THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of September 23, 2020
FairfieldMirror.com
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Opinion Students fight back against Trump ban on TikTok. Page 5
Photo courtesy of @everyvoicect Instagram
drinking, drug use and, during the time of COVID-19, students violating social distancing guidelines, gathering policies or mask policies. But Fairfield wants to transfer this amnesty, “as a way to remove a potential barrier to seeking or offering that support” to make sure students feel safe coming forward, Monahan says. These changes come on the back-end of the Department of Education mandating new changes to the national Title IX policy. Fairfield University is required to change its own policy to follow said standards. Monahan said the goal is to, “comply with the new federal Title IX regulations and existing state laws, while also upholding our Jesuit values and ensuring that all community members have a safe living, learning and working environment.” Read Title IX on Page Three
Campus Moves into Code Yellow By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor The shift from the designated code green to code yellow due to an increase of not only students testing positive, but the number of contacts accounted for from positive students, caused much concern from the student body. To quell concerns, the Fairfield University Student Association held a question and answer session for students regarding the color change and anything that popped up after a full month on campus. FUSA President Vincent Gadioma and FUSA Vice President Tobenna Ugwu led the session with Karen Donoghue, vice president for student life, Susan Birge, associate vice president for health and wellness and director of counseling and psychological services, Will Johnson, Dean of Students and Todd Pelazza, director of public safety. The first questions focused mostly on the reasoning behind the switch to a more severe code level. Birge stated that it was due to an increase in students testing positive and a reactionary increase in students coming into contact with the positive students. However, she mentioned that it isn’t much of a worry. “It’s actually a good thing that they are all mostly known sources,” Birge said. At this new color, there are a number of mitigation strategies in place to fall back to code green. The student guest policy has now changed so that students can only go inside or visit students within their own residence areas. For example, students living in Regis Hall can only visit other students living in Regis Hall, and students living in the Barnyard Manor townhouses can only visit students also living in the Barnyard Manor townhouses. Donoghue stated that this policy will be in place for at least seven days. Johnson clarified a point about consequences for those not following guidelines, as apparently rumors have been spreading that the Dean of Students’ office has not been strict or swift enough on dealing with conduct issues. He stated that multiple students have indeed been removed from student housing. Going forward, consequences will be swift for those who are repeatedly caught disregarding guidelines. Pelazza stated that the LiveSafe app, which students had to download to keep track of COVID-19 related symptoms, has been widely used by students. On average, the health verification survey gets 4,000 to 4,300 responses from students, faculty and staff, meaning that the majority of the Fairfield University community is utilizing the app. He wants to also soothe concerns that public safety has been using the app to track students. The app can track your location if you go into settings and select “share my location always,” but it will only be activated if you notify the app of an emergency and ask for public safety to come to you. The question and answer session lasted just under an hour and the entirety of the Zoom session was recorded. If students are interested in watching the session, the video is posted on FUSA’s YouTube channel. All in all, FUSA believed this to be a successful and well-attended meeting, with 92 viewers. If students have further questions that the session didn’t answer, FUSA wishes for those with questions to email fusa@fairfield. edu, drop a comment in the FUSA Comment Box available on their Instagram (@fusa47) or attend a General Senate Meeting. The General Senate Meetings occur every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and students can voice
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Vol. 46 Iss. 2
Title IX Policy Changes Without Many Students Aware
By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor “Sorry, I haven’t eaten all day, I hope you don’t mind,” Kaitlyn Drake said as she leaned across her bed, munching on some dry cereal over Zoom. It was a minute before 7:00 p.m. and I was curled up in bed on my laptop, and Kaitlyn, or Drake as she goes by, was laying in bed an hour before she had to be on duty as a Resident Assistant in Jogues Hall. Drake became involved with the Every Voice Coalition this past summer, more for something to do than anything else. Someone she knew originally got the offer to join, but was too busy to take on the project, and so Drake, as she told me, was given the opportunity to “put my actions where my mouth is...sometimes raising awareness just isn’t enough.” With sexual assault cases on college campuses as prevalent as they are, Every Voice was created by students to encourage them to actually show up for change, not just provide lukewarm support. They believed their Title IX coordinators weren’t doing enough, and wanted to pass legislation supporting change in their schools. Since their 2016 start, students have written bills in five states. This year, two of those bills, in Hawaii and New Hampshire, passed in the Senate. Drake is Fairfield’s campus lead, and a member of Every Voice’s Steering Committee. When she heard Fairfield University’s Title IX plan was under review and changing to meet federal standards, she reached out to Megan Monahan, director of Title IX and equity compliance at Fairfield, to talk through the plans. As Monahan tells me, “the newly revised Amnesty for Complainants and Witnesses Policy included in the new Sexual Misconduct Policy encompasses the provisions of Every Voice’s proposed legislation. This means that Fairfield provides amnesty to students and employees.” Usually, this is used in non-Title IX related areas, as in underage
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any opinions, concerns, ideas or suggestions. The next meeting will be held on Sept. 23. “It is my sincere hope that students left the webinar feeling more informed and confident in the University’s plan to keep our campus open and safe,” said Gadioma. Ugwu said, “the most important point I took away from the webinar is that we should not be alarmed by the new color code--instead, it gives us all something to work towards. If we continue to social distance, wear a mask and follow the standards set by the University, we can get the numbers down and return back to green. My greatest hope is for us to put in our best effort, as we are not only protecting our own health, but the health of our fellow Stags.”
Weekly Campus COVID Data By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor
Fairfield’s second week of testing yielded 17 new, positive on-campus tests and 18 positive off-campus tests. 26 students are isolated on campus in the Conference Center. The University has moved from level green to level yellow, indicating that Fairfield is at a low to moderate risk for COVID-19. As a result of this week’s positive tests, Karen Donoghue, vice president for student life, installed a new guest policy for University residences stating that students are only allowed to visit other students living in their residence area. Additionally, the dining halls no longer have a “grab and sit” option; it is only “grab and go.”
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Data compiled by Danielle Sondgeroth, provided by Fairfield University Campus Data
News
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
Page 2
Dining Regulations Sweep Campus By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor
COVID-19 has brought numerous changes to Fairfield’s campus, especially to dining and meal plans. The Daniel and Grace Tully Dining Commons, and other dining areas on campus have made massive adjustments to how they run in order to accommodate social distancing measures and prevention of the spread of COVID-19 via surfaces. Duane Gornicki, the general manager of dining at Fairfield, is confident that the University is fully prepared to combat the spread of the virus in dining halls. “They were prepared with the state of Connecticut guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in terms of how many individuals can be in the dining hall at one time, in conjunction with the student health center here at the University,” Gornicki said. Perhaps the biggest change in on-campus dining is that The Tully is no longer the only dining hall on campus. New dining areas were added all across campus to accommodate traffic flow and social distancing requirements. The Tully’s seating capacity was reduced from 750 to 340 people at the start of the semester. The Tully only serves students living in Jogues, Regis, Campion and McCormick Hall. The Oak Room dining area serves Loyola, Gonzaga and Langguth. Faber Commons is reserved for residents of Faber Hall, and the Conference Center serves students living in Claver and Kostka Hall, as well as those with voluntary meal plans. Two new Micro Markets were added to campus along with the original on the third floor of the John A. Barone Campus Center. The other two Micro Markets are located on the first floor of the Campus Center and in the John C. Dolan School of Business. Meal plans are also available at the Levee for non-resident students. Two to three food trucks are parked outside of Alumni Hall every weekday, providing a wide variety of food for students. The food trucks accept meal swipes and dining dollars, and they seem to be fairly popular with students. “It’s been a big hit,” Gornicki said. “About 30 percent of our meal plan holders are using it [the food truck option] on a daily basis.” Currently, there are 28 rotating food trucks, but the most popular ones seem to be Columbia Hot Dogs and Silver Sands Pizza. However, these new dining areas are temporary and will likely disappear once the threat of COVID-19 is eliminated. When asked if the new dining areas are here to stay, Gornicki responded: “Nope, not on my watch. This is all temporary.” He said that The Tully would go back to being the only primary dining area on campus once a vaccine comes out and proves effective to significantly reduce infection risk. Despite this, Gornicki mentioned that he would like to see more grab-and-go options available once COVID-19 subsides. He believes that a permanent grab-and-go option at The Tully would eliminate the extreme congestion in the dining hall around 6 p.m. every night, when swarms of students escape from class at the same time and head to the Tully to eat. “If you could take meals out of The Tully, do you think that The Tully would have congestion at 6 or 6:30 p.m.? Not at all,” he said. However, Gornicki says that he’d like to see a new dining area open on campus for students with dietary needs and restrictions, providing more vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Right now, all of the dining areas have vegetarian and vegan options, but only The Tully caters to special allergy needs. However, students can register any dietary needs they may have with the health center and will have their dining location moved to The Tully for their accommodations. “If we’re going to mandate students to be on a meal plan then we should have the ability to customize that meal plan, especially if there are dietary restrictions,” Gornicki said. “I think there are 70 or 80 individuals that have changed their dining location to The Tully.” Ultimately, there’s no telling where Fairfield’s on-campus dining will go from here, as the campus is still in the throes of a COVID-19 spike. However, Gornicki hopes that once the virus subsides, things will start to go back to normal.
Danielle Sondgeroth/The Mirror
The Tully staff installed sneeze guards between each booth in the dining hall.
Danielle Sondgeroth/The Mirror
The Tully’s signature salad bar was replaced by a pre-packaged salad station, replacing the “Create-a-Meal” station.
