[The Stute] February 4, 2022 (Issue 13, Volume CXIX)

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.

Get ready for 6 more weeks of winter with no snow days

We write Stevens history VOLUME CXIX No. 13

HOBOKEN, NJ | FEBRUARY 4, 2022

Snowstorm and COVID delay the start of Spring 2022

SEE SPRING PAGE 2

University Center housing options and costs released

BY KAYDEN CANNILLA, CONTRIBUTOR

First annual MLK Day of Service

BY CHRISTA RUIZ AND STEPHANIE SEARING

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COVID cases rise and then fall; Hoboken adapting to the unpredictability of the pandemic

BY ARIANNA GEHAN, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER After a two-week long shift to online schooling that began on the first day of the Spring 2022 semester, January 18, in-person classes resumed on January 31. Stevens’ decision to have a remote period was announced in an email sent out on January 7, citing a rise in COVID-19 cases.

While the number of national cases are beginning to trend downward, COVID-19 continues to be an ongoing

Year 9 Report released as Stevens preps for next 10year plan

BY BEN KNOBLOCH, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

After years of construction, the University Center Complex (UCC) is expected to open for 2022-2023 housing, giving students pursuing Stevens-owned housing some new choices in their upcoming years at Stevens.

The UCC will house 1,000 students with four options for rooms, with semesterly board costs of: 1. Premium single ($8000) 2. Single ($7600) 3. Double ($7200) 4. Lofted double ($6900) These options are arranged in private rooms and suites. According to an email from Patrick Monaco, Assistant Director of Housing Services, private rooms “are similar to a studio style apartment,” and are available as premium singles or lofted doubles.

Suites can be two single rooms with one connected bathroom, one double and one single with one bathroom, or two doubles with two bathrooms.

Although the UCC is on campus, its semesterly rate

Earlier this month, Stevens administration released the Year 9 Report of Stevens’ 10-year strategic plan. According to the report, Year 9, which coincides with Fall 2021 enrollment statistics, saw “remarkable progress toward a number of goals.”

Upon its definition in 2012, the 10-year Strategic Plan was described as a “road map of key actions and steps that must be taken for Stevens to ascend in quality, value and impact throughout the next decade.” The plan represents a concerted effort by administrative and academic leadership, headed by President Farvardin, to bolster the reputation and prestige of Stevens. It called for large changes, including curriculum overhauls and expansions, administrative and departmental reshuffles, and major upgrades to physical and virtual infrastructure.

With several of the 10year goals already met, the administration considers

SEE UCC PAGE 2

SEE REPORT PAGE 3

NEWS (3)

OPINION (8-10)

Mission 50 making space for students

The Stute Editorial Mind of a Freshman Senioritis Lifestyle HACKs Not Financial Times (NFT) Off The Press Passion for Fashion Second-Year Freshman Girl Talk

Stevens’ own programs, Launchpad@Stevens and iStem@Stevens, are about to benefit drastically from a new Innovation and Commercialization Lab...

SCIENCE (6-7)

Hybrid learning environments

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New ‘Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ comes to Stevens

BY SANJANA MADHU, MANAGING EDITOR On January 7, 2022, Stevens administration announced a “temporary, remote instruction for the period of January 18-30th” for what was previously anticipated to be a fully in-person semester. This decision was largely impacted by the rapid spread of COVID-19’s Omicron variant. To date, COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have surpassed 75 million cases and 890 thousand deaths; a significant number of these cases can be attributed to the Omicron strain.

With the delay, residential students were expected to move in between Thursday, January 27 and Sunday, January 30.

Students were instructed to make appointments via myStevens to schedule their move-in time. However, due to a snowstorm that hit the northeast on Saturday, January 29, Catherine McGuire, Manager of Residential and

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global threat.

COVID-19 ON CAMPUS

Between January 24 to 30, 33 new cases were reported among students and employees. During the month of December, Stevens reported a total of 192 new cases of COVID-19, with 130 of the cases being from students. Since the start of data collection on August 31, there have been a total of 492 cases reported at the time this article was written. Positive test results for COVID-19 should be reported to Student Health Services at 201-216-5678.

In an announcement sent on January 24, Stevens noted that they “strongly recommend wearing an N95, KN95s, surgical masks, or a combination of a cloth mask with a surgical mask.” They continued by stating cloth masks alone do not appear to provide enough protection against the Omicron variant, and that surgical masks will be made available on campus.

In an email sent out on January 7, Stevens also announced they would “in-

SEE COVID PAGE 4

On January 12, Stevens announced the new Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in Student Affairs. In an interview with The Stute, Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, and Liliana Delman, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, spoke about the objectives and functioning of the new office.

The new office comes as an expansion to what was previously known as “Diversity Education” within the Office of Undergraduate Student Life, in which Delman served as the Assistant Director. However, “the vision to create an independent Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has been a goal shared by many at Stevens for sever-

al years,” Klein and Delman said. Klein proposed the idea of a separate office during the Fall 2021 semester and received approval from President Farvardin shortly after.

Stressing the student efforts that went into the new office, Delman additionally stated that “over the years, students have been asking for a DEI office and increased focus on these important topics.

This new office is part of our response to further support students and advocate for their needs.”

The two believe that the Office of DEI will be able to “increase resources and programs to serve the Stevens community and fully realize the university’s mission to support and promote DEI issues.” Delman will lead as the inaugural Director, with

SEE DEI PAGE 4

LILIANA DELMAN, NEW DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

Hoboken residents vote no on $241 million referendum for new high school

BY DIEM TRINH, STAFF WRITER The Hoboken Board of Education announced on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 plans for a new high school. The proposal was sent in early December to the city’s Planning Board due to rising enrollment and the district’s school buildings being outdated. However, the planned proposal for the new high school was overturned by a 2-1 vote on January 25, 2022.

The special election for residents to vote on the proposal was held on January 25, 2022. The new high school building was planned to be built at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Stadium, and the current high school location would be turned into the city’s middle school.

The current middle school building would then be changed to an elementary school.

“The district has been focused on integration of the community and service to the community as part of our educational goals,” the board said in a message to the community. “We are thrilled to

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present to the community a facilities project, including a new high school, that will meet the needs of our growing population, our academic programs and will provide recreation space that the entire community will be able to enjoy.”

The total cost for the project was estimated at $241 million, but the projected real cost came to $331,212,075, consisting of $241,050,000 in principal plus $90,162,075 in anticipated interest.

If authorized, this figure would reflect the project’s cost cap, with a contingency of around $60 million included. As a result, the overall cost of the proposed project, excluding contingencies, was expected to be $181 million, with construction expenses of $156 million and soft costs of $25 million. The project was planned to be financed for 2.2%, since interest rates are at an all-time low. According to administrators, the average taxpayer would spend

an extra $496 per year in property taxes for the next 30 years.

The building design is planned to receive a LEED GOLD Designation by implementing all essential sustainable design features. It was intended to be four stories tall, with the student entrance on Jefferson Street. “The children that come to our high school deserve a state-of-the-art world class high school with

SEE SCHOOL PAGE 3

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Friday, February 4

News Masthead Volume CXIX No. 13 Executive Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF..............................NATALIE TODARO ‘22 BUSINESS MANAGER.......................JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 MANAGING EDITOR..........................SANJANA MADHU ‘23 LAYOUT EDITOR.....................................KEENAN YATES ‘24 OUTREACH CHAIR.........................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 DIGITAL MANAGER...............................BEMIN SHAKER ‘23 SECRETARY......................................ZANE THUMMBORST ‘23

Editorial Board NEWS EDITOR.....................................TREVOR DAMEIKA ‘23 SCIENCE EDITOR............................RAYNA INDELICATO ‘22 OPINION EDITOR............................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.....................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

Operations Board ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER ..........KATIE BLOOMER ‘25 HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER...........CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER............VANESSA HUERTA ‘23

SPRING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dining Services, sent an email announcement that due to the inclement weather, anyone who has not arrived should make arrangements to arrive on Sunday, January 30th and will be accommodated.”

UCC

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 is more similar to Stevens Leased Housing (SLH) than other on-campus dorm buildings. One SLH option, 1036 Park ($5250), is less expensive than some freshman dorm options; however, 538 Washington and Shipyard SLH options are significantly more expensive at $8000 and $8500 per semester respectively. Greek

Upon arrival, residential students were additionally required to take COVID-19 home tests that were left in rooms. McGuire indicated, “if you test positive, we ask that you leave campus to quarantine at home for 5 days and notify Student Health Services.”

Stevens resumed in-person classes on January 31, 2022, and plans to continue hosting stu-

dents on campus for the remainder of the semester. In regard to COVID-19 policies, Stevens has required all eligible students and employees to submit documentation of a booster vaccination.

