October 29, 2014 by Torch Online

‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ Scandal pg. 6 Ebola scare in NYC pg. 4

President Gempesaw honored at investiture • Gempesaw receives presidential regalia • Presents 5-year agenda • Over 1000 people attended TORCH PHOTO EDITOR/ CHEYANNE GONZALES

PHOTO/ FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

St. John’s own Joe Panik plays in the World Series pg. 10 T.I.’s new album in review pg. 6

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Archbishop Bernadito Auza, papal representative to the United Nations, addresses attendees at the investiture of Dr. Gempesaw as University president last week.

News

At investiture ceremony, president announces top four priorities First goal: student success; historic celebration included mass and reception for 17th president TALIA TIRELLA News Editor New president Dr. Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw envisions improving St. John’s University by expanding its community and global presence, continuing its promise to provide a top-notch education for students who may otherwise not have one and upgrading learning and teaching environments. That was the message he gave the University community during his investiture speech last Friday at Carnesecca Arena. Speaking before an estimated crowd of a thousand, Gempesaw outlined four priorities that he plans to focus on over the next five years. These priorities came to his attention during his listening tour with members of the University community, including alumni. He said that during the tour he received feedback about what St. John’s needs to do going forward. “Many of you strongly expressed that we must, must, elevate St. John’s pride and tradition in academic and athletic excellence to the next level,” Gempesaw said. The four priorities are: providing access and ensuring student success; recognizing and retaining outstanding faculty and staff; improving teaching and learning environments in order to foster student success; and expanding both community and global partnerships.

Gempesaw said that these priorities will ensure that the University grow stronger over the years. He said that this week he will announce a strategic work group, which will provide guidance when it comes to implementing the priorities over the next five years. “Although the challenges in higher education today may seem daunting, St. John’s University can overcome them and continue to try, as one of the country’s premiere Catholic universities. We must face these challenges with a dynamic, entrepreneurial and strategic mindset,” Gempesaw said. “For St. John’s University, there is no choice, we must be bold.” Gempesaw has strong plans going forward, and draws inspiration from his background as an Filipino immigrant. “Embracing the Vincentian mission is easy and natural for me, because, like so many St. John’s students, both today and in the past, I am an immigrant,” Gempesaw said. Gempesaw spoke about his commitment to continuing the University’s mission to educate immigrants and children of immigrants, the mission that has been the University’s focus since it began. The Vincentian nature of the University involves helping those who are in need, and St. John’s uses this idea, along with a faith- and values-based education, as the center of its mission. “I have always considered it a privilege to be in the position of transforming the lives of students through the education they receive. Today, as president of

PHOTO/TORCH PHOTO EDITOR CHEYANNE GONZALES

Peter D’Angelo, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, speaks during the investiture ceremony.

St. John’s University, that privilege is magnified 20,000 fold as I reflect on the responsibility of leading this great University. “That is the task I would like to take up today, to lay out a mission and establish priorities in order to insure that St. John’s University will continue to fulfill its mission of providing education that will transform the lives of students, especially those whom otherwise would not

“Many of you strongly expressed that we must, must, elevate St. John’s pride and tradition in academic and athletic excellence to the next level,” Gempesaw said.

PHOTO/TORCH PHOTO EDITOR CHEYANNE GONZALES

Dr. Gempesaw dons the St. John’s presidential robes for the very first time.

have such opportunity,” Gempesaw said. Before Gempesaw’s speech, a video featuring greetings from St. John’s student leaders was shown, and most notably included President Robert Koehler, Vice President Caroline Zottl and Senior Senator Ada Lee from Student Government, Inc. Provost Robert Mangione then opened the ceremony and introduced three speakers representing students, alumni and faculty respectively. Speakers Shawna-Lei Santos, CPS ‘16, alumnus William Collins, member of the Board of Trustees, and psychology professor Elizabeth Brondolo, each spoke about Gempesaw’s impact and his commitment to his responsibilities and helping the University move forward. Peter D’Angelo, ‘78 MBA and Chair

of the Board of Trustees, began the Investiture Ceremony. The Presidential Regalia, consisting of a red robe and a doctoral cap (depending on the President’s degree-granting institution) were placed on Gempesaw, along with the Presidential medallion, which bears the crest of the University on its face. Gempesaw was then given the University Mace, a 39 inch long scepter that bears symbols of the University and signifies the power of higher learning, according to a University press release. Gempesaw spoke before the University community as well as various religious and academic leaders. Archbishop Bernadito Auza, papal representative to the U.N., the Rev. Gregorio L. Bañaga, Jr., president of Adamson University and the Rev. Michael Carroll, a provincial superior of the Eastern Province of the Congregation of the Mission were all in attendance and shared their words of encouragement to Gempesaw in several short speeches. The ceremony was preceded by a mass celebrated by Bishop of Brooklyn Nicholas DiMarzio, and followed by a reception in Taffner Field House. Now that Gempesaw is officially president, he can move forward with his plans to strengthen the University. “The great university is never content with the way things are,” Gempesaw said. “It seeks to be better.”

Read what members of the University community had to say about the investiture on page 8.

Additional images from the investiture, continued from page 3

ALL PHOTOS/TORCH PHOTO EDITOR CHEYANNE GONZALES

Above: Chair of the Board of Trustees Peter D’Angelo and Dr. Gempesaw with the presidential mace. Top left: Dr. Gempesaw during the investiture ceremony, waiting to receive the presidential regalia. Bottom left: Dr. Gempesaw in full presidential regalia, including the presidential medallion.