Counseling Keeps Saving Lives By Andrew Murphy Contributing Writer In accordance with National Suicide Prevention Month, Fairfield University has experienced an increase in discussions about the topic. Staff members from Counseling and Psychological Services, as well as the Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, have served at the forefront of this effort, making sure their year-round messages of support and awareness reach the masses during this month more than ever. On Thursday, Sept. 17, SDMA and C&PS hosted a virtual Zoom event titled “Empower your Peers - A Suicide Prevention Seminar.” “The aim of the seminar was to inform students of the scope of the public health issue of suicide, to educate them what warning signs to look out for in people around them and to empower them to take action to save lives,” said Mark Celano, assistant director of C&PS. Celano and SDMA program coordinator, Asha Perry, emphasized that despite the awkwardness of asking personal questions, students must check-in on others exhibiting potential warning signs of suicide. They stressed the importance of listening non-judgmentally. Additionally, if students do have somebody suicidal confide in them, they must remain calm and connect the student to the appropriate services on campus. Perry noticed a positive response from students. The audience showed an eagerness to learn and a high level of engagement. The consensus that she gathered was that students felt much more prepared to not only recognize behavior indicative of suicidal thoughts, but also act accordingly in such a situation. “Preventing suicide is everyone’s responsibility,” remarked Celano. “Mental health experts can treat the conditions that cause someone to consider suicide, but we can all help spot people in trouble by knowing the warning signs and by connecting those people with trained professionals.” Suicide ranks as the 10th leading cause of death in the US, and, as Celano highlighted, it is the second most common cause of death for college students. 31 percent of college students consider killing themselves, with nine percent actually making an attempt. Such statistics make awareness on college campuses vital. Perry expressed the following statement regarding this matter: “Take the signs seriously and understand one may never know the struggle that the next individual faces. Encourage your peers. Ask the questions. Validate their emotions. Help is there.” There is undoubtedly help here at Fairfield University. Counseling & Psychological Services is a no cost service for all undergraduates. This confidential service is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. If someone is meeting with a counselor virtually, Zoom rooms are available in the C&PS
office to maintain social distance, while still ensuring privacy. Additionally, the Department of Public Safety is available 24/7 for emergencies, including calls about suicide, which can then be connected or transferred to C&PS counselors.
Photo contributed by Counseling and Psychological Services
News
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
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Every Voice Tackles Title IX Continued from Page One
Compiled by Colleen Vann Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.
9/16 2:21 p.m. A narcotics possession, including paraphernalia, was discovered in Loyola Hall. The student was referred to student conduct. 9/18 9:30 a.m. Two female students were at the Campion Hall basketball courts when they reported that a suspicious individual approached them. The individual was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning, banning them from campus. 11:37 a.m. A complaint was received that the lantern from the statue of Mary outside of the Dimenna-Nyselius Library had been stolen. The lantern was recovered when the individual responsible was later identified and referred to student conduct. 9/19 12:50 a.m. A student in possession of narcotics was located in one of the academic tents and referred to student conduct. 1:45 a.m. It was discovered during a routine check that a non-student in the area around Dolan Hall had received a Criminal Trespass Warning in 2019, and was therefore in violation of the warning by being on campus. The individual was taken into custodial arrest by the Fairfield Police Department.
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The Department of Education notes 14 new key provisions to the Title IX policy, which are all available on their website. One notable change under the key provisions is the changing definition of what constitutes sexual harassment. Now, the definition of sexual harassment is being expanded “to include sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking, as unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex,” as listed on the Department of Education’s website. There is also a change in the realm of a schools’ required influence, meaning that the school is only required to handle Title IX incidents if they occur on-campus, or in university-owned houses surrounding the campus. This leaves out the students staying in the Fairfield beach houses and all students who are abroad. Monahan assures that even though it’s no longer within the Department of Education’s policy, “it is still important to our unique community that we have proPhoto courtesy of @feminist on Instagram cesses in place to address such conduct. That is why the new Sexual Misconduct prevention training offered to all new students, prevention and Policy has two separate procedures--one trauma informed training for faculty and staff and enhanced for conduct that falls within the Department of Education’s training for public safety officers. We have established a 24/7 definition of sexual harassment, and one for conduct that falls Confidential Care line to support all students affected by sexual outside of it, while still being misconduct based on sex that has assault, dating/domestic violence or stalking: (203)-256-7272 a significant impact on our community.” (SARA).” They’ll be calling these two processes, Process A and But, there’s an issue here with a lack of prevention. Process B. Other than the “Not Anymore Program” that students are Process A will follow the Department of Education’s required to complete, there’s not much else offered by Fairfield. standards, especially involving the new hearing requirement Paulmann mentioned, “we have also been working to provide where each party may provide statements and bring witnesses. other prevention training to any student group upon request, A move to bring “equality to all students” or as secretary of including ‘Conversations on Manhood’ that challenges stereoeducation, Betsey DeVos, said on Twitter, balance “the scales of types, ‘How to Support a Survivor’ and One Love’s workshops justice on campuses across America.” The White House comon healthy relationships.” mented as well, to say that the new regulations fix the issues Fairfield’s front facing program in prevention, “Not Anywith Title IX as it “often stacked the deck against the accused.” more,” has its own issues. All students are asked to complete the If the incident doesn’t fall under the requirements program before coming to school. For the first-year students, from the Department of Education, the hearing will not hapat least, the real deadline for completing the program is at the pen as it would in Process A. end of the semester, and students are threatened with a failing Fairfield does seem to be following the new national grade for their First-Year Experience course if they don’t meet standards of attempting to increase the due process and have that deadline. a fair look at all of the evidence. Kenneth Marcus, assistant While researching this article, I discovered that all secretary of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil of the answers to the program are available online. Learning to Rights, said “there is no reason why educators cannot protect correct wrong assumptions about sexual assault and consent all of their students -- and under this regulation, there will be are possibly going unlearned by a subsection of students. It’s a no excuses for failing to do so.” possibility that a student fails the program the first time, goes Monahan tells me, “both Process A and B involve a to retake it and simply searches for the answers online so they full, impartial investigation where both parties may be accompanied by an advisor of their choice, present their evidence, ask don’t have to learn why they’re wrong. There’s also an issue, I believe, with the intention bethat witnesses be interviewed and have the opportunity to rehind the program. Their website does state that this program is view and reply to all evidence before a decision is made.” Then, designed, “to help build viewer empathy to reduce interpersonafter a decision is made, both parties are within their right to al violence.” However, just a singular scroll down the page states appeal against the ruling. that the program is also designed to “help your campus meet Yet, there are many policies throughout the new Title IX education and VAWA requirements,” VAWA meaning points that increase Fairfield’s realm of aid that it can provide the Violence Against Women Act. students. This means that meeting these requirements seems to A student can now request a change in their living be of an equal importance to the protection of students. arrangements, academic schedule or job position. “Every college likes to ignore the bad things that Options are available to students, “regardless of whether happen on their campus, but they still happen,” Drake stated. an individual decides to initiate or participate in an investigaThe Mirror reached out to the Dean of Students’ tion, and could include things like assistance changing resiOffi ce for a comment on the “Not Anymore” program, but did dence halls, getting extensions on assignments, getting absencnot receive a response before publication of this article. es excused or other similar assistance,” Monahan continues. The number of bad things happening on Fairfield’s In 2018, Fairfield University was awarded a $299,954 campus are available to students, they just might not be aware grant from the Office on Violence Against Women to help of it. Th rough a signed 1990 federal statute, called The Jeanne prevent sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus stalking in our community. Crime Statistics Act or Clery Act, any higher education facility Pam Paulmann, the grant coordinator, said that “since that participates in federal financial aid programs has to disthe grant, our team has been able to create new customized close a crime report of campus life. Though not discussed, Fairfield’s Clery Act report is available on public safety’s section of Fairfield’s website. In 2019, there were nine instances of sexual offences. Many are left to wonder that, with the known statistics that 20 percent of women and four percent of men are sexually assaulted in college yearly as reported on our “Not Anymore” course, how many cases go unreported? Drake tells me it’s hard to criticize the Title IX coordinators, as they’re working with the federal standards they have. She also feels encouraged by the fact that students are finally speaking Photo courtesy of @everyvoicect Instagram up, and is excited to start the Every Voice club on campus. Though Drake (top row, second from right) attended a Zoom meeting with Every Voice still in the works, she asks students representatives in August 2020. to keep an eye out on Life@Fairfield.
News
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
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Fairfield’s First Virtual Career Fair By Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief The career fair is going to look very different this year compared to past years since it will be held online instead of in-person. The Career Center has worked hard to make sure that the event can still be held this year, despite COVID-19, to help students connect with potential employers, share their resumes and assist them in finding jobs after graduation. This year, there will be four separate industry-specific fairs held, as opposed to one large career fair. Students are able to register for multiple fairs if they are interested in more than one industry or career field. “Students are encouraged to attend more than one fair, as employers are often looking for students of all majors,” says Deirdre Bennett, an employer engagement manager at the Career Center. The St. Robert Bellarmine Pre-Law Society is also hosting a virtual law school fair. Admissions representatives from law schools will talk with students about their programs, the admissions application process and tips for their law school applications. The virtual career fairs will be hosted on Brazen, which is a simple and easy-to-use online platform designed for students to learn about and connect with employers they are interested in. Students must register to attend any of the fairs. Once students are registered, they can log on to Brazen prior to the fair and explore the online lobby, where all of the employers attending the fair will be listed. When the fair is live, students will log on and be able to visit employer booths to talk with representatives. Representatives will be available at these booths to speak with students. These interactions between students and employer representatives are occurring online, so they will be in the form of a live chat or video. Since the career fair will be happening in a much different format than most students are used to, many might be concerned with how they should prepare for these online fairs. The first thing that students must do is register for the fairs so that they can access them, as well as the list of employers who will be attending the fairs. Students should also update their resumes and have them ready in a virtual format to upload to the Brazen
Photo taken from CAS Newsletter
platform. Career counselors for each school are available to help students update their resumes, and students are strongly encouraged to use these resources. Researching the companies that students are interested in is also a good idea when preparing for the fairs. Based on this research, students can come up with questions beforehand that they may want to ask the representatives. Elevator pitches are another good thing to prepare, especially because students will have to introduce themselves quickly in this online format. Even though the fairs are online, students should still dress professionally, at least on the top half. Students should also set themselves up in a quiet environment so that they can speak with employers comfortably and professionally. The Career Center notes that participation in these virtual fairs is very important. “Participate with a positive attitude and make every effort to participate. The event platform accounts for every student that signs up, whether they participate or not. Plus, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to connect directly with employers,” says Bennett. The dates and times of each of the industry-specific fairs as well as the law school fair are listed below. Students can register for any of the industry specific fairs by visiting this link: https://fairfield.campuslabs.com/engage/news/194770.