Additionally, masks have been mandated in all indoor and public spaces on campus, and surgical masks are available at a number of campus buildings.

and Special Interest Housing range from $3750 to $6300 per semester Furthermore, all students living through Stevens are required to purchase a meal plan, which range from $580 to $3700, increasing overall costs of living through Stevens housing.

A quick poll of 13 upperclassmen living off-campus showed that their average monthly housing cost was $912, with an average of 3 roommates per household.

While these are the current housing options for the 20222023 school year, Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, stated in a previous Stute article that “We are hopeful that more students will be housed on-campus and that there will be less demand for SLH moving forward.” With the UCC soon housing 1,000 more students on campus, off-campus housing through Stevens may one day be obsolete.

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Friday, February 4

News SCHOOL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 every opportunity possible in that high school,” Superintendent Christine Johnson said.

“A community entrance on the opposite side would allow members of the public to come in to use recreational facilities such as the ice rink or tennis courts, or to attend shows in either the auditorium or the smaller black box theater.” For curriculum, students would have been able to take classes that emphasize energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainability. The city then planned to collaborate with area colleges and institutions to create hands-on learning opportunities.

However, reactions to the newly proposed high school were mixed. Joe Quintero, Hoboken councilman-at-large, referred to the new school as a “palace” and addressed that “gorgeous, modern, amazing public schools are exactly the things we should be investing in” in a letter to the Jersey Journal.

“This is an investment in the entire Hoboken public school system,” said Clare Danek, a 21-year-old Hoboken resident, “This is a plan, forward thinking, that will address the needs of the growing population. We need to put these children somewhere.”

Shweta Gursahani, a local mom, expressed her support for the initiative and confidence in the school administration.

“Hoboken has to be grateful for having a visionary at the helm of its public schooling system,” she wrote in a letter to the Editor of The Hudson Reporter.

“Hoboken’s Public School District Superintendent, Dr. Christine Johnson is exactly that – a visionary who sees the potential to turn the public school system in Hoboken into one of the best in the country.”

However, there were also criticisms leveled against the initiative. “This proposal makes my blood boil,” @typicalelle on Instagram wrote. “It’s already so expensive to live here as it is.

Please vote no.”

Similarly, @emd346 said on Instagram, “Kids do not need a hockey rink, pool, and a high rise football field to succeed academically. At a total cost of well over $300,000,000, this is outrageously extravagant.”

“I’m incensed that the school board kept this from us,” said Sheila Brennan, who ran for Hoboken City Council in November. “This is a lie of omission that you are all guilty of.

My confidence in this board has been shattered. I think you need to take a step back and involve the community in the planning.”

According to the Hudson County Clerk’s website, by a 2-1 vote, the referendum on Hoboken’s new high school was defeated. As of January 25, only 7,472 of the 43,465 registered voters cast ballots in the election, resulting in a 17% voter turnout. The County of Hudson released the following revised results on Tuesday, January 25, at 10 PM: No: 4,929 Yes: 2,543 Ballots cast: 7,472 Registered voters: 43,465 Voter turnout: 17.19%

REPORT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Stevens to be in a “very strong position” as the final year of the plan begins, despite falling well below targets in certain key areas such as diversity. Stevens is in the midst of developing the next 10-year plan, which will help determine the trajectory of the university from 2022 to 2032.

The report addresses progress made in undergraduate studies, graduate studies, research and scholarship, culture and governance, internal bridges, and external bridges. Internal bridges refers to Stevens’ internal structure and finances, while external bridges refers to its relationship with other organizations and the community, as well as its wider reputation.

The “internal bridges” section of the report summarizes the progress of which many undergraduates are likely to be most familiar with.

Despite fiscal stress caused by the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant organizational, technological, and physical improvements to the university have been made in the past year: a new Division of University Relations, which aims to improve university communication and marketing; a major overhaul to the Division of Information Technology (IT), which students have seen reflected in new security services like Okta Single Sign-On; and rapid physical infrastructure development, most prominently represented on campus by the new University Center Complex, which is on target for completion in May 2022.

Key undergraduate statistics largely continued to follow the positive trends of the past decade.

Total undergraduate enrollment in 2021 rose 7.2% to surpass 4,000

students for the first time in Stevens’ history, meeting the goal set in 2012 one year early. The incoming class, with 1,140 students compared to Fall 2020’s 985 students, is the first to top 1,000 and the largest ever. Applications rose by nearly 1,000, to 11,320, and the middle 50% SAT score range rose from 1320-1480 to 1370-1510, exceeding that target as well. The six-year graduation rate dropped slightly from last year’s 88% to 87%, which equals the 10-year target.For comparison, in the Fall 2011 semester, undergraduate enrollment was 2,427, and the middle 50 percent SAT score range for incoming undergraduates was 1190-1390. In Fall 2007, the six-year graduation rate was 79%.

More undergraduate statistics which have already surpassed the targets set for 2022 include major enrollment balance (engineering major enrollment fell to 51% of all majors from 72% in Fall 2011, significantly surpassing the 60% target and further diversifying student majors) and the proportion of undergraduates who are underrepresented minorities (17.8% from 12% in Fall 2011, above the 15% target).

Other statistics remain below the 2022 targets. Women make up 33% of the freshman class and 30% of the whole undergraduate cohort, above the 25% starting point but short of the 35% goal. Out-of-state undergraduates make up 34% of the cohort, only a slight improvement from 32% in Fall 2011 and far short of the 48% goal for next year.

2.4% of undergraduates are international students, less than half of Fall 2011’s 5% and increasingly distant from the 8% goal. The decrease in international students compared to 2011 predates the COVID-19 pandemic, with a reported statistic of 2.9% in Fall 2019.

Graduate full-time equivalent en-

rollment increased by almost 25% to 3,268, while Ph.D. enrollment fell from 126 to 98, which Stevens attributes to a loss of international students due to the pandemic.

Both numbers remain significantly above 2022 targets.

Another aim of the Strategic Plan was to dramatically increase Stevens’ research activity. Award money and submissions reached record highs this year at $50.6 million and 355, respectively. In addition, new “faculty clusters” for “research, technology development and commercialization” were established to increase the quality and competitiveness of research at Stevens.

25 new faculty members were hired this year, including the new Provost, Jianmin Qu. Eight of the 25 are women, while the proportion of all Stevens full-time faculty who are women remained steady at 27%.

The full report, including detailed statistics in each of the domains, can be found on the Stevens website. Announcing the release of the report, President Farvardin emphasized the approaching end of the Strategic Plan’s timeline and the university’s increased focus on the next ten years. “With your continued engagement, we will aim even higher in the next decade.”

NARIMAN FARVARDIN COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

Mission 50’s state-of-the-art lab provides new opportunities for Stevens students

BY NICOLE GIARDINO, CONTRIBUTOR Stevens as an educational institution encourages innovation opportunities for their students and professors in their business, educational, and research endeavors. Stevens’ own programs, Launchpad@Stevens and iStem@ Stevens, are about to benefit drastically from a new Innovation and Commercialization Lab at Mission 50 in Hoboken, which has recently been opened. This lab is located on the second floor of the boutique office building, at 50 Harrison St., which has also recently been renovated. On November 8, 2021, Stevens’ own President Nariman Farvardin was able to attend the official ribbon cutting ceremony along with select Stevens students.

The previously mentioned programs, Launchpad and iStem, are opportunities for students to be guided through becoming entrepreneurs and designing their own start-up companies. These startup companies start as ideas that incorporate each student’s own personal values, and then through Launchpad and iStem, develop into professional companies that could lead them into a lifetime of work and dedication. Founder and director of these programs, Professor Mukund Iyengar, works to bring students together and closer towards their company creation goals. Students who are a part of Launchpad or iStem, will have free access to this laboratory space in order to enhance their opportunities further.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOBOKENGIRL.COM

Stevens, along with three other universities located in northern New Jersey, Saint Peter’s University, New Jersey City University, and Hudson County Community College, will have their own designated workspaces for their students inside the Mission 50 Lab. Along with these four offices, each school will also have access to a collaboration space in the lab’s coworking hub. This lab is designed for students to get intel and advice from peers and entrepreneurship professionals in their company goals. Along with each school’s designated workspace, they will also have meeting and conference rooms that contain equipment for video conferencing and other services.

Mission 50’s goal is to help Hoboken students, professors, and researchers connect with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors, so their company ideas can be launched. This space is designated for coworking with future entrepreneurs, in order to hopefully get large companies to be kickstarted in Hudson County, New Jersey.

Furthermore, in the spring, Mission 50 is hosting a pitch competition across Hudson County, which has a prize of $5,000. Also, the four schools are set to be given $5,000 each in order to lead student business pitch competitions inside the individual schools. The winner of each competition from the four different schools will then be invited to compete in the county-wide competition.

Overall, this new laboratory space is said to provide many opportunities for students and professors at Stevens to launch new companies and advance their communication skills with peers and other entrepreneurs.