NYC doctor infected with Ebola

Canadian Parliament shooting

A New York City doctor was rushed to Bellevue Hospital after experiencing symptoms consistent with Ebola last Thursday morning. Hours later, blood test results confirmed that the doctor was infected, becoming the first diagnosed case of Ebola in New York City. According to multiple news outlets, the doctor, 33-year-old Craig Spencer, was recently in the West African country of Guinea, one of three countries hit hardest with Ebola. He was working for Doctors Without Borders and was treating patients infected with the virus. On Thursday morning, Spencer contacted the Doctors Without Borders office after developing a fever. He was rushed to Bellevue after suffering from a 100.3-degree fever as well as gastrointestinal problems, both of which are consistent with Ebola. He was immediately placed into isolation where health officials monitored him. News of Spencer’s diagnosis has mounted concern among residents of

A gunman fatally shot a soldier in a ceremonial post before entering a nearby Parliament building in Canada’s capital last Wednesday. Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was serving as the honorary guard of the National War Memorial when he was shot. He was later identified and pronounced dead by police hours after the shooting, according to an article by the CBC. Police shot and killed the gunman during their search of the building. The shootout occurred near a room where Prime Minister Stephen Harper was giving a speech, forcing Members of Parliament to barricade doors and hide in closets, according to articles by Reuters and the Globe and Mail. Ottawa police identified the shooter as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. He was a recent Muslim convert and had a history of criminal offenses. His actions were carried out alone and had no relation to the attack on soldiers in Quebec two days before, according to the Guardian. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, better known as the Mounties, said

JOANNE CORRIELUS Contributing Writer

New York City including students at St. John’s. “I think the doctor having Ebola is very alarming because of how contagious it can be once symptoms occur but I hope that proper precautions are taken so it doesn’t spread,” said sophomore Shanyse Clark. Some students are critical of the doctor’s decision to take a trip around New York City last Wednesday night, which included travel on multiple subway lines. “I think it was stupid of him to go to all of these places considering he’s a doctor. He should’ve known better and taken better precautions,” said junior Selina Zhang. In response to the Ebola outbreak, the St. John’s University Department of Health and Wellness released a statement asking that any University member who has returned from West Africa in the last 21 days contact the Queens Campus Health Center. Although students are concerned, both health officials and public officials have stressed that New Yorkers should not be worried for their safety since Dr. Spencer was taken to the hospital immediately after symptoms began.

MATTHEW MANERI Contributing Writer

in a press conference they had a video of Zehaf-Bibeau showing evidence of a political motive behind his attacks. Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the nation later that evening at an undisclosed location, calling the shooting a terrorist attack. He assured that the government would identify and take action against any threats. “Let there be no misunderstanding. We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated,” Harper said in his televised speech.

Lifestyle

TCB sparks change around the GLOBE

CAITLYN MCALOON Contributing Writer

Sitting in a classroom, it is unusual and unexpected to have an impact to make a difference in the world. An international business course at the Tobin College of Business does just that, though. The lecture, provided by Dr. Linda Sama, motivates and encourages students to be the change they wish to see across the world and, in this case, act as social entrepreneurs. The Global Loan Opportunities for Budding Entrepreneurs, or the ‘GLOBE’ program, develops plans on a weekly basis to enable those living in impoverished conditions to achieve their dreams. Catherine Sims, a 2014 alumnus, claims her experience with the program to be a transformative one. The program inspired her to become a social entrepreneur, she said.

“[GLOBE] changes us in a way that makes us more acutely aware not just of the problems but the fact that we have the power to do something about it.”

“[GLOBE] forced me to think outside of the box and work with people from different backgrounds to come up with solutions,” Sims said. The program was founded to help these types of people. Most of the loan applicants are women because they have problems receiving funding opportunities, Falligan said. GLOBE addresses the critical benefits

of microfinancing in the world of microfinance. Michael Falligan, who manages the Finance, Budgets and Risk Assessment team, explains the details of microfinance. “The [practice] of microfinance is to provide opportunities and loans to people who can’t get them from a regular bank,” Falligan said. GLOBE has adopted this practice of microfinance. The student-managed program provides financial services to the international community. Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Vietnam and Nicaragua are frequent lending countries for GLOBE. “We go to Nicaragua each year to visit with the area and see if there are any more resources we can provide,” Falligan said. GLOBE visits these countries and provides workshops for entrepreneurs who are looking for more information on how they could possibly start up their own businesses, Falligan said. The majority of GLOBE’s recent loan requests came from Nicaragua since they visited the country in May. “The past few years we’ve visited Nicaragua but we try to go to every country that we do [business with],” Falligan said. The language barrier is a common issue when visiting these countries, so the foreign language department helps translate those loans. Falligan credited Daniella Groezinger from the Spanish department for translating all 13 of the Nicaragua loan requests. Some of the more recent loan requests that GLOBE has received came from Vietnam; four loan requests in total. According to Falligan, his team had to look for outside sources and found alumni of the program who were Vietnamese. GLOBE partners with the Daughters of Charity, a Vincentian organization dedicated to serving to the poor from all

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLOBE

PHOTO/ALEXANDER ARPAG

Nicaragua is one of the most visited countries by GLOBE.

parts of the world. The Daughters of Charity provide personal relationships with the aspiring entreprenurs. According to Falligan, they scout and contact the entrepreneurs’ initial requests and send the worthy candidates to the GLOBE program. “The Daughters of Charity are in the entrepreneurs’ area and they are like the community outreach for the people in the area,” Falligan said. “They know these people personally and can give solid recommendations.” Falligan said the loans have an 85% return and defaults on the loans rarely occur.

“We go to Nicaragua each year to visit with the area and see if there are any more resources we can provide.”

GLOBE has provided loans to many aspiring entrepreneurs for purposes such as starting a food truck or fixing a house. “We approve them based on their potential to grow as a businessperson and give them a chance,” Falligan said. GLOBE evaluates each request to understand what the loan will be going towards. They have provided nearly 50 loans in the past five years. “For my team, we can’t just plug numbers in a computer,” Falligan said. “We have to look at each applicant, and see what they’re going through at the time.” GLOBE gives people an opportunity to run their own businesses in the hopes of advancing out of the confines in which poverty traps them with the extra financial assistance provided for them. For students like Sims, though, GLOBE provides an eye-opening experience that acknowledges them of the poverty in the global community, and that they can fix it. “[GLOBE] changes us in a way that makes us more acutely aware not just of the problems but the fact that we have the power to do something about it,” Sims said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLOBE

A student-managed program, GLOBE provides financial resources to entrepreneurs in addition to information sessions on how to create a successful business.