Accounting, Business, Consulting, Administration, and Finance: Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 1 - 4 p.m. Communication, Arts & Media, Government, Education, Social Service, and Nonprofits: Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 1 - 4 p.m. Science, Technology, and Engineering: Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 1 - 4 p.m. Healthcare and Nursing: Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 4 - 7 p.m. Virtual Law School Fair: Thursday, Oct. 22 from 12:30 p.m.2:30 p.m. For a quick video about how Brazen works, visit this link: https://support.brazenconnect.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005968567-How-chat-events-work. Contacts for Law school fair: Aaron Q. Weinstein, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics Director, Pre-Law Advising Program aweinstein@fairfield.edu Susanne M. Quinlivan M.S.Ed., MBTI Associate Director, Career Center and the Pre-Law Advis ing Program squinlivan@fairfield.edu
Faculty Finds New Ways to Combat COVID in Classrooms By Danielle Sondgeroth Head News Editor
COVID-19 forced Fairfield University to make some difficult decisions regarding how to proceed with classes. New requirements by the University demand that some classes go online or have a specific capacity for in-person classes. Some classes have even been held in outdoor tents, weather permitting. All of these new guidelines have forced some disciplines to change their curriculums and usual procedures. It’s difficult enough as it is to have any humanities class on Zoom, but it’s even more difficult for the art history department. Art history requires hands-on learning and in-person experiences to look at art with one’s own eyes, not just on a screen. Despite this, Dr. Michelle DiMarzo has been trying her best to teach her classes well and safely. “This semester I’m teaching AHST 1001 Exploring Art History: Technology and Art. We’re hybrid and using a rotation of Quip, in-person meetings in small groups, and Zoom meetings with the entire class,” she said. Of course, DiMarzo has used some unorthodox methPhoto contributed by fair- ods to teach her students in the midst of COVID. field.edu “We’ve been looking at Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Dr. Michelle DiMarzo Lisa”, so yesterday I had students in the classroom looking at artists’ materials from our teaching collection that were in use during that time… In a pre-Covid world, the classroom time would have been more literally “hands-on”: I would have passed around the samples, let students run their hands over a bare wooden panel vs. the smooth, gessoed surface of a primed one, and feel the weave of canvas under their fingers, instead of just holding them up,” DiMarzo said. “Students who were not able to be in class at all, who I met with separately on Zoom, were at an even further remove – I was holding the sample containers up to the laptop camera, trying to make sure they could see the difference between a plain “red earth” pigment and the brilliant red of a lake made from crushed-up cochineal insects. Not ideal, perhaps, but still making it work!” Fairfield’s nursing program is home to some of the largest class and lecture sizes on campus, also requiring students to take part in hands-on lab assignments and clinicals in hospitals, both in person. Dr. Alison Kris is teaching Pathophysiology and Pharmacology this semester with two sections of 40 students each. She has had to significantly alter her teaching style to accommodate her large class sizes to conform with Fairfield’s new room occupancy guidelines. “I have broken each section into two groups and have been meeting with each group of students in person once per week, and am posting online lectures to cover most of the content,” she said. However, the nursing school is not immune to the reach of COVID. Photo contributed by fair“Unfortunately, our class has been hard hit by field.edu COVID, and increasing numbers of students have shifted Dr. Alison Kris exclusively to online learning as the result of testing positive, or being placed into quarantine,” Kris said. “I have been spending a lot of time thinking through how to manage the increasing numbers of affected students.” Despite the increasing number of COVID cases on campus, Dr. Meredith Kazer, dean
and professor of nursing, is doing all she can to ensure that nursing students get the education they need. “The caring commitment and strong reputation of our faculty and students has fostered the ability to continue clinical experiences and forge new opportunities,” she said. Kazer still plans to continue with learning as normally as possible. “Gowned, gloved and masked, students and faculty have continued to care for simulated patients in lab settings and real patients in hospitals and community agencies Photo contributed by fair- throughout Connecticut,” she said. Theatre has perhaps the most dramatic change in field.edu curriculum and proDr. Meredith Kazer cedure this semester. Since the entire point of theatre is in-person, live performance, Theatre Fairfield had to significantly change their programming for the Fall 2020 semester, affecting both theatre classes and scheduled live productions. Dr. Martha LoMonaco, a professor in the theatre department, had to change some of Theatre Fairfield’s programming for this fall. “Theatre Fairfield will be totally virtual for the fall semester,” she said. “Both of our Fall shows, “Love and Imagination” and “Director’s Cut,” will be conducted completely online, from auditions through performances.” Initially, Theatre Fairfield planned to perform Photo contributed by fairthe play “DollHouse,” by Theresa Rebeck, but was field.edu forced to change to “Love and Imagination,” a series of Dr. Martha LoMonaco short vignette plays, since all of the performances are scheduled to be on Zoom. “Our first priority is the safety of all personnel--we want everyone to stay healthy and never, ever to be put at risk,” LoMonaco said. It seems that professors of all disciplines are trying their absolute best to maintain a good quality of learning Photo courtesy of @theatrefairfield Instagram for their students, even in this unprecCast members rehearse over Zoom for “Love and Imaginaedented time. tion.”
Opinion
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
Opinion
Page 5
Editor Maria DiGregorio» maria.digregorio@student.fairfield.edu
Trump's Ban on TikTok is Completely Unwarranted
On Aug. 1 of this year, Pappas recorded a one minute video of herself from home in response to Trump’s threat of banning the popular social media app. Pappas’ purpose of releasing this video was to put the creators and fans of TikTok at ease. Since then, Pappas One of the major headlines that has been seen across the country has revolved around has been put under even more pressure, as chief executive officer of TikTok, Kevin Mayer, the recent topic of President Donald Trump threatening to ban TikTok in the United States. announced last month that he was leaving the company. Upon Mayer’s announcement of his For some time now, Trump has been threatening to ban the very popular social media app departure from the company, Pappas was appointed TikTok’s interim global head. unless the company is sold to an American company. TikTok is currently owned by the ByteDance is under a lot of pressure at the moment, as they must make and agree Chinese technology company, ByteDance. Trump, along with his administration, is strongly upon a deal to sell off TikTok’s United States operations by Sept. 20. Despite everything considering ways in which he can push the popular video sharing app out of the United going on, Pappas has decided to not speak about the specifics of TikTok’s deal talks as she States. Out of all of the social media apps I use, TikTok is by far the one I spend most time has not been involved in them. Pappas has instead decided to focus on what the future on daily. of TikTok may look like if the ownership is split amongst different people Like many others my age, there are times when I have found myself or companies. sitting for hours on end just watching TikToks. The content seen on It is very clear that Pappas has TikTok’s best interest at heart. TikTok is not similar to most other social media apps, which is In an article from The New York Times titled, “The Woman what draws me more and more into the app. The wide array Taking Over TikTok at the Toughest Time,” Pappas expressed of content seen on the app is what I believe makes it so how she had been feeling by saying: “We’ve built this projentertaining, and almost addicting, to most teenagers ect for hundreds of millions of people, and we’re not and young adults. TikTok is a major platform that looking for that to change.” Pappas has worked in the allows individuals to be creative through dancing, influencer world for a very long period of time, so singing, storytelling, etc. For me, and most others, she is familiar with, and understands, how social I know I will be so sad to see this popular app media works and what she needs to do in order to banned across the country. keep TikTok where it’s at now. According to an article from BrookI believe that a deal will be worked out ings titled “Why is the Trump Administration with the current situation of TikTok and that Banning TikTok and WeChat?,” it appears that banning the app altogether is not necessary. one of the primary reasons the Trump adminWhile I do understand the concerns centered istration would like to ban TikTok, along with around not wanting millions of Americans WeChat (another major Chinese app), is due dedicating so much attention to a Chineseto national security concerns. While there is owned company, I do not think that is a valid no direct evidence that either of these apps enough reason for the app to be banned. Inbreach the United States’ traditional issues of stead of banning the app, and blaming it on a national security, it seems as though the connational security issue, I think it would be just cern is centered around data security and data as beneficial for everyone if a deal was made privacy. where Chinese owned apps like TikTok could coI found it very surprising that the Trump exist with American democracy. administration still wants to ban TikTok, even A suitable deal, or solution, that I think could though there is no direct evidence of the app posing be made is if ByteDance created more security on the a threat to any national security. This left me wonderapp, as this would please Americans and allow for it to ing if this may not have been the real reason why Trump still be used in the United States. Many other major social wants to ban TikTok. One of the big questions at stake remedia apps, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have also garding Trump’s desire to ban TikTok is whether or not he has had their fair share of security issues, but never faced as severe Creative Commons/Pixabay the authority to do so. The short answer is that yes, he does in fact of a backlash as TikTok. If those apps are able to remain in use by have the authority. Americans, I do not see why TikTok can’t as well. Personally, I believe it all Recently, there have been people who have stepped up to keep an eye comes down to the fact that TikTok is a Chinese owned company and there are some on the app’s community of creators, as well as the app’s users, as TikTok deals with the pres- Americans who do not like that. sure from President Trump’s threats of banning the app. One woman in particular who has The pressure is definitely on for Pappas, along with the other executives at TikTok, as been concerned and paying close attention to what has been going on in the country with the clock is ticking for ByteDance to strike a deal. With that being said, I think Pappas is the TikTok is 41-year-old Vanessa Pappas. Pappas is one of the top executives at TikTok’s North perfect person to have in charge of TikTok at the moment. I think that she will continue to American business. She has been running the business for two years now. Pappas, along support the creators and users of TikTok and will succeed in making sure TikTok does not with the other executives, has recently started to grow worried. get banned in the United States. By: Catherine Howley Contributing Writer
COVID-19 Proves that Wedding Insurance is a Necessary Expense By: Ava Morrison Contributing Writer
Anyone who has ever planned a wedding knows that there is a big checklist of decisions to be made. From the cake and flowers, to the dress, every detail needs to be planned down to the letter. Perhaps one of the most important decisions that couples make is the venue where they will be hosting their wedding. One aspect of this decision includes whether to buy wedding insurance or not. Basically, wedding insurance has two types of policies. The first is a liability insurance that covers incidents like property damage or physical injury that might occur at the wedding. The second is a cancellation policy that serves to reimburse the couple if, for some reason out of their control, the wedding cannot tawke place. Many couples opt out of the decision because they doubt that anything could go wrong, but COVID-19 had other plans for these couples. Many weddings were cancelled or postponed due to the fact that wedding insurance was not purchased. It's such a simple thing to acquire, and even if couples do not end up needing to use it, it is always better to be safe, rather than sorry. I think that when someone is planning something so important, like a wedding, why risk the chance of something happening and having it ruin that special day? So, will wedding insurance be added to the top of a couples checklist when they are planning their weddings in the future, given what happened when COVID-19 hit? At the end of May, over Memorial Day Weekend, my cousin was supposed to get married. She was super excited and had been planning her wedding for a long time. Unfortunately COVID-19 emerged, and her dream wedding had to be postponed until June 2021. It took a long time to sort out, but my cousin was able to keep her wedding at the same venue, and just had to change the date. If she had decided against getting wedding insurance, COVID-19 would have had a bigger effect on her wedding. It would have been considerably harder for her to reschedule with the same venue, not to mention that all the vendors she already paid most likely would not have given her the money back. I think she made the smart choice when deciding to have wedding insurance because then no matter what happened, she would still be able to have her wedding in the future. While my cousin was lucky enough to have that happen to her, many couples who had weddings ruined by COVID-19 were not so lucky. Many couples have now decided to forgo big, extravagant weddings, and instead just have small socially distant backyard weddings. A New York Times article talking about this issue brings up Namisha Balagopal and Suhaas Prasad from San Francisco who, even after purchasing wedding insurance, decided to have a small backyard wedding with only 10 people, when their original wedding had over 300 guests. Now insurance companies are saying that COVID-19 is not covered under most liability or cancellation policies. The companies are saying that the coronavirus is not a valid reason for enacting a policy, and that they will not pay. However, in the same New York Times article, Sharla Cartzdafner explains how there is a way