Stevens Launchpad and iStem will be given the space and opportunity to continue to thrive and inspire the next generation of students into becoming successful entrepreneurs.

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Friday, February 4

News NEW STUDENT GOVERNMENT CABINET APPOINTED

BY STEPHANIE SEARING AND JAY THAKKAR The newly elected Student Government Association (SGA) President Gabriella Poska and Vice President of Operations (VPO) Paulina Georgoutsos have appointed their Cabinet members. The new Cabinet includes Charles Beall, Vice President of Finance (VPF), Eden Luvishis, Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), Alexander Stanczak, Vice President of Student Interest (VPSI), and Nicholas Housel, Secretary.

In an interview with Beall about his new position, he stated that he ran for the position because he “wants to serve the best interests of orgs and work with people” and he is “excited to work with the Cabinet and Senate.” For this semester, Beall is planning to create a financial report for student organizations in order to foster better communication, transparency, and accountability between the SGA and student organizations. Additionally, more related events will hopefully help to “put a face to the SGA.” In order to support student organizations’ financial needs, Beall hopes to streamline different organizations’ event planning by sharing the SGA financial policies, and potentially changing certain policies to make the financial side of planning less stressful for student organizations. Finally, Beall hopes to keep the student body more informed and involved with SGA’s budgeting and finance through their new

COVID

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 crease required random testing of faculty, staff and students during the Spring 2022 semester.” Due to the two weeks of online learning, the residence halls were not opened until January 27.

Stevens announced that residential students will only pay for the time they were in their housing to compensate for the time off campus.

COVID-19 OFF CAMPUS

In late December, Hoboken announced a mask mandate in all public indoor locations that is still ongoing.

The mandate is said to be lifted when “the positivity rate for the State of New Jersey reaches 5 percent for a one-week average or when the daily positive cases in Hoboken fall below the weekly average as compared to the first week of November 2021 prior the surge of the Omicron variant, whichever is first.” Johns Hopkins reports that New Jersey’s current positivity rate is just below 11%.

According to a press release from the City of Hoboken on January 3, a total of 1,599 residents tested positive for COVID-19 from De-

social media campaign, and by working with the Senate and Cabinet to increase involvement and awareness of the SGA through holding events. In addition, Beall mentioned that if anyone has questions about the financial policies, students can contact him by email at cbeall@stevens.edu.

The VPAA, Eden Luvishis, is currently working on ensuring students have access to both in-person and online tutoring, among other initiatives. In an email interview, when asked about the initiatives, she replied, “I am also working on extending our add/drop deadline to February 6, ensuring that we have a chance to experience classes in-person before deciding whether or not to drop them. Additionally, I am hoping to develop a platform where students can plug in their AP credits and desired majors/minors and see a sample study plan that they can follow to complete these programs.”

Luvishis’ passion for academic affairs was her primary motivation for being the VPAA ever since she joined the SGA in the first semester of freshman year. She has served on the committee of Academic Affairs for six semesters and was appointed as the chair of the committee in her second year. As most of her Stevens experience is centered around academics, she realized she wanted to dedicate more time to improving other students’ academic experience at Stevens.

According to Luvishis, the biggest academic concern for students stems

from a lack of understanding about resources. She hopes that her initiatives will increase transparency and help students gain more clarity in general. She further added, “Specifically, students often don’t know who to reach out to for help or how to utilize the resources that are available to them on campus.”

To supplement the topic of communications with administrations she said, “I regularly meet with Deans, the Provost’s office, and faculty to ensure that students’ concerns are heard and resolved as quickly as possible.”

In an email interview with Alex Stanczak, VPSI, he said that he ran for the position because “there is no better way to learn about something than working directly with it.” He is very passionate about student government and is looking forward to his term. Some initiatives he is planning for this semester include “an updated directory of all campus organizations” and “working with the committee on student interests to stay up to date on all new organization” processes and “participation in the committee itself.” The current Committee on Student Interests (CSI) “has 5 out of 11 subcommittee heads, however, [they] are looking to bring that number up.”

In order to develop a closer relationship with student organizations and improve support for them, Stanczak plans on attending organizational meetings and communicating with their leaders either in person, on

cember 1 to 31, “the largest one month total since the pandemic began in March 2020.” In his newsletter sent on January 28, City Councilmen Phil Cohen reported that Hoboken University Medical Center “is now hospitalizing 26 people with COVID-19. Eight are Hoboken Residents with four being unvaccinated.”

Cases have recently been trending downward in many states across the country, including New Jersey and New York. NJ.gov reports that the current statewide rate of transmission is 0.54, which is an indication of how many new infections will occur from one infected individual. A number below 1 indicates a decline in total infections. During a COVID-19 briefing on January 24, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed a cautious optimism, stating “we want to say no one should be complacent here.

Even though these numbers are trending very positively – and they are – they’re still higher than anything we had encountered even through last winter’s surge and the Delta variant surge from last summer.”

Many local colleges, including NJIT, Rutgers, and Columbia, took the same ap-

proach to online schooling as Stevens did, having the first 2 weeks of the semester held remotely. Nevertheless, NYU began their Spring 2022 semester on January 24 with in-person classes available.

COVID-19 AT LARGE Our World In Data reports 73.4 million COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and over 375 million cases globally, which has led to a worldwide total of 5.66 million deaths. The Centers for Disease Control informs that the Omicron variant is still dominant, responsible for 99.99% of the COVID-19 cases reported during the week of January 16. In the U.S., The CDC states the community transmission rates are ‘high’ and they still recommend wearing masks that have at least two layers of washable material. Public health officials continue to express the need for individuals to get vaccinated, including U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy who explains “our vaccines are still working very well to keep people out of the hospital and to save their lives.” The World Health Organization reports that over 9.8 billion vaccine doses have been administered globally.

NATALIE TODARO FOR THE STUTE

Xoom, or through emails in order to assist them whenever they need. Additionally, Stanczak plans to maintain open lines of communication between the SGA, student organizations, and administration by expressing student concerns. Stanczak believes that “communication is key when it comes to successfully running an organization.”

The Secretary of SGA, Nicholas Housel, aims to work on the organization of the SGA and archiving documents from previous and ongoing events at Stevens.

He says, “Library archiving is essentially documenting […] that way, we better understand our history and the stories of previous students.” His motivation for running for Secretary is his previous experience as the Secretary for the Health Professions Club and wanting to be more involved in the student government.

Moreover, he plans to keep the governing documents updated to their latest edition and accessible on DuckLink. In the interview, Housel also spoke about his focus by stating, “My primary focus as Secretary will be maintaining the SGA’s organization and transparency, enabling everyone to understand what the SGA is doing for the Stevens community.”

Overall, the new SGA Cabinet expressed they are committed to transparency and fostering a better relationship between student organizations and the SGA. To contact the SGA, students can follow @stevens_ sga on Instagram or email sga@stevens.edu.

EDEN LUVISHIS

ALEXANDER STANCZAK

Vice President of Academic Affairs

Vice President of Student Interest

(VPAA)

(VPSI)

CHARLIE BEALL

NICHOLAS HOUSEL

Vice President of Finance (VPF)

Secretary

DEI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 her team composed of Kody Guedes, Graduate Coordinator for Diversity Initiatives, and student employees.

The Office of DEI has objectives for campus including identity development, social justice education, community-building, empowerment, and allyship. “The Office of DEI centers the voices and needs of underrepresented and underserved students through collaboration with cultural, LGBTQ+, religious and identity-based professional student organizations,” Klein and Delman said. Through building awareness and empathy on campus to create a more inclusive community, they hope to achieve this goal. The exact mission statement can be viewed at this link.

Annual events hosted by the office include workshops, affinity luncheons, history & heritage months and awareness weeks, National Coming Out day, and Stevens Pride Week.

Klein and Delman stated that future workshops will be offered on topics such as Safe Zone, Anti-Racist Leadership, Creating Inclusive Classrooms, Cross-Cultural Communication, Conflict Resolution, and more to all students, faculty and staff. The Office of DEI will also offer assistance to all people at Stevens seeking advice, tips or expertise on being an ally.

The first official event hosted by the new office was the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, held over Zoom on January 17. The event featured speeches by Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight of the New Jersey General Assembly, President Farvardin,

Frank DiCola ‘15 (Founder of Hoboken Charity Quest), and Josh Hector (President of the Stevens chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.). McKnight spoke about her career in politics, her desire to give back to the community and make an impact, and her nonprofit organization, AngelaCares, which assists senior citizens and their caregivers. She also emphasized the importance of continuous learning and that students can make change by reaching out to your assembly people, senators, and others in office.

Dicola spoke about his new app Hoboken Charity Quest that shows community service opportunities around Hoboken. Hector spoke about the history of Martin Luther King Jr., as he was in the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Boston University. Hector also spoke about how it takes more than one person to make a change.

