[The Stute] March 8, 2024 (Issue 20, Volume CXXI)

Breaking down the upcoming Student Activity Fee increase

EVAN PAPAGEORGE, OPINION EDITOR

While education is the priority of attending a university, many students spend much of their time with student organizations, club sports, and other on-campus events. The funding for this part of the university experience comes from a small fraction of tuition and fees called the Student Activity Fee (SAF). Per an announcement from the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Office of Student Affairs, the SAF will begin to increase starting in Fall 2024.

The process of increasing the SAF started in December 2023 when the SGA cabinet drafted a formal proposal.

In order to pass this bill, two senate meetings must be held to allow SGA senators to read and vote on the proposal. In order to get the proposal approved in time for the Board of Trustees meeting on February 13, an emergency senate meeting was held on January 9 to read the proposal and it was then approved at a regularly scheduled senate meeting on January 21. Once voted on by the senate, the proposal was sent to the Office of Student Life and Division of Student Affairs who reviewed and forwarded it to the Division of Finance for approval. It was lastly vot-

Advisory boards give students a voice

EVAN PAPAGEORGE, OPINION EDITOR

Within the four schools at Stevens, each offers a unique opportunity for students to participate actively in their education: a student advisory board. An advisory board is a group of students who work with the school to offer insight and feedback and act as a line of communication between the academic administration and the student body. While some differences exist between the schools and their boards, all boards work together to ensure a better academic experience for all students. The Stute spoke with Dean’s advisory members from the schools of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) and Engineering and Science (SES) to learn about these boards.

One of the significant differences between the advisory boards, specifically the SES one, is that SES has an advisory board for each department that then sends a representative to the board for the entire school. For example, the Civil, Environmental,

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NEWS

ed on and approved by the 40 members of the Board of Trustees.

The last change to the SAF was in the 2015-2016 academic year when it decreased from $245 to $230.

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building to replace Davis by 2032

three segments to explain the benefits to the student body. The first $67.50 “onetime inflationary increase” will match the SAF to current inflation levels, taking reference from the United States Department of Labor and the cost of Founder's Day Ball tickets. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation

Battle of the Bands 2024

Bissinger Room. This event is a showcase of student bands and the winners have the opportunity to open for Techfest 2024, the biggest Entertainment Committee campus event of the year. The audience at Battle of the Bands votes on their favorite student acts and the top three winners become Techfest openers. The winner of Battle of the Bands 2023, Sofie Lopez, described their

School rankings: Why your voice matters

JEREMIAH CHINWENDU, CONTRIBUTOR

A school’s reputation can be impacted by many factors, including the happiness and performance of its students and return on investment. Ranking systems like the ones seen in the College Pulse Survey and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) exist to give the public an idea of how well universities compare to each other either in terms of experience and the quality and rigor of the programs offered. Where a school ranks in systems like these has a major impact on the lives of those attending, as well as those willing to attend or invest in the school moving forward.

Kristen Daily of the Division of University Relations spoke to The Stute on the importance of school rankings and why they should be taken seriously.

Stevens is encouraging current students and recent alumni to participate in the College Pulse survey and give their perspectives on their experiences. This is highly encouraged because, “the survey results, along with publicly available data on student outcomes, determine the WSJ/College Pulse ranking, due to be published in September.”

Other well-known universi-

ties do not allow their students’ input to factor into their ranking, only using statistics about outcomes, standardized test scores, and existing reputation to determine their ranking. By allowing the experiences and opinions of students and alumni to factor into the ranking, Stevens’ survey enables the voice of the community to directly impact its ranking among other institutions. Since these surveys play such a large role in the ranking of the school, “it is important to have a wide variety of students and alumni participate. The more students and alumni participate, the greater student experience will factor into Stevens’ rank in the WSJ/College Pulse rankings.” These rankings impact how people view and interact with the school, which has the potential to have a major impact on the lives of prospective students.

There are many direct and indirect impacts that the ranking of the university will impact both the students and those affiliated. “Rankings play a crucial role in shaping a university's visibility, perceived quality, and competitive advantage, influencing factors like recruitment,

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don Lopez, and Stevens students Diego Ramirez, Brandt Ryan, Kiera Kennedy. Techfest was the first time Sofia had performed her original songs for a large and engaged audience like Techfest. It was a rewarding and memorable experience, and long hours were put into rehearsing, publicizing the show, and making matching shirts for the band's members. “We all signed a copy of our

setlist and it’s hanging up in my room at home,” she commented. “More than anything, I’m happy that my band’s performance and my songs connected with people.”

The Techfest opening slot is highly coveted among Stevens performers, and last year there was turmoil over the winners of the competition. The bands that received the most votes in 2023 were Sofie Lopez, Water Damage, Butane, and Dale. Water Damage received the second most votes, but “due to unfore-

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Davis Hall's days are numbered. In the most recent report on the university's 10-year strategic plan, there is a line item on page 74 about Davis Hall, the first-year dormitory building across from Morton Hall, and its imminent replacement. Rumors about Davis' future have been circulating for weeks prior to the announcement following hesitance on the initial placement of RAs in Davis. Though Residential and Dining Services initially rebuked the claim, an upcoming renovation seems possible in the next few years. This has been leaving many students concerned over the implications of this decision and wondering what will take the beloved dorm's place.

Davis is currently planned to be replaced by another new tower, described officially as a "multipurpose building" and which is currently in the design phase. This one appears to be best described as a hybrid between the current residential towers

PATH has new TAPP system

MEGHANA MAMADAPUR, STAFF WRITER

After many years of purchasing physical cards, PATH riders can now use TAPP to access trains. TAPP is a contactless payment form, allowing for tickets to be purchased through Apple Pay or a card with just a tap of a phone.

TAPP stands for “Total Access PATH Payment,” and is similar to MTA’s OMNY system. Customers can pay the PATH fare through the digital wallets on their phones, which can be conveniently accessed by double-clicking on the pow-

er button. Before TAPP, the PATH only accepted Metrocards or the Smartlink card. Metrocards cost one dollar per purchase, plus $2.75 per ride. Balance can be added to the card in person at a Metrocard machine until the expiration date. On the other hand, Smartlink cards can be ordered online and refilled online. The card has to be bought at $50 minimum with prepaid trips, whereas the Metrocard can be purchased as low as $3.75. In the long run, the Smartlink is cheaper per ride and does not expire, making it the preferred choice for frequent commuters.

The first rounds of testing for the TAPP system started at the PATH station on 33rd Street, with the other in Journal Square. This was implemented in December 2023 with hopes of increasing customer convenience. The system appears to be going well so far, meaning more TAPP systems should appear in all PATH stations. Smartlink and Metrocards can still be used shortly afterward to help ease the transition. The entire process is being done by Cubic, the same firm that created Smartlink, Metrocard, and OMNY. In 2021,

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Report marks first year of "Stevens 2032"

BEN KNOBLOCH, NEWS EDITOR

Students, staff, and faculty have received an 81page update on Stevens 2032: Inspired by Humanity, Powered by Technology, the university's second 10year agenda to improve the reputation and academic output of Castle Point. Announced to the student body by President Farvardin, the Strategic Plan Progress Report highlights changing metrics in a number of areas important to the administration over the period of July 2022 to June 2023.

The full report covers different aspects of the university, such as student experience, research programs, diversity efforts, and cultural and student life initiatives. The last 10year plan, which concluded last year, achieved or exceeded many of Stevens' official goals in these areas and rose significantly in prominent national college rankings. It remains to be seen whether Stevens can maintain its momentum in building research and student success and accruing reputational heft.

The report points to the development of a new sig-

nature core curriculum, among other recent projects, in the section examining the undergraduate student experience in the past year. Called "Essential Skills for Success," the new course series is intended to include academic courses, entrepreneurial courses, and a "first-year experience" course mandatory for students across all majors. Additionally, there are now eight living-learning communities operating across on-campus housing.

