and screen sharing software from Blackboard Collaborate. The class is taught in-person, but students have the option to viewing it online by signing up for the W0 section. Web attendees do not have to worry about missing important context for complex concepts that can only be explained in-person. By turning a regular Babbio Center whiteboard into an improvised smartboard, Ryan can still illustrate concepts by hand, while capturing the drawings for a web audience. His laptop screen is shared with his students and shows the exact marks he makes on the board, with little input lag. “This approach allows our fulltime graduate students, who are on-campus and mostly international students, to be in the same lecture with and interact with our part-time graduate students who work full time in the Communications & Networking and Services industry.” The built-in projector installed in each Babbio Center classroom projects an image that is too big for the pen-tracking tool to function optimally, so for each lecture Ryan requests a loaner projector from
IT. A near-flawless system is important, because most of his 30 TM-610 students are professionals from Verizon Wireless. While teaching his lectures, Ryan uses a wireless headset in order to communicate with his students. Web conferences on Canvas work as usual, with students being able to click a button to “raise hand.” The professor can then hear their question (provided the student’s microphone is turned on). Enthusiasm for the material, attention to detail, and a deep care for the students are qualities of a typical Kevin Ryan lecture, and this setup doesn’t compromise any of those principles. Sitting in on one of his lectures, it was clear that Ryan had a desire to create an experience out of his lectures. Ryan’s only complaint is that only the lecturer can hear one student at a time. When a student raises their hand online, the system is set up so that their classmates cannot hear their question. This makes the professor have to restate the question in order to ensure everyone is on the same page. “That’s the only thing I don’t like,” said Ryan. He is the first professor at Stevens to have this setup and would love to share his knowledge with other professors who look to teach a more interactive web class experience. “I’d also like to use different headphones,” said Ryan. “I want a rock and roll headset. I want to rock like Madonna!” All lectures are recorded and available for download from the Canvas course website.
Off Center presents ‘Grandma Ran Over a Reindeer’ by RAMI KAMMOURH Staff Writer
msmagazine.com
On Friday and Saturday nights, Off Center hosted “Grandma Ran Over a Reindeer,” their final sketch comedy show of the semester. The show featured 17 unique sketches and 19 individual performers, nearly filling BC 122 on both nights. “I think we had really good, top quality sketches,” said Chris Fitzgerald, the newly elected “Captain Hook” (President) of Off Center. “I think it was a great show and that our writing is getting better and better.” The humorous acts included “Friday Night Fever,” “Oscar the Grinch,” and “Getting Away with Stuff in Col-
lege.” This was Off Center’s first time performing three sketch shows in a single semester rather than two. The reason they performed three this semester is because they wanted to hold “Post Orientation,” a sketch show for freshmen to enjoy, early on in the semester. While having three sketch shows in a semester was a first for Off Center, it was the last show under the fall 2015 executive board. The members of the new Off Center executive board are Captain Hook (President) Chris Fitzgerald, Improv Stool (Improv Head) Matt Colozzo, Mr. Smee (Vice President) Bill Cusik, Uncle Pennybags (Treasurer) Kevin Birk, and Keeper of the Scrolls (Secretary) Phil Donaus.
spond to rape and sexual assault victims’ reports. One male student who was interviewed stated that an administrator at his university suggested that he “drop out until it blows over.” According to the statistics in the film, between 2002 and 2013, there were 155 sexual assault cases reported at Dartmouth, with only three expulsions; 136 cases with zero expulsions at UNC; and ten expulsions out of 135 cases from Harvard. On
the other hand, the University of Virginia had over 100 expulsions due to cheating and honor code violations with zero expulsions from reported sexual assault cases. The Hunting Ground also examines the roles that both Greek Life and athletics have in rape culture on campuses. Erica Kinsman, who claims to have been violently assaulted by Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Roving Reporter What’s your favorite song for the holidays?
PACS celebrates Polish culture at Stevens
“Girl Talk” in review
Women’s basketball wins fourth straight
Civil engineering constructs gingerbread houses
Star Wars-themed shopping
Women’s soccer NSCAAranked Amy Reagan named E8 Track Athlete of the Week
SPORTS 10
see HUNTING • Page 7
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: What’s next for The Stute? Apology to my professors Swift: Apple makes language open-source Review: Union Square
Polling Pierce What are your plans for the break?
