The official newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.
terra, noun — the planet earth bite, verb — to use the teeth to cut into something
TheStute StevenstheStute
Volume CXVII No. 15
New Stute every Friday!
February 21, 2020
www.thestute.com
BY ALEKSANDAR DIMOSKI On February 14, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Marybeth Murphy, announced that Stevens is currently in the process of converting 34 single occupancy restrooms to gender-neutral restrooms, seven of which will require additional work to add locks. It is still unclear when the conversion will be completed, but it is expected to be soon. According to former Torch President and former Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President of Student Interests Dakota Van Deursen, Stevens first began an initiative to convert some of the bathrooms on campus into gender-inclusive bathrooms during the spring semester of 2016. According to a student who is non-binary, meaning they identify as neither male nor female, the number of gender-inclusive bathrooms was previously low enough that it could take up to 12 minutes to get to an appropriate bathroom and back to class, which is close to one-fourth of a one hour class. By November of 2017, over a year after the initial progress made by the school, the SGA determined that the number of gender-inclusive bathrooms was below what was ideal. On November 5, 2017, members of the SGA passed a proclamation declaring that Stevens should expand its program to develop gender-inclusive bathrooms. According to the proclamation, gender-inclusive bathrooms are “few in number” despite a large number of students that declared their desire for more “gender-inclusive and/or gender-affirming spaces.” The proclamation further states that “there are many current bathrooms on campus which meet the Stevens mold for ‘Gender-Inclusive Bathrooms’ (that they be single-stall and lockable) and many more which could be transformed with minimally-invasive construction.” The proclamation also included a chart of bathrooms
SEE BATHROOMS PAGE 3
From the desk of the Hoboken mayor to the halls of Congress, government officials across the board are chiming in with their congratulations for Stevens Institute of Technology’s 150th anniversary. Founded by the Stevens family on February 15, 1870, Stevens has seen seven presidents, has more than 48,000 alumni worldwide, and has added to the historic character of Hoboken. It has also made a significant impact on STEM across the nation and the world. This past Wednesday,
the City of Hoboken awarded Stevens with a proclamation commending its 150th anniversary. The proclamation, passed by the City Council and presented by Mayor Ravi Bhalla, celebrated Stevens for its “profound, momentous, and far-reaching contributions” to the community since its founding. Bhalla gave a brief speech in celebration of Stevens’ longtime contributions at a council meeting in Hoboken City Hall. He also noted that Stevens’ reach has gone past the gates of its campus and into worldwide industries. “It hasn’t
BY LIAM MCMURTRY
BY ANDREW KINNEY
SEE 150 PAGE 3
SEE ACADEMIC PAGE 4
Officials commend 150th anniversary BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM
New meal plans are coming to campus
just been in Hoboken, but it has also expanded to regional, national, and international significance,” said Bhalla. The recent success of Stevens “wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of President Farvardin.” Last week, Senator Cory Booker sent a letter to Nariman Farvardin, President of Stevens, and celebrated Stevens’ advancement in providing “high-quality technological education.” He mentioned that Stevens has pioneered research in many fields, in-
The City of Hoboken awarded Stevens Institute of Technology with a proclamation commending its 150th anniversary.
Thirty-four bathrooms to become genderneutral
A new academic culture takes hold Over the past couple of years, Stevens has gone through large shifts in its faculty composition and academic leadership, but those of last year truly highlight these changes and their potential for creating a new academic culture. Earlier in January, two big promotions were announced. First, Dr. Constantin Chassapis was promoted to Senior Vice President for Graduate Education. In this capacity, he will continue the strides he has made in Graduate Education, represent the Provost when required, and work closely with other high-level academic officials. Second, Dr. Anthony Barrese was promoted to Dean for Undergraduate Education. Now, he will report directly to Dr. David Zeng, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Faculty Affairs, and lead the Office of Undergraduate Academics while continuing to serve as a Teaching Professor in the School of Systems and Enterprises. These two promotions follow a string of notable changes in the academic composition of Stevens since last summer. Back in June, it was announced that Dr. Xiangwu (David) Zeng would be filling the newly created post of Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Faculty Affairs. According to Provost Christophe Pierre, “he will advise the academic leadership on a wide range of issues related to undergraduate education and curriculum matters, academic
PHOTO COURTESY OF JON BROWN.
Established 1904
On February 14, a completely new set of meal plans was announced to current and future residents of Stevens Housing. There are four different plans in the new system, down from six, and the plans are named after different denominations of computer storage in a play on words. In order from most expansive to least, they are: Terra Bite [sic], Giga Bite, Mega Bite, and Kilo Bite. In the past, the three highest grade plans gave students a certain number of generic meal swipes per week (with the top plan notably granting unlimited swipes each week) and one weekly Washington Street Wednesday (WSW) swipe; the three lowest grade plans gave students a set amount of generic swipes per semester without the inclusion of WSW. The generic swipes were redeemable for all food on campus and could be exchanged either for entrance to Pierce Dining Hall or for one meal of a set size at any of the meal exchange vendors around campus (Colonel Johns, America’s Cup, Red & Gray, and Pierce Café.) WSW was a program that allowed students to get one meal (from set lists of eligible meals) from participating locations on Washington Street, but only on Wednesdays. Each plan also came with a set amount of guest swipes, which let students swipe someone else into Pierce Dining Hall. The new system incorporates some aspects of the old system, while also bringing in new ideas and approaching the same concepts in new ways.
SEE DINING PAGE 3 Off the Press (Satire)
Club catering rules have changed. Here’s why you should be mad. BY OFF CENTER
PHOTO COURTESY OF JON BROWN.
Faculty and staff were given awards by President Nariman Farvardin and the Provost.
Faculty and staff honored at annual ceremony BY DYLAN JAMES MOON On Wednesday afternoon, faculty and staff gathered in Bissinger, enjoying the finest of Compass One catering to a backdrop of live jazz. The familiar faces of Nelly, Captain Maggi, Dean Nilsen, and others speckled the crowd. At 3:30 pm, President Naramin Favardin took the stage for opening remarks. “It is my great pleasure to recognize the achievements and contributions of our colleagues and thank them for all they do to move Stevens forward,” said Farvardin. The next hour was punctuated by handshakes and applause as employees rose to accept awards for their service at Stevens. The fifth Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, host-
ed by the Division of Human Resources, had two main features. First, employees, nominated by colleagues and selected by a committee, received awards in five categories that align with the school’s Strategic Plan, The Future. Ours to Create. Second, staff and faculty were recognized for their time at Stevens in five-year milestones, the highest category being for 50 years of service. To the sound of the Jordan Pettay jazz quartet, the “Excellence in All We Do” award was presented to Ann Murphy, associate professor in the School of Business; John “Johnny” Mauro, assistant director for University Events; and Nicholaus Parziale, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. The “Student-Centricity” award went to Michelle Cril-
“It is my great pleasure to recognize the achievements and contributions of our colleagues and thank them for all they do to move Stevens forward,” said Farvardin. ly, director of the business school’s Student and Faculty Support Center; Virginia “Ginny” Figueiredo, assistant director of student accounts; and police captain Thomas Maggi. “Through Collaboration, Impact” went to Margaret “Peggy” Guzzetta, director of finance and administration; and Leah Loscutoff, head of the library’s archives and special collections. “Strengthened Reputation, Increased Prestige” went to Henry Du, professor of chemical engineering; and Brendan
NEWS PAGE 2 Sustainability
SCIENCE PAGE 5 Physics Professor Rainer Martini
NEWS PAGE 3 Meal Plans (continued)
PULSE PAGE 6 Sudoku
NEWS PAGE 4 Faculty on the rise
CULTURE PAGE 7 Impromptu Music Review Passion for Fashion
NEWS PAGE 4 Attention! Attention! Are you getting the alerts?
SPORTS PAGE 10 Swimming
Englot, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “Technology at Our Core” went to Dov Kruger, teaching associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Jeniffer Obando, senior instructional designer for Stevens’ award-winning online platform, WebCampus. A group award for “Transformative Teamwork” was then conferred on the entire Office of Graduate Admissions. As the jazz continued and shimmering, golden, chocolate-covered strawberries reflected the light of a nearby candelabrum, Maria Ouckama, assistant vice president for Human Resources, lifted the microphone and announced the recipient of a new distinction. The Lifetime Contribution
SEE FACULTY PAGE 3
Riots have broken out all over campus as the school has released new information regarding the catering of club events. What used to be a fun, democratic free-for-all that allowed student organizations to purchase food/snacks from any outside vendor they so chose has now been rigidly corporatized, forcing every club to go directly to Compass One, the official school caterer, for all of their food. The administration has publicly stated that this change is in the interest of saving money, and might even improve the process of catering events. This came as a shock to many clubs, as this change had not been publicized at all until it came into effect this semester. Understandably, literally every club on campus immediately rose up in revolt upon hearing the news of this unjust oppression, and several E-Boards are currently protesting outside of Howe with torches and pitchforks, demanding President Farvardin’s head on a pike. One of the reasons given for this change is that the school feels that clubs rely
SEE SATIRE PAGE 3
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February 21, 2020
News STAFF BOX Volume CXVII No. 15
Committee forms to reduce smoking on campus BY DIVYA UNNAM
Executive Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.......................................................................................AUDREY D’SOUZA BUSINESS MANAGER.................................................................................MARK KRUPINSKI MANAGING EDITOR...............................................................MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM LAYOUT EDITOR..........................................................................................NATALIE TODARO OUTREACH CHAIR.......................................................................................ANDREW KINNEY
Editorial Board COPY EDITOR.....................................................................................ANGELINA ZACCARIA ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR...........................................................................MATHEW GREEN HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER............................................................................COLE YARBROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR............................................................................ELINA TUDER SCIENCE EDITOR................................................................................DYLAN JAMES MOON SPORTS EDITOR........................................................................................TREVOR DAMEIKA WEBMASTER....................................................................................................JOANA FARDAD SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR..................................................................CHARLES ZWICKER
Staff & Contributors ALEKSANDAR DIMOSKI ALEX MURTAGH BRANDON SIEDMAN DANIEL KANG DIVYA UNNAM ERIC S. LONDRES ETHAN CHE GRACE MIGUEL JOHN HORGAN JULIA WIERZBICKI JUSTIN CROSS LEIGHA TIERNEY LIAM MCMURTRY LISA MENGOTTO MONIKA GELSAK PETER WHITE
RACHEL STERN SAMANTHA WINTER SIMON PEPA SOLEIL SANTANA TYLER KUI VINNY TUFO
Contact
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At the end of 2019, concerns were raised about the smoking practices at Stevens, especially with regard to how well rules regarding smoking were being enforced. A major rule of note is written in the Student Handbook as, “smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of all campus buildings, including but not limited to individual offices and rooms; athletic and sporting facilities; spectator areas at outdoor university events; university-owned vehicles, shuttle buses and vans; dining, theaters and concert halls; partially enclosed areas, such as archways, weather-protected ramps and tents; and outdoor dining areas.” Numerous instances of smoking within 25 feet of buildings have been observed on campus grounds with no notable attempt at enforcing this policy by appropriate administrators and police who may be aware of this rule. According to the NJ Smoke Free Air Act, enclosed indoor spaces must be smoke-free. Within the Student Handbook, it is emphasized that
smoking within any campus facility or residence hall is prohibited, including the usage of electronic cigarettes, vapes, and bongs. Not part of the NJ Smoke Free Air Act, however, is the prohibition of smoking within 25 feet of a building. This is a Stevens policy added to the Student Handbook and expected to be followed by individuals on campus grounds. With regard to the enforcement of this policy of not smoking within 25 feet of buildings, Marybeth Murphy, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, has stated that the “policy was initiated by Stevens and how that policy is enforced is up to Stevens.” To further discuss the concerns related to smoking and to help reduce the smoking on campus grounds, she has formed a Smoking Working Group. The Smoking Working Group is composed of several faculty and staff members as well as members of the undergraduate and graduate student body. Members include Murphy, Dibyendu Sarkar, Faculty Senate Chair, Robert Maffia, Vice President for Facilities and Campus
Operations, Edward Stukane, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, Eric Finkelstein, Assistant General Counsel, Warren Petty, Vice President for Human Resources, Timothy Griffin, Chief of Police, Nathalie Waite, Director of Graduate Student Life, Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Maggie Cunning, Director of Health Services, Gabrielle Guider, Health Educator and Case Manager, Michael Lucic, Vice President of the Graduate Council, Samantha Molla, President of the Undergraduate Student Government Association (SGA), and Adrian Castellanos, Vice President of the SGA. As per Murphy, the goals of this group are to “develop a university wide smoking policy for students, employees, and visitors” and “recommend a communication plan, signage etc. [sic] and other means to enforce the policy.” They will also focus on creating campaigns promoting the quitting of smoking, including publicizing related resources, and figuring out ways to handle the litter and cigarette butts on campus.