Applications increased to 14,170 from 12,500, and

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Masthead Volume CXXI No. 20

Executive Board

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF......................................ISABELLA ZIV ‘25

BUSINESS MANAGER............................TANYA AVADIA ‘26

MANAGING EDITOR.......................................AVA WANG ‘25

LAYOUT EDITOR................................NICOLE GIARDINO ‘25

OUTREACH CHAIR KAYDEN CANNILLA ‘24

DIGITAL MANAGER................................RAFAEL LEE LI ‘25

SECRETARY CLAIRE HANNAN ‘24

HEAD COPY EDITOR KEENAN YATES ‘24

Editorial Board

NEWS EDITOR.........................................BEN KNOBLOCH ‘25

SCIENCE EDITOR.........................................ERIN MCGEE ‘25

OPINION EDITOR............................EVAN PAPAGEORGE ‘26

SPORTS EDITOR................................RUTHIE MULLISKY ‘26

FEATURES EDITOR................................TASHA KHOSLA ‘25

PULSE EDITOR........................................MIA PETROLINO ‘25

Operations Board

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER..........................ABBY JACOBS ‘27

ARCHIVES LIAISON.......................KEVIN CASTNER JR. ‘24

Layout Team

ASSIS. LAYOUT EDITOR.................JIYA JAISINGHANI ‘27

ASSIS. LAYOUT EDITOR...........................SHREYA ROY ‘27

ASSIS. LAYOUT EDITOR......................LIZ SEPULVEDA ‘27

Staff & Contributors

Meghana Mamadapur

Madison Heller

Jerry Chinwendu

Liam Rust

Arthur Serra

Riyana Phadke

Kai Wong

Nicole Cheung

Ethan Kleschinsky

Contact Us

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.........................EDITOR@THESTUTE.COM

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Calculator, $230 in 2016 has the same buying power as just under $300 in January 2024. A general admission ticket in 2018 was $30 and was $55 this year, an 85% increase. Inflation has had a huge effect on the economy since 8 years ago when the last change in SAF was made, which was notably a decrease. To streamline the process and ensure consistency in future fee adjustments, the Board of Trustees has decided to incorporate the SAF into their annual percentage adjustments for all tuition and fee charges starting in 2026 once the increase is phased in.This will avoid the lengthy SGA approval process and any further drastic changes.

The other two segments of the increase are for athletic classes and more funding for student organizations. $12.50 will help cover the expenses of free athletic courses to

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seen and unfortunate circumstances” pertaining to criticism following Battle of the Bands 2023, they did not perform at Techfest. Competitors questioned the validity of the voting members, methods, and weighting. The Entertainment Committee is working on changes to the structure of Battle of the Bands in an effort to be as transparent as possible so that everyone feels heard.

Mollie Good of the Entertainment Committee elaborated on the procedure and stated “We have a no

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and Babbio, with this building including “dry research and teaching labs, classrooms, faculty offices and residential spaces.” The potential for more space for students to live on campus alongside easy access to classrooms and faculty in the same building is appealing to many. The current plan has goals of being increasingly “green” in an attempt to reduce the environmental impact of the university. The school is “[exploring] …geothermal heating and cooling, mass timber construction, solar panels and non-fossil fuel burning equipment.” This is all fantastic news for the student community.

The concerns of the imminent change are not unfounded. The student housing shortage is widely remarked upon in the student community. Since only firstyears are guaranteed housing, the battle for space is constantly present among upperclassmen. The situation was temporarily relieved by the opening of the South and Harries tower, which provides housing to upperclassmen, prioritizing second years. Everyone else either has to find housing through third parties like Hudson Dorms or take the apartment-hunting challenge upon themselves. The intention of the newly planned tower is to use the space the school has more effectively and mitigate the housing crisis. However, it comes at a cost

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and Ocean Engineering departments have their respective advisory boards for their department chairs, each sending one individual to the Dean's advisory board for the school. On the other hand, HASS has one board that invites students from all majors but does not have specific boards for each department.

The primary function of each advisory board is to have regular meetings throughout the academic semesters. Some meet more often than others, with some meeting once a semester and others

help reintroduce the physical and mental health benefits of the previously required physical education courses removed in Fall 2022.

The last $15 will increase the budget available to student organizations on campus. With the creation of more student organizations every semester, additional funds are needed for the SGA to continue approving these new groups. The increase in the SAF will create more financing for the SGA to distribute to student groups and therefore allow organizations to expand and accommodate the growing student body.

When asked about their opinion on the increase, one first-year civil engineering student who is active in a few student organizations says they understand why the increase is happening and sympathizes with the SGA for asking for it. An upper-class Music and Technology student says, "I'm upset that I will have to pay more, but it makes sense [...] I want more clubs to have more funding because that will be better for me and other stu-

harassment policy and want the best experience possible for the bands and their performers.”

This year, six bands will be given the opportunity to compete, performing 20 minute sets. The form to be considered is still open, and after all submissions have been received, a committee will meet to determine the competitors. Previous winning groups will not be allowed to compete again, though individual members of winning bands would not be denied as part of a different band. The committee will consider a variety of selection criteria, like the band’s established discography and their presence on campus. They aim to include bands

to the rest of the undergraduate population.

The upcoming destruction of Davis Hall means that one of two things is going to happen in the coming years: Either fewer students will be admitted to the school, or on-campus housing will be reconfigured to fit all the freshmen required to live at Castle Point. Given the university-wide aims for growth, the latter is much more likely than the former. Davis Hall currently holds 212 firstyears, and the UCC towers are capable of holding 1,000 students at a time. Though unconfirmed by the school, it is not impossible to expect that displacement of upperclassmen could occur, since though second-year students are prioritized, they are still not guaranteed a spot in the towers.

dents." The Stute also spoke to the mother of a prospective student getting a campus tour. She explained that while she understands why the SGA needs more money, she expressed concern that the cost of attendance is already high and that it is unclear where most of the money goes.

Finding a balance between the cost of attendance and the funds needed on campus will always be a challenging task. The SGA hopes the benefits of these new funds will outweigh the additional costs to students' families and that the phased increase will ease the financial burden. While it is assumed the funds will be distributed similarly to before, there are still questions on long-term impacts on the SGA's budget. However these first steps will allow more room for budget negotiations and anyone with questions, comments or an interest in becoming involved in the fund distribution process should contact the Student Government Association at sga@ stevens.edu.

that are representative of student interests, though will not discriminate based on genre. Bands that were not selected to compete will be given transparent feedback on how they were evaluated.

Like last year, the winning bands will be selected purely on audience vote. The votes will be tallied from attendees checked in on DuckLink between 7-7:30 p.m. The aim is to ensure attendees be present for most of the performances from each competitor in order to receive the voting form. Battle of the Bands marks the countdown to Techfest, and while the headliner has yet to be announced, the anticipation is certainly building.

Incoming first-year students are guaranteed on-campus housing, so they would not be relegated to outside housing. Right now, not everyone can have a spot in the residential towers. With a potential decrease in space by 212 students' worth of housing units, the fight for space may be even more brutal than anticipated.

As housing selection looms closer and closer this coming April, students may have to take these changed circumstances into account. If Davis would be facing the wrecking ball prior to the 2024-2025 academic year, it is expected to see an official notification from administration in the next few months. Regardless, changes are expected before 2032 according to the university’s 10year strategic plan.

meeting multiple times monthly to prepare for an event. Beyond planning events, the main focus of the advisory boards is to act as a line of communication from the student body to the faculty, administration, and staff. As a significant goal of the Student Government Association (SGA), the student advisory boards should act as a way for students to voice concerns about their education. If a student on a board hears from their classmates about a particular issue, the hope is that bringing up the issue on the advisory board will warrant a response from the administration. Issues that one may expect to be brought up in board conversations include courses not covering topics men-

tioned in the syllabus, access to major-specific areas, and opportunities to engage in research as an undergraduate student.

The most important aspect of the student advisory boards is their ability to highlight issues the administration may need to notice. Whether it be feedback on a new program or a repeating complaint, the boards communicate with those who can improve the school. Through help from the SGA and different offices from across campus, the student advisory boards ensure that students' education maintains a high standard and that students stand up for changes they want to see — both a valuable and enjoyable educational experience.

JOE CABORNERO FOR THE STUTE

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funding, employer perception, and international standing.” Participation in the survey allows students’ voices to be heard and taken into account when understanding what works well within the school and what things need to be improved upon to make the lives and the academic experience better for future students. While statistics and outcomes are valuable, some insight is much better obtained from personal, qualitative reports from those attending the university. This new methodology for determining ranks looks beyond the numbers and aims its focus on you, the students.