Off Center Christmas sketch
Letter: Washington Street Wednesdays
OPINION 2-3
PULSE 4-5
NEWS 7
OPINION CONT’D 9
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Opinion Stute Editorial
What’s next for The Stute? In the past 14 issues I’ve discussed a host of topics: from embracing change and achieving goals to the state of the student government and death on campus. I’ve been to the well several times, occasionally overlapping or following up with a topic discussed before. Although I’m earnestly interested in what I write in this column, I don’t know if I have much to say for the rest of this semester, so I think I’ll end as I began: with the future of The Stute. Since the new executive board members (myself included) effectively assumed their positions last March, The Stute—both the organization and the publication—was in a recovering state, internally incomplete and still wearing the “no one reads The Stute” badge of dishonor. This has nothing to do with the last executive board, or even the two before them. The gradual decline of The Stute in all of its manifestations has been ongoing for well over five years. So, when I say that I think this iteration of The Stute is the best it’s been on all fronts in at least the four years I’ve been here and more, I am not looking for a Student Leader or Outstanding RSO Award (trust me). I’m just proud of what all of our members have been able to accomplish together this year, humbled to be at a stable state as an RSO and publication, and excited for what we have planned next year. Two easily visible changes readers will have noticed with The Stute this semester is that we look different and
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read differently. With a new print layout and website, including PDF email delivery every Friday, The Stute resembles its print predecessors in virtually name alone. The next step, although certainly not the most “sexy,” is the codification of our style and layout rules into one comprehensive guide for posterity. For non-members reading, what you should expect as a result of this is visual consistency. The front page often varies wonkily and the flow of content sometimes changes inexplicably. Starting next semester, uniformity is key. Likewise for our content, an Associated Press-inspired all-encompassing writing manual will be drafted to not only make our writing standards and procedures public, akin to the style and layout guide, but to bring consistency to our content. While I firmly believe that the news in The Stute has dramatically increased quality— aside from occasional factual gaffes and grammatical hiccups—there is still a disconnect (again) directly related to consistency. With standards for writing and formatting, articles won’t read the same, because writers will retain their individual writing flourishes, but they will need to meet certain requirements to be considered fit to print, ensuring that our readers are given a certain standard of content, from event blurbs and campus news to investigative pieces and full-on features. Some other things we’re looking to accomplish are hosting events, bettering distribution points and deliv-
ery timeliness, improving The Stute Readers Loyalty program, restructuring our website and advertising system, and improving our channels of finding news, among other things. When I wrote my first column as editor-in-chief (excluding our special freshman issue), it was titled “Here we go,” and put in writing all that I hope we as an organization could accomplish. For the most part we succeeded, but now is the final push. The Stute is the official newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, whether we’re viewed as such administratively or not. This newspaper is for all and is not a niche “club” that slaps together a publication and calls its Stevens-official. We are here for Stevens, especially its students. If you’re hesitant about reaching out or even joining The Stute, don’t be. Come back after break and get in touch. If you as a reader have any suggestions, comments, or concerns, please let us know at eboard@thestute.com, or email me personally at fguarini@ stevens.edu if the matter is sensitive. I can’t stress enough how much we value feedback, and we simply don’t get enough of it. This is your newspaper—help make it the best it can be.
Frankie Guarini Editor-in-Chief
Mind of a Freshman
Where did the time go?
by GABRIELLE McCORMACK
All opinions, stories and editorials reflect the views of their respective author(s). The Stute reserves the right to edit all letters and articles submitted for publication for clarity and factual accuracy, or not publish them. No part of The Stute may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Cited references of The Stute are permitted.
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 2
Freshman Software Engineering Major
I honestly can’t believe that this is the last week of classes for the semester. It feels like yesterday I was moving into my dorm and starting a new chapter here. From learning the ins and outs of the campus, to finding out the best places to sit in the library, it has definitely been a great learning experience.
It also feels like just days ago that I was starting classes. I can remember that first week vividly, including the hope that my classes would go smoothly. I can say that it has definitely been an interesting first semester when it comes to academia. From building a robot in Engineering Design to creating multiple assemblies including a razor scooter in Graphics, to learning the most information possible in both Chemistry and Calculus, my intelligence has been tested. Although it has been quite chaotic with deadlines along with other activities outside of classes, I have somehow managed to balance it all. Throughout the semes-
ter, I have also come to learn the importance of getting involved in clubs on campus. From writing articles for The Stute and becoming a member of the Honor Board to playing on the Club Lacrosse Team and the Cyber Defense Team, I have come to know many unique and influential individuals. They have started to shape my college experience into what it is now and for that I am grateful. Because this semester has gone so quickly, I find it hard to believe that finals are next week. Going back through the wealth of information I have learned this semester, I am a bit nervous as to what to expect for these exams. There is
so much information that needs to be learned that it is sometimes overwhelming. This, however, isn’t so bad when working together with others. Studying in a group is what often helps me understand the material better than I had before. Being able to recognize when you need help and to take action accordingly is something that I feel is essential. Being proactive is definitely one of the most important qualities someone can have. Though I am a bit upset that this semester has passed so quickly, I am excited for the winter break. This semester has definitely been an eventful one, and I am excited to see what the spring semester will bring.
