[The Stute] November 3, 2017 (Issue 9, Volume CXV)

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TUTE WE

Volume CXV

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Issue 9

WRITE

STEVENS

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Featured:

• Out of the Darkness Walk • • Halloween Events on Campus • • SGA Candidate Q & A • • Opinions on Mayoral Candidates •

HISTORY

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Friday, November 3, 2017

Staff Writer

Hoboken Rocky Horror • P6

Purple Thursday • P6

On Halloween night, in the deadliest terror attack in New York since 9/11, eight people were killed and twelve injured, including two children, when a man drove a Home Depot rental truck on the Hudson River Greenway, the city’s busiest bike path. The section of the bike path in question was near Stuyvesant High School, about 1 m away from Ground Zero.

After crashing into a school bus, injuring two children and two adults, 29-yearold Sayfullo Saipov left the truck displaying “imitation firearms” and shouting, “Allahu Akbar,” according to witnesses. The suspect was later shot nonfatally by NYPD Officer Ryan Nash, 28, and taken into custody.

Officials, unauthorized to discuss the investigation, released his identity under the condition of anonymity.

Among the casualties was

Staff Writer

On Oct. 18, 2017, the Stevens community received an email from President Farvardin announcing a $15 million gift from the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation to establish the Clark Scholars Program.

The President stated that this is “the largest endowed scholarship gift in the University’s history” and that “it will provide financial support and enhanced learning opportunities for exceptional undergraduate students who are underrepresented in engineer-

27 years at the University of Maryland, where Mr. Clark graduated from in 1950 and later on established a $30 million scholarship program in 2005.

Mr. Clark then gifted $2 million to the Stevens endowment in 2011 following Dr. Farvardin’s appointment, thus establishing the Nariman Farvardin Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering.

Mr. Clark’s generosity stems from his own humble beginnings, as his college education was made possible by a state scholarship. This lead to him acquiring a degree in civil engineering and start his

engineer to general manager to president to chief executive officer. Over 60 years, Clark’s leadership and vision transformed the small company into one of the largest construction companies in the nation, which is now known as Clark Construction.

Clark believed that giving back to his community and investing in the future generation is important, which is why his company has invested millions of dollars into creating scholarships for numerous prospective engineering students. Universities that have the Clark Scholars Program include

Photo Courtesy of Stevens Institute of Technology

ing and computer science/ cybersecurity, including first generation college students.”

Prior to becoming Stevens’s seventh president, Dr. Farvardin worked for

successful career. Clark was hired fresh out of college by the George Hyman Construction Company, a small, local contracting business, where he climbed the career ladder from field

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Established 1904

Darren Drake, a Master’s student in Stevens’s Information Systems program.

Five friends from Argentina were also killed in the rampage. The only New Yorker killed in the attack was Nicholas Cleeves, a 23-yearold software developer.

There have been multiple conflicting, unconfirmed reports of notes and/or flags indicating ISIS support found in the truck. The NYPD found ISIS beheading and shooting videos on one of two phones in the truck, which they believe may have inspired the killer. Another video on the phone demonstrated how to build an explosive device. John Miller, the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counter-terrorism, said in a press conference that Saipov “appears to have followed, almost exactly to a tee, the instructions that ISIS has put out.”

Since 2016, ISIS has killed scores via truck attacks in France, Germany, and England. Saipov was brought

into a federal courthouse in a wheelchair and handcuffs on charges of providing material support to terrorist groups and destruction of motor vehicles. The FBI is looking for a second man who they believe was involved in the attack. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that Saipov was a “lone wolf” and there is no evidence of a wider plot.

Saipov planned to continue the rampage for a few more miles until the Brooklyn Bridge. He is an Uzbek citizen who came to the U.S. legally seven years ago. He has a Florida driver’s license but may have been living in Clifton, NJ for the past six months. Uber says Saipov passed their background check and has been one of their drivers for six months.

After the attack, President Trump tweeted out “thoughts, condolences, and prayers” to those affected before attacking the state’s senior senator’s policies: “The terrorist came into our country through what

is called the ‘Diversity Visa Lottery Program,’ a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.” The “Diversity Visa Lottery Program” is referring to the green card lottery, which distributes up to 55,000 visas annually to countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. Senator Schumer responded first by criticizing Trump for politicizing a tragedy so soon and his proposed budget: “Calling on Pres Trump to rescind his proposed cuts to anti-terrorism funding immediately - our city relies on it to snuff out attacks.”

The city’s activities continue on despite the attack.

The Halloween parade in the Village that night continued as planned, and the NYC Marathon on Nov. 5 will proceed as planned.

Despite no evidence or credible threats of an attack, the NYPD is adding more sniper teams, bomb-sniffing dogs, helicopters, sand truck barricads, and other counterterrorism measures along the route and in the subway.

The Stevens community has experienced a heartbreaking loss.

Darren Drake, a Master’s student in the Information Systems program at Stevens, was among the victims of the attack in lower Manhattan.

This is an enormous loss for the community and a moment to support one another through these difficult times.

We send our condolences to Darren’s friends and family.

New Clark Scholars Program to benefit underrepresented engineering students at Stevens

by ELINA TUDER

The Stute The official campus newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904, and creator of the Stevens mascot, Atilla the Duck.

Manhattan truck attack kills 8, Stevens student among the victims

by DAVID ROGERS

iPhone 8+ Review • P3

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The George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, the University of Pennsylvania, the

see CLARK • Page 6

SGA Presidential tickets debate on Stevens’ issues

by AUDREY DSOUZA Outreach Chair

Three tickets for 2018 Student Government Association President—Dakota Van Deursen and Marianna Fleming, Melanie Caba and Jose Angeles, and Lucas Gallo and Rami Kammourh— sat down to debate, on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Current SGA Secretary Parker Petroff-Rims and Honor Board Chair Olivia Schreiber served as the moderators for the evening event. This is Schreiber’s second year moderating.

Before the debate began, there was a moment of silence held for Darren Drake, a Stevens Graduate student who passed during the NYC terror attack the day before.

Schreiber then proceeded to explain the rules and format of the debate, starting with the speaking order, where the questions came from, and the time limit imposed on each ticket to respond to any given question. The candidates were seated in speaking order, and the prepared questions were collected from the Senate, with a few more added from Olivia. After 50 minutes, the debate would switch over to audience questions. For every question asked, each group would

have two minutes to respond, and after each group responded, a rebuttal period would be opened for any group to respond again.

The Presidential candidates and their running mates were then introduced one by one, with warm support from the audience. All of them being well-accomplished and established student leaders increased the audiences anticipation to hear their responses to questions.

Parker started the debate by reading the first question, specifically for the Presidential candidates. “In your opinion, what is the most important thing to address?

And if elected, what is your plan to combat this issue?”

Dakota was the first to respond and named three main goals: working with the co-op office, working with media organizations, and improving SGA-student relations by revamping the PR committee in the SGA. He emphasized that media organizations have been an “untapped” channel for the SGA to communicate better with Stevens students.

Melanie stated her biggest goal would be to “help students understand the question, What is the SGA?” She spoke on improving the

relationship between the SGA and the student body, and her purpose, which is to make students consider the SGA a community in which everyone works together to make a positive change, rather than a leadership hierarchy.

Lukas cited “students and their connection to the university” as the biggest problem he would address if elected President. He explained several issues in the classroom that inhibit the student learning experience, and stressed the need to have student projects and student ability better showcased on campus, from seniors contributing to construction on campus as their design projects to visual arts student projects being in more than in a single hallway.

At this point, Melanie pointed out that the candidates did not yet make their opening statements as planned in the night’s agenda, to which Schreiber assured would be immediately following the rebuttal.

Melanie was the first go this time. She explained that when she asked students what they wanted to change about the SGA, students could not think of questions to

continued on

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Opinion The Stute Editorial

Don’t forget the good

We write Stevens history.