From January 31 to February 4 the Office of DEI will be giving out “MLK Day of Service Take Home Activity Kits” in the Intercultural Space for students to work on. The kits are then due back to the Student Center by February 4 to be distributed to the Hoboken Food Pantry, Hudson Pride Center, and Hoboken Charter School.

Currently, Delman and her team have offices in the Student Center, but are looking forward to moving into the University Center.

However, Klein and Delman also noted that “the Office of DEI also oversees multiple spaces on campus,” including the Intercultural Space, the Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership, and the Quiet Space. Students can visit www.stevens.edu/DEI and follow @stevensstudents and the Office of DEI DuckLink page for upcoming events and information.

ACTIVITY KITS IN INTERCULTURAL CENTER | CAROLINE MONTANA FOR THE STUTE

5

Friday, February 4

Campus Pulse

Shawn Aviles ‘25

Bri Garland ‘22

Chloe Sharpe ‘22

“To attend class.”

“Balance schoolwork and extracurriculars and not be sad.”

“Crap, I don’t have one.”

ROVING REPORTER

Jayden Pereira ‘22

“What is your New Year’s Resolution?”

Christian Apostol ‘25 “Get laid.”

“Win the Innovation Expo.”

Faraz Pathan ‘23

“I’d say start to learn how to cook.”

Brianna Ellis ‘23

Mark Spivak ‘23

“Be happy.”

“Get fit... At some point.”

Thirty-Eight Pockets by Off Center Stephen Pachucki

DOWN

1. Small projectile used in pub games 2. Above 3. Surrender 4. Hawaiian flower necklace 5. Ancient 6. He won the

Rumble in the Jungle 7. Compact 8. More pale 9. Ottoman (2 wds) 10. ___ versa 11. Tools used for fishing 16. The ___ Housewives of Beverly Hills 17. Informal British address

21. Crow’s cry 22. “What?”

23. Optimal 24. Roadside assistance brand that shares its name with a type of battery 25. Thumb tack 26. Male gland near the bladder

ACROSS

1. “What’s up, ____?”

ACROSS 4. ____ of laundry 1. "What's up, ___?"

8. Way off of laundry 4. ___ 12. Alternative 8. Way off to BLVD or ST 12. Alternative to BLVD or ST 13. Legally Blonde 13. Legally Blonde protagonist protagonist 14. Star Wars character Han 14. Star Wars character 15. Fairy tale protagonist Han18. It grows from a sapling 15. Fairy tale protagonist 19. Hotel offerings 18. It20. grows a sapling One from who succeeded 19. Hotel offerings 24. Put one's hands together 20. One whosheets, succeeded 27. 500 as in paper 30. one’s One of four classical elements 24. Put hands 31. Roulette, the theme of this puzz together the sheets, French as word meaning "little __ 27. 500 in paper 34. Where can get a massage 30. One of fouryou classical 35. Celebes ox elements 37. Crisisthe ___ 31. Roulette, theme of Paper towels help clean one this 39. puzzle, comes from 42. Gasword ratingmeaning level the French 44._____” Up to the task “little 48. They 34. Where youheadlined can get a the 2011 Super show massage 52. Pledge 35. Celebes ox 53. Michael 37. Crisis ____ of Superbad and Arres 54. SItowels unit ofhelp current 39. Paper clean one 55. Fencing sword 56. rating Difficult 42. Gas level 57.

Number 44. Up to the taskof sides a decagon has 48. They headlined the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show 52. Pledge 53. Michael of Superbad and Arrested Development 54. SI unit of current 55. Fencing sword 56. Difficult 57. Number of sides a decagon has

28. Gorilla 29. Angry 32. Acress Longoria 33. It contains the thighbone 36. Military helicopter 38. “You ___ what you sow” 40. It’s found in pens 41. Parasitic worm

42. Woodwind instrument 43. Thunderous sound 45. Unit of time, in music 46. Lousy 47. Sports channel 49. Opposite of nay 50. _____ on the side of caution 51. Father

6

Friday, February 4

Science Hybrid learning environments at Stevens and beyond

BY JENNY FANG AND QUENTIN JIMENEZ With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect schooling, members of the Stevens administration and other college professionals have been tasked with deciding whether classes should be in person, fully remote, or a third option: a hybrid learning environment A hybrid learning approach consists of a combination of online and in-person classroom interaction.

This model has been greatly explored especially over the pandemic timeline in many spaces, from primary-school learning environments to big tech companies such as Microsoft. The demand for convenient workspaces continues to increase with both companies and workers embracing greater flexibility and productivity at work. This includes professors at Stevens, some of whom have implemented hybrid learning into their courses for the spring semester.

Following recommended guidelines as well as NJ quarantine and isolation requirements, Stevens made the decision to hold classes remotely on the Zoom platform for the duration of the first two weeks into the Spring 2022 semester until scheduled in-person classes resumed on Mon-

day, January 31. In a separate later email confirming that campus operations would resume in-person on January 31, Stevens listed “Academic Flexibility” under its “plans for a safe and healthy return to campus,” emphasizing the need for flexibility for both students and faculty. In the case that a student “exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu; tests positive for COVID-19, the flu or another illness that requires them to be out of class for more than two days; or cannot attend class due to a short-term disability, as approved by the Office of Disability Services,” students may obtain video recordings of class lectures by filling out a form on the myStevens website.

This comes after a tumultuous two-year mark of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with the appearance of the Omicron variant. In Fall 2020, the university released StevensFlex, the university’s first hybrid learning approach. Students had the option of attending class synchronously in-person or online, with all class participants logging onto Zoom to facilitate interaction between those in both environments. More recently, for the 2021-2022 school year, Stevens introduced its Staff Flexible Work Arrangement Pilot program, which aims to adapt to the changing needs of staff members, not including faculty through this phase of the pandemic.

Stevens has listed five key

objectives in this program which include the university’s ability to “respond quickly to unexpected future events and promote post-pandemic health and safety” and “maintain student centricity focus.”

Stevens is not incorporating a hybrid learning environment at this time.

However, the pandemic is evolving and may call for a different approach in the future.

New Jersey as a whole has recently seen a large shift towards online learning after the increase in cases due to the holiday season and the Omicron

variant. Less than 10% of New Jersey school districts remained fully in person after the holiday season, with most choosing to either continue with the hybrid learning environment or move temporarily online, 45% and 40% respectively. These closures come after a school year in which most districts have avoided remote learning, with only a handful of schools going online before the start of the new year.

Most of these recent closures within the state remain temporary, and a large majority of districts expect to resume in-person learning before February.

The situation across the Hudson in New York City is a different story. While it followed the same trends as New Jersey did in the fall of 2021, the recent wave of cases in the city has caused public schooling to come to a standstill. The teacher shortage has only been heightened by the virus, causing most classes to become study halls as teachers call out sick. As one student described in a viral reddit post, most students did not come to school, even though classes were in person.

Most chose to either stay home for health reasons, or because almost all of their

classes had been cancelled.

The little instruction they did have during the day was constantly interrupted by teachers handing out tests before class, and students testing positive before class ended.

This leaves administrators wondering which option to choose: move schools online and further disrupt the learning of students who have never had a normal year of high school, or remain in person, risking the health and safety of students and staff, while still endangering the education of American students.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPROUTLOGIX.COM

Hoboken launches new renewable energy program

BY KATIE BLOOMER, ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER

On December 27, 2021, Hoboken launched a new Renewable Energy Program in order to offer residents more competitive prices when choosing renewable energy. Direct Energy, an

energy supplier, offers three program options for Hoboken residents.

The Basic program meets New Jersey’s minimum requirements for renewable energy. This costs 12.65 cents per kilowatt-hour through Direct Energy. The same service was previously offered at 13.3 cents per kilowatt-hour from PSE&G. As reported by Teri West

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRUOUNG AND CARDINALE

in The Jersey Journal, this program level “is not a guarantee that the energy in one’s home will be from renewable sources. It is instead an investment in renewable energy credits, a currency of sorts in the energy sector, which Direct Energy says it purchases on the customer’s behalf.”

According to Energy Watch, renewable energy credits are given when a

company generates power using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, etc.

These credits can be kept by the company or sold to other companies, like Direct Energy. Although Direct Energy is not creating renewable energy, the company is supporting the production of sustainable power by purchasing renewable energy credits.

Another package option is The Standard Offering which adds an additional 10% renewable energy to the minimum amount required in New Jersey.

This option saves residents 0.46 cents per kilowatt hour and has a higher percentage of renewable energy compared to PSE&G’s Basic Generation Service which was previously the standard plan

for

Hoboken residents.

Residents who are passionate about sustainability can choose the 100% Green program which buys renewable energy for 100% of the electricity used by the resident. This option is the most expensive at 14.54 cents per kilowatt hour.

Hoboken residents will automatically be enrolled in the new Direct Energy program unless they opt out by January 31, 2022.