ing. The desire to do homework is abysmally low. The time I spend studying for tests has dropped to a small cramming period before the exam itself, and any presentations are usually just rehearsed mentally. So, yes, I apologize to you, my professors. You have done so well to train and teach me, but over the past few weeks, my brain has slowly been deactivated, preparing for the inevitable graduation that I know will happen sooner than tomorrow. Additionally, I am sorry that you have to deal with me for another semester! I
won’t be much better next semester I think. Of course, I know I’ll manage just fine. My grades are usually high, even with minimal effort on my part. It is very likely that I’ll still get all of my homework in on time, just not as good as I could have done if I was really rearing to go with all of the academics. Once I finish my Financial Engineering Exam in January, I’m sure to relax a lot more in class. In the mean time though, we’re pretty much wrapped up with this semester (of course, I will
Senioritis
A formal apology
by JOSEPH BROSNAN
5/5 Civil Engineering Major
Over the course of this semester, I am sure I have upset and pissed off a number of people on campus. This column, however, is not an apology to these people—if some-
thing earned my scorn, I won’t be sorry for any of my honest emotions that I have displayed. No, I am writing to my wonderful professors, in this semester and the previous ones as well. I am apologizing because I have not been a good student lately. Instead of writing down notes from the board, odds are I was counting out the days until the end of this semester and/or until I graduate. If I was on the computer in class, I definitely wasn’t looking up slides from Canvas—I have been looking up flight prices to various places for Spring Break
next semester before they get expensive. The only concrete I am currently concerned with is on Interstate 80, the road that will take me back to Michigan in roughly 10 days, and Steel is cool and all, but the stresses on paper have started to infiltrate my brain. The only things I want to be surveying is waves on the beach or the grade of a hiking trail, and the only fluids I want to learn the mechanics of are various drinks I wish to consume. So I am checked out mentally, and will soon be physically. The holiday break soon
begins, and with my exceptionally light schedule next semester, I fear I may never fully return to academia. Senioritis, the most prolific of afflictions, has infested my very soul. Until I graduate in May, I think my mind will be completely unable to handle academia correctly. It is strange. What used to be a font of willpower and determination to learn all sorts of new things has been replaced with a mental void that I occupy with thoughts of World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Game of Thrones, and various anime that I intend on watch-
see APOLOGY • Page 7
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 3
Technically Speaking
Apple releases Swift as an open source language
by TARIK KDIRY
Freshman Software Engineering Major
Apple has recently announced that their programming language for Apple devices, Swift, is now open source. Alongside the open source release, Apple unveiled Swift.org. This website serves as an in-
troduction to the average or the experienced public to the world of the user-friendly Swift. Swift.org offers download sources for OS X and Linux’s Ubuntu 15.10 and 14.04, as well as instructions on how to begin with Swift. From the website, users have access to Apple’s blog, starter tips, source code, compiler, and community. Apple seems to be focusing on bringing the development world to a wider audience. Swift is a more user friendly language than the previous default for
Apple products, Objective-C, which Apple is trying to prove to the community with its maintainability and efficiency. Swift does more for less when compared to Objective-C and is ultimately faster because of Swift’s improvements under the hood. What could this mean for Apple? It is apparent that Apple is attempting to encourage more developers from every experience level to hop on board with their creation. There is opportunity to profit in iOS projects already. And with the open source
release of Swift, there are potential benefits for developers and Apple itself: By making
Swift open source, users worldwide can immediately learn without too much difficulty. By giv-
ing the user freedom, Apple can expect a boost in the popularity of their development tools.
Apple
Scientific Curmudgeon
Why I celebrate winter solstice
by JOHN HORGAN
Director, Center for Science Writings
For this pre-holiday issue of The Stute, I’m reprinting an edited version of an essay I originally wrote 15 years ago for The New York Times. –John Horgan Soon after nightfall on Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, I pulled on my coat and boots and tramped into a field near my home. Near a clump of skeletal trees on the field’s far side, I found a circle of
stones enclosing a heap of sticks, which my wife and two children had gathered earlier that day. With a chunk of artificial kindling and a dozen matches, I got the sticks burning just before three lanterns came bobbing toward me. We only sat around the fire for a half hour or so. The night was thumpingly cold, and smoke kept blowing in our faces. My six year old son Mac and four year old daughter Skye were more interested in jabbing the fire with sticks than in listening to their parents makeshift stories about the Man on the Moon and other celestial beings. My daughter singed her hair, and the tip of her mitten melted. Then, glancing up at the stars and full moon, I was suddenly
overcome with… Actually, no word quite captures the feelings that flooded me, but awe will suffice. As a science journalist, I know that scientists don’t have a clue how our universe sprang into being billions of years ago, or why it took this particular form out of an infinitude of possibilities, including nonexistence. Nor does anyone know how inanimate matter on our little planet coalesced into living creatures, let alone creatures like us. Science, you might say, has discovered that our existence is infinitely improbable, and hence a miracle. It is one thing to know intellectually that life is a miracle. Its quite another to see it. Saints and poets aside, most of us
rarely do. Our pinched perception stems from two deep-rooted cognitive tendencies, instrumentality and automatization. Instrumentality is our compulsion to view life as a series of tasks that advance our selfish interests. Automatization is our propensity to learn chores so thoroughly that we perform them with little or no conscious thought. These traits have undoubtedly helped our species survive. Automatization is an especially handy cognitive feature, because it allows us to carry out more than one task at the same time-pondering a shift in our 401K investments, for example, while watching our kids sing in a Christmas concert. The downside of instrumen-
tality and automatization is that we end up sleepwalking through life. Every now and then, if we’re lucky, we stop seeing the world as something to be manipulated for our ends. We simply see it, undistorted by our desires and fears. This form of perception is the goal of all contemplative spiritual traditions. When an aspirant asked the 15th-century Zen master Ikkyu to write down a maxim of the highest wisdom, Ikkyu wrote: Attention. The dissatisfied aspirant asked, Is that all? Ikkyu wrote: Attention. Attention. Art, poetry and music can help us pay attention. And so can religious rituals, which might explain why so many people who aren’t otherwise religious--including
agnostics like me--still celebrate holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. We especially need these rituals in this most benighted of seasons, when we are prone to dwelling on life’s darker aspects. The bugbear haunting Christianity and other faiths is the problem of evil. If a loving God created us, why is life often so cruel? But sitting with my family in that circle of stones on Winter Solstice helped me see that birth, beauty, love and laughter also pose a problem. If there is no God, and we are here through sheer happenstance, why is life so wonderful? It’s a mystery, which no theory or theology can possibly dispel. I don’t know whom to thank, but I’m thankful.
