[The Stute] February 22, 2019 (Issue 16, Volume CXVI)

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Volume CXVI Issue 16

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SGA holds special senate meeting to discuss Intercultural Center proclamation

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College of Arts and Letters releases Master Plan

by RAMI KAMMOURH Staff Writer

by ERIC LONDRES Staff Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate held a special meeting on Wednesday, February 20, in Burchard 118. The meeting, called for by President Jason Chlus, was to discuss Proclamation P-19S-001, also titled “A Case and Justification on the Creation of an Intercultural Center.” Discussion of the proclamation was postponed at the Senate meeting this past Monday to Wednesday’s emergency meeting.

While there was initially some doubt as to whether the meeting could proceed in light of Stevens’ closure Wednesday afternoon, the Senate ultimately decided to hold the meeting regardless. There was concern near the beginning of the meeting that quorum would not be met. Quorum was ultimately met at 3:25 p.m., 25 minutes after the meeting was slated to begin.

The Proclamation calls for see CENTER · Page 2

The Gianforte Family Academic Center should be completed later this year. Above: the Center under construction, view from 6th and Hudson St. Photo by Audrey D’Souza

Details of Gianforte Family Academic Center revealed the late Lieb Building.

The new Academic Center will consist of two buildings connected via a skyway, similar to the Morton-Pierce-Kidde Complex. Each building will have four floors and a cellar.

The Academic Center will hold 45 offices, most of which will be located in the top three floors of the south building.

The buildings will also hold 11 new classrooms, three of

by ERIC LONDRES Staff Writer

As construction of the Gianforte Family Academic Center progresses, new details have been obtained about the layout of the planned building, located on sixth Street. The Academic Center is on track to be completed by the Fall 2019 semester and will be replacing

which have a capacity of over 70 seats. For reference, Babbio 104 has a capacity of 60 seats, and Babbio 122 has a capacity of 110 seats. The seven smaller classrooms have capacities ranging from 24 to 36 seats.

There is also a large space allocated for events.

Also featured in the new buildings are 13 individual labs, including seven computer science labs, a new cybersecu-

rity lab, and a health and artificial intelligence lab. Also, the new Academic Center will include a dedicated atrium for meetings and collaboration, and will feature a Grab and Go Café in the north building.

Overall, the catalog of rooms and services in the new Academic Center is extensive, and the building will also serve as the new home of the Computer Science department.

Meet Xhiljola Ruçi, Stevens’ new Director of Community Standards and Title IX Coordinator

by SUSMITHA SHAILESH Staff Writer

“It’s important to know that the Title IX office is here so that students can feel safe to come forward and report and that’s encouraged. I want the student body to know that I’m not here to always take complaints. If students just want to come and talk and have a conversation with me, my door is always open,” says Xhiljola Ruçi, Stevens’ new Director of Community Standards and Title IX Coordinator.

Ruçi started her position in early December. She graduated from the Pace University School of Law in 2013 and worked as a prosecutor at the Bronx County District Attorney Office for the past five years. At the beginning of her time there, she worked on misdemeanor and general felony cases. In recent years, she has focused on the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau of the Special Victims division, where she worked with victims of sexual assault or abuse. This work provided the background and experience she needed to take on her role as the Title IX Coordinator.

As the Coordinator, Ruçi acts as the chief officer for all conduct cases, including situations involving assault, serious amounts of drugs and alcohol, and altercations between Stevens students. Additionally, she is an advisor to the Honor Board, and handles all reports of Title IX violations.

According to her, Title IX is a way for colleges to come to a clear consensus for fighting

see CAL · Page 3

by JASON BUCKMAN Staff Writer

that the $400 could be repayed however the organization saw fit, for two reasons.

First, the Policies Manual, already cited above, states, “Any unexpected costs related to the conference must be absorbed by all conference attendees and not by the student organization.” However, both Amnesty and the SGA Officials decided this was unjust. Second, the SGA’s Senate Budget Committee Finance Policy and Guidelines (FPG) simply state that, “After the conference, the number of attendees must match the amount of funds requested. If there are fewer attendees, the balance of the conference allocation will roll back to the SGA,” without explicitly stating who should pay the difference in a case like this. Picone also said that the SGA generally tells organizations to recoup the money owed from the people who did not attend the conference. However, Amnesty was against penalizing those who had cancelled for legitimate reasons.

As part of the push for greater student-centricity, the School of Engineering and Science (SES) has formed the Student Advisory Board.

Jean Zu, the Dean of SES, spearheaded this movement upon starting her position as a way to receive student feedback. In this format, she can directly field student complaints alongside Kishore Pochiraju and Christopher Church, who are the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Programs and Advising, respectively. The SES has made leaps and bounds towards catering to its students with the formation of the Center for Student Success (CSS) and the planned revamping of the entire SES curriculum.

Zu has made student-centricity one of her top priorities, stating that she actively works to “support students, to give students the best experience, and the best service that they well deserve.” This sentiment is helping contribute to a more collaborative campus environment.

This advisory board currently consists of the aforementioned administration; the Student Government Association (SGA) President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Academic and Curriculum Advancement Committee Chair, Committee for Academic Rights Chair; and eight student representatives from various academic departments.

see AMNESTY · Page 3

see ADVISORY · Page 2

Amnesty International and the Student Government Association are involved with a dispute over financial policy.

Photo courtesy of amnesty.org

Vague Budgeting Policies Ensnare Amnesty International

by ANDREW KINNEY Layout Assistant

A $400 debt is owed to the Student Government Association; however, the details of who is responsible for that debt are more complicated than could have ever been anticipated.

The situation began when five members of the Stevens chapter of Amnesty International cancelled their attendance at a conference this past November. Since the organization could not receive a refund, this led to a violation of the relevant policies pertaining to conference attendance. However, remedying this violation created chaos due to the vagueness of Student Life and SGA financial policies.

Consequently, everyone involved from Amnesty to the SGA had different interpretations of the relevant policies.

The conference in question was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference on November 3, which is a regional meeting consisting of training

see TITLE IX · Page 3

and networking for Amnesty chapters in the region. Amnesty booked a charter bus to get to the conference with SGA approval, which importantly charges a fixed cost rather than charging per person. Very close to the conference date, five members of the organization had to pull out of the conference for various legitimate reasons; however, Amnesty still had to pay the same amount for transportation and could not receive a refund. This led to it violating part of the Student Organization Policies Manual (SOPM) which reads: “a maximum of $100 per student for up to 20 students (maximum $2000 per RSO, per semester) may be requested for the purposes of attending a conference,” as it had now spent more than $100 for each of those who still attended.

After Amnesty informed former Vice President of Student Interests (VPSI) Dakota Van Deursen and former Vice President of Finance (VPF) Anthony Picone, the three parties met to address the situation. They told Amnesty

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Steve Forbes visits Stevens

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Passion for Fashion

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Black History Month Celebration

Citing competitive advantages such as an interdisciplinary faculty, unique research, and a premier location, the College of Arts and Letters announced its Five Year Strategic Plan on October 5, 2018 through an announcement on the Stevens website. The Five Year Strategic Plan sets ambitious goals for Stevens’ smallest academic school, all of which align with goals set in Stevens’ overarching strategic plan, The Future. Ours to Create.

These objectives include increased enrollment, expansion of graduate programs, and improved research and creative activity.

