[The Stute] September 24, 2021 (Issue 4, CXIX)

logic: when u need wifi to connect to the new wifi

The Stute We write Stevens history

VOLUME CXIX No. 4

HOBOKEN, NJ | SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck. www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

STEVENS LIGHTS UP University Center sign illuminated over Hudson; towers almost complete

REGISTRAR FUMBLING Students complain of insufficient classrooms

BY KAIDEN GOZ

Contributing Reporter

BY SANJANA MADHU

On Wednesday, September 22, Stevens held the Illumination Ceremony to commemorate the upcoming completion and opening of the University Center Complex. Hoboken Mayor Bhalla was in attendance along with President Farvardin, Stevens students, and faculty, who came together to watch the sign atop the left tower light up. The sign reads “STEVENS” in bright, red lettering. The buildings are on track to open Spring 2022 and will include a new fitness center, student workspaces, dorm rooms, and more.

Held at Pier C Park, the event began with “Cookies with Attila,” where Stevens students, staff, and alumni could interact and enjoy

Managing Editor

SEE LIGHTS PAGE 3

LEFT: OLOF PERSSON FOR THE STUTE | RIGHT: KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

The return back to in-person classes has posed challenges regarding classroom assignments. Some of these problems include missing classroom assignments for course sections and overcrowded rooms with more students than seats. Many students have had professors revert to using Zoom to conduct their course and combat insufficient classrooms. The registrar has credited new workflow issues with Workday and an overwhelming amount of student enrollment requests as the main reasons why there have been issues.

Emily Ng, a Civil Engineering major, expressed the issues she faced with her class CE 423: Civil Engineering Senior Design which runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ng explained that the class was not assigned a room on Tuesdays, forcing the professor to conduct the course on an outdoor campus lawn for the first week, and are now being conducted via Zoom.

“This is a super important class that needs to be in person so we can work on our senior design projects in our groups,” explained Ng.

sweets and music before the official welcome. Attila, Stevens’ mascot, was there to greet and dance with guests, before the speeches.

The welcome, given by Stevens student Kevin Castner Jr. ‘23, was followed by speeches from President Farvardin and Hoboken Mayor Bhalla.

The University Center has been in the making for 10 years: from the idea, to the zoning, to the construction, there has been a great deal of collaboration between Stevens and Hoboken. In his speech, Farvardin stated that the completion of such a large-scale project “is a moment that will define this university for many years to come,” and further emphasized how the center will allow Stevens to keep advancing while providing students with a world-class education

SEE ROOMS PAGE 2

Natasha Oramas hired as new Student Life Administrative Assistant

BY DIEM TRINH

Lore-El Center hosts biennial LeadHERship conference

BY ARIANNA GEHAN Contributing Reporter

On September 17 and 18, The Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership hosted their biennial LeadHERship Conference. This year the conference celebrated the 50th anniversary of women being admitted to Stevens with the theme of “Learning From the Past, Facing the Future.” Offering both in-person and online events, the conference featured distinguished guest speakers and presenters.

On Friday evening, the conference began by welcoming Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha.

Pediatrician, researcher, and advocate, Hanna-Attisha is known for her role in uncovering the Flint water crisis. In 2016 she was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” and she wrote about her advocacy in the book What the

Eyes Don’t See. In conversation with Dr. Kevin Ryan, Hanna-Attisha spoke about her career. Her advocacy made her into a public figure, and over the years she has learned to block out all the hate and negativity that she receives. She emphasised how she lives her life by the four Ps: passion, persistence, preparation, and people.

Hanna-Attisha’s passion is helping children, which is why she became a pediatrician. When faced with difficulty, she remembers why she does her work. This sense of purpose has grounded her, and she believes that “if you can constantly ground yourself, it literally lifts you up.”

Hanna-Attisha’s advice for students to help end the pandemic is to get vaccinated. She stressed that while it is good for people to have questions about vaccines, they should sit down with their doctor or go to trusted sources like the Center

Contributing Reporter

On September 7, the Office of Undergraduate Student Life at Stevens welcomed a new Student Life Administrative Assistant, Natasha Oramas. Oramas received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Boston University, and she worked in medical device marketing and sales for three years before accepting her current position at Stevens.

Oramas, in a recent email interview with The Stute, said that her current goals within Student Life are to get to know the Stevens student body, faculty, staff, and administration.

“Right now, I’m focusing on getting to know every-

SEE LEAD PAGE 4

KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

NEWS (2)

NEWS (4)

OPINION (6-9)

Read the full story on classrooms being overcrowded

Science Read how 9/11 is continuing to affect mental and physical health of survivors, loved ones of those lost, and others.

The Stute Editorial Mind of a Freshman Senioritis Second-Year Freshman Off The Press Passion for Fashion

NEWS (3)

See more photos from the Illumination Ceremony To commemorate the upcoming completion and opening of the University Center Complex, Stevens lit up a sign on the left tower.

SPORTS (5)

Jeff Liu ‘08 wins Olympic gold at this past summer Olympics – read the story!

PULSE (10)

Roving Reporter Crossword

SEE NATASHA PAGE 2

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Friday, September 24

News

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 ‘23 OPINION EDITOR...................................................................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.............................................................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

Operations Board HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER....................................................CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER........................................................VANESSA HUERTA ‘23 WEBMASTER....................................................................................JOANA FARDAD ‘22

Staff & Contributors Arianna Gehan Diem Trinh Emma Tong Ethan Che Grace Miguel Jackson Hudgins Joseph Ames Kaiden Goz Katie Ng Krutarth Trivedi Lauren Garrett

Matthew Brantl Matthew Cunningham Melissa Kosar Nicole Giardino Olof Persson Peter White Pooja Rajadurai Rafael Lee Li Stephanie Searing Winston Lee

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Corrections 1) Article Hurricane Ida’s remnants ravage through Hoboken: Hurricane Ida started as a category 2 but progressed to a category 4 hurricane, and the correct term is “made landfall” not “touched down.”

2) Rafael Lee Li was not included in last week’s staff + contributor’s list, by mistake.

3) aleksandAr NOTICE A MISTAKE? Email us at eboard@thestute.com.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 As for Thursday classes, students in CE 423 have been assigned to Gateway North 103, which posed a new challenge because the room does not have desks. “It is a giant lecture hall with no desks or tables to work on [...] We had to use the tiny round tables that are in the GN lobby,” said Ng. For CE 423, the registrar expressed that there were no other available classrooms during the class. Other classes, like CS 432: Computer Science Senior Design, have faced similar issues. Lasya Josyula, a Computer Science major enrolled in CS 432 said, “The professor said he’s been trying to get the registrar to help us with our issue, but with no luck yet.” While these issues persisted throughout the first few weeks of classes, some issues were resolved, as in the case of CHE 342: Heat and Mass Transfer. Matthew Brantl, a Chemical Engineering major, explained that while many students sat on the floor during the first week of class for CHE 342, the problem was resolved after additional tables were added to the room.

In an email to The Stute, University Registrar Anna-Lize Harris explained the issues regarding classroom assignments. When asked about the main reason for overcrowded classrooms and missing room assignments, Har-

NATASHA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 one and getting a feel for what the students would like to see in student life,” she said. Even though she confirmed these are her only objectives as of now, Oramas hopes to plan more initiatives for the Spring 2022 semester.

Oramas furthermore elaborated that the main priority of Student Life is to make sure that the student community stays safe while also providing the normality of semesters prior to the pandemic. “Everyone’s been able to work together to make that happen in this semester so far and I expect us to be able to do much the same in the upcoming semester,” she said.

Moreover, when Oramas started her new role last week, she was able to start engaging with the student community, converse with students, and support student groups. “Currently, I’ve already started to get to know a lot of students and help them and their groups out. We’ve all been learning together since I started last week and I’m glad that I have already been able to support them with events and financial matters,” she responded.

In terms of how Oramas has

ris emphasized, “In August and September, there were more than 1,700 requests for enrollment in closed classes. We were adjusting class capacities at a moment’s notice.” Harris also cited technical difficulties, explaining that there is a lag between when students request to enroll in classes and when the request is approved, and some students began to attend classes before the request was approved.

Furthermore, the registrar also faced logistical issues due to “an increase in the number of sections scheduled at the same time, many with capacities that increased.” Harris also emphasized that Stevens also has “only eight classrooms on campus that can seat 60 or more students.” In order to accommodate all students, rooms normally reserved for event spaces, like DeBaun Theater and the Corcoran Room in Gateway North, are being used for courses with large enrollments. There has also been some confusion due to classroom changes; “Some students were not aware of classroom changes because of the way information is displayed in Workday Student,” said Harris.