The student-run newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904

115th Volume

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Systems Administrator Outreach Chair

Maryia Spirydonava Mark Krupinski Matthew Doto Audrey D’Souza

Staff & Contributors Alex Murtagh Angelina Zaccaria Anthony LaBonte Bernard Feeney Brad Tylutki Christian Bonavita Cole Yarbrough Daniel Kang David Rogers Elina Tuder Joseph Insalaco John Horgan

Koby Garcia Lisa Mengotto Matthew Cunningham Marko Djapic Mary Ruane Namankita Rana Nick Burns Olivia Schreiber Phil Donaus Phil Fishbein Rachel Stern Sarah Hoogenboom

During times like these, we are reminded that the world can be a scary place. It seems like the world is only filled with hatred, violence, and darkness. It is easy to hear about all of the terrible things that are happening and lose faith in humanity, especially now, when something so horrific has happened so close to home. My heart goes out to the families of the victims, and anyone personally affected by this unspeakable act.

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make the world a better place. Don’t give more power to the people that don’t deserve it; instead, focus on healing, and giving back to the communities most affected.

If that is a big leap, take healing one step at a time. Start with yourself. Look at the world around you and find whatever it is that makes you happy and gives you hope – whether it’s your favorite TV show, a club, or a hobby. Look at the beauty around you, in the falling leaves or in

the music of laughter.

The bad things can eat us up inside if we just let them be. Don’t forget the good and remember your favorite things, and then the world won’t feel so bad.

Maryia Spirydonava Editor-in-Chief

To my best friends

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I know this might sound naive, and easier said than done, but, we should not let the bad speak louder than the good. The darkness wins only if we let it. People with such horrible motives shouldn’t even have a page in the history books. It might be hard to see, but there is still a lot of good in this world that we shouldn’t allow the bad to overshadow.

Take whatever you are feeling now, whether it is sadness or anger, and let that drive you to

Mind of a Freshman

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Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 2

by MARY RUANE

Freshman Business and Technology Major

To my best friends.

We have quite a history, the three of us. I mean, I have known you both since the day I was born.

You were there through the asthma attacks and the grade school plays.

You held my hand cross-

ing sidewalks and you held me through nightmares. I sang to you at talent shows only to run off crying into your arms because some boy backstage was being mean.

You spent every hour I was sick curled up beside me as we watched and re-watched the Star Wars saga more times than I can remember.

We spent nights dancing down the aisles of Shop Rites as I tried to teach you the difference between a dab and a nae nae, though I am pretty sure neither of us know what either is to this day.

You drove 18 hours in a car filled with crying and Indiana Jones movies

just to get the best pizza on the planet. You sat beside me on a six hour plane ride to take me to Rome for the first time.

You were there through the tedious process of finding a prom dress and stayed there to drive my other friends and me to the diner afterwards.

Through all the tears, the laughter, the shouting, and the love, you have stuck by me through it all. Mom, Dad, thank you for every memory and poem-worthy experience you’ve given me.

Thank you for helping me become the woman I am today. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me as a person,

rather than just number two of six. I could never put into words all the times you’ve been there when no one else would be. I have never met two people as dedicated to their family, as dedicated to me, as the two of you.

To my readers. You will have friends who will last a lifetime. You will meet people and experience things so wonderful that they won’t seem real. You will love your heart out and be so immersed in love that it will feel suffocating, but it’s important to let the people you love know that you love them. At least, that’s what’s on my mind.

Senioritis

Honorably dishonorable

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Corrections & Clarifications For corrections and clarifications in any of our issues, please email eboard@thestute.com ! + Ellen Drennan’s name was incorrectly spelled as Drennen on P7

by OLIVIA SCHREIBER Senior Chemical Biology Major

We’re beyond the midpoint of the semester, the Stevens Course Scheduler is FINALLY up, and the Registrar has already informed me that I’m missing required courses despite having submitted a course substitution form— things are just about where I’d expect them to be.

One thing I did not anticipate was my enthusiasm towards this column. Instead of struggling for weekly topics, I’m often times inundated with too many ideas!

I’m not complaining about it—this means my mind is still functioning, albeit on high concentrations of caffeine and glucose.

This week, I want to talk about why I joined the Stevens Honor Board. Why do I #pledgemyhonor with sincerity? What’s the

point of it all?

Okay Stevens, time to get real. Let me set the scene: Olivia Schreiber, a freshman in high school, is due to submit her To Kill a Mockingbird-styled newspaper in her English I course. The struggle is real, given that she has two exams the following day and she’s been unable to stay on top of her work due to an intense varsity soccer schedule.

It’s 2 a.m. on the morning the newspaper is due, and instead of carefully crafting a fake obituary for Tom Robinson, she peruses the Internet, finds an obituary she can quickly copy, paste, and carefully manipulate into her own project, and calls it a night.

Little did I know that Mrs. Davis, my English teacher, would require us to submit this newspaper through Turnitin, a site I would soon learn teachers employed to detect instances of plagiarism.

I remember the email Mrs. Davis sent me a few days after I submitted my project. “Olivia, would you please stop in to see me after school today? I want to talk about your newspaper submission.”

I knew exactly what had gone wrong. I entered her classroom and as she pulled up the

Turnitin report, I felt my 15-year-old world crash in upon itself. The shame was worse than the 50 I received on the project. It was worse than the Saturday detention and the phone call home. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t look at pictures of my then Hollywoodcrush Gregory Peck—the actor who plays Atticus Finch—simply because of the recurring feelings of disappointment that would ensue.

Fast forward to my first day of Freshman Orientation at Stevens Institute of Technology: I was sitting in the balcony of DeBaun Auditorium with feelings of trepidation and excitement, not entirely sure of what the so-called “Honor System Presentation” was all about. Shane Arlington and Corrine Casey, the Chair and Recording Secretary at the time, stepped onto the stage and immediately drew me in. I was catapulted back into my freshman English class, wishing that my younger self could see where I was in that moment. Shane and Corrine talked about accountability and completing work with integrity, things that I had not considered when I made the rash decision to use words that were not my

own four years prior. I knew that this was an organization that would help redefine me as a student and from that point on, I was determined to earn a position on the Board.

It’s interesting to think about where it all began and who I’ve grown to become. When I was “caught” back in high school, I was extremely disappointed in myself, but I also felt anger towards Mrs. Davis. Why did this have to be such a big deal, I thought to myself. I held the false idea that I was immune to these types of circumstances, and yet there I was, having a tête-à-tête with plagiarism.

Now as a senior and the current Chairwoman of the Stevens Honor Board, I have a much different perspective. Next time I’m home and see Mrs. Davis in town, I’m going to thank her for following school policy and not letting me take the easy way out. The pressure to succeed begins at a young age, and follows us wherever we go. It is what we choose to do after a failure that counts, and as I finish out my term as Chairwoman, there is no better way to learn such a lesson than as a member of the Honor Board.

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 3

Technically Speaking

iPhone 8 Plus and Airpods Review

by DAVID HOROWITZ Freshman Cybersecurity Major

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are being overshadowed by the imminent launch of the iPhone X. While the iPhone X introduces a new and exciting design, it also costs $1,000 and lacks a Touch ID sensor, which it replaces with new facial recognition technology. Also, fans of the plus-sized iPhones may find the X’s screen to be too small. Because of this, some may not be in the market for the X, and the 8 or 8 Plus may be the better option. I found myself in this group: I like large phones, and the X is really just too small, so I picked up an 8 Plus to go with the Airpods I had been using for a few weeks. So far, my experience has been incredible.

The 8 Plus has very subtle design differences from the last few iPhones. It features a glass back, which feels premium and nice to hold, but also worries me due to how breakable it is.

The only other major de-

sign difference is a change in colors. I opted to go for the Space Grey model, as I like how the black front looks far more than the white one. While the design is old and outdated, it has not bothered me much in everyday use. It definitely lacks the “cool factor” though, if you are looking for that in a phone.

What has really changed on the iPhone 8 Plus, however, is all on the inside.

Wireless charging is finally here, and to my surprise, is an openly used standard.

Fast charging is finally here as well, even though the fast charger doesn’t come in the box. The A11 bionic CPU is blazingly quick, causing general responsiveness to be incredible and high performance apps to not skip a beat. The dual camera setup on the back takes great photos, and the high frame rate video is amazing.

The thing that always surprises me about iOS when I haven’t used it extensively for a while is how high the overall app quality is. Even apps made by Google seem to have an extra level of smoothness on iOS compared to those on Android devices. Even though the apps do the same things, it makes me feel like there is a more unified experience available to me, which I can appreciate in my everyday usage. The iPhone 8 Plus, with its fairly large screen,

allows me to take full advantage of this experience.