Cuisine Corner
Union Square holiday shops (Manhattan, NYC)
by KATRINA GUIDO
Sophomore Computer Science and Physics Major
Tis the season for tons of tourists to descend upon the city to find their fill of holiday cheer, and though we only reside a stone’s throw away, I recommend joining them at least once. Now you may be thinking to yourself that this introduction does not sound like the other cuisine corners, and you would be correct. For my final review of the semester I decided to stir up a bit of holiday excitement. Of course I couldn’t not involve food, so I decided to eat my way through the Union Square holiday shops. For those of my lovely readers who have no knowledge of Union
Square’s holiday bazaar, think Bryant Park minus the ice skating and with (slightly) smaller crowds. For those of you who have no knowledge of Union Square in general, just hop on the PATH towards 33rd, get off at 14th St., and walk three or so blocks to your right when exiting the PATH station. There’s nothing more beautiful than the city in the morning, so I set out to the shops in hopes of finding a tasty brunch, in addition to some Christmas presents at the cute little shops. My first stop–the Doughnuttery. Based in Chelsea Market (a haven for foodie tourists), the Doughnuttery focuses on boldly unique flavor delivered in a tiny package. After searching through the list of seasonal flavors such as mistletoe, mulled apple cider, and house of cardamom, we decided to go with the bam berry flavoring. Our mini doughnuts came hot out of the fryer and were sprinkled with a powdered mix of blue-
berry, acai, and maqui made from seasonal local produce and flowers. The doughnuts (6 for $6) tasted like tiny puffs of berry-flavored air. Not the best I’ve ever had as I prefer a doughy doughnut but certainly the most uniquely flavored. A cup of hot apple cider ($3) hit the spot and warmed the hands. Next up–Waffles and Dinges. Primarily operating out of food trucks, this New York staple features traditional Belgian waffles with nontraditional toppings–many of which include Spekuloos cookie butter spread. We opted for the Elvis waffle ($11) complete with peanut butter, sliced bananas, honey, and bacon. The waffle was crisply caramelized on the outside while still being light and cakey on the inside. Disappointingly, the bacon was not warm and more like bacon bits, but with the flavor combination of this waffle, it’s no wonder Elvis gained so much weight in his later years. Nearly stuffed, and re-
alizing this food was less brunch and more dessert, we decided to top it off with a slice of Milk Bar’s crack pie ($5.50). Another New York staple, Milk Bar puts a fun and exciting spin on dessert with choices like cereal milk ice cream, compost cookies, and of course their famous
crack pie. This one slice of pie must be more than a day’s caloric intake, but no one could think about that as the densely creamy butter cake crossed with a chess pie hits the taste buds. Aptly named, this pie is quite addictive. After indulging my tourist-side, I enjoyed
walking to the other side of Union Square through the more spacious weekly farmers market where I subsequently realized that the baked goods and cider looked much fresher and less expensive. Turns out sometimes you just have to explore a little bit harder to find the true holiday magic.
Katrina Guido
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 4
Campus Pulse Roving Reporter
What’s your favorite holiday song?
“‘Christmas in Harlem’ by Kanye West! Or ‘Christmas in Hollis,’ that’s my favorite.” Alex Kahn
“Justin Bieber Christmas? I like all the Christmas songs.” Adam Butz
“‘Feliz Navidad!’ That’s the only one I know.”
“Hmm... the Ariana Grande one! ‘Santa Tell Me!’” Marisa Paone
“What are the classics? Oh, *singing* ‘Baby it’s cold outside.’” Gianna Faza
“‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ Mean Girls edition.”