While there are many students who have been concerned about classroom situations, only a few class sections were missing room assignments. Harris explained, “Only 17 of the 2,300 sections still needed room assignments when the semester started. Those 17 classes without assignments came

about because we temporarily lacked classrooms that could handle the enrolled capacity in those time slots.”

As for an estimate for when all classroom-related issues will be resolved, Harris noted that “Adjustments have been ongoing as class enrollments change. The end of the add/drop period was Monday, September 13. We are reviewing and honoring any requests submitted on or before the deadline.”

To corroborate that every class has been accommodated, the registrar is planning a final assessment once all enrollments have been finalized.

During the Student Government Association Senate meeting on September 12, discussed these issues. The Vice President of Academic Affairs, Yiding Yang, mentioned that classroom placements will be addressed earlier next semester after a meeting with Vice Provost David Zeng. Additionally, Harris expressed, “We realize the challenges that this presented to both students and instructors for the fall semester and are very apologetic that this disruption occurred. With new processes in Workday Student for this fall semester, we are all adjusting to new workflows. We are actively working on the spring semester schedule and expect that we will not have a repeat of the challenges from the start of this semester.”

To report any classroom issues, file a report through MyStevens.

been enjoying her new role, she stated that the most exciting part of her job was meeting and speaking with people. “I really enjoy meeting everyone and being able to support them in their activities and questions,” she said, “it’s a change and I’ve been enjoying my work and the people I’ve been working with have been great too!” She also added that

she is fond of talking to people and anything related to marketing, so this job was a perfect fit for her as the position fit all of her interests.

Students can find the Office of Undergraduate Student Life at the Student Center. They can be contacted at (203) 216-8304, or by email at student_life@stevens.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATASHA ORAMAS

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The Stute Staff Volume CXIX No. 4

ROOMS

Friday, September 24

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News LIGHTS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and dynamic experiences.

The night concluded with a countdown to light up the sign, starting from 10 and ending at one.

Attendees then shouted “Stevens” as the sign made its mark; fireworks went off in red and silver colors for approximately 10 minutes after the lighting.

Mayor Bhalla and President Farvardin reiterated that the lighting of the Stevens sign is symbolic of the work that has been done to get through hardships in order to accomplish goals and plans; it has led to the collaboration between Stevens and Hoboken and, in the words of Mayor Bhalla, led to the “growing in height both figuratively and literally.” Farvardin acknowledged that without the effort and dedication of Stevens faculty, staff, and students, along with Hoboken city council and residents, the reopening of campus and the creation of University Center Complex would not be achievable.

TOP: STUDENTS SITTING ON THE PIER C LAWN WATCHING THE FIREWORKS – OLOF PERSSON FOR THE STUTE | BOTTOM: MAYOR BHALLA (LEFT) AND PRESIDENT FARVARDIN (RIGHT) – KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

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Friday, September 24

News LEAD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Disease Control to learn more.

On Saturday, 11 different workshops were offered both in-person and virtually, and participants were able to attend a maximum of three. The workshops were led by Stevens alumni and professors, and they focused on four themes: trust in science, foundational leadership, lessons in life and work, and the new normal (assessing the impact of COVID-19). Some of the workshops were Managing Life’s Variable Pathways, Practicing Inclusive Leadership, and No Such Thing as a Female Brain.

Between the workshops, lunch was provided; attendees had the opportunity to network with the fellow students and alumni who were present.

The conference concluded with a virtual visit from aerospace engineer, professor, and researcher Dr. Aprille Joy Ericsson.

Ericsson was the first person of

color to receive the Washington Award from the Western Society of Engineers and has worked with NASA for over 25 years.

Ericsson has broken through many barriers in life, but not without setbacks. She entered her freshman year of MIT without taking any calculus classes and had to work hard to catch up to her peers. Through grit and perseverance, she was able to get through her classes, and has gone on to lead research teams designing space exploration instruments on projects costing up to $500 million dollars.

Ericsson spoke about the importance of having mentors and female role models, who she affectionately termed her “sheros.” Ericsson listed her mother, Lt. Uhura from Star Trek, and Katherine Johnson as some of her inspirations. As a mother and leader of a girls robotics team, Ericsson now serves as a mentor for the next generation.

The conference was made possible through extensive planning from the Lore-El Center. Lili-

ana Delman, Assistant Director for Diversity Education, spoke to The Stute about the planning process: “After building a dedicated group of students, faculty and staff members, the 2021 LeadHERship Conference Planning Committee began meeting back in March – 7 months ago!

We met bi-weekly to review options for the keynote speakers, created the call for programs to gather workshop proposals, organized the space and catering needs, advertised the events and managed registration.” While the conference always requires much planning, this year required extra attention to detail due to the hybrid format.

Delman emphasized that the goal of the conference was to amplify the voices gender minorities, and she hopes “conference participants left the keynotes and/or workshops with a sense of purpose – seeing how they can apply a lens of inclusion, gender equity, and leadership to the work they do both in school and in their professional endeavors.”

9/11 affecting physical and mental health 20 years later

ETHAN CHE FOR THE STUTE

BY JOSEPH AMES

Contributing Reporter

KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

Although it happened 20 years ago, 9/11 is continuing to affect survivors, bystanders, loved ones of those who perished, and many others. The extent of these effects can be seen both in the physical and mental health of people, from those who struggle with cancer, below-normal lung function, depression, and numerous other afflictions.

Physical Effects In 2001, the World Trade Center (WTC) was home to anywhere from 30,000-50,000 people on any given day according to the 911 Memorial. Out of these workers and in combination with first responders, around 3,000 perished from the attacks. So what exactly happened to those who survived the attacks?

Much of the information that is known about the residual effects of 9/11 come through the WTC Health Program, a federal limited program dedicated to helping workers and first responders affected by the attack. From this program, Scientific American reports that “about 74 percent of responders in the WTC Health Program have been diagnosed with at least one physical or mental health condition directly linked to 9/11 exposure, including 20 percent with cancer and 28 percent with a mental health condition.”

One particularly hard-hit group of first responders was the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), which according to Scientific American “lost 343 people on 9/11, but more than 200 have died since.”

First responders as a whole were heavily impacted by the conditions endured during their rescue efforts.

According to an article from nyc. gov, “Six to seven years after 9/11, four times as many firefighters and twice as many EMS workers had below-normal lung function for their ages, as before the attacks.

Lung function declines were greater for current smokers than for non-smokers [...] people who suffered more than one injury on 9/11 and have 9/11-related PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] are three times more likely to develop heart disease as people who weren’t injured and didn’t have PTSD.” Mental & Emotional Effects While the physical ailments and injuries were limited to those working at the WTC or directly impacted by the attacks, the scope of mental health afflictions was much more widespread.

Starting directly after the attacks, a September 13-17, 2001 Pew Research Center poll found that “A sizable majority of adults (71%) said they felt depressed, nearly half (49%) had difficulty concentrating and a third said they had trouble sleeping.”

Many Americans felt as though they had no place to turn. In that same survey, 63% of Americans said that they could not stop watching the news, while 92% of respondents said that they felt sad watching news coverage. Further contributing to this was residual fear, with 28% of Americans claiming to be “very” worried about another attack and 45% stating to be “somewhat” concerned about another attack in surveys throughout the fall by the Pew Research Center.

Moreover, in another poll by Pew a year later, “about half of adults said they felt more afraid, more careful, more distrustful or more vulnerable as a result of the attacks.”

Over the years many survivors and first responders have developed mental health conditions.

Of surviving first responders, “16 percent have a mental health condition, such as PTSD, depression or substance abuse” according to an article in Scientific American, which goes on to reveal that two decades later, “about 9 percent of FDNY veterans of 9/11 still have PTSD, and 18 percent have depression.” For reference, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Depression is a common illness worldwide, with an estimated 3.8% of the population affected, including 5.0% among adults and 5.7% among adults older than 60 years.”

According to nyc.gov’s information page on 9/11, as a whole, “Up to 20% of adults directly exposed to the disaster or injured in the attack had PTSD symptoms 5 to 6 years after the attack; this is four times the rate in the general population.”

Of those on the World Trade Center Health Registry 10 years after the attacks, 15% continued to suffer from PTSD, with persistent or worsening symptoms present mainly in those “who were unable to get mental health treatment, had high 9/11-related exposure, were unemployed, or had little social support.”