Those who opt out will return to PSE&G’s Basic Generation Service. Residents can view energy program options and opt in or out at https://www.njaggregation.us/hoboken/.

Residents who do not opt out of the new program will begin to use Direct Energy as their supplier, which is the seller of the power. However, “PSE&G will remain the energy utility -- the company that delivers the energy -- for all of Hoboken. It will, in other words, still be the company to call if power goes out” as explained by West.

According to Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Hoboken’s Climate Action Plan is aiming to reach net-zero energy by 2030. West states that in order to reach this goal “by 2025, at least 35% of energy sold in New Jersey will have to be from renewable energy sources.” New Jersey laws state electricity suppliers must get approximately 23.5 percent of energy from renewable sources including wave, tidal, wind, solar, geothermal, or landfill gas. These new energy programs are expected to increase the overall percentage of renewable energy used while also lowering the prices of electricity for Hoboken residents.

7

Friday, February 4

Science Civil engineering students win 2nd place at NJIT 3D Printed Bridge Competition

BY JESSICA WU, CONTRIBUTOR Last November, a group of civil engineering students from Stevens participated in the inaugural NJIT 3D Printed Bridge Competition. High schools and universities alike from the New Jersey area were invited to participate by printing and assembling a bridge that was then tested for the amount of vertical load it could withstand.

The team won second place overall in the competition and brought back a $500 3D printer as a prize.

For the competition, teams were given constraints as to the dimensions of their bridge— namely, the dimensions it was required to fit within, and the dimensions of the space they had to clear with their bridge. The bridge was also not allowed to have any adhesive or non-mechanical connections.

“With that set of rules, we sat down together to come up with multiple conceptual prototypes of designs that we wanted, and it came down to two or three designs that we really liked,” said Brandon Truoung. Truoung, a 5/5 Civil Engineering student attending Stevens, led the team in designing, prototyping, and finalizing the bridge that they used in the competition. “We used a couple of software such as Fusion360 to model our bridge and sent that over to the Proof Lab in Gateway South.”

The competition follows the growing trend of 3D printing in everyday applications. 3D printed material has been explored as a solution for building cheap, eco-friendly houses, and lightweight, easy-to-assemble bridges—qualities the

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRUOUNG AND CARDINALE

competition emphasized as well. Aside from vertical load, which was measured by adding 20 lb increments to a hanger attached to the middle of the bridge, the competition judged bridges in Least Support Material, Fastest Assembly Time, Stiffest Bridge, Best Aesthetics, and Best Presentation. Facing these categories, the Stevens team decided to focus on simplicity in design and ease of printing, which won them first place in fastest assembly time and second place in least support material.

“The bridge consisted of four triangles oriented back to back above the bridge

deck,” explained student Gerard Cardinale, one of the team’s designers. “This placement targeted the center of the bridge, which the team understood to be the weakest section due to the maximum bending moment occurring at this location.”

Truoung expressed that analyses were also made “calculating the shear and moment forces that would go into the bridge and predicting where at which point it would fail,” which the team was able to predict successfully. Truoung and Cardinale both agreed that their prior experience in and out of classes at Stevens proved to be useful in

the competition.

“The core curriculum that we’ve taken as [engineering] undergrads definitely helped us a lot in this competition […] I would say about 70% of the [knowledge we needed] was already taught, and we already had experience with it from the core curriculum, while the other 30% was just knowledge that we’ve gained from our internships,” said Truoung.

Bridge-building isn’t only confined to the work industry. Truoung recalls building truss bridges out of balsa wood in high school, and points to the Design 3 and Design 6 classes at Ste-

vens as particularly handson classes where bridges were modeled and analysed with Midas Civil, a Finite Element Analysis software.

Cardinale also recalled his Structural Analysis and Structural Steel Design classes being especially useful during the design phase of the competition.

Overall, what had started out as technology used only for rapid prototyping has turned into a source of production for many industries, and it can only be expected to expand from here.

The Stevens team was extremely grateful for the opportunity to compete.

Truoung said, “A large portion of the team will be going into structural engineering […] This is definitely what they’ll be doing in their fields. The bridge competition gave us the opportunity to apply the skills we learned in school and in our internships, and it helped us prepare us for the future as well in our careers beyond Stevens.

Additionally, it was a really good feeling being able to represent our school in front of the ASCE board members and judges. We had a lot of pride, taking home all the hardware that we earned [for the school.”

Stevens seniors design software for concussion detection

BY ERIN MCGEE, CONTRIBUTOR Concussions are a major issue, not just for athletes, but for a wide range of professions. These, along with other types of brain injuries, are usually identified by the eyes. Normally, pupils are able to dilate when the light around them changes, starting small in bright areas and growing bigger in dark ones, changing size often in under a second. With a concussion, however, this reaction time for the change in the pupil is delayed, which is one of the major ways of identifying such an injury. The sooner a traumatic brain injury is recognized, the better it will be for the patient, and the lower the chance of permanent brain damage in severe cases.

Meet Team Headspace, made up of Stevens Class of 2021 seniors Zamin Akmal, Nicole Chresomales, Amanda Delorme, and Sophie Makepeace. Their job was to look at this issue of identi-

fying concussions and come up with a potential solution.

Their work was a part of the Capstone Marketplace Project, which develops technology for the defense industry under the Systems Engineering Research Center led by Stevens. As the project was sponsored by United States Army Special Operations Command, team Headspace had the extra challenge of developing a solution that could be easily used in a combat environment.

Currently, much of the technology used to diagnose a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion does not meet that requirement.

MRI machines or simply shining a light at the patient’s eyes and observing the dilation are both capable of determining if someone has had a concussion. However, these solutions are expensive, time-consuming, require special training in order to accomplish, and definitely aren’t suited for a combat environment.

The team decided to create a software, capable of doing what previous solutions weren’t. Their goal was to be able to determine if someone had a concussion simply from a video.

Using MATLAB, the team developed code for breaking down the video frame by frame, changing the color to black and white, and analyz-

ing the size of the pupil as it was exposed to bright light.

This way, the reaction time for the pupil’s dilation could be calculated, determining whether or not the person in question has a concussion.

As for accessibility, the software could be developed to be used on a smartphone or tablet.

This development was

not without its problems.

Brown eyes often resulted in a lower contrast between the pupil and the rest of the eye, making it harder for the pupil to be identified. Furthermore, areas with different, more ambient lighting proved to be difficult when it came to finding the reaction time of the pupil.

While the tool is still

in development and being perfected, it represents an important step towards recognizing and treating brain injuries as soon as they happen. Having a versatile and easily available tool for identifying concussions would be a huge benefit, not only in a combat situation but for the medical industry as a whole.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

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8

Friday, February 4

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

Two Weeks When Stevens announced that the first two weeks of the Spring 2022 semester would be remote instruction, I was anxious that in two weeks, we wouldn’t be returning to in-person operations, but continuing on remotely for the entirety of the semester.

Thankfully, that is not the case as campus opened back up this week, and my final semester will not take place through a computer screen (from what we can tell right now).

Last semester was the first fully in-person semester that I had after losing half of my sophomore year and all of my junior year to remote classes. It made me feel like a giddy freshman ready for anything, and because everything was in-person, I had the idea that everything was normal again. No more Zoom classes; everything’s fixed. It felt like I had forgotten there was a pandemic, and for that I am aware of how much privilege I have to be able to feel

that way.

But after I hit the Canvas submit button on my final assignment of last semester, and left my Hoboken apartment to go back home for the holidays, I realized how much perspective I had lost.

When I got back home I was confronted with the fact that indoor masks were a requirement and no longer a store-by-store preference, my Dad’s classroom still consisted of a corner of our dining room, my sister was still working from home most days, my Mom tested positive even after three vaccinations, and cases were at an all time high.

Because of how normal last semester felt, I never expected this semester to be remote or even partially remote – if we got through a full semester in-person, we’d never go back to remote. But the pandemic is very much still raging on and I’m starting to realize that after graduation, it’s very likely that I’ll be working from home for my

first ever job. I hope I’m not the only student who feels like a wet rag in a dryer being tossed every which way, trying to keep up with going back and forth between online and in-person classes.

There was also residential student move-in that Stevens completely mishandled after the two week remote period, asking students to move back without a pause in classes and during the weekend of a snowstorm. Not to mention required COVID-19 testing for residential students in which home tests were left in all rooms for students to take upon arrival; the problem with this was that there wasn’t a requirement to report a negative result, enabling students to disregard the testing altogether. I’m often sympathetic to administrators and aim to understand why procedures are the way they are. However, for these I’m frustrated.

For The Stute, the two week remote period only affected us a

bit. We had planned for our first issue to be last week but pushed it back; if classes should continue in-person as expected we will have a full set of 12-14 print issues this semester. Upcoming is our annual April Fool’s Day Issue, The Stupe, and hopefully our first annual Earth Day Issue.