The WSJ has been ranking school rankings since 2016, but last year was the first year that WSJ and College Pulse rankings employed its new methodology for ranking schools. By this metric, Steven Institute of Technology ranked 36 on the list of best US colleges. This puts it among some of the best colleges in the US, a feat the school and many students have celebrated. The new ranking methodology means that this ranking is not based solely on the performance of the students but

also on their personal experiences and their lives outside of school. This ranking gives the school much prestige, and it is important that students be involved in determining them.

This ranking shows that Stevens does a good job of preparing students for their careers and providing them with a happy, well-rounded student experience. This school not only fosters the minds of bright students but also allows them to build a strong community and expand their horizons as they gear up for the world they hope to impact. If you have not already done so, take the time to fill out the College Pulse survey.

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Port Authority signed a $100 million contract with Cubic. While TAPP follows the same concept as OMNY, the two are different, as the implementation of OMNY outside New York borders would take years. A spokesperson for Port Authority commented, “Given the MTA’s pending phaseout of the Metrocard—accepted across the PATH system—the Port Authority made it a priority to have a tap-and-go payment system installed as soon as possible. For cost-efficiency and timeline certainty, we contracted directly with the same technology provider that OMNY uses, Cubic, which will also make it easier to address

be used for the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport’s AirTrain. The AirTrain allows for transportation to JFK International using the Subway. The efficacy of the AirTrain has been questioned for years, as it was inconvenient for many to purchase Metrocards, and then load the card with almost $12 to travel. With OMNY, more people will be able to access the AirTrain and significantly reduce the time they spend on travel. With new advances in technology, TAPP and OMNY are two systems that are designed to reduce barriers to transportation, making traveling quicker and easier. Paying by phone has become increasingly popular, and paves the way for more emphasis on online banking. However, it is also worth noting that there are potential drawbacks, especially with indi

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selectivity to 43%, down from 46%. In contrast to the previous ten years, which saw major increases in enrollment as infrastructure and academic expansions took place—including the addition of the Gateway Academic Complex and the University Center Complex—the administration is prioritizing increasing applications and selectivity by 2032. If all goes according to plan, selectivity will fall all the way to 24% by that year.

Stevens hired 28 new faculty members in this span of time, bolstering the university's research activity and ability to attract pure research money from the government and other beneficiary organizations. The report pointed to a record 24 faculty proposals made to the National Science Foundation's Career Program, an initiative aimed at early-career faculty who have the potential to lead advances in their department. Total research expenditure across the university over this period was $52.5 million, another record.

More programs and initiatives were launched to improve engagement and collaboration between current Ducks and alumni, including StevensConnects, the new professional connections-oriented platform that was launched last March, and the

newly redesigned Stevens Indicator, Stevens' quarterly magazine.

In total, about $18.3 million was raised in alumni gifts, including five large-scale "principal" gifts.

Perhaps the administration's greatest goal over the next ten years is to significantly advance the reputation of the Stevens brand, a process that began with the university's brand redesign, which saw the overhaul of logos and other official emblems.

The report highlights efforts to advance awareness of the new brand, and the Harris Brand Index shows awareness has risen accordingly by about 12%. Accompanying the brand shift was the launch of the new Stevens website at stevens.edu, which also saw large jumps in traffic and impressions.

Not all goals of the plan have seen progress in the first year.

The makeup of first-year undergraduates, including the proportion hailing from out of state or out of the country, has failed to see appreciable growth even since the beginning of the last 10-year plan. However, President Favardin writes that he believes Stevens "will meet and exceed each of the goals we have set for our university," pointing to the monumental progress made in areas such as faculty recruitment, curriculum development, and overall growth. To delve deeper into the report's findings and initiatives, including full statistical breakdowns, interested students can access the full report online.

JOE CABORNERO FOR THE STUTE

Feature

DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH

Accessible adventures across Hoboken and NYC

BY TASHA KHOSLA, FEATURES EDITOR

There are many attractions and places in the area that are accessible and can accommodate those with accessibility needs. Here’s a roundup of a few places in the Hoboken and New York City area that are definitely worth visiting and most importantly, are accessible for various needs.

In Hoboken

Places to eat

While many restaurants do have steps in front of them, making them inaccessible, there are restaurants that are wheelchair accessible or provide accommodations. For instance, Tacoria has a ramp available upon request. Other restaurants and places to eat that are wheelchair accessible include East LA, Panera, Chipotle, The Ainsworth, and more.

Places to go

A few accessible attractions in Hoboken include the Hoboken Waterfront Walkway, Pier A Park, the Hoboken Historical Museum, and the Barsky Gallery. Additionally, the Hoboken PATH station is accessible as it has an elevator, so traveling outside of Hoboken is accessible. The Stevens Shuttle also accommodates those with accessibility needs and NJ Transit can also provide accommodations as well.

In New York City

New York City has quite a few attractions that are accessible.

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

As stated on their site, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens “is committed to making its gardens, exhibitions, programs, and facilities accessible to all who visit.” In fact, the Alice Recknagel Ireys Fragrance Garden, created in 1955, was the first garden in the country designed for the visually impaired. Visitors are encouraged to touch and smell the plants, which have been selected for fragrant or tactile qualities and are all nontoxic. Plants are grown in elevated beds for accessibility by persons in wheelchairs. A continuous metal railing offers guidance, and Braille labels identify the specimens.”

Each entrance and information booth at the grounds are also “equipped with induction loops that transmit directly to hearing aids with T-coils” and “The Garden provides learning opportunities for visitors of all ages. Experienced educators work with both children and adults at all developmental and cognitive levels.” Moreover, The Garden also provides free guided tours for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers. For anyone in need of other accommodations, those can be arranged by contacting The Garden.

The Empire State Building

The famous 86th and 102nd observation decks in the Empire State Building are wheelchair accessible and “The 86th floor features lowered walls and sightseeing binoculars to accommodate visitors in wheelchairs. The 102nd floor has a higher wall that may be difficult for wheelers to see over. Accessible restroom facilities are available on the 86th floor. The Empire State Building is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

The Noguchi Museum

This museum and sculpture garden provides access programs upon request so that visitors of all abilities can have a positive experience. The museum is wheelchair accessible, has live captioning for all online programs by request, sign language interpretation for all programs upon request, and “guided tours and art workshops for visitors who are blind and partially sighted include detailed verbal descriptions and contextual information during tours.” The museum also offers guided tours and workshops for adult visitors with developmental and learning disabilities that “are carefully designed to meet the physical, emotional, and developmental needs of participants. Trained educators create experiences with art in the galleries using visual, verbal, and tactile interactions.”

Other accessible museums include the Guggenheim Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, which offer similar accessible programs to the Noguchi Museum.

Broadway Performances

For Broadway performances, the Theatre Development Fund “provides a membership service for theatregoers who are hard of hearing or deaf, have low vision or are blind, who cannot climb stairs or who require aisle seating or wheelchair locations.” Anyone who will benefit from these services is eligible and encouraged to apply for this membership. These services include accessible seating, audio description at select performances, open captioning at select performances, and sign language interpreting at select performances.

Accessibility is important to consider when planning places to go as it ensures that all people in the group can be included. These are just a few places in the area that are accessible but there are plenty of resources online that provide more examples of places to go and things to do that are also accessible!

Universal design

BY LIAM RUST, CONTRIBUTOR

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, 34 years ago. It enshrined the rights of people with disabilities, preventing discrimination and requiring accommodations to be made to meet their needs. It was a landmark piece of legislation. However, it doesn’t require one of the best ways to properly meet the needs of people with disabilities, and something that benefits everyone: universal design.

Universal design is a design principle that makes accessibility the default. According to the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, accessibility “is not a special requirement, for the benefit of only a minority of the population.

It is a fundamental condition of good design.” Universal design is the concept that the main way of accomplishing something for the majority of the population should also be the accessible one. Instead of having a special side entrance of a building with the main one hav ing stairs, for example, the main entrance should instead be wheel chair accessible with a ramp or lev el entrance that everyone uses.

It’s the ultimate form of inclu sivity — not only is there a way for someone who is disabled to do something, but it is the way to do it. There’s no special treatment, or request for accommodation, or

having to advocate for oneself. It just works.

One great example of this is curb cuts. It is legally required (due to the aforementioned ADA) that every sidewalk has a ramp going from the sidewalk level to the street level. Everyone uses the curb cuts at intersections, and not only does it make going anywhere with a wheelchair possible, but curb cuts also demonstrate one of the benefits of universal design. Often, accessible design helps everyone, even those who aren’t disabled. People pushing strollers, or a rolling suitcase, or taking their bike with them, or moving anything with wheels can now use these curb cuts, too.