Despite residual stigma surrounding mental health, it is important to seek help when needed.

Mental health challenges can result at any time, with no trigger, and there’s no level of crisis too small to seek help. Visit nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/ for more information.

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Friday, September 24

Sports

Jeff Liu ’08 earns Olympic gold in Tokyo with U.S. Women’s Volleyball team

BY KATIE NG

Contributing Reporter The U.S. Women’s Volleyball team made history at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, taking home the elusive gold medal for the first time. With a final swing, Jordan Larson ended an intense match against Brazil, one of their biggest international rivals. Stevens graduate Jeff Liu ’08, who served as the Performance Analyst for the national team, reflected on his volleyball background and buildup to the Olympics in an interview with The Stute.

Liu was introduced to volleyball in high school and quickly fell in love with the sport, but it was not until college that he assumed a role in coaching. At Stevens, Liu served as a captain and assistant coach for the Stevens Men’s Volleyball team. Also, he worked with the Men’s Volleyball head coach Patrick Dorywalski and upperclassman Jonathan Fajardo to transform the volleyball club into a competitive collegiate team. In addition, he coached girls’ volleyball at Livingston High School during his fall semesters. “The experience working on all the logistics of setting up the club team (joining a conference, recruiting athletes, scheduling with other teams, dealing with referees and insurance) definitely translated well into a coaching role for the future,” Liu said in an email to The Stute.

After his time at Stevens, Liu worked as a technical coordinator for the Women’s, Men’s, and Beach Volleyball teams at the University of Southern California.

Between 2015 to 2017, he assisted the Trojans in securing multiple NCAA titles for both indoor and beach.

Liu’s involvement with the national U.S. volleyball team began

with the support of fellow Stevens teammate Joe Trinsey ‘08, who also served as the technical coordinator for Women’s Volleyball at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

When Liu switched from working in corporate healthcare to coaching volleyball, Trinsey encouraged him to visit California to volunteer with the national team. In 2017, this volunteering commitment became a full-time job, and Liu joined the coaching staff as a performance analyst.

Coaching the national team differs slightly from coaching NCAA volleyball. In addition to running performance analyses to target areas of improvement, his responsibilities with the national team also include running drills and providing feedback from a statistical standpoint. In this sense, Liu not only trained the athletes to recognize weak points in their game strategies, but he also taught them how to improve upon their skills.

Beyond preparing for such a demanding sport, the women’s team faced new physical and mental challenges posed by the delay of the Olympic Games. In a sport where morale plays a significant role in a team’s success, being separated from fellow athletes made it difficult to connect. The pandemic barred their access to equipment not only for practicing but also for working out. Considering that the summer Olympics is a quadrennial event, the yearlong delay made receiving a spot on the team tricker for some of the older athletes.

The final game was daunting, especially given the team’s history of silver medals behind Brazil’s gold. Since Olympic volleyball made its debut in 1964, the women’s team has won five medals: three silver and two bronze.

Two of the three silvers were lost to Brazil, and stakes were high during this final match. However,

Liu remained level-headed and focused. “While we are in competition mode, there is always the next task that needs to be done in preparation for our next match, so I rarely have the time to sit and reflect on where we are and what we are accomplishing,” he explained.

However, immediately following Larson’s last kill, the team— players and coaches alike—was overcome with emotion. Liu de-

scribed mixed feelings when he stated, “Excitement for what we were able to accomplish—the first ever Olympic gold medal in women’s volleyball. Relief in the completion of the journey—it was a long [five]-year grind [...] And sadness for the end of an era.” The team, now decorated with gold medals around their necks, celebrated this victory with both tears and smiles.

Liu emphasized that his aspirations do not stop with the 2020 Gold. He is currently an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team at Grand Canyon University, and he hopes to stay connected with the national team in their journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Spectators around the country are ready to cheer for them on their next journey to pursue a consecutive gold medal.

JEFF LIU ON THE OLYMPIC FLOOR, WITH HIS GOLD MEDAL, AND WITH TEAM MEMBER JORDAN LARSON. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEFF LIU.

Stevens Women’s Volleyball streak ends in tough weekend

BY JOSEPH AMES

Contributing Reporter Coming into the Castle Point Challenge this weekend, Coach Brianna Jones and her squad were red hot, winning their first eight games. Despite an absolutely electric atmosphere, Friday night proved tough for the Ducks; however, as they dropped three out of four (25-12, 25-19, 19-25, 25-23) to Clarkson University, in spite of an incredible showing from Stevens senior Libero Elizabeth Chu and her 20 digs. Sara Galante led the Clarkson Golden Knights with 14 kills, although the Ducks ultimately ended with 5 more total kills (45-40) than the Knights.

Saturday marked the second

and final day of the Castle Point Challenge, with the Ducks slated to begin their day against Stockton University. Despite the early start time, the gym was again buzzing with energy, both from the stands and the sidelines. Behind a game-leading 13 kills from sophomore Outsider Hitter Liz Patterson, the Ducks swept Stockton 3-0 (22-25, 29-31, 25-21).

Also notching double-digit kills for the Ducks was Stevens sophomore Elizabeth Maggio with 11.

As a team, the Ducks recorded 7 more kills than Stockton (45-38) and registered 5 more aces (7-2).

The second game of the day saw the Ducks take a tough 3-1 loss to The University of Scranton (18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-21).

In spite of the loss, the Ducks led

in every statistical category aside from aces (7 compared to Scranton’s 8). Scranton athlete Caleigh Cox put together a strong showing for the Royals, collecting 37 assists, while Maggio led the Ducks with 14 kills and Chu notched an electric 27 digs.

Despite the difficult nature of the weekend, the Ducks remained strong, energized, and together.

The bench constantly provided energy and support, with Stevens sophomore Madison Sappia serving as a vocal leader and spark plug on the court and the sideline.

The Ducks look to rebound Wednesday, September 22, against King’s College (PA) before taking an extended road trip before returning home on October 20.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF @STEVENSDUCKS ON INSTAGRAM

6

Friday, September 24

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

Stevens lights up while students remain in the dark This past Wednesday, Stevens held the Illumination Ceremony for the new University Towers in which they quite literally lit up a sign reading “STEVENS” across the top of one of the towers. In neon red color, the sign surely makes a statement on who these buildings and the campus they inhabit belong to.

The sign is just that: a statement. The very fact that it faces outwards towards the Hudson, and not in towards campus, verifies that it’s about power. Although I can’t attest to this, I assume that Manhattanites across the water would be able to see the giant “STEVENS” when it’s lit up at night. It’s a way to mark the Stevens name, establish territory, and claim that Stevens is great because we have a big red sign.

But as I’m sure we all know by now, Stevens has its issues, just as almost every university does.

Brown University recently hosted large-scale outdoor events which

incited backlash from students concerned about safety during the pandemic. Students at Manhattanville College started a petition in response to administration mishandling safety precautions and transparency. I’m sure we can all think of a decision Stevens administrators made that we disagreed with. My point: no institution is perfect.

And yet while we scowl and complain about Stevens, we become campus tour guides, ambassadors for schools and colleges, speakers at university events. We put our education on our resumes and nod our heads in agreement when job recruiters are impressed we go to Stevens. When Accepted Students Weekend rolls around every Spring, we suddenly become the biggest fans of Stevens ever, showing prospective students just how great Stevens can be.

I’m not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, just interesting. Often I feel like students either hate

Stevens or love it, and there’s no in-between. Or, they go back and forth between hating and loving.

But I am in what I believe is the healthy in-between: I love my program of study at Stevens; I love Hoboken; I love my professors and mentors; but I also acknowledge that there’s a lot of things wrong, just as there are in many universities. Show me a school with no students complaining about administrative decisions, and I’ll be shocked. It’s kind of just the way things go.

So I ask the question: should Stevens be lighting up? I don’t know. I think there are a lot of things that need to be addressed, but I will admit that the University Towers does address some of those things: housing, campus space for students, a bigger fitness center, etc. Stevens is clearly working on ticking off those checkboxes on the laundry list of things to fix, but sometimes I feel like there is not enough urgency with issues.

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

The Quiet Space took too long to establish. The add/drop period recently ended and P.E. credit requirements for students graduating soon is still unknown. Shuttles for students living off-campus are currently not running, forcing many students to walk at night after classes or club events. Administration gave a very vague response to students denouncing the Gianforte Family Hall, an issue that has been ongoing for years.