Creating a more sustainable campus BY LIAM MCMURTRY Issues of environmental friendliness and sustainability, and as they relate to Stevens, have been making headlines recently. In January, it was officially announced to the school by Frank LoCastro, Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Campus Operations, that the university has partnered with Emerald Brand to include tree-free paper products in our bathrooms. As opposed to traditional paper products, these use agricultural fibers that are typically discarded in food production processes and are BPAfree and biodegradable. On the same day, a Sustainability Literacy Assessment was emailed to all students from the facilities department. According to the email, this survey was created using input from the STARS Steering Committee and the Stevens Sustainability Coalition. The STARS Steering Committee (Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System) is an internationally-recognizable framework for higher education institutions to pursue sustainability initiatives and be compared to other schools in terms of overall sustainability using the Sustainable Campus Index, which is provided by the same organization. The Stevens Sustainability Coalition (SSC) is a student-run organization of students who are com-
mitted to making sustainability a stakeholder issue on campus. This organization operates mainly in an independent manner, not as a recognized student organization (RSO). According to Alex Dubro, co-facilitator of the SSC, this independent setup was intended to allow more freedom to operate and create more trust in the organization by the student body due to its grassroots and authentic appeal. Despite its largely independent nature, the SSC has around 10 to 15 active members, according to Dubro. All members are united around the organization’s pillars: network, communication, and incubation. These pillars go along with the organization’s key mission of making sustainability a stakeholder issue by indirect means and by breaking down barriers around topics of environmental friendliness through collaboration and transparency. Dubro emphasized “we’re not here to dominate” and “we’re here to augment” when commenting on how the SSC seeks to promote sustainability through indirect means. As a result, the SSC has built relationships with over 20 different groups on campus and have even reached out to national organizations such as A ASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education). In addition to this outside part-
nership, the SSC has collaborated with the city of Hoboken to pursue an initiative of recycling volunteering work. Moreover, the SSC has also sought to partner with Gotham 360, which is a consulting firm based around energy management. Going forward, the SSC would like to see more events on campus centered around sustainability awareness, social events focused on environmental friendliness, and more project groups with specific deliverables to make Stevens a more sustainable place. Additionally, Dubro noted that, given their largely independent nature, different types of organizations might be more feasible for achieving sustainability changes. For instance, a Student Government Association task force on sustainability might replace the SSC and take over their initiatives. Furthermore, a formally recognized graduate student organization might also be established to further their aims. The work done by the facilities department at the administrative level and the grassroots work done by student organizations like the SSC highlight that concerns of sustainability and environmental friendliness are quickly taking center stage, not only in university objectives, but in the eyes of the student body as well.
New Jersey passes statewide ACES program BY PETER WHITE On January 9th, the New Jersey state senate passed an amendment to a bill supported by Stevens administration by a vote of 39-1. The bill proposes scaling up a model similar to Stevens ACES (Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science) program to a statewide scale. The bill has been going through the legislature since June of 2019 and has successfully passed all the necessary obstacles. Presently, the Stevens ACES program serves to increase underrepresented minority students’ attend school here with financial aid and things like the pre-college program. According to the Office of the President, the program here at Stevens has
accomplished its goal. It has resulted in a 60% increase in underrepresented minority students in Stevens pre-college program, and a 46% increase in this demographic among the current freshman class. This bill will serve to promote New Jersey’s “innovation economy” as emphasized by Governor Murphy. Stevens ACES program has successfully aided in allowing underrepresented students to attend an independent research institution such as this. At the state level, 22 democratic legislators, across the general assembly and senate, have sponsored the bill, believing that New Jersey will be able to see similar results on a larger scale.
In order to catalyze the participation in the innovation economy and institutions of higher education from underrepresented minority students, the New Jersey ACES plan will provide funding to qualifying schools. To qualify for this funding, the school must provide a two week summer program in a STEM field, offer degrees in engineering and economic disciplines, provide proof of each participating student’s eligibility as an underrepresented minority, and the school must match one third of the scholarship money provided by the state. At this most fundamental level, the New Jersey ACES follows the template of Stevens ACES very closely.
New Jersey Senate proposes bill to freeze college tuition BY PETER WHITE According to CollegeFactual. com, a database of American colleges and various metrics relevant when choosing a college, for the academic year of 2018-2019, Stevens’ average net cost of attendance was $50,544 in tuition and fees. This number was calculated prior to financial aid adjustments and does not include room and board. Additionally, the database shows that, like many universities, Stevens’ tuition and cost of attendance has gone up steadily for years. In 2012, tuition was just over $40,00 per year, and 10 years later, tuition costs for 2022 are projected to be just under $60,000 per year. According to CollegeFactual.com, this increase has resulted in a 3.5% increase in tuition and fees over the last 5 years, dating back to the 2014
school year. A new bill in the New Jersey State Senate, however, would alleviate this pressure from increasing costs for in-state students. Bill number S353, proposed on January 14 of this year, prohibits four-year institutions of higher education, both public and private, from increasing the tuition and fees of a New Jersey resident undergraduate student for nine continuous semesters following the student’s initial enrollment in the institution. To put it more simply, this would mean that for any New Jersey resident, your tuition would remain at the same price throughout your time at Stevens. The bill, proposed by two Democratic senators, Joe Cryan and Vin Copel, also states that this tuition freeze could extend beyond nine semesters if your desired program nor-
mally takes more than four academic years. However, if an individual has approved leave from the institution for more than one year, perhaps due to military service or academic probation, the tuition freeze would not be applied to that case. Finally, the last requirement of the bill is that it does not apply to independent schools which possess an endowment of over $1,000,000,000, which only applies to Princeton in New Jersey. If the bill makes it out of the Senate Higher Education Committee, which it was introduced to on the same day that it was proposed, it would then be sent to the New Jersey General Assembly, and it could be signed into law as early as later this year. There is currently not a specific plan for its introduction, so it is impossible to say when its effects will be felt, if it is passed.
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February 21, 2020
News DINING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 new ideas and approaching the same concepts in new ways. Meal swipes are now separated into three categories: premium, regular, and snack. Premium meal swipes will replace WSW and will be redeemable whenever the participating restaurants are open, rather than just on Wednesdays, but each plan only has a set amount of premium swipes. In the past, the number of WSW swipes was only limited by the number of Wednesdays in a semester, around 16 when including finals, so the Terra Bite and Giga Bite plans will include more total Washington Street meals than the old plans. Regular swipes will essentially be what the existing swipes are now, getting students into Pierce for lunch or dinner, or redeeming for a meal at Colonel Johns or other retail dining outlets on campus. Snack swipes will be for smaller items such as pastries or drinks, and will also allow entry to Pierce, but only for breakfast. According to Trina Ballantyne, Dean of Residential & Dining Services, “snack swipes can include a pastry with a beverage, a yogurt and a piece of fruit, and a variety of additional grab and go items.” As for why they will be able to grant access to Pierce for breakfast, or if the breakfast options there will be changing at all because of that fact, she said “by offering breakfast at Pierce Dining Hall as a snack, students receive more value for their meal plan since they do not have to use a full meal swipe for breakfast. The breakfast in Pierce Dining Hall will be just as robust as it is now; there will not be a reduction in options or services.” Here is the breakdown of the different plans, their prices, and exactly how many swipes of each type they will include: TERRA BITE: 25 Premium Swipes, 230 Regular Swipes, 100 Snack Swipes, 8 Guest Meals $3,530 per semester GIGA BITE: 20 Premium Swipes, 160 Regular Swipes, 70 Snack Swipes, 5 Guest Meals $2,650 per semester MEGA BITE: 15 Premium Swipes, 70 Regular Swipes, 45
FACULTY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Award, added this year, honors a retired employee whose impact on Stevens may never be forgotten. It went to Dr. Edward Friedman. As Friedman rose to the stage, behind him a projector shone some of his achievements. Yet even with text filling the screen, it was a partial list. In a short and humble speech, the emeritus professor reflected on the year 1963, the year he was hired by Stevens and the year he strove to embody the famous words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” He took the job as a physics professor, believing that in one year he would leave on an assignment with the Peace Corps. In his rich and varied career at Stevens, preceded by physics degrees from MIT and Columbia, Friedman has been a professor of physics, technology management, and the humanities; dean of the college; interim Vice President for Academic Affairs; a pioneer of the use of computers in education; the founder of various centers at the university; and a retiree who still shows up to work and teaches. He has done international development work in Afghanistan, propelled the use of computers for healthcare
BATHROOMS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 with information on which bathrooms had the highest priority to be converted, as well as whether the bathrooms in question already had a lock. A year after the proclamation passed, members of the SGA ran another round of analysis and found that the majority of academic buildings still did not have gender-neutral bathrooms. In order “to further protect the civil rights and dignity of our transgender, gender non-binary, and queer residents and visitors,” the Hoboken city council passed ordinance B-29 in early May.