to get around the insurance companies’ policies. She says that “a wedding guest could claim that they contracted the illness at the wedding and try to sue the wedding couple for medical payments and other expenses.” By doing that, the guests or couple are still able to be covered by their wedding insurance policy. Many of the couples who were supposed to get married in 2020 are either rescheduling their weddings for a later date or restructuring their wedding to abide by social distancing rules, but the biggest question is, what will those who are just getting engaged doing for their wedding? Planning anything during a worldwide pandemic will definitely have its challenges. You never know how long this will go on or if our society will ever return to its normal ways. But one thing that is for sure is that couples who are just beginning to plan weddings need to look in depth at wedding insurance policies. While many couples opted out of insurance before, I believe that now is a very time to look into getting some. If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that we need to expect the unexpected and never take anything for granted. So, when planning weddings in the future, don't put your dream at risk by not covering it with something as simple as a wedding insurance policy. Creative Commons/Pixabay
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THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
Opinion
Ever y Voice Needs To Be He ard in the Fight Against Se xual Assault By Kaitlyn Drake Contributing Writer
The American college experience has been romanticized by both the media and American families alike, as it is comprised of four years of freedom before childhood truly ends and adulthood begins. Young adults are encouraged to spend their days studying their passions, but at the same time, they are able to utilize their free time however they wish. Because of both the free time that students have unbound from parental and societal pressure, students are able to determine what behavior is and is not acceptable in society. This is one of the most important aspects of college: the immense maturing that is done over the short span of four years. However, some of this socialization takes place at house parties, which can lead to dangerous situations, including unsolicited behavior from other students. This is also known as sexual assault, and in this way, colleges are facing their own kind of epidemic. Sexual assault used to be a taboo subject, and in some cases, it still is. In many people’s eyes, the repercussions of coming forward, both socially and professionally, are too damaging to even consider getting justice. This idea has become normalized in American society, and has also spread to college campuses. It is imperative that we take action as soon as possible to end the cycle of injustice regarding sexual assault, and with the prevelance of survivors on social media, it is getting easier to do so. In recent years, survivors have been utilizing social media to come forward about their experiences of sexual assault. This avenue allows for survivors to remain completely anonymous and seek justice through the simplicity of storytelling, instead of requiring legal action. These accounts are now increasing in number among college communities. Connecticut colleges are not immune to the staggering amounts of stories that have been published online about sexual assault in places of higher education. The Un ive rs it y of Connecticut, for example, is being targeted by students who have been assaulted on campus via an Instagram account titled “UConn Survive.” Trinity College, Connecticut College, Wesleyan University and other colleges in Connecticut have also created Instagram accounts for survivors to share their stories. This is one form of power that students have exercised to fight against the stigma of sexual assault on campuses, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that they can do. Students should have access to these accounts if that is the way that they want to seek justice, but if students want to pursue legal action, it becomes hard for them to do so. Though some colleges do have ways to report sexual assault, most cases go unreported. This means that students, both present and future, do not have access to the information that they need to feel safe on campus. This prevents justice concerning sexual assault, which is both a danger to survivors and those who have not encoun-
tered sexual assault. Some may argue that Title IX regulations provide adequate protection for survivors of sexual assault, and this may be an avenue that survivors prefer to take when seeking justice. It is up to the survivor if and how they want to report the crime committed against them. However, stating that Title IX regulations enable all survivors to have an accessible path to justice could not be further from the truth. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, an estimated 5 percent of students choose to report their assault to university officials, but it is obvious that there is a reason that students refuse to file a report. Some students may feel embarrassed, but primarily, students are barred by Title IX regulations from seeking the justice that they deserve. As covered in Harvard University’s newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, even Harvard students have criticized DeVos’ new Title IX regulations, describing them as unclear and actively working to strip rights from survivors of sexual assault. Title IX regulations have also been updated during one of the most stressful world events, which is concerning when considering the importance of these regulations. Due to DeVos’s decisions concerning Title IX regulations, sexual assaulters are able to roam free on college campuses while students are left to question the validity of their claims, emotions and safety. This injustice is not at all what we Connecticut students should be standing for. Connecticut residents Ali Hagani and Alex Dahlem have realized this, and have been working on passing Senate Bill 19, which would drastically change the conversation around sexual assault in higher education. Hagani has been writing Senate Bill 19, a bill that aims to protect survivors of sexual assault on college campuses, since 2019. SB-19 would require every college in Connecticut to quadrennially administer a campus-wide climate survey in order to collect the data that colleges need to make accurate and effective decisions when creating rules, regulations and laws regarding sexual assault. SB-19 would also require that Connecticut colleges adopt an amnesty policy that would prevent survivors of sexual assault from being punished if they were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when the sexual assault took place. SB-19 would revolutionize the amount of information available to students and higher education employees regarding sexual assault, which would in turn create a safer environment in which college students can thrive. It would also help to counteract the consequences of the new Title IX legislation that haunts every student on a college campus. Now more than ever, it is imperative that students and staff at Connecticut colleges unite to create a lasting change on a statewide level. SB-19 would not only allow students to feel safe, but it would also protect any staff member who was assaulted on campus. This means that this piece of legislation, if passed, would not only protect you, but everyone around you as well. There is one problem though: SB-19 has not been passed by Connecticut’s legislators yet. Since COVID-19 hit America, most legislative offices have shut down as well. This shutdown is still effective in many states--Connecticut being one of them. Since the shutdown, there has been one special session in which legislators from Connecticut reviewed important bills regarding COVID-19, police accountability and other social issues. SB19 did not make the list of bills that were included, but Every Voice Coalition’s Steering Committee, through numerous calls to representatives, is optimistic about the possibility of SB-19’s review during the second special session. The second special session will take place in September 2020, and Every Voice needs your support. To put it simply, the Office for Civil Rights, the office that controls Title IX regulations, is not providing adequate protection for our civil rights. SB-19 would not only be a solution to the blatant disregard that the Office of Civil Rights has for college students, but it is written by people who are affected by governmental apathy regarding sexual assault. These students know what it is like to feel afraid to walk alone at night, to be constantly aware of the people surrounding them, to not be able to express themselves through clothing out of fear and to refuse an invite to a party out of the fear of being assaulted. These students are aware of how unjustly our society treats sexual assault survivors, and they are willing to change it. In order to do that, they need student support. Every Voice is always looking for new voices to add to the conversation about campus sexual violence. We are first and foremost student-based, and we are fighting to amplify not just our voices, but everyone’s. Without input from students, Every Voice would be disconnected from the issue that we are fighting for: it is up to you to help us continue to fight for you. On college campuses, this coalition not only provides a chance for students to get involved with legislative action, but it can also be an outlet for survivors and allies to channel their emotions into positive action. Every Voice is present on many Connecticut college campuses, but we are still lacking important voices in some locations. To get involved in this cause, it is imperative that Every Voice CT is contacted through the general email. Now is not the time for silence. Now is the time for change. Contact information: Connecticut.everyvoice@gmail.com
Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons
Editorial Board "The Restaurant Struggle is Real" Sheila McCombs Managing Editor
The world around us had changed irreversibly. This is a realization that has been hard for me to come to terms with over the past six months, but it is one that has brought me significant peace as well. There is no way around this fact, but it can give you hope if you look at it the right way. This is how I felt when reading the New York Times article entitled “How to Save Restaurants” by one of my favorite chefs and food writers, Priya Krishna. As someone who has always loved cooking, baking and eating at restaurants, and reading and writing about food, I know that the effects of the pandemic are most visible in the restaurant industry. In March, as cities shut down, restaurants were faced with an impossible choice: to stay open for takeout and risk the health of their employees or to shut down their businesses entirely. With either of these choices, their odds of economic survival looked grim at best, and dire at worst. There have been some estimates that say one in six restaurants
will never reopen. Even as restaurants begin to reopen for outdoor dining, there is only a short window, at least here in the Northeast, where it will be the right temperature to eat outside at night. When winter comes it will be unreasonable to assume that the restaurants will be able to support themselves at 25 percent capacity inside. This has reshaped the industry, no matter how you slice it. However, as you begin to look past the crisis, there is hope. There have always been problems within the industry. From underpaid workers, to the level of sexism in professional cooking, (as of 2018 only 21 percent of head chefs across the United States are women) there have been many people calling for change for a very long time. This overturning of the industry can be seen as a time to make that change. As the old institutions of the past are closing, this is the time for a new way of doing business. As Krishna writes in her article, restaurants are the second biggest private em-
ployer in the United States, and it holds as a way of looking at the American economy on a small scale. The work that every member of a restaurant staff does, from the head chef down to the dishwasher, needs to be valued. There is room for change on almost every level, but one of the most important things is that there needs to be more respect for restaurant workers in general. Now that they have literally risked their lives to keep people fed during this time, they need to be given competitive salaries awnd benefits that are awarded in almost all other industries. This changeover can also allow for new and diversified restaurants to open, filling in these spaces where others have been forced to close. Although it is not the ideal scenario for this change, even in the darkest of times there have to be positives to look forward to at the end of the tunnel. So, continue to support local businesses, like restaurants, and hope for a brighter future ahead.