The College of Arts and Letters’ stated vision, which is reiterated in the announcement of the Five Year Strategic Plan, is “to be acknowledged as a premier institution dedicated to technology-focused interdisciplinary research and education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.” CAL currently offers eight undergraduate programs as well as 13 minors

SES creates Advisory Board

discrimination based on gender and sex. Title IX, part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, states that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Ruçi wants students to know that it is not her responsibility to take sides or confront students. Her goal is to protect all Stevens students and ensure that everyone here is guaranteed the same rights, receives equal access to school programs, and is treated equally and fairly, regardless of gender or sex. She wants students to feel safe on campus and invites students to her office to simply have a conversation with her about situations that are making them uncomfortable on campus. She seeks to create an environment where sexual assault and gender discrimination are not taboo but are instead welcome conversation topics; in her opinion, the more open our discussions are as a Stevens community, the more we can protect each other and ensure safety on campus. She hopes to open these discussions at events such as Take Back the Night, which will be happening on April 25.

If a Stevens student is concerned about a situation on campus that could be a possible Title IX violation, the first step is to get in contact with Ruçi, either by approaching her or filing a complaint through an RA, faculty mem-

Lack of Female Faculty at Stevens 5

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News

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 2

CENTER

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Stevens to create an intercultural center — a designated physical space that would “cultivate a safer space for underserved students and allies on campus, foster deeper understandings of equity and inclusion, and empower Stevens students, faculty, and staff,” according to the proclamation.

The meeting was preceded by an open meeting of the Rules Committee held the day before to discuss the proclamation. Many suggestions were pitched by Senators and non-Senators alike, which resulted in many amendments made to the Proclamation that

ADVISORY Continued from front page

Others may also be invited depending on the meeting agenda. The students of the advisory board are very dedicated and work hard to bring pertinent information and complaints to the ears of administration. The eight student department representatives who currently serve on the advisory board were chosen via recommendations from their respective department heads.

Marianna Fleming, the former SGA Vice President for Academic Affairs, stated that “[Jean Zu] really wants to make the engineering school one the students are proud of and proud to be in.” This effort on the part of Dean Zu will improve the experience of all SES students and make an impact on the quality of education at Stevens.

Per the proclamation, the University Towers are a proposed location for the intercultural center

would come to be discussed at Wednesday’s Senate meeting.

The discussion at the special Senate meeting began with a recap of the amendments com-

piled during the Rules Committee meeting, followed by a brief reading period where senators were encouraged to look through the extensive list

of amendments on their own.

After several rescinded motions, the proclamation was approved at 3:38 p.m. and the meeting was adjourned.

Lack of female faculty at Stevens

by SARAH KUPTCHIK Staff Writer

To increase gender diversity within the faculty, Stevens has implemented initiatives to help with female faculty retention. Historically, women have been widely underrepresented in STEM fields. Since Stevens primarily specializes in STEM, this stark gender gap affects the establishment. With an undergraduate male-to-female ratio of 71 to 29, there is an evident lack of representation.

However, the undergraduate population is not the only group with a lack of females. Out of the 290 full-time faculty members, only 25% were women as of Fall 2018. In President Farvardin’s 10-year strategic plan, the Culture and Governance subsection addresses the faculty gender gap and outlines the lack of female and minority faculty members. The target per-

centage of female faculty members by 2022 is at least 30%.

Provost Christopher Pierre and Executive Director Susan Metz are overseeing this goal. They claim that Stevens “will foster an inclusive institutional climate to ensure the retention of all faculty and staff, particularly female and underrepresented minority members.”

One initiative that Stevens has taken to retain and attract new female faculty members is conducting a workplace satisfaction study with the support of the Stevens National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant, which Stevens has received since 2013. The mission statement of this grant is to “create a sustainable culture that facilitates recruitment, retention and advancement of women faculty with a focus on academic STEM careers.” The study asked faculty members about their feelings regarding their work environ-

ment, hoping to use the data to improve their experiences. Exit interviews are also being conducted to help determine the satisfaction of employees, thus helping the retention of female faculty members. Additionally, Stevens has recently started tracking diversity statistics (both gender and racial) in order to more effectively monitor progress. They have also been increasingly aware of unconscious bias when hiring underrepresented groups.

The impact that the faculty gender gap has had on students must also be considered. According to a freshman engineering student who is enrolled in 19 credits, they only have one female professor. She claims that “I feel as if I do not have many opportunities to connect with strong female scientists and engineers. Female faculty members are very obviously outnumbered at Stevens.”

Duck Dance music video released

by MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Web Master

Earlier this week, the official Duck Dance music video was released on the @stevensstudents Instagram account. The video, which features the Duck Dance song, prominently shows writer of the song Josh Pirog, Attila the Duck, and other undergraduates lip syncing to the song and performing the Duck Dance.

The Duck Dance was a product of the Campus Traditions Committee, a committee formed in October 2017

by Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs.

“I also felt like we needed a few more traditions that students could look forward to every year, and I also wanted them to be spread out more throughout the year,” Klein said in an interview in September 2018.

During orientation, Stevens introduced the Duck Dance to first-year students.

Shortly after orientation, work began to create a music video.

“We were all just having a lot of fun at Orientation this past August, and the Duck Dance craze was catching on, and we thought it would be fun to document it and have a music video to show to fu-

ture students,” said Klein in an email statement.

Pirog and Koby Garcia, a student who filmed and directed the music video, began planning the scenes and worked swiftly to begin filming.

“The majority of the larger scenes were filmed on one afternoon,” said Lucas Gallo, former President of the Student Government Association, who was seen in the video. “Josh and Koby put in more work after that to complete the video.”

Pirog and Garcia could not be immediately reached for a last-minute comment.

Once the video was fin-

ished and published on Instagram, the comments poured in.

“This is amazing,” wrote Zach George, a recent alumnus. “Ayyyy,” wrote the Stevens Fencing team. “This better be played at Founders Day,” wrote Rajiv Boodram.

“It was really impressive to see all the work that Josh and Koby put into the song and video,” said Gallo. “It was great to see everyone goof around while we made the video.”

“I love it,” said Klein. “I think Josh and Koby did an amazing job — it’s quirky, and funny, and it will live on in Stevens history forever.”

A screenshot of the Duck Dance music video, from the Stevens Students Instagram Page

News AMNESTY

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Amnesty did not want to charge those who cancelled for reasons as varied as inconsistencies in the relevant financial policies, the financial burden on those who cancelled, the expectations this interpretation would create for registered student organizations, the impact on Amnesty’s image and well-being, and the unenforceable nature of the interpretation. The Amnesty Executive Board provided this statement on the matter: “During discussions, it became clear that the policy is obtuse and unenforceable.

In turn, interpretations of the policy were inconsistent and wavering. Without proper accountability measures in place, this has allowed for the

CAL

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and one graduate program.

The school also operates five centers and labs in the Morton-Pierce-Kidde Complex and has obtained recognition for its research in fields such as sound synthesis and technology policy. Recently-issued CAL newsletters highlight accomplishments such as CAL professor Lindsey Cormack appearing on NBC News to discuss artificial intelligence and CAL alumnus and adjunct professor Will Stackpole receiving the ASCAP Foundation Nissim Prize for his composition fEED, a 16-minute work for orchestra.

From late 2016 through 2017, CAL’s faculty and staff participated in planning exercises in order to develop a vision for the school’s future, as the School of Systems and Enterprises and Schaefer School of En-

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 3

SGA, specifically the Senate Budget Committee, to overstep its powers and fail to look out for students.” While one of the four members who cancelled ultimately did pay back $100, Amnesty decided to host a few fundraisers to pay back the remaining $300.