But this is why I love being a part of The Stute, or just a newspaper in general. Our purpose is to exist within this in-between of revealing the good and bad of Stevens. The design of the front page of this issue (Friday, September 24, 2021) was carefully thought out to highlight that while Stevens puts on the Illumination Ceremony, students are still complaining of problems. Stevens is making a statement to the outside world with the big red sign, but maybe, they should focus inwards.

Natalie Todaro ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

SENIORITIS

Where did my security blanket go? The balancing act

BY LAUREN GARRETT ‘25 Humans are social creatures, and at times, we all need a big, warm hug. As a result, a healthy amount of oxytocin is released in our brains, and we develop feelings of trust and connection.

Hugs are my security blanket.

Don’t ever take a hug from your parents, best friends, significant others, etc. for granted, as you never know when it could possibly be the last time you will be able to.

There are times where all I wish for is to give a hug to a person I love who I can’t see anymore, like a relative who has passed, or a friend I have lost.

The first week of classes flew by. I wasn’t nearly as busy as I thought I would be, so I took advantage of the extra time and socialized a bit. I made a handful of close friends who truly mean the world to me. From the moment we met, we just clicked.

It also didn’t take me long to find those who I knew would

be my best friends either— well, I didn’t have to actively search for them—they kind of just threw an empty water bottle at me and the rest is history. Life was a reverie.

And in the garden of my imagination, I believed the honeymoon phase of this new life would last forever; a phase filled with happiness and excitement and magic.

But eventually classes get harder, friends occasionally become irritable without their daily dose of caffeine, and we all sink into the rhythm of college. We gravitate towards those who we feel safe with and, on occasion, we find those who can read us like an open book, even if we thought our emotions were securely under lock and key. We find people who we can trust, who break through the walls we have built up over the course of our lives as easily (and sometimes just as clumsily) as a toddler knocking over building blocks. We value the time that we spend with those people, in our hearts believing that there could be nothing that could ever take them out of our lives. We want to hold on to them tightly, treading lightly as to not let anything stain or mar the relationship. But it is vitally important to keep in mind that there are different seasons of our lives—short, long, positive, negative—and there are

always specific reasons for the experiences we have, just like how stars were made for falling. Some people will stay for a long time, fulfilling their purpose in our lives over the course of years. While others’ time may be brief, everyone has a specific raison d’être in another’s life.

During the springtime, new life unapologetically bursts forth to restore what winter had taken away months before. A sublime display of art that satisfies the soul. But it must be acknowledged that without the darkness of winter, we could not appreciate the spring. There will be hard times—possibly times where you won’t be able to completely recognize those who you call friends—as if you are just going through the motions of life, and in a place that is haunted by the ghosts of what you used to be. And it is not what you wanted, and it may break your heart. But keep the door open—spring will come. It will come bearing gifts of contentment and light.

There will never be a small group that can replace the families we left behind as we took our next step in life, but by expanding our horizon, the campus and all of its residents are able to become our new home.

And, if there is one piece of advice that I can offer to you right now: hug them.

BY GRACE MIGUEL ‘22 Balancing school, social life, work, extracurriculars, and/or whatever you are involved in is a challenge. To me, balancing the different aspects of your life is the most necessary skill an individual should have aside from learning how to learn.

As a high school student, I was an A student in honors and AP classes while I was also heavily involved in extracurriculars like figure skating, dance, music, volunteering — the list goes on and on. Coming to college, not much changed. As a college student, I have two jobs, write for the Stute, have the responsibilities of a Peer Leader or Resident Assistant (depending on the school year), be an active member of the Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority, keep up with my fitness routine, find time to hang out with friends, all while taking 18-20 credits/semester. Let it be known, college life is busy and oftentimes you have to make sacrifices.

I remember my freshman year, I came into college expecting to get straight As, join a bunch of clubs, possibly run for SGA and work as a figure skating coach. I overestimated how much time I had, and definitely felt overwhelmed. First semester I spent an exorbitant amount of time watching Youtube videos on parametric curves and wondering why Gradarius would tell me my answer was wrong when it was, in fact, correct. I didn’t have a social life and was miserable.

I had no idea how to balance my new lifestyle.

Second half of freshman year was better, I better understood how to manage my studies, received help when I needed and set time aside to decompress—whether that’s grabbing coffee with a friend or going for a run. I was still frustrated and overwhelmed because I felt like I was always missing out on something, but that is life.

That was three years ago, freshman me had no idea what she was getting herself into. As a senior, I know what works and what doesn’t in regard to where I put my time. However, life is not linear, and you will have to face whatever life throws at you.

That being said, there is no “perfect work-life” balance.

There will be times where you can afford to slack off a bit and take a trip to the

city. There will also be times where you have to forgo that frat party you really want to attend because you have a midterm the following day.

Ultimately, balance is about making decisions and only you can decide what is in your best.

While the pandemic shifted our lives upside down, and life seemed bleak and uncertain, I took it as an opportunity to reflect. If I learned anything from my time at home during the pandemic, it’s that you must be adaptable and understand yourself. In my eyes, you cannot achieve greatness without feeling your best both mentally and physically. I am an extremely routine person and thrive off structure.

During the beginning of the pandemic, I was frustrated and anxious because my homeostasis transformed into chaos. For months I felt that way, but then I realized I was wasting my time and stopped self-loathing.

I spent time thinking about what I most enjoy — those things include hiking, exercising, reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family. Now that I clearly identified what brings me joy, I incorporated that into my daily life.

Continued on thestute.com

SECOND-YEAR FRESHMAN

Panic! At the recitation

BY KEENAN YATES ‘24 Some things never get old: vampires, Greek mythology, forwarding chain emails, and the most relevant at this current point in our lives—stress inducing deadlines. Christmas is only 13 weeks away which means finals are only 11 weeks away which means…

Well, let’s not get too far into it now, shall we? Oh joyous, lovely, most dearly missed in-person school.

When did you get so intim-

idating? So difficult? So obnoxiously hurried? Sometimes I find myself missing the days when I could roll out of bed, login to class in a span of thirty seconds, and go back to sleeping peacefully with my laptop muted.

But then again, it’s genuinely lovely to finally be back to an in person school experience, even if the pace feels so much faster than I recall.

One important lesson I’ve realized recently is that college is a humbling experience. Earlier this week, my TA at a recitation asked if I would like to answer the problem we had all been working on for the past ten minutes, to which I politely declined by saying “No thank you, I would very much not like to answer because I have no idea how or where to start.” Though people laughed at me in the moment, and I used to be

embarrassed and even panicked whenever I was lost in class, now I realize it’s really just a part of the college experience. Some people will know exactly which philosopher is being quoted in the middle of a mechanics lecture, while others won’t.

And regardless, no one will know which category you fall into as long as you nod sagely when the scholar of the second is revealed.

So, panicking at recitations and having too slim of a knowledge of ancient philosophers. What a life! That all probably makes it sound like I am getting absolutely run over by the higher education system I’m currently enrolled in, which is very much not true—especially because I would have gotten a very unhappy and vocal phone call if this were the case. (One sec… is that my phone ringing? Phew,

just a call about my outstanding mortgage bill on the house I mysteriously don’t own.) I guess the big idea that I am starting to understand at this point is that you don’t have to know everything everything. You don’t have to know precisely what is going on in every class the moment after it’s taught. Some lessons take a little longer to sink in than others, and that’s perfectly fine! You’re definitely not alone if you feel “unsmart” or “out of place” because I’ve felt that way before too.

Matter of fact, I still feel it in moments like when I accidentally make eye contact with my TA, and they call on me to solve the seemingly impossible problem in question. There’s no reason to be embarrassed or to admit to being lost, because doesn’t being lost at least imply a search for some-

thing?

Now, I’m not saying “skip classes, never do homework, ignore deadlines, and avoid eye contact with people at all costs” because that is hands down some terrible advice. But what I am saying is that it’s actually kind of a normal thing to panic at a recitation, or to feel confused when the board in math class has more Greek letters on it than actual numbers. And though it is disheartening at first to feel lost, just know this: it should not stop you from trying again and again until you finally get it. It may take one time, it may take a dozen, and it may take even more. It will probably get on your nerves and make you angry or sad, or angry and sad, but the struggle is how we can learn to appreciate the hard work that goes into succeeding.

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

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

7

Friday, September 24

Opinion THE CONVERSATION

NOT FINANCIAL TIMES (NFT)

Ensuring the cart comes after the horse and Union workers a linchpin of investment reporting end Nabisco strike

BY ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 Disclaimer from the writer: All views and opinions are those solely of the author and for purely educational purposes only. Please do your own research before assuming, investing, or sharing.