Speaking of the screen, True Tone made its way to the new iPhones from the iPad Pro line. True Tone adjusts the display automatically to have color better suited to the light you are in. It doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, but in practice, it is very nice to have. The screen often has less blue light, which makes it look more accurate to the lighting of the room and makes it easier on the eyes. It is not a must-have feature, but it is very nice to have.

Battery life has been superb. My usage pattern seems to kill the battery of Android devices fairly quickly, but not with the 8 Plus. I have been getting to 25% at about 12 a.m., with the phone being taken off the charger around 9 a.m.the day before. It lasts me all day, something that I cannot say about many other phones I’ve used.

Not everything is amazing. iOS 11 remains pretty buggy, but one can hope that the 11.1 update on the horizon will fix some of the issues. Speaking of iOS 11, it still lacks many of the customization features I like to use on Android. Even simple things, like moving icons to where I want is still not possible. For me, this is not a deal breaker and I can live with it. For others, it may not be so livable. I also

wish the notifications were in a better spot; Android definitely has a superior notification management system.

The iPhone 8 Plus still has no headphone jack. This used to be a problem for me, until I started using Airpods, the independent wireless earbuds. They are pretty expensive, but they work so well. I never lose connection, even walking around NYC. I only have to charge

the charging case they are stored in once a week. And most importantly, they integrate perfectly with my iPhone. I open the case, put them in my ears, double tap the right one, and music starts to play right where I left off. No connecting in settings, no waiting to turn on, nothing. I also love that I have the ability to use just one in mono if I want to listen to music while doing work with someone, for ex-

ample.

Overall, the combination of the iPhone 8 Plus and Airpods is an expensive and amazing duo that have provided me with a top-notch smartphone and music listening experience. I can highly recommend both devices to anyone looking to upgrade their iPhone or switch over from Android, and to anyone looking to add amazing convenience to their music listening.

Photo courtesy of souq.com

Spoiler Alert! .

Blade Runner 2049

by KOBY GARCIA

Junior Visual Arts and Technology Major

What makes a successful sequel? One of the benefits of writing/filming a sequel is not having to dwell on world building or introducing main characters, as these important aspects have already been developed in the original film.

The sequel has an opportunity to focus on a different chapter of the character’s life and to capitalize upon what was previously established, allowing the audience to delve more into character psychology.

However, one of the downfalls of a sequel comes with

prioritizing the monetary gains of its theatrical run, thus sacrificing a rich narrative needed to hook an audience. Retelling a story, not allowing main characters to experience some type of change from beginning to end, or simply providing “fan service” are some of the common qualities of considerably poor sequels.

Although it has been 35 years since the release of the original 1982, beloved, sci-fi, box office flop, Blade Runner, its 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, proves to be one of the best sequels, ever. Although he is an important character, the film does not follow Deckard (played by Harrison Ford), the protagonist of the 1982 Blade Runner, but Officer K (played by Ryan Gosling), 30 years after the events Deckard dealt with in the original film. As explained to the audience at the very beginning of the original film, Blade Runners are special police officers

Photo courtesy of SuperHeroHype

who are supposed to find and “retire” (execute) illegal Replicants; robots virtually identical to humans originally used for labor, hazardous exploration, and colonization of other planets. Now in 2049 in Los Angeles, Replicants have been re-integrated into society as laborers/servants. Officer K is a Replicant himself, trained to “retire” rogue Replicants. An investigation leads K to the grave of a deceased Replicant whose skeleton shows signs of having given birth, which had been previously thought to be impossible. The skeleton turns out to be that of a Replicant by the name of Rachael, the main character in the original film and the love interest of Officer Deckard. After some investigating, K believes himself to be the child of Deckard and sets out to find him.

The Wallace Corporation, the company that now creates Replicants, wishes to

find Deckard and the child he had with Rachael before Officer K does. The Wallace Corporation captures Deckard, and K is united with a group of freedomfighting Replicants who tell him that Deckard’s child was actually a female, thus disproving K’s theory.

These Replicants want K to kill Deckard before he gives up information to Wallace, but K instead saves Deckard and reunites him with his daughter.

The sequel stays true to the original film through motifs, thus establishing itself in the same world as the original, dealing with the same ideas. Color plays an important role in both films, with rich yellows and gold littering the buildings of the upper class and those positioned physically above others. Deep blues shroud the lower level of the city and overshadow character appearances multiple times throughout the films. The

opening text of both films is white text on a black background with the exception of the word “Replicant,” which is typed in a striking red, as well as the title “Blade Runner” in 2049.

Replicants also have a gold shine in their eye (more apparent in the original film) which is one of their identifying traits; this trait also contributes to the use of eyes in the Blade Runner films. In 2049, Officer K identifies the Replicants he finds by scanning their eye, Niander Wallace of the Wallace Corporation is blind, Roy (the antagonist from the first film) visits the man who creates the Replicants’ eyes, and Roy gauges the eyes of his creator. Also, when Deckard is captured

by Wallace in 2049, Wallace offers him a flawed recreation of Rachael in exchange for information, to which Deckard replies “Her eyes were green.” The use of weather is notable in both

Photo courtesy of Engadget

films; Roy gives his famous “Tears in the rain” speech while it is raining, Officer K’s AI girlfriend Joi “feels” the rain in an intimate moment she and K share, K and Deckard are both standing in the rain during the climactic fight scene where K saves Deckard instead of killing him, and 2049 ends with K feeling the snow on his hands then lying down on the ground with the falling snow surrounding him.

All of these motifs tie back to the original film, which provides audiences with a reminiscent yet fresh take on a well-known story.

Under much pressure from a passionate fan base and demanding film critics, Blade Runner 2049 successfully manages to discuss human nature through its own story while also incorporating the story and motifs used in the original film.

This easily cements the sequel’s rightfully unique place in cinematic history.

Campus Pulse

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 4

Roving Reporter What is your favorite Halloween Movie?

“The Halloween episode of Buffy the Vampire.”

“Halloweentown”

“Hocus Pocus”

Ethan Andriola

Zeryn Tamton

Ava Tartaglia

“It’s the great pumpkin Charlie Brown.”

Luke Langner

“Halloweentown”

“Rocky Horror Picture Show”

Sophia Hua

Nick Antonov

Polling Pierce

Who are you voting for in the SGA Presidential election?

Dakota VanDeursen and Marianna Flemming Lucas Gallo and 4 Rami Kammourh Melanie Caba and 3 Jose Angeles 7

I Don’t Know/I Don’t Care 86

Join Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

Thursdays at 6 p.m.

Jacobus 2nd floor

Strips

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 5

News Continued Clark

Continued from front page

University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, Virginia Tech, and now, Stevens Institute of Technology.

At Stevens, the Clark Scholars Program seeks to combine engineering, computer science, or cybersecurity with business, leadership, and community service. Students qualified for the program will be selected annually from incoming undergraduate applicants based on financial need, academic achievement, community involvement, and an interest in the aforementioned fields. The Clark Scholars’ curriculum will include challenging engineering, computer science, or cybersecurity courses with the addition of at least two business or finance courses, participation in community and service-based learning projects, enrichment seminars, mentorship opportunities, and events with professionals in the field. President Farvardin believes that “through the Clark Scholars Program at Stevens, we will create an environment that we hope will produce many more graduates who will make their mark on the world and who possess the rare combination of attributes that Mr. Clark embodied: remarkable leadership skills, unquestionable integrity, business acumen, engineering prowess, and a selfless dedication to humanitarianism.”

The first set of Clark Scholars, 10 students, will enroll at Stevens in Fall 2018, and steadily the program will expand to support 40 Scholars.

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 6

Take Back the Night hosts Purple Thursday

by ELINA TUDER Staff Writer

Take Back the Night ran the annual Purple Thursday event in front of Pierce Dining Hall

to raise awareness for dating violence and domestic abuse. This event is held every October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Various campus groups joined Take Back the

Night for the event, including the Women’s Fencing, Women’s Programs, Sigma Delta Tau, the Panhellenic Council, and Counseling and Physiological Services (CAPS).