Amnesty did not come this decision quickly; instead, it was the product of exhaustive meetings and hours of combing through the SOPM and FPG. The situation was complicated by the vagueness of the financial policies and the varying interpretations presented to Amnesty. Originally, the organization wanted to find ways to pay the debt itself, whether by using rollover funds or by cutting items from their semesterly budget.

The Executive Board cited Article I, Section 5, of the FPG which states, “All debts accumulated over the course

of a semester will be paid for out of that student organization’s allocated budget. In the event that an SO overspends their allocated budget, disciplinary action may result,” and argued that the organization should be able to pay back the debt itself.

This strategy was very quickly dismissed, however, as the SGA officials interpreted the policy to mean that the debt was owed by the individuals who cancelled, not Amnesty itself, and that it was the individuals’ responsibility.

This is despite the fact that the FPG does not establish a separation between debt owed by an organization and debt owed by its members.

Assuming that the debt is the responsibility of the individuals, it would also stand to reason that those individuals should bear any punishments levied against the or-

ganization as a result of the violation; however, this was not the case. The Executive Board ended up having to largely remedy the situation itself, but more importantly, the organization’s Additional Funding Request for the first conference of this semester was denied due to the fact that the debt was still outstanding, punishing those who would’ve attended rather than the individuals in debt. Charging those individuals, however, presented its own set of problems. First, the individuals may simply not be in a financial situation conducive to paying $100 out-of-pocket without any prior notice.

Second, the attendees did not sign any sort of agreement stating that they would pay any deficit created by them cancelling. For the next conference, Amnesty actually

attempted to draft an agreement to this effect, but it was not approved by the Senate Budget Committee. Third, even if Amnesty wanted to charge the individuals who cancelled, it had no authority to do so, and the SGA refused to enforce the policy itself.

To make matters worse, the headaches surrounding the conference were not the only problems Amnesty faced during that time. The club moved subcommittees, its treasurer resigned for unrelated reasons, it hosted a large event, and members of the club even attended yet another conference the preceding weekend in Boston where they facilitated one of the events and to which they procured their own transportation. Most importantly, however, the situation was further complicated when the new SGA Cabinet was

sworn in at the beginning of this semester, leading the new VPF, Elena Malova, to have to interpret the policies herself and approach the situation without prior knowledge of the above debates.

According to Amnesty, this series of events displayed a number of problems in the current FPG. Specifically, it is unclear on who should be held responsible for SGA debt: the individuals who caused it or the organization which they belong to, and how individual debts should be enforced. Amnesty would like to see an agreement for conference attendees in the future, as well as a defined policy for what differentiates individual debt from organization debt. Elena Malova has already stated that she has plans to rewrite the FPG in a manner which would resolve these aforementioned issues.

gineering & Science have also done in recent years for their respective strategic plans. Dr. Ann Murphy, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academics in the Howe School of Business, was asked to facilitate discussion and assist in organizing the planning exercises. The result of these sessions is the Five Year Strategic Plan itself, which outlines five specific strategic priorities: enrollment, faculty, curriculum, research and creative activity, and reputation.

CAL seeks to “increase the number, quality, and diversity of undergraduate students enrolled in CAL major programs of study in the next five years.” In the Five Year Strategic Plan, CAL cites an enrollment goal of 300 students by the 202223 academic year, compared to an enrollment of 168 in the Fall 2018 semester, with specific enrollment goals for each major also specified. These growth tar-

gets assume historical yearover-year retention rates of 95%. CAL also seeks to increase the percent of female students from 35% to 50% and the percent of underrepresented minorities from 15% to 20% by the 2022-23 academic year.

Following the retirement of several senior professors in recent semesters, CAL has already been in the process of hiring new faculty, including the first dedicated research position in its history. CAL cites three specific goals related to faculty in the coming years: to recruit and retain excellent faculty, improve governance, and support faculty. In line with The Future. Ours to Create, CAL seeks to hire “tenure stream” faculty, improve governance by enhancing student advising and distributing service responsibilities effectively, and support the faculty through initiatives such as increasing funding for equipment purchases.

CAL has also set ambitious goals for its curricula.

CAL plans on launching a new undergraduate degree which will seek to attract more new students in order to take part in reaching enrollment goals. Although CAL did not name a specific degree program in the Five Year Strategic Plan, it stated, “[the new undergraduate degree] will capitalize on CAL’s strengths, attract new majors, and grow enrollment. We will leverage our interdisciplinary breadth and Stevens’ successful career placement infrastructure to create a degree program situated at the intersection of computing, data science, and the liberal arts.” CAL also seeks to revisit its only graduate degree program, the Master of Arts in Policy and Innovation, while exploring other potential offerings as well as improve current undergraduate programs.

Although CAL had near-ze-

ro annual research expenditures several years ago, the school posted nearly $260,000 in the 2017 fiscal year. CAL seeks to continue increasing the quantity and quality of its research and creative activity. In order to do so, the school has set research goals of $1.5 million in annual research expenditures, an enhanced spirit of collaboration across units, and the development of new facilities for research and creative activity. No specific space plan for future growth has been developed as of yet.

Lastly, CAL seeks to strengthen its brand. To do so, CAL will be measuring its impact and developing a strategy to increase its prestige and visibility. In doing so, CAL will being tracking and enhancing alumni relationships and launching a marketing campaign to strengthen its brand. Additionally, CAL seeks to develop partnerships with pre-

cisely three organizations in an effort to pursue more public-facing arts and music initiatives and enhance outcomes for research. CAL currently has such a partnership with Nokia Bell Labs, which led to the Human Digital Orchestra, a multimedia performance showcased at an event held on the Bell Labs campus in the Spring 2016 semester.

“The plan lays out who we want to be and where we want to be,” said Kelland Thomas, Dean of CAL, “especially with our research, creativity, and visibility.”

The Five Year Strategic Plan, according to Dean Thomas, is built on the same principles which guide the school’s current initiatives and offerings. When asked what Stevens students should be especially aware of with regard to the plan, Thomas said, “CAL serves all undergraduates here at Stevens; that’s something we want people to know.”

NASA ends contact with Mars rover

by NATALIE TODARO Staff Writer

On Tuesday, February 12, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) made its last attempt at contact with Opportunity, the record-setting Mars rover. Since June 2018, NASA has been unable to receive signal from the damaged rover — a devastating dust storm had covered the craft’s solar panels. Over one thousand attempts were made to try to receive signal from Opportunity, but the likelihood of getting anything from it was far too low to continue trying.

Opportunity not only completed its mission purpose, but went above and beyond its expected work. Landing on January 24, 2004, Opportunity’s initial purpose was a 90day exploration of the surface, and the distance it was going to travel was not expected to exceed half of a mile. Its twin rover, Spirit, landed 20 days

TITLE IX

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ber, campus police, or other official figure. Ruçi will then have a natural conversation with the student about their

earlier and ended its mission in May 2011 after it got stuck in a sand trap. However, Opportunity trekked on for the next 15 years, covering over 26 miles and discovering more than NASA had ever imagined it would.

Within its first few days on Mars, Opportunity made an astonishing discovery. Landing in a crater, the rover’s cameras immediately detected layers of bedrock. When looked at closer, these rocks were found to be formed in liquid water. Mars was no longer a planet known for dust and desolation; the prospect of past liquid water provided evidence that Mars could have been a habitable planet several billion years ago. Smaller rocks, nicknamed “blueberries,” were also found at the surface and contained high levels of hematite. Hematite is typically found in places where there was once a body of liquid water, and these discoveries suggested that Mars was once home to a large lake

concerns and provide them with the options they have to proceed with a complaint, either formally or informally. Ruçi can be contacted through her email at xruci@ stevens.edu, or by phone at (201) 216-3383.