Snack Swipes, 3 Guest Meals $1,600 per semester KILO BITE: 10 Premium Swipes, 20 Regular Swipes, 10 Snack Swipes, 1 Guest Meal $550 per semester As shown, the new plans all work on a per-semester basis, so there will no longer be any plans that grant a certain amount of swipes every week. Meal periods are also being eliminated entirely to accompany the new per-semester plans, allowing students more flexibility to use multiple swipes at once if needed, rather than being restricted to one swipe per meal period. The plans also come with an average price increase. Comparing the lowest and highest plans of last year to their new equivalents, the old Platinum plan was $3,300, included unlimited access to Pierce, 8 guest meals, and 20 meal exchange swipes per week, whereas the new Terra Bite plan costs $230 more and includes the swipe breakdown shown above. The old Grey plan costed $225 and included 20 swipes to either Pierce or the meal exchange vendors, while the new Kilo Bite plan costs $325 more and includes an additional 10 premium swipes and 10 snack swipes on top of the existing 20 regular swipes. In previous years, it was possible to calculate the exact dollar value of meal swipes, but the cost distribution of the new plans is less clear. For example, last year’s Bronze plan was $830 for 70 swipes, or $11.86 per swipe. Assuming guest and regular swipes are still worth about the same at $12 per swipe, and guessing that a snack swipe is worth half of that at $6 per swipe (a Resident Assistant (RA) told The Stute that students should be able to trade two snack swipes for a regular swipe, as was told to them at an internal meeting, providing a reasonable basis for this guess. All RAs consulted for this piece will be kept anonymous, because they feared repercussions for talking to The Stute), it would seem like premium swipes are worth approximately $30 per swipe when analyzing the Mega Bite plan ((1600-73*12-45*6)/15) = 30.267). If snack swipes are guessed to be worth two-thirds of a regular swipe at $8 per swipe, than premium swipes
would seem to be worth $24.25 per swipe. These numbers notably do not hold true when analyzing other plans. At $12 per regular/guest swipe and $6 per snack swipe, the Terra Bite plan would suggest that premium swipes are worth $3. At the same guessed prices, the math for the Giga Bite plan comes out to $12.50 per premium swipe, and $23.80 per premium swipe for the Kilo Bite plan. This seems to indicate that the higher tier plans are more cost-effective when only considering the price per swipe. To verify that theory, the cost of each plan was divided by the total number of swipes it offers, and those numbers are shown in the table below. Of course this is all speculation as Ballantyne said that the different swipes do not translate to particular dollar amounts . When asked if residents of all Stevens Housing facilities will still be required to purchase a meal plan, despite the fact that the cheapest plan has more than doubled in price, Ballantyne said “all students who choose to live in Stevens Housing (leased or on campus) are required to select a meal plan. While the lowest meal plan option has increased in price, the value of that plan has increased significantly. Leased Housing residents will be able to use their meal plans more often on Washington Street due to the expansion of that program.” This policy drew criticism when it was first implemented three years ago, inspiring then-student Patrick Murray to start a petition urging the school to allow Stevens Leased Housing (SLH) residents to purchase $300 worth of DuckBills instead (the lowest plan at the time cost $350.) The petition argued that DuckBills would be more useful to students living far from campus, since they could be used at both the many restaurants in Hoboken that accept them and Stevens Dining establishments. The petition managed to gather over 600 signatures. Other students argued that SLH residents should not be required to purchase a meal plan since the program’s apartments all include full kitchens and students could feasibly cook or purchase all of their own meals. The Student Government Association at the
in Africa with the United Nations, and received distinctions from foreign governments. Of course, an incomplete summary like this makes his legacy seem less meaningful and impressive than it is. “I could never have had a career like this at almost every other institution I can think of. It was the fact that this is a small, intimate, and unique university where people can be flexible,” said Friedman in an interview shortly after he accepted the award. Other faculty mirrored Friedman’s appraisal of the university. Reflecting on the atmosphere of the event, Professor Alex Wellerstein, who served on the selection committee, said, “You can’t do something like this in, for example, the University of California system. But at Stevens, you can actually know everybody here, and you can know a lot of the students, and students can know each other. And that’s a nice experience.” On the selection process for the awards, Wellerstein commented that “there is a lot of rigor involved. [Professor Steven Hoffenson] is very careful about conflicts of interest. And, ultimately, it comes down to the nominations.” Hoffenson has chaired the Employee Recognition Committee for three years and earned praise for basing the award selection method on the National
Science Foundation. Even so, deciding on recipients was difficult, and many who were not selected still deserve praise. After the awards, employees were recognized for the length of their stay at the university. Without their names being called, those with five years of service posed on stage for a photograph, followed by those with 10 years of service, then 15, and so on. Some faces were missing from the crowd, notably the two professors honored for 50 years of service. The absences were not in protest, however. In an interview the next day, Robert Gilman—professor of mathematics, director of the Stevens Algebraic Cryptography lab, and a leading mind in group theory—reflected on the upward trajectory of the university. Gilman, who has been with Stevens since the fall of 1969, has seen first-hand the school’s financial, administrative, and cultural struggles over the years. “Since I’ve been here,” said Gilman, “people have always been saying, ‘we want to be a nationally-known research institution. The question is, how do you actually accomplish that? It is not only the work of the current administration, but it seems that, right now, the trend is positive. I’m obviously not going to be around forever, but I think the future is looking pretty good.”
The ordinance stipulated that “All single-occupancy restrooms in any business establishment, place of public accommodation, and City-owned building or facility shall be designated as all-gender for individual, family, or assisted use. This includes single-occupancy restrooms intended for use by City employees or employees of a business or public accommodation.” In order to adhere to the ordinance, Stevens continued their work on setting up gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. Murphy wrote in an email that “Stevens is committed to creating an inclusive and wel-
coming environment for our students and employees and will be converting all single occupancy restrooms on campus to gender-neutral. Our goal is to accomplish this as soon as possible. Signage is being ordered and Facilities is surveying each restroom to install locks where needed. In some cases, due to the fire code, new doors may have to be ordered, which might delay a few conversions. During the time that Stevens has been working on this initiative, the City of Hoboken passed an ordinance requiring this change. We are working to be in full compliance with the Hoboken ordinance as quickly as possible.”
Top: The prices of the new meal plans compared to the prices of the 2018 and 2019 plans. Right: The average cost per swipe for each plan, regardless of the type of swipe time then released a proclamation announcing its support for the petition and urged the school to adopt the DuckBills option, but both went unanswered. With the inclusion of premium swipes, the Kilo Bite plan will allow SLH students to use their meal plans on Washington Street, similarly to if they had DuckBills, but only for those 10 premium swipes. This was also the topic of a SITTV Roving Reporter production at the time, where almost all of the students interviewed by SITTV expressed frustration with the policy. One frustrated student, Joseph Villani, told The Stute “the new [cheapest] meal plan is more than double the price of the previous one with not enough to show for it; there is no explanation as far as the cost breakdown of the different swipes. I’m tired of being forced into purchasing meal plans that I barely use and ultimately waste. The SLH policy requiring one to purchase a meal plan is truly infantilizing and is quite possibly just a cash grab.” Going along with this new set of plans, RAs will no longer be granted the top tier plan. In the past, RAs were granted the unlimited platinum plan for free
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 too much on food to attract students. “That’s ridiculous!” spouted an irate club president. “Our events stand on their own! ‘A Night of Free Food’ is our most popular event! And ‘Come and Steal Some of Our Food’ is a classic!” Off the Press asked one person coming out of a club event holding two boxes of pizza, a bottle of soda, two dozen donuts, and approximately fourteen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups what they thought of the change. “Um, what?” the student said, a chicken tender falling out of their pocket. “Yeah, the event was, uh, cool, or whatever.” The student then fled the scene, leaving behind a trail of mini M&Ms. Things came to a head during this year’s Leadership Reconnect, when administrators went more in-depth as to how the new system would work. They were met with harsh backlash from their audience, an auditorium full of annoyed presidents and treasurers, 98% of whom would not have showed up had they not been forced to. Tensions rose during the question and answer part of the presentation, as students annoyed with the change let their anger out on the catering representative, Sean Hanlon. Off Center has managed to obtain exclusive audio from Reconnect:
as part of their compensation, but going forward they will only be granted the second tier Giga Bite plan. According to one RA, the school was previously being granted a discount that allowed it to pay the second tier price for the RAs’ first-tier plans. That discount is apparently no longer part of Stevens’ contract with Compass One, causing the shift to the second tier plan, but The Stute was unable to fully verify this tip. Another RA shared their thoughts on this change. “So off the bat I’ll let you know that I, and many others [other RAs], think it’s some total b******t that they’re changing the meal plans and whatnot. In a more technical note, they’ve given us literally no official explanation as to why they’re changing them and why RAs and RDs [Residential Directors] aren’t getting the maximum. The new meal plan we get comes out to an average of 2.38 meals a day when you add up ALL the possible swipes. And snack swipes aren’t a real meal [excluding breakfast at Pierce], so we’re really losing a lot of actual food here. It also currently is a stipend of $3450 for food
but the new plan were getting is only worth $2650 so they’re cutting our already limited “pay” by about $800 and giving us no real compensation in place of it. Just feels pretty lame that we’re supposed to just not eat a full 3 meals a day and I know personally that a lot of RAs need the meal plan to actually afford to eat, which is pretty ridiculous that they’re just gutting it like this. This coupled with the fact that the cheapest meal option is now $550 it just feels as if the school is trying to screw the students over more, even the ones it actively employs.” Finally, when asked if she had anything else about the new plans or their goals that she would like to share, Ballantyne said “we have met with several focus groups of students to get feedback about the new meal plans and have made adjustments accordingly. The innovative new meal plans have received an overwhelmingly positive response from students. These more flexible meal plans with more flexible hours allow students to eat how and when they like.”
Hanlon: Are there any more questions? Unknown Student: Yeah, is your refrigerator running? *General giggling* H: My refrigerator? I just had it fixed last week; so, yeah. US: *Barely able to speak over their laughter* Well you better go catch it then! *Entire audience loses their minds for several minutes* H: Haha, very funny. Does anyone have an actual question? Unknown Student 2: Do you know how his change would affect Joe? Eyewitness reports have described Hanlon drinking heavily after Reconnect had concluded. For their part, the school has attempted to reinstate order following the outbreak of violence at this news. “Guys, we never wanted it to end up like this,” announced a hapless spokesperson for Farvardin, who was cowering in his office at the time. “What if I gave all of you free coupons for Snickers? Hey, put that down!” Some intel suggests that the adminstration planned at least some of this, however. One leaked Slack message from an administrator shines a new light on the issue: “Wait, why do all of the student organizations get to have pizza parties when we don’t? If we messed with the catering system, we could buy our own pizza party and maybe even a ball pit!” The mes-
sage received 37 heart reactions, 15 shocked faces, and 12 instances of a unique Martini emoji. Horror stories from treasurers around campus have come flooding into the Off the Press offices, resulting in hundreds of paper cuts and mild ink poisoning for all of our reporters. The exorbitant prices of snacks have been a common refrain: “It cost us $50 for a pack of soda!” one treasurer wrote in what appeared to be their own blood. “I had to take a loan out to buy some cookies, and John got taken out by the mob because he went behind on his pizza payments!” The sharp increase in prices have caused some clubs to give up on snacks entirely, with one sad event only allowing attendees to merely sniff a piece of chocolate that had cost the secretary’s first-born child. It remains to be seen whether the administration will stop their weeks-long pizza party to address these pressing issues, but judging by the fact that a troupe of clowns just got dropped off at Howe in a hilariously small limosine, the chances seem slim. In light of these events, Off the Press will stop giving out cute little pen gummies to anyone who stops by our office, and we will now be forced to give out actual pens for guests to nibble on instead. If it’s any consolation, the blue ink kind of tastes like strawberry.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 cluding sustainability, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. “Your steadfast commitment to education will help strengthen New Jersey’s academic community for generations to come.” Governor Phil Murphy issued a proclamation that celebrates Stevens for its “profound, far-reaching, and long-standing leadership in scientific and technological innovations.” Farvardin thanked government officials for passing along their congratulations to Stevens.