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
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Autumn Activities For On and Off Campus By Brooke Lathe Contributing Writer
Hallelujah, fall is finally here! After what has probably felt like the most chaotic year for the majority of us, I can only hope that this beautiful season will bring us all some new and fun adventures. Autumn is home to hundreds of different exciting activities to do with your family, friends or by yourself. Taking into consideration the regulations involving the COVID-19 Connecticut guidelines, I’m here to inform you on the safest, closest and most affordable fall experiences you can get this year! Silverman’s Farm: Only about 17 minutes away from campus, this breathtaking location hosts the staple fall activity: pumpkin picking! This event is held every day of the week from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Each pumpkin costs 89¢ per pound; however, Silverman’s holds an annual exclusive tradition of ‘Guess the Weight.’ Before your purchase, if you are able to guess the correct mass within two ounces over or under, the pumpkin is free regardless of its size! In addition to visiting the patch, on weekdays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., you have the option to roam the scenic apple orchards and pick your own bag--another well-liked fall activity. Prior to picking, visitors purchase a $12 bag to fill throughout their time in the field. Usually, Silverman’s tractor ride through the gorgeous foliage is a fan favorite experience when apple picking. Due to COVID-19, they are unfortunately unable to run the tractor ride this year. Even so, the farm still has so many other things to offer--one being their animal farm! You can feed, pet, look at and laugh at all of the animals they have there. Just be sure to wash your hands after! Lastly, Silverman’s Farm has everything from kettle corn to apple cider donuts, pumpkin butter and more. These goodies are only a few items from their abundant selection of delicious fall treats! Plasko’s Farm & Creamery: Located in Trumbull, Conn., Plasko’s Farm is known for its highly popular and uniquely designed corn mazes! This year marks their 20th season for hosting this celebration. As you walk through the four and a half acre cornfield filled with ten-foot corn stalks, you’ll be exploring the innovative maze design created months before building. To ensure the safety of all customers and employees, they ask that you wear a face-covering when you are unable to maintain a safe social distance of 6 feet. However, you are free to take it off while you explore the labyrinth. Plasko’s Farm also asks you to limit your group to a party of four people, not including immediate family members. If you’re interested in seeing this maze for yourself, you can go visit every weekend from 11:00 a.m.- 6 p.m, until Oct. 31. Customers can purchase their tickets at the door anytime before 5:30 p.m. with no reservation required. Regular admission is $7 per adult, $6 per child (13 and younger) and free for kids two years of age and younger. If this one-of-a-kind corn maze still isn’t enough to fully convince you to go out and take a look for yourself, Plasko’s farm also sells its famous apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts which were voted ‘Best Tasting in CT’! These desserts are the perfect flavors to complement the fall season, as are the seasonal apple and pumpkin pies located in their bakery. While these two locations provide you with the ultimate fall experience, if you’re like me, and don't have a car on campus or can’t afford an Uber, these activities sadly might not be available to you. But don’t worry, there are still “a bunch” of other festivities you can do on campus to get you into the fall spirit! Have a fall movie marathon! Here are some of my personal movie favorites that always get me ready for Halloween: “Hocus Pocus” (Disney+) “HalloweenTown” series (DisPhoto Courtesy of Silverman's Farm Facebook ney+) A pumpkin patch at Silverman's Farm. “Spooky Buddies” (Disney+)
“It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Disney+) “Halloween” “Sleepy Hollow” (Netflix) “Scream” (Netflix) “E.T The Extra-Terrestrial” “The Addams Family” (Netflix) Appreciate the beautiful Autumn foliage we have in Connecticut: Have a picnic with your friends. Read a book outside. Find a safe hiking spot. Go on walks around campus. Gather up a pile of leaves and jump in it. Take pictures of the most colorful spots you can find on campus. Find your inner DIY self: Create your own fall wreath and hang it on your door. Make your own COVID-19 friendly Halloween costume. Try to build a scarecrow. Paint a pumpkin. Carve your own jack-o-lantern. Make some of these delicious dorm friendly fall recipes: Dunkin Pumpkin Spice Latte K-Cups for Keurig users Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake Caramel Apples Apple Crumble No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake No Bake Pumpkin Fudge Pumpkin Pudding S'mores Apple Pops Don’t forget your annual candy corn and candy pumpkins to munch on! Of course, this coming autumn is definitely not what we were expecting. The masks, social distancing requirements and constant need for hand sanitizer completely kill the spirit. Nevertheless, I hope these entertaining venues and festive ideas can bring back some of the fall season cheer! Photo Courtesy of Plasko's Farm Facebook
Plasko's Farm corn maze from an aerial view.
Ruby sky sparkles at the walsh ably, as much a part of the bench as the common viewer. Stiler’s work is influenced by Greco-Roman antiquity, Art Deco and abstraction. Despite bases in ancient visual language and symbolism, her work pushes modern understandings of relationship When I was little I considered myself to be a celebrated female artist. Drawings of small, mis- and emotion. Stiler’s art is one with intimacy and familial connection. The exhibit’s depiction of fashapen horses with suns in the corner were often hung on the side of the refrigerator, borderline ther and son reshapes former depictions of fatherhood. pressed against the neighboring wall. Though my kindergarten self was made to believe that my art Three of the works focus on “father and child:” a painting, a bench sculpture and a line sculpwas featured on the side rather than the front because the front was not magnetic, that proved to be ture. Each piece depicts a father and child interacting in a relaxed state, like Stiler’s depictions of false, as did my impression of my artistic ability. female subjects. However, unique depictions of a comfortable domestic patriarch enhance the idea of Ruby Sky Stiler is a truly celebrated artist. Stiler is a New York artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts the shapes women and men can take. degree from Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale Univer“The theme of mother and child is well known to us across the history of art, but there are sity School of Art. Her work has commonly featured the female figure, as well as images of women almost no examples or depictions of father and child, especially ones that show an emotional connection and closeness between the figures, as we see in Stiler’s work,” said Carey Weber, in general. Recognition of female artists and perspectives that have shaped female perception is director of the Fairfield University Art Museum. significant, especially coinciding with milestones. The Ruby Sky Stiler Group Relief The roles women play are as important as the representaExhibition in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts’s Walsh Gallery celebrates a tion of women in art forms. Ideas of domestic equality allow female artist in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of women being accepted women to take on more independent pursuits, and thereas undergraduate students at Fairfield University. fore depictions of men in art can actually advance the Stiler depicts different shapes of women, the many women’s equality movement. Life reflects art. forms they take and roles they play. “No Title (Warm Depictions of women in various styles, as well as Gemstones Bust)” depicts a woman, waist-up, configtheir male counterparts embracing intimacy, have an ured by pieces of different designs. She is a mosaic of impact on images we create in our personal lives. Reshapes and soft colors, contrasted against black-andgardless of our artistic status, we all make up images white noise. “No Title (Seated Figure Facing Pot),” an in the minds of others, or physical images hung on the acrylic painting, is an image of a woman at rest. She is seen fridge. Ruby Sky Stiler’s art is an example of work that can without a child in frame, and within the shapes and colors influence what images we create of ourselves and what we that make up her image are sketches and notes. Her body can see in others. encompasses ideas. Her beauty is not seen solely in her Happy 50th anniversary to the women at Fairfield, motherhood. This is also felt in “Blue Bather,” a “viewing Blue Bather, 2020, Baltic birch plywood, paint and hardware. may you take whatever image you please. bench” of Baltic birch plywood. The subject lies comfortOn loan from the artist and Nicelle Beauchene Gallery.
By Jackie Campbell Contributing Writer
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
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The boys struggle to get a passing grade By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist
Last year, Amazon Studios released an adaptation of a lesser-known comic book series known as “The Boys” on their Amazon Prime streaming service. The premise is simple: What if the Justice League was run by corporate entities and all of your favorite superheroes were the worst people imaginable? Amidst the neverending superhero craze in modern media, it could have been easy for a Prime Original show about vulgar superheroes and vigilantes trying to take them down to get lost in the shuffle. The show exploded in popularity. Fans fell in love with the show’s morally corrupt gang leader, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), and scene-stealing villain, Homelander (Antony Starr). Season one was a tight mesh of comedy, drama and bloody murder, almost to a degree that it seemed like the showrunners had hit their stride on the first go around. So many characters and story arcs were set up, especially in the knockout cliffhanger season ending, that it seemed impossible for the writers to drop the ball. So, five episodes into season two of “The Boys,” how does it compare to season one, and does it tell it’s own story well? It’s a bit of a mixed bag. It is a real challenge to review a show in progress, but thus far, season two of “The Boys” has been a big let down, and a real departure from what made the series so great in the first place. It still has very good moments and episodes that excellently balance the show’s humor, action and more serious character moments. The standout so far has been episode three, “Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men,” which does everything right and feels how an episode of this show should feel. It continues to establish Homelander as a presence to be feared by not only his enemies, but his allies as well. There are a lot of great moments between Hughie (Jack Quiad), M.M. (Laz Alonso) and Butcher, that reveal more about the dynamic of the group taking down the superheroes. It also establishes how the new member of The Seven (the superhero team in this show), Stormfront (Aya Cash), is an evil, racist and horrible hero, who presents new problems for the group. Definitely the highlight of the season thus far. Where the remaining episodes of “The Boys” struggle is in its lack of direction for characters and storylines. When looking back on season one, there is a clear beat for the overall narrative that is hit in every episode. Each chapter has its own important piece of information or set-piece which pushes the story forward and compels you to continue watching. Season two lacks any real motivation or stakes for the characters. Season one revolved around Butcher trying to kill Homelander over the death of his wife, but, now that the truth is out, neither character has much to offer. Starlight (Erin Moriarty), who was one of the
main characters of season one, has ultimately been sidelined to a role that has very little screen time. There are only a couple of episodes (three and four) where Starlight really gets her moment to shine. Similarly to the final two seasons of “Game of Thrones,” a lot of the places they bring the characters feel like they fit with the overall narrative of the show, but rarely feel earned. This brings down the story significantly and I often found myself uninterested during the majority of the season. With all this being said, there isn’t much of a foundation off of which the final three episodes of “The Boys” season two can build. There are a few new storylines that are interesting if they choose to explore them, but there is still a lot on the table that I definitely think should have been addressed before moving into the newer, blander territory. Season two feels more like what the first season for a show would be like. There’s a lot of exposition and a feeling that the show hasn’t found its footing in what it wants from its characters. This wouldn’t be a huge problem because it is still watchable, but season one was so terrific in setting up a world where corporate superheroes exist, that season two feels like a huge let down so far. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the season. Grade (in progress): C+/B-
Bill and ted and more: movies we should be buzzing about By John Bizub Contributing Writer
Throughout 2020, we have seen the mega-budget blockbusters and the tentpole films that dig deep with the Academy Award voters. Films like “Da 5 Bloods,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” among others, have been receiving multiple accolades, and many are taking guesses on who will be nominated for the Oscars in 2021. However, there are some films that have not received the attention of moviegoers in the way they should. These two movies are among some of the best of the year, and it is a shame they have not been talked about at all. “Bill and Ted: Face the Music” Director: Dean Parisot This third installment in the, as the characters would say, “most excellent” trilogy, follows older versions of Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) as they must save the universe by creating the one song that will unite the world. The film also stars Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine, as the two Wyld Stallyn’s daughters. This film was delightful! This is a comedy that we never see nowadays; one full of charm, heart and an upbeat attitude. The humor feels reminiscent of the previous two films, and the pacing does not allow the film to overstay its welcome. Reeves and Winter are still fantastic as Bill and Ted, along with Weaving and Lundy-Paine who really understand the mannerisms of these characters. One issue I have with the film is the VFX. For a scifi related film, the special effects feel very bland at times. Another issue I have is with the introduction of the character Dennis, who acts as the film’s antagonist. This is the type of film that does not necessarily need any villain because it is a simple race against time story. “Bill and Ted: Face the Music” is one of the
“most righteous” trilogy cappers. It is the comedy we need right now, and does not feel like a cash cow of a franchise. It is upbeat, a ton of fun and deserves a watch. If you are a fan of the original two films, you will be very satisfied with this one. Please check it out! 7/10 “Spree” Director: Eugene Kotlyarenko Following the formula used by horror movies such as “Unfriended” and “Searching and Host,” “Spree” tells the story of Kurt (Joe Keery), a Spree driver who does ridiculous things for views. He goes deeper down the rabbit hole and will do anything to gain a cult following. The film stars “Stranger Things” star, Joe Keery, and Saturday Night Live stars, Kyle Mooney and Sasheer Zamata. This film is a combination of “Joker” meets “Ingrid Goes West,” and it makes for one of the most exhilarating rides of the year. This formula of filmmaking shows no sign of slowing down and continues to create new and innovative ways of tackling internet culture. Speaking of which, this film depicts the modern age of technology perfectly, without sounding too cringey. Keery brings an amazing performance, surprisingly showing his range as an actor. I don’t think this film would have been as effective without his devilish performance. The editing is great and feels fluid. The script, while feeling familiar at times, is very creative. You want to take the ride with Kurt, and you understand his motives. “Spree” is a one-of-a-kind film! No film tackles the modern age of computers and consumerism much like this film. While it will not gather Academy Awards buzz, I sure hope it gathers a cult following! 9/10 There are many other films not talked about in the year 2020, but these two films have proven that underappreciated films can be better than mainstream films. Give these films a try and form your own opinion!