NASA last made successful contact the Opportunity Rover on Mars in June 2018.

Photo courtesy of cnet.com

full of drinkable water.

Exploration on Mars is far from complete as both NASA and the European Space Agen-

cy are currently working on rovers to launch in July 2020.

The purpose of these crafts is to search for signs of past micro-

bial life on Mars as well as provide engineers with a thorough understanding of the Martian environment. This thorough

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understanding will lay the foundation for humans to orbit and land on Mars, which is expected to happen in the 2030s.

News

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 4

Steve Forbes visits Stevens for College Republicans lecture

by JAKE MILLBURN Staff Writer

On Thursday, February 21, the College Republicans hosted Steve Forbes as a part of its Logan Family Lecture series.

“Steve Forbes writes editorials for each issue of Forbes Magazine under the heading of ‘Fact and Comment,’” declared Thomas Treshock in his introduction of the esteemed multimillionaire. “A widely respected economic prognosticator, he is the only writer to have won the highly prestigious Crystal Owl Award four times. The prize was formerly given by the U.S. Steel Corporation to the financial journalist whose economic forecasts for the coming year proved most accurate.”

The lecture addressed a wide array of topics in no particular order; healthcare, small business, taxes, capitalism, and the growth of the

nation were all touched on as significant issues. Forbes opened by disputing a misconception about the nature of capitalism; people believe that capitalism is inherently cold. “In Hollywood, research has shown that businessmen kill more people than serial killers […] The reality is, and this’ll sound a little strange given the current environment, there is a moral basis for capitalism. You only succeed if you provide something somebody else wants.”

He went on to espouse the wonder of human ingenuity.

An example he used was in the idea of oil as a natural resource: “There’s nothing natural about oil. In and of itself, it’s just glop, gooey stuff. You can’t eat it, you can’t drink it, can’t feed it to camels, it’s just goo, whereas human ingenuity can turn this gooey stuff into something a modern economy can’t live without.”

The lecture concluded with a Q&A session. The first question was, “What was it like running for President?”

“If you’re open to it, you can learn more about this country. One of the things you learn about this country in a way you won’t learn traveling as a tourist or as a business or whatever, for all the junk you see on TV and all the crazy stuff you see online, it’s a very strong country, it’s a very diverse country […] in terms of interests.

Take the Republican Party.

In the presidential races, it begins with the Iowa caucuses, then the first primary is in New Hampshire. In Iowa, and this is a generalization with many exceptions, social issues are extremely important, far more important than economic issues.

You go to New Hampshire, Republicans there couldn’t care less about social issues;

Steve Forbes visits Stevens Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) for a presentation and pitch. Photo by Tom Treshock

just leave their guns alone and you’re fine — and don’t raise their taxes. New Hampshire is one state where in a

primary, a pro-choice referendum might win. Iowa, it’d be resoundingly defeated; in New Hampshire, it might

pass.”

Keep an eye out for the expanded edition of this article next week!

Due to unfortunate timing, the article “Vague budgeting policies ensnare Amnesty International” is being published very close to the anniversary of the death of Aileen Quinn, one of the co-founders of SIT Amnesty, so while it is unrelated to the article, this tribute is included here out of respect: Aileen Quinn was more than SIT Amnesty’s Co-founder and Vice President. She was our friend. She was proof that not all superheros wear capes: in life, she embodied the concept that one’s ideas, words, and actions can indeed change the world. Her quick wit and quirky humor would light up a room; her passion and unwavering dedication to Amnesty helped to inspire a new generation of youth activists at Stevens. We keep her close in our hearts, and hope to everyday honor her memory. Remember, “‘tis better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” We remember Aileen as the fiercest candle of them all, and hope to keep her candle burning bright. Let’s continue to work together to build a community of love and support at Stevens.

Features

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 5

Black History Month Celebration

by AUDREY DSOUZA Managing Editor

Stevens’ Black Students Union (BSU), in collaboration with Residential Dining Services (RDS), put on a celebration in Pierce Dining Hall for Black History Month on February 21, 2019. At the event, students were able to experience different facets of Black culture, specifically performance and dance.

BSU hired a performance group called Batingua Arts, a Brooklyn-based multicultural performing arts company.

According to the Batingua Arts website, their focus is “expressing a variety of Afro-Caribbean rooted art forms such as; modern, jazz, capoe-

ira, acrobatics, hip hop, samba, salsa, reggae, soca, spoken word and many more.” Additionally, sisters of Omega Phi Beta Sorority performed to support.

“I want people to realize how influential black history/culture is to pop culture,” explained DuJuan Kirk, President of BSU. In celebration of Black History Month, BSU has hosted several events, including a soca rhythm dance class, and movie screenings. “Up next we have a pop up exhibit honoring women of color, discussion circle around controversy in politics and culture, a GBM to honor black history month, and our ‘Week of Melanin’ spirit week.” A poster of BSU events is provided below!

Students and performers celebrate Black History Month Photos By Wei Zheng

Campus Pulse

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 6 2

Roving Reporter How do you feel aboutThecondensing finals to one week?

Buildings of Stevens 4

1

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“I think if you have 5 or 6, that’s way too many in one week.”

5

8

“I’d be in support. I had plenty of days with no test.”

Justin Westley

“If you shorten it, it’ll force kids to study harder.”

9

Andrew Deustch

Robert Iandiorio 10

6

7

11 12

8

“I don’t like it; it should be two weeks.”

13

“I think 9 it would be a lot harder on students.”

Maria Torres

“As a student, I don’t like it. As a professor, yay, go for it!”

Derek van Rouendal

Raz Saremi

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Opinion

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 7

Passion for Fashion

The Space Race in Fashion collection at the Grand Palais in Paris, reportedly costing more than a million dollars, surely ranks at the top. The masterful show was orchestrated by former Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld and set to the tune of “Rocket Man” by Elton John, of course. Before the grand finale, models wearing Chanel pieces inspired by outer space and astronauts marched around the stage and waited while fake

by DANIEL KANG sparks flew and exhaust filled Sophomore the stage. RIP Karl Lagerfeld.

Biomedical Engineering Major Alessandro Michelle’s Gucci Fall/Winter 2017 campaign What a time to be alive. As was one trip down memory a human race, it has been over lane. He recruited Glen Luch60 years since we first landed ford and sci-fi shows from the on the moon, and in the pres- ’50s and ’60s, in particular Star ent day, we are preparing to Trek, to create a familiar yet go to Mars. With companies strange world full of extraterlike SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, restrial creatures, dinosaurs, and Blue Origin running flight robots, and androids. The crew tests for space tourism, the outfitted in top-to-bottom Gucpossibility of exploring space ci apparel (maximalist designs as a civilian is quickly becom- that include metallic fabrics ing a reality. President Trump and kaleidoscopic embroidery) has even announced a sixth and accessories aboard the USS

UNDERCOVER F/W 18 at Pitti Uomo Photo from eye_C magazine branch of the military, the Space Force. Space has always fascinated us and captured our imagination as the final frontier, but now this trend seems to be apparent in fashion.

In one of the coolest runway shows of our generation, Chanel’s mock rocket launch during its 2017 Fall/Winter

Enterprise against the backdrop of the psychedelic landscape makes for a singularly surreal campaign. Just like every other Gucci campaign Michelle has overseen, it is over the top but just goes to show how prescient he is in formulating a campaign centered around space.