you go to stevens? and you haven’t joined The Stute? ..... can’t relate
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February 21, 2020
News 150 years of Stevens history documented in new website BY LEIGHA TIERNEY According to CollegeFactual.com, a database of American colleges and various metrics relevant when choosing a college, for the academic year of 2018-2019, Stevens’ average net cost of attendance was $50,544 in tuition and fees. This number was calculated prior to financial aid adjustments and does not include room and board. Additionally, the database shows that, like many universities, Stevens’ tuition and cost of attendance has gone up steadily for years. In 2012, tuition was just over $40,00 per year, and 10 years later, tuition costs for 2022 are projected to be just under $60,000 per year. According
to CollegeFactual.com, this increase has resulted in a 3.5% increase in tuition and fees over the last 5 years, dating back to the 2014 school year. A new bill in the New Jersey State Senate, however, would alleviate this pressure from increasing costs for instate students. Bill number S353, proposed on January 14 of this year, prohibits fouryear institutions of higher education, both public and private, from increasing the tuition and fees of a New Jersey resident undergraduate student for nine continuous semesters following the student’s initial enrollment in the institution. To put it more simply, this would mean that for any New Jersey resident,
your tuition would remain at the same price throughout your time at Stevens. The bill, proposed by two Democratic senators, Joe Cryan and Vin Copel, also states that this tuition freeze could extend beyond nine semesters if your desired program normally takes more than four academic years. However, if an individual has approved leave from the institution for more than one year, perhaps due to military service or academic probation, the tuition freeze would not be applied to that case. Finally, the last requirement of the bill is that it does not apply to independent schools which possess an endowment of over $1,000,000,000, which only
Stevens released the 150th anniversary website this week.
applies to Princeton in New Jersey. If the bill makes it out of the Senate Higher Education Committee, which it was introduced to on the same
day that it was proposed, it would then be sent to the New Jersey General Assembly, and it could be signed into law as early as later this
year. There is currently not a specific plan for its introduction, so it is impossible to say when its effects will be felt, if it is passed.
the time is right, a promotion and/or tenure. In contrast, faculty satisfaction for the 2018-2019 year was not high. The main concerns according to faculty are salary and healthcare. Former Chair of the Faculty Senate of three years and current Professor of Philosophy, Michael Steinmann, stated, “There has been an effort to address faculty satisfaction which I think is an ongoing conversation […] there have been studies conducted on salary and how salaries have progressed over the years.” With the new buildings, the Gateway Academic Complex and the Student Center, finances have been a topic of concern. Additional points of dissatisfaction are “the need to regularly recognize contributions of staff, aligning staffing resources and institutional goals, fostering opportunities for career advancement and greater communication between administration and faculty and staff,” said Vice President for Human Resources Warren Petty. To answer these concerns, unnamed initiatives were conducted at the level of schools and divisions. To mark progress, there will be a follow-up engagement survey
in the spring to address what needs have not been met. Communication between faculty and administration is hierarchical and non-directive, and the Faculty Senate is one of the main ways Stevens tries to improve this communication. The Senate represents the interests of the faculty at large and communicates faculty concerns with consultations with administration. There are seven elected senators as well as three peer groups which represent teaching staff who are non-tenure stream, research faculty, and assistant professors. “The faculty senate has really tried to be more of an open platform and communicate with the administration,” said Steinmann. The Faculty Senate has open houses monthly and has been successful in gathering general concerns as well for professors to mingle with faculty from other departments and schools. In the past year, they have met with the Student Government Association to address shifting the academic year as well as improving student-faculty engagement, but “nothing came from that […] the student faculty alliance doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,” said Steinmann.
Faculty on the rise BY GRACE MIGUEL As a well-renowned institution, students both undergraduate and graduate reap the benefits of the name of Stevens Institute of Technology. In 2018, a whopping 96% of Stevens graduates of the Class of 2018 had job security or admission to a graduate school within six months of graduation. While it is evident that Stevens students are given great opportunities, what’s in it for the faculty and staff? According to the C2 goal outlined in the Culture and Governance section of the 10year strategic plan, Stevens will develop a work environment “that fosters a culture of excellence by applying best-inclass practices and services to advance the overall mission, goals, and strategies of the university through the acquisition, development, retention, recognition, and support of a diverse, inclusive, and engaged faculty and staff.” The Center for Faculty Engagement and Advancement (CFEA) serves to help faculty members develop their skills and further their careers. To accomplish these stated goals, the Center has recently added programs, re-
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 advising, teaching and learning best practices, and faculty affairs.” Considering this newly created position, Pierre also noted that, “Dr. Zeng’s position brings together responsibilities for the undergraduate academic experience and faculty affairs and recognizes how closely these areas are connected”. Since joining Stevens, Vice Provost Zeng now oversees a large portfolio of offices including Undergraduate Academics, the Academic Support Center, International Programs, Clark Scholars, Pinnacle Scholars, the Library, and the Center for Faculty Engagement and Advancement. Along with this, the Office of the Registrar now reports to Associate Provost Cindy Chin. In addition to these changes, it was also announced in June that Dr. Dilhan Kalyon would succeed Dr. Mo Dehghani as Interim Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Outside of administrative appointments, the faculty composition has changed significantly since last summer. Back in August, two dozen new additions to the faculty were announced—fourteen in the School of Engineering and Science, five in the School of Business, three in the School of Systems and Enterprises, and two in the College of Arts and Letters. In total, this was one full professor, four associate professors, and nineteen assistant professors. Notably, these new hires were comprised of sixteen men and eight women, which means that Stevens did meet its strategic goal of having at least 30% of all new full-time faculty hires as female. As of Fall 2019, women comprise 26% of total full-time faculty, which meets another of Stevens’ strategic targets. Pierre noted that “while there is still more room to be done, we are
sources, and positions, “including serving as leaders in the departments/programs, schools/ colleges, and university.” There are a variety of programs because “there is no one size fits all solution,” says Xiangwu Zeng, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Faculty Affairs (AI&FA). Programs are held online, on campus, and off campus. Some online programs are “Academic Restructuring: Guidelines for Academic Leaders” and “How Can I Learn From Student Ratings.” These can be found on the CFEA website through myStevens. For those who learn better through in-person instruction, there is an on-campus program called “Leadership in the Academy: Conflict Resolution as a Key Competency” as well as workshops. The CFEA organized 10 workshops for faculty developments with between 10 and 20 faculty members in attendance. If faculty would like to participate in programs outside of Stevens there is a budget for that as well. Dr. Zeng has recently joined our community on August 5, 2019. Some of his achievements include, but are not limited to directing Case Western’s online Master of Sciproud of our accomplishments so far.” Since the two dozen new additions were announced in August, one new faculty member has joined in January—Xueqing (Susan) Liu, Assistant Professor of Computer Science. Moreover, entirely new academic programs were announced for the 2019-2020 academic year. At the undergraduate level, a concentration in Optical Engineering was rolled out, but most of the new programs occurred at the graduate level. For graduate degrees, Stevens now offers a Masters of Engineering in Robotics and Masters of Science in Actuarial Mathematics and Quantitative Risk. For graduate certificates, we now confer ones in Applied Business Analytics, Operational Excellence, and Computational Social Science. The academic structure underlying all these changes has gone through revisions of its own. Pierre commented that “Graduate Education is one of our important focuses at Stevens,” and went on to describe the various changes that have been made in this department. Back in 2018, the Office of Graduate Education was created to improve the overall graduate student experience. Since then, the Graduate Academics unit was expanded and renamed Graduate Academics and Student Success. This office was tasked with “ensuring that graduate students are academically challenged, supported, and successful from enrollment through graduation,” according to Pierre. As a result of this change, the Accelerated Masters Program, which offers a pathway for undergraduate students in their final semesters to continue at Stevens at the graduate level, is now overseen by Graduate Academics and Student Success, having previously been overseen by Undergraduate Academics. Both offices still work closely together to ensure students are advised appropriately.
ence in Civil Engineering program, serving as the Provost’s Faculty Fellow in International Affairs since 2017, and serving as the director of the SENCER (Science Education for New Civics Engagements and Responsibilities) Great Lakes Center for Innovation at Case Western since 2013. Even more impressive is his leading role as soil mechanics expert for NASA’s in-situ resource utilization and vehicle mobility projects, which are part of NASA’s lunar and Mars exploration program. Zeng is proof that we are hiring people who strive for achievement and will help create a community of leaders and innovators. In the 2019-2020 school year, Stevens hired 24 new faculty members. The breakdown is as follows: 2 in the College of Arts and Letters, 5 in the School of Business, 3 in the School of Systems and Enterprises, and 14 in the School of Engineering and Science. There are 16 males and 8 females. Provost Christophe Pierre said, “This meets our strategic plan goal of at least 30% of all new full-time faculty hires as women.” 30% is not close to an even split, so there is more work that needs to be done in female presence.
Attention, attention! Are you getting the alerts? BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM If there were an active shooter on campus, how would you find out? Facebook? A group message? Simply pray that you won’t need to find out? There is only one sure-fire way to get immediate notices on the most important events happening around campus: Stevens Alerts, a system powered by Everbridge Alert System that administrators say isn’t being used by enough students. Sara Klein, the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, stresses that Stevens Alerts provides recipients with “critical and sometimes life-saving information.” If you’re not signed up, you should. You could miss out on an urgent safety notice. “For example,” she said, “if there was an active shooter on campus, Stevens would use the Alert System to notify our community within moments through texts and emails and provide instructions on how to proceed. Trusting any other resource for unofficial guidance could jeopardize the safety of each individual.” Messages are sent once or twice a year and happen only in extreme circumstances. “Students received more Stevens Alerts than usual during the cyber-attack because without email it was our only means of communication,” Klein added. Information about building closures, snow days and other time-sensitive information is also provided. Anyone can sign up for Stevens Alerts at stevens.edu/ alerts.