Back the Night Committee, Marianna Flemming, stated that the event was successful. “[The committee] gave away everything and had 100plus signatures on the banner.”

Photos courtesy of Veronica Melikov and Marianna Flemming

First Out of the Darkness walk raises funds and attention for suicide awareness

by SARAH HOOGENBOOM Staff Writer

Hoboken’s first Out of the Darkness Walk through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) took place on campus last Sunday. The 2-mile walk was co-organized by Stevens students and Hoboken residents in hopes of raising funds and attention towards suicide awareness.

Funds raised from the walk were donated directly to local schools and organizations to help implement education and support systems in the community.

As suicide climbs to the second leading cause of death among 20 to 24 year old adults, the Stevens

community is implementing more mental health education and resources through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Stevens Athletics.

Ashley Peck, a sophomore who was one of the Out of the Darkness coordinators, has participated in many of the AFSP walks in her hometown. Peck explained that these walks are very important to not only raise awareness but also act as a memorial for lost loved ones or for those that have battled depression, stating “Presence at these kinds of event really speaks volumes of how important it is to educate people regarding depression and the resources available.”

With a total of 221 people registered to walk, many represented Stevens organizations such as Kappa Sigma, Phi Sigma Sigma, Men’s Lacrosse, Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s Swimming, and Women’s Swimming.

Peck expressed that the Out of the Darkness outreach is “looking to grow, but this first year was a great success.”

Although the walk was cut short to one mile due to weather conditions, Hoboken Out of the Darkness raised $19,342 dollars so far. Donations will continue to be accepted online through the Hoboken Out of the Darkness Walk website until the end of December.

Hoboken’s first Rocky Horror Picture Show

by PHIL DONAUS Staff Writer

Stevens students and alumni descended on Bow Tie Hoboken Cinemas for the first time as the first ever Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast was performed.

Like traditional shadow casts, the audience was filled with people in flamboyant costumes and had a Halloween party vibe. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a movie starring Tim Curry, Meat Loaf, and a slew of other actors. The film has developed a cult following from people who fell in love with the bizarre plot, construction of the film, striking and entertaining features of the characters, editing, and cinematography. This live action performance is done in front of the movie itself.

Many students who worked on the performance have seen a shadow cast before and agree that the show holds a special place in their hearts. Kevin Alvarez, Stevens alumnus and the executive producer of Hoboken’s first Rocky Horror Picture Show spoke about how much it meant to him: “Rocky Horror is the ability for

They gave out T-shirts proclaiming “Speak Up”, supplied free food, and encouraged students to sign a banner pledging to take a stand against domestic violence.

President of the Take

Photo courtesy of Stevens Students Facebook

She Negotiates: LeadHERship workshop

by AUDREY DSOUZA Staff Writer

Photo by Bernie Feeney

people to express feelings and emotion in a safe and controlled environment.” He also explained that for many students, Rocky (for short) was a place where students could “Be who they want to be.” For another student, Liz Berttoni, the ability to have the show in Hoboken was a factor in her decision to come to Stevens. “It was one of the things that actually pushed me to come to Stevens,” she explained.

She added that knowing that the institution had this show led her to believe that the institution values acceptance and LGBTQ+ representation.

Moving off campus for this show has presented it with some new challenges but also provided room to grow. For one, the show used to be put on by the club Midnight Movie Movement on campus and had to use SGA funding. Now the show relies on crowdsourced funds and donors to put it on. Students and alumni donated over $3000 to help put this show on. Individual donors donated anywhere from $5 to the largest donation of $1000 to help put on the show.

Members of the Stevens community see Rocky Horror as a show that they can take ownership

of. This is emphasized now that the show is crowdfunded with their own money.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show left the crowd sexually confused, sexually delighted, and hysterical as the culture of what used to be Stevens’s Rocky Horror Picture Show shined as the clock struck midnight on Thursday night. As the show began and classmates began to undress our perceptions of the show, we found that under the lights of WCPR and the large screen of Hoboken Cinemas, the show has always been our Stevens’s Rocky.

The Lore-El Center hosted the event LeadHERship Lunch: She Negotiates last Wednesday. The workshop was conducted by She Negotiates, an organization which aims to help women develop skills in negotiation, communication, and confidence to counter the gender wage gaps and have effective conversations in the workplace.

The event covered salary negotiation skills, interestbased negotiation, and effective communication skills to improve negotiation overall. A number of undergraduate and graduate students attended, and there were cookies and sandwiches from the campus catering service, CompassOne.

Michelle MacLeod, Graduate Coordinator at Lore-El, explained how this workshop was created to replicate a specific, well-received section of the LeadHERship conference that took place a few weeks prior.

“We wanted to provide those who were unable to attend the conference or her particular session with the opportunity to engage in this workshop, and Jamie Lee, who ran a similar workshop at our LeadHERship conference, was happy to come back to campus for a follow-up!”

When asked about the difference between this event and the conference, MacLeod noted, that in comparison to the conference “this was a smaller group, which allowed for more discussion and practice negotiating.”

Photo courtesy of Lore-El Programs

Cast your vote at www.stevens.edu/vote

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 7

Tickets for 2018 SGA President and Vice President respond to questions from The Stute

President: Dakota Van Deursen Chemical Engineering, 3/4

President: Melanie Caba Biomedical Engineering, 3/4

President: Lucas Gallo Engineering Management, 3/4+1

Vice President: Marianna Flemming Civil Engineering, 4/5

Vice President: Jose Angeles Electrical Engineering, 4/5

Vice President: Rami Kammourh Civil Engineering, 4/5

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What are your strengths? Experiences?

Strengths - Great hair, ambition, unique ideas, lots of experience presiding over large organizations, diverse group of friends, outgoing Weaknesses - Our platform is pretty spread out, and if we don’t delegate or communicate carefully, it may things to get a little messy. That’s why we will need to rely on the hard work and good spirits of the members of the Senate and emphasize two way communication.

As a team, we balance out each other’s weaknesses. We have a very focused mindset and once we are committed to a goal, it becomes our primary focus. We do occasionally develop tunnel vision and become centered only on that task at hand rather than the bigger picture. When the going gets tough, we have learned to rely on one another to help the other take a step back from a complex situation to analyze what is currently in front of us and come up with a new, alternative method to approach the task more effectively.

What is the primary role in SGA is currently facing?

What is the primary role in SGA is currently facing?

The SGA is wrapping up a period of growth on a lot of fronts, but most notably academics and student health and wellness. As such, the senate is stretched thinner than ever before. To accomplish the broad goals that the senate has, we need to make sure than our senators are equipped to work collaboratively and delegate to one another so that everyone is successful and contributing.

Do you think current events funded by the SGA represent the wants and needs of the students, and how would you improve?

Most of them, yes, absolutely. Funding for events is acquired from students who request it directly. One area that is neglected, however, is extracurricular learning. There is a high demand for events like self defense, Safe Zone Training, and other “adulting” education. We want to find out how we can better support clubs who run these events going forward. There has been a recent surge of activity in this sphere, but we want to see it taken further.

How would you approach expanding the SGA’s interests as they overlap with other major organizations?

If we find that RSOs have similar interests or overlap in any way, we work to combine them as appropriate -- seen not only at meetings of the Committee on Student Interests, but also in semesterly budget meetings. On a different scope, we are firm believers in the power of the Presidents Council. By meeting periodically with leaders of other non-RSO umbrella organizations, we are able to expand not only the SGA’s interests, but also those of the other constituent organizationsl. Finally, the most major organization out there is the administration itself. That is why we, as a ticket, look forward to using our unique experiences and relations with administrators to ensure that all new roads are taken with a sense of mutual benefit for both students and the establishment.

How will you direct the senate in order to accomplish your goals?

It’s not a matter of directing the senate - it’s more about working with them. We have great ideas, but so do the senators we work with, and the students that they represent. We will work with them at events like the Senate Retreat, where we will talk about our overarching committee and district goals, to grow a sense of transparency, cohesion, and approachability within the SGA.

How will you form good relations with the Stevens adminstrators to better promote the welfare of the student body?