I have 101 different things I want to talk about this week!

But that will not be fun for me, because then I have to come up with 102 new things for the following week.

A pop quiz question before you read the rest of the piece: what is the name of the company spin-off from Automatic Data Processing in 2009 that is upsetting C-suites across Wall Street, but not enough for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to interfere?

Introduction Why are we obsessed with building standards and making sure there is someone or something under control or regulated? What makes markets efficient? Why do people cheat? I unfortunately will never have the be-all, endall answer to these questions (though there may be an answer to efficient markets, but we can let the experts argue about that, right?).

I have come to one understanding though: it’s a delicate coin toss of caveat emptor (buyer beware) or caveat venditor (seller beware) for more than a century, dating back to the early days of tulipmania.

A couple of months ago, I had some time to do reading on my own free will. I was recommended Fraud: An American History From Barnum to Madoff by Dr. Edward J. Balleisen, as I was looking to further my career in risk management in the finance industry. And what better way to understand our progress in risk mitigation than to trace the history of regulation in our country since the early 20th century. Dr. Balleisen traces the aftermaths of consumer and entrepreneurial pitfalls from the Gilded Age

to the mortgage crisis of the Great Recession. The third eye view can help provide some light into where financial regulation can head towards in Industry 4.0.

These days, my morning news consists of Gensler, a new cryptocurrency regulation, new fraudsters, non-fungible tokens (tragically the real digital art, not my column), and of course the ominous gloom across Wall Street about sky-high valuations.

Gary Gensler is the current Chairman of the SEC and has made many, many, many commitments to bring back caveat venditor to the financial markets that may have been free-riding a little more than the eye can see.

Especially in payment for order flow. And especially in the inherent asset risk of cryptocurrencies that are being gobbled up hot by retail and institutional investors, left and right. That’s why I will need to dedicate a column to understanding Gensler’s opinions on current financial transactions, money, and of course cryptos.

Once I see how Gensler views cryptos and current capital market environment, will I be able to make stronger opinions on where I think the market for NFTs is headed. On September 15, Open-

Sea, one of the most popular platforms used by digital art traders across the globe, announced that an insider (essentially an employee that had “fiduciary” duty to their clients aka digital art traders) used non-public information to sell high value front page artwork and pocket the profits, well before anyone in the market can view them.

This recent event shows that even a unicorn company (start-up IPOs with valuations >$1 billion), born from an industry built around decentralization, showcases the need to have regulatory oversight. Technical know-hows were able to showcase publicly the very real weaknesses in blockchain, paving the answer that for investor protection, these markets need to be controlled. But then, by regulating this realm, did we just come full circle?

What ended up being a casual holiday reading, turned out to be a pivotal perspective in which I view how financial markets are functioning today. That being said, Macbeth, The Alchemist, and of course Charlotte’s Web are just as valuable and probably more entertaining for your casual reads.

Answer: Broadridge Ever wondered who prints, pdfs, and sends detailed shareholder reports

on your favorite investment companies or fund reports to you? Yeah, me neither.

But turns out they are actually an important element of brokers’ fiduciary duty to their clients. Broadridge Financial Solutions single-handedly manages, “millions of trades a day involving trillions of dollars, [that] support communications that reach 75% of North American households.” Handling more than 90% of the investor communication market to date for many brokers, many fund managers across Wall Street believe that Broadridge has a “monopoly” in the communication industry for financial markets. According to a study conducted by Investment Company Institute, if a regular fund were to send investor reports directly to their clients they would incur a cost of not more than 5 cents.

However, Broadridge, by offering this seemingly mundane but significant task, is said to have charged funds the NYSE regulatory cap of 25 cents plus 10 cents for paper mailings to brokers’ clients.

Revenues have steadily risen since 2017 at an average rate of 4.67%, while net income has risen 12.9% per year.

Broadridge, NFTs, or something else, it still begs the question: caveat emptor or caveat venditor?

TOP: AS OF JUNE FINANCIAL DATA THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE SEEN $5 BILLION GROWTH IN REVENUE, WITH OPERATING MARGIN AT 18% OF REVENUES, A SEEMINGLY HEALTHY MARGIN. PHOTO COURTESY OF FT. BOTTOM: PHOTO COLLAGE COURTESY OF ROSHNI REVANKAR. IMAGE SOURCES: REUTERS, OPENSEA LOGO, AND BARRON’S.

OFF THE PRESS

P-101 Intro to Paradoxes and Problems

BY OFF CENTER —SATIRE— Last week, Stevens announced a new humanity class P-101, Intro to Paradoxes and Problems, which is open for registration to all students and will be taught by external experts. However, the course was opened after the registration deadline, leaving many interested students in the bowels of the Registrar’s office. We here at Off The Press took a moment out of each of our hourly staff meetings on Mondays to think of them and wish them well.

The class was its own prerequisite on Workday, creating a catch-22 for everyone trying to register.

According to the course coordinator, this registration process is the first of the class assignments which will focus on getting students to resolve paradoxes and catch

mistakes and flaws in other solutions. While we respect the commitment to the spirit of the course, Off The Press does not condone forced visits to the Office of the Registrar or any of the other administrative departments, a complete list of which can be found on our website.

The course was sold to Stevens by a traveling salesman who had missed his train to the next algorithmically determined optimal location (Rutgers), and was so desperate for clients that he had rented billboards to catch the attention of potentially interested universities.

The course will meet three times a week with exams on the 31st of September and November. The actual start day of the course will be a surprise for enrolled students until the day it starts, when the aforementioned salesman will inform each student. This confused some

students who, familiar with the unexpected hanging paradox, were unsure how it could possibly be a surprise.

We predict the salesman will show up on Wednesday, surprising the students and fulfilling the paradox.

Unfortunately, Wednesday is Opposite Day, and the statement “today is Opposite Day” is never true.

Quite honestly though, we at Off The Press think the students will do just fine in this class. As everything that happens in the universe is predetermined by the arrangement of atoms at the Big Bang and we are now just playing out a long set of chemical reactions, the success or failure of each student in this course is unchangeable. This confused one interested student we talked to who said, “I’m not sure if I’ll do it, I’ll decide soon though,” implying that they do have free will.

We advised the student to time travel into the future and ask his future self what he would do. Upon returning from his excursion three months from now, the student said his future self had taken the course and hated it, so he decided it would not be a good idea to register. After making this statement, a void opened up in the spacetime continuum and sucked the student in. He has not been seen since.

All this talk of paradoxes and difficult situations has reminded me that Off Center, the sketch and improv comedy division of Off The Press is hosting their first sketch show of the semester Catch 23: We Caught Another One tonight, September 24, at 9 p.m. and tomorrow, September 25, at 8 p.m. in Burchard 118, and would probably appreciate it if you came. We promise there’s no paradoxes to resolve at the show.

after five weeks

BY PETER WHITE‘25 AND JACKSON HUDGINS ‘24 Introduction On September 18, union workers for the Nabisco corporation, producer of treats such as Oreos and Fig Newtons, voted to end their five-week strike. The strike that began in Portland and spread across the country was sparked by a proposed contract that would result in the bakery workers losing their overtime opportunities, while putting them on a lesser healthcare plan.

This week’s installment of The Conversation will seek to explore the labor rights issues surrounding the strike and the tentative agreement ratified between the union workers and Nabisco management.

In the following sections, controversy around these issues will be explored by Peter White, Campus Liberal, and Jackson Hudgins, Campus Conservative. First, Peter will share his opinion, followed by Jackson’s and a final synthesis from the two sides.

Campus Liberal, Peter White If only the full story could be summarized in that introduction section. The truth, simply put, is that the United States has a massive labor rights problem. In July, Frito-Lay workers in Kansas stopped work for 20 days in protest of “unrelenting work conditions.” On September 14, just a few days ago, some 400 distillery workers in Bardstown, Kentucky formed another picket line, requesting respect, fair pay, and fair work schedules. The common thread between them all? Large corporations in America are cutting costs in the form of wages and healthcare for their employees.

In this week’s example, some workers stand to lose over $10,000 annually because of Nabisco’s choice to cut back overtime opportunities.

All while new employees were slated to be put in a secondary tier of healthcare benefits with worse coverage at a higher cost.