This is an issue not only within our faculty, staff, and administration, but the student body as well. The STEM career path is currently dominated by men, but with programs like “Girls Who Code” and “Women Impact Tech,” future generations of young girls will be exposed and encouraged to explore careers, interests, and hobbies in STEM. As new members of the Stevens community, each new hire has been paired with a senior faculty member in their academic unit to help guide them in the early stages of their Stevens career. Our new professors and faculty will “learn about being effective researchers and instructors […] They will learn from senior faculty members who understand what it takes to advance in academia and at Stevens.” In addition to this mentor-mentee program, their regular teaching load will be reduced to help them become familiar with Stevens operations and begin their research program. To encourage the faculty to make progress, their performance in research, teaching, and service will be evaluated each year and will determine merit-based compensation increases and, if
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February 21, 2020
Science You are more than chemical functions BY SAMANTHA WINTER I have always loved meeting people who defy my expectations. To my amazement, the seemingly shy girl who sits next to me during class is overwhelmingly outgoing (and hilarious) once I began joking with her. One of the guys in my project group wasn’t completely unrelatable, after all—we have similar tastes in music, and he tells the most entertaining stories about his family. I constantly try to remind myself that there is more to people than what we initially assume, especially if we learn to ask the right questions. When I met physics professor Rainer Martini one afternoon, I didn’t know it yet, but my expectations were about to be defied again. Merriam-Webster defines the hard sciences as “chemistry, physics, or astronomy,” areas of scientific study that can be observed and measured. Although I knew Professor Martini was a theoretical physicist, my idea of what he would actually be like was clouded by images of a stiff man in a white lab coat discussing the hard science itself. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Martini has been teaching physics at Stevens for over 20 years. He has researched infrared laser communication at ultrahigh speeds, applications of terahertz radiation, and the infrared camera system. He welcomed me into his lab with a smile, and I quickly noticed how animated he was when he spoke. Even while answering questions about string theory and semi-conductive electronics, he managed to squeeze in a few quips. The Laws of Nature, he joked, were created “simply to shut people up.” Instead of pretending that he has
all the answers to my questions, he’s just honest. I appreciate that. “We [physicists] are supposed to know how things work, and that is bullshit,” he admits. He’s not the first physicist to disclose the limits of his own knowledge, especially when it comes to spirituality. As the legendary physicist David Bohm once told Professor John Horgan during a 1992 interview, “the form of knowledge is to have at any moment something essential, and the appearance can be explained. But then when we look deeper at these essential things… We’re not ever going to get a final essence.” “There’s a lot of stuff we don’t know or understand yet,” said Martini about some of physics’ “unsolved problems.” But he also adds that, in the physics community, it is difficult to garner support for a theory if it cannot be “seen” or proven. Insight from physicist Steven Barr provides some balance: he sides with the scientists on the procedural side but lets his own conscience direct him spiritually: “my own guiding principle is to trust the experts (generally speaking) on anything purely technical, but to rely more on my own judgment as far as human realities go. I trust the architect on what will keep the building up, but not on what is beautiful.” Sure, we can trust the experts on the technical details. But our own take on ethics, spirituality, and morality should be up to us. We shouldn’t necessarily have to prove the existence of a higher power in order to believe in one. I think that having faith is something that makes us human. I was surprised by Martini when he spoke about his own perspectives on spirituality. “I’m not an atheist,” he told us. “I believe there is something,” he said, perhaps a value system, that
can teach us more about our “way of living.” I assumed he would only want to stick to the science. But, once again, a divergence from the expected proved to be a pleasant surprise. As someone who loves learning about science and the stories that come with it, I appreciated his vulnerable transparency. “As a person, you are more than chemical functions,” said Martini. Scientific explanations can’t fully capture who we are. There’s more to us than others might expect. We’re deeper, more complex, and significant. We should remember that more often.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU
Professor Rainer Martini, pictured above, is the Associate Dean for Graduate Students and teaches several classes in the department of physics and engineering design.
How to read nerve signals with nanotech BY SOLEIL SANTANA At the Schaefer School of Engineering and Sciences, Ph.D. student Robert Bauer has been conducting research in the applications of micro and nanotechnologies for the last three years. His work is specifically focused on the design and fabrication of a non-invasive scalable sensor for the purpose of recording the action potentials of thousands of nerve cells within the human body. Bauer’s experiments and inquiries are handled under the supervision of Professor Yong Shi from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Prior to his research, Bauer received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Cal Poly Pomona University in 2013 and later worked at Northrop Grumman as a major
aerospace defense contractor. After four years at Northrop Grumman, he felt the need to change careers. In 2019, Bauer completed his master’s at Stevens and applied for the school’s Ph.D. program. When asked why he decided to study at Stevens, Bauer explained that he was attracted to the “collaborative set of courses” offered by different disciplines, most notably within the nanotechnology program. The focus of Bauer’s current work is to fabricate a sensor capable of capturing “the signals generated by nerve cells.” These are known as action potential signals. Neural cells produce them when there is an unequal distribution of charged ions on opposite sides of a cell membrane. “The result is that there’s a very large voltage across,” he explains, “about 70 mV, which is large in terms of the scale we’re talking about.” There is an “inherent limitation” to the measurement of these signals with modern-day technology. Most people take measurements directly, using a probe and a wire to carry the voltage. This is damaging to the cell membrane. “Down at the cellular level, your fabrication technologies are primarily microfabrication, and those are planar, meaning 2D fabrication techniques,” said Bauer. At this level, a probe cannot be positioned where a wire is crossed. As you increase the number of probes being used to capture cell signals, probe density lowers, thus restricting the recording process. His solution to this issue is to develop a sensor that can respond to the electric fields being emitted by a cell. “We’re going to put a material near a cell, and that material is sensitive to the electric field, so when the field changes, then we expect to see a material property change,” he said. Bauer had to search for a material with a strong enough relationship between applied electric field, the dielectric constant (the way light bends and changes medium,) and the extinction coefficient (how much light is absorbed.) The material must be thin, with no complex structure, so it will be fairly easy to fabricate a large piece. With the use of light, he explains how there would be no need for wires. “You can use a laser and scan the material surface very quickly at high resolution, and we expect to be able to map out what cells are doing over the whole area.”
‘‘ A BIG PART OF RESEARCH IS THAT MANY ASSUMPTIONS THAT YOU MAKE, YOU HAVE TO VALIDATE... WHERE IS YOUR EXPLANATION FOR THAT, HOW ARE YOU EVALUATING THIS, HOW DO YOU KNOW, HOW MANY REFERENCES DO YOU HAVE FOR THAT?” GBMs Tuesdays • 9:15 p.m. Student Center Room #302
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PHOTO COURTESY OFSOLEIL SANTANA.
Pictured above is a fabricated square sheet of PZT on a platinum layer. The material that Bauer is using for fabrication is called PZT, which stands for Lead Zirconium Titanium. PZT has very high piezoelectric properties and is commonly used as actuators and sensors. Piezoelectricity refers to a property where there is a relation between the strain placed on a material and a generated electric field. Bauer wants to utilize this connection for his research. Before deciding on PZT, Bauer had spent the first year or so trying to identify what would be a good material choice. “Originally, we weren’t sure what kind of material we were going to use,” he acknowledged. “We were actually looking at a material called electrochromic.” Electrochromic can change opacity with applied electric fields and is used in everyday objects such as car rearview mirrors. Nevertheless, Bauer had to reject the material because of its slow response time, which is about two seconds. As action potentials are generated in one to two milliseconds, an electrochromic sensor would not have the ability to document any signal. Additionally, fabricating electrochromic has proven to be a long and exhausting process. A fabricated square sheet of PZT on a platinum layer
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Once he narrowed down his focus to PZT, Bauer has spent the last year and a half trying to find a way to properly produce it. Manufacturing PZT requires identifying how to create a “high-quality film” which should have “uniform thickness, no defects, no cracks, and no pinholes.” Recently, he managed to produce his very first successfully fabricated sample. “In order to make this work, [Bauer] had to put down a layer of platinum underneath the PZT layer,” to create a clean and uniform crystal phase for the PZT. This is due to the fact that platinum has a very similar lattice constant to PZT, thus lowering the nucleation energy required to form the material sheet. The discovery of the need for a supplementary layer of platinum was a big breakthrough for Bauer. When asked about the assistance he has received from Professor Yong Shi as he moved through new stages of his research, Bauer explained that his advisor has been there to ask him questions and help him think hard about the problems with which he is confronted. “A big part of research is that any assumptions that you make, you have to validate. I have to justify why it’s more complicated to fabricate electrochromic than PZT, and why
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the time constant of the domain is slower, and why that is a critical factor to the research.” Professor Shi has been there to ensure that Bauer presents his experimentation and conclusions with clarity by urging him to take all information into consideration and asking questions such as “where is your explanation for that? How are you evaluating this? How do you know? How many references do you have for that?” Along with being a point of contact for any data that is generated from the research, Professor Shi assists Bauer in writing grant applications that will ultimately fund his work. “My goal is to graduate in the Spring of 2022, which would be a five-year program, normal for a Ph.D.,” Bauer said. “The reality is, with a Ph.D., you must generate new scientific knowledge, something that was not previously known or understood, and you must present that to the scientific community. In some senses you are not following a map, you’re making a map. It is sort of challenging, but the reality is that I will complete my degree when the research is done. With hard work and a good idea of what the scope is and what you’re trying to accomplish, you can do things in a reasonable amount of time.” GBMs Tuesdays • 9:15 p.m. Student Center Room #302
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February 21, 2020
Pulse
Sudoku
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February 21, 2020
Culture PASSION FOR FASHION
IMPROMPTU MUSIC REVIEW
All Star Weekend
Dancin’ in my kitchen to Caroline Polachek
BY DANIEL KANG JUNIOR
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING Last weekend was the annual NBA All Star Weekend held in Chicago. Rookies and veterans alike gathered in the Windy City to show off their skills to the world. Many people tuned in to watch the best of the best compete in the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, and the Slam Dunk Contest. During Sunday night’s All-Star Game, Team LeBron (West) took home a stunningly close victory over Team Giannis (East). Other emotional moments were the various tributes to Kobe Bryant. Regardless of what team you supported or feelings you may have about the legendary basketball city, the sneakers did not fail to disappoint either. In no particular order, I present the best shoes released during this action packed weekend. 1. Jordan 5 Retro Off-White Black I know it’s the millionth time you’ve seen Off-White and Virgil Abloh mentioned in this column, but you got to give it to the man — he really knows how to design a great shoe. This shoe in particular celebrates the 30th anniversary of the release of the first Jordan 5, Abloh’s upbringing in Chicago, and Abloh’s own first Jordan shoe, which was the Jordan 5 Black Metallic. First seen at the F/W 20 OffWhite fashion show in Paris, this shoe comes with translucent circular panels (which Abloh cut out in true DIY fashion) and translucent yellow rubber outsole, which is evocative of the way old shoes look when they are worn. He also teased a white version of the Jordan 5, which is most likely releasing later this year. 2. Adidas Yeezy Quantum Basketball Another prominent Chicago native, Kanye West, came prepared for the main event. In addition to performing at a deeply stirring Sunday Service and sitting courtside for the main game (next to J. Cole!), he ventured into the world of basketball shoes with the Quantum Basketball. Teased
by Kanye since last year, the shoe features textured panels, translucent casing, and suede toe. Even more unconventional was the way in which they released: Sherp trucks rolled around Chicago giving them out for free while Chicago retailers stocked limited pairs. Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram actually wore them on court. Meanwhile, Kanye was seen wearing another colorway of his basketball shoes. 3. Air Fear of God 1 String Jerry Lorenzo’s next offering was inspired by his longtime hero Allen Iverson. The shoe’s two-tone color palette and Lorenzo’s photo campaign pays direct homage to Iverson’s Reebok Question Mid. A Triple Black colorway of the Fear of God 1 has also been spotted, hinting that a release is on the way. 4. New Balance 992 Joe Freshgoods Don’t Be Mad One of the more underrated releases of the weekend was the New Balance shoe spearheaded by yet another Chicago native, Joe Freshgoods. His DIY streetwear aesthetic has earned him plenty of fans and apparently a productive partnership with the American brand. This shoe, inspired by Valentine’s Day, features streaks of red, maroon, and pink. He also dropped a New Balance OMN1S Joe Freshgoods No Emotions Are Emotions, a basketball performance shoe at the Chicago-exclusive pop-up shop. 5. Jordan 1 Retro High ’85 Varsity Red A major event in Chicago would not be complete without the shoe that started it all. The first difference between this shoe and recent colorways of the Jordan 1 is the raised upper and ankle padding on this throwback to the original shoes Michael Jordan laced up back in 1985. This specific colorway flips Jordan’s famed “Banned” colorway with the familiar red and black. 6. Jordan New Beginnings Pack 1 & Nike Air Ship The Air Ship was released in 1984 and was the first shoe Michael Jordan wore in his rookie season before switching to his own Jordan 1. The red and white colors found on both shoes recall the original shoes Jordan wore, another reminder that Chicago would not be where it is today if it were not for Jordan’s phenomenal performance driving the Bulls to the playoffs. Honorable Mentions: Jordan 1 Retro High NC to CHI, Air Force 1 High Just Don All Star Blue, Jordan 3 Retro Fire Red Cement (Nike Chicago), Jordan Aerospace 720 Lyrical Lemonade, Nike LeBron 17 Monstars, Nike Kyrie 6 Trophies, Jordan 10 Retro Wings, Nike KD 12 Don C, Nike Adapt BB 2.0 Black, Nike Zoom Freak 1 Employee of the Month, Nike PG 4 Gatorade All-Star 2020
BY NATALIE TODARO SOPHOMORE
VISUAL ARTS & TECHNOLOGY Little did I know that yesterday morning, my life would change forever. As I do on many mornings, I was surfing the recommended videos that the YouTube algorithm chose to present me with in hopes of a possible podcast to listen to or a makeup tutorial to follow. Among these presented videos was a video from Jimmy Kimmel Live, titled “Caroline Polachek – So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings.” The title of the song alone sold me into clicking on the video, but I was also intrigued because of Polachek herself. I was reminded of a past Instagram post from one of my favorite artists, Maggie Rogers, which had praised Polachek and her music. Curious to see her performance, I started watching, and as soon as the performance started, I was already obsessed. Atop a spinning rock is Polachek herself (seriously, believe me, go watch it) serving a
“I feel like this song is a really good example of “honest music.” I mean, “I cry on the dance floor, it’s so embarrassing” just speaks to my Leo soul on such a personal level.”