We have already fostered quite unique relationships with many of the administrators and staff around campus. Our roles in Student Life, Greek Life, and the CoOp Program, to name a few, have prepared us for this position by broadening our networks to include a majority of the offices at Stevens. However, that is not to say that we will sit lackadaisically by while those relations wither. Staying vocal and active will insure our continued success in maintaining our friendships and alliances with the administrators.

What are your strengths? Experiences?

Our greatest strength is the number of people we’re connected to on campus. Lucas is a Senator, Resident Assistant, Vice President of the American Society of Engineering Management, and a brother of Kappa Sigma and Alpha Phi Omega. Rami is a Senator, teaching assistant, member of the Anime Club, member of C2GS, member of The Stute, and brother of Alpha Sigma Phi. Our weakness is the uncertainty of what to tackle first.

We have tons of ideas to improve Stevens and choosing some as priorities will be a challenge!

Do you think current events funded by the SGA represent the wants and needs of the students, and how would you improve?

What is the primary role in SGA is currently facing?

We believe the SGA’s primary role is to vouch for the students. For this reason, we’re going to work tirelessly to ensure that Stevens keeps its promise of being a “premier student-centric technological research university.” We’re going to get students involved with the planning of new buildings. We’re going to make sure that students are involved with the decisions of the Faculty Senate. We’re going to work with the Health Center to offer programs geared towards the students. We’re going to make sure every office in Howe works with the SGA on improving every student’s experience here at Stevens.

How would you approach expanding the SGA’s interests as they overlap with other major organizations?

Do you think current events funded by the SGA represent the wants and needs of the students, and how would you improve?

We do not believe our current system of festival planning is effective. With our current system, the guarantee of a festival is always up in the air, funding is uncertain, and there’s a lack of oversight. We’ll encourage, support, and work on policy changes that guarantee at least a yearly festival for the students. We’ll work with EC on creating a new system that features a dedicated committee that works on planning and implementing festivals.

How will you direct the senate in order to accomplish your goals?

How would you approach expanding the SGA’s interests as they overlap with other major organizations?

The SGA recently created a Presidents Council which includes representatives from other governing bodies at Stevens. We’re going to work with these governing bodies so the Presidents Council continues to thrive and accomplish its goals. We want the SGA to be a resource for students, as these other organizations do, and to address that common goal and the overlap, we will continue to communicate and collaborate effectively.

The biggest problem the SGA is currently having is in communication. The SGA has done a fantastic job making a positive changes on the Stevens community, but has struggled to communicate that role to the student body. We also believe the SGA has the potential to create better ways for Students to easily communicate their ideas and concerns with the SGA. Having constant open communication with students is vital to creating successful initiatives that students want to see, which is why creating new ways to hear the voice of all students is front and center on our platform.

Current events on campus allow for our community to come together in different ways; for celebration, for entertainment, and for establishing traditions. We believe that students want to continue to see successful events, but want more events that promote unification and inclusivity of our community.

In order to improve on that area, we would work diligently to collaborate with the school’s Diversity Educator to make these events a gathering where all students feel they are represented.

Expanding the SGA and its goals can only be done by collaborating with a wide array of students and organization.

Stevens has a diverse set of students, and its students have always shown a real dedication to the things they are passionate about. Expanding the SGA and its goals must therefore make use of those diverse students and their passions. It means better listening to what different students want, knowing how different students can help you achieve certain goals, and how the collaboration of the diverse Stevens community can really help make Stevens an incredible place for all.

In order to have a senate that is able to accomplish all the goals which they set forth, they needed to be provided with the necessary tools and guidance to be successful. We firmly believe that establishing and maintaining relationships with administration is critical to the success of the SGA. It should be the job of the senate as a whole, not just the President and Vice President, to maintain strong working relationships with administration so we can be sure the SGA achieves what the students want it to.. We propose having frequent meetings and opening more lines of communication with administration will allow for these relationships to foster and, in turn, allow the senate to accomplish many goals throughout the year.

How will you form good relations with the Stevens adminstrators to better promote the welfare of the student body?

Establishing a relationship with administration is critical in order to promote the true needs of the student body. We have had the pleasure of working alongside many members of administration including Dean Nilsen and Dean Damell to specifically better promote the health and wellbeing of all students on campus. My relationships have allowed me to advocate for the need to address smoking on campus, the lack of adequate care in the current health center, and the lack of sexual health and women’s health addressed on campus. Listening and understanding what exactly students wanted to see in these areas have allowed for my work with administration to be successful in adopting new policies and making new changes to our community.

How will you direct the senate in order to accomplish your goals?

Rami plans on being a Vice-President of Operations who works with the Senate on pursuing initiatives. We believe there is somewhat of a disconnect between our Senate and Cabinet. We believe that the Vice-President of Operations should work towards making sure that Senators are not only fulfilling their committee requirements, but also pursing meaningful legislative initiatives. We’re proud to say that we’ve already done so by sponsoring several bills and leading the Senate in multiple initiatives.

How will you form good relations with the Stevens adminstrators to better promote the welfare of the student body?

We plan on leveraging the relationships we already have with the several offices in Howe (Career Center, Residence Life, etc.) to establish formal channels of communication between the SGA and the administration. We both have extensive experience with these offices, and will do our best to ensure that the opinions of the student body are being kept in mind while these offices make decisions that impact the students. Our means of doing so will be revitalizing the SGA’s Student Affairs Committee, a group of liaisons who will work harder towards accomplishing our goals as an SGA.

Halloween at Stevens

Friday, November 3, 2017 • Page 8

Quack or Treat, a new Stevens tradition?

by AUDREY DSOUZA Outreach Chair

On Tuesday, Oct. 31 the Student Government Association, in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs, hosted ‘Quack or Treat’. The event was created in an attempt to create a long-lasting Halloween tradition on campus. In the past, an event called ‘Fright Night’ existed, but it phased out. Students had the opportunity to collect candy from 25 different locations on campus, including different administrative offices in Howe, the Office of the President, and fraternity houses. SGA Senator Rami Kammourh said he was “impressed [they] ran out of all 200 trick-or-treat bags” that the SGA purchased for the event. The treats

Photos by Bernard Feeney

QUACK or Treat Locations: Campus Store, Student Services Center, Post Office, Pierce Cafe, Career Center, Residence Life, CAPS, Disability Services, Student Life, STEP, Registrar, President’s Office, Health Center, 807 Castle Point Terrace, Undergraduate Academics, Schaefer Athletic Center, Lore-El Center, Phi Sigma Sigma, Omega Phi Beta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Nu, Alpha Sigma Phi, Sigma Delta Tau, Delta Tau Delta, and Theta Phi Alpha.

Latin American Association hosts Día de Los Muertos

by JOSEPH INSALACO Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, The Office of Residence Life hosted “Treat Yo’ Self” in Jacobus Lounge. The event was a way for students to “take some you time in the midst of exams.”

Students from all years showed up to participate and take a break from their midterms.

The most popular activity allowed students to plant their own succulent. Students were able to plant a variety of different plants, and many went home with a new decoration for their dorm. Students were also able to destress and make their own fidget spinner out of zip ties, color, and drink smoothies.

“The event was really fun!” said Brian Ng, a first-year student, “I got to plant my own succulent, I’m going to name him Patrick!”

Join The Stute!

Photos by Joe Insalaco

CONTACT 521 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

Hours of Operation: Monday: 11AM – 9PM Tuesday: 11AM – 9PM Wednesday: 11AM – 9PM Thursday: 11AM – 10PM Friday: 11AM – 10PM Saturday: 11AM - 10PM Sunday: 11AM - 10PM

Duckbills Accepted!

10% off Cash or Credit for Stevens Students!

Opinion Continued

Friday, November 2, 2017 • Page 10

Cuisine Corner

Are you Turtley Enough for the Turtle Club?

by MARKO DJAPIC

Junior Chemical Biology Major

The less time I have for my reviews, the harder it is for me to get away from the immediate gravity of the Stevens campus. This week showcases that struggle, when in my hectic search to find a restaurant to review at 10 on a Wednesday night, I found a place whose name alone was enough to pull me in; The Turtle Club, on Park and 10th.