BRIAWNNA JONES Entertainment Editor

TLC has pulled the plug on their hit reality-show “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” The red light came after reports surfaced that June Shannon known on the show as

“Mama June” was involved with a man that sexually assaulted her then 8-year-old daughter. TMZ broke the story that Mark McDaniel and Mama June began seeing each other after he was released from prison back in March, where he served ten years for molesting her now 20-year-old daughter, Anna Cardwell. Since then, the pair is no longer trying to keep their relationship under the radar. Honey Boo Boo’s mama has been seen buying her new man a car, and the two have been photographed house hunting. With the news leaking to the media that Mama June was dating a registered sex offender, TLC decided to cancel the show despite already having filmed

PHOTO CO

URTESY OF TL

Things in the Young Money Cash Money Billionaire Camp (YMCMB) are getting messy. A video of Canadian rapper Drake bum rushing into Club Stadium in D.C. last Sunday has been circulating around the web. In the video, it’s clear that the 28-year-old artist is outraged when he is seen running into the club full force dropping his wads of cash on the ground. The “Views From The 6” rapper, who celebrated his birthday two days prior, had to be held back by security guards as he forced his entry into the club. While details of what caused Drake’s rage are still unknown, it’s rumored that it has something to do with label mate Tyga’s diss in Vibe magazine. Inside his spread, Tyga gave an exclusive interview where he discussed his need to break away from YMCMB, as well as his dislike for fellow rappers, and Young Money signees, Nicki Minaj and Drake. The 24-year-old California-native admitted that Drake makes good music, but said that he believes the hit-making artist is “fake.” The “Last Kings” rapper explained the situation to Vibe saying, “He’s just fake to me. I like his music. You know what I’m saying?

I think his music is good, but we’re all different people. We were forced together and it was kinda like we were forcing relationships together.” Chiming in on the issue, Birdman spoke to Funk Master Flex during a visit to Hot 97, telling the DJ “you’re either in or you’re out.” The Cash Money CEO spoke highly of both artists letting it be known that Tyga is still a part of the label, but can no way compete with icon-in-the-making Drake.

episodes for a new season. TLC released an official statement saying, “Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the children’s ongoing comfort and well-being.” Although the network axed the show, sources say they will not cut ties with the children offering to pay for tutoring and counseling. Janay Rice is receiving major backlash after she took to Twitter letting the world know that she is unhappy with people’s insensitive Halloween costumes. The tasteless costumes plastered all over social media feature men wearing Ray Rice jerseys carrying or standing next to a woman/doll that has a painted on black eye. The wife of former Raven’s player Ray Rice tweeted her dissapprovement of people making fun of the couple’s now infamous assault video. Responding to TMZ’s post on the costumes she tweeted, “It’s sad, that my suffering amuses others.” While many sympathized with Rice, others are outraged that she claims to be “suffering,” yet still made the conscious decision to marry her abuser. A source tells TMZ that the couple is “praying for those people” that find the costumes to be funny.

‘King of the South’ T.I. releases ninth studio album TAYLOR LEONARD COLEMAN Staff Writer T.I.

Paperwork

Take a moment to look away from T.I.’s ‘father of the year’ demeanor, from his hit reality show “T.I. & Tiny: Family Hustle,” as well as the many acting roles the southern native has landed over the years to focus on his ever-changing music career. If you deeply break it down, you can see just how multi-faceted the ‘“King of the South’” truly is.

This being T.I.’s ninth studio new album, “Paperwork,” is the sequel to his 2008 album “Paper Trail” but also the first installment of what will lead to his 10th and 11th albums. As promised, it will be a trilogy for the eight-year rapper veteran. He has already given us summer hits like “About The Money” featuring Young Thug and “No Mediocre” alongside label mate and protégée Iggy Azalea. This 15-track album goes through various directions as T.I. talks about everything from his early years of drugs and crime, to pop and soulful tracks with the likes of The Dream, Skylar Grey and Pharell, who also served as executive producer of the album. While some tracks like “Jet Fuel” featuring Lil Boosie serve as a hard-bumping Southern-trap reminder that T.I. remains one of the best in the rap game, others like “Stay” which shows a softer side to the family man. It’s hard to believe that it has

been close to a decade since “What You Know” was released but time has flown by and T.I. remains one of rap’s least fallen-off emcees. There are moments on “Paperwork” where T.I. stretches his wings and tries to woo the ladies more than needed, but it is definitely a change from the usual. Granted, in the same breath he reminds us that he can still show off like a player on “No Mediocre,” in which Iggy Azalea also flexes on the record. With violence becoming more prevalent over the past few years between cops and African-Americans, including the killings of Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin, T.I. called for Skylar Grey to create “New National Anthem.” He wanted to denounce the country’s unpatriotic ways and rewrite a new anthem for the red, white and blue. Although such a controversial song will most likely not get any ra-

dio play, T.I. was still able to project a meaningful message against violence. Tip also dedicates the latter part of the album to his fallen comrades. Tracks like “On Doe, On Phil,” “Light Em Up, (RIP Doe B)” and “Let Your Heart Go (Break My Soul)” pay homage to Grand Hustle signee Doe B and his late friend Philant Johnson. “Paperwork” serves as the follow-up and continuation to “Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head” and T.I. gives us a perfect sequel with this new album. Although, there are many other guest artists, T.I. manages to leave space for himself to shine and shows us why after nearly 15 years in the business he’s still at the top of his game. Want to write for Entertainment? Contact us at: torchent@gmail.com

Opinion Staff Editorial Editorial board XCII

Illustrator’s CORNER

SAMANTHA ALBANESE Editor-in-Chief OLIVIA CUNNINGHAM Managing Editor TALIA TIRELLA News Editor BRIAWNNA JONES Entertainment Editor KYLE FITZGERALD Features Editor STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor ALEXA VAGELATOS Opinion Editor