head-to-toe black ensemble detailed with a string-like drapery. Lookswise, I got instant Cher vibes. The Pretty Reckless, but make it pop? Yes! I’d also like to point out a comment from Michael Coppola on the YouTube video that said, “I’m a sucker for lazy choreography.” Nobody could’ve said it better than you, Michael. Polachek’s occasional arm movements and various positions on the spinning boulder may seem random and unsystematic, and that’s because they are. They’re unmethodical and almost arbitrary but they only add uniqueness, individuality, and, dare I say, texture! I mean, seriously, the title “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” makes me love her without even listening to the song. But listen to the song, because it’s a straight bop. I can almost describe her sound as The Japanese House meets Maggie Rogers. The synthesizer and vocal reverb-type manipulation had me dancin’ and groovin’ in my kitchen and were very reminiscent of 80s music. And if I’m honest, if a song makes me dance in my kitchen, that’s really all it takes it to become a hit in my book!
I feel like this song is a really good example of “honest music.” I mean, “I cry on the dance floor, it’s so embarrassing” just speaks to my Leo soul on such a personal level. And I feel like “honest music” is something that’s evolving everyday as more and more artists are writing their own songs. Growing up, I remember looking on the inside of CDs to see who wrote the songs I was listening to, and more often than not, it was someone other than the singer. I remember not understanding how a singer could sing and claim a song on their album that they didn’t have involvement in writing; it didn’t feel honest or genuine to me, and that was what I thought music should be about. Singer-songwriters are popping up more than ever, and needless to say, I’m living for it! Caroline Polachek is my new favorite human. Performing on a spinning rock with lazy choreography and a boppin’ song? Give it all to me! This Jimmy Kimmel performance is sure to be on repeat for a while in my YouTube watch history. Her aura and stage presence showcase her artistry that is individualistic, sassy, and lazy. Bring it, sis.
Caroline Polachek is a New York born singer-songwriter. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.
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February 21, 2020
Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL One of my favorite dramas of all time is called Pinocchio. It’s pretty old (came out in 2014) and is somewhat of a classic to people who watch K-dramas. The show is about television reporters. The two main leads, Lee Jongsuk and Park Shin-hye, play childhood friends who grow up in the countryside. Park’s character (In-ha) has a condition called “Pinnochio’s Syndrome” which causes her to hiccup every time she lies. In the universe, it’s considered somewhat of a disability, so she often gets made fun of and is only friends with Lee’s character (Dal-po), who is the kid in class who doesn’t try on purpose and is labelled as a problem child. K-dramas are honestly complicated, so let me skip ahead. In-ha dreams of becoming a reporter because her mom, who left their family, is a reporter that prioritized her career over her children. She becomes the first “Pinnochio” reporter in Korea who can’t lie to the TV viewers. Dal-po wants to be a reporter because he was a victim of careless reporting that caused the general public to persecute his family. He wants to be righteous, as opposed to other reporters, who he perceives to be in it for fame, money, or politics. He joins the competitor’s news network. Truthfully, I often look back to this drama when I’m conflicted
Pinocchio
news you want to hear. Maybe we want to hear the exciting stuff, but we need to hear the important stuff. We deserve to know it. Even if we don’t want it, even if it makes us upset, we have to know it. I’m not the most righteous person to exist. So maybe my concept of “what people need to know” isn’t what you’d agree with. Maybe you think I’m childish for citing a television show, but now you know how I made my decisions (even before this week) and what influences my ethics. People are just the culmination of their experiences, and TV is based on real life. When I decided (in October) that last week we would publish a full issue related to mental health, I had made up my mind that this topic, these stories, were what people needed to know. Despite it being hard and scary and different from the normal, I believed, and still believe, all of the stories which people were so courageous to write were worth sharing and more important than the weekly news last week. If we could not meet your expectations, all I can say (since last week was already printed) is that I am genuinely sorry to let you down. All of my staff really tried to do our best work with only good intentions, but sometimes reporters do make mistakes. By nature, we have to take risks, and
about the job of reporters. What is “right” and what is “wrong” to report about? The characters often broadcast live; how does presentation and framing affect the way people interpret the story and your intentions? There are a few scenes that I consider brilliant in this drama. I’ll just share one I love. The topic is: “Which news should come first?” Dal-po is with his team at a restaurant, and they’re discussing what to broadcast as the main story for the next evening. The whole team seems to be in agreement that the answer is “the news people want to hear.” So, Dal-po tells his sunbae (older colleague) that he has good news and bad news, and asks which one he wants to hear first. The sunbae says good news, so Dal-po complies and informs him that he got tickets for a K-pop concert with all the hottest stars. The guy gets so pumped that he nearly forgets that there’s bad news. Dal-po tells him the bad news: he (the sunbae) has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. All of a sudden, the guy is devastated and demanding why Dalpo didn’t tell him sooner that he was dying. Dal-po responds, “Why? Cancer isn’t what people want to hear about. The concert is, so it should come first.” The moral of the story is obvious. News you need to hear comes before
MIND OF A FRESHMAN
So … Valentine’s Day
BY JULIA WIERZBICKI FRESHMAN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Valentine’s Day has got to be one of the most divisive national holidays there is. Some people go allout, buying their significant others ginormous bears and enough chocolate to feed a small village. Other couples boycott the holiday, saying that they should be showing affection to their partner every day, not just one particular day a year. Some singles ignore it, while others turn it on its head in favor of something like “Galentine’s Day” as an opportunity to hang out with friends. Regardless of how you do (or don’t) celebrate, relationships are a tricky subject that I think people sometimes overthink and take too seriously. So, let’s talk
about it. As of this being published, Valentine’s Day will have already passed. There were the usual social media posts, surprise flowers, and trips to the fanciest dinners that broke college students can afford. For those that have someone to enjoy those things with, it’s a nice occasion to get a little dressed-up and show your affection to each other. For those that don’t, however, it’s easy to get self-conscious. Although this is the first Valentine’s Day that I’ve actually had someone to share it with, I vividly remember in years passed getting pretty down on myself when I saw everyone posting on social media about their “perfect Valentine’s Day.” It can feel like a competition between people for “who loves their SO the most” or “whose relationship is the most #goals.” And that’s where the problem comes in. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Valentine’s Day. It should be a time to emphasize your love and how much you care for your partner. But the era of social media has twisted the day into a flurry of commercialization and Instagram posts with romantic song lyrics. If we’re being honest with ourselves, that’s not what love is, and that shouldn’t be the focus of our relationships either. It can feel like people are trying to shove it down their followers’ throats and say “look how in love we
are!” Even though it may be fun to post constantly about your partner on every platform possible, that’s not how we should be celebrating our affection. Now, I’m not going to say you should never post about your relationship, because that’s not true either. Even I made a post about Valentine’s Day this year. But posting too much on social media about your relationship can often make personal things too public — and end up putting other people down with the constant reminders. It’s a difficult thing: you want to show your affection for one another, but doing it too much can tarnish what you have. Just being aware of it, though, is a good start. If you’re in a relationship, enjoy it. I hope you had a nice Valentine’s Day and had the opportunity to spend quality time with your partner. It’s totally okay if you posted on social media, but just remember that there’s more to love than likes and comments. And if you’re single, enjoy the freedom. Just because you don’t have a partner right now doesn’t make you any less worthy or wanted. Finally, make a choice to spread the love every day, not just Valentine’s Day. And that means to everyone, not just your partner. Not only will random acts of kindness make someone’s day, I promise it’ll make you feel good too, knowing that you’re making the world a little brighter.
OFF THE PRESS
Tips on Having a Successful Valentine’s Day BY OFF CENTER Foreword: This article was initially meant to be published on Valentine’s Day, but, unfortunately, The Stute deemed our column unworthy of mental health week, presumably because the truths that we always aim to portray with the utmost accuracy would potentially be too grave to include within a newspaper that was meant to convey exclusively positive messages. From not just Off the Press, but on behalf of all of Off Center comedy club, we understand completely that our subject matter may be too serious for people to be able to innocently enjoy and maintain their mental health by reading. Now, with the formalities out of the way, please pretend that you’re reading the following article a week ago, on the day of love itself. For those of you who will be spending this Valentine’s Day with their partner(s), we at Off the Press would like to remind you to practice safe sex. To the remaining one hundred percent of our readers, we’ve prepared some hot tips to ensure that you never have to spend another Valentine’s Day alone (unless this happens to be your first Valentine’s Day, in which case, aren’t you a little young to be reading this?). To get some thorough industry insight, we interviewed local love guru and general hunk Dixon Gerald Spawt. Spawt had some incredible tips to instantly make anyone fall madly in love with you, other than the ones everyone already knows and we therefore won’t
even bother going into here. 1. The Air Of Mystery Nothing will get someone crazier about you than the need to know more of your story. According to Spawt, “It’s human nature to want what you can’t have. I should know. I’ve always wanted to know why people laugh when they hear my name, but they never tell me why! For example, when I moved up here just last year, I applied for a New Jersey driver’s license, and they rejected my application because they thought ‘Spawt, Dixon G.’ was a joke name! Seriously, what’s so funny about Dixon G. Spawt?” This struck a note with our reporter, Ferdinand Shiddin, who started crying so much we had to send in a second reporter to finish the interview while the two of them held each other in a mutually supportive hug the entire time. 2. Love Letters It’s tried, it’s true, it’s somewhat cliché, which is why anyone would be surprised should you actually be bold enough to do it. Keeping with the theme of being mysterious from the first tip, it’s best to make them wonder who sent the letter, signing it with something like, “—Your secret admirer,” or, “—Definitely not me, Jeffery.” Naturally, if they recognize your handwriting, then any attempt you made at anonymity will be null and void. To avoid this, you can type your love message, but Mr. Spawt warns against this, citing it as appearing disingenuous. To make it truly heartfelt, he advises that, instead, you should do something that
takes a long time in order to form your love memo, such as cutting letters from various different magazines and putting them together on a piece of paper that you somehow managed to get on their nightstand even though the door was locked. A sample opening line to really hook the interest of your love-receptacle-to-be: “If you ever want to see your heart again, come to the following address at 11:30 pm…” These were just a few of the tips that D. G. Spawt had prepared for us. Normally, this would be where we would provide a link to the extended article online with the rest of the tips included in it, but, unfortunately, these were the only ones that our reporters could remember due to having been so deeply enamored by Spawt’s dreamy mahogany eyes and flowing shoe-polish black hair. On an unrelated note, the two reporters involved with this article have not been seen since the day of the interview. Although these are only rumors, and this column deals EXCLUSIVELY with nothing but facts, we have heard tell of recent Dixon Gerald Spawt sightings with him mumbling something in regards to “two new additions to his collection.” We at Off the Press swear to work tirelessly (during normal business hours, of course) to check the accuracy of these rumors, hopefully in time for next Valentine’s Day. Please be sure to immediately report any sightings to 1-800-EAT-DIX (that’s EAT as in Extremely Active Tracking, DIX as in short for Dixon).