We also have some new faces joining us after a short recruitment program we held on Zoom during the first two weeks of the semester, and a newly appointed Assistant Business Manager to the Minor Board, Katie Bloomer.

The sections in the paper are also in a bit of a different order which can happen at the start of a new semester as columnists change – Pulse will likely be in the middle of the paper each week instead of the last page.

Knowing that I lost perspective last semester has made this one a bit different so far: I’m more aware that while it may feel normal, things are still bad out there.

Natalie Todaro ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

SENIORITIS

The pilot who fears flying: a memoir

Expectations, tribulations, and reflections

BY LAUREN GARRETT ‘25 Once you taste the honey-sweet tang of pure, unadulterated control, you will desire for nothing else.

“Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is November - Delta - five - one - two going down at 40.3 North, -73.4 West. I repeat Mayday. Mayday. Mayday.

This is November - Delta - five - one - two going down at 40.3 North, -73.4 West.” As the words exit my mouth I reach for the transponder and squawk emergency 7700. But the plane is losing altitude.

The open ocean gets closer and closer. In a brief moment, I find beauty in the glasslike appearance of the water as it reflects the stars with no moon to be seen. I brace for impact as I glide down.

The water erupts all

around me like a volcano.

I feel the aircraft flipping tail over nose in the pitchblack water. My training tells me to find a handhold — I can’t drift — I won’t know where I am inside my aircraft. ‘Damn, I shouldn’t have worn these winter coats,’ I think to myself as I pushed to open the door once the aircraft was fully submerged. God, it’s so cold, even bundled in layers of jackets. I attempt to swim out of the plane as it slowly dives deeper into the abyss. There’s no use trying to keep my head above the waterline inside the plane, so I take one last deep breath and kick myself out—my clothes, all the while, weighing me down. The jackets, that are supposed to keep me warm in the freezing gusts of winter, do nothing but drag me down as they waterlog. Any control I had, slipped just out of reach, then completely fizzled away. I release my handhold, hardly realizing my mistake as I kick with all of my power, just enough to make some sort of headway towards the surface.

The night sky stains the water a dark, inky blue, giving me no sense of direction, no telling which

way is the surface. I begin to realize that there is no escape from this icy grave.

Once I accept it, I tell myself, the easier it will be to give in, to find rest. My legs stopped kicking, the jackets that I had clung onto pulled me deeper. I can’t see now, and I only feel the burning as I take in a breath of seawater, and close my eyes… …Opening them to the clear blue sky, and snow on the ground. I roll over in bed, feeling a gust of the chilled air from the crack in my window I had slightly opened the night before.

I’m back at school, not in an aircraft. But, the lesson in that dream holds true.

The coats we wear keep out the cold, just as the layers don’t keep us from getting hurt and maintain our sense of control.

But, in some situations, all those coats do is drag you down, and all those layers do is keep you from letting someone in. So, if you find yourself going into the inky black water, shed all of your coats, they will only weigh you down. And if you find yourself fortifying your layers, even against the people who love you, well, let me know what to do.

BY GRACE MIGUEL ‘22 It’s a Friday afternoon, I walk out of my Airbnb to get some fresh air and go for my morning walk when the soft touch of snowflakes gently land on my face making my cheeks rosy red. I shiver but smirk because it’s finally snowing, the first real sticking snow I’ve seen all season.

I’m trying to savor Vermont’s beauty and my mental break before I return to campus to get back into the groove of classes, sorority events, Resident Assistant duties, and work.

A couple hours pass and I’m getting spammed with messages on Slack and GroupMe about the possibility of going virtual. I think to myself, “If I have to do that again, I’m going to lose it.” I check my Stevens email — and yes, I have to do that again.

With the spike in

COVID-19 cases due to holiday gatherings and travel, I shouldn’t be that surprised that we’re virtual for a couple of weeks. At least that’s what the administration is saying for now. Who knows, a couple weeks could turn into indefinite virtual learning like it did two years ago. I have to laugh, this is exactly where we were in March 2020.

I feel somewhat unphased.

I’m constantly playing a game of tug of war with myself.

Sometimes I’m itching for a real, face-to-face interaction where I can actually see a smile and not just a masked face. Collaborating in a group is much easier when they’re sitting right next to you and there is no possibility of a network lag between conversations. However, there are days where I secretly enjoy my uninterrupted “me” time.

The days where I can read a book uninterrupted for hours with a home-brewed cup of joe are some of my favorites.

Is that so bad? The state of the world is in flux, and I’m not talking about magnetic flux. I might as well get comfortable being isolated from the outside world on occasion.

In today’s age, I find that being adaptable is a critical skill. Take the computer for example. The first desktop computer was developed in 1971, the Altair 8800. At the

time that technology was revolutionary, yet it didn’t even have a graphical user interface (GUI) like all computers have today. In 1976, Steve Jobs created the Apple I, the first computer with a GUI. Fast-forward to 2008 and we had the first Macbook Pro, iPod Nano, and iPod shuffle.

Within about 40 years, the personal computer industry was created and changed life as we know it.

While a pandemic is vastly different from a technological revolution, both have changed society and how we perceive the world. We must adapt to change because life won’t wait for us to catch up.

It’s kind of sad to think that half of my college career has been online. It is not what I expected, nor hoped for. However, I have done things that I probably would not have done otherwise. Taking classes online allowed me to be anywhere, anytime. In the past year, I’ve visited Charleston, South Carolina, Washington D.C., Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, Mount Bond, New Hampshire, and Burlington, Vermont. If school wasn’t virtual, I wouldn’t have been able to have those experiences.

You can choose to look at the glass half full or half empty; or you can be grateful that there’s water at all.

LIFESTYLE HACKS

What I’ve learned from WFH

BY ZOE HACK ‘24 To some extent, we all had unique experiences working from home these past two weeks this semester. I, for one, opted to move back to my Hoboken apartment after finishing the first two weeks of class online from my home, so I’ve experienced (school) work from home (WFH) to its fullest. Here is what I’ve learned from this ex-

perience, and what I wish I didn’t take for granted while I was home.

The first thing has to be my family making me home-cooked meals. I forgot how much easier life was before having to cook for myself at school. This month being home has been so nice to be able to sit back and relax a little bit more, but it is now time to get back to the world of cooking for one, packaging leftovers, and not forgetting about them and letting them go to waste. That’s one thing I often struggled with last semester — I would cook a bag of green beans, for example, eat a third of it, put it in the fridge, and they would go bad before I even remembered they were in the fridge. Planning meals

ahead (and taking leftovers into account) is one way to start the semester off strong and preemptively pass the learning curve of cooking for yourself.

One thing that I missed about living in Hoboken and am so excited to get back to is (and don’t get mad at me for saying this) the walking!! I have a pretty hefty walk from my apartment on Jefferson Street to campus, and I usually make the trek two to three separate times a day. Being home, I missed hitting my Fitbit step goal everyday without even giving it a thought. Didn’t have time to exercise one day?

No worries, I have 15,000 steps anyway. Meanwhile at home, I have a measly 4,000 even on a day where

I workout. Being home, I have also decided that I surprisingly prefer walking to driving as a mode of transportation. I miss being able to get where you need to be in a reasonable amount of time, while getting some fresh air and moving around instead of just moving my right foot from the gas to the brake pedal with little to no exciting scenery.

I was extremely grateful to be able to see so many extended family members this holiday season for the first time in a while. It reminded me how important family is to me and how much I miss them while I am at school. It can be easy to get caught up in school work, activities, and just life itself while at school,

but family is always a text or phone call away. I know I will be bothering my mom with every detail of my day just because I will miss seeing her everyday.

One thing I am grateful for upon moving back to Hoboken is the lack of choice. At home, I have piles of unread books, tons of arts and craft supplies, board games, coloring books, and more ways than I can even think of to spend my time. Not having as many choices (mainly due to lack of storage) in Hoboken definitely makes focusing on work and other tasks easier. This semester, I hope to become more decisive with choosing how to spend my free time in effort to have a successful, productive semester.

JOIN THE STUTE! Tuesday GBMs @ 9:15 PM in the Student Center Room #203 Open to everyone!

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

9

Friday, February 4

Opinion NOT FINANCIAL TIMES (NFT)

PASSION FOR FASHION

Death, taxes, and a soaring wealth gap

A euphoric sense of fashion

BY JOSEPH AMES ‘24 We all know the famous saying by Benjamin Franklin, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” But what is less commonly known is the historical relationship between death and taxes, as well as the macroeconomic and societal implications of said relationship.

The passage of the 16th Amendment allowed the Federal Government the power to levy a federal income tax, which subsequently led to the Revenue Act of 1916, establishing the estate tax. Since then, the tax has endured many changes, including both the tax rate, exemption, and top bracket (visible in Figure D).