This doesn’t just apply to physical environment design. Universal

disabilities have to ask for accommodations from professors and teachers because they have a condition that makes some aspect of the course, or taking things such as exams, difficult. However, using universal design, professors can instead make those accommodations the default. Making test times longer, or deadlines more flexible, or recording lectures for students to be able to review later, are all accommodations made for accessibility, but applying them to everyone can not only take the burden off of a disabled student for having to ask for “special” treatment, as this can often be tiring, but it can help all students succeed.

Universal design is one of the simplest, but most powerful concepts. It simplifies designs into a

Equity: why physical accommodations are important

BY JEREMIAH CHINWENDU, CONTRIBUTOR

Equity is one of the most important factors of any school environment. It is the assurance that all students, regardless of extraneous circumstances or background, are given the resources and opportunities needed to allow for an equal outcome to their peers. Stevens has a mission to make the experience of each student the best it can be, regardless of anything that could hinder them physically or otherwise. This facilitates the development of stronger relationships among students and a more inclusive environment. One way of doing this is making buildings on campus, both residential and educational, accessible for students with physical disabilities. These accommodations may go unnoticed by the majority of students who are not in need of them, but they help to provide an equitable experience for all students. Phillip Gehman, Director of Disability Services, speaks to discuss the innovations on campus that are designed to improve the lives of students with disabilities.

All buildings on campus are accessible, but that does not mean that all of them are equally as easy to get into. Malfunctions to existing accommodations and weath er can also make life difficult for students in need of wheelchairs. For instance, Gehman explained “Burchard is the only academic building that requires a chair lift to get into its main entrance, and, like any mechanical device,

the chairlift can malfunction.” The alternative route through the alley in the back of the building is not the easiest alternative. To get around this, the Gehman states that the office of disabilities is working with the office of registrar to “find alternative classrooms in buildings other than Buchard for students who use wheelchairs.” Campus community members are advised to submit a faculty work order in the event that there is a malfunction in accessibility equipment like elevators and automatic doors. Such things need to be addressed immediately to limit the damage this may do to those in need of wheelchair access. Weather is another unpredictable force that can impact the lives of students with disabilities, as winter weather and flooding rain can affect sidewalks and pathways, thus making it harder for students to navigate campus, oftentimes whether or not they use wheelchairs.

The Office of Disabilities works one-on-one with students who require accommodation in order to make their lives easier. According to Gehman, if a student wants to see if they qualify for accommodation, they must provide “medical documentation that states a diagnosis, its impact, and the accommodation/s that can help mitigate that impact on an aca-

residential hall with appropriate housing accommodations to ensure they have equitable access.” They may even opt to move in earlier than the rest of the students in order to limit foot traffic and make their transition easier.

Stevens adheres to a number of guidelines when designing its accommodations for students in need. One set of guidelines comes from the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504. While Stevens tries to adhere as closely to these guidelines as possible, Gehman argues “the majority of our campus was built before 1990 (when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed), so Stevens is continuously working to modernize and make the campus more accessible.” Along with the guidelines mentioned, Stevens also takes into account the input of students using these accommodations to know what areas need improvement. Those with concerns are encouraged to contact the office of disabilities services at the email (disabilityservices@stevens.edu). Any emergencies that occur in relation to existing accommodations should be directed to campus police at the number (201-2163748). These institutions and many more are responsible for ensuring equitable experiences for all students. As this institusure that everyone feels safe and unhindered in their progress and Gehman exclaimed, “It’s exciting to see Stevens continue to make

BY KAI WONG, SPORTS WRITER

Earlier this year, the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Rules Committee met in Indianapolis proposing a new rule change that states players may contact the ball more than once with any part of the body in a single attempt on a team’s second contact when the ball is played to a teammate. If the ball is played over the net in this type of scenario, it would be ruled a fault, and the team would lose the point.

In the past, the officiating of such double contacts has sparked debates between coaches and officials during matches. NCAA Committee members proposed this rule

change because the elimination of this judgment call can bring more consistency to the game through the promotion of the continuation of play in the game rather than more pausing and debate of calls.

Despite the committee thinking it will promote a more entertaining game, the rule change has many players upset because it eliminates a key aspect of the setter position. Previously, setters have had to spend countless hours practicing how to set the ball without putting any spin on it in order to prevent a double contact violation. However, now under this new rule change, the setter position may change in that the double contact on the ball is allowed.

Critics of the rule change look at it from the point of view that players have trained all their lives for a position and to see a rule change possibly devalue someone’s hard work is disheartening. On the other hand, many coaches and players understand the rule change and advocate for the committee in the best interest of promoting the continuity of the game.

Another significant rule change included in the NCAA’s press release on the rule change included the designation of two liberos for each set of the match, where only one libero would be allowed on the court at a time and be allowed to serve in one position. The rationale behind this change is to allow more

Women’s Lacrosse season begins

BY ABBY JACOBS, HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Women’s Lacrosse now sits 4-0 in their 2024 season following a 1615 victory over Rowan University on Saturday, March 2.

The team began their season on Saturday, February 3, when they completed an exhibition match against Messiah University, followed by a second exhibition match against Muhlenberg College on Sunday, February 18. The Ducks’ first non-exhibition match of the season served as their Cancer Awareness Game. Taking on Bates College, the Ducks went 10-8 on Wednesday, February 21. By the end of the first quarter, the Ducks would find themselves 3-3 with Bates, before falling behind by two at half. During the third quarter, the team managed another three to tie themselves up, but would eventually take another three to lead them 9-7 going into the fourth quarter. Sophomore Maddie Hogan would score goal numbers nine and 10, bringing her total for the day to two goals and an assist. Junior Rebecca Guerra totaled two goals and

two assists during the game, with senior Emily Leiby and sophomore Stefanie Sellitto each adding another two of their own. This game also marked head coach Karen Basciano’s 100th career victory.

Leiby upped her career goals on Saturday, February 24 when she scored five against the University of Mary Washington. The first half of the game proved a challenge for the Ducks when at the break, they saw themselves down 5-2. Then, just 39 seconds into the second half, Leiby scored her second goal of the game. Eventually, the Ducks would propel themselves to a 9-8 victory, with graduate student Zoe Cook scoring two, her first two of the season, and Hogan and junior Anna Velardi each with one of their own.

Just four days later on Wednesday, February 28, the Ducks upped their win margin when they came out victorious over Kean University. By the end of the first quarter, the Ducks were up 5-1, a lead they would maintain throughout the game. By half, the team saw a sixpoint lead. Though Kean would begin to find their footing in the third quarter, scoring four goals,

the Ducks one-upped them, leading 15-8 going into the fourth. Sellitto totaled nine goals during the game- a career-high and junior Emily Smart totaled nine assists, a program-high. Both players would see career-high points during this game, Selitto with nine, and Smart, along with her two goals, with 11.

By the end of the game, the Ducks wiped the Cougars 19-9, a 10-point victory margin, the greatest in the 2024 season. In their Alumni Appreciation Game against Rowan University, the Ducks began down 4-6 and 8-9

BASEBALL

Baldwin Wallace University Fort Pierce, FL 2 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Stockton University Weekhawken, NJ 3 p.m./ 5 p.m.

SAT, MAR 9

players the opportunity to compete, further improving gameplay.

In addition to the approval of double contact and two liberos, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel also proposed allowing the referee to issue a red card to the home team in instances where spectators encroach the playing area and the host administration fails to resolve the issue. As for gameplay, interference above the net, whether or not an opponent was touched, is now challengeable in video review. Lastly, players are now allowed to wear small, snug-fitting nose rings and ear cuffs. All of these rule changes will take effect beginning the 20242025 collegiate season.

in the first and second quarters respectively. Unwilling to lose their win streak, the team scored seven in the third quarter, while Rowan was only able to score two. The fourth only saw one more, but it was enough to secure their fourth victory of the season. Notably, Leiby had six goals and one assist, and Cook had four goals and one assist.

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 9, the team will take on York College of Pennsylvania at DeBaun Athletic Complex. Come support your fellow Ducks at their Fill the Pond/Duck Country Game at noon!