Of course our spotlighting of this issue comes at a time of pandemic-related recession where many small businesses are struggling to fill job openings despite high levels of unemployment. These companies are finding it difficult to pay people a competitive wage in an environment where their stores might not be as profitable as they once were. This makes the issue of striking union workers a bit more complex, as employers may not be able to meet their workers’ requests.

On the other hand, Mondelez International (parent company of Nabisco) raked in over 2.5 billion dollars in the second quarter of 2021. During the last year of the pandemic, it had a gross profit of $11.261B, which is a ridiculous 12% higher than previous years. The companies that we are talking about right now, who choose to cut their workers’ benefits and salaries, are not the companies that are struggling as a result of Covid. Perhaps in another week we will address the complex issues surrounding the success of small businesses in America, but not this week.

The takeaway from this week is that these large corporations will ruin the lives of the people who make their products for another quick buck. America has a long history of workers’ movements, and COVID-19

may have catalyzed the next.

My hope is that this piece will help us all to be aware of and support the labor that makes everything you use or eat.

Campus Conservative, Jackson Hudgins At first glance, this seems like a very cut-and-dry case of evil employer vs. oppressed worker, but the reality is that there is a lot more nuance to this case. The reality is that the labor market in the United States is far from perfect, and it has prevented a lot of progress toward an equitable and well-established workplace.

The reality is that the government of this country has so manipulated the market for labor and supply that the entire economy suffers in a myriad of ways, from suppliers to customers.

To begin, the regulatory environment and tax rates in this country have disincentivized employers and businesses from expanding their workforce and raising wages naturally.

The cost of compliance and operating has often become so high that productivity cannot be raised to make a profit. The corporate tax rate in the US is higher than most of the western world—21%, which hits small- and medium-sized businesses (LLCs and such) quite a bit. Other mandated benefits, like healthcare under the Affordable Care Act, add even more to these costs. Because of this, wages and other benefits must be depressed to make up for cost, and crisis/recession events hit a business much harder and more negatively than they normally would in a normal market.

In addition, the rise in the minimum wage as of late has further decreased benefits to employees and has also increased unemployment. As economist Thomas Sowell once said, “Unfortunately, the real minimum wage is always zero, regardless of the laws.”

The reality is that regardless of how high the minimum wage is, an employer can simply respond by cutting the workforce to make it viable to pay their workers. They will also find ways to cut benefits or other expenses so that they can continue to function with the new wage. In addition, unionized workers cannot expect to simply get everything they ask without pushback; you cannot expect a business to remove the profit that they expect to use for marketing, debt, and other capital costs to satisfy every single demand.

Today’s labor environment in the United States is far from simple, and employees and employers should come together to find common sense solutions that both respect the right to collective bargaining and the employer’s right to run a successful business.

Conclusion Both sides visited in this week’s conversation agree that the American labor situation leaves much to be desired. The workers deserve better, regardless of an individual’s preference for what better means. The culture and legal environment around labor rights in America poses serious questions on how to improve our nation in ways that any Stevens student should be aware of as they prepare to enter the workforce.

8

Friday, September 24

Arts & Culture PASSION FOR FASHION

Transitional outfit choices

BY MELISSA KOSAR ‘22 As we ease our way into the Autumn season, I always find this time of the year to be a challenge. Long summer days have ended, the sun goes down earlier, and fall fashion is very much on our minds. However, mid-September heat prohibits us

from jumping full swing into our big sweaters, boots, and all our other favorite fall pieces. Nonetheless, with the right transitional pieces, we can seamlessly dress for fall without completely abandoning summer. While it may be too soon for light jackets and oversized sweaters, here are a few outfits perfect for late September and early October!

How do you combine the texture of a sweater vest with the practicality of a tank top?

You wear a sweater vest!

Sweater vests are the perfect transitional pieces from Summer to Fall. Since they are sleeveless they are better for the warm weather that

sticks around into late September and early October, however since they are usually knitted like a traditional sweater, they have more Autumn vibes. Additionally, sweater vests can be worn as it gets colder and colder as a layering piece. Transitioning from Fall to Winter, which is typically much easier, you can pair your sweater vests over mock necks or turtlenecks! Not to mention these are super in style this season, they won’t be hard to find in stores.

Another way to get a similar effect of a sweater vest is to simply style a chunky cardigan sweater over your favorite summer tanks. Chunky

oversized sweaters and cardigans are proving to be a huge trend this season. While the heat still stifles us in the midafternoon, yet the morning air is brisk and chilly, layering a cardigan with a tank is the perfect way to accommodate the changes in weather while satisfying your fall style cravings. Having staple pieces in your wardrobe that can be versatile across seasons, makes these shifts in style much more seamless!

Right along with the chunky trend comes none other chunky combat boots!

These are a personal favorite of mine! As a transitional piece, chunky combat boots can be paired with most any

SPOILER ALERT

THE DOODLING DUCK

Anime for the beginning of the school year

My first concert

BY EMMA TONG ‘25 You put on your shoes and pick up your backpack that has been lying by your desk for the past 18 months. You turn back to say goodbye to your family, but you turn back to an empty room. Perhaps with no one in it or a room with unpacked boxes. With the beginning of the school year, especially in person. There are bound to be many emotions you may have. But it’s a time that cannot be described in just a couple of words or even a couple of drawings. Such a time can only be described using much more than that. You need the sights, sounds, the feelings. You need an anime.

I asked around and typically got two types of responses: anime that people could relate to or anime that distracted them from their problems.

So that is how I arrived at my choices.

Let’s start off with the relatable anime: Honey and Clover, or HachiKuro. This is the one that was most recommended to me as it is one of the few anime that is actually set in college, and actually centers around regular student life and issues in college versus other anime that use college as a backdrop or a prop to lead into other activities.

It centers around the character Yuuta,his friends,their daily lives, and the changes they make as they grow up. It certainly gives you the vibe of college with the wacky talks, interactions, and feelings of the characters. In my opinion, this series does a great job highlighting the different emotions a college student goes through their years on campus.

Some are giddy, excited for the beginning of the new school year—making new friends, having fresh starts, and new seasons.

For others, there is uncertainty surrounding what one wants to pursue as a major, find their dream

job, or where North Building or ABS. It all displays this authentically.

However, if I had a critique about this piece, it would be that it is very slow-paced and forces you to go along with its speed.

Secrets or more background information aren’t revealed until the show decides it needs to. Also, the messaging of the show is a bit confusing; there are many allegories that don’t make sense. (To me at least, if you get them please tell me.) Also the opening song, while mediocre, is also kinda confusing for its display of food samples (a common display model of a food shown usually in japanese restaurants).

However, even with my displeasure in the show, it does display a good picture of how a college student lives, struggles, and feels.

Now let us take a break from college life, and go into a different version of the classroom. Let me introduce Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu. It’s about a girl named Bocchi who is going into middle school, and made an agreement with her best friend to befriend the rest of the people in her class; otherwise, they won’t be friends anymore. Yeah it’s a strange premise, but it’s a wholesome show that plays on that anxious experience of meeting new people and becoming friends. This is especially displayed through Bocchi’s reactions and expressions, whether that be rainbows for success or the pit of despair that she feels. She has a lot of anxiety and nervousness that is clearly releasable with people in making new friends. I would say it is an enjoyable, light-hearted show where people can laugh off their anxiety. One critique I would have on the show is that the first episodes are in your face and take you along your own path.

It feels a bit rushed and awkward and not as enjoyable.

These are two shows that I feel students would like to watch to feel those exciting, new feelings of the beginning of the school year, or the social awkwardness of meeting new people. I hope these anime would connect to you or make you forget about all the struggles of college for a bit.

BY POOJA RAJADURAI ‘23 For a moment, you’re suspended in space and time.

The lights are flashing, the crowd is roaring, the musician is playing the song you know and love; you feel your friends’ excitement as palpably as rain drops on a hot summer evening, and for a brief moment, you notice yourself amongst a sea of people as though you have stepped outside the limits of your own body. And then the bass drops, and you find yourself dancing and singing the words to the song as loudly as your lungs will let you. When the concert ends, you’re left with pure euphoria, promising your friends and yourself to return to the scene as soon as possible.

Needless to say, I went to a concert last weekend. I saw Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler at Radio City Music Hall with a few friends, and can now proudly check off “going to a concert” off my post-pandemic bucket list.

If the post-quarantine blues have been lingering around for you or you feel suddenly

thrust into a new normal that doesn’t remotely resemble what you pictured normalcy to feel like (I swear I’m not projecting), I highly recommend finding a live music show and imbibing the impeccable vibes.