we always learn from those choices. Although you trust us to be perfect and omniscient and to have all the answers, we aren’t and we don’t. The Stute is always published on Friday, whether or not we are ready. If I can be honest, last week our team was in total disarray up until 15 minutes AFTER our deadline, debating about how much we should be censoring. We submitted 30 minutes late and then due to technical difficulties with the publisher didn’t actually finish until 4 a.m. I didn’t even want to wake up after that night, but you just have to move forward. People always just expect to have the paper in their hands on Friday mornings. They don’t see the week-long or month-long journey that is figuring out our shit internally, collecting tips, balancing censorship and criticism. They see us from their limited perspective—without knowing what it’s like to do this job—and carelessly say things that aren’t true about us to all their friends. The same way we don’t know anything about you, you don’t know anything about us. I don’t think we did a bad thing by trying. When we were asked to write about these topics, we could not sit still. We felt obligated to do something, do anything. But again, everyone has a different sense of justice and
set of morals. I think, “If not the media, who else will?” You might think differently, and it’s okay. It’s just life. We are not a faceless entity. We are made up of students just like you. In general, I would encourage anyone who has any issues with our organization to reach out to us to have a conversation. Don’t contact me if you want to just sit me down and call me a horrible person to my face with one-sided evidence. We always want to hear real feedback about our work, positive or negative. Even article suggestions are great because we don’t know about everything that people need to know. Only with your help can we actually get better and closer to reaching our purpose of serving the Stevens community.
Audrey Dsouza Editor-in-Chief
SCIENTIFIC CURMUDGEON
Can Mysticism Solve the Mind-Body Problem?
BY JOHN HORGAN
CAL PROFESSOR I just spent a week at a symposium on the mind-body problem, the deepest of all mysteries. The mind-body problem—which encompasses consciousness, free will, and the meaning of life—concerns who we really are. Are we matter, which just happens to give rise to mind? Or could mind be the basis of reality, as many sages have insisted? The weeklong powwow, called “Physics, Experience and Metaphysics,” took place at Esalen Institute, a retreat center in Big Sur, California. Fifteen men and women representing physics, psychology, philosophy, religious studies, and other fields sat in a room overlooking the Pacific and swapped mind-body ideas. What made the conference unusual, at least for me, was the emphasis on what were called “exceptional experiences,” including mystical visions. During a mystical experience, as defined by psychologist William James, you think—you know—that you are encountering ultimate reality. The meeting’s abstract asked whether exceptional experiences can “move us forward toward answering the deep unresolved questions of mind and matter and their place in nature.” My colleagues sought to account for mystical visions with a variety of frameworks, involving quantum mechanics, information theory, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jungian psychology, or combinations of the above. These perspectives diverge from conventional materialism, which insists that matter is primary. I kept finding myself playing the role of skeptic, pushing back against my colleagues’ assertions. Here are points I made, or tried to make, at the meeting. The Mystical Diversity Problem. Many scholars have tried constructing metaphysical systems out of mystical visions. They often focus on insights that share certain features, notably a sense of oneness with all things, plus feelings of love and bliss. Those fortunate enough to have these experiences often come away convinced that a loving God or spirit underlies everything, and there is no death, only transformation. That’s a consoling thought. But as William James pointed out, many
mystical visions are “melancholic” or “diabolical.” You feel profound alienation and emptiness, accompanied by feelings of horror and despair. The immense diversity of mystical experiences thwarts efforts to construct a mystical metaphysics. The Neo-Geocentrism Problem. Mystics often insist that mind, not matter, is the fundamental stuff of reality, or that mind and matter are two aspects of an underlying usstuff. This non-materialist outlook, I think it’s fair to say, was the majority view at Esalen, and it has become increasingly popular among prominent mind-body theorists, such as neuroscientist Christof Koch and philosopher David Chalmers. I call this view neo-geocentrism because it revives the ancient assumption that the universe revolves around us. Geocentrism reflected our innate narcissism and anthropomorphism, and so do modern theories that make mind—as far as we know a uniquely terrestrial phenomenon—central to the cosmos. The shift away from geocentrism centuries ago was one of humanity’s greatest triumphs, and neo-geocentrism, I fear, represents a step back toward darkness. The Ineffability Problem. An irony lurks within efforts to create a mystical metaphysics. Mystics often warn that their experiences are impossible to describe, or “ineffable,” as William James put it. So there is something contradictory about trying to construct an explanatory system involving mysticism. My mystical experiences have reinforced my conviction—spelled out in my book Mind-Body Problems—that there can be no final, definitive solution to the question of who we really are. The Beauty Problem. Esalen, which is breathtakingly beautiful, made me recall a comment by the physicist and atheist Steven Weinberg: “I have to admit that sometimes nature seems more beautiful than strictly necessary.” Our world is filled with so much pain and injustice that I cannot believe in a loving God. This is the problem of evil. But the flip side of the problem of evil is the problem of beauty. Beauty, love and friendship—and our hardwon, halting moral progress—make it hard for me to believe that life is just an accident. So to answer the question posed by my headline: No, mysticism cannot solve the mind-body problem, the mystery of our existence. Quite the contrary. Mysticism rubs our face in the mystery. I don’t believe in little miracles, like resurrections or angelic visitations, but I believe in the Big Miracle within which we dwell every moment of our lives, and which no theory or theology will ever explain away. John Horgan directs the Stevens Center for Science Writings, which is part of the College of Arts & Letters. This column is adapted from one published on his Scientific American blog, “Cross-check.”
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February 21, 2020
Opinion CAMPUS CONSERVATIVE
CAMPUS LIBERAL
Campaign finance is…weird
Grass roots is the only way to save democracy.
BY ALEX MURTAGH SENIOR
CIVIL ENGINEERING Campaign finance is a very tricky subject. On one hand, no one should be able to buy an election, but on the other we have a nearly unrestricted right to free speech. I’ll be honest, I have trouble placing myself on one side of this issue over the other. One part of me says, “yes, people should be able to spend their money however they like because that’s their right to do so,” but the other part of me says, “no, why should someone who has a ton of money just be able to walk in at any time and spread their message.” Obviously, these two sides of me begin to form a cyclical argument that will never have a resolution, but it’s worth taking a look at each side to see what their cases are. In the landmark case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, we see that the money is free speech argument wins out. This is typically the conservative view of campaign finance. If I work for my money and earn a fair and honest living, I should be able to
spend it as I see fit. I may be working long hours every day, so there’s no time for me to go and campaign for my favorite candidate. So, I can substitute my presence by paying someone else to go and campaign on my behalf. It’s my money and I have the right to do as I see fit with it. After all, even if there are restrictions, what’s to stop me from finding ways around those restrictions? The government can come in and propose loads of new regulations, but there will always be a way around them. What about corporations, labor unions, and super PACs? They already allow us to give as much as we want. Their only restrictions are that they can’t directly collaborate with a candidate’s campaign to better advertise on their behalf. But realistically, there’s always a back door for the two parties to communicate. And why should a business get a say? It’s not a person. Businesses don’t vote, although their employees do. Labor unions don’t vote, but their members do. Super PACs don’t vote, but the people who fund them do. Okay, so what about the people on the side of the Federal Election Commission during the Supreme Court case? The money wasn’t the only thing that was restricted, it was also when the money could be spent. No “electioneering communication” could happen 30 days before a primary and 60 days from a general election. This is a clear restriction on free speech and something I could never support as a result. But what about the money? Well, the bill that was struck down by Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was known
as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. A major portion of this bill controlled how money could be raised and spent. My favorite part of this bill was the ban on foreign nationals and corporations donating to candidates. There should be no foreign contributions in an American election, and, thankfully, that is the one piece of the legislation that still stands today. The rest of the bill was struck down because the court argued it was a restriction of free speech. How does a company speak? Do all of its employees agree? Does everyone in the labor union agree? Probably not. But this isn’t the case for Super PACs. They all agree on the message and goal. The last point I want to address is a candidate like Mayor Bloomberg who has literally billions of dollars to spend. It is unethical for him to impart his will by advertising almost everywhere. However, it is up to the American citizen at the same time to do their homework and not just accept the facts fed to them. But the realist in me knows most people won’t do that. I wouldn’t support it if/when Trump does it. If ordinary citizens wanted to jump in, they would clearly be not on the same playing field. In my opinion, if you choose to run, there should be restrictions on how much of your own money you may contribute to your campaign. Overall, I’m leaning towards the conservative ideal here (shocker), but admittedly there is much more to learn about this topic. And I ask anyone who may read this, be open-minded and willing to explore every issue even if you think you’re a die-hard socialist or a true red-blooded Republican.