STEVENS SCOREBOARD

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S FENCING

NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Madison, NJ Time TBA

BASEBALL

Lebanon Valley College Fort Pierce, FL 11 a.m./ 1:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Salisbury University Salisbury, MD 11 a.m.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

York College of Pennsylvania Hoboken, NJ 12 p.m.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Stevenson University Lasell University Hoboken, NJ 1 p.m./5 p.m.

SOFTBALL

York College of Pennsylvania Weehawken, NJ 1 p.m./ 3 p.m.

MEN’S LACROSSE Oneonta Hoboken, NJ 4 p.m.

MON, MAR 11

BASEBALL

Denison University Port Charlotte, FL 10 a.m.

TUES, MAR 12

BASEBALL

North Central College

Port Charlotte, FL 11:30 a.m.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO 4 p.m.

WED, MAR 13

BASEBALL

US Merchant Marine Academy Port Charlotte, FL 12 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM (SHOT BY SID ROCHLANI)

Women: pioneers of linguistic change

BY TANYA AVADIA, BUSINESS MANAGER

William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Dr. Suess are known as some of the most innovative “word” creators in history. However, their influence might be overtaken by a new group of people: teenage girls. Shakespeare is credited with inventing over 1,700 words, including “bedroom,” “courtship,” and “swagger.” Charles Dickens apparently came up with the terms “butterfingers” and “doormat,” and Dr. Seuss coined the word “nerd.” However, in comparison with all of these writers, newer words and phrases are created at a monumental rate and largely thanks to women. Sociolinguist William Labov observed that women are the drivers of linguistic change 90% of the time and compared to men, are ahead when it comes to vocabulary by almost one full generation. So why is this?

Looking back at history, women have always adapted to language changes faster than their male counterparts. A study that reviewed 6,000 women from the years 1410 to 1680 found that they incorporated 11 out of 14

linguistic improvements much quicker. One such woman was Queen Elizabeth I. Terttu Nevalainewn, a linguist at the University of Helsinki in Finland and an author of the study states that she was “one of the most linguistically progressive people.” In her letters to her brother Edward, she uses “does” in place of “doth” and “has” in place of “hath.” Even when it comes to fictional women, they are portrayed to incorporate linguistic alterations faster. In another study done on the show Friends, intensifier words such as “so,” “really,” and “very” were more prevalent in Rachel, Phoebe, and Monica’s lines rather than Ross, Chandler, or Joey’s lines.

In terms of why girls tend to lead lexical innovation, there are several possible reasons. One reason, according to Gretchen McCulloch, the author of Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language, is that women are just more socially aware. They typically have bigger social circles and are exposed to more linguistic diversity. Another reason is that women are viewed as caregivers and so both boys and girls tend to learn language from their mothers. In

relation to today’s day and age, social media also plays a big role in the subject matter. Many users of social media are teenage girls and they are credited with popularizing and creating many of the words and phrases that are in trend. For example, while the Oxford University Press’ word of the year for 2023 was “rizz,” derived from the word charisma, its use online was heavily adapted by women.

However, even with being fast learners and adapters of newer terminology, women, specifically teenage girls, are faced with the most criticism for doing so. University of Toronto linguist Sali Tagliamonte shares that this is how generational gaps develop.

“Because the older people start criticizing the young people for how they talk, and what they're really doing is they are noticing language change, and they don't like it,” states Tagliamonte. For this reason, it is important to acknowledge and credit women for the role they play in upkeeping and updating our language. Therefore, the next time you use the words or phrases such as “trauma dumping,” “situationship,” or “hellscape,” remember to thank women.

Moon lander falls over post-landing

BY ARTHUR SERRA, OPINION COLUMNIST

July 20, 1969, is a day in history that will never be forgotten. For the first time, a human stepped onto another celestial body, taking one small step for himself and one giant leap for mankind. We’ve been back to the moon several times after that in both manned and unmanned missions. However, since the retirement of the Saturn V Rockets and the introduction of the space shuttle program, space flight and exploration have been limited to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Until now.

In the past decade, we’ve seen a resurgence of space flight. Yet most of the money, talent, and advancement hasn’t come from national space agencies like NASA but companies like SpaceX, Northrup Gruman, Boeing, and Intuitive Machines. These companies are designing capsules, rockets, and landers that will be the future of

space travel, given the current state of NASA finances.

Intuitive Machines just successfully landed their first of four planned moon landers. This was the first “soft-landed” American Moon landing since 1972 and the first private moon landing from any country. This mission, as well as the following two, are research-based, containing various sensors and equipment used for testing on the moon. The fourth currently planned mission is meant to be commercially based. Beyond research, the first three missions are also testing missions to ensure that the lander is sound and working. This willingness to conduct tests before full commercial rollout has paid off because, during landing, the Odyssey spacecraft broke one of its landing gears and tipped over onto its side. Luckily, the antennas were still positioned in such a way to maintain communication with the Earth. Both

NASA — which had a stake in the payload, and Intuitive received data and images from the lander during the 20 hours that the battery lasted before the lander died.

Even with the on-board breakdown, every member of this venture considers it a great success. Intuitive has showcased that its landers can go from LEO to the moon with only one issue that can easily be fixed in the future, and despite such an issue contin ues to function. NASA and other scientific agencies that sent ex periments along with the craft got most of their data before the lander stopped working. Finally, the rocket that got the lander into LEO in the first place was a SpaceX reusable Falcon 9 booster, giving SpaceX excellent publicity and furthering its dominance in the American rocket industry.

It is undeniable that space is the future of humanity. Since we invented fire, we’ve always won dered what’s over the next hill,

Newfound immune cells are responsible for long-lasting allergies

BY RIYANA PHADKE, SCIENCE WRITER

People with allergies may soon be able to alleviate their symptoms, like congestion or itchy skin, thanks to recent studies revealing that immune cells are responsible for allergies persisting long-term. Two independent research groups have identified a specialized type of immune cell known as type 2 memory B cells (MBC2s) as special cells that are able to hold the memories of proteins that cause allergies. These findings, reported on February 7 in Science Translational Medicine, open up new possibilities for targeting and limiting the effects of long-term allergies.

Approximately one-third of adults and one-quarter of children in the United States suffer from allergies, ranging from seasonal to severe reactions triggered by food or insect stings. Allergies occur when the immune system deploys antibodies, specifically IgE, against harmless proteins like pollen, peanuts, or pet dander. While some allergies may resolve over time or through therapy, others persist throughout a person's life. The scientific community has been aiming to identify the source of these allergies for some time. Recent research hinted at the involvement of cells responsible for immune system memory related to vaccinations and natural infections. Memory B cells are known to generate IgG antibodies, which are essential for combating viral and bacterial infections. However, two questions remained: which type of memory B cell could recall allergens, and how do they produce IgE antibodies, which are responsible for allergies?

Two research teams conducted in-depth analyses of immune cells from individuals with and without allergies to come to a conclusion. Immunologist Joshua Koenig and his team examined over 90,000 memory B cells from individuals with birch allergies, dust mite allergies, and those without allergies. Using RNA sequencing, they identified a specific memory B cell, known

across that ocean, or at the top of the mountain. A drive to explore and to expand is written into what it means to be human. Certainly the risks are high, the costs astronomical, and the difficulty unimaginable. But the benefits of

as MBC2s, which produces antibodies and proteins associated with allergy development.

In a separate experiment, Koenig's team targeted memory B cells from individuals with peanut allergies using a peanut protein. Remarkably, the same MBC2 cells were isolated, and their numbers increased as therapy to desensitize individuals to peanut allergens progressed. It was this experiment that provided the final evidence to link the presence of MBC2 cells to the allergic response. As Koenig states, “You find the cells present in the allergic people. It’s not present in the nonallergic people.… These cells are the ones that are making these antibodies, and that’s how this memory is being held.”

A parallel study led by Maria Curotto de Lafaille at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City further solidified these findings. Her team identified type 2 memory B cells, a comparable B cell population to MBC2, which were more abundant in children allergic to peanuts than in those without allergies.

Interestingly, both research groups observed that these memory cells have the ability to switch from producing protective IgG antibodies to allergy-inducing IgE antibodies. Lafaille's team discovered that this transition is influenced by a protein called JAK. Inhibiting JAK's signaling could potentially prevent the shift towards IgE production, offering a promising solution to long-term allergies. Researchers at Mount Sinai are actively testing a JAK inhibitor drug, abrocitinib, in individuals with food allergies.