More recently for the Fall/

Winter 2018 season, Jun Takahashi’s UNDERCOVER released a collection inspired by the cult classic 2001: A Space Odyssey with an Astro LED Down Puffer Coat that will set you back $2900. Not only does it come with space-themed logo patches and reflective lining, its shield hood lights up via LEDs and interior USB cable. Among its other astronaut ready pieces are a water-resistant Photo-Print Tech-Fabric Jacket ($1600) depicting Dr. David Bowman stepping through a spacecraft, Astronaut-Print Tech-Satin Coach’s Jacket ($945), and “Human Error” Space-Print Cotton Crewneck Sweatshirt ($640). This collection serves as a welcome reminder of the expansive, thought-provoking themes from Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 monumental epic that are still relevant today.

Heron Preston collaborated with NASA for his Fall/Winter 2018 collection. Don’t be surprised since this is the man who pulled off a collaboration with the New York Department of Sanitation way back in 2016 and put Russian president Vladimir Putin on a T-shirt last year.

Preston loves to focus on sustainability, so while the DSNY collaboration began from a plastic bag that he encountered while swimming in the Mediterranean, the NASA collaboration began as a fascination with space debris. The 31-piece collection makes prominent use of NASA’s “worm” logo used between 1976 and 1992. Since NASA is a government organization, Preston had to follow specific guidelines to be able to use the iconic logo on commercial apparel. The following are some pieces from the collection: High Tech Parka ($1895), Astronaut Denim Jacket ($805), NASA Hoodie ($556), NASA Crewneck ($518), Wide Leg Trousers ($977), and NASA Backpack ($1342). Preston first admitted that NASA was his dream collaboration in 2013 in an interview with The New York Times. To celebrate his collection, he sent up some of his NASA-branded apparel supported by a weather balloon 32 miles above the surface of the Earth and made a short film, “Above the Clouds,” with producer David Laven documenting the process, including meeting with NASA engineers. Now not even the sky is the limit for the multi-hyphenate, literally.

Mercer Amsterdam teamed

Chanel Rocket Launch at Paris Fashion Week 2017 Photo from space.com up with NASA to release the Mercer W3RD NASA Apollo 11.

The retail price of $295 might discourage some but since these were limited to 96 pairs, you have a chance to own a piece of history. The white low-tops are emblazoned with the NASA logo and the exact coordinates of the launch of the spaceflight mission that was the first to land people on the moon in 1969.

Late last year, Mercer released the second iteration of its leather shoe, the Mercer W3RD 2.0 NASA Apollo 17 “Night Mission,” coming in black and taking its name from the last Apollo mission and first nocturnal manned rocket launch. NASA also collaborated with Anicorn on a limited release of only 60 watches. The watches were numbered and featured the NASA logo and GPS coordinates of the Kennedy Space Center.

Vans paid homage to NASA’s enduring legacy of space exploration in releasing a nostalgia-fueled “Space Voyager” collection featuring Vans’ most iconic models: Old Skool and the Sk8-Hi in men’s sizes, and Slip-On, Sk8-Hi MTE and Sk8-Hi Zip in toddler sizes.

The shoes take on classic space suit colorways and include details such as removable NASA patches, NASA branding on the sides, and an exposed foam padding. Jackets, tees, and

hoodies were also part of the collection. Maybe one day you will be able to skate in outer space with these special Vans.

Nike has previously released an Air Max 90 Moon Landing and the much sought after NikeCraft Mars Yard Shoe 2.0 Tom Sachs Space Camp. It is preparing to release both the Air Max 90 Mars Landing and the Tom Sachs Mars Yard Overshoe at a retail of $550. Tom Sachs first released the Mars Yard Overshoe in London last year and is now preparing for a global release in May 2019. The Over-

NASA, drew inspiration from NASA’s Armstrong Building 703 in his hometown of Palmdale, California. The Oklahoma City Thunder small forward’s signature shoe features an orange mesh upper, embroidered USA flag, prominent NASA Apollo 14 logo, and red “Remove Before Flight” hangtag.

Other renowned designers and fashion houses such as Raf Simons, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and Coach have been inspired by space for years. In our current sociopolitical climate, it is not surprising that there is an explosion of interest in space innovation and especially NASA with its outsize impact. NASA’s 60 years of innovation and exploration are not just limited to space but to fashion as well. NASA’s last space shuttle launch was in 2011 and although I assume a lot has been happening behind the scenes, it has mainly stayed in the public perception through the endeavors of private space agencies and fashion collaborations such as the ones listed above. Seeing a lot of NASA branded apparel on campus only confirms that enduring appeal to this generation and beyond. However, NASA is not the only party interested in fashion: Virgin Galactic recruited Yohji Yamamoto of adidas Y-3 to create its space suits. Even Buzz Aldrin and Bill Nye got in on the action when they walked the runway for the Nick Graham F/W 2017 show in NYC. Regardless, it is undeniable that space has a heavy influence on fashion these days and will likely continue as space

Nike Mars Yard Overshoe Tom Sachs, Nike.com shoe is nicknamed the “March Yard” shoe because it is meant to be worn in cold, rainy conditions. NBA player Paul George’s basketball shoe, the Nike PG 3

becomes a normal part of our lives. The possibilities are endless. As a new Space Age dawns, remember to dress to impress, even off this Pale Blue Dot.

still legal, as long as we have two witnesses and a certified physician prepared to cut off an injured limb.”

The duel is set for next week in front of Howe, with President Farvardin as the referee.

Currently, the betting odds are 5-2 in favor of Tommy Daly, with Off the Press contributing a fair portion of that bet. “I’m fairly certain Daly is gonna win,” one bookie said in regard to the duel. “Londres is a good shot, but Daly can load a musket in under two minutes.

So he’s pretty much got this in the bag.”

In addition to the reclamation of Sir Daly’s honor, both participants have attached conditions to their victory. If Daly wins, all members of the SGA will be paid an amount equal to or more than Presi-

dent Farvardin’s salary, which is rapidly approaching the yearly income of France. If Sir Eric of House Londres wins, however, the current SGA President will have to immediately step down to be replaced

by Eric. Also, he has to get his childhood back.

“Wait, what?” the current SGA President, Jason Chlus, said when informed of the situation. “Why am I involved in this? Who are these people?”

All of campus is waiting with bated breath for next week, when these two titans of public stewardship will square off in a battle to the death or, at least, debilitating injuries.

While Off the Press legally cannot condone this senseless violence, you can rest assured we’re getting front-row tickets.

Off the Press

“Be Tommy Daly”

by OFF CENTER

Gossip, rumors, and wild speculation have abounded on campus since the explosive argument between Pulitzer-winning journalist Eric Londres and ex-SGA President Tommy “Ended Sadness” Daly. The fight began when Mr. Londres called out Daly in his definitely-less-than-500-word Letter to the Editor, over-dramatically named “Childhood’s End.” In this marvel of journalistic upheaval, Londres bemoaned the current state of the SGA and yearned for the “good old days,” presumably back when the SGA’s main job was determining which peasants working Castle Stevens’ farmland would get food that winter.

Although the letter is large-

ly a critique of the SGA as a whole, Londres went straight for the jugular at the end of his hit piece, cursing Daly’s bloodline and summoning a plague of locusts on his farmland. In addition, Londres gave, “Don’t be Tommy Daly,” as a piece of advice for the SGA. Considering the SGA is currently comprised of approximately 0% Tommy Daly, and with little chance that any members will spontaneously switch personalities with the Dalester, this nugget of wisdom was deemed largely unnecessary. Daly, justifiably miffed at his descendants being cursed for 12 generations, shot back with a Letter to the Editor of his own, sarcastically named “‘Don’t be Tommy Daly.’”