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
The Vine
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A Moment with a Masterpiece Christ
By Tyler Heffern Art Columnist
Pantocrator
The Hagia Sophia, or “Holy Wisdom,” in Istanbul, Turkey was, for centuries, at the heart of the Christian Byzantine Empire. Then it was also the heart of the Muslim Ottoman Empire. Today it remains the center of tension between the two religions. In July of this year, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a play to his nationalist base, converted the museum (a neutral zone for both religions and open to the public for viewing) back into a mosque. The decision came with criticism from the Eastern Orthodox Church in Istanbul, as well as international organizations like UNESCO, who protect historic monuments throughout the world. The Hagia Sophia, completed in 537 CE, was the crown jewel of Emperor Justinian’s Constantinople, boasting the largest enclosed space in antiquity and vaunting a massive dome that writers claimed was held by a gold chain descending from heaven. The church’s interior was decorated with marble, intricately carved columns and stunning mosaics of stone, gold and glass. However, by 1453 the Turks, under Mehmed II, conquered Constantinople and, after destroying much of the city, turned the church into a mosque. Christian mosaics were plastered over to hide religious icons–a form of idolatry–and liturgical instruments were either broken, stolen or melted into gold to pay soldiers of the siege. In 1934, Mustafa Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, reopened the Hagia Sophia as a museum,” allowing people of all faiths to admire the grandeur of the building. Covered mosaics were rediscovered and displayed for the general public. One of the works found was that of Christ the Pantocrator from the “deeis” mosaic, which depicts an adult Christ with gold and dark blue robes and a gold halo with cross centering, holding a book (likely the Bible) and giving a blessing. Christ is flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, pleading with him to show humanity and mercy on Judgement Day. The mosaic is greatly damaged on the bottom half from reckless restoration techniques used to repair the building after an earthquake in 1894. Now that the Hagia Sophia has been reconverted into a mosque, the building is less accessible to viewers during Muslim prayers, and Christian images and mosaics are now being covered with curtains because of their idolic nature. Luckily, the mosaics have not been damaged by the Turkish government or fundamentalist individuals, though there is still concern within the international community, and art historians across the globe, who fear that this could be the first step in the destruction of the works, or at the very least, a barrier to those who would like to see the masterpieces within the monument.
Jesus Christ Pantocrator (Detail from the deesis mosaic in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul)
Reality TV T ries to Social Distance Everyone’s comfort show, “The Great British Baking Show,” has announced that they are also making a new season, coming out soon on Sept. 25. The show has worked to make sure everyone involved in the show is going to be as safe as possible. The entirety of the cast Reality television is as American as baseball and apple pie. People cannot seem to get and crew has been together in a nearby hotel, with no other contact with anyone outside of that circle. enough of watching people cry and scream at each other on television. Usually, the contestants go home during the week and only come to film on the weekThis is showcased in the truly amazing number of reality shows available on cable and streaming services these days. I am one of these people who loves reality television. I am ends. This year, all of the episodes were filmed consecutively over the course of about six weeks. Even all of the ingredients that the bakers will use in the show were shipped carenot the least bit ashamed to admit it! For obvious reasons, this year reality television is going to need to change, and every fully, and cleaned with UV lights when they arrived. Time will tell how this new format will work out when the show premieres this week, show is taking to this change differently. It’s going to be a very different fall television season with all of these changes, and here are some of the most popular reality shows’ rumored but if the world needs anything right now, it’s this show. Now, the Bachelor franchise usually plans to return. has absolutely no problem advertising their One of the shows that has had the new season with previews and teasers for easiest time adjusting to this change is months before it comes out. However, for “Big Brother.” The premise of the show the upcoming season of “The Bacheloris that 20 strangers are locked inside of ette,” they have been shockingly quiet about a house together with no connection to how things are going to play out. This may the outside world, and they compete in be because of the ongoing drama of Clare competitions and vote each other out of Crawley leaving the show mid-filming, and the house. her being replaced by a new bachelorette. This is one of the best setups to work There were also rumors of host Chris with in this new world. The contestants Harrison leaving and needing to be reonly see each other, there is no host or placed for two weeks because he had finally cameramen working inside the house and had enough of meddling in other people’s everything is done remotely. The conteslove lives, though that was debunked. But, tants are also sequestered after they are I think a lot of it has to do with the changes voted off the show, either in a hotel so the that the show is going to have to make. One public doesn’t find out who got voted out, of the major elements of the show is the or in the jury house to vote to decide the globetrotting and amazing lavish dates that winner at the end of the season. the contestants go on. Another major part All they had to do was quarantine of the show is the hometown dates, where for two weeks before the show began, and the final four bring the bachelorette home they were set to participate. The show is to meet their families. Both of these pieces basically like its own imposed quaranare pretty unlikely to occur. Sadly, there tine. They did not have to change much, seems to be very little credible information if anything at all, except for the presabout what this season will look like, but ence of a live studio audience on certain all I know is that I am looking forward to nights. the show’s return. The show came back in August with Reality television has only made it this an all-star season of returning players, far because it has been highly adaptable which has had extreme success so far. to the times and willing to change to fit While they did have the advantage of a in with the public's favor. I have no doubt format that helped move this process that they will be able to change with these along, “Big Brother” has proven that this Photo Courtesy of @Britishbakeoff Instagram times, and maybe even improve in the prokind of reality television experience is cess. possible, even in the midst of COVID-19. The Great British Bake Off hosts and judges pose for a publicity photo.
By Sheila McCombs Managing Editor
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THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
The Vine
Inkwell Spotlight Yet Another Self-Conscious Carwreck
Then I remember why I wanted to get you Because who we are I am you and you are me
Hands behind the wheel Engine screeching with friction Foot on the gas And away we go
I was told to get you Because you were me The me that went and left Me who wanted to run
The meter says 40 Then 50, then 60 I bought this And I’m going to use it all the way
Something kicks in the hood And I go flying into the setting sky And I whiz past you As my body crashes into yours
You’re so far away The air hits the windshield Like the invisible hand of Fate Pushing me away
You looked scared And I was so calm So I reached out my hand And you brought up yours
I was meant to get you And you were supposed to be here with me But now I’m chasing Just another dream
The carnage is in flames We laid out in the street With the moon make And made you a promise
I know what I need What do you want? I’m right here Why don’t you come?
You’ll give me the vast space The stars engulfed in it And in return, I’ll give the closeness And I’ll give you the moon.