As I thought about my satisfaction with my Saturday night, I began to wonder about the different elements that had left me so euphoric.

Concerts are truly carefully curated exhibitions meant to fulfill a soul-satisfying craving left by the modern human experience. There are a myriad of factors to be taken care of: sound engineering, marketing and sale of tickets, merchandise, costumes, playlists, venue, and so much more. But the element that stood out most to me was the artistic presentation. The colors and imagery had a subtle, but significant impact on the reception of the song, attention to lyrics, and sentiment.

As I began to notice the colors of the lights flashing, beckoning me to sway with the artist or jump up and down or belt out the lyrics, it became indubitably clear to me the purposefulness with which these choices had been made.

I first realized the impact of the imagery on the screens when Chelsea Cutler sang the lines “Anything, anything that you want, that you want that I got, that’s for you” from her song, You Can Have It. The intimate implications of the song matched perfectly

dress in your closet. The trick here is to choose a dress with muted fall tones or solid colors. This is the perfect way to get use of your summer dresses into the fall months.

The chunky boots not only keep you right on track with the trends, but they replace sandals for a more practical piece in colder weather.

As temperatures drop even more, you can add some chic tights and maybe a chunky sweater to go with! No need to pack your dresses away just yet, there are still plenty of opportunities to work with them.

Lastly, any long and flowy skirt you have hiding away somewhere can be worn this

season too. Who says skirts aren’t meant for any season?

Transition into fall by pairing these with a simple graphic tee and casual white sneakers. Again, with the right colors and the right pairings, your spring and summer skirts can stick with you right into autumn.

Keeping your wardrobe full of classic pieces such as these ones will make transitioning between seasons easier than you think. Not only are all these outfit choices on trend, but they will help you style for fall without profusely sweating by the middle of the day! Really, what more can we ask for during these confusing temperatures?

with the color contrasting squiggles that moved slowly down the screen, bringing an intoxicating yet perfect understanding of the mood generated by Cutler’s lyrics. As I watched the different shades of orange, red, and blue make their way down the screen in an imperfectly repetitive fashion, singing the words to this beloved song, it dawned on me we were all singing to our lovers (real, imagined, or yearned for) with the same emotion. Later, when Quinn XCII sang about his wife and two dogs, he didn’t care if we were distracted by the cute puppy montage playing above his head, because he wanted us to feel and share the same love he felt for them. When he sang about how far we’ve come, the imagery of water in the backdrop reinforced our intrinsic propensity to forge ahead stronger with every wave of new beginnings.

The impact of the lights and their colors was a little more subtle but hard to miss once initially observed.

As Cutler closed her act, the lights flashed a brilliant pink and blue which came together to form purple. A little deductive reasoning immediately explained this choice: Cutler performed with two other bandmates, a keyboardist and guitarist. The blue and pink would have been for both of the bandmates and they came together to form a cohesive purple light that represented Cutler herself. Thus,

three colors that contrasted but allowed for representation of the three musicians on stage suited the dramatic close perfectly. Similarly, when Quinn XCII and Cutler sang together, the color scheme shifted to orange and blue: complementary colors that allowed the artists to distinguish themselves on the same stage. However, at the conclusion of their song, another color, yellow, was added, as they pointed to the audience and included the listeners in their performance.

It’s not every day that we can decide to go listen to our favorite artists serenade us with the songs that have gotten us through some of our happiest, and saddest moments with friends and strangers who congregate together to remind us all that we share something in common.

It’s an amazing experience to be cherished, especially because it comes packaged in all the right lights, colors, and visuals that make for an ephemeral yet memorable experience. I hope that you, dear reader, get a chance to experience something that makes your soul a little lighter soon, be it a concert, play, Broadway show, or art exhibit that reminds you of all our humanness, and the amazing things we can do with it.

If you get the chance, try to think about what made it special, and you might be able to discern a few things that make it even more beautiful.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The book you read when you went through a Percy Jackson phase and need more

BY STEPHANIE SEARING ‘24 We have all heard the legend of Achilles, but The Song Of Achilles allows us to dive into his story and discover details we never knew.

Achilles is the son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and legendary king Peleus — an irresistible prince. Patroclus is an awkward young prince who has been exiled from his kingdom. Brought together because of this exile, Patroclus and Achilles form a close relationship. After being trained by the centaur Chiron, they must go to Troy to fight because Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped.

However, they will be tested by the Gods and Fates and friends as they embark down this dangerous path.

Miller did an absolutely

stunning job on this Greek myth retelling. I thought it was super interesting how she wrote the book from the point of view of Patroclus, who is more of a side character in Greek mythology.

There are so many twists and turns in this book and, honestly, I learned so much more about the story of Achilles. There were a lot of details that I did not know about his hero journey. And, you know me, there is a big romance aspect in this novel. It is more complex and layered than the other books I usually read, and I really liked that about this book as well. There is something so powerful about this book that I couldn’t and still can’t put my finger on. It is a Percy Jackson-meets-adult novel which, of course, makes it a must-read for everyone!

9

Friday, September 24

Arts & Culture GIRL TALK

OP-ED

Victoria’s Secret: The downfall

BY JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 While browsing through the mall with my mom this past weekend, we shopped at all my top stores: Express, H&M, and my most favorite, Aerie. I loved every single thing they had at Aerie—it was practically impossible to choose what to buy. As my mom and I made our way around the mall, we came across Victoria’s Secret. My mom suggested we take a look in there, but I quickly shut her down. My reasoning?

To put it bluntly, Victoria’s Secret has a pretty bad reputation. I, along with many other people, refuse to shop at Victoria’s Secret anymore. Instead, I look towards more inclusive and comfortable brands, such as Aerie.

Victoria’s Secret has a long history. The brand was launched in 1977 by Roy Raymond, with the goal to create a store that

was a safe space for men to buy their wives scandalous pieces of lingerie. The brand was built on what men would like to see their wives wearing, but this didn’t have the happy ending that was planned — by 1982, Victoria’s Secret was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Leslie Wexner acquired the brand and tried to save it, creating pieces of lingerie that were catered specifically towards women, for women. For the time being, this was successful and the brand was on the rise once again.

On August 1, 1995 the first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show hit the stage. At first, it was used as a marketing tactic but it soon became so much more. To sum it up, uber thin models walk down a runway wearing scandalous pieces of lingerie, extravagant costumes, and the highest heels I’ve ever seen.

While at first the fashion show was a smashing success with record breaking views, it didn’t take long for controversy to arise. In my opinion, the controversy that makes me the most angry is their lack of inclusivity. In 2017, Ed Razek (chief marketing officer for L Brands, Victoria Secret’s parent company) said “If you’re asking if we’ve con-

sidered putting a transgender model in the show or looked at putting a plussize model in the show, we have … Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show?

No. No, I don’t think we should. Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special.

That’s what it is.” This quote sparked outrage, rightfully so. Razek was basically saying that transgender and plus size women can’t serve the same fantasy as thin women. Viewership for the following fashion show in 2017 dropped from 5 million viewers to 3.3 million.

Since 2017, the brand has shut down a multitude of stores. In 2020 alone, 250 locations closed their doors for good. This year, Victoria’s Secret has tried to implement a new face of models, including “... trans model Valentina Sampaio, British plus-size activist Paloma Elsesser and US footballer Megan Rapinoe,” as The US Sun reported. I can’t help but to wonder: Is this all just a performative act to save their brand and increase sales? It took a long time for Victoria’s Secret to even scratch the surface of inclusivity, so I’m a little bit skeptical of their rebranding.

Aside from past controversy, I speculate that the

reasoning for their decline in performance is the rise of more inclusive and comfortable brands, such as Aerie. I believe women today shop for comfort and style, not just one or the other.

Aerie has done an amazing job at combining sexiness and comfort, with their clothes and store environment—this is something Victoria’s Secret lacks. Ever since I was a teenager, I always found the Victoria’s Secret store intimidating and I felt as if I didn’t belong. Their apparel is unconventional and the store environment is very dark, scandalous, and mature. In comparison, Aerie’s main objective is to include everyone and make their customers feel welcome. Their stores are bright, laid back, and have an overall positive vibe.

While I don’t know what holds in the financial future for Victoria’s Secret, I do know that as a woman, I cannot support this brand. The lack of inclusivity, the blatant disrespect towards women that look even slightly different than a classic Victoria’s Secret Angel, and the intense environment turn me away. It will always be a right turn back into a positive and welcoming atmosphere, like Aerie.