“I don’t know why they keep posting their letters in

The Stute,” the Editor said in an exclusive interview with Off the Press. “If they really wanted to speak with me, they could’ve have just texted me or sent an e-mail or something.”

Daly defended himself against Londres’ attack, citing the many good changes his administration brought to the school, including the institution of the Health and Wellness Committee, the President’s Cabinet, and, of course, the much-adored Duck Dance.

The Duck Dance, for those as of yet unacquainted, is an absolute smash hit song/ dance routine that gripped the school last semester and which literally everyone loves.

“I love the Duck Dance,” one Peer Leader confessed in an interview, “and I’d definite-

ly still say that if we weren’t legally required to say good things about the Duck Dance.

My favorite part is when they say ‘Do the Duck Dance,’ and then ‘Eyy’ for the 12th time.”

Duck Dance notwithstanding, Mr. Daly made an impassioned defense against the attack against his character, even sprinkling in some anti-curse charms into his writing to free his livestock from Sir Londres’ dark magic. The conflict between the two giants has recently escalated to the point of violence, as Sir Thomas has formally challenged Mr. Londres to a duel over his wounded honor.

“Funny fact about New Jersey law,” Daly confided in a private interview with Off the Press, “they forgot to criminalize dueling; technically, it’s

Opinion

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 8

The Stute Editorial

Reputations, nothing but perceptions What’s in a name If not one’s reputation?

The words that Flood A person’s brain at the thought of a name.

“Hard-working” “Kind” “Outgoing” “Annoying” “Aggressive” Reputation represents a person But doesn’t Define them.

Nothing but someone’s perception of an interaction Gossip, Rumors, Whispers All stemming from seemingly insignificant moments.

Yet we obsess over people’s perceptions Over our reputations.

Overthinking every small interaction, Every minor conversation, Until it’s all that we are...

Perceptions.

We forget who we are What we wanted to be, Becoming a mirror of we were, Defined by others.

Mind of a Freshman

Where has the time gone?

by NATALIE TODARO Freshman Music and Technology Major

I’m not really the type of person who doodles during class. I’m more of the pen-tapper, knuckle-breaker, glancing-at-the-clockevery-five-minutes type of person. I’m sure we’ve all had a professor whose teaching style didn’t exactly work in our favor, and we’re left thinking of all the other things we could be doing with the time we’re spending in class.

Time is a kind of confusing idea to think about.

When did we stop letting our actions define us?

Stop drowning in rumors, Gossip, And whispers.

Reputations, Perceptions, Who cares?

Scientific Curmudgeon

by JOHN HORGAN CAL Professor

Maryia Spirydonava Editor-in-Chief

Outside and Around The World

Singeli’s jump to mainstream

by JACK KOSTELNIK Sophmore

Despite lurking in the underground scene of Tanzania’s former capital, Dar es Salaam, for 15 years, Singeli is ready to take over. Marked by its frenetic beats and unrelenting synth melodies, Singeli has evolved from an underground youth scene in the ghettos of Dar es Salaam to a genre of international recognition.

Singeli saw first commercial success with the com-

While we’re on the subject of time, am I the only one totally appalled at the fact that it’s already week 5 of the semester? I’m currently figuring out my living arrangement for next year, but it feels like I just moved in to my dorm. A recent podcast I listened to explained that young children perceive time to move much slower than adults because they have fewer years of memories to look back on.

And it makes sense, when I look back on my life before I started college it seems as if time zoomed right by me.

My point is to not get too involved with the insanely confusing topic of time.

Don’t beat yourself up if you managed your time poorly because all you can do is learn from it and try better next time. And if you’re convinced that time is truly passing by faster each day, just remember to cherish the present.

That’s all for this week’s column, see you next time!

Painful Reality or Pleasant Delusion?

Do what makes you happy, Do what makes you proud!

Who cares if they call you crazy Or mad?

Let them judge you, Fight you, And spurn at you.

At the end of the day, Just know you did Your best, And let that be your Legacy.

pilation Sounds of Sisso, released in June of 2017 by Uganda-based label Nyege Nyege. The rise of Sisso Records, the Dar es Salaam hub for Singeli, marks a new page in the development of Singeli. Jay Mitta’s debut album, Tatizo Pesa, which was released on January 11 by Nyege Nyege Tapes, features the fast-paced, frenetic beats for which Singeli is famous, in combination with boastful lyrics influenced by Western hip-hop. The title track for the LP features Dogo Janja, a 14-year-old emcee who is making waves in the community. This track features repetitive, high-energy production from Jay Mitta and vocals from Dogo Janja that are by far the most aggressive to be seen on Nyege Nyege to date.

Sisso Records, managed by another Singeli artist

As much as I like to think I have good time management skills, I’ll admit that at times it can be difficult to organize your work in a way that is beneficial to you.

Recently I found myself with a huge pile of work, and while I’m usually able to handle everything, this was the most I’ve ever had.

It wasn’t particularly the number of assignments I had to complete but rather the amount of material I had to pack into my brain and study. But somewhere in the middle of my flashcard making and eyebrow furrowing I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to do it all.

I wasn’t going to be able to know the exact definition of every single term, or be able to play every piano exercise perfectly. And that’s OK. As much as I think it’s important to tell yourself, “I can do this,” I think it’s equally as important to understand that you’re only human, and it’s OK if you can’t do it all.

named Sisso, is paving new ground for hip-hop in Tanzania. The music released

by Sisso Records in the past two years has a distinctly dark and aggressive sound that separates it from the rest of the Singeli scene.

This new breed of Singeli is bursting with teenage angst, punk undertones, a youthful DIY attitude, and a passion for change. Last December, Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian wrote an article exploring and detailing the landscape of Singeli. One of the principal producers of Singeli, Makaveli describes in the article that their music “cuts across society,” and that the goal is to inspire the youth of Tanzania to make something of themselves and to encourage positive change not only in their government, but internationally.

In my classes, I like making students ponder the pros and cons of knowledge. We talk about Plato’s parable, in which people imprisoned in a cave mistake shadows projected on a wall for reality. I ask, “Assuming we’re in the cave, how many of you want to escape?” Most students dutifully raise their hands, because of course truth is good and ignorance is bad. Then I ask, “What if the cave is pleasant and the outside world painful?”

That usually stumps them.

Many people face an agonizing, real-life version of this dilemma, according to a recent New Yorker article about treatment of people with dementia. Journalist Larissa MacFarquhar notes that decades ago many nursing homes practiced “reality orientation,” in which patients were constantly reminded of their circumstances, no matter how upsetting. “The core of the program,” MacFarquhar writes, “was not giving up hope that even the most bewildered, isolated patient could, with enough training, return to the world.”

Many caregivers have abandoned this program as impractical and even cruel.

They play along with and even encourage the delu-

sions of demented patients, because this strategy makes them calmer and happier.

Some nursing homes are designed to resemble cute American towns with fake storefronts and bus stops.

“When a person asks to go home,” MacFarquhar writes, “an aide takes them to the bus stop, where they sit and wait for a bus that never comes.” Eventually they forget why they’re waiting.

MacFarquhar adds: “To lie is to violate the respect that one person owes another; but lying to a person with dementia can protect them from awful truths that they have no power to alter. If a woman asks for her dead husband, having forgotten that he is dead, should you tell her the truth and cause her terrible grief, knowing that this fresh bereavement will likely repeat itself, over and over, day after day? Or should you just tell her that he is at the office?”