Lafaille also believes that by examining these memory cells further, allergists may be able to better plan a course of action for their patients by determining whether allergies are likely to persist or diminish over time or with treatment. This understanding of the cells responsible for allergies in long-term memory cells could pave the way for more innovative strategies to neutralize these cells, offering a new way for people to be allergy-free.

space exploration are utterly fantastic. This mission just proves that it’s American ingenuity, creativity, and drive that continues to choose to do amazing things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (SHOT BY DAVID MAURICE SMITH)

PHOTO COURTESY OF CNN

MIND

OF A FRESHMAN First-year freaky food combos

BY NICOLE CHEUNG ‘27

As first-years, we are between the crossroads of an unlimited meal plan and the urge to illegally cook food in our dorms. One can only consume fried UCC food and barely escape food poisoning from Pierce so many times. Okay, Pierce has a really bad

SENIORITIS

reputation, but I honestly don’t think it's as bad as people think. Its main pro is its variety. But this isn't a Pierce food review. I’m here to tell you about the weird food combinations/hacks I've discovered in my freshman year so far. I ask you to keep an open mind, and maybe consider trying some of these legit struggle meals.

My recent obsession has been with Shin Bone Broth Ramen, but not just straight up. I get crazy, and put peanut butter in it. This might sound rancid, but peanut butter noodles and sauces are very prevalent in Asian cooking. The nutty taste of the peanut butter blends perfectly with the umami

Sense of urgency

BY ETHAN KLESCHINSKY ‘24

I feel with graduation creeping up closer and closer every single day I sometimes forget to appreciate the little things that I love about college and life in general. I am writing this

EXPLORING:

after an absolutely gorgeous day, and for the first time in a while, I was able to take it easy and just appreciate things that I don’t typically give time to focus on. Maybe it has been the hideous Hoboken winter or the stress of cramming everything I can into my last semester. With such little time left I feel a sense of urgency to do things and see people that I will not be able to on a daily basis. This is a predicament that I have faced, and I don’t quite know how to deal with it yet. It is always a process of trying to make plans with people who are going to be here next year,

of the bone broth and delicate spice of the seasoning packet. Then this leads to another life changing dorm room food discovery, using the leftover seasoning packet on popcorn. The freshly popped, buttery, warm popcorn, with the savory and spicy seasoning packet is just peak dorm snacks.

Another one of my hacks is spicing up dining hall food with your own spices. I am really into trader joe's spice mixes, notably the cheesy seasoning, pizza seasoning, mushroom seasoning, and nutritional yeast. I put the cheesy seasoning and nutritional yeast on fries that need a little umph, green goddess on a bland salad,

and mushroom seasoning on rice or potatoes that need some love. I’ve been trying to think of ways to avoid carrying the entire bottles with me, but have the variety for anything Pierce has on rotation that day. I just thought of this now and will probably start doing this soon, but one of those long pill bottles would be perfect for seven different seasonings. This is why I'm a business major.

Another one of my hacks is just going to CrEATe in general. It’s the best food on campus and I don’t care what anyone says. I get the same thing almost everyday. I’ll list my order in case you want to taste this masterpiece. I get ciabatta bread,

mozzarella cheese, turkey, red onions, lettuce/mixed greens, tomatoes, and a side of sour cream and onion chips. Oh and of course toasted. I order a tea and ask for earl gray then go over to the tea station and put way too much sugar and ask for as much milk as I can get without the cup overflowing. It is just heavenly and the atmosphere of the cafe is so comforting. I will go out of my way to go to CrEATe even though I live in Davis and the UCC is next door. Solely because the ciabatta is so soft and nice, and the mozzarella is the fresh kind (not the slices), and it’s not fried.

I’ve been thinking about how I spend most of my

money. Most of it goes to $8 overpriced boba drinks. So I bought some Okinawa milk tea drink packets and used the hot water and milk from pierce to make a milk tea. I don’t like the pearls all that much anyways and I save $8 each time.

Creativity is honestly the only way to survive eating the same rotation of things for eight months. Going from having delicious home cooked Asian food most of the time, to salted sand granules (the hard rice here) was a little jarring. But with my business major brain, I can cope for the rest of the semester until I have my own kitchen to cook.

but not everyone seems to have the same sense of urgency, which makes sense, I wouldn’t either if graduation wasn’t right around the corner. But it can make it hard to do things with people who are also balancing the weight of their on-campus commitments. Every time I write one of these, I try to reflect on how my opinion about graduation is changing as the day draws nearer, but I think for my own sanity, I should try to focus on the day-to-day and enjoy the little things.

Today was nice. It felt good to take a back seat and not be responsible for mak-

ing any plans or coming up with ideas. I just walked around with people that I crossed paths with. I feel like a large part of this column is me explaining my process of coming to terms with graduation, and every two weeks, I gain some new perspective on what’s to come during the rest of my time here and what my time after leaving might look like. I look forward to days when the weather is nice, and there isn’t much to do. I feel as if I always forget to appreciate the simple things around me, which is super easy to do when you are under the stress of classes and

A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY

The grandeur of Grand Central Terminal

BY EVAN PAPAGEORGE ‘26

Grand Central Terminal is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Besides being one of the most traveled transit hubs in the country, it is a cultural icon that not only is featured in movies and television shows but holds a wealth of restaurants, stores, and exciting adventures, all just a quick PATH ride and walk away from Stevens. Grand Central is a BeauxArts-style structure with monumental halls that soar above commuters' heads and meticulously detailed

sculptures in the molding and grand facade. The current Grand Central was built in the early 1900s to replace an older Grand Central Station. Construction started in 1903, and it was, at the time, the largest terminal in the world by track number and size of the building.

As a student, Grand Central has many wonders to behold. The first and the cheapest is to admire the grandeur of the building. Walking outside the building shows its magnificence, including statues of Roman gods, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and allusions to French and Italian buildings. The Grand Concourse, inside, is 100 feet tall, featuring towering arches, the backside of the facade, and an intricately detailed skyscape featuring a pantheon of constellations.

Beyond the grandeur of the main rooms, Grand Central is so large it is possible to spend a day exploring

the labyrinth of terminals, halls, and rooms. Going down to 90 feet below the Grand Concourse, the newly built Grand Central Madi son station features its own dining and retail hubs. Back closer to the ground, there is an endless set of restau rants, shops, and artwork exhibits around the struc ture's ground level. How ever, there are also upper floors of the building. On the top floors of the build ing, CBS held studios where they recorded shows like The Goldbergs and the fa mous news show See It Now.

Going through all of Grand Central would take months of non-stop explor ing. Luckily, there is a guid ed tour run that hits all of the highlights. Additionally, being a transit hub, getting to Grand Central is easy. The 4, 5, 6, 7, and S subways, M1, M2, M3, M4, M42, M101, M102, M103, and Q32 buses all have stops at Grand Central, making it very well

activities. This semester, I have been able to take a step back from involvement and am taking fewer courses, which is definitely helping. But this sense of urgency to constantly be doing things is filling the void and keeping me occupied. I am excited for the break ahead because I think it will be a great opportunity to spend time with people without having to worry about any classes or activities. Right now, my plan is to go to Ireland and wander the countryside. Take a trip far, far away from Stevens, and hopefully gain some more perspective that will

help me on my journey into adulthood. I am expecting a spiritual journey, but I will likely just get drunk. The two don’t seem to be mutually exclusive, so all I am really hoping for is to enjoy my time away. I guess I will clue you all in in about two weeks’ time. I hope you all have a safe and responsible spring break, it may seem like you need to go all out and do everything you can in the short time you have. But I will certainly be trying to appreciate the little things, and I hope you do too!

connected to all of the New York City.

Grand Central Terminal is a transit hub and a cultural and architectural masterpiece offering countless exploration and adventure opportunities. From the

COMIC CORNER

grandeur of the building's exterior to the intricate details of its interior, there is an endless array of wonders to behold. The infinite dining, shopping, and entertainment options make it a must-visit destination for students

PHOTO

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Comeback: The little ship that could

an American-designed and built schooner, ‘America,’ began to compete in various regattas in the United Kingdom. In every race she entered, she destroyed the competition. Their ships were a point of pride for the English, and thus they were both very impressed and dismayed by this advanced vessel showing them how racing is done. The final big event of the season was a race around the Isle of Wight. America would go on to win the event and take the trophy home here to New York City. Approximately every 4 years since the cup has been competed for in the most advanced boats the world has seen. The Cup has outlived the Confederacy, Fascism, and the Soviet Union. Those more astute of you may have noticed that here on Stevens campus, we have a coffee shop called the America's Cup, which tells this story. That is because it is the Stevens family that designed, built, raced America, and founded the New York Yacht Club, one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world.