OP-ED

Dr. Nuran Kumbaraci’s perspectives on online learning

BY NICOLE GIARDINO Doctor Nuran Kumbaraci, adored Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, has been teaching at Stevens for years but has since taken the Fall 2021 semester off from teaching. The COVID-19 pandemic which took a grip over the entirety of 2020 and the majority of 2021, caused many people to take caution when being in public. With the new Delta variant, widespread illness and risk have spiked once again, causing many schools to resort back to mandatory indoor mask mandates amidst public fear and caution. In a phone interview with The Stute, Dr. Kumbaraci explained her experiences with teaching over the pandemic, provided some input regarding online learning, and elaborated on the challenges of the pandemic.

When the COVID-19 pandemic came into full effect in March 2020, students, faculty, and staff were put under extreme pressure to figure out how to learn and teach online, without an in-person.

Describing professors’ struggle with the transition to online teaching, Dr. Kumbaraci said, “we never attended our offices” and “without any books, without any notes, we had to redesign our courses and lectures from scratch […] many publishers, textbooks—you know, all my books, all my notes, all my exams—everything was in

my office, and we were not supposed to go anywhere.”

While in the midst of being uprooted from the classrooms, professors struggled with making their courses engaging and keeping the students focused. With the added challenge of virtual learning, many professors, including Dr. Kumbaraci, struggled with trying to get their students to learn and communicate effectively in class, as they would if they were in person. Additionally, it was very difficult to get students to engage and participate in classes without the added help of laboratory experiments and handson learning. Dr. Kumbaraci claimed that students imagining and planning out an experiment is not the same as walking into a lab, opening an instruction manual, and solving the experiment themselves. Reading how to solve a problem off of a paper is not the same as performing an experiment, but it helped the students show their imagination through their work.

Dr. Kumbaraci further explained, “I tried to reach out to the students in many ways possible,” mentioning that with in-person classes, it is much easier to get students to collaborate, especially with group work. Without having in-person classes, Dr. Kumbaraci attempted to use breakout rooms on Zoom as a way to create a break between the lectures, but she quickly realized students

were hesitant to participate in small groups. After some time, they started talking and collaborating, creating an environment that similar to that of an actual classroom.

When asked how the pandemic has affected her and her teaching, she responded, “It was a new thing for many of us. It started with March 2020, and we kind of switched all of a sudden.

Within two days we were introduced to Zoom; thank goodness, online teaching.

And then, I was using some online programs already with my students, but Canvas became the medium to transfer a lot of information.” She followed this by explaining how everyone was learning new technology at the same time.

According to Dr. Kumbaraci, students became accustomed to the video screening app, Zoom and became “experts” with Zoom after only four months of screen sharing, making videos, and creating powerpoint presentations, which was very surprising to see. All students got better at using their computers and different online resources almost overnight, as they had to meet with the growing technological needs due to being trapped inside one’s own house. Even though this was very stressful for students and professors in the beginning, it helped them to lean into the future, especially about becoming accustomed with how the future is based on change.

With technology constantly

growing and changing, the COVID-19 pandemic showed society how adaptable it can be to change and showed people how they can and will handle the rapidly changing social status in the future.

When I asked about factors that may encourage Dr. Kumbaraci to return to Stevens, she responded that “Everything is helping. It is nice to go back.” Dr. Kumbaraci also mentioned that the cyber attack which hit Stevens three years ago and limited students’ and faculty’s access to the internet, was just as bad as being stuck solely online, since there was no network and class material could not be accessed. The cyber attack caused similar uncertainties to the pandemic, and the Stevens community was still able to bounce back and overcome it. As Dr. Kumbaraci remarked, “the question is again, using and generating technology to bypass the hurdles and anything that is deemed as a problem: try to make the best of it, to turn it into a positive, and see how you can take advantage of that problem.”

All and all, Stevens has bounced back from chaotic issues in the past, and it will continue to stand strong as an innovative, trail-blazing university. Times might look tough and fearful presently, but there is something beneficial that can be taken from each and every conflict.

There are always going to be new gateways and opportunities tomorrow.

The essay: Thoughts on school applications

BY KRUTARTH TRIVEDI Master’s student

This requirement must be set up regardless of a candidate’s field of study.

It was November of 2018. I was working on my application for graduate programs. Seven tabs on Google Chrome were open — three of which belonged to the universities I was interested in, two of them were dedicated to the courses offered. On one of the tabs, Imagine Dragon’s “Believer” on YouTube was boosting my morale. And finally, on the last tab, I was reading comments made by some Redditors on r/GradSchool.

School applications can possess unique challenges.

The nature of these challenges isn’t known before undertaking them, yet almost all of us pretend we know enough about them to procrastinate until our deadlines! One of the many challenges commonly faced is an essay where you are expected to express your career interests and justify them based on your backgrounds and experiences.

The elements that go into this essay are Justification, Persuasion, Introduction, Research, Authentication, Actions, Promises, etc., and they must be put within word limits set by universities. Every draft you produce fills your mind with doubts about whether you are carved out for the program and for that university. The situation gets serious when all the pairs of eyes you show your essays to offer diverse feedback, and although that is healthy, the flood of inputs can create crippling fear. At last, you attempt your final draft connecting all the elements as well as considering the feedback, but the fear of rejection, judgment, and living up to expectations never leaves; if anything, it gets more intense until the last second of the deadline and once past that deadline, it exponentially grows because now you wait for the decision.

The essay offers a peek into a candidate’s personality, life, background, and overall outlook towards the field of their liking. If school essays can orient candidates towards focusing their efforts on their career, can they also not align them towards focusing on developing solutions for some of the biggest problems mankind is facing?

Of course, there’s a big difference between offering a solution and implementing one, but doesn’t seeking out solutions towards big challenges foster creativity

and unique perspectives?

Does it not give a chance to recognize problems and acknowledge them?

A simple search on the internet will tell you the potential problems mankind is facing today. There are issues at all kinds of levels – from individual to global, including world hunger, climate change, and access to basic and affordable healthcare, among other things. So long as these issues prevail, we as humans aren’t living up to our highest ideals.

What is the point of education? To dispel ignorance and to kindle the flame of knowledge to shepherd mankind towards their highest ideals.

Unfortunately, today’s education is geared more towards making students better bets in rat races than shaping them towards thinking about the betterment of mankind. One of the ways this can be changed is by introducing essays that aim to solve global challenges in the application of candidacy for enrolling students. This essay is different from the regular essays, like Statement of purpose (SOP) essays that candidates usually submit to their universities. Introducing this essay doesn’t mean the removal of the SOPs, but instead, serves them as a stepping stone towards their career.

Essays can also have a lasting effect. The actions taken by one generation can have an immediate effect on the successive generation. So, what kind of essays can universities introduce in their application candidacy? Here are some examples: How will you contribute to solving a particular prevailing global issue?

How will the program you’re enrolling in, serve as a medium to bring changes in global problems?

You’re a leader tasked to solve the biggest ongoing global issues that are dearest to you. What action plans will you develop to address the issue? What are some of the skills you’ll need to lead that change?

If there is a change you want to bring to your community today, what will that be, and how will you measure the outcome?

In what way will you make the world a better place for the next generation to flourish?

Thus, small shifts in education can produce rippling effects towards larger goals. To summarize the objective of this Op-Ed: “Act Locally, Think Globally!” But with a little bit of twist: Act Locally, Think Globally, Write Indelibly!

10

Friday, September 24

Campus Pulse

Alex Bakos ‘24

Matthew Feroz ‘24

“Yes. It’s better than last year I think?”

“Uh no I didn’t even know there was a new wifi”

Kaitlin Smith ‘25

“Yes. Connecting my TV to it was difficult.”

ROVING REPORTER Olivia Shusta ‘25

“Are you connected to the new WiFi?”

Enkhy Enkhbayar ‘23

Dennis Vink ‘24

“I still don’t have my TV connected.”

“I am, but every time I have to connect I have to retype my password.”

“I think so. Stevensnet right?”

Maddie Schmidt ‘23

“My laptop will randomly disconnect in the middle of class.”

Bella Ibraham ‘25

“Yes. It was difficult, but I am.”

by Off Center

Sudoku

LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS: Across 4: Munsell 6: Boysenberry 10: Lemon 14: Pistachio 15: Saffron Down 1: Maroon 2: Rust 3: Fuzzy Wuzzy 5: Bubbles 7: Skobeloff 8: Razzmatazz 9: Mantis 11: Myrtle 12: Salmon 13: Khaki