Farina Choudunry
Angelo Shambilides
Where the duck?
Polling Pierce What are you doing over break? (Based on 100 responses)
VACATION 15
HOME 59
WORKING 9 SPORTS 9
EXTERNSHIP CLASSES 3
5
RSOs!
The semester’s over, but you can start advertising now... For free. Get in the queue now by emailing eboard@thestute.com. Placement of free ads operate under a queue system. You will be notified of your queue position upon receipt of your ad. Ads cannot exceed 6x7 in.
Know where this is? Let us know by Thursday, December 3 at 11:59 p.m. and be entered to win 2 free movie tickets to Bow Tie Cinemas on 409-415 14th Street, right here in downtown Hoboken! Email your answers to wheretheduck@thestute.com. Must be an undergraduate to win the tickets.
Last week’s answer: College of Arts and Letters office, 2nd floor MPK
Important information on ‘Where the Duck?’ by FRANKIE GUARINI Editor-in-Chief
This year we debuted a new system for The Stute Readers Loyalty program: we pooled those who correctly guess where on campus our image fragment was from into a raffle. The randomly selected winners were then awarded two tickets to Bowtie Cinemas on 14th Street in downtown Hoboken. For those who have won tickets, they will
have them in their mailboxes as of this issue’s printing. However, as all the winners know, it has taken us a long time to distribute the tickets. Although they do not expire, this delay is inexcusable. Moreover, the tickets are quite expensive. We at The Stute think that our funds could certainly be spent better. Regarding next semester, The Stute Readers Loyalty program will be returning, but the rewards for contin-
ued reading and active participation will be changing. We thank all participants in the past three semesters for participating in this new program. It has been a learning process for us, so we appreciate you all sticking with us as we try to figure out how to best optimize it to fit the students’ needs and desires. Let us know if you have any feedback at eboard@thestute.com and have a great break!
Strips
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 5
Evil Puzzle 9,441,838,560
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Back to puzzle Print another... © Web Sudoku 2015 www.websudoku.com
Last week’s sudoku solution:
5 3
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News Hunting
Continued from front page
quarterback Jameis Winston while they attended Florida State University, was interviewed for the film, showing how universities with large, multimillion dollar athletic programs often entice administration to turn a blind eye when star athletics are implicated for sexual assault violence. After the screening, Couras facilitated a discussion amongst the student leaders. When asked if sexual assault and violence is an issue on Stevens campus, a young woman in the room responded, “I want to say no, but it’d be dumb to say that it doesn’t.” Another student argued that the film “targets” Greek life and athletics specifically.
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 7
The director’s choice of expert opinions did highlight how sexual assault and violence is sustained by a very small percentage of student populations, yet some of the students in attendance felt the film tarnishes the images of their organizations and athletic teams. Overall, there was a consensus that Stevens as a small school has built a community of trust, which might not be present at big institutions which carry larger populations, bigger athletic programs, and more instances of sexual assault. The screening gave many statistics, but one that is of significance is the list of higher education institutions with open Title IX sexual violence investigations. Stevens is not on the list, however schools including Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, University of
Chicago, Vanderbilt, Florida State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are currently under investigation. As of April 2015, 106 schools are being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. “No school is immune to this,” said Couras. “However, Stevens isn’t on this list, which we should be proud of.” Damell, Couras, and others have been working diligently to educate Stevens students about sexual assault and rape culture through various avenues, including freshmen orientation, bystander intervention training, Women’s Programs, and now, The Hunting Ground screening. “Kristie and I are proud to be hosting the screening and discussion on this important topic here for the Stevens community.”
Polish American Cultural Society celebrates Wigilia by DAVID OVSIEW Staff Writer
This Wednesday the Polish American Cultural Society hosted a Polish Christmas celebration in the Babbio Atrium. This was the second year the society has hosted a Christmas celebration, intended to give students a fun time and teach them about Polish traditions. Known as Wigilia, the
traditional Polish festival is typically held on Christmas eve but was accelerated to December 9th for the students of Stevens. During the celebration, students were able to participate in the Polish tradition of breaking small wafers between friends and wishing good luck to each other. They were also able to eat from a spread of twelve Polish dishes, as it is traditional to have twelve dishes in a Wigilia dinner. Afterwards,
students were even able to take the table decorations as parting gifts. While this is the last event the Polish Society will hold this semester, it is far from the last event for this school year. In April, the Polish Society will participate in the Unity Show, where ethnic organizations across campus will showcase their respective cultures. They will also host kielbasa and pierogi festivals.
Civil engineers test the stability of gingerbread houses by ELLEN DRENNAN Staff Writer
On Wednesday, the Stevens chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) closed out the semester with their annual gingerbread house building event. This holiday event has historically had a good turnout, combining two things Stevens students enjoy most: building and eating. According to ASCE President Sean Dirscherl, the event is successful year after year because it’s an effective way to relieve stress before fi-
nals: “And besides, who doesn’t love gingerbread houses?” The building materials included frosting, Twizzlers, candy for decorating, and 20 full boxes of graham crackers. At the end of the event, the houses were put to the test. Participants simu-
Ellen Drennan
lated an earthquake by shaking the table. The winner was the tallest building that was still standing after the “earthquake. Sophomore Chris Cutri won “Strongest Tower” and 4/5 Faye Medinets won “Best Decorated House.”