Many, many stories have come out of this event. However, one of those stories is the greatest comeback in sports history. The book The Comeback tells the story of the 2013 America's Cup race in my own San Francisco Bay. The America’s Cup is raced in match-racing style, where two boats race against

GIRL (ISH) TALK

one another, the first to the finish wins. This requires intense tactical play and perfect control of the boats, as one tiny slip-up can cost you everything. The finale of the event saw the reigning defender, Larry Ellison’s Oracle Racing, competing against Team New Zealand. Over the course of 18 days these teams would race their highspeed, high-performance boats to the very limit of sailing technology. These boats had already claimed one life, so there was more than just the Cup on the line. Due to some cheating and simply not being able to sail the boat as well as the New Zealanders, the Americans found themselves seven points behind; Six to negative one after eight days. Soon after, they were still seven points behind — eight to one — and New Zealand was only one race away from total victory of the most prized trophy in sport.

This is where G. Bruce Knecht begins his story in The Comeback. Over the course of a very short book, Knecht details the technological changes that had to occur over very short periods with no testing. He introduces us to the characters, the Oracle team, and the crew changes that were required to make the American boat competitive. Finally, he tells the story of the races themselves, how Oracle Racing won eight races in a row, creating history and overcoming a century and a half of superstitious karma.

DOUG’S CAR CORNER

What are some of today’s most popular motorsports series?

Sailing isn’t the most wellknown sport. It’s too complex to be shown on TV, and it’s too inaccessible for everyone to learn how it works. However, this book makes you fall in love not with the idea of drinking champagne and eating caviar on a yacht, but with the nitty gritty and the triumphant that is racing yachts.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

Help! They’re inventing new things for us to be insecure about

BY CLAIRE HANNAN ‘24

Recently, I was scrolling and an ad popped up on my screen. It showed the forehead of a relatively young person. Their skin was smooth but definitely didn’t have any filters on, so the picture looked realistic. Honestly, it looked pretty similar to my forehead. The text on the screen said, “tired of fine lines?” After that, it scrolled through a few more photos of imperfect but realistic features, none of which would have had any noticeable flaws if not for the harsh lighting and close-up pictures. I couldn’t help but think that my face would also look like that if it was photographed in the same way. The ad then shifted, showing women applying retinol cream to cure their fine lines. The last shot was a smiling woman with

almost unnaturally smooth skin. I’ve heard of fine lines before, but it didn’t hit me until it was pushed so aggressively in this ad how ridiculous the whole idea is. Yes, we’re supposed to be afraid of getting old and getting wrinkles; that’s not new, but the idea that one tiny crease on your forehead or a slight fold around your eye when you smile is a problem, is crazy. The companies profiting off of this really want us to think that having anything other than perfectly smooth, spotless skin is something that has to be solved.

Another ad I’ve been seeing a lot is from a deodorant company that’s trying to sell a whole-body deodorant. They’re claiming that it’s not enough to prevent just your underarms from sweating when your whole body can sweat and have body odor. I understand that some individuals, like people with hyperhidrosis, likely can benefit from this product, but my theory is that companies are hoping to make other people who don’t need full body deodorant self-conscious about their body sweat to sell more products. I don’t think that the majority

of people need to use this and constantly cover their skin with more chemicals because a commercial over-exaggerated a problem doesn’t seem great.

This isn’t the first time that companies have tried to create problems to sell a solution for. The company Listerine is a classic example of this. Listerine mouthwash used to be used to treat and disinfect wounds both in and out of the mouth. The product was effective but the company wanted to sell more, so they began to push the idea of a new, made-up condition called halitosis. They told people in advertisements that individuals with halitosis don’t know they have it, and they might be losing friends over it! The term halitosis is still used to this day to spark fear over bad breath despite it just being a (very effective) marketing ploy. So, I wouldn’t believe ads when they tell you they have a magic solution to a problem because half of the time, the problem doesn’t even exist.

On top of all of that, these ads are most often targeted at women, hoping that we’ll be insecure enough to buy these hygiene products. Screw that.

structors’, awarded to the team with the most collective points across their two drivers, championships. F1 is unique in its cars’ cutting-edge aerodynamics, incredibly efficient and powerful engines, and elite driver talent. For a good reference of what F1 cars typically look like, think of Francesco Bernoulli from the movie Cars 2.

thrilling forms of enter tainment since the first organized race in 1894, where 102 drivers took on the challenge of getting their cars from Paris to Rouen. This 80-kilometer race was won by Jules-Albert de Dion after 6 hours and 48 minutes at a blistering average speed of 11 miles per hour (including an hour-and-a-half lunch break). Since then, cars have gotten faster, race distances longer, and the competition much more varied and exciting. Here are a few of the most popular motorsports series today.

Formula 1 (F1) is considered to be the pinnacle of motorsport in many respects. It is an international competition with budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars. 10 teams of two drivers compete in as many as 24 races on road courses around the world in a season. Each team and their drivers are fighting to rise to the top of the standings and win both the Drivers’, awarded to the single driver with the most points, and Con -

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR, on the other hand, is a wholly American motorsports series. Teams compete with cars that are meant to resemble the production cars available to the public but with modifications that turn them into racing beasts with over 750 horsepower and top speeds of over 200 miles per hour. Although they rarely reach these speeds during races, these cars are incredibly quick, and with top drivers behind the wheel, they lead to intense competition despite the simple oval track layout. Lightning McQueen and the Piston Cup resemble a NASCAR race and car pretty well.

IndyCar is another open-wheel series, similar to F1, based in the United States. However, they have bigger engines (because America loves big engines, duh) and run races at road, street, and oval tracks. This diversity in track layouts forces the drivers and teams to be flexible in their strategies and driving styles. IndyCar is also a spec series,

meaning that the teams are incredibly limited in their freedom with modifying the cars — each car is essentially identical, meaning driver skill and team strategy play massive roles in the outcomes of each race.

World Rally Championship (WRC) is the world’s premier rallycross series. This means that drivers tackle off-road, forest, dirt, and snowpacked courses across 13 countries with their co-drivers in some of the most dangerous and intense racing possible. Each rally is broken into 15 to 25 stages that each team must complete in the shortest time possible, driving between the stages in their competition cars on public roads. Teams have 2 days prior to the actual competition to drive the courses at reduced speeds and record pace notes to prepare for the races, which often include blind turns, jumps, drifting, and even night racing.

Of course, there are many more motorsports series that I wish I could dive into, but I am unfortunately limited to a certain word count for this article. I know, I’m bummed too. But anyway, those are some of the most popular and exciting motorsports series in the world today. Give them a shot, and hopefully, you’ll like them as much as I do! (I even got Claire from “Dear Claire and Ethan” and “Girl-ish Talk” to care about Formula 1!)

ADVICE FOR BROKE COLLEGE STUDENTS

Get paid back: strategies for financial fairness

BY HIMA THUMMALA ‘26

A big part of college life is going out with your friends, ordering in with your team after a game, or getting late-night meals while you're up the night before your finals studying. With this comes great memories full of laughter and fun, but it's also easy to remember how no one paid you back for putting in the order. With one look at your bank account, this memory of staying up with your friends turns into a sense of frustration over not being able to get your money back.

Although people have different boundaries when it comes to how much they are willing to pay for others, it is important to remember that if you do want to be paid back, you should ask if someone has not. Unfortunately, this is not always the easiest thing because it can come off in a tone that is not intended. But since there is validity to what is being asked, a kind tone in support of your action should result in no relationships

going awry and an up-tostatus bank account.

There are also other systems that groups of people can use to ensure that there is fairness in how everyone is paying. One of them is splitting the bill, but it is possible that either the group is too large to do so or the restaurant or food establishment does not allow it. Luckily, there are other more reliable methods that are effective, which is to request those who need to pay money. This is an easy and non-rude way to go upon asking people to pay you back. Most of the time, it is possible to include a description of what the money is being paid for or requested for, so this will allow any potential confusion or forgetfulness about what the money's for. This is available on many apps on which you can pay others or get paid by others. It is important to make sure that these apps are reliable, safe, and trustworthy.