FLAMES OF THE TORCH If you’re a junior or a senior, you’ve probably noticed that the money the school gives you for printing is starting to add up. There are plenty of reasons why we believe many upperclassmen don’t advantage of the $40 a semester the school is giving them. With 69 percent of the student body living off campus, whether on their own or with family, or taking a semester abroad, there may be less of a need for the printing money. For example, students who live off campus may have their own access to printers and study abroad students cannot use their printing money. And there are also some majors that don’t require a lot of printing. Also there is an increase of professors going paperless through Blackboard. That’s why we believe the University allots entirely too much money each semester towards something that not many students are taking advantage of. The option for students to have money for printing is great -- we admit it definitely comes in handy at times -- but to have the money roll over each semester could go to a much more practical use for college students. The senior editors at the Torch all agree that having almost $300 sitting on our storm cards for printing, which will expire and go to waste as soon as we graduate, is way too ex-

cessive. We encourage the University to consider allowing that money to be spent in other ways by students rather than limit to strictly printing. Flex dollars, another form of stormcard money, can be spent in various ways, including at the bookstore or at campus dining establishments. Currently, printing money can only be used for printing and copying ILLUSTRATOR/NICOLE MARINO while dining dollars can only be used “Don’t worry about it.” for food. Allocating each student, say, $40 in flex dollars, rather than in printing money, would allow them to use that money for printing and for anything else they might need, including books. This would provide flexibility and more freedom with their $40, intravel delays that occur and any potential sestead of restricting students to spend- ETHAN BROWN vere weather conditions. Typically, the stress ing money in the computer labs. Contributing Writer begins with the unofficial start to the holiday This system would be more fair season on Black Friday; now, many shoppers for all and encourage students to use will start feeling the burden of shopping and their resources fully, rather than hunAfter surviving the hot and humid days of dreds of dollars in unused printing summer, everyone looks forward to the cooler, planning before Halloween is over. Christmas should always be an enjoyable time, but havmoney going to waste each year. but still comfortable, autumn weather. ing to buy a Christmas tree before carving out Not to mention that this time of year brings a pumpkin does not seem right. the re-emergence of pumpkin-flavored evTorch Social Media However, viewing the situation from a corerything, the changing leaves that make for a poration’s perspective, it is easy to see why great Instagram picture or the plethora of scary they feel the need to advertise this early in the movie marathons for Halloween. Follow us on Twitter season. @SJUTORCH Some shoppers looking for last minute The still-sluggish economy combined with ideas for costumes may be surprised when the ever increasing competition from other they see many Christmas decorations and businesses with better deals and savings forces Follow us on Instagram sales already being displayed in several stores. these stores to try to ‘one-up’ the other by cre@SJU_TORCH Christmas, known for being the holiday where ating their own discounts that will lure in more family and friends reunite from all over the customers. It only makes sense to find the world, is now being exploited by the major- most customers willing to spend their money ity of corporations by advertising nearly two wherever they can find the largest amount of EDITORIAL POLICY months in advance. savings. Most recently, it was apparent that ThanksEditorials are the opinions Opinions expressed in editoThat does not mean that the American conof the Editorial Board of the rials, columns, letters or car- giving was losing its stature as the day of sumer should be forced to choose between TORCH. Columns are the toons are not necessarily those food, football and family to the long lines and purchasing Halloween and Christmas candy a opinions of the author(s) and of the student body, faculty or massive discounts at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and week before Halloween. There will be plenty many other businesses looking to make a siz- of time for advertisements, heavily discounted are not necessarily those of administrations of able profit on Black Friday. The TORCH. St. John’s University. items and annoying long lines so let’s just try While Black Friday has been a Thanksgiv- to enjoy the fall holidays while the weather is ing tradition for many, it is becoming a bur- still cooperating. den on the employees of these businesses. For TO CONTRIBUTE Do not let the noise and commercializaexample, Macy’s will be opening its doors at tion of Christmas get in the way of what really All are welcome to contribute to the Torch. Please Mail letters to: 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, hardly leaving matters: spending time with your friends and The TORCH, St. John’s University include your full name, year, and college (or departany room for employees or customers to spend family. ment). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be 8000 Utopia Parkway, time with their loved ones (and digest their Many families have long traditions of reedited for content, grammar, or space. Unverifiable Jamaica, NY 11439 turkey and potatoes). uniting for the holidays and from experience, I or anonymous letters will not be published. All letMoreover, Christmas is already a stress- can say that it is worth the wait every year. In ters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board Submit letters via email to: ful time for most, with the rushing around the meantime, enjoy Halloween and be safe! of the TORCH. torcheic@gmail.com to purchase last minute gifts, the numerous

Christmas Before Halloween

...from corporate America’s perspective

AMANDA UMPIERREZ Staff Writer

Catharine Mariampillai, Junior

Merin Cherian, Sophomore

Q: For an event of this magnitude, do you believe the Investiture met its standards? Why?

Q: Do you think President Gempesaw is a right fit for the St. John’s Community?

A: I think it exceeded its standards. It was very organized, fluent and beautiful. There was music playing, and there was never a quiet moment. I think it was a really elegant event.

A: I think it’s exciting that he’s a minority president , and our school is the fourth most diverse in the nation. He seems down-to-earth and straightforward with what he wants to do. He’s really relatable to the students.

Torch Photo/Amanda Umpierrez

Randi Graves, Senior

Torch Photo/Amanda Umpierrez

Professor Giordanella, Professor in Public Speaking

Q: Is there anything you would have changed about the investiture, or wish you would have seen more?

Q: Do you believe President Gempesaw’s values tie in with the university’s mission and values?

A: More from the students and the alumni. I feel like since he’s so involved with the students, they should have had a little more take in it. There was a video in the beginning, but if there was a group of students that talked about experiences with other presidents, then it would have overall been better.

A: I do think they do. I think just because he is not a Vincentian, it doesn’t preclude him from having a lay persons values that many of us in St John’s have as well. I don’t think that his breaking the tradition of always having a Vincentian priest as a president means that he’s going to have different values. It just means that he’s coming from a different perspective.