Whether you’re just a huge fan of Master of Disguise or your aesthetic is 18th-century old boys, the Turtle Club delivers atmospherically on quite a few levels. The interior is incredibly intimate, with real candle lighting, tufted burgundy leather seating, and penny-layered tables; if the waiter wasn’t in jeans I’d

Marko Djapic

honestly have felt embarrassed for showing up in the outfit I had. On top of that, the history of the club permeates everything, from a small introduction on the menu to a three-panel story above the urinals about 80-year-olds tanking margaritas while eating turtle steak. On the off chance this place doesn’t scream epicurean pleasure to you, take note Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton frequented this club when it was originally founded, by none other than… JOHN STEVENS. That’s right, going here is now part of your Stevens education.

After reveling in the

setting of the place, I got down to looking at the menu. As I had expected, the Club is mostly a bar, but their menu wasn’t that shabby. For a 12-year-old, however, I came on the worst night; Mondays and Tuesdays both have food specials, while Wednesdays mark the start of the weekend with an endless happy hour. Regardless, my friends and I had to try the clams (“Top Neck”) as our appetizer. After that, I got the bacon wrapped beef dogs, while my mates got the baked chicken breast and the RD Burger.

The clams came out almost instantly. As some-

one who has never had raw clams before, I was incredibly pleased with the result. Their smell reminded me of something Dickens would describe in a joke, but after adding the balsamic onion vinaigrette and their horseradish cocktail sauce with lemon, I was sorely disappointed we only got a half dozen. The fishiness of the clam formed the perfect base for the other flavors to kick off of, and I think next time, I might just order a whole dozen for myself.

After surreptitiously finishing the cocktail sauce with my fork (I know, you can’t bring me anywhere), the main

courses came out. Suffice it to say that I was blown away by the beef dogs.

While I’m not usually a food snob, hot dogs are one of the few things I allow myself to be particular over; I grew up on a very nice Polish butcher’s hot dogs, and they’re still my standard. These dogs reminded me strongly of those, with their soft, savory skins that lead into a refreshing interior that was clearly devoid of any harsh salts or nitrates.

Combo-ing on top of the dog, the bun was slightly sweet and nicely toasted, giving the bite a filling presence once it was all chewed together. The highlights, however, were the bacon and cheese. The bacon was incredibly crispy and just the perfect amount of salty that it compensated for the dog and the bun, while the cheese provided a warm blanket of gooeyness that resolved in a resounding kick to the back of your tongue; it let you know the Turtle Club always saves the best for last. I highly recommend it, as well as the burger and chicken.

The Turtle Club is your fanciest casual locale perfect for intimate dates, outings with sib-

CONTACT & INFO The Turtle Club 936 Park Ave. Hoboken

Mon. – Thurs.

4 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Fri. 4 p.m. - 3 a.m.

Sat. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 3 a.m.

(201) 710-5960 Food: Service: Location: Price: $$ lings, or just kicking back on a Wednesday. While the food is slightly more expensive then what you could get elsewhere, there are enough cheap options on the menu even for college students. If money really is an issue, go on a Monday or Tuesday for the food specials. Be sure to wear your best Turrrrrtle suit when you go.

Marko Djapic

The Stute Music Review.

Meaning of Life is a New Style for Kelly Clarkson

by CHRISTIAN BONAVITA Freshman Chemical Engineering Major

Kelly Clarkson boasts one of the most extensive pop-rock careers in modern music. She has had continuous success for 15 years and is the voice behind the soundtrack of everyone’s childhood, with hits like “Since U Been Gone” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes.”

However, few pop fans are aware of the struggles Clarkson faced with RCA, her former label. She was stuck in a pop contract with RCA for an astonishing

15 years and spoke out many times when her label was forcing her in a musical direction that she did not want to go.

In her new album, “Meaning of Life,” Clarkson shows what she is capable of when she is not forced to produce cookie-cutter pop music. Signed to a new record label, Atlantic Records, she explores a more soulful sound, adding a horn section to many of her songs, but is also successful in keeping her sound modern.

She does this by experimenting with electronic influences in songs like “Didn’t I” and “Would You Call That Love,” and showcasing her huge voice throughout the album. “I wanted to make a record that I could really sing the [expletive] out of,” Clarkson told The New York Times recently. This is clear on “Meaning of Life;” she shows that her voice has completely recovered

from her two pregnancies, and seems comfortable in her low range and head voice, two parts of her range that she has never resided in much before. In fact, with this album, Clarkson has made a clear bid for the next Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, an award she has won twice before. She easily belts through “Love So Soft” and title track “Meaning of Life,” better than almost anyone else in American pop today could.

One criticism Clarkson has often received for her albums is that they contain too much filler content.

This means that some of her songs have been disregarded for not contributing to the overall experience of the album they appear on. “Meaning of Life,” however, remains engaging almost all the way through; the first 11 tracks all work well together, presenting an

Photo courtesy of AXS.com

exciting new layer to Clarkson’s sassy, soulful transformation. For example, “Whole Lotta Woman” is a horn-heavy anthem about confidence, while “Move You” is mature, meaningful pop balladry. The last few songs on the album are the weakest, though; they mostly show what she has already done on the album, or are reminiscent of her old music, and therefore don’t fit

on the new album.

For the most part, “Meaning of Life” is a stark departure from Clarkson’s previous albums. Gone are the simple sing-along pop choruses of “Since You Been Gone,” “My Life Would Suck Without You,” or “Breakaway;” on the new album, the biggest moments often happen during the bridges or verses and are elevated by her powerful vocals.

Clarkson is like a horse set free on “Meaning of Life;” finally able to experiment with her own sound, she has gone in an interesting direction that fans are sure to enjoy. “Meaning of Life” is not a perfect album, but it’s worth a listen to see the new directions Clarkson is taking.

Essential Songs: “Meaning of Life,” “Didn’t I,” “Move You,” “Love So Soft”

Friday, November 2, 2017 • Page 11

Campus Liberal

Campus Conservative

Ravi Bhalla for Hoboken mayor

A conservative take on the mayoral candidates

words like “inclusive” and “fairness” on his website a few times.

Yet also on his website, he wants to “bring a private sector mindset to city government,” which is, traditionally, a conservative value. This conservative mindset is also reflected by his big-business, city council slate comprised of a Wall Street salesperson, a “trading firm” owner, and another salesperson.

DeFusco’s campaign seems to be guided only by his guile, saying whatever he thinks Hoboken wants to hear from him so that he can sway more voters. For example, I can’t even decipher his vision for education, a topic that is important to me. All I know is that he wants to “think big” and that he’ll use “public-private partnerships to create additional funding options” — whatever that means. As someone who respects detailed policy and coherent plans, I’m dissuaded by his stanceless positions. DeFusco markets himself better as a political product — simple enough to be liked by everyone — than as an upholder of Hoboken values. As much as I believe young people should be in politics, DeFusco is not the mayor Hoboken needs.

Anthony Romano and Ravi Bhalla, however, provide years of ample experience. But Romano, like DeFusco, yearns for the mayoral seat so that he can grow his political power. In the upcoming election, you’ll notice that Romano isn’t running in just one race; he’s running in two: the Hudson County

involvement, and Jen Giattino appeared as a Republican based on her aim to cut government. I correctly predicted two out of the four because it turned out that DeFusco and Romano are Democrats. I was surprised to find myself supporting a Democrat at first, but there wasn’t much with which I could disagree with him on a local level.

But the debate really changed my mind. DeFusco was the first candidate to speak, and he came out swinging. He immediately challenged a few of his opponents’ records, which I personally felt was not a smart move. I want a mayor that can convince people based on ideas and not have to run a smear campaign in the process. The only accusation that I felt was fair was against Councilman Ravi Bhalla. According to DeFusco, Bhalla’s law firm had accepted over $8 million in lobbying fees from Suez Water, Hoboken’s only water supplier. I was excited to see Bhalla respond to this during rebuttal, but instead, he remained silent, essentially admitting he was guilty of the charges leveled. That immediately removed him from my potential list of candidates. At the same time, DeFusco began to sound very pretentious and didn’t talk much about the issues in the beginning. If he had stuck with nothing but the issues and that one valid accusation, he would probably still have my vote.