Also, it is important to keep receipts of how much everyone owes you. Although you may get the physical paper that has the receipt information on it, it is good to take a picture of it to make sure that you have it for the future. Also, if there is any additional tax or tip added to the overall payment, make sure to factor that into the price that you

charge others. This could create some confusion over why someone is being charged more money than what their meal actually costs. So, it is important to do the calculations and send them to them if they are confused, or you can just send it right off the bat in a group chat with everyone to avoid unnecessary worries.

Overall, money is something that comes and goes, and if someone still has not paid you back and you're expecting them to do so, it is important and a sign of self-respect to ask for it. This obviously does not need to be done in any sort of manner that is harsh or rude, but rather by utilizing methods such as kindly asking them or requesting them for money at the correct amount and with an accurate description. Asking for people to give you money can be a tricky situation to be in, especially if they are your friends since it can feel awkward. But, it is important to remember that this is common for many college students to face because of the environment and circumstances that take place. So next time you pay for the group, don’t hold yourself back from reminding those people who did not pay you back, as there can also just be a possibility that they have just forgotten.

Opinion

FROM SOUQS TO SCHOOLS On Lent

ABRAHAM ‘26

There are many perks to being an Orthodox Christian. Besides all the perks Jesus provides, I also get to start my Lent pretty late. Relative to the Catholics. To be completely honest, I’ve never participated in Lent before. Partially because I wasn’t too invested in my faith, and also because Orthodox fasting is extremely demanding. Most Orthodox Lebanese will live off of pita and za’atar for forty days. It’s far from appealing to me. But that’s the whole point; and since I’m new to this, I’ve decided to make it a little easier for myself.

I’ve decided to do the classic, no meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. This seems pretty easy in theory, but I’m worried that I’ll find myself munching on a Chipotle bowl without realizing. So, to prevent any

issues down the road, I’ve set the reminders for each day. I will say, this will be a pain when I have to cook meals with meat for my father and brother. I don’t know if Jesus will be mad if I do a little taste test. But if I serve overcooked chicken, I’ll never hear the end of it.

I’ve also decided to give up all sugar and desserts. Artificial sugars, really. I don’t count strawberries as dessert. Should I? Eh, I’ll figure it out. This is probably going to be the most difficult one to follow. No little sweet treats. None. Not even during finals. I’m not sure how I’ll manage (I say, as Jesus literally went forty days and nights eating nothing).

I also made a promise to myself to go to Church every Sunday during Lent. I’ve had a good track record the past few months, but I’m hoping I’ll really stay on it even after Lent. The only difficult thing about this is finding a decent outfit every Sunday. My Church certainly isn’t a “come as you are” church. I don’t mind this; I think we should always present ourselves in the best way for God. But it is so difficult trying to find modest clothing without looking

STEVENS’ CHEFS RECIPE CARDS

Herb-crusted salmon

This past weekend, I made entrees with the Stevens Chefs team: Salmon and Tandoori Chicken. We put together an ingredient list and split up the work chopping. We experimented with different ratios and worked together to find what worked best. First we tried salmon in the airfryer and maybe if we had played more with the timing, we would have liked this one, but we tried pan frying and

OFF THE PRESS

were very happy with the re -

I don’t work with salmon often, but it’s a really versatile protein. It has a very noticeable color change and cooks very quickly, so you’re not likely to undercook it. Especially on a thinner cut, I think you’re more likely to overcook it. I used a small frying pan and a flexible spatula to maneuver the fish, it should be easily separated to test its doneness.

This recipe includes herbs and light breadcrumbs, pairing well for a very green and refreshing dish. I put all the herbs in with the breadcrumbs, but you could get a brighter flavor to the salmon by marinating in lemon juice and herbs before the breadcrumbs. I also have marinated salmon in teriyaki and brown sugar for a much sweeter, caramelized flavor.

A classic American tale

BY OFF CENTER

-Satire-

Today, at Off The Press, we decided to honor our proud American heritage by retelling a famous tale from long ago. A story that reminds us of the value of childhood and how we slowly mature into adults as we are constantly reminded of the world and the harsh realities that delve into it. A story of a conflicting moral view between the mischievous rascal and the good-hearted hero. We now present a retelling of Mark Twain’s classic, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

In an old house by the Mississippi River, there lived a young boy by the name of Tom Sawyer, who lived with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother, Sid Sawyer. Once, Tom Sawyer was sneaking away some of Aunt Polly’s homemade jam and hid in the closet. Aunt Polly found him and also learned from Sid that Tom was skip -

like a grandma. As soon as I start layering, I begin to resemble my teita. I guess this does give me an excuse to go shopping more (which is a huge plus).

I’m really excited for Lent. I know that I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing, that is, abstaining from alcohol, eggs, dairy, fish, meat, and olive oil. People in Lebanon go so hard for Lent, that if they read my plans, they would think I’m the weak link. I don’t even blame them; my cousins will be at Church almost every day, abstain from nearly all the things I mentioned above, and stick to spiritual music and entertainment. Orthodox Christians in Lebanon are simply a different breed. It’s inspiring, and I hope I could get the strength to do half of what they do.

When my brother Joey was younger, he would try his very best to fast. It was adorable; he didn’t exactly know why he was doing it, but because my mother encouraged it, he lived off of za’atar for forty days. And, if eight year-old Joey could do it, then I probably could too.

To my Orthodox brothers and sisters, I wish you a blessed Lent!

Ingredients:

salmon fillet

panko breadcrumbs

dill

parsley

minced garlic

lemon zest

butter

Seasonings: salt pepper

Equipment

mixing bowls

fry pan

Recipe by:

Kayden Cannilla

ping school and beating one of his neighbors up in a fight. As a punishment, Aunt Polly decided to make Tom Sawyer paint the fence on Saturday when all of the other kids would be playing at the lake. Tom Sawyer grunted at the hard work when he saw all the other kids coming down the lane. Tom Sawyer wore a big smile. The other kids thought that if Tom was smiling, he was having fun painting the fence. Tom offered to let them paint the fence in exchange for some toys. With that, Tom Sawyer got some free toys as well as got his fence painted quickly to later play with his friends.

Another time, Tom was sent to his room early because Aunt Polly thought he took the jam. It was actually Sid who took the jam, but since Tom Sawyer was usually seen as a troublemaker, he got the punishment. Tom Sawyer was so angry that he decided to run away from home. He met up with his

friend, Huckleberry Finn, and made his way to a little island on the Mississippi River using a raft. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn played many games while living on the island and ate some sandwiches they packed in advance. However, Tom started to miss home, so he and Huck went back. However, they found everyone had set a funeral for them because they missed them so much. Tom and Huck surprised everyone at the funeral, which made everyone happy that the boys were safe.

Another time, Tom learned that a new girl named Becky Thatcher was going to the same school as he was. Tom was infatuated with Becky and decided to try to impress her. However, when Becky learned that Tom was seeing another girl named Amy, she didn’t want to talk to Tom anymore. However, Becky once accidentally spilled ink all over

Directions:

Prepare the topping 1

later Combine in one bowl a

Mince dill, parsley, and garlic Zest one lemon and set aside for juice

Pan fry 2

Melt butter and brush salmon fillets, then cover the salmon with topping Set to medium-high and grease a frying pan Fry on both sides until the middle whitens and the topping crisps ( 4 minutes) a

That’s it you’re done 3

Serve with asparagus and rice a

the teacher’s papers, so Tom decided to take the blame for Becky. Becky saw Tom as a good person.

Finally, Tom and Huck were exploring the graveyard, where they saw an old criminal named Evil-Eyed Joe robbing Dr. Robinson. However, Dr. Robinson couldn’t see very well, so he blamed another person named Muff Potter. Tom and Huck wanted to tell them what happened, but they were afraid that Evil-Eyed Joe would try to get them. At the trial, Tom finally decided to tell the truth and pointed to Evil-Eyed Joe as the culprit. This got Evil-Eyed Joe so angry that he chased Tom and Huck into a giant cave. However, using their smarts, Tom and Huck tied up Evil-Eyed Joe with some vines and saved the day. After all of his adventures, Tom learned about what it was like to grow up and take initiative, and to care about the others around you.

By

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Crossword by Jack Scherban Hidden Links

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