Torch Photo/Amanda Umpierrez

Matthew Gallagher, Financial Business Manager for Department of Facilities Services

Jimmy Pierce, Junior Q: What changes do you hope to see in President Gempesaw that you didn’t see in past presidents of St. John’s?

Q: What do you believe were the highlights of the investiture?

Torch Photo/Amanda Umpierrez

A: Talking about the history of St. John’s University, the interaction of the alumni, and how important it is to get students engaged and provide them with the support they need to have a good education and be able to give back to the university in the future.

Were Fox News’ comments out of line?

SUZANNE CIECHALSKI Staff Writer

Fox News stirred the pot this week when its own Kimberly Guilfoyle stated that young women should be excused from jury duty because they are young, healthy, hot and stress-free. She suggested that young women be excused from jury duty and go back to playing on Match.com and Tinder. Her comments sparked outrage amongst viewers as she followed up by talking about young women voting which caused people to think that she was saying young women should be excused from voting. “Comments like these contribute to the idea that women aren’t just weak, but unintelligent, uninformed and inferior in comparison

Either way, Guilfoyle is wrong for stereotyping women in such a derogatory way. Fox News is also guilty of suggesting that women should not partake in elections. Media Matters for America recently released a compilation of Fox News figures and conservative commentators, such as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, making these suggestions. In Coulter’s clip, she says “I used to think women just

shouldn’t be able to vote. Now I think at least liberal women should not be able to hold office,” while discussing a feud between Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Dianne Feinstein over gun control. Limbaugh stated, “When women got the right to vote’s when it all went downhill.” In March 2012, Fox News contributor Jesse Lee Peterson suggested that women intimidate men, so men just let women run around “screwing up everything.” He also said, “one of the greatest mistakes that America made was to allow women the opportunity to vote.” Comments like these contribute to the idea that women aren’t just weak, but unintelligent, uninformed and inferior in comparison to males. It is dangerous to allow these ideas to be aired on national television for all of our youth to see because it degrades women and contributes to malicious stereotypes that those before us worked so hard to end. The mistake here is not giving women the right to vote or to do jury duty. The mistake here is allowing the media to have the ability to spew their opinions all over for people to hear. Regardless of a person’s political beliefs, news is news, and most people do not turn it on to listen to commentators discuss their own, personal biases, especially ones as dangerous as those on Fox. The simple fact that such things are even uttered on national television is not only disgusting, but also extremely unsettling in the year 2014.

Torch Photo/Amanda Umpierrez

A: I liked when he talked about his focus on helping students succeed, not just helping students get to the university. The financial aid we provide to students is really great, but the key is helping students to succeed in the classroom, and I think it was a really cool thing that he talked about, that I haven’t heard from a lot of other presidents.

Should the US raise the marginal tax rate? ANGEL VERA Contributing Writer

The 1950s were a golden era for American life and prosperity. As industries boomed, the market was healthy and wealth was accumulating. Long-term unemployment was at a low of .2% averaging about .4% percent within the decade, and many Americans saw an improvement of lifestyle. This was mainly attributed to a 90 percent marginal tax rate. No, that is not a misprint. There really was a 90 percent tax rate for the top earning Americans. Fabian Kindermann from the University of Bonn and Dirk Krueger from the University of Pennsylvania, representing The Nation Bureau of Economic Research, have recently made claims that we would all be better off if the marginal tax rates returned to where they used to be. To clarify on marginal tax rates, as some of you may be flabbergasted at the government taking 90 percent of earnings, it is not a flat tax of 90 percent on earnings but a tax after you reach a certain accumulation of income. Let me put it into perspective. Today, you are in the highest income bracket for every dollar you make after $405,000. Let’s assume you make $500,000, you are not paying a marginal tax on $500,000 but everything after $405,000, which would be 90 percent tax on the

difference between the two. However, more conservative-minded economists claim that higher taxes stunt job growth and limit innovation and drive. If this was true, then why did this not play out in the 1950s? Back then, Americans were living the life. Today, the top one percent has more wealth than ever before. America currently has the highest income inequality since the Great Depression. Of course, tax loopholes allow corporations and Wall Street investors to dodge taxes, even though the marginal tax rate is now only 39.6% after $425,001 earned. The wealth accumulated by the one percent is massive. Since money is not circulating, it is actually hurting our economy and the wealthy can only spend so much. The belief that the economy will trickle down is pretty hard to argue. Taxing income allows for the government to spend for the general welfare of its citizens, including education, health care, infrastructure and so on. So the question here is, should the marginal tax rate be as high as 90 percent? It’s debatable. What’s not debatable is the fact that the wealthy do need to pay their fair share. Too many Americans are hurting, while the top 1% are now wealthier than ever. This level of inequality is not healthy or sustainable; the wealth at the top should not be dramatically higher than the wealth, or lack thereof, in the middle class.

Would You Pay For Facebook?

In The Life of a Commuter

If I told you that Facebook planned to start charging its users $2.99 per month in three days, would you still use it? Or, outraged at the sudden change, would you immediately delete your account, bidding “goodbye” to the one of the largest social networking sites on the Internet? National Report released an article in September of 2014 stating that Facebook would start implementing charges. Reacting to apparent statements from CEO Mark Zuckerberg and spokesperson Paul Horner that claimed “the ads on Facebook were not as profitable as [they] had planned,” commenters shared the overwhelming opinion that Facebook was not worth the cost. Well, lucky for us, the National Report is a satirical news source and Paul Horner, the ‘spokesperson,’ is an alias the site commonly uses when fabricating stories. With the hoax brought to light, Facebook users can breathe a sigh of relief. However, a new question is brought forth: Would you pay to use Facebook? Social media has taken the world by storm—proficiency in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter has become a ‘skill’ to list on your résumé. However, of the three, it is common to hear that Facebook is old and outdated—that no one really uses it. Many will admit to absentmindedly scrolling through their news feed with no real purpose. While this may just a be a causal statement said among peers, investment bank Piper Jaffray conducted a survey that confirmed that the usage of Facebook by teens between the ages of 13 and 19 has plummeted from 72 percent to 48. Originally used as a means to keep in contact with friends and family, Facebook