I didn’t say a word Never shouted Never begged But I want you to stop CreativeCommons/Pixabay
Cr
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By Brandon Robles Contributing Writer at The Inkwell
I’ve seen you At the driver’s wheel I’m looking at you From another perspective
c o f f e e i s k i n d a c o o l at t h e s e p l a ce s When I was abroad in the fall of 2019, I wrote a very well-received and super famous article about the best places to get iced coffee in Florence, Italy. By well-received, I mean it was probably read by my friends, and then the editors that edit all of these pieces. But, I didn’t care that nobody was going to read it, I just knew that where to get an iced coffee in Italy was of major importance to me. I run on caffeine. I really truly completely run on it. Friends know that I either have in my hand a Yorkshire Tea by the Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate (sponsor me please, I’ll do anything) or a black iced coffee. It’s easy to get stuck in that rut of simply making the run to Dunkin’ or Starbucks just because it’s known. But, in knowing that, wouldn’t you rather be supporting the local small businesses that exist only in Fairfield? So… I’m here today to introduce you to the best places to snag an iced coffee all around the town of Fairfield! Oh, and let me introduce you to my favorite drinks at each location. 1) Donut Inn: Donut Inn was not on my radar for a very long time. It took some convincing from friends and an early Sunday morning coffee run to convince me that it’s one of the best, if not the absolute best, for a breakfast run for my whole apartment. Donut Inn is good if you’re looking to get just a normal coffee and a bagel. If you are someone who gets quite fancy with what you want in the beverage, or options on bagels, this is not the place for you. Donut Inn looks like it's stuck in 1982, which works perfectly for me and my roommates… as we love it! I usually order an onion bagel toasted with cream cheese, and a caramel iced coffee black. The iced coffees here are so good because they are not made using a sweetener or syrup of any kind. They brew special flavored iced coffees, meaning that the caramel drink you order at Starbucks that makes your teeth hurt isn’t going to be a replicated taste at Donut Inn. The coffee has just a hint of caramel, while still tasting like true coffee. 2) Las Vetas: If my future house was going to look like anything, it’d be the inside of Las Vetas. In general, if you’re looking for a cool place to do homework and don’t even really drink coffee, Las Vetas is a super cute option. Located on the same hill where the train station is, Las Vetas is a trendy coffee shop. They have great food, and a whole collection of different flavored coffees and teas for customers to try. My friend Rebecca would always get Dom's iced green tea with peach and honey. This is a sweet, fresh iced tea that does a lot more for the excitement centers of the brain than something like a black iced tea from Dunkin! You know? If I ever go to Las Vetas, I usually snag an iced chai red eye. It’s an iced chai with a shot of espresso. With this drink, you don’t have to miss out on any caffeine fix while getting something fall themed with the spices… oh, it’s a treat. Las Vetas would also be a good place to do school work, but because it’s such a popping place, it gets incredibly busy! If you want a seat, you have to get there really early in the morning. If not, it’s so easy to do a quick run in for a delicious flavored coffee and move to the next thing in your day! 3) Shearwater: This was the first coffee shop I popped into during the early weeks of my first year at Fairfield
University. Thus, it holds a very special place in my heart, and is somewhere I love to visit and meet a friend for coffee out on the porch. It lacks some of the incredible business of Las Vetas, but still gets packed on the earlier side. If you’re looking for somewhere to do work on a weekend, I would still get here early in the morning. I use Shearwater more as a meeting place for friends and family. They have a lovely little side porch that seems to absorb sun. This way, even as the temperature starts dropping, a little hot latte and a jean jacket is just a perfect pair for a Sunday morning at Shearwater. I usually go for some avocado toast, or avocado on a bagel with a large cappuccino. There’s really not a wrong place to grab coffee locally in Fairfield. I never pick just one perfect place and stick with it; I seamlessly move between grabbing an iced coffee from Donut Inn on Tuesday, running to Las Vetas on Thursday and spending Sunday morning sipping a cappuccino from Shearwater with my sister. Not only do you get to have a delicious coffee, but you get to do your duty as a local resident in supporting the small businesses that make Fairfield so unique.
CreativeCommons/Pexels
By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor
Pexels
A woman works while drinking a coffee.
Coffee Break
THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
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COFFEE BREAK Editor: Tristan Cruz tristan.cruz@student.fairfield.edu
The Coffee Break team has picked some of their favorite restaurants around Fairfield, and arranged them into a word search! Once you’ve solved the puzzle, feel free to give these recommendations a try! The Sinclair
Old Post Tavern
Playa Bowls
Firehouse
Geronimo
Saugatuck Sweets
Centro
Colony Pizza
Barcelona
Circle Diner
Chip’s
Hole in the Wall
Discover Education / Puzzlemaker
All these wonderful locations are within a 10 minute drive from Campus!
FALL FEATURE! Calling all Fall-Fanatics! As the weather gets colder and the leaves start to change, show us your Fairfield Home! Submit a photo of your fall decorated residence to the Mirror’s Instagram or Twitter! Take pictures of your residence hall room, townhouse, or apartment! The top 3 winners chosen by the Coffee Break Team will be featured in the next issue!
SPORTS Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu
This week, in Mirror history...
These excerpts were taken from The Mirror's archives to reflect upon our student-run newspaper's rich history. The first story was published in volume 41, issue four of The Mirror on Sept. 23, 2015 under Editor-in-Chief Patrick Kiernan. The second piece was published in volume 43, issue three on Sept. 20, 2017 under Editor-in-Chief Allison White. Alfredo Torres was the sports editor at the time both articles were released.
By Kelsey Shockey '18 Contributing Writer The Fairfield Stags and the Fordham Rams battled it out at Fairfield’s home opener on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Lessing Field, but the Rams would leave with the 3-2 win to clinch their first win of their season. According to Rashid Nuhu, the goalkeeper for the Rams, “We came in the game really confident and eager to get our first win of the season and we wanted to really work our opponent. It feels good to have gotten that off of our shoulders.” The intensity was high throughout the entire game. The Stags and Rams are very similar in terms of their style of play, but the Stags missed several opportunities with final passes and defending set pieces. Sophomore Charlie Reed said, “The game was full of mixed emotions. We had moments where everything was flowing and clicking, but we also had moments where we couldn’t connect a pass.” In the first 15 minutes of the game, the pace started out slow as the Stags and Rams needed some time to get into a rhythm. Both teams started out playing more defensively, making them vulnerable for counterattacks. However, the Rams finally broke the ice in the 27th minute of the first half getting ahead with a score of 1-0 after they were awarded a corner kick. Midfielder Janos Loebe was given the golden opportunity to strike the ball toward the center box where midfielder and defender Christopher Bazzini received the ball and hit it towards the bottom of the cross bar, which then passed the goal line. “Both teams were being secured and not wanting to concede the first goal. But the momentum changed after the first goal and Fairfield wanted to get the equalizer while Fordham wanted to get more goals. That’s when the game opened up,” Nuhu said. The second half quickened in pace as the Stags wanted to execute more offensively and impose their style of play on the Rams. However, it would be the Rams who came to dominate the pace by first slowing things down and then strategically speeding things up again. “We knew Fairfield would come out very strong for the first 10 minutes of the second half so we just wanted to ride that out. Once you have the lead it’s a little easier to control the pace of the game,” Bazzini said. Sophomore forward Ben Wignall scored the first goal for the Stags by sending a volley to the corner of the goal to boost the score to 2-1. Later on, Dominic Marshall ’17 took a penalty kick that was saved by Nuhu and then was saved again after Marshall attempted a header that flew toward the other side of the goal. Senior goalkeeper, Matt Turner said. “We need to win more 50/50 balls and defend set plays better. Also, when we’re chasing the game, we need to balance risk and safety better so that those counterattacks don’t happen as we commit more numbers forward.” After forward Andres Penfold scored the third goal for the Rams with 35 seconds left in the game, Marshall was able to successfully execute his fourth goal of the season, leading to the final score of 3-2 for the Rams. “There was good energy, a ‘never say die’ attitude, and we showed character while chasing the game. I think that we needed to have more periods of sustained pressure and to be more clinical in the final third. On another night, we would have pulled out the win there, but that’s just how the game is,” Turner said. Fairfield’s next game will be against Manhattan at Lessing Field on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
By Chris LaZazzera Assistant Sports Editor Emeritus
Photo Taken From The Mirror Archives
It has been two weeks since the fall semester began here at Fairfield University. For the Fairfield University Men’s golf team this means tournament play begins to start and each player is trying to get his game into top shape for the season. Playing in only their second tournament of the year, the Stags finished 17th out of 20 teams at the Hartford Hawk Invitational. The event was held at the Bull’s Bridge Golf Course in South Kent, Conn. The par 72 layout was created by Tom Fazio who has been consistently recognized for creating award-winning courses throughout the United States. The Stags’ place on the leaderboard was not a true representation of how well they actually did play. Senior Eric Austin and Kevin Duncan ’19 each had a three-round total of 226 to lead Fairfield. Austin shot an opening round 80 before posting a 71 and 75 in his next two rounds. Duncan was consistent, breaking 80 in all of his rounds (79-74-73). Both golfers were tied for 62nd place on the individual leaderboard of 116 golfers. Junior Thomas Urciuoli followed Duncan’s good play by firing three-straight sub-80 rounds as well (77-77-76). First-year Finn McGinnis (78-75-80) and Andrew DeMarco ‘18 (81-88-83) were the remaining Stags that played
In this week's issue... -
Photo Taken From The Mirror Archives
in the tournament, shooting totals of 233 and 252 respectively. Fairfield was three strokes behind Long Island University Brooklyn and six back of crosstown rival Sacred Heart over the 54-hole contest. University of Central Florida proved how good they were, winning by 25 strokes. Their top two golfers enjoyed much success, shooting three-round totals of 207 and 209. Fairfield looks to improve when they arrive at the MacDonald Cup on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. This tourney takes place at the Course at Yale. Voted No. 1 College Golf Course and No. 45 out of the Top 100 Classical Golf Courses, the Course at Yale will require the Stags to be mentally tough and patient while out there competing.
Club Athletics Caught in Crossfire of COVID-19 (Page 14) DeChambeau Destroys Competition at 2020 U.S. Open (Page 15) NFL Season's Kickoff Stirs Up Excitement (Page 16) Title Town Flies South For Winter(Page 16)
Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
Club Athletics Caught in Crossfire of COVID-19
Club athletes truly do miss competing and being with their beloved teammates, and only time will tell when these committed student-athletes will be able to carry on what they do best: sports.
By Kevin Stush Contributing Writer
Starting on Monday, Aug. 24, Fairfield University began repopulating its campus during the current COVID-19 global pandemic. This meant that students would be returning to campus, but under strict rules and regulations intended to protect the health and well-being of the Fairfield community. Some of the most noticeable changes have been in the activities that students are allowed to participate in during their free time, such as clubs. One area that has faced uncertainty is club sports. This is because decisions pertaining to club athletics are not dictated by larger organizations like the National Collegiate Athletic Association or conferences like the Northeast Conference or the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Rather, they must wait for direction from the University. Club sports are a way for students to stay active, make friends and take a break from their school work, playing a sport that they love without the strict commitment that Division I athletics requires. Due to COVID-19, club sports are unable to meet, practice or play games until Oct. 1, according to information given to The Mirror by Eli Olken-Dann, Fairfield’s director of recreation. Club teams have to find new ways to try and stay connected, and they have no idea what the rest of the year will look like. Club athletes are working closely with the Department of Recreation to curate extensive return-to-play plans which will ensure that their resumption of practice will be executed in a safe and informed manner. For example, while some players on the club basketball team have played pickup at the court by Campion Hall in their free time, they are uncertain about the future of their season. The dance team heavily relies on the varsity basketball teams’ seasons, since it is at those games that the dancers showcase their talent. The dance team supports the players and entertains the fans at the games alongside the cheerleading team, but who knows if spectators will be allowed to attend games if the MAAC and NCAA eventually decide to start competition. According to Samantha Higgins ‘23, the dance team has had a level of virtual interaction through Zoom to keep in touch and has held tryouts while following the COVID-19 regulations. Sophomore Vincent Spaziante of the club hockey team is currently exploring various ways in which the team could practice this fall. Olken-Dann explained that University transportation will not be accessible to club-athletes, and carpools are not permitted until further notice due to social distancing guidelines. This poses issues to teams like club hockey and equestrian club, whose members rely on such transportation options to travel to off-campus facilities where they practice. Youth and travel hockey programs have resumed in the state of Connecticut, as reported by FOX 61, meaning that the rinks are back up and running. In lieu of these practice locations, Olken-Dann has reached out to such teams and generously offered them alternatives, like the use of on-campus spaces to work on their skills for the time being. Although only a handful of club teams were mentioned above, all of the club sports teams are in the same position as the majority of society, rooted in uncertainty and hesitancy. Many athletes are frustrated and upset, while they wait desperately for more news regarding when they can jump back into things. Thankfully, communication between the Department of Recreation is as consistent and informative as it can be.