Women’s Programs’ board crafting helps students relax by FARHANA BEGUM Staff Writer
Jacobus Lounge was filled with magazines, scissors, and glue this past Tuesday night. Women’s Programs invited students to come make inspirational boards and relax before finals. While some decorated their boards with encouraging quotes, others decided to fill their boards with images. Chatter filled the room
and students mingled with one another. Talk of each other’s majors, plans after graduation, and travel destinations all filled the lounge. Students genuinely seemed relaxed and at ease as they prepared for the long tiring battle ahead, also known as finals week. “This event is low key, but allows students to take a break from studying,” said student coordinator Jessica Smith. Normally there is a
massage event, but since there are massages available during Midnight Breakfast, it seemed redundant. This was the first time Women’s Programs tried board crafting. “I like seeing how different everyone’s board comes out,” said other student coordinator Taylor Carden. Overall, it was a relaxing event with more than enough boards, stickers, and magazines to go around.
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Advertisement Provided by the Office of Residence Life
by Lauren Devine
Five Tips to Stay Healthy Around the Holidays by Alexa McDonald, RD, CDN Campus Dietitian
As we get into the routine of finals and prepare for the holiday chaos, our usual healthy eating plans tend to fall by the wayside. Take note of these 5 tips to help keep your diet and health in-check: 1. Eat the good-for-you options first. Did you start your plate with veggies or salad only to overcrowd it with less healthy options? Get the most out of your plate and vegetables by eating the healthy options first! Oftentimes we put off eating these options only to be too full later in the meal. Choosing a healthy appetizer or eating the veggie-portion of our plate first can help keep our plates balanced and limit our intake of those less healthy options. 2. Practice mindfulness at meals. Do you notice yourself rushing through your meals to get to your next task? A lack of mindfulness can not only lead to overeating in the moment, but also throughout the rest of the day. Focus on chewing your food and enjoy everything from its taste to its texture. 3. Eat breakfast. Eating breakfast helps give our body the energy it needs to get the day started. Starting the day with your gas tank full, rather than empty, has been shown to prevent overeating later in the day.
Stevens Dining Gingerbread House Competition A favorite holiday tradition has followed us to college. The first annual Stevens Dining Gingerbread House Competition brought holiday cheer to campus through creativity, competition and good old fashioned fun. Thank you to all the students who created the masterpieces and the amazing judges who participated, Trina Ballantyne, Scott Oswald and Robert Gonzalez. A big CONGRATULATIONS to “Spaghetti with Syrup,” Joe Puciloski, Charlie Plate, Haley Jacobs and Annie Topoleski, for winning the competition and taking home a Go Pro Hero 3 Silver, 32 GB Memory Card, Head Strap and Quick Clip!
4. Store snacks and goodies out of view. Snacks are great, and they definitely are enjoyable. Yet, too many of us snack unnecessarily on unhealthy options, which can crowd out beneficial nutrients at other meals. Place snack foods in cupboards, closets, or away from eye level and save snacking for when you need to refuel and social gatherings. Don’t forget to keep it smart! 5. Keep up with your exercise routine: Exercise can help increase self-esteem, reduce stress, enhance energy levels, and even improve mood. When you’re extra busy, break your routine into spurts or decrease exercise duration until your schedule frees up. Even 10 minutes of exercise 3 times a week can help with long-term heart health, while holding the place for your usual routine until things calm down again.
Photos courtesy of Lauren Devine /eat.at.stevens
@eat_at_stevens
Tell us what you think at www.stevensdining.com
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 9
Apology
Continued from page 2
be by the publishing of this column), so there is only the future to look forwards to. The Final Exam period, which is always fun to watch, and the eventual vacation that follows are my two primary objectives. I can’t wait to go home with the snow and my family. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen either. Sorry, my dear professors—I have prioritized things much higher than academia.
Letter to the Editor
What happened to Washington Street Wednesdays? Are we supposed to forget about them?