The life of a commuter at St. John’s University can be described as, “frustrating, time-consuming and expensive,” as put by senior hospitality management major Towhida Rahman, who has been commuting to St. John’s for four years. In the effort to save up to $16,390 on room and board costs, many students at St. John’s, who live up to a two-hour commute radius, opt for commuting to campus rather than living on or near campus. Obviously in the long run, this helps greatly in the scheme of paying back loans. However, while still in school, commuting can be a very difficult and expensive daily, weekly and annual task. After interviewing seven commuter students in different majors, years, schools and home towns, there were many similar responses. Five out of the seven drive to school, while one walks and the other takes a bus regularly. Alongside their commutes is the never ending expense of either gas or metro cards. Per semester, the seven students averaged a spending of about $700 on their commute. Most of the cost came from gas prices. However, in the effort to make one’s commute easier, using a car is the best bet—especially if a student is working while in school. Frank Zhao, a senior economics major said, “Commuting is only pleasant if you have the ability and wealth to own and maintain a car. Otherwise public transportation during rush hour is possibly the worst experience of all my four years here.”

KAYLEE KOSAKOWSKI Contributing Writer

has expanded beyond that, becoming a news source of its own. Upon opening the news feed, everything that is happening around the world is at your fingertips— the latest gossip in Hollywood, sales from your favorite stores, your friend from high school’s recent drama—all of it is right there. For some people who have ‘liked’ famous news stations’ pages, it is a convenient way to see the latest stories without having to go from website to website. For high school and college students, it is a way for officers of clubs to keep the members updated and involved. In fact, many St. John’s organizations utilize Facebook for making groups and creating events. Also, many students used Facebook to meet fellow Johnnies prior to the start of the school year. Without a doubt, Facebook has greatly simplified the task of staying in touch with others. However, people managed to do so before Zuckerberg. Emails, phones calls, letters—while they may seem outdated to those of us raised in this technological storm—are still used. In fact, many college students have found themselves checking their emails more in one week than in their 18 years prior to entering university. Let’s face it, professors will not post on Facebook if their classes are cancelled. It seems like it is irreplaceable, but it is not. For most Facebook users, when push comes to shove, the cost is not worth the gain. For every benefit it has to offer, there is a different way to achieve the same goal. The Internet is home to all of the news channels, clubs often have email lists and Instagram, Twitter and many other trending apps are free sources of entertainment (in fact, currently, all but one app trending in the Google Play store are free). So Facebook, in the words of Beyoncé, “don’t you ever for a second get to thinking you’re irreplaceable.”

NICOLE GUBELLI Contributing Writer

In attempts to help students with the cost of their commutes, St. John’s is offering incoming commuting freshmen the Hugh L. Carey Scholarship which, “provides financial assistance to commuter students residing in the five boroughs of New York City,” according to the St. John’s website. However, although St. John’s offers this, not one of the seven commuters interviewed have received this award. It is surprising that not a single one has gotten this, and yet some spend up to thousands on their commutes. When asked how St. John’s could possibly help commuters with “the struggle of commuting,” many responded by asking for more parking and for St. John’s to help pay back costs of the commute. For junior advertising major Woorie Kim, her commute became even more difficult this semester because she, “usually liked riding the shuttle bus to the Kew Gardens subway station; however, the school longer provides it.” Rather than retracting one stop and adding another, the University simply removed that stop, adding difficulties to students’ commute. Ultimately, arriving at school is always a sigh of relief. Whether they dodged an accident or ran to catch a train or bus, commuters always find a way to make it work. The life of a commuter may not be pleasant, easy or relaxing, but being a commuter lends itself to time management and skills that one can use outside of the university and later on in life. Want to write for Opinion? Contact us at: torchopinion@gmail.com

Think Outside...

Sports

Joe Panik is the fourth St. John’s alumni to play in World Series BRANDON MAUK

Staff Writer The San Francisco Giants made it to their third World Series since 2010, and they owe it partially to a St. John’s University alumni. Rookie Joe Panik broke through with the Giants this past June, becoming their savior. He’s the fourth former St. John’s player to play in a World Series. “This is a dream come true,” Panik told MLB.com after the Giants clinched the pennant in Game 5 of the NLCS two weeks ago. In three seasons at St. John’s, the Poughkeepsie-native batted .370 with a 1.071 OPS and led the Red Storm to a Big East championship in 2010 and two NCAA tournament appearances. The Giants selected him with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. He got the call in late June, after batting .321 in 74 games with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Fresno, Calif. Even as a rookie, Panik was a crucial part of the Giants, having made it to the playoffs. Before his call-up, the team had serious problems at second base, after losing 2012 NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro to a season-ending injury. In only 73 games, Panik took over the position and led all NL rookies with a .305 batting average and put up a .343 OBP.

“Joe, he’s been a savior,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy told MLB.com. “We had a need, and he went from Triple-A, and right off the bat, this kid acted like he belonged up here. The defense, the bat, I moved him down in the two-hole, and he’s the guy who’s in the middle of all the rallies. I mean, we needed help. We tried some guys there, but he filled that hole, and he did it consistently.” Panik had several big moments in such little time this season. In the regular season, he made the final putout of Tim Lincecum’s no-hitter against San Diego in July. In the postseason, he again had some big moments. He went 3-for-5 in the onegame Wild Card playoff in Pittsburgh, scored the Division Series-winning run against the Washington Nationals and hit a two-run home run against 20-game winner Adam Wainwright in the clinching game of the NLCS. In his first World Series game in Kansas City, he hit an RBI triple in a Game One victory and later hit a game-breaking two-run double in a series-tying Game Four victory against the Royals. “Best of luck to Joe Panik in his quest for the ‘big ring.’”. Glad to have some of his guys out to support him! #truejohnnies @StJohnsBaseball,” SJU coach Ed Blankmeyer tweeted before Game Three of the World Series.