Photo Contributed by Samantha Higgins
Mackenzie Nasta '23 (left) and Samantha Higgins '23 (right) are both members of the dance team.
Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...
Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor
Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief
How has COVID-19 impacted Are group projects in a remote your job at The Mirror? setting a blessing or a curse?
Julia Lanzillotta, Catherine Santangelo, Sheila McCombs and Molly Lamendola Do you think that LiveSafe is the most efficient way to vet people who come campus?
What do you think of the new lockers for packages sent to the mailroom?
Now that we are in the fourth week of the semester, how are you doing?
As one could imagine, it is very difficult to write about sports at a university where sports are not being played!
Although group work alleviates the stress of a heavy workload, working with others remotely is extremely challenging, as it requires the use of different communication skills.
Unfortunately, I do believe most of it is just a formality to keep Fairfield from being held liable for outbreaks. However, I am fine with whatever measures keep students safe.
They are truly a blessing! Already, I I’m chugging along, slowly but see that the lines for the mailroom surely. I’m just happy to be learning from here, rather than home! have been a fraction of the length they were in past years.
It made my job as EIC very busy over the summer because I had to come up with guidelines and new procedures for The Mirror, to keep us all safe!
I personally hate group work most of the time, so doing it over Zoom, or in some kind of remote capacity, definitely isn’t ideal.
I’m glad there is something in place, but I watched a kid bike through the North Benson Road entrance the other day without showing his green check mark, so I don’t know if it’s doing anything.
They are awesome! I have already used them a few times and they are really convenient.
I’m doing pretty well...definitely a stressful time, but I am glad that I can be on campus this semester.
It’s a little easier to meet together when you don’t have to go somewhere, but I miss being with people so much!
I have to agree with everyone else, it is a highly imperfect system.
Such a great idea! I am sure the people who work in the mailroom like it even more than us!
I’m pretty good; I think that some teachers are trying to make up for not being in-person all the time by assigning extra work, so I am pretty stressed to be honest!
It’s an option, just not a good one; but, as seems to be the theme this semester-It’s the best we can do.
Dope as hell! I feel like Chris Pine in Star Trek!
Caffeinated and politically motivated.
I think it has really made me think about the kind of content Sheila McCombs that we are publishing. Getting the Managing Editor news that people need out there feels much more high-stakes now.
It’s definitely made it more impor- Blessing; I can do all of my work in my slippers! tant to be creative in deciding Molly Lamendola which stories to cover!
Vine Editor
Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:
Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of September 23, 2020
DeChambeau Destroys Competition at 2020 U.S. Open By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor
Just north of Manhattan, in Mamaroneck, N.Y. the 120th annual United States Open Championship took place at the Winged Foot west course for the sixth time in the tournament’s history. Nestled in the county of Westchester, this course was eerily barren, without masses of spectators gathered around. Cheers from caddies were the only morale-boosts coming from the sidelines. From Sept. 17-20, the world’s most talented golfers took to the green to compete for the silver trophy, and a hefty payout. With a purse of $12,500,000, tensions were high to come out on top. It was 27-year-old Bryson DeChambeau who finished at the top of the 60-player leaderboard, with a six-stroke victory over third-round leader, Matthew Wolff. Not only did he get his name printed on a check for $2,250,000, per ESPN, but DeChambeau also earned berths into the other four major tournaments happening in 2021: the Masters, the Professional Golfer’s Association Championship, The Players Championship and the Sentry Tournament. Winged Foot has a long past, full of rich history since its incorporation in 1921. Its west course was a true challenge during the open. Athletes were forced to battle fierce weather conditions, such as 15 mile per hour winds, in conjunction with the course’s defined fairway angles. The greens were crisp, posing additional challenges to the seasoned professionals. The last time Winged Foot hosted the open was in 2006, where the winner, Geoff Ogilvy, was five over par. History certainly did not repeat itself this time around when DeChambreau blew everyone away with his showstopping six-under performance. DeChambreau worked methodically, driving bombs off the tee and overcoming each
challenge which with Winged Foot burdened him. His average drive launched 325 yards out, which is a feat that blows previous champions out of the water. That is the longest driving-distance average by any U.S. Open winner since hole-by-hole data became available in 1983. Of 56 fairways on Winged Foot, DeChambeau hit 23 over the four day tournament, which is four less than any other Open winner. It was his precision and strength in other areas which can be credited for his success. The tournament began with a total of 144 competitors, but after 36 holes there was a cut at 6-over, 146 or better, leaving 61 players to continue the fight for the championship title. With over half of the participants weeded out, players could take their time on the green, ensuring that each move was as deliberate and accurate as possible. Only 60 men completed the championship on the brisk Sunday afternoon of Sept. 20. The third place rank went to Louis Oosthuizen, from Mossel Bay, South Africa, who finished eight shots behind DeChambeau. The scores of the top three golfers were etched in at 274, 280 and 282, in that order. The final round is where DeChambeau sealed his fate as “Bryson the Great.” There, he finished three strokes under par (67), cementing himself as only the fourth player at this tournament in the last century to be the sole player to better par in the final round and take home the crown. The grand finale edged out rookie Wolff, who had led the charge for a whopping 54 holes. The young star didn’t go home empty handed; he left with a $1,350,000 prize to show for his success over the weekend. DeChambeau is no stranger to victory, as he has been a star since his college years at Southern Methodist University. According to the official website of the United States Golf Association, the California native was only the twelfth player to have won the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open. Furthermore, he was the fifth athlete to win both the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship in the same year, notching both of those honors in 2015. The victor now takes the top spot in the season-long race for the FedEx Cup, which goes to the PGA athlete with the top score, as his win added 600 points to his total, sending DeChambeau past Stewart Clink who only has 500 points. The points system will work in culmination with the FedEx Cup Playoff series to determine who will win it all. Now, with a U.S. Open title under his belt, DeChambeau joins an elite group of just three men who have garnered this trinity of designations. Among the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, DeChambeau has a lot to prove, but the young golfer has made it clear that he is one to watch.
Photo Courtesy of @pgatour on Instagram Photo Courtesy of @usopengolf on Instagram
The United States Open Championship lasted from Sept. 17-20, and ended with Bryson DeChambeau winning his first U.S.Open Championship title by six strokes over Matthew Wolff.
@Fairfield Mirror Week of September 23, 2020
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SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta » julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu
NFL Season's Kickoff Stirs Up Excitement
of himself overall. I think the problem lies in the fact that he simply doesn’t have the support of a phenomenal offense and defense, as he had in New England. There’s a lot more pressure on him, because he doesn’t have as much to rely on, such as his partnership with Julian Edelman. The Buccaneers ended up losing their first game 23-34; a pretty bad omen for Brady’s new The National Football League is back! I have been screaming this to anyone who will team for the rest of the season. My prediction is that Brady fans are going to have to get ready listen because I couldn’t be more excited! I love professional football, and the prospect of a to face a little adversary for once, because a Tom Brady not in New England is just never going canceled season this fall had me so sad during the entire off-season. I was so desperate for to be as good. NFL content that I watched all three nights of the virtual draft, which I have detailed Another quarterback that everyone is looking to is the most talked about further in my piece in the opinion section from last year. draft pick of the year, Joe Burrows. After going from winning the Heisman I couldn’t be happier to be back watching the Dallas Cowboys lose while I Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding National Collegiate scream at them through my television screen each week, to the dismay of my roomAthletic Association football player of the year, plus a national championship mates who have to listen to me. This season is obviously incredibly different than any with Louisiana State University, to being the number one pick in the NFL draft, other, as is anything in this current climate, but there are so many things to be excited going to the Cincinnati Bengals, everyone couldn’t be more excited to see what about. Burrows is going to accomplish next. I do think that week one brought a rude Changes to the rosters for each of the 32 teams offer so much room for growth awakening for Burrows, as he realized that he is no longer on the golden LSU and assure fans watching from home that this season still promises to be an exciting team, and that the Bengals had the worst record in the NFL last year for a reason. one that is worth following. I think that with time, Burrows is going to be a star in the league, but I don’t After keeping a watchful eye on these first two weeks of play, I have some think that the Bengals are going to be the team to get him predictions on how the 2020-2021 schedule is going to play out. there. I don't want to paint myself as any kind of professional sports Now, it is really easy to start making predictions for the expert, but as someone who has watched my fair share of season during weeks one and two, but this year there are football, I think I have put in the time and research to articua lot of mitigating factors to take into account. What if late an informed opinion. there is an outbreak on a team that puts them out of play First off, the story that everyone is talking about is for two weeks? How will the lack of an audience affect Tom Brady. The surreal experience of seeing him in a Tampa team morale? These questions are along with the usual Bay Buccaneers uniform was truly something else during ones about who will get hurt, be traded or any of the other week one, and his level of play was even more surreal. During hundreds of things that can change throughout the course the Bucs first game against the New Orleans Saints, led by of a season. All I know is that no matter how this season another seasoned quarterback, Drew Brees, Brady looked turns out, thank God that football is back. I will certainly nothing like the confident leader fans had come to know be tuning in to as much of it as possible. Also, the most back in New England, when he was playing for the Patriots. He threw two interceptions and looked pretty unsure Photo Courtesy of @bengals on Instagram important thing, go Cowboys!
By Sheila McCombs Managing