To most, the estate tax could not be further from relevance. That is, until politicians become involved.

The common rhetoric surrounding the estate tax has preyed upon the common misconceptions surrounding the tax, most specifically, that the tax has significant impacts on the working class. Under that rhetoric, the exemption increased to $5 million in 2010, and

again to $11 million in 2018.

Considering that the average net wealth left to heirs clocks in at around $296 thousand, it is quite fair to say that the politicians effectively duped the nation.

Why this exemption— along with the decrease in estate tax rates—is so significant is not just for the revenue implications of the tax (see Figure 1), but also for the effect it has on how the wealthy manage their assets.

When paired with the capital gains tax, a tax applied to the amount realized from the sale of an asset, the estate tax changes have created an environment in which wealth transfer for the wealthiest is the easiest since the beginning of the 20th Century. See, for the amount leading up to the estate exemption, an individual is incentivized to hold their money, as their choice is either hold and utilize a generational transfer of wealth, or sell and be subjected to the capital gains tax.

This creates an interesting paradox for more modest high net-worth individuals as their holding of wealth both decreases liquidity into the markets, and further contributes to the generational wealth-gap (inheritances account for about 40% of all household wealth and are extremely concentrated at the top).

The bottom line: an immensely-large wealth gap that has socio-political im-

plications that could significantly alter the structure of the U.S. and its economy.

The clearest cut solution remains to raise the estate tax and lower the estate tax exemption, while leaving the capital gains tax for further analysis. The whole goal of reforming the estate tax is

“This plan will allow us to quickly respond to the fast-changing environment on campus and minimize the risk to our students,” one administrator told us.

We asked why the emails are only being sent to junk folders, to which he replied, “That’s where everyone looks for emails from administration.”

Off The Press wanted to get a first hand look at how this would affect students and our operations, so we set up a bot to send us emails every hour similar to the ones we expected to receive. During preparation for this article, we had to close our offices and suspend access to our typewriters six times, although admittedly only three of those were due to simulated notices that the next hour’s in-person activities were cancelled. The rest were due to our copies of

the solutions to every exam this semester going missing temporarily, and we had to make sure that they did not cross our doors or windows without a substantial bribe coming the other way. It’s inspired by the procedure hospitals use when a baby goes missing. We determined that it would be a big inconvenience to deal with these emails, but could not deny the value of responding quickly to a rapidly changing situation.

After intercepting some administrative emails, we were relieved to find out Stevens would be providing assistance for when students need to rapidly leave class all of a sudden. Waterslides will be set up on all the hills out of campus to help ensure a smooth departure.

We want to take this time to thank the unfortunate student who broke a bone skateboarding down 9th

to increase liquidity into the markets. In a time where inflation is such a massive buzz-word (and rightfully so), it benefits society to better utilize its existing monetary assets rather than attempt to artificially stimulate its economy at a higher clip than already present.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IRS.GOV

BY MELISSA KOSAR ‘22

OFF THE PRESS

Decisions

BY OFF CENTER —SATIRE— After an eventful winter break where the start of in person classes and events was delayed two weeks, Stevens has announced they will switch to an hour by hour decision process for in-person activities. For all the throwing of socket, allen, and monkey wrenches into housing and club plans the delayed return caused, they believe it best to keep up with the ever changing landscape of the pandemic on campus. Under this plan, an email will go to everyone’s junk folder every hour informing them if in-person activity will continue for the next hour or not. If not, everyone has to go back home and wait for the next email to see if they can go back to finish their lab that requires taking data every five minutes.

street, which is the reason that the original skateboard plan was discarded. Waterslides are much more fun.

Also, the closest thing any of our writers have done to skateboarding is those little scooters from elementary school gym class.

We wanted to get some input from students and faculty on the upcoming policy. One student we talked to said, “That’s dumb,” and a professor whose class we interrupted to interview them said, “Get out of my class!” Certainly not the intellectual exchange of ideas we were hoping for.

In any event, the impact of routinely cancelling and restarting classes multiple times a day is yet to be seen, and no one can really say for sure if it will be good or bad. for the next six weeks, because that would be illegal.

By now most of you have heard of or are watching the hit TV show Euphoria.

The show, aired in 2019 and is now in its second season.

The cast consists of some of Hollywood’s top actors such as Zendaya cast as Rue Bennett, the main character, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi and Eric Dane also star in the show. Aside from the dramatic and intriguing plot, the fashion, style, and aesthetic of each character keeps me coming back for more.

First up is the main character Rue played by none other than the beautiful Zendaya. Rue is a seventeen-year-old drug addict navigating her way through the tribulations that come along with being a high school student. Her style is for lack of a better word, homeless. But hear me out, it just works. I may be biased in thinking that Zendaya can pull off just about anything because the woman is a goddess, however it remains true even in oversized baggy clothes and messy hair.

Rue is often seen wearing an oversized maroon zip up hoodie that belonged to her dad. Overall, Rue’s style is generally consistent with that of a tomboy, not just a tomboy but pretty much the coolest tomboy ever.

Next is Rue’s sidekick, Jules Vaughn played by Hunter Schafer, the eccentric and colorful partner of Rue who is similarly aiming to make her way through the ups and downs being in high school can bring. She is

often seen wearing colorful prints and patterns displaying a very expressive sense of style. She incorporates a wide variety of colors, layered mixed matching prints, chokers, chunky shoes, miniskirts and even pink hair to portray her unique and edgy vibes. In addition to her bold style choices, Jules often adds bright and shimmery eye shadow into her outfits giving the full Euphoria look.

Up next is a personal favorite of mine, Maddy Perez, played by Alexa Demie. Maddy struts around her high school in matching sets and 90’s inspired make up and hair. Her entire character is largely influenced by 90’s style and aesthetic. She often is seen sporting a slicked back pony with her baby hairs perfectly curled on her head. Amongst her most notorious outfit was a purple matching set consisting of purple flare pants with large cutouts on both her hips, and a matching purple bra. Overall Maddy represents a powerful feminine energy and ‘90s-esque style choices.

Finally, we have Kat, played by Barbie Ferreira. In season one Kat goes through a complete bad girl transition and we watch this unravel for her through her style choices. The Kat we now know rocks corsets over t-shirts, sheer tops, fishnet tights, chokers, and lots of black and red. She really leans into her internet persona which helped her transition into the fashion baddie we know and love. Her style is iconic and represents her change in moods and mindsets.

In conclusion, the wardrobe artists in charge of dressing these characters on the set of Euphoria are killing it. Each character has a drastically different style, yet they all pull it off with such ease. I look forward to Sunday nights at 9pm to receive dope new outfit inspo from all my fav characters.

A CLASSIC JULES FIT, MONOCHROME YET CLASHING PATTERNS, AND YET ANOTHER A MINISKIRT | PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE PHOTOS

SECOND-YEAR FRESHMAN

When one door closes, the next one opens

BY GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 When I was five years old, I got an advertisement in the mail from a local college theater company.

They were promoting their

children’s performing arts program and were trying to recruit new actors. My mom knew this would be a good fit since, well, I’d pretty much been a performer since birth. There’s a plethora of home videos showcasing me singing around the house, or creating dance routines and making my younger brother participate in them.

Performing is something that I’ve always loved, so I took the chance and applied for the program.

I quickly fell in love with the art of performing in front of an audience. I’ve always felt that, as a perform-

er, I had the unique ability to stand in front of a crowd and tell them a story. I could make a difference; I could change the way the audience viewed the world. My performance could make them laugh or cry or feel the one thing that they needed to feel the most in that moment. I always thought this aspect of performing was incredibly powerful, and it made me never want to stop.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t always pan out the way that we expect it to.

Just as the leaves change color during the fall, so may the pathway of our lives.

Our interests may vary with age, and with that, so may our hopes for the future.

Largely, I think that this is what college is all about— figuring out what makes you happy and following new directions. As a sophomore, I find that life isn’t going quite how I expected it to. This year marks the first year that I won’t be in a performance since I was five years old. Between schoolwork and other various commitments, I don’t have the time to lend toward being in a production.

Of course, this is not ideal, and I wish that I could once

again be a part of the craft that I will always view as my first passion. However, I do believe that the future is a mystery, and there might be new, surprising opportunities just around the corner.

Though life is constantly changing, and I am currently on a break from performing, new passions have been on the rise. Being a part of The Stute has been such a rewarding experience for me—I find that writing for this opinion column has provided me with a similar creative outlet that performing once did, and I am fascinated by the satisfac-

tion that it gives me. When I write, I have the ability to influence someone’s mindset for the better, even if it’s for just a second. I can reflect on some of my feelings, and tell some of my stories, in hopes that it will inspire others to take a deep breath and let life run its course.

When life goes in any direction other than the one that you might expect, roll with it. Be willing to learn about the world, and about yourself as well! When one door closes, another one opens, so long as your eyes are open wide enough to see it.