“He’s a baseball player,” Giants general manager Brian Sabean said after the Giants punched their World Series ticket. “He wouldn’t necessarily knock your socks off with his tools, but he knows how to play the game.” Overall, Panik reached base safely in 11 of his first 14 postseason games, col-

lected five extra base hits and drove in eight runs. The previous three St. John’s alumni to play in the World Series were 1987 Series MVP Frank Viola with the Minnesota Twins, John Franco (fourth all-time in saves) with the 2000 Mets and Rich Aurilia for the 2002 Giants.

Photo/Eli Christman/Flickr

Joe Panik taking a cut as a memeber of the Giants Double-A affiliate, the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Joe Panik steps up to the plate as a member of the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Big East media day provides predictions for season WILSON SY

Red Storm men picked to finish 3rd, women 2nd.

Staff Writer

With college basketball tipping off just a couple of weeks away, the Big East Conference held their media day on Oct. 22 in Madison Square Garden. Although, we lost some of our power house teams with Syrcuase and UConn now with the ACC, last season was quite a successful one, with four teams (Villanova, Creighton, Providence and Xavier) making the NCAA Tournament and St. John’s invited to the NIT. Big East commissioner Val Ackerman began media day by stating how the Conference will maintain its success throughout the years. “I have no doubt that our presence will be felt and that everything that our conference has come to stand for in the past 35 years will again rise to the fore and that is respect, leadership, tradition, rivalries, great coaches, committed people and most of all outstanding basketball,” she said. As for the men’s basketball team, the Johnnies were picked to finish third in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll (65 points) finishing just behind Georgetown (67 points) and Villanova (81 points). Senior guard D’Angelo Harrison was named first team Preseason All-Big East honors, while sophomore Rasheed Jordan was a second team selection and junior Chris Obekpa was an honorable mention. Among the players who attended media day were seniors: Khadim Ndiaye, D’Angelo Harrison, Phil Greene IV, Jamal Branch and Sir’ Dominic Pointer

along with junior Chris Obekpa. Senior guard/forward Sir’ Dominic Pointer spoke about the team’s expectation for this season. “We are seniors this year so this is our last go-around. Our maturity and leadership is what will help us get to the [NCAA] Tournament. I feel like we have a complete team this year and it would be a great accomplishment for our school, our fans and our seniors to get to the Tournament.” Meanwhile, the St. John’s women’s basketball team was picked to finish 2nd (73 points) just behind last season’s Big East Champion DePaul (81 points). Junior guards Aliyyah Handford and Danaejah Grant were selected to the Preseason All-Big East team, while senior Amber Thompson was an honorable mention. “Obviously we are proud of the fact that we are in the top of the conference preseason rankings,” said St. John’s head coach Joe Tartamella. “It’s a testament to our players’ dedication. We are proud of the individual awards in the preseason, but we’re focused as a team on being relentless on both ends of the floor and vying for the Big East title.” As we are anticipating yet another amazing year of college basketball, the St. John’s men’s team will play their first exhibition game against Humboldt State on Saturday Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. in Carnesecca Arena. The first regular season game will tipoff on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. hosting New Jersey Institute of Technology. The women’s basketball team begins their first game at Yale on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.

Torch Photo Editor/ Cheyanne Gonzales

D’Angelo Harrison and his teammates have expectations of winning the Big East.

Men’s soccer draws with DePaul, needs strong finish TROY MAURIELLO Staff Writer

Torch Photo Editor/ Cheyanne Gonzales

Jordan Rouse tries to make something happen as he advances the ball upfield.

Athletic Communications

Daniel Herrera looks to push the tempo fro the Johnnies at Belson Stadium.

The St. John’s men’s soccer team looked to end a three-game losing streak in conference play on Saturday night at Belson Stadium, as they earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw with DePaul. The match began with both teams trading scoring chances early on, beginning with Simon Tchoukriel pushing a header off the crossbar for the Red Storm in the 7th minute. The Blue Demons threatened two minutes later, after they had two straight close range shots blocked by the St. John’s defense. DePaul who capitalized first on a scoring chance in the 39th minute, after Erik Rodriguez sent a nice header past St. John’s goalkeeper Jordan Stagmiller to give the Blue Demons a 1-0 lead. The DePaul lead was short-lived however, as St. John’s senior defender Casey Osborne scored his first goal of the season from outside the six-yard box in the 44th minute. “It was huge, Casey kind of saw the opportunity… and he did well to get it under and kind of make sure he concentrated and smashed it into the goal. So it was a big time goal,” said Masur. The second half was relatively uneventful for large periods of time. In fact, neither team would put a shot in the goal until the 65th minute of play. After a few tame chances followed that, each team would have a golden opportunity in the closing moments of regulation. First, it was Osborne for the Red Storm, who nearly scored his second goal of the night, after blasting a shot just wide of the post in the 87th minute. DePaul responded

just two minutes later, after Rodriguez beat Stagmiller again. Sophomore defender Jean Leveille made an outstanding defensive play at the goal line to keep the game tied.

““It was huge, Casey kind of saw the opportunity…and he did well to get it under and kind of make sure he concentrated and smashed it into the goal. So it was a big time goal. ” Dave Masur

St. John’s dominated both overtime periods, outshooting DePaul 7-1 and taking four corner kicks total, but they would be unable to push across a game-winning goal and the game would end in a 1-1 tie. Despite not being able to find the deciding goal in the second half or overtime, Masur seemed content with his team’s play after the game. “I thought after the first half into the second half we played a little more positive soccer,” he said. “We played with a little more energy and a little more competitiveness in the attacking half of the field which created a little bit more chances.” Osborne echoed his coach’s statement after the game, saying that capitalizing on their second half struggles was a focal point for the team to work on. “We’ve kind of struggled at times coming out in the second half, and that’s kind of what we talked about at halftime,” he said. The draw puts St. John’s at 4-7-4 overall and 1-4-1 in the conference this season. They’ll be back in action Wednesday night at Belson Stadium for a matchup with Villanova.