The remaining candidates were Romano and Giattino. After it became clear that Freeholder Romano is running for both the mayor and county freeholder at the same time, he was off my list. It clearly means that he isn’t dedicated enough to Hoboken to pick one position and do

by MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Freshman Computer Science Major

If you haven’t kept up with the Hoboken mayoral race, I don’t blame you. Six candidates — or, if we’re being honest, four front-running candidates — offer similar ideas and almost indistinguishable platforms. Researching the differences between the candidates is exhausting, which might discourage someone who is unsure about the upcoming election.

As someone who has lived in Hoboken for less than two months, I struggled to learn about the candidates, so I’m basing my vote for mayor off information readily available to me. I don’t have the experience nor the time to uncover decades of Hoboken political history. Based off my experience within the Hoboken community so far, I’ll focus on the three candidates who, I believe, have the best chance of being the next mayor: Mike DeFusco, Anthony Romano, and Ravi Bhalla.

Mike DeFusco, one of the front-runners, appeals to Hoboken’s liberal demographic by calling himself a “progressive Democrat.”

To prove it, he recites

freeholder race and the Hoboken mayor race. I respect Romano’s ambition, but he needs to decide whom he plans to help. Hoboken needs a mayor who can dedicate themselves solely to Hoboken; that mayor can’t be Romano.

Bhalla, someone whom I’ve met once before, exhibits a genuine love for the Hoboken community and — and to repeat myself — has a tremendous amount of experience. The New York Times recognized him for his legal advocacy after he suffered a violation of his First Amendment rights. In Hoboken, Bhalla was the leading voice for a second flood pump in northwest Hoboken, he was instrumental in the saving of the Hoboken hospital, and he has improved Hoboken’s bond rating from junk bond status to AA+. The list of his accomplishments only continues, which emphasizes his political prowess and his commitment to the Hoboken community. I believe Bhalla, endorsed by Mayor Dawn Zimmer, can build upon the city’s accomplishments and make Hoboken an even better place.

I look forward to Nov. 7 — election day — and I urge everyone at Stevens to vote. (Keep in mind that this election is for governor, too! Vote Phil Murphy!) Local level politics may seem uninteresting, but it’s what directly impacts how we live and interact with one another. By voting for Ravi Bhalla, our community will become a safer, more prosperous one for all of us.

by ALEX MURTAGH Sophomore Civil Engineering Major

At the beginning of the semester, I was so excited to switch my voter registration over to Hoboken so I could make an impact on local politics. I went to all of the major candidates’ websites and started reading up on all of their positions. I was just about ready to pull the lever for Councilman DeFusco; my only reservation was based on how he would do during the debate. But after what I saw last week, I’m not so sure that I really want to vote for any of the candidates.

The nice thing about local politics is that the Republican versus Democrat debate doesn’t really come up all that often unless the election is in a major city.

Thankfully, Hoboken is safe from candidates putting a D or an R on the ballot next to their name, so I could only guess who supported what political party.

At first, I guessed that Mike DeFusco was a Republican based on his pro-business stance, Ravi Bhalla was a Democrat since he was endorsed by current Mayor Dawn Zimmer who is a widely known Democrat, Anthony Romano appeared to be an independent based on his stance on taxes staying low along with his push for more government

that to the best of his abilities. He also never really mentioned what he accomplished for Hoboken while a county freeholder, aside from keeping the streets clean during snow storms.

I wouldn’t even consider that an accomplishment unless he was literally out there plowing snow or managing snow removal crews.

Last, but far from least, was City Council President Giattino. She was good in the majority of her remarks but appeared very unexcited. Although she did seem to want to break from the status quo, it didn’t come through very well. She would only provide a rebuttal when directly challenged, but to her credit, all of her rebuttals were very effective. My only other point of detraction is her, and all of the other candidates’ reaction to Washington Street construction.

As a future civil engineer, it was clear that not a single candidate knew what it was like to work on or manage a construction site, especially one that stretches roughly 14 blocks. They all complained about the slow progress of a project that is surrounded by one of the busiest streets in Hoboken. I dare any of the candidates to actually take the time to understand how construction works and then continue to criticize the Washington Street project.

As for the two minor candidates, for whom it would take a few miracles to win, they weren’t bad, but I don’t know if they could really get the job done. If I could somehow mix the passion of DeFusco with the ideas of Giattino, I would have a candidate to vote for. All in all, I don’t know who I’m voting for, or if I will even vote at all.

Scientific Curmudgeon .

You Should Know Who Claude Shannon Was

by JOHN HORGAN CAL Professor

Everybody, and especially everybody at an engineering school like Stevens, should know who Claude Shannon was.

Shannon, who lived from 1916 to 2001, was an electrical engineer and mathematician. In 1948, while at Bell Laboratories, he published “A Mathematical Theory of Communication,” which laid the foundation for the digital era. Robert Lucky, a former executive director of

research at Bell Labs, has called Shannon’s paper the greatest “in the annals of technological thought.”

Shannon has never been as well-known as he should be. But he is now the subject of a terrific new biography, A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age, by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman. Soni, a journalist, is giving a talk at Stevens Wednesday, November 8, Babbio Auditorium, 4-5 p.m. To whet your appetite, below are excerpts from my interview with Shannon in 1989 at his home near Boston.

Horgan: When you started working on information theory, did you have a specific goal in mind?

Shannon: My first thinking about it was: How do you best forward transmissions in a noisy channel… [like] a

telegraph system or telephone system. But when I begin thinking about that, you begin to generalize in your head all of the broader applications.

So almost all of the time, I was thinking about them as well. I would often phrase things in terms of a very simplified channel.

Yes or no’s or something like that. So I had all these feelings of generality very early.

Horgan: I read that [physicist] John Von Neumann suggested you should use the word “entropy” as a measure of information because no one understands entropy and so you can win arguments about your theory.

Shannon: It sounds like the kind of remark I might have made as a joke… Crudely speaking, the amount of information is how much chaos is there in the system. But the mathematics comes

out right, so to speak.

The amount of information measured by entropy determines how much capacity to leave in the channel.

Horgan: Were you surprised when people tried to use information theory to analyze the nervous system?

Shannon: That’s not so strange if you make the case that the nervous system is a complex communication system, which processes information in complicated ways…

Mostly what I wrote about was communicating from one point to another, but I also spent a lot of time in transforming information from one form to another, combining information in complicated ways, which the brain does and the computers do now. So all of these things are kind of a generalization of information theory.

Horgan: John Pierce

[an electrical engineer and friend of Shannon] once said that your work could be extended to include meaning.

Shannon: Meaning is a pretty hard thing to get a grip on… In mathematics and physics and science and so on, things do have a meaning, about how they are related to the outside world. But usually they deal with very measurable quantities, whereas most of our talk between humans is not so measurable.

It’s a very broad thing which brings up all kinds of emotions in your head when you hear the words.

So, I don’t think it is all that easy to encompass that in a mathematical form.

Horgan: Do you worry that machines will take over some of our functions?

Shannon: The machines may be able to solve a lot of problems we have won-

dered about and reduce our menial labor problem… If you are talking about the machines taking over, I’m not really worried about that. I think so long as we build them, they won’t take over.

Horgan: Did you ever feel any pressure on you, at Bell Labs, to work on something more practical?

Shannon: No. I’ve always pursued my interests without much regard for financial value or value to the world. I’ve been more interested in whether a problem is exciting than what it will do. … I’ve spent lots of time on totally useless things.

John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings, which is part of the College of Arts & Letters.

This column is adapted from one originally published on his ScientificAmerican.com blog, “Cross-check.”

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Sports

Friday, November, 3, 2017 • Page 12

Wrestling ranked No. 7 in NWCA Preseason Poll

SSI - The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released its preseason poll Monday and ranked the Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling team seventh in the country.

The Ducks finished the 2016-17 dual season with a perfect 22-0 record and have won 36 consecutive dual meets dating back to December 12, 2015. Stevens wrestling has won three straight Centennial Conference championships and were tabbed the league’s No. 1 team in its preseason poll.

“It’s a great accolade for the team to be starting the season ranked in the top-10,” head coach Joe Favia said. “They put in a lot of hard work last year that has brought our program to this point. That said, this is a new year and there is a lot of work to be done. Our goal is to claim the top spot in March, that’s what we are focused on.”