Girl Talk
What’s passed and what’s to come
by NAMANKITA RANA 1/5 Undecided Engineering
When I first started writing for this column, I didn’t know what to expect. In a school so focused on technology and innovation and all that, would anyone even be interested in a femalecentric column? Six articles later, I definitely can say that the response to this column has been all sorts of mind-blowing. I’ve gotten Facebook messages from complete strangers, guys and girls alike, telling me how much they like to read the weekly updates and enjoy the content. The
fact that a column so uniquely focused on women’s issues can generate so much traction at a predominantly male school (hello, ratio!) is, in its own way, a success of its own. And that’s a wonderful, wonderful thing. The first article I ever wrote, “Why B*tches Get Stuff Done,” got a phenomenal response online. The articles that followed on femininity, the confidence gap, slutty Halloween costumes, and Justin Trudeau’s gender balanced cabinet have all also made marks in their own right. (If you missed any of these, just catch up on thestute.com!) But I’ll also be perfectly honest and say: it’s not been all sunshine and compliments. I’ve gotten some negative feedback, too. Some people think I’m too aggressive. Others argue that the issues I talk about don’t
exist anymore. The fight for equality is over, they say, and discrimination against women no longer exists. There’s a lot to unpack there, and I understand where the frustration comes from, but let’s make one thing clear: when I talk about feminine issues, I’m not whining or complaining. There may be injustices, but the world is a changing place, and yes, a lot of it is for the better. As a female minority at a STEM school, I’m happy to say that I’ve received mostly encouragement from my male peers here. But there’s no denying that certain disadvantages for women still persist, and the situation, while it’s certainly getting better, is far from perfect. The idea that women’s struggles are over is just as ludicrous as saying that things are all bad for women. Turning a blind
eye to the realities of the world and the way they affect both men and women isn’t right. Just because it is not your reality doesn’t mean that it isn’t someone else’s reality. I cannot claim to be the perfect spokesperson for all things feminist, nor can I say that I fully understand the varied experiences that guys and girls alike go through. It’s tough to meet some expectations. But I want to make clear that I’m trying my best. And being pro-women isn’t in any way, shape, or form, being anti-men (contrary to what some overzealous “feminists” will tell you). I know that I won’t be silenced when talking about women’s issues, even if it makes some people uncomfortable. But I’ll also try to be also sensitive and open-minded as possible, and I want my readers to call me out if
they think something’s wrong. Next semester’s article lineup looks promising. To tease a little, there’re articles dealing with everything from how to deal with “The Ratio” (yes, you read that right), a miniseries meant to tackle the F-word (feminism), to some purely satirical pieces. It’s going to be a really exciting semester. But most importantly, I want to open it up to you guys, the readers. What do you want to hear? What do you want to see talked about? I want to know! Leave feedback on the articles online, or email me at nrana1@ stevens.edu. Until next semester, keep being bad feminist bitches, and don’t let anyone silence you. What you have to say matters. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, and keep doing great things.
Not With Those Shoes
Galactic Fashion: Bloomingdales x Star Wars
by HOPE BRANDES
Sophomore Visual Arts & Technology Major
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmaaas, everywhere you go! I can only assume that you all have your Christmas lists filled with my recommendations from the last few months…if not, hurry! There might still be time! Kidding. For our last fashion talk of the semester, I thought about a few holiday outfit ideas, but I think this article could be put to much better use discussing something more important: Star Wars. Yes, it seems as though Decem-
ber (and November and October and…) is bringing more than just the holidays, it’s also brought the return of the Jedi, or should I say the awakening of the Force. It’s been hard containing my excitement for all these upcoming events and if you didn’t think I could make a fashion article about Star Wars, you thought wrong. Bloomingdales. It’s heaven for the style-conscious shopper and now it’s a place of worship for the Star Wars cultist too. From the end of November through December 3rd, costumes from the new movie were on display in the windows of Bloomingdale’s NY flagship store. Now, the costumes are switched out for a new line of one-of-a-kind, couture designs. As part of a campaign called “Force 4 Fashion,” Bloomingdales and Lucasfilm teamed up with eleven famous designers to raise money for the Child Mind Institute char-
ity for children and families struggling with mental health and learning disabilities. You can view the designs in person at the store on 59th and 3rd, or you can see photos of the clothes and designs at their website. Each unique outfit is styled after one of the characters from the Star Wars franchise but in a new, more wearable (well…) way. All of the designs are valued at $5,000 and are on auction through charitybuzz.com. There are also two watches, one themed after Darth Vader and one after Boba Fett, with the Vader watch valued at $28,500. At that price it should certainly be able to breath for you. The collection includes a wearble Stormtrooper coat designed by Ovadia & Sons, a Captain Phasma printed dress by Giles Deacon, and two furry Chewy coats by Todd Snyder and Billy Reid, along with the
rest. My favorites would be Snyder’s menswear Wookie outfit as well as the beautiful, crystal gown by Parker which was also inspired by Gwendolyn Christie’s character, Captain Phasma. There are also outfits styled after the new hero/ villain trio Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren. While I don’t entertain any realistic dreams of buying any of these amazing outfits, it’s always interesting to see how many outside worlds often collide with the world of fashion. For those of you who want to get your hands on some merchandise, Bloomingdales also has a collection of regular-priced, Star Wars themed men’s clothing and accessories. Although, at this point, who doesn’t? That being said, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and I expect to see some very fashion-forward attendees at next week’s release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
AP/Jocelyn Noveck An Ovadia & Sons wearable stormtrooper ensemble is on display and on sale at the NYC location. The design features a floor-length white coat with black trim. It is meant to be worn as an androgynous outfit.