Red Storm women shut out Seton Hall at Belson DAVID DRESSEKIE

Staff Writer Last Saturday afternoon, St. John’s Red Storm grabbed a 1-0 victory over the Seton Hall Pirates. For the most part, the two opposing soccer clubs seemed to be stuck in a scoring gridlock, from which neither could escape. Going into half time, the two teams were tied at zero with both teams struggling to overcome offensive lulls. During the first half, Seton Hall was able to tally only one shot on goal, largely as a result of another lockdown performance from the St. John’s defense. They were bolstered by another quality performance by sophomore goalkeeper Diana Poulin, the Big East leader in shutouts. On the other side of the pitch, the Red Storm’s offensive struggles seemed to be a result of the team’s inability to capitalize on scoring chances in the first half, where they outshot Seton Hall 8-2 and the impressive goalkeeping of Seton Hall sophomore Illissa Blackshear of West Orange, N.J. The first period’s scoring drought continued until the 59th minute, when current Big East Offensive Player of the Year Rachel Daly was able to seize a loose ball from a Pirates player before expertly placing the ball into the upper left corner of the goalpost to give the Red Storm a 1-0 lead over the Pirates. St. John’s

victory on Saturday marks the second occasion in the last two seasons in which a Daly goal has been the key to victory against the Seton Hall women’s soccer team. Following the match, Red Storm coach Ian Stone said, “We played well against Seton Hall today. Shea Connors and Rachel Daly proved to be a handful for the SHU defense. Emily Cubbage was phenomenal in our midfield, and our back four enjoyed a solid performance lead brilliantly by Mikhaila Martinov...” Following Saturday’s match, the Red Storm improved to 10-6-1, 6-11 Big East, while Seton Hall fell to 3-9-5, 0-5-3. St. John’s will travel to Chicago this Friday for its final regular season game against the Big East-leading Blue Demons to determine the winner of the conference’s regular season title. Coach Stone elaborated on what the Red Storm’s matchup with the Blue Devils means stating that, “[Saturday’s] win sets up the big regular season finale at DePaul. This is an opportunity for us to win the program’s first-ever Big East Conference regular-season championship. Our entire squad is very excited about this possibility. Then, it’s back to Belson Stadium for the Big East Playoffs. I would encourage the St. John’s University student body to come to support these fine student-athletes that represent our institution in a first-class manner...”

PHOTOS/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

SPORTS OCTOBER 29, 2014 | VOLUME 92, ISSUE 08 |

TORCHONLINE.COM

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ STEVEN VERDILE

Carmine Carcieri sits down with women’s volleyball coach Joanne Persico on her 400th win ? Q: Why is win numb er 400 so sp ecial to you?

A: I think it shows a level of commitment and consistency. You’re only as good as your last win and to win on this level is an unbelievable accomplishment. I have been very fortunate to have a great level of support throughout my time here.

? Q: How does it feel to get that win in front of the home crowd at Carnesecca Arena? A: It’s a terrific feeling. My family was in the stands and I’m truly blessed that they were able to be there for that accomplishment and match. ? Q: What was your team’s reaction following the game? We’re their any interesting moments? A: Our team captains joked about a Gatorade bath, which never happens, but I didn’t want to ruin my hair. ? Q: You’re the longest tenured female coach ever at St. John’s. What does that mean to you? A: It means a lot to me and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. I hold this position with great pride and I have great respect for my colleagues. I couldn’t have done this without a lot of great people in my life and I hope I’m a role model for young coaches down the road. ? Q: Our new University President visited with the team before your 400th win, what words of encouragement did he give the girls? A: Of course he told my players that he hoped they would get me that win. We actually lost to Seton Hall the game before but when he spoke to our team before the Providence game we won. I told him to come back and speak again so we can keep on winning.

? Q: At what point in your life did you decide that coaching was the path that was right for you? A: I found myself looking at a small advertisement and it was St. John’s looking for a women’s volleyball head coach. I told my parents and they were all for it. I love college sports and I wanted to go through the challenge of building a program from the bottom up. That’s the exact moment as to when I realized I wanted to change my career path. ? Q: In your 21-year career, what moment stands out for

you the most? A: There have been so many good, beautiful moments. Winning at Carnesecca to get to the Sweet 16 is one that stands out. Another is when we went 14-0 in the Big East and then we beat Villanova at home to win the title. Also, the celebration of our program in the 20th year was an honor to be apart of.

? Q: You built this volleyball program from the bottom up. What was the key to the success? A: I’ve always said a good home is built on a strong foundation. I am blessed to work with some spectacular young women who took a chance on our school. Remember we didn’t have dorms back then. We were a new program and I was a young coach and I’m so happy they came and played their hearts out. ? Q: What makes the Big East so unique? A: I played in the Big East back in 1984 and now we have the new Big East so I do have a lot of experience in the league. The conference is ever so competitive but I would like to stress for them to expand the playoffs from four teams to six teams. There are so many good teams in the Big East and four teams are just not enough.

? Q: In your opinion, what makes coaching at St. John’s so unique? A: I have the privilege of coaching at St. John’s where there are a lot of experienced coaches. There are many legends that coached here and they never fall away from what it takes to be excellent. Diversity is another key as to why St. John’s is so unique. ?

Q: What player/players have stuck out to you this season, not just on the court but off the court? Aleksandra Wachowicz is our leader in kills and she is a captain. Not only that but she is a 4.0 student and a president society member. Ashley Boursiquot has stuck out with her energy and spirit as well as Shawna-Lei Santos. Finally, Karin Palgutova is an honorable mention All-American. She leads the team on and off the court and has been our best player.

? Q: What are the strengths and weaknesses of your team? A: We have great depth like I mentioned before and we have some powerful hitters. We are ranked as one of the best offenses in the Big East. Our weakness is receiving serve. ? Q: What are your expectations for the rest of the season? A: We want to win out. We want to continue to win at home to take care of our home court. The goal is to get a berth in the four team Big East playoff to compete for the Big East title. Then further down the road we want to make the NCAA Tournament and compete in that. We have high goals but high expectations. Q&A by Carmine Carcieri, staff writer