Critics denounce these practices as degrading. They point out that patients might be distressed if they realize, in lucid moments, that they are being deceived. “Even lying for benevolent reasons,” MacFarquhar acknowledges, “risks a coercive kind of paternalism, and can be corrupting, like any other unchecked exercise of power.”

Advanced directives represent a solution to this dilemma. While still lucid, you can specify how you want to be treated if you succumb to dementia. “Someone who most values happiness,” MacFarquhar explains, “however simple, might choose lies and medicine; someone who feels that life with late-stage dementia, without a certain degree of awareness, is not worth liv-

Please Email Letters to the Editor to eboard@thestute.com

ing might choose truth and death.”

But advanced directives pose problems too. What if someone who has chosen truth and death seems to enjoy life with dementia?

“Should his directive be respected,” MacFarquhar asks, “ending his life?

So how would I choose?

Pleasant delusion is tempting. After all, many non-demented people engage in denial, repression, and self-deception. That is, they exclude certain things from their minds. Lately I’ve been trying to avoid political news, because it makes me feel crappy and there’s little I can do about it.

Moreover, those who insist they would always choose reality over illusion assume reality is knowable.

But what if it isn’t? What if ultimate reality is unknowable, as certain philosophers and mystics suggest? What if life is but a dream, and everything is an illusion? What if, when break your shackles and escape the cave, you just end up in another cave?

In that case, wouldn’t you be a fool for choosing a miserable illusion over a pleasant one?

I can’t bear the thought of loved ones suffering. If choosing for them, I’d probably go with pleasant delusion. But in spite of my recent aversion to political news, I care about truth, even if I’m not sure what it is. So I like to think I’d choose reality for myself — even if it’s painful, and even if I’m not sure it’s real.

John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings, which is part of the College of Arts & Letters. This column is adapted from one published on his Scientific American blog, “Cross-check.”

Opinion

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 9

Spoiler Alert

Roma

by KOBY GARCIA Senior Visual Arts and Technology Major

Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 black-and-white, slow-paced film Roma, follows Cleo, played by Yalitza Aparicio, the live-in housekeeper of a well-off middle-class family in 1970s Mexico, for one year as she traverses love, pregnancy, a violent protest, caring for the family, and coming to terms with a tragic event.

Despite having a theatrical release, you may have noticed that this film bears the ever-familiar “Netflix Original” title on it. Usually, I am a passionate proponent of watching movies in movie theaters, but there is an interesting conversation to be had about Roma. While Alfonso Cuarón is one of my favorite directors for his employment of immensely impressive long takes that are present in all of his films, and Roma is no exception, I actually believe your viewing experience will be heightened by not seeing this film in a theater. I found myself waiting for the perfect opportunity to watch this

A frame from the movie Roma. netflix.com movie and actually waited almost a month after its release to see it. I did not want to disrespect what I had already expected to be a cinematic marvel by simply watching it on my phone or laptop, but I could not get out to a theater that was playing it.

I was satisfied with having watched the film with my friends on their large television: comfortable, relaxed, and fairly close to the screen.

The combination of the film following one character the

entire time whose job is to care for a family’s home and children, the slow pace of the movie, and the vehemently emotional events of the story, makes this film extraordinarily personal. That being said, watching this film on a phone or laptop forces you to be physically close to it, adding to the personal experience and thus heightening the intense emotions, of both comfort and discomfort, translated through the screen.

The film’s opening shot

and title sequence is a shot looking down at a tile floor being mopped by Cleo, a literal cleansing. Another aspect to mention that appears at the beginning, ending, and throughout the film, is an airplane that flies by: once in the reflection of the water on the floor at the beginning, and again in the sky at the end. Later in the film and almost at the end, water plays another important role when Cleo goes into the ocean to save a couple of the chil-

dren she takes care of from drowning. While the family embraces after this frightening event, Cleo vocalizes a confession about a previous heart-wrenching event (which despite the name of my column, I will not spoil for you so as to ensure that the scene remains emotional).

Here, water reappears as a cleansing agent; however, it is now vast and intimidating as opposed to full of literal sh*t and on the floor like it was in the opening. The film closes

with a shot of Cleo walking up a set of outdoor stairs, and the camera lingers on the sky as the closing credits appear.

There are many other things I love about this film, but I think the topics I wrote about this week were the two most captivating aspects. Like I mentioned last week, Roma is my personal pick for Best Picture, but no matter what the results are at the Oscars, I’m just happy that it is receiving plenty of attention and praise.

Senioritis

Drawing the Line on the #Hustle

by NAMANKITA RANA Senior Engineering Management Major

For someone who writes a weekly column, I (admittedly) don’t read very much as far as news and blogs go.

I wish I did, and I know it’s taken a toll on my stylistic growth (or lack thereof).

But finding good content is tricky. And I’m a picky reader as it stands. So finding other content to read is just as much of a challenge as creating it can be.

That said, there are some recurring favorites that I do have. Man Repeller is probably the top of that list. In their own words, “Man Repeller explores the expansive constellation of things women care about from a place of openness and humor, with the conviction that an interest in fashion doesn’t minimize one’s intellect.” I can’t recommend it highly

enough, and I kind of wish I’d come up with the concept first (oops). Check it out!

Outside of Man Repeller, I like Refinery29’s Money Diaries, a column on millennial women, what they earn, and how they spend their money.

Finally, The Cut occasionally has good stories (though I’ve been side-eyeing them ever since that infamous Priyanka Chopra article. Do better!)

Anyway, the point of this wasn’t to just drop my list of recommendations for light reading. I want to talk a bit about an article I read that hit me hard, sparked a little something in my fuzzy, senioritis-afflicted brain.

Four days ago, Man Repeller published an article titled, “The Modern Trap of Turning Hobbies Into Hustles.” I’d suggest giving that piece a read, because it’s genuinely one of the best articles I’ve ever read. The article turns the often-quoted adage “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” on its head by instead suggesting: You don’t have to monetize your joy. You’re allowed to love something and be good at it without selling it. In other words, you’re allowed to enjoy something — and then

draw the line at that.

Given the sort of work-centric messaging pervasive among millenials and Gen Zers, this article came as a breath of fresh air. We live in the era of the hustle, I’ve come to realize, and there’s seemingly constant pressure to work harder, sleep less, grind more. To push ourselves further, and then some more, just because we can.

To not ascribe to this mindset is akin to accepting mediocrity. And who would ever want that?

I’m perhaps one of the most guilty of buying into this, into the “cult of busyness,” if you will. At a school like Stevens, it’s pretty easy, given the sheer volume of work we deal with, but somewhere along the way, it started to bleed into the rest of my life, and that realization was terrifying.

I don’t get a lot of free time, but when I do, I usually have a tough choice to make.

I’m a self-proclaimed workaholic. My goal has always been to optimize my time, to be hyper-productive as much as possible. So when a free hour or free day pops up that I don’t immediately know what to do with, I panic just

a little bit. What should I do?

Catch up on homework due next week or next month?

Run to the gym? Write my Senioritis column? (Sorry, Audrey, I almost never pick the last one.)

Sometimes, I actually want to do those things.

Other times, I sure as hell don’t. But I never question it, never swap it out for anything else, because putting the hustle over happiness is so commonplace that it’s instinctual. But if we’re so busy optimizing for success, when do we get to pick time for ourselves?

To be fair: I’m not ragging on the importance of working hard, or discipline. Both are necessities for success.