Four Stevens wrestlers earned a spot in the NWCA Individual Preseason Rankings, including sophomore Troy Stanich, who earned the No. 2 ranking at 133 pounds.

As a freshman, Stanich posted a 45-1 record, including 20 pins, nine majors and five technical falls. The Roxbury, New Jersey native was named D3Wrestle.com Freshman of the Year and the Centennial Conference’s Rookie of the Year en route to a national third-place finish Senior Zach Wilhelm begins his final campaign ranked sixth at 157 pounds. The Tuckerton, New Jersey native earned AllAmerican status at 149 pounds after a seventhplace finish at the NCAA National Championship.

Wilhelm went 48-9 in 2016-17, earning four pins, 15 majors and 10 technical falls. The senior’s 48 wins set the program’s single-season record.

Junior Thomas Poklikuha opens the season ranked eighth at 165 pounds after earning Honorable Mention AllCentennial Conference in 2017 at 157 pounds.

The West Creek, New Jersey native went 429, earning 12 pins, 11 majors and nine technical falls. Poklikuha’s 42 wins ranked third on the team.

Senior Phil Woods re-

turns for his final season on Castle Point ranked eighth in the country at 174 pounds. The Roselle Park, New Jersey native earned five victories in 2016-17 after earning Honorable Mention All-Centennial Conference status as a sophomore. Woods has earned 63 victories over the course of his career.

D3Wrestle.com also released its preseason rankings Monday, featuring Stanich at No. 2, and Wilhelm at No. 6.

Additionally, Poklikuha was named a contender at 165 pounds and junior Joey Borai (125 pounds) and sophomore Dylan Van Sickell (149 pounds) joined Woods in receiving an honorable mention at their respective weight classes.

“The six individuals who found themselves [ranked] certainly deserve it,” Favia added.

“They are the leaders of our team and we will be counting on them to set the tone each week.

Their individual goals echo that of our teams, to finish at the top in March.”

Up Next: Stevens travels to Providence, Rhode Island for the Ithaca Invitational.

Men’s Cross Country Sets Record with Eight All-Conference Earners

Cortese earns E8 Golfer of the Week honors SSI - Utica College scored twice in the final 4:08 to stun the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s soccer team 4-3 Sunday in an Empire 8 Conference match that marked both program’s regular season finale.

Junior Nicholas Cousillas netted his first career goal in the 49th minute to open a 3-2 advantage for the Ducks. Junior Chris Cesario and freshman Kevin Brito assisted on the go-ahead goal. Cesario’s throw-in began the play and Brito headed the ball to the Old Bridge, New Jersey native, who pushed the ball past Matthew Milograno for the tally.

Senior Jacob Ulasevich and freshman Matthew Hammons also found the back of the net for Stevens, who concludes regular season play at 9-6-2 and 5-11 in Empire 8 Conference play.

Utica earned back-toback victories to finish the season 8-9-2 and 1-4-2 in league play. The Pioneers went undefeated in its last three E8 fixtures.

After Cousillas’ goal, Stevens maintained its lead for 37 minutes before Thomas Muller used his left foot to boot a loose ball past Jacob Coumans for his fifth goal of the season to knot the match at three. Coumans made three saves on the day in the second game of his career.

Pivotal Point Tied at three, Milograno snared Andy Diaz-Delgado’s crossing attempt and set for a goal kick.

The Utica keeper played a long ball off his right foot, reaching deep into the attacking third.

The bouncing ball caromed off the head of a Stevens defender into the net for the game-winning goal.

Milograno was credited with the marker.

Inside the Numbers Stevens outshot the Pioneers 17-11, but only held a 10-8 edge in shots on goal.

Milograno led all goalkeepers with four saves.

Muller and Bita Gazashvilli led all players with three shots each. Muller led all players with three shots on goal.

The Ducks earned six corners to Utica’s five.

Six different players had two shots for Stevens.

Hammons led the Ducks with two shots on goal.

Unsung Heroes “Freshman Matthew Hammons scored and worked hard in the midfield.”

From the Sidelines “Credit to Utica. They made it difficult for us today. It was a hard-fought Empire 8 road game.”

“We have to switch our focus to Friday for the E8 semifinal.”

Up Next Stevens opens the 2017 Empire 8 Conference Championship Friday evening with a rematch of last season’s semifinal against St. John Fisher College.

The Ducks bested the Cardinals 1-0 on Patrick Boylan’s first-half header on Sept. 16.

St. John Fisher stunned Stevens on penalties in last season’s tournament.

All games will be played at the DeBaun Athletic Complex.

Live stats and video links on StevensDucks.com.

Casey Leads Men’s Fencing at Temple Stevens Sports Information

SSI - The Empire 8 Champion Stevens Institute of Technology men’s cross country team placed a school-record eight runners on all-conference teams following the Empire 8 Championship race this weekend.

Senior Greg Arabagian won the individual conference crown to lead the Duck honorees.

Arabagian and freshman PJ Gunther were 1-2 in the race, with times of 27:44 and 27:54, respectively. They were

the only two runners to break the 28-minute barrier in the 8k event.

Joining the two frontrunners on the Empire 8 First-Team were Phil Chapel in fifth (28:22), Ryan Gioe in seventh (28:31) and Dylan Peters in eighth (28:35). The Top-10 finishers earn first-team status and the next 10 make up the second-team.

Earning second-team spots were Tom Selvaggi (12th / 28:43), Adam Sisson (15th / 28:28)

and Thomas Nafash (20th / 29:20).

The eight honorees smashed the previous school-record of five allconference performers.

Michael Cahill in 2013 was the only other Duck to win an individual Empire 8 title.

The next stop for the Ducks will be the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship hosted by Empire 8 rival Houghton College. That will be held on November 11 in Houghton, New York.

SSI - The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s fencing team started its season on Sunday at the prestigious Temple Open in Philadelphia. Competing against some of the top competition in the nation, the Ducks placed 15 fencers in the top half of the standings.

In the largest weapon group, epee, Brennan Casey earned the top Stevens finish by taking 12th out of the 95 fencers. Other finishers include.

Noah Scott 16th Felix Yin 24th Kirk Visser 29th Leonard Behrens 33rd

Ian Blakeslee 50th Out of 83 foil fencers, Michael Ruotolo’s 30thplace finish led a tightlypacked gaggle of Ducks including George Allen (34), Ryan Edelstein (35), Nicholas Gray (42), and Carmine Freda (42).

In sabre the Ducks placed four fencers in the Top-33, namely: Juan Amezquita 20 Timothy Steinberg 23 Eric Sang 29 Ian Fan 33 There were 76 sabreists in the competiton.

The Ducks will return to action on November 11 when team play begins at the Vassar Invitational.

ON DECK IN SPORTS

Friday WRESTLING VS Day One 3:30 p.m.

Providence, RI

WOMEN’S SOCCER

VS Nazareth College 7 p.m.

Oneonta, NY

MEN’S SOCCER VS St John Fisher College 7 p.m.

MEN’S SWIMMING VS. Day One TBA New York, NY

WOMEN’S SWIMMING VS. Day One TBA New York, NY

Saturday WRESTLING VS Day Two 9:30 a.m.

Providence, RI

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

VS Alfred University 12 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER VS Empire 8 6 p.m.

Oneonta, NY

MEN’S SOCCER

VS Empire 8 7 p.m.

Hoboken, NJ

Duck Country Scoreboard Date 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/28 10/29 10/29

Stevens

Opponent/Event

Score

Result

Women's Fencing Wresting Field Hockey Women's Volleyball Women's Soccer Women's Volleyball Women's Cross Country Men's Cross Country Men's Fencing Men's Soccer

VS Individual VS Gray & Red Wrestle-Off VS Washington and Jefferson College VS Carnegie Mellon University VS Houghton College @ Eastern University VS Empire 8 Championship VS Empire 8 Championship VS Individual VS Utica College

N/A N/A 0-1 0-3 3-0 4-1 N/A

Complete Complete L L W W 2nd 1st

N/A N/A 3-4

Complete L

Stevens Sports Information

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HEAD TO: STEVENSDUCKS.COM STEVENSREC.COM