THE FRIDAY OBSERVER
The burden of the free
BY ERIC S. LONDRES JUNIOR
COMPUTER SCIENCE Last semester, I had a lengthy conversation with a Stevens employee about the nature of the press at Stevens and, more broadly, in the United States. This employee told me that they read something published in The Stute which they found at first to be shocking and concerning, and then, as they thought more about the context of the piece, uplifting and inspirational. The piece in question was a column I had written, published in the September 27 issue. Admittedly, the piece is a little more abrasive than it probably should have been; it discusses the failure of Stevens to act on their own admission to improperly charging students fees they should not have paid for years. My writing on the subject was borne out of passion, as the subject (objective descriptions of which appeared almost contemporaneously in The Stute‘s News section) legitimately enraged me. So provocative and incendiary was my language and content in the column that I faced a fair amount of pushback for it even within The Stute. I am not writing about this to defend myself. The pushback I received then was deserved, and after September I began to dilute my passions in this column with more interesting and thought-provoking content. So you can imagine my surprise when months after the piece was published, a Stevens employee strikes up a conversation with me about it. Shocked, they told me they were. Shocked and concerned. But not shocked and concerned that I felt the way I did, or that The Stute was willing to publish something so negative. No, the employee was shocked that I was allowed to publish such works at all, and concerned for me and my future prospects in the uni-
versity. But that concern, I was told, quickly faded; the United States, unlike places this employee had spent considerable amounts of time before, values freedom of the press and the free expression of thought. Inspired, they then told me they were. Not because of the subject matter of my column. Sure, the things I described were not exactly good news, but they felt inspired by the fact that I could say them at all, without fear of life-altering repercussions. The employee told me a long and disheartening story of a time long ago when they had not been so lucky as to enjoy the freedoms that I enjoy today. Uplifted, they told me they felt, to know so truly that our society now is not like that. I turned the story and feelings of this employee over in my head for a long time. Chewed on it, spit it up, swallowed it again. To quote a wonderful song by King Crimson, “I carried it around with me for days and days and days, playing little games like not looking at it for a whole day.” It was a truly moving story; not a unique one by any means, but the fact that it was told here, at my university, in a building I would trod through probably ten thousand times in my life, made it special for me. Eventually, I drew a conclusion, a theme from the story that I was comfortable sticking with. Those of us with a platform have an obligation to speak truth to power. There are only a handful of officially-sanctioned media organizations on the Stevens campus, and of those only a couple actually have the ability to reach the eyes and ears of the students and faculty here. The Stute is certainly the biggest of that group. Because of this, I feel—and have already begun, since December, to imbue my writings with this feeling—that the Stevens media community simply must continue to be that voice so long as we are listened to. I’m not advocating for any big change here. We’re doing our job pretty well as it is. In fact, for those of you who aren’t involved with the Stevens media yourself, you would not believe the amount of flak that we get from pretty much every source imaginable. But this isn’t a thankless job. In fact, I believe that the story the Stevens employee told me is one of the greatest thanks I could ever receive for my work in the media. Something that I wrote gave someone faith not only in the
authenticity of The Stute, but in the success and goodness of the United States as an idea. That is something to be proud of, as an organization; that is something worth fighting for. Of course, people don’t always seem to agree with my view on the media. As I wrote earlier, you probably would not believe the attacks suffered by the Stevens media community. Sometimes being free means you have to accept the burden of saying things that make people uncomfortable. And sometimes, there’s no good answer as to why you have to do that other than that you simply have to. Every time I hear that our Editor-in-Chief was threatened by someone for something we published, every time a wannabe politician in Student Government tries to make up reasons to shut us down, every time I receive an email informing me that people have been asking questions about my “motives” behind my back, I know that the media is doing something very, very right. As strange as it is to write, it’s our responsibility to make people uncomfortable. It’s our responsibility to say things that deserve to be said when no one else will or can. I understand that not everyone shares my view on this matter. In fact, I have recently come to understand that I share this very Opinion section with someone who has viciously attacked the Stevens media community for doing the very thing that I say is our obligation. While I find it disappointing that there are people so very out of touch with the role played by the media on this campus, it does not bother me. I know that our values are in the right place, and that when push comes to shove as long as we are fulfilling our duty we’re doing pretty okay. The story told to me by the Stevens employee was galvanizing, but I am certain that there are countless others who hear the words we write and speak and feel the same way. Consider this a love-letter to the Stevens media community. I’ve certainly put too many hours of my life into you, but you have given back to me all of that and more. To see you lose your sense of purpose or abandon that freedom which you have uniquely acquired on this campus would be to see myself lose faith in this university and its student body forever. Fortunately, I see no signs of that happening. I hope the road ahead of us will be as bumpy as it is long.
BY PETER WHITE FRESHMAN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING In the 2010 case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of Citizens United. In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy declared, “The First Amendment protects the right to free speech, despite the speaker’s corporate identity.” This ruling essentially means that corporations are free to inf luence campaigns with their enormous sums of money, and are subject to almost no restrictions. The Supreme Court, through a very partisan decision, declared that the constitutional right to free speech should be extended to corporations and their money. In the decade since that ruling the amount of “dark money” in federal elections has increased exponentially. “Dark money” refers to spending from nonprofit organizations, such as charities, which are not required to disclose the identities of their donors. This means that individuals may donate as much money as they wish, which can be funneled to political campaigns, without anyone knowing where the money is coming from. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a group devoted to tracking money’s inf luence in American politics, in the elections before and after Citizens United, there was an increase of over 300% in dark money contributions in presidential elections. In addition to the increase in dark money contributions, super PAC spending has more than double the amount outside spending on federal elections. A super PAC differs from dark money organizations in that these groups cannot donate directly to political campaigns or parties. While both types of fundraising groups may raise unlimited money from corporations and individuals, super PACs must inf luence elections through their own advertisements or other avenues not directly connected to a campaign or party. According to the Pew Re-
search Center, the money coming from political action committees and party committees has remained constant since the 2010 court case, but spending from super PACs has increased from nearly $0 to as much as $600 million. In total, these avenues for fundraising have added billions of dollars to the political landscape. Realistically, it is impossible to compete for national office, such as the Office of the President, without enormous sums of money. Intuitively, the campaign that receives the most publicity will win the election. Therefore, the campaign with the most money, be it from dark money or super PACs, is likely to gain power over American politics. This is a horrifying reality that poses a serious threat to our democracy. Many Democrats have recently vowed to reject money from super PACs, but they rarely speak about dark money contributions. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders does not accept large dollar donations, meaning that his campaign finance is shockingly transparent, but very few are willing to follow in his footsteps. Regardless of a few good politicians’ choice to utilize grass roots fundraising, corporate money has taken over federal elections, and this development must be reversed. Under current regulations, elections may be decided by just a few individuals. Corporations, at the whims of a few out-of-touch executives, may shovel millions and millions of dollars into the pockets of any politician who swears to protect their interests. This means that our democratically elected officials have no incentive to cater to the needs of their constituents, as their constituents (somewhat counter-intuitively) are not the ones keeping them in office. The only solution is to eliminate big money from politics. Overturning Citizens United would be a good start to saving our democracy. Forcing politicians to utilize grassroots organizing would make them better representatives. Their money would be tied to their performance in office and would lead the nation in a direction more closely tied with the vision of its people. This belief is somewhat non-partisan. Every American has it in their best interests to act against corporate inf luence of politics, and to act in favor of the democratic institutions that make this nation so great. If you wish to act as an individual to help enact these reforms I recommend helping groups such as the Center for Responsive Politics, mentioned above, or taking part in grassroots organizing to get people in office who care about your voice.
THANK YOU FOR READING THE STUTE! Thank you for opening up this week’s issue of The Stute! We publish every Friday, and we would love to have you join our organization and get involved. Email eboard@thestute.com for more information on how to get involved.
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February 21, 2020
Sports
ON DECK IN SPORTS FRI, FEB 21 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD vs Last Chance Meet 3 PM New York, NY
MEN’S BASEBALL vs New Jersey City University 3 PM Hoboken, NJ PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM
Swimming teams win MAC Championship BY ETHAN CHE
For four long, grueling days from February 13 to 16 in York, PA, both the men’s and women’s swimming teams competed in the MAC Championship conference meet. With titles to defend and new ones to conquer, both the women’s and men’s teams had something to prove. And with little time left in both of their seasons, they had to prove themselves fast. The women’s team was performing strong right from the first day, taking second place overall. This strong start was in no small part due to junior Isabelle Rivera’s win in the 50-yard freestyle, which boosted Stevens up through the rankings. Senior Isabella Fairman had a very productive day as well, breaking the MAC
500-yard freestyle record (which she also held prior to the meet). Both Rivera and Fairman earned First Team All-MAC. After the first day, it was all smooth sailing for the women’s team from there on, with the Ducks placing first every single day from the second day on. The Ducks took gold in the 200-freestyle on day two, giving them the lead that they needed to keep them in the lead. The Ducks did not appear to get tired of winning on the third day, bringing home the gold in the 800-yard freestyle. With less and less space left in their trophy case going into day four, Stevens continued to dominate. The championship title was so close to them, so the Ducks knew that they could not slow down on the last day. Keeping up their energy, Stevens won
three out of the five events on the last day. These wins gave them their first MAC Championship and first conference title since the 2012-13 season. Fairman, who won a grand total of six golds, was named the MAC Swimmer of the Year. The men’s team did not disappoint either. After a first-place win on day one, Stevens never stepped down from the throne for the rest of the meet. Junior Kurt von Autenried catapulted Stevens to first place on day one with a win in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard medley relay. The Ducks did not lose their energy going into day two, and after their wins in both the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley, Stevens solidified their first-place lead. With the meet halfway over, the Ducks knew that they had to keep
their strong performances if they wanted a shot at the title. Thankfully, Stevens did not disappoint in days three and four. With a gold in both the 100-yard breaststroke and 800yard freestyle by senior Tyler Zanki on day three, the Ducks were all but confirmed to win the title. When day four finally rolled around, the Ducks were poised to grab the title. After winning the 400-yard freestyle relay, this became a reality. With this title, the Ducks have won the conference title eight seasons in a row. In the end, the women’s team finished with 1178.5 points and 16 medals, while the men’s team finished with a MAC Championship record of 1519.5 points, and 18 medals. Be sure to catch the men’s NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships from March 18 to 21.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL vs No.2 New Paltz 7 PM New Paltz, NY
SAT, FEB 22 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs King’s College 1 PM Hoboken, NJ
MEN’S LACROSSE vs No. 18 Dickinson College 2 PM Carlisle, PA
Track and field continues to set records BY JUSTIN CROSS
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM
The men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to Boston, MA, last Friday to compete in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University. Both teams looked eager to carry their momentum from the past invitationals into this one. Senior Nicholas DiMaria highlighted the men’s performance as he broke his third record this season. After setting new records in the 300 meter and 500 meter races earlier this season, DiMaria ran a 49.13 second 400 meter dash, surpassing the previous school record of 49.40 seconds. With this phenomenal performance, DiMaria climbed into the top 6 for both the 200 and 400 meter race nationally. Junior Amar Bindra followed in suit and set two new personal records with 22.74 seconds in the 200 meter
and 49.88 second in the 400 meter to win his section. Bindra’s outstanding races inspired his fellow teammates, including Jonathan Scamardella and David Springstead. Both individuals dominated in the high jump with Scamardella winning his final and Springstead finishing tied for 13th. Prior to his incredible high jump performance, Springstead set a new personal record in the 60 meter dash of 8.84 seconds, which was good enough to place 20th. The record breaking did not stop there either. Sophomore Enis Rama cleared 4.35 meters, crushing his personal record and finishing in 17th. The Ducks 4×400 medley team, comprised of Daniel Kaba, Trevor LaDue, Bindra, and DiMaria, ran a 3:22:63 (m i nut e:s e c ond s:m i l l i s e c ond s), breaking their season best. They finished in 26th place and moved to 10th in the Atlantic region.
The men’s team was not the only team shattering records. The women’s 4×400 medley team, made up of freshmen Liana Meyer and Laura Mathews, junior Erica O’Kelly, and senior Gina Dello Russo, found their way to the top of the podium after a grueling race. Russo moved the team from last to first in the last 400 meters of the race. Impressive efforts from each individual helped them set a new personal record of 4:02:69, which beat their previous record by three whole seconds. They now boast the second best time in the Middle Atlantic Conference and the ninth best in the Atlantic region. Both teams look to continue their dominance in their next meet this upcoming weekend. Athletes will compete in the Last Chance Meet in New York City to prepare for the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships and hopefully qualify for the NCAA Championships.
DUCK COUNTRY SCOREBOARD DATE FRI FEB 14 SAT FEB 15 SAT FEB 15 SAT FEB 15 SAT FEB 15 SUN FEB 16 TUES FEB 18 WED FEB 19
TEAM MEN’S WRESTLING MEN’S BASKETBALL MEN’S LACROSSE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MEN’S BASEBALL MEN’S BASKETBALL MEN’S BASEBALL
OPPONENT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY EASTERN UNIVERSITY SWARTHMORE COLLEGE NO. 2 VASSAR COLLEGE EASTERN UNIVERSITY RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEWARK FDU-FLORHAM DREW UNIVERSITY
SCORE W (23-21) W (75-61) W (9-4) W (3-0) W (73-49) L (4-7), W (9-4) W (72-70) W (6-4)