If you’re reading this, you’re too late!
It’s already online! thestute.com/subscribe Get a PDF sent you you each week we print.
Varsity Sports
Friday, December 11, 2015 • Page 10
Women’s basketball claims fourth straight win SSI – Senior Kaitlyn Astel scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s basketball team to a 6453 win over DeSales University Wednesday. The Ducks won their fourth in a row, and moved to 4-3, while the Bulldogs fell to 4-3. Stevens opened the contest on a 6-0 run, with Astel and junior Erica Guketlov connecting on three point attempts. The Ducks limited DeSales to six points, and scored the final four points on layups by junior Ruth Waters and senior Miranda Ripken. A three point shot by Kaitlin Kelly bought the game to a tie at 20-20, but Stevens closed the second quarter out
Stevens Sports Information
with a 15-4 run, as Astel and sophomore Megan Brown combined for 13 of the 15 points over the final 4:12. Brown had a layup 2:32 into the third frame to give the Ducks a 14 points lead, their biggest lead of the eve-
ning. Nikki Callahan connected on a pair of free throws with 1:27 to go to trim the deficit down to 10 points to end the third quarter. The Bulldogs were pesky and scored the first five points of the final stanza, as
Sterner once again knocked down a trey. Astel and Morgan McCollian traded layups, and Sterner hit a runner in the lane to cut down the lead to three. A layup up by Astel countered ended the threat, and a trey by Guketlov with
2:26 left reaffirmed the double-digit lead. Astel scored the final five points for the Ducks, who also received 13 points, five rebounds and five helpers from Guketlov. Brown had a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards, with senior Dylan Krause chipping in a season-best 12 rebounds. McCollian led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Sterner finished with 10 points. The Ducks close out 2015 with one final home game against No. 11/13 Montclair State University on Saturday at 1 p.m. The athletic department is holding a toy drive and ask that fans bring new, unwrapped toys to be donated to the Jubilee Center of Hoboken.
Regan named E8 Track Athlete of the Week
Women’s Soccer ranked in final NSCAA poll
ON DECK IN SPORTS
Saturday WRESTLING
VS BALDWIN WALLACE 11 a.m. Waynesburg, Pa.
WRESTLING AT WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY 11 a.m. Waynesburg, Pa.
WRESTLING VS WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 11 a.m. Waynesburg, Pa.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY 1 p.m. Hoboken, N.J.
Stevens Sports Information
SSI – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s soccer team ended the 2015 season ranked No. 13 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America it was announced Tuesday. The No. 13 spot is the highest the Ducks been ranked to close out a season in program history. The team went 18-4-1 and advance to the third round of the Division III NCAA Tournament, falling to eventual national champions Williams College. Stevens claimed its first Empire 8 Conference
Championship since 2011 and went 7-0-1 during the E8 regular season. Junior Raba Nassif led the country with 19 assists and was the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, while freshman Zisi Komar was E8 Rookie of the Year and the E8 Tournament Most Valuable Player. Seniors Bella Romano and Carly Bean along freshman Olivia Butera joined Nassif on the First Team All-E8, while Komar and classmate Whitney Brown, and senior Kristen Goncalves were tabbed to the Second Team. Sopho-
mores Katie Goncalves, Megan Lynes and Lindsey Mahnken were chosen Honorable Mention, and Head Coach Jeff Parker and staff were selected as E8 Coaching Staff of the Year. Nassif and Goncalves were selected NSCAA First Team All-East Region, while Komar and Brown were chosen to the Second Team. Nassif grabbed one final award as she became the first in program history to be named an NSCAA All-American, as she was named to the Second Team.
Stevens Sports Information
SSI – Senior Amy Regan of the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s indoor track and field team was named Empire 8 Conference track athlete of the week. Regan set a school-record in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 16:37.56 at the Metro Holiday Sea-
son Opener on Saturday. The time bested the field by over one minute, and was the fourth fastest time ever recorded in Division III history. Regan and the Ducks will be back in action on January 15, taking part in the Ramapo College Season Opener.
THIS WEEK’S
12.05.15
SCORE BOARD
Women’s Track
at
Season Opener
Complete
12.05.15 Men’s Track at Season Opener Complete 12.05.15 Men’s Fencing at Alumni Meet Complete 12.05.15
Men’s Basketball
at
Staten Island
L 95-97
12.05.15 Women’s Basketball vs Vassar W 70-48 12.05.15
Men’s Swimming
at
WPI Invitational
Complete
12.05.15 Women’s Swimming at WPI Invitational Complete 12.06.15 Women’s Fencing vs Individuals Complete 12.09.15
Women’s Basketball
vs
Desales Univ.
W 64-53
All data from Stevens Sports Information
Join us after the break. Tuesdays at 9 p.m., Jacobus 2F
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING SCORES, UPCOMING EVENTS, SCHEDULES, AND MORE, HEAD TO
STEVENSDUCKS.COM