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STUTE THE
The Stute The official campus newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904, and creator of the Stevens mascot, Atilla the Duck.
We write Stevens history.
Volume CXIV • Issue 20
Friday, March 24, 2017
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Established 1904
London attacked by British native by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Managing Editor
A lone assailant killed four people and injured dozens more on Wednesday, March 22 near the United Kingdom Houses of Parliament in London. The attacker was shot and killed by police after the assailant stabbed an unarmed police officer. The Aamaq News Agency delivered a message from the Islamic State, which described the attacker “as a soldier of the Islamic State”. The attacker plowed his car through the pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, injuring at least 40 people and killing two people, and then crashed the car into Parliament. He tried entering the complex, armed with knives. He fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot. The British police suspect Khalid Masood, 52, a British born native, to be responsible for the attack. He was known by a number of aliases. The Metropolitan Police have stated that Masood was not involved in any current investigations. British Prime Minister Theresa May stated that it is believed the man was inspired by Is-
lamist ideology. Masood was investigated by England’s domestic security agency, MI5, years ago due to his violent extremism. “He was a peripheral figure. The case is historic – he was not part of the current intelligence picture,” May said, adding that there was “no prior intelligence of his intent – or of the plot.” According to USA Today, British police reported that four people were killed “one police officer, a woman in her 40s, a man in his 50s and a man in his 70s. About 40 people, including three police officers, were wounded.” Among the four fatalities were a 75-year-old who was recently taken off life support, a Utah tourist who was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary with his wife, a mother, and a police officer, Keith Palmer, who worked in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command as a police officer for 15 years. Among the wounded were a number of foreign tourists, 12 Britons, four South Koreans, three French high school students, two Romanians, two Greek, and a citizen from each of China, Germany, Ireland, Italy,
businessinsider.com
and the United States. USA Today, “British port officials pulled a Romanian woman from the Thames River after the attack. She was listed in critical condition after surgery.” Despite the terrorist being a
British native, many European politicians are linking the attack on migration policies. Marine Le Pen, only one of many French anti-immigration politicians, said on Thursday, “We must control our borders,” the Front National
leader told France’s BFM TV and RMC radio. “The problem we have today is this form of low-cost terrorism, radicalised individuals acting alone, without a network. see LONDON • Page 6
Stevens for Solidarity Featured on Page 7
Sexual education committee in the works working hard to better understand the health needs of the student body through surveys and conversations, and as part of this dialogue we thought it would be great to get a group of students and administrators together to talk about education and awareness around sexual health.” Damell is the Tile IX coordinator and a strong advocate for this committee, hoping it will be able to “ identify the gaps in education and help myself and others better prepare the students and provide services both on and off-campus.” She also explained the current programs that have existed on campus involving sexual health education, including “Sex Positivity” and a presentation by Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delta Tau Delta about consent. The committee is looking for students who are passionate in improving areas of sexual health and who are willing and able to discuss sexual health topics and issues in a respectful and safe practice. Those who are interested in joining the committee can fill out the google form, or contact Melanie Caba via Stevens email.
Spring Break Green Tea Ice Cream
by AUDREY DSOUZA Staff Writer
Senate hold confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Starting on Monday, Mar. 20, the United States Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court with nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. Judge Gorsuch was nominated to the position by President Trump in late January. The senate is likely to conclude their hearing this week and will later take a vote in committee. If the committee votes for Gorsuch, his nomination will move before the full senate. This week the judge is undergoing hours of intense questioning from senators. Judge Gorsuch is considered a “typical” nominee based on his background. Gorsuch received an education from Columbia University, Harvard Law School, and Oxford University. Gorsuch then went on to serve as a judicial clerk for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. He then moved into the private sector for about ten years before joining the US Department of Justice as a
Principal Deputy to the Associate Attorney General. After one year, Gorsuch was nominated to the US Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit and was unanimously approved by the Senate. Gorsuch has served on the court since 2006. On the first day of the hearings, Judge Gorsuch only spoke for a short period of time and did not answer any questions. The first day consisted of opening statements from all members of the committee as well as Gorsuch. The day was mostly filled with political jargon, support from Republicans, and opposition from Democrats. The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), also set rules for the coming days of questioning to help limit the amount of time, but still allowed all senators to ask as many questions as they would like. The second day of hearings, each senator was allowed one round of 30 minutes for questioning. The questions ranged from general questions like if Gorsuch would oppose the president, to narrow ones dealing with the specific language in specific cases that
the judge has ruled on. When asked by multiple senators if he was willing to oppose the president who appointed him, Gorsuch quickly responded that he would have no problem in doing so. Throughout the questioning, many of the senators attempted to get the judge to discuss his stances on certain political issues. Gorsuch responded by saying that he would follow legal precedent and rule based on the law — not his own opinions. To back up this claim, the judge provided specific examples to the committee of rulings in favor of both left-wing and right-wing policies. If the judge were to take sides on an issue, he would be required to recuse himself from any cases involving that issue. On the third day of hearings, the senators were allowed as many 20 minutes rounds as necessary. Much of time was spent not questioning Gorsuch, instead defending claims against him made by other senators. The most notable of these examples were Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who accused his democratic col-
Roving Reporter
Front page continued
Cheesecake
Do you believe in the
Technology Ban
groundhog thing?
World Water Day
Transitional Dressing
Baseball falls to Kean University
Polling Pierce
HELSA
Letter to the Editor
Did you get free Ritas?
OPINION 2-3
CAMPUS PULSE 4
In order to determine the sexual education needs of the Stevens community, SGA Senator Melanie Caba, with help of Senior Senator Andy Waldron, Dean Kristie Damell, and Dean Kenneth Nilsen, has created an initiative to form a Sexual Education Committee on campus. By next semester, they plan to be in full swing, working to spread awareness about sexual health education in the Stevens community. “After having a few discussions with Dean Damell and Dean Nilsen”, explained Caba, in charge of the initiative, “we are working on efforts to profile the current Stevens sexual health culture and determine ways in which to improve existing services and engage and community in providing adequate, inclusive, and comprehensive sexual education. We are really aiming to figure out what are the best methods of introducing sexual education and sexual health environment into the Stevens Community.” Dean Kristie Damell was also enthusiastic about the committee, saying, “The SGA has been
by ALEX MURTAGH Staff Writer
see HEARINGS • Page 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Weather Rock
Philosophy Part V
Astel and Brown collect Post-Season Accolades
Stevens for Solidarity
Corporate PseudoFeminism
Trinity beats Women’s Lacrosse
NEWS 6-7
OPINION CON’T 8-9
SPORTS 10
l
STUTE THE
We write Stevens history.
The student-run newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904
114th Volume Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Managing Editor Layout Editor Systems Administator
Tarik Kdiry Mark Krupinski Maryia Spirydonava Audrey Dsouza Matthew Doto
Staff & Contributors Aditya Pendalya Alex Murtagh Charles Zwicker Cole Yarbrough David Rogers Gray Morrison John Horgan Katie Brown
Kevin Shah Namankita Rana Nicholas Burns Philip Fishbein Rachel Stern Ramya Sudhakar Veronica Melikov
Opinion The Stute Editorial
The importance of patience Patience. What a magnificent quality to have. Sometimes it seems that everyone has patience except you. Though it is definitely true some people are better at utilizing their patience, that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have what it takes to be a patient person. Patience takes patience. How hilarious, but it’s true. Just like with anything else in life, you must work hard to reach your goals. I feel that patience is among, if
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Letters to the Editor Policies
by AUDREY DSOUZA
Freshman Business and Technology Major
The opinions in letters sent to The Stute with the request to be published are the sole opinions of their author(s) and do not reflect the views and opinions of any member or person involved in the making of The Stute. These opinions are not endorsed by The Stute and the content of all letters are left in their original, unedited form. A disclaimer will accompany any letter that is published in The Stute stating this information. Letters may not exceed 500 words in length and must be fully attributed with name and title (non-attributed letters will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but the author’s identity must be made known to a member of the Executive Board). They must be emailed to eboard@thestute.com. The Stute reserves the right to not publish any letter submitted for publication.
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Corrections & Clarifications For corrections and clarifications email eboard@thestute.com • The “WikiLeaks reveals alleged C.I.A. hacking toolset” article had incorrect content associated
because I do this all the time. One way to develop patience is to change your attitude concerning misfortune. How do you react to bad news? If you keep a mental list of the bad in your life and pile it up, you may be due for a new outlook on life. Your life is too short and much too precious to spend even a second feeling bad for yourself or feeling aggravated. We don’t operate at our best when we are upset. Letting go and moving on al-
lows you to kill it at your next interview or ace that next test. Letting go is the ultimate test of your patience and if you find yourself focusing on your future as opposed to the past, you will grow as a more patient person. Until next time.
Tarik Kdiry Editor-in-Chief
What I learned from old people
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not the most important, trait to obtain. Patience eases pains ranging from some things like dropping your coffee on yourself to dealing with the loss of a loved one. Without patience, the most trivial of unfortunate events can seem like a permanent problem and that can really dampen your life. We tend to remember misfortune more often than fortune and to be completely fair, I do not know why. Someone, please Google this
Mind of a Freshman
Contact Us Office Phone
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 2
This spring break, I didn’t do much. You always see what spring break is like in the movies, or even on social media. Pics of kids in Miami, Cancún, etc., really living it up. I was really never that kind of person, unfortunately. I ate lunch with my friends from high school twice, did absolutely nothing when it snowed, and made very minimal progress on my mission to finish the Office before the end of the semester. I didn’t even do my homework; I only wrote an essay because it was due during break. But I made sure, although I procrastinated, I would spend time at my church for its weekly Lenten Soup Kitchen. No one really goes to
soup kitchen except old people and high school students that are forced to be there for their confirmation class volunteering requirement. It’s kind of sad; I wish the high school kids were more enthusiastic about service, but they probably have a lot going on anyway. Among the old people that come though, there is such a strong sense of community. Because I’m super awkward, I just talked to old people the whole time. I have an interesting story and cool observations to share. One lady told me about her husband who passed away two years ago. She explained to me, how he was the only man she had ever loved. They had been together for years, since she was 14 and he was 15. He apparently had told his neighbor he wanted to marry her two weeks after they started dating. “He didn’t tell me that until a few years later,” she laughed, explaining to me the fond memory. She was a really bright and kind old woman, maybe in her seventies. She smiled at me in a specific way. If I had to explain it, it would be eyes that reflected a life full of memories, experiences, and love, looking with a nostalgic look
at an 18 year old girl who was yet to experience a lifetime of adventures. Sometimes I feel so worried, that I’m wasting time or not doing things when I should be. Should I be pursing the person I think is cute, or should I just focus on my grades? Should I be travelling more, taking more pictures, having more experiences, before it’s too late? I was talking to a friend at Rutgers who skips class and practices his guitar. Is pursing a hobby more important than the commitment he’s making to his major? Is there really plenty of time to think about what I want, and I’m just stressing for no reason? I think I’m a little influenced by my mom. Her biggest regret was not studying more. She always complains that if she had a good education that my brother and I would take her words more seriously. She warns me, that as a young woman beauty and lovers are ephemeral, and only education and learning is lifelong. I am worried. Freshman year is almost over. I’m the kind of person who thoroughly plans things out, so I have my study plan done and my next semester schedule
planned. Is anticipating and planning this much worth the stress? I think about that a lot these days. I just kind of want to live like Dottie, the lady from soup kitchen. Having just one person in your heart your whole life, and growing old with them: that seems like the most romantic love story. She had retired a few years ago, and ever since her husband passed she got really involved with ministries at our church. She just does the things she wants. Morning yoga class, spending time with her dogs, shopping. I want to live in the moment like her, but it’s really difficult. There is so much I’d do, if time, space, and money weren’t issues. I would want to travel all around the world. I really want to get into hiking, and take a lot of road trips. And photos. I would spend more time reading and appreciating art. This kind of easygoing-ness old people have about life kind of how I wish I could carry myself at my age. I wish I could think, “Everything that needs to happen, will happen.” I wish I could me more satisfied with my present, than obsessed with the future, like them.
Senioritis
The not so spring breakers
by KATIE BROWN
Senior Chemical Engineering Major
March 15, 2017 was the day I finally realized how unique I really am. Well, actually, how unique Stevens students are. Upon reaching Nassau in The Bahamas on my spring break cruise, my friends and I decided to go out to the one and only Señor Frogs. To summarize the restaurant and bar in the shortest and most accurate way possible, my sugary yet pungent margarita came in a tall plastic cup called a “Yard Stick.” Yeah, one of those places. With music blaring and a powerful base
increasing as we walked further and further into the bar, it was a location we all anticipated would be a fun night out. The initial atmosphere and round of drinks echoed something you would experience in Hoboken, but we quickly learned otherwise. About every 10 minutes or so the would DJ ask “where my spring breakers at?” The eight of us would reply with excited yet calm “Woot!” which quickly got trumped and interrupted by the sloppy responses of “WOOOOO!” and “OH YEAAAH” and insert every other obnoxious sound you could think of here. Clearly, everyone else was at another level than we were. As the night progressed, the eight of us got to experience dance contests for free shots, our flip flops sticking to the floor from nearly every person around us spilling their drink, and a scene that arguably was a modernized “Animal House”style party in the middle
of paradise. Though it was an enjoyable time for the group, it was incredible to witness how other people our age were celebrating their week off from school and how different that behavior really is. The differences in spring break behavior were not causing a “we’re better/ they’re not” sort of mentality but simply a “wow, we are really different” one. Though there are some Stevens students who might have had a spring break similar to the other attendees of Señor Frogs, it was pretty evident how the social culture of Stevens is vastly different than that of other school’s. The differences stretched beyond our Señor Frogs experience. For example, because of some midterms this past week, a couple of my friends peeled off to a local Starbucks to take advantage of the free wifi and download slides to study from. Paper due middle of spring break? No prob-
lem. Instead of relaxing on the beach, one of us typed away on Google Docs via their phone to get it done. I highly doubt many other college students would do those sorts of things, but this is just “a day in the life” for a Stevens student. You’re reading this while smiling in nodding because it’s a behavior that is pretty much accepted. Honestly, other college students might think you were a nerd if you did those things on your vacation. All in all, Stevens students have vastly different approaches to things. Instead of relaxing the entire vacation without a worry, Stevens students hopped on the opportunity to be better prepared for that looming exam. Even in the nonacademic sense, instead of getting obliterated and having the spring break you questionably won’t remember the next week, (with a killer hangover to couple it) a Stevens student is probably there to sim-
ply have a good time and relax. Not to generalize every student who goes here and went on spring break, but I’m sure many people felt different than, or even overwhelmed by, the behaviors of spring breakers around them. I always knew Stevens students were unique just given the nature of the curricula, student life, and social life, but I really didn’t notice it in the flesh until my break. To make the comparison between “you and them” is very dependent of whom you are, but overall the similarities and differences really evened out. Maybe the people climb-
ing on stage to dance with their friends and winning twerking contests for free drinks probably saw my friends and I as outsiders. We might have been classified as the “not-so-spring breakers,” but I had fun nonetheless. The important fact of being a Stevens student, whether on spring break or not, is to embrace the fact that you are different. We have different approaches to nearly everything, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Throughout my night, I powered through my Yard Stick and made the best of the situation that I could possibly do.
COUNTDOWN TO FREEDOM
61 Days until Commencement, May 24th, 2016
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 3
Across the Hudson
The great, green tea cream
by DAVID ROGERS
Sophomore Mechanical Engineering Major
I’ll be celebrating my birthday a few days after this piece is published. For some reason, I seem to frequently celebrate my birthday with Chinese food, so I figured I’d write about a rather unique place in Chinatown I found out about nearly a decade ago (yikes, I feel so old!). Rewind to March
28, two thousand and something, when my family and I just walked out of a Chinese restaurant on Mott St. looking for dessert. Long behold, we find Chinatown Ice Cream Factory on Bayard St., between Mott and Elizabeth Streets. I don’t remember much else from that first visit except that I was very impressed, and that they had some unique flavors like Ginger (my pick) and Black Sesame. It’s not the best quality ice cream I’ve ever had (that title goes to an ice cream stand in St. David’s, Wales), but the exotic flavors were both rare and good. A few weeks ago, I visited this Chinatown
Ice Cream Factory again with a friend, and I tried a different flavor: Green Tea Oreo. Big mistake. The ice cream was still premiumquality, but the flavors simply didn’t mix. Oreo ice cream is one of my favorite (western) ice cream flavors, and the Green Tea alone didn’t seem bad, but the flavors were not a good combination. I also noticed that the prices went up quite a bit to roughly $5 for a small waffle cone since my visit in 2016. A small waffle cone has enough ice cream for what I would call a medium, but $5 is still a high base price. Another problem is that the
A model is better than a Weather Rock
by MARK KRUPINSKI
Freshman Computational Science Major
Last week we had the biggest snowstorm in the area in at least the past 10 years - but how did technology play a role in forecasting this event, and what’s with these “models” that the newscasters kept talking about? Weather models – formally known as Numerical Weather Prediction – are simply simulations of the atmosphere – which, in effect, causes the weather. Each simulation takes into account known facts about the atmosphere – mainly equations about how fluids in the atmosphere work – as well as the initial conditions of the atmosphere. Meteorology, like any field of science, is in constant development. No simulation is perfect which causes errors in the forecast. Errors can be caused by two primary methods: computing ability and initial conditions. The set of equations used in weather models are all partial differential equations. This indicates two things. Firstly, the result of the model run is highly dependent on the initial observations (pressure, wind speed, direction, temperature, etc.). One small error in observational data can throw the entire system into whack. In addition, computers can only compute basic opera-
new. If you like it, have it again some other day. If not, you don’t need to have it again. Just
break your ice cream comfort zone first. It’s the whole point of trying new things.
Photo courtesy of Sahar N, Yelp Elite
Letter to the Editor
Technically Speaking
tions such as addition and subtraction. They cannot directly solve a differential equation, only approximate the answer. As a result, the “solution” given by the weather model is never exact. At point, it will cut off decimal places. They do not have the computing ability to determine all components of the atmosphere completely. One way a model deals with this is limiting its resolution. Instead of calculating the atmosphere, it will calculate it in a grid pattern. For example, a model might only calculate the atmospheric conditions at a point every 20 kilometers and at every kilometer vertically. By reducing the number of points in which the model has to calculate, it can create a simulation of the atmosphere at a much quicker speed. Obviously, this leads to inaccuracies in the model, as it has to estimate geographic features and data about the fluids at the points in between. One issue arises at coastlines. The atmosphere behaves very differently over land versus over water. When the boundary falls in between points, the simulation becomes less accurate. The accuracy can be improved make the distance between the points smaller, but that also comes at the trade-off of increasing computing time. Among weather models, there are two weather models that are frequently mentioned in the news: the GFS (Global Forecasting Model) and the Euro (European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting/ECMWF). These models are the two most renown weather models. Each
place has become much more popular in recent years, so the small storefront can be very crowded, with lines extending out the door to the next storefront or two. Overall opinion of the place: it’s still a good place. After my bad experience with Green Tea Oreo, I thought I would be writing about the rise and fall of the factory, but then I realized that it was simply the flavor. I can still say that Ginger and a few others are definitively good flavors, but Green Tea Oreo is definitely not. I suggest my readers go to the factory with some patience and a big wallet to try something
one has slight variations due to the calculations used, equations, and how data is interpreted. However; some meteorologists say that they prefer the European model as it is more accurate. While models alone should never be used to forecast, the European model does have a better track record than the GFS (for example, see Hurricane Sandy, Joaquin, among countless other examples). How does the Euro succeed? The GFS is a product of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) – the organization does not focus primarily on creating a weather model. However, the European model is created by an organization whose only objective is creating the best weather model. It does not have to diversify. Additionally, the European model runs on a stronger supercomputer than the GFS. What’s next for weather models? On the technology end, the improvement is mainly going to come from the growth of computers. Numerical Weather Prediction is a computationally heavy field: its success will only increase from the growth of supercomputers. On the science end, it simply needs more research to understand how the atmosphere works, just like any field of science. As a final reminder: models are only one component used by a skilled meteorologist. General knowledge of the atmosphere and weather patterns also play into account when giving a forecast. And in the end, nothing beats reading your weather rock.
Dear Reslife, I have been a student at Stevens for almost two years now and I have experienced firsthand the effects of the changes that the office of residence life has implemented. As a freshman, I entered Stevens accepting that my underclassmen status limited my options in terms of classes and housing but I accepted these terms in the hopes that someday I would be able to reap the benefits of my impending seniority. And so, when it came time to choose housing for my sophomore year, I opened up myStevens with my subpar lottery number and chose the only available housing option that was given, a waitlist for an unknown location off campus. I had to accept these vague and ambiguous terms of the Stevens housing contract because commuting for me was not an option. Imagine the smiles on my parent’s faces when I told them I didn’t know where I would be living next year but canceling housing would mean paying up front anyway. But I sucked it up and accepted my situation because what authority did I have as an underclassmen to say what I wanted, how I wanted and when I wanted it. As a sophomore, I was definitely not ready to live in an actual apartment. I had no idea how a stove worked, I had multiple
fiascos with the vacuum and I was almost always late to class. I got a meal plan because of this but it was a 25 minute walk to Pierce so in addition I was constantly hungry. Sophomore year was tough enough as it is figuring out electricity and magnetism, now I had to figure out how to adult too. So, for my third year I was pretty set on living on campus once again. It had closer proximity to my classes, my friends, and food, all good things. Finally, I could reap the benefits of my seniority. Imagine the surprise of me and my friends when the office of residence life released their change in policy, giving rising freshmen priority for on campus housing. I was forced back into the lottery pool of off campus housing with another bottom of the barrel lottery number. The campus is going to become a freshman and sophomore only zone now, kicking out the students who have been at the school and on the campus the longest. Stevens is a campus that stresses the importance of diversity amongst its students. It encourages upperclassmen to mentor the underclassmen and help them find their place on campus, in class, in work. The students who have been here the longest and have contributed the most to the school are going to be pushed aside in favor
of a new system created by people who have been as this school for what, barely a year. We, as the students, run the clubs, hold the reviews, put on the shows. The longer we’ve been at the school, the more involved we are and the more we impact it. We not only create the culture but preserve it throughout our time here at Stevens. I thought seniority was supposed to imply privilege and respect. Now I’m being pushed off the campus I’ve barely been given the chance to step foot on at all. Students should be given a fair chance of choosing where they want to live, not have to settle. I fully understand that Stevens cannot give everyone of its students a place on campus but the fact that I, as a sophomore, wasn’t even given a chance to live on campus really upset me. I personally feel like I was overlooked and pushed aside in favor of someone who doesn’t even know the campus. I feel like I’m in an episode of Stranger Things, up is down and down is up. We are all in a parallel universe. I guess I’ll never know what it feels like to live in a River suite. Sincerely, A sophomore
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Campus Pulse
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 4
Roving Reporter Do you believe in the groundhog thing?
“No, ghosts aren’t real. Punxatawney Phil has been dead for 20 years.”
“No. Just no.”
“Global warming is effing up the system anyway.”
Dante Monteleone
Mariapia Riso
Allison Flood
“I hate it”
“No. It’s a cute thought I guess.”
“He’s cute.”
Nathen Smith
Sara Hires
Noah Goldstein
Polling Pierce Did you get free Rita’s?
Yes 33 No 64
Happy Spring from The Stute
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Sudoku
Creative Space
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 5
Events Friday March 24 Relay for Life: Walker Gym, 8 PM Saturday March 25 DuckHacks: 1 PM Check In @ EAS 222 NSSS Conference: Babbio Atrium, 8:30 AM Spirit Dinner Cruise: Lincoln Harbor, 7 PM Sunday March 26 NCA Mass: Jacobus Lounge, 5 PM Monday March 27 Computational Mode Recognition: Morton 324, 4 PM ΑΦΩ Chocolate Covered Prezels Night, Babbio Atrium 7 PM Tuesday March 28 Open Improv Comedy Show: P116, 9 PM Knitting Club Sushi Night: BC 204, 9 PM CSA Dim Sum Night: Babbio Atrium, 9PM Wednesday March 29 IUA Holi Celebration, Palmer Lawn, 1 PM The Future of the Earth: BC 122, 4 PM KSA Ramen Night, Jacobus Lounge, 9 PM Thursday March 30 Social Status and Policy Preference: Morton 324, 1 PM
Photos by Cole Yarbrough
News
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 6
London
Continued from front page
It’s a new form of terrorism that requires all the measures we are not taking at present.” Le Pen explained that the attack showed the importance of countries being able to protect their borders and improve general security measures. Poland’s prime minister, Beata Szydło, also spoke out about the connection between terrorist attacks and the EU migrant poli-
cies. Szydlo vindicated Warsaw’s refusal to accept refugees, under the EU quota scheme, saying “I hear in Europe very often: do not connect the migration policy with terrorism, but it is impossible not to connect them,”. She also added that the EU’s migration commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, on a visit to Warsaw, was “trying to tell us: you have to take these migrants … And two days later another terrorist attack in London occurs”.
Technology banned on flights from seven majority Muslim countries by ADITYA PENDALYA Staff Writer
The latest strike of the Trump administration against terrorism was an unprecedented ban on all technological devices larger than a personal cell phone. Released this week, the ban affects selected flights that travel from seven major Muslim countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan. Such devices are now to be stowed away as checked-in baggage, as opposed to conventional carry-on baggage. Similar to other recent measures by the Trump administration, this ban was also met with a flurry of both flak and occasional praise. The greatest ordeal that the ban faces, however, is not the polarity of resulting opinions, but the vagueness of the ban itself. Numerous passengers were unsure what the largest acceptable dimensions for electronic devices were, a question still left unanswered by the Trump administration. Until then, the airlines, who have faced astronomical losses due to the ban itself, also face the brunt of arbitrarily deciding the dimensions of devices allowed on-flight. In addition, speculation behind the reason of the ban was afloat. Experts questioned whether the threat was data stored on such devices or these devices being used as explosives. The Department of Homeland Security later dispelled doubt and
confirmed that the threat under question is only that of electronic devices used as bombs. Furthermore, many opposed to this ban argued that check-in baggage is stored in the cargo of the same flight and has just as much potential to harm in-flight passengers as carry-on baggage. Another presented contention is the fact that terrorists exist all around the world, and not only in the seven banned countries. A cell phone, regardless of its dimensions, can also be used just as a computer. While these arguments reinforce the bleak picture of growing terrorism, experts argue that the storage of laptops in the cargo hold pose a new threat altogether: the possibility of poorly packaged laptops causing a safety hazard due to their lithium-ion batteries. Historically, there have been two incidents where the explosive laptops in carry-on baggage have been used by terrorists: The Russian Metrojet was bombed in Egypt, killing all 226 aboard, and Daalo Airlines’ Flight 159, on which a passenger carried a sophisticated laptop bomb that bypassed security measures. The confidentiality of the reasoning behind this ban is still intact, for the DHS refuses to reveal any more information about the ban. While it is suspected that the ban will be lifted around mid-October of this year, it is yet to be seen whether this directive will suffer the short-lived fate of its predecessors.
HELSA celebrates Greek Independence Day by MARK KRUPINSKI Business Manager
On Wednesday, March 22, the Hellenic Students Association (HELSA) hosted an event in Jacobus Lounge celebrating Greek Independence Day. Greek Independence Day is celebrated in honor of Greek independence from Ottoman Empire rule in the 19th century. Though the actual event is on March 25, HELSA and the Stevens Community celebrated it three days early by enjoying ethnic Greek foods such as Gyros, Hummus, and Greek Salad. “Our next event is Greek Easter on April 21st in Babbio Atrium”, said Nick Canavos, Preisdent of HELSA, “It’s Greeks biggest holiday and is celebrated by having a spread of traditional Greek food.” HELSA hopes to have a large turn out at this event similar to their independence day celebration.
World Water Day: what to know about waste water by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Managing Editor
In Africa, 32% of sub-Saharan Africans, do not have access to safe drinking water. About 27 million people, in Somalia, South Sudan, northeastern Nigeria and Yemen, do not have access to clean water. Every March 22, since originally launched in 1993, World Water Day occurs to bring attention to the water crisis; this year’s theme being “Waste Water”. World Water Day, coordinated by the UN-Water with the joint efforts of governments and partners, is a day all about taking action to fight the water crisis. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals were implemented to ensure that everyone can attain safe water by 2030; water is a key issue in the fight against extreme poverty. According to the World Water Council, an estimated 12% of the world population does not have clean drinking water readily avail-
Hearings
Continued from front page
leagues of hypocrisy for criticizing the rulings of a federal judge. The other ranking member, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), challenged Gorsuch on his work for the Bush administration, to which he responded that he was acting as a lawyer, not a policy maker then. Democrats also focused on portions of Gorsuch’s record that show him going against “the little guy” and instead favoring the “rich and powerful”. Gorsuch, as well as the Republicans, were quick to present evidence to the contrary. The final day of hearings mainly consisted of testimony from both supporting and opposing parties. Judge Gorsuch will not be present this day. Before hearings began, the Senate Democrats tweeted out that they will “hear from victims of his rulings.” Along with that tweet, Senate Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has officially announced that he, along with his fellow Democrats will filibuster the nomination. During the hearing over 25 individuals testified, both for and against the nomination. Those who came to support him were mainly Judges that once worked with Gorsuch or top academic law scholars. People who have been ruled against by Gorsuch and top academic law scholars testified against Gorsuch. Currently, Republicans hold 52 senate seats, and Democrats control 48 (two Independent senators caucus with the Democrats). If the vote to approve Gorsuch moves to the full senate, he will need a simple
able and 3.5 million deaths a year are due to water-related diseases, which is more than car accidents and AIDS combined. 1.8 billion people use drinking water that is contaminated with feces, making them susceptible to cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio, among other diseases. Over 80% of all waste water is not used again According to the U.N., recycling water could help with water shortages. When waste water goes back into the ecosystem, it sometimes pollutes the environment. If waste water was to be treated with the correct technology, it could instead be recycled into “new” water. 70% of water withdrawals are due to agriculture The U.N. claims that irrigation systems used in agriculture cause most water withdrawals worldwide. The effects of irrigation in less developed countries are devastating; agriculture is responsible for 90% of the worldwide water withdrawal. Without more efficient farming methods, the current water situation will not
improve. Leaking taps waste around 5,500 liters of water a year The British NGO Waterwise reported that dripping taps waste a substantial amount of water. The EPA runs “Fix a Leak” week annually for nearly a decade. According to Watersense’s program, more than 10,000 gallons of water are wasted because of household leaks. Less than 3% of the world’s water is drinkable Even though the earth is predominantly water, a very small percentage of that is actually drinkable. National
majority vote of 51 in favor. However, because Schumer will filibuster, a minimum of 60 senators are needed to support the confirmation. The Senate Republicans can enact “the nuclear option” if necessary. The
nuclear option would lower the requirement back to 51 votes. If this option is enacted, then some Republican senators have already stated that they would oppose the nomination on the basis of breaking tradi-
Geographic states that most of that water is trapped in Antarctica and the Arctic and is inaccessible for humans. Over 20% of freshwater fish species are now endangered or extinct The U.N. claims that these species have been hurt by human water consumption, so reducing water waste won’t just reduce bills but also help the environment. People all around the world were spreading the message about waste water. To learn more about the waste water and about ways to help, visit worldwaterday.org.
Photo Courtesy of askideas.com
tional procedure. The majority of judges currently in the Supreme Court have been confirmed with 60 or more votes. The late Justice Antonin Scalia, who Gorsuch would replace, was confirmed 98-0.
Stevens for Solidarity
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 7
by RAMYA SUDHAKAR and KEVIN SHAH Staff Writers
On Wednesday, March 22, 2017, SGA, Amnesty International, College Democrats, WCPR, University Events, and Campus Police joined efforts to host Stevens For Solidarity. This event advocated for people to take a stringent stance against hate and discrimination and promote unity across campus. At the opening of the event, attendees made their ways around various different booths in the Babbio Atrium. Students had the opportunity to show their support for cultural uniqueness, diversity in beliefs, and values by signing the #StevensForSolidarity poster. Each student had the opportunity to define what solidarity meant to them and unify despite differences. #StevensForSolidarity stickers
were distributed as a sign of unity instance. Students were also able to convey their views with a “The America I Believe In…” poster and participated in photo activism as an opportunity to grow the event online. The event created a Snapchat filter in order to spread awareness through social media and urge others to join the movement. Many organizations unified to take a peaceful stand to ensure that the human rights of all be acknowledged, respected and preserved. Engineers for Sustainable World, which promotes engineering initiatives that raise environmental awareness, sold cookies and snacks as a fundraiser for environmental initiatives. Omega Phi Beta, a multicultural sorority on
campus, got attendees to sign a petition against violence against women. Stevens Torch Alliance fought against recent legislation on transgender bathrooms and raised awareness about the LGBTQ+ community. To kick off the event, Dr. Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Students Affairs, introduced the first speaker of the night, Kristen Velloza. Ms. Velloza is an Executive Director for Amnesty International USA, an organization fighting for human rights internationally, independent of any political ideology, economic interest or religion. She explained the initiative to unite in face of national and international problems that have occurred due to changes in policies following recent elec-
tions. Ms. Velloza highlighted the importance of college students to take an initiative and work together to accept each other’s differences in ethnicity and backgrounds on a national scale. A stand, she hopes, will resonate in the future of society. She described the efforts of her chapter and discussed the importance of grassroots activism, which relies heavily on freedom of speech. Following her speech, Dr. Klein introduced Thomas Daly, President of the Student Government Association (SGA), who spoke about embracing differences within the Stevens community. Mr. Daly began by describing his own living situation, which consists of roommates of various races and cultures. He explained that
with time, they learned to become accepting and understanding of each other’s background and beliefs despite their differences. Mr. Daly expressed his intentions to make the campus an area which is accepting and understanding of one another’s diversity and hopes that each student will embrace their culture and feel allowed to express it freely. Following these two speeches, students were given some more time to talk with each other and the booths. The event then proceeded to a solidarity march around campus. Chants included “People united will not be divided,” ”Love not hate makes America great,” “Silence not violence,” and “Tell me what equality looks like? This is what equality looks like.” They
made their way up from Babbio, up Greek Row, through campus gates, and back down. These chants were promoted around campus to express the importance of accepting every individual on campus for their diverse backgrounds and beliefs. Stevens For Solidarity brought many students from various organizations and backgrounds together. One major contributor, Soindos Abdah, a Stevens student in the SGA, expressed that Stevens for Solidarity is “one of the first events with this type of precedence. It aims to bring awareness and remind everyone to be considerate of each other. Equality should be maintained and does not stop because of politics. Differences should not hinder education.”
Gray Morrison
Opinion Continued
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 8
Cuisine Corner
It’s a piece of cake to no-bake cheesecake
by MARKO DJAPIC
Sophomore Chemical Biology Major
Let’s be real for a moment- cooking is a pain -- or should I say, cooking as a student is a pain. Love it or not, there’s nothing worse then trying to cook up some Pad Thai only to set off your fire alarms, which all happen to be linked together. On top of that, even if your dish does come out well, it’s usually only enough for 1, maybe two meals, which doesn’t sound bad until you have to Clean. Every. Single. Thing. The dishes? Obviously. The stove top that’s covered in oils? Okay I was a little messy. The cupboards? How??? In the interest of avoiding such messiness while still making something
delicious, I thought I’d share my cheesecake recipe that has been getting a fair amount of use among my friends. This recipe is perfect for a party, a gettogether, or any event you need to bring something to. (Think of it as an alternative to brownies.) On top of being easy and relatively mess free, it’s also very accommodating to dietary restrictions, which is always a nice plus. To start, empty the two packages of cream cheeses into a large bowl (preferably let them warm a bit so they’re not rock hard) and add 6 tablespoons of sugar. Using a hand mixer, mash it around so the sugar is nice and stuck into your cheese before mixing. (This helps to avoid the sugar blowing up in a cloud of disappointment.) Mix it until the cheese is completely smooth. Then, add two teaspoons of vanilla and lemon juice from half of a lemon (or one whole lemon rind, if you so please). Continue mixing until all the ingredients are properly mixed. Next, pour the whipping
cream into a bowl and add two tablespoons of sugar. Mix it until firm peaks develop. If it starts to aggregate and gets softer, you went too far; quickly stop, and it will still be usable. Incorporate the whipped cream into the cream cheese slowly in increments of heaping tablespoons. Fold the mixture onto itself until the cream is fully mixed and add the next increment of cream. Repeat. Two important notes: First, do NOT use a circular stirring motion. This will destroy the airiness of the cream and make your fill very dense. Second, if the fill is not sweet enough, feel free to add more sugar. 8 tablespoons is on the less sweet side. Next comes the assembly. In a rectangular pan (15x10 inches?) Create a bottom crust by VERY quickly splashing graham (gra-ham) crackers in milk. Personally, I find Nabisco works best for this in staying firm and not melting apart immediately, but any will do. Lay them down on the bottom of the
pan until they are form a uniform surface. Use half the fill to cover this layer, and smooth it over to flatness. Repeat the graham layer procedure and create a second layer on top of this fill. Add the rest of the fill, smooth to flatness, and cover the top with cherry pie filling. Chill until ready to serve, and dig in!! This recipe in general is very versatile, as the fill is well suited to multiple flavors. If you would rather have a more New Yorkstyle cheese cake, simply make a graham crust by mashing graham crackers together with butter and packing the bottom of a spring form pan with them, chilling for an hour, and then add the fill. Some other twists on this include using chocolate grahams, covering the cake in chocolate, or adding fruit to the top in a decorative pattern. As with all cooking, the sky is the limit with this recipe. Many twists can be made to great effect. If you make this cake, contact me and let me know how it went!
Marko Stewart’s Simple Cheese Cake Ingredients 2 packages of cream cheese 1 pint heavy whipping cream 8 tablespoons of confectioners sugar (granular works too) 1/2 lemon juice or 1 whole lemon rind 2 Tbsp vanilla 1 box of graham crackers (note: I find Nabisco works best, but all will do) 1 can cherry pie filling
Photo courtesy of howtocook.blogspot.com
Not With Those Shoes
Transitional Dressing: Hats and Scarves in Spring
by HOPE BRANDES Junior Visual Arts & Technology Major
It’s that weird time of year where it’s 50 degrees with snow on the ground. One day you’re freezing, the next you wish you left your winter jacket home! What do you wear in the middle of two seasons that have opposite wardrobes? What if I told you hats and scarves are not just for winter? There’s a way to bring your winter accessories into the warm-
er months. The arrival of spring also means its time to start adding color to your wardrobe, and accessories are a great way to do that. (Though, what season have I never wore color in?) Read on to find the answers to all these burning questions! Warmer temperatures mean it’s time to say goodbye to my fuzzy, cherry red beret. Or is it?! Besides getting that classic French It-girl style, berets prove to be the perfect hat because they’re seasonless! Plus, if the fall Prada runway has anything to say about it, they’re about to come back into style. While black is classic, bright or pastel colors will make this accessory more spring appropriate. You might also opt for a classic wool-felt material than something fuzzy or fluffy that’s reminiscent of blocking out the winter
chills. Of course, if there’s snow on the ground, no winter accessory will look out of place. What about the guys? Can guys wear berets? Of course they can, but I’m sure most of you probably won’t be rushing out to buy one. I would probably stick with a beanie while it’s cold. If you are really feeling adventurous, wait until the heat of spring has fully arrived and try a fedora, pork pie or Panama hat! These might be hard to pull off if you’re new to putting together an outfit. You want to dress nicely in a button down or crisp tee with chinos or trousers. Also pick a hat in a light, neutral color, like beige, light brown or gray or in straw! Scarves are an easy accessory to transition because any one can wear them and you still look like you know what you’re doing if all you do is toss it around your neck! Spring is the time to start pulling out pops of color in your wardrobe. While it’s still cold, you might be dressing in darker colors and neutrals. Scarves are a great way to bring color or pattern into a plain outfit without being risky. Not to mention, you can take it off! Try something bright and bold! Men’s clothing tends to shy away from color, and while I encourage you all to try it, you can also use patterns and textures to experiment with styles while still keeping to a darker or more muted color palette. Of course, once spring hits you can swap your heavy scarves for some-
thing more light and airy. Silk, thin cotton, or linen in a bright floral or pastel is a fun accessory that will still keep you cool once it starts to get hot. Guys can wear spring scarves too! Try stripes, check or gingham patterns in light blues, whites and pastels for a preppy look. Besides these tried and true accessories, I’m excited to potentially try a neck scarf this spring! It’s sort of a random thing to be excited about, but I’ve seen a mass of inspiration lately for those thin scarves you wrap and tie close to the neck. They’re more petite than a long, flowing scarf, but still add another element of color and detail to an outfit. The male equivalent would be a rolled bandana or short, thin scarf that’s worn loose around the neck and knotted in the front toward the ends. As far as I know, there is no such thing as a spring glove. Unless you’re dressing for a formal, going golfing or wearing a winter coat, you probably shouldn’t be wearing gloves. While the tips I’ve shared may seem like it’s easy to wear hats and scarves all year round, it’s still important to make sure your outfit makes sense seasonally. We don’t want any Uggs and shorts happening. Colors can be a little more seasonally forgiving than materials. You can wear a bright red scarf in any season, but it should be a fluffy winter scarf when it’s cold and a lighter breezier one when it’s warm! If you can’t tell by the weather, then go by the rest of your outfit.
Photos courtesy of Hope Brandes
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Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 9
Girl Talk
Scientific Curmudgeon
We need philosophy to counter our desire for certitude
by JOHN HORGAN CAL Professor
This is the fifth and—I promise--last in a series of posts on philosophy’s purpose. When I teach philosophy at Stevens, I prime the pump by asking, What is philosophy for? After assuring my students that there are lots of possible answers, I give them mine: philosophers protect us from our deep-rooted need to be sure about what we are and ought to be. In previous columns of this series, I’ve considered whether philosophy is a truth-seeking method, martial art, ethical guide or art form. Philosophy is all these things, but to my mind it is, or should be, primarily an instrument of doubt, which counters our terrible tendency toward certitude. David Chalmers, in “Why Isn’t There More Progress in Philosophy?”, acknowledges that philosophers are better at toppling than erecting truth claims. He is dissatisfied with this outcome, which he calls “negative progress,” because he can’t abandon the quest for truth. But philosophers should embrace their role as wrecking balls. Demolition is a noble calling, given all the harm caused by knowit-all-ness. And by harm I mean everything from over-prescription of antidepressants to genocide. Let’s call this critical pursuit “negative philosophy.” The allusion to negative theology is deliberate. Negative theology exalts God by re-
jecting all descriptions of Him. In the same way, negative philosophy honors Truth by skewering all expressions of it. Socrates invented negative philosophy--and inadvertently demonstrated why we need it. He defines wisdom as knowing how little you know, and his parable of the cave warns that we’re prisoners of our own delusions. But the old know-nothing is really a know-itall. He believes—he knows—that he has escaped the cave and seen the True, Good and Beautiful blazing in all their glory. Others can see the light too, if they follow his lead, and together the enlightened elite will rule the benighted masses. We need negative philosophy to save us from our saviors. Philosophers have labored mightily to inoculate us against religious dogmatism. Spinoza, Voltaire and Kant argued for an impersonal God consistent with science and reason, and Nietzsche pronounced God dead. Today, science is our dominant mode of knowledge, with good reason, because it has given us deep insights into and power over nature. But some scientists, intoxicated by success, claim that science is revealing the Truth about, well, everything. They also overstate religion’s evils and downplay the damage done in the name of “reason.” Over the past century faith in pseudo-scientific ideologies—from Marxism and eugenics to free-market capitalism—has caused far more destruction than religious zealotry. Some philosophers have reacted to science’s ascendancy by denying that science achieves durable truth. Others have gone to the opposite extreme, becoming public-relations shills for science and denigrating alternate modes of knowledge. While avoiding either excessive
skepticism or servility, philosophers should call out scientists for overreaching, especially when they promote simplistic, deterministic theories of human nature. Negative philosophy most resembles negative theology when it reminds us that our words and concepts fall far short of reality. Paul Feyerabend, whom I once interviewed, ridiculed the idea that scientists can “figure out” the world. “What they figured out,” Feyerabend said, “is one particular response to their actions, and this response gives this universe, and the reality that is behind this is laughing! ‘Ha ha! They think they have found me out!’” Negative philosophy can be tricky. Philosophers must doubt themselves, but not so much that they despair and seek jobs at Goldman Sachs. They must also avoid skepticism so extreme that it enables fascism and the wholesale rejection of science. They must try to make the world a better place, even though they probably won’t. One final comment: After my students read the parable of the cave, I ask: Are you in the cave right now? Answers vary. Some say college is helping them get out of the cave, others joke that college is pushing them further into the cave. The gloomy ones, with whom I identify, say if you escape one cave, you just end up in another. To console them I say: Knowing you’ll never escape the cave is a little depressing, but it’s better than not knowing, right? John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings, which belongs to the College of Arts & Letters. This column is adapted from one originally published on his ScientificAmercan.com bog, “Cross-check.”
Corporate PseudoFeminism: Why It’s Not Helping
by NAMANKITA RANA
Sophomore Engineering Management Major
Feminism, for all its issues and baggage, is all the rage with big businesses these days. From the release of womencentric ad campaigns to pro-equality products and apparel , it seems like top executives just can’t hop on the pro-feminist train fast enough. But are these businesses endorsing changes for real -- or are they merely co-opting feminism as a marketing ploy? The answer from me is not a strict yes or a no, but more of a suggestion to look more closely. Because while many companies are making actual, quantifiable changes to help achieve gender equality in their workplaces, a great deal have merely co-opted the movement as a way of grabbing the limelight, if just for a brief moment. Probably the most immediate -- and now infamous, thanks to a certain Wall St bro -- example of this kind of fake corporate feminism is the case of the “Fearless Girl” statue on Wall Street. The statue was erected as a part of a campaign to encourage companies to increase the number of women on their boards. Within days of its being erected, it was hailed all over the Twittersphere and the media sphere as “ a remarkable evolution for Wall Street”, with some even going so far as to say that it was “the turning point of gender equality in corporate America.” . Not to be ever the cynic, but while the interest sparked by this statue is no doubt good for the feminist movement overall, it’s still just that -- a statue. It might evoke some warm fuzzies, but it’s not too long before
the much colder reality of the world settles in. So let’s examine the truth about ”Fearless Girl”. The two companies responsible for her installation McCann New York (an advertising firm) and SSGA (an asset management firm) have a paltry three and five women on their executive leadership boards, respectively. In the light of that reality, the installation of such a non-threatening version of the female form by two massive, male-dominated companies who, in all likelihood, have no real impetus to change things, feels more patronizing and farcical than inspiring. How does that honor women’s equality or the struggle of feminism in the slightest? Now, bear in mind -I’m not saying men are the only offenders when it comes to blatantly exploiting the feminist brand. Women are just as capable, if not more so, of displaying the exact same shallow corporate feminism that male executives are so keen on doing. For an example of that, look no farther than former CEO of Thinx Miki Agrawal. Thinx, a period underwear company, was seemingly founded to be a feminist utopia. It’s pretty easy to see why it was seen that way -- the company quickly branded itself with feminist values and has a uniquely chatty, millennial-friendly voice. Its products seemed pretty feminist too, which have expanded from ultra-absorbent, moisturewicking underwear to dancer-friendly, periodproof bodysuits and now organic tampons and reusable applicators. But behind the scenes is a different story altogether. Many former employees speak of the company’s hypocrisy, with catty clashes between Agrawal and her team, and employment policies that undervalue and exploit the majority-female team, most of whom have said they take up to $30,000 less than their industry worth. On the jobs website Glassdoor, six of the nine reviews currently posted are decidedly negative, calling Agrawal “a time bomb
and a liability”. As one particularly biting review reads, “The team encourages self-advocacy, and as long as you work hard and consistently wave your ‘freak-flag,’ you can go from an entry level team member to someone who gets to work closely with the Trump-like CEO, in a matter of months”. This also doesn’t appear to be a case of GlassDoor exaggerating the negatives -- according to sources, ten people have left the 35 person company since January 2017. And Agrawal, if it isn’t clear already, is hardly a feminist beacon. She ran into major trouble with the online feminist community when she gave an interview to The Cut in which she stated that she didn’t relate to being a feminist until she started her company because “[e]very time I thought about the word feminist, I thought about an angry, ranty… girl”. She also distanced Thinx’s “accessible” feminism from that of “those spoken-word poets.” While one can argue that it’s easy to exploit that kind of public media stumble, Agrawal’s also had major behind-thescenes blips. As one anonymous employee put it, “it is kind of hard to hear people be like, ‘She’s my feminist hero!’ when I’ve seen her call a former employee a ‘bitch’ before in a meeting.” Agrawal is now stepping down as CEO, though she remains the brand’s “SHE-E-O” (whatever exactly that means). But it’s easy to see how the damage wreaked by the company’s faux feminism has already been done. So to the male and female executives trying so hard to co-opt feminism, here’s a better idea: you want to celebrate women? Actively hire women, and pay them as much as their male peers. Treat them fairly, mentor them, educate your male employees on these issues, and see that their workplaces are safe. Don’t give feminism and gender equality mere lip service -- make it a company policy, instead. Ultimately, it’s actions, not words, that will make all the difference.
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Sports
Friday, March 24, 2017 • Page 10
Baseball rallies, but falls to Kean
Astel and Brown collect postseason accolades
ON DECK IN SPORTS
Saturday Stevens Sports Information
SSI - The Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team used a three-run rally to overcome an early deficit, but fell to No. 25 Kean University, 4-3, Wednesday afternoon. Senior Zeph Walters had two hits and freshman Patrick Rood drove in a pair of runs for the Ducks (5-9-1). Tyler Hopman (2-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in pitching his fourth career complete game for Kean. It was the righty’s second victory of the season over Stevens. He pitched six innings in Kean’s 5-3 victory on Feb. 17. “We played a spirited game today against a solid Kean team,” head coach Kristaps Aldins said. “We jumped out to a 3-1 lead thanks to some timely two-out hitting and our pitchers did a great job throughout the course of the day.” On a cold and blustery day throughout the state, starter Andrew Hamel battled the elements to keep Kean off the board through the first two in-
nings. Relievers Bridger Cohen and Drew Hanke continued Hamel’s work and kept the game scoreless through four. Kean finally broke through against Hanke on Brian Cole’s fifth-inning RBI double to center. After collecting their first of the game on Walters’ leadoff single in the fifth, Stevens finally broke through against Hapman in the sixth. Garrett Wells walked. Matt Branco attempted to move Wells into scoring position, but was retired on a nice individual play by Cole, who fielded the ball and tagged the Stevens catcher. Senior Michael Mule’ singled. Freshman Shaye Bartnick continued his strong play with an opposite-field double down the left field line to tie the game. Nolan Bennett struck out and Kean intentionally walked Walters to pitch to Rood with the bases loaded and two outs. The freshman infielder responded to the challenge, poking a single through the
left side of the infield to score Bartnick and Mule, giving the Ducks a 3-1 advantage. Kean tied the game on a pair of unearned runs in the sixth and went ahead on Jim Fitzgerald’s RBI single in the seventh off Ryan Larson (0-2). Trailing 4-3, the Ducks tried for another late-inning comeback in the ninth. Walters led off the frame with a single, but Hopman struck out Carlos Leon and Eric Zickert with pinch-runner Harrison Kaye on second to end the game. “Despite Kean grabbing the momentum in the late innings, our guys put themselves in a position to tie or win the game in the ninth,” Aldins added. “I am very proud of our guys battling to the very end.” Up Next: The Ducks return to Dobbelaar Field to open Empire 8 Conference play with a three-game series with Houghton College. First pitch for Friday’s opening game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Stevens Sports Information
SSI - Stevens Institute of Technology women’s basketball graduate student Kaitlyn Astel and junior Megan Brown were recognized by D3Hoops.com. Astel was named an Honorable Mention All-American and was named to the publication’s All-East Region First Team for the third straight year, while Brown was named to the All-East Region Second Team for the first time. Astel closed her career on Castle Point as one of the top players in program history. She was recently named Empire 8 Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the third year in a row to become the first three-time honoree in conference history. The Staten Island native averaged 16.8 points per game, which ranked third in the conference and led the E8 in field goal percentage (.458). She reached double figures in 20 games this season, including nine with 20 or more points. The high-scoring guard finishes her career ranked third on the school’s alltime scoring list and is ranked in the top five in
both field goals and free throws made. Astel set a new school record with her 36-point performance against St. John Fisher earlier this season and her career 15.1 points per game scoring average placed second on the Stevens career list. Brown averaged 11.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while starting all 26 games for the Ducks. The Laurel, Maryland native ranked second in the Empire 8 in rebounding and blocks and 13th in steals. She was named Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring a defensive unit that allowed the fewest points per game in the conference and forced opponents into a conference-low 33% field-goal percentage. The junior forward had 13 games with double-digit rebounding, 11 double-doubles, and pulled down a career-high 18 boards against Nazareth on Feb. 18, helping the Ducks clinch the conference’s regular-season title. Brown’s 254 rebounds ranked sixth on the alltime single-season list.
Trinity into 14 turnovers, including three on clear attempts. Roberts got the Ducks on the board initially 13 minutes into regulation, but Trinity responded with two unanswered over the next seven minutes to go up 2-1. Kalbian provided the equalizer off a feed from Haubrich with under seven to play, before the Bantams scored twice in the final minute to take a 4-2 advantage into the break. A free-position score from Metzler in the extra-woman opportunity brought the Ducks back to within one six minutes into the second, but Trinity answered with a goal of its own approximately one minute later followed by one just past
EQUESTRIAN
Centenary Show 9 a.m. Long Valley, NJ
MEN’S GOLF
McDaniel College Invitational 12:30 p.m. Abbottstown, PA
MEN’S LACROSSE
@ Alfred University 1 p.m. Alfred, NY
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
VS. St. John Fisher College 11 a.m.
SOFTBALL
@ Stockton University 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. Galloway, NJ
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
VS. Monmouth 11 a.m. West Long Branch, NJ
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
@ Carthage University VS. Wittenberg University 11 a.m. & 3 p.m. Kenosha, WI Stevens Sports Information
the 20-minute mark to bring the lead back to three. The score held at 6-3 over the next 18 minutes, before Stevens rallied with goals from Bednar-
ski and Ricci in the final two minutes with Ricci’s coming with 36 seconds to go. It’s as close as the Ducks would get though as Trinity won the ensuing draw and held on to
possession in the final seconds. Stevens will be back in action Saturday when it hosts No. 14 St. John Fisher at 11 a.m. in Hoboken.
Duck Country Scoreboard Date
Stevens
Opponent/Event
Score
Result
3/17 3/18 3/18 3/19 3/19 3/21 3/22
Baseball Men’s Lacrosse Women’s Swimming Baseball Women’s Lacrosse Men’s Lacrosse Baseball Women’s Lacrosse Men’s Volleyball
VS. MIT @ Haverford University NCAA Championships VS. SUNY New Paltz VS. Christopher Newport University @ Williams College @ Kean University VS. Trinity College @ Kean University
0-14 11-6 N/A 3-0 5-7 8-12 3-4
L W Complete W L L L L
3/22 3/22
VS Houghton College 3 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
VS. Monmouth 11 a.m. West Long Branch, NJ
No. 7 Trinity edges Women’s Lacrosse SSI - The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s lacrosse team scored two goals in the final two minutes to get within one, but couldn’t connect on the equalizer in a 6-5 loss to No. 7 Trinity Wednesday night in Hoboken. The loss dropped Stevens to 5-2, while Trinity moved to 6-1. Senior Kathleen Kalbian, sophomore Mackenzie Metzler, junior Julianna Ricci, freshman Kyra Bednarski, and senior Laura Roberts each scored goals for the Ducks, while senior Mariel Haubrich added a pair of assists. Junior goalie Stephanie Schnelzer made seven saves in 60 minutes of action. Stevens’ defense forced
BASEBALL
5-6 3-1
W
Stevens Sports Information
Sunday MEN’S TENNIS
@ Swarthmore College 12 p.m. Swarthmore, PA
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
@ Dominican University 1:30 p.m. River Forest, IL
FOR MORE INFORMATION, HEAD TO: STEVENSDUCKS.COM STEVENSREC.COM