10

Friday, February 4

Opinion GIRL TALK

Drinking tea and sharing my favorite fictional women

BY JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 We meet again! Happy spring semester everyone.

It certainly doesn’t feel like the beginning of a new academic term, and I’m not ready to start doing work again. All I want to do is binge-watch movies and T.V. shows while sitting in my bed and drinking tea. Over the break while I was watching too much Netflix, I was mentally compiling a list of female characters that I think are, for lack of better

terms, awesome. I also rediscovered my love for tea (I’m drinking it right now as I write this column)! So, grab a cup of tea while I go through some of my favorite fictional ladies I found while watching endless T.V. shows and movies.

I want to start off with one of my newly discovered main characters that has made an impact on me. Brenda Leigh Johnson played by Kyra Sedgwick from the show The Closer is an absolute girl boss. She leads a team of detectives in solving homicide cases for the Los Angeles Police Department, and she looks good while doing it! This doesn’t just include her looks — she’s strong, well-spoken, and brilliant. Her intelligence while solving cases shines through and it amazes me. If you hav-

en’t, definitely check the show out and see Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson do her thing.

What would this article be without mentioning the one and only Elle Woods? Elle Woods, the main character of the movie Legally Blonde played by Reese Witherspoon, is more than just a pretty face. The movie begins with Elle going to Harvard only to impress her ex-boyfriend, but her character development is impeccable. She progresses into a great student without losing her love for pink and unique spunk. When I grow up, I aspire to be Elle Woods and emulate her drive, enthusiasm, and style.

If you’ve ever skimmed through any of my pieces before, you can probably tell I enjoy watching anime. Mitsuha Miyamizu from the

SPOILER ALERT

movie Your Name is a character that I think is widely overlooked. Mitsuha is caring, adventurous, and dynamic. One of my favorite lines from her is, “I can’t stand this small town anymore. It’s too small and close-knit.

I want to graduate and go to Tokyo!” She yearns for something more, always looking to better herself and expand her horizons. In my own life, I am always looking to get out of my comfort zone and try new things, just like Mitsuha!

The last woman I would like to mention is Donna Sheridan played

by Meryl Streep from the movie Mamma Mia. Mamma Mia has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember. I love the music, the characters, and the gorgeous setting. But, it wasn’t until I matured

that I realized how much of an inspiration Donna really is. Donna raised her daughter, Sophie, all on her own while running a successful hotel in Greece. She made the decision not to find out who Sophie’s father is, and I think that’s pretty cool. Donna is funny, hardworking, and loyal to her friends — I think everyone can learn something from Donna Sheridan.

As I finish this cup of tea and this column, I urge you to explore these characters and think deeper on what you can learn from them. To me, they’re inspirational, funny, hardworking, and intelligent. To whoever is reading, good luck with this semester and I hope you can rediscover your love for something, just like I did!

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THE COLLEGE GOURMET

Euphoria (Season One): The most Hoboken: The coffee shop unrealistic realistic High School capital of the world

BY JULIA WIERZBICKI ‘23 Alright, I know I’m a bit late to the curve on this one. But I’ve been meaning to watch Euphoria for a while, and with the current airing of season two, I figured it was time to catch up.

Although I was a little putoff at first by the amount of blatant nudity throughout the show, to be honest, I’ve really enjoyed the first season as well as the first two episodes of season two.

There’s definitely a lot of exaggeration and over-thetop sequences with druguse, sex, and violence. But underneath all that rated-R material is a group of teenagers that are truly, deeply struggling. And it’s because of that struggle that you can’t pull your eyes away and even though they make some of the worst decisions possible, you still feel for them. At least, most of them (if you’ve seen the show, you know who I’m referring to).

One of the things I love most about the show is the amount of subplots they have running at once. The key storyline follows Rue (portrayed by the queen Zendaya) and her struggle to stay clean off drugs after spending the summer at a rehabilitation center. Each episode begins with her giving a mini-monologue about one of the other students or people that live in her town.

It’s through this that we get an insight into each character’s life and get to see how their troubled past plays a part in their current decisions. Sometimes with a large cast of characters, it can get pretty exhausting trying to keep up with each of their struggles and circumstances, I had no trou-

bles with Euphoria. Each of their characters was so unique and personal that I had no problem recognizing who was who. That alone is something to be applauded.

The other component that really makes the show stand out is its artistic cinematography. It’s clear that every single sequence is thought-out and so much is explained simply through how the show is shot. For example, in a scene where Rue gets high, as she’s walking down a hallway, the walls start to turn around her.

At one point, she’s walking on the ceiling while the rest of the crowd is still walking on the floor. I thought this was a really creative way to show how disorienting using drugs can be. I’m sure that this has a lot to do with one of the companies involved in the show’s production, A24. A24 has been known to create some amazing (and often trippy) films in the past, including Midsommar, Hereditary, and The Lighthouse. Seeing their involvement in the show was a large part of the reason I started watching

it.

Although Euphoria has been criticized for romanticizing drug-use, I don’t believe that’s the case at all. Yes, it portrays teenagers enjoying getting high.

But it also shows Rue, overdosed, and her sister stumbling upon her prone body.

It has scenes of her mother describing how her addiction has torn apart their family. Unless the viewer is cherry-picking the scenes that include the teenagers partying, then I don’t believe anyone could come away from seeing the show thinking that it holds a positive opinion of drug use.

Euphoria is not for the faint of heart. It has a lot of disturbing sequences and it definitely pushes the TV rating of “mature” to the next level. Although I think it’s a really unique and interesting watch, I understand it may not be for everyone. That being said, if you think you can handle some party sequences and a misfit cast of characters, then I highly recommend checking out the HBOMax original Euphoria.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.COM

BY JULIA DWIGHT ‘22 It’s a wonder why I’ve never done a coffee article, considering there’s enough coffee shops in Hoboken to caffeinate a small army.

In my time as a coffee drinker, I’ve had my fair share of espresso drinks and afternoon cold brews.

Back in the day, I fueled up on early 2010s frappuccinos with Lisa Frank-esque color schemes. Think flavors like caramel apple and cotton candy blended milkshake-thick and topped with Everest-high whipped cream. I like to think I’ve expanded my palette, but I’m still a sucker for a high-voltage, high-impact beverage. Here in the mile square, I have a couple goto coffee favorites.

Like any Stevens student, I’m no stranger to the tried-and-true Jefferson’s on 5th and Washington Street. I was a weekly visitor last semester with a penchant for asking the barista to “get creative” with my free drink from a full punch card. But my absolute favorite from here is the pistachio latte.

I became addicted to them when they were the seasonal Starbucks drink last February and love being able to get them year round.

Pistachio fans will also feel right at home at Cafe Vista, the cutest coffee shop in west Hoboken.

They have an amazing atmosphere with vintage-inspired decor and pink accent walls that can only be described as fabulous.

However, it’s the lattes that really shine. If you’re a sucker like me for extra toppings on your coffee (the devil is in the details, am I right?) then you’ll fall

in love with the tiny bits of sprinkled-on pistachio. My personal hero, pastry chef Claire Saffitz, once said that all great treats should be topped with a delectable hint to the flavor inside. Cafe Vista’s specialty drinks hold true.

In the early days of the pandemic, I was running off cold brew from the Roost Outpost. It’s always perfectly strong and ice cold, great for long days of studying. For more indulgent days, the spicy mocha and honey almond latte are delectable. The cafe also has a super comfy seating area that’s perfect for getting work done or talking with friends. Also be sure to try the pastries; my favorites have been a spicy cheese danish and a coconut eggnog donut.

Mojo Coffee Company is another great stop for the cold brew die-hards out there. Their signature drink is a vanilla variety that provides extra flavor without being too sweet.

It’s the perfect switch-up for when you’re tired of your standard iced coffee.

However, if you’re a purist, their standard cold brew is delicious as well.

Although it’s not quite

in Hoboken, this article would be incomplete without mentioning Lil Dove Cafe in Jersey City Heights. I’ve mentioned this spot in my columns before, so I’m just here to remind you that you’re a short elevator ride from a mocha that’s practically a spiritual experience. Their seasonal drinks top the creativity charts; think apple cider lattes and a Lucky Charms drink paired with oat milk for maximum cereal flavor. If you’re hungry, try the egg and pesto grilled cheese made with oozy Gruyere. Also, make sure to peruse their instore boutique filled with the cutest branded merchandise and stylish pieces from local artists.

One of my favorite things about living in Hoboken is the constant stream of new coffee shops to try. While these are some of my classics, there’s still many out there I haven’t tried. Currently on my must-try list: Yuki’s Bakery and Coffee, Green Pear Cafe, and Cafe Sophia. The real challenge will be making sure I’ve hit every cafe in Hoboken before graduation. Coffee crawl, anyone?

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFERSONSCOFFEE.COM