But working oneself to death isn’t something to be romanticized, burnout is not #cute, and sleep deprivation isn’t a personality trait. (Apologies to the three freshmen reading this in advance.)

It’s okay to not have every minute of your life planned down to the second. It’s okay to not want to monetize your gifts, or broadcast every second of a perfectly curated, “busy” life. You’re allowed to spend a snow day off watching Netflix and staring at a spot on the ceiling. Your

Money Diaries, a popular blog series on Refinery29 about the spending habits of Milennial women, was recently made into a book. Photo from Amazon.com time is your own, not a showpiece for others to ooh and ahh at.

In other words — it’s okay to draw a line on the #hustle. Your likes and loves and

wants and dreams are just as worthy of your time as your goals and ambitions. You can have both. And that can be enough.

Stute Stute, Stute Stute Stute, Stute, Stu Stute, Stute, Stute Stute

Sports

Friday, February 22, 2019 • Page 10

Multiple School Records Fall as No. 11 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Competes at Fastrack Last Chance Invitational

ON DECK IN SPORTS

Friday WOMEN’S SWIMMING

VS Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championship TBA Webster, NY

MEN’S SWIMMING

Stevens Sports Information

SSI - Results The Basics The lead: Senior Katie Weeks broke her own school record in the weight throw to lead the 11th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology women’s indoor track and field team at the Fastrack Last Chance Invitational.

Location: Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex - Staten Island, New York The Score: Team Scores were not compiled Short Story: After breaking a nearly six-year old record just one week prior with a mark of 17.66 meters, Weeks topped her previous career best on three different occasions, culminating with a distance of 18.25 meters on her fourth throw. The distance was good for third at the meet (second among Division III competitors) and is the fourth-best mark in Division III and tops the Atlantic Region by nearly two meters. Weeks’ distance is also tops in the Empire 8 Conference by 3.63 meters.

Weeks is just the fifth Division III thrower to clear 18 meters.

Top Finishers Junior Gina Dello Russo also set a new school record in the long jump, reaching 5.21 meters on her second attempt.

The Whippany, New Jersey native topped the previous school record of 5.17 meters, set by alumna Gladys Njoku in the 2016 Empire 8 Indoor Championship. Dello Russo’s previous best was 4.99 meters at the Utica College Pioneer Invitational in 2017. She finished first among Division III athletes. It’s the third-longest jump in the E8 this season.

Senior Mary Visca finished seventh overall in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:22.74.

She was the top attached finisher and won her finals section by 13 seconds. The Pittsford, New York native’s time is tops in the Empire 8 by over 30 seconds and is currently ranked 13th in the Atlantic District.

Of Note

Senior Paige Metzheiser was the second Division III finisher in the 800, setting a personal record with a time of 2:27.11.

Junior Claire Tantillo finished 14th overall in the mile with a time of 5:33.31. It was the fifth-fastest time among Division III competitors and is the seventh-fastest mark in the E8.

It was also a personal-best time for the Garnerville, New York native.

Junior Melissa Barnes posted a time of 10.27 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles, which was the third-fastest time among Division III runners and ranks sixth in the conference.

Senior Samantha Rokicsak won her heat in the 400, finishing in 1:04.80.

Freshman AnaMaria Laccetti finished fifth in the shot put with a personal-best distance of 11.28 meters on her fourth attempt. Weeks placed third in the event with a distance of 12.69 meters. The duo were first and second among Division III com-

petitors. Laccetti’s mark is sixth in the conference to date and 29th in the Atlantic Region.

Sophomore Jordan Detlet (11.05 meters) joined Laccetti (10.67 meters) and freshman Samantha Reilly (9.97 meters) in setting personal bests in the weight throw.

Harden’s Thoughts “In order to qualify for the Empire 8 Championships, you must be ranked in the top 16 of your event on the conference performance list. Fastrack Last Chance represented the final opportunity for our student-athletes to qualify for the meet, and, for those who were already safely qualified, it was a final tune-up for the big meet next weekend. Across the board, it was mission accomplished, as the majority of our athletes set seasonal, personal, or even school records.”

“The women really shined in the field events, setting two school records. Gina broke the long jump record on her very

first jump of the competition, and then she bettered it by another centimeter on the second attempt. Her speed on the runway has significantly improved.

Katie broke her own school record in the weight throw on her second, fourth, and fifth throws, with the fifth being the farthest. She is becoming more consistent every week, and she bounced back nicely from a first round foul. AnaMaria improved her collegiate PR in the shot put by over 3 meters (10 feet) and she went over 10m for 5 of her 6 throws! She also set a PR in the weight throw, along with teammate Jordan Detlet.

“On the track, Mary Visca had a nice victory in the second section of the 3K to qualify for the regional meet in that event.”

Up Next No. 11 Women’s Track and Field heads to Utica, New York for the 2019 Empire 8 Conference Indoor Championships.

The two-day event begins on Friday, Feb. 22.

Bittker Takes Home Both E8 and UVC Player of the Week Honors SSI – Sophomore Jack Bittker of the No. 2 Stevens Institute of Technology men’s volleyball team was named Player of the Week by both the Empire 8 and United Volleyball Conferences, announced by the league offices at the beginning of the week.

These two accolades mark the first career weekly awards for the Penfield, New York native and the fourth honor for men’s volleyball this season.

“Jack worked extremely hard in the offseason and it has really paid off,” said assistant men’s volleyball coach Austin Voges. “He is getting it done

with his attacking and also from the service line - one of the best serves in DIII. He has a winning attitude and seems almost fearless on the court.”

Bittker ended Stevens 3-0 week averaging 3.63 kills per set. He led the Ducks with 10 kills against SUNY Poly, while posting a career-best 16 against NYU and 14 against No. 12 Lancaster Bible. The outside hitter issued a matchhigh four aces against Lancaster and ended the week with a total of eight. Bittker also totaled 13 digs over the three matches.

Up Next: No. 4 Men’s Vol-

Stevens Sports Information

leyball returns to action on

Saturday, Feb. 23 at Nazareth

College for a UVC matchup.

Opponent/Event

Score

Result

2/16 2/16 2/16 2/16 2/16 2/17 2/17 2/17 2/17 2/17 2/17

Men's Tennis Women's Basketball Men's Volleyball Men's Basketball Men's Volleyball Wrestling Women's Fencing Women's Fencing Women's Fencing Men's Fencing Men's Fencing Men's Fencing

VS Lehigh University VS Hartwick College VS Suny Poly VS Hartwick College VS Lancaster Bible College VS Southeast/Mideast Futures VS Haverford College VS City College VS Yeshiva University VS The College of William and Mary

0-7 64-71 3-0 74-67 3-1 Complete 18-9

L L W W W N/A W W

2/17 2/18

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD VS Empire 8 Indoor Championship 3 p.m.

Utica, NY

BASEBALL

VS Regina University 4 p.m.

Hoboken, NJ

MEN’S BASKETBALL

VS Alfred University 5:30 p.m.

Alfred, NY

VS Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championship TBA Webster, NY

Stevens

Men's Lacrosse Baseball Baseball

VS Empire 8 Indoor Championship 3 p.m.

Utica, NY

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

Date

2/17

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Saturday

Duck Country Scoreboard

2/17

VS Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championship TBA Webster, NY

VS John Hopkins University VS Haverford College VS Colorado College VS Salisbury University VS Suny Old-Westbury

26-1 27-0 22-5 14-13 16-11 13-5 1-9 3-2

W W W W W L W

Stevens Sports Information

MEN’S SWIMMING

VS Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championship TBA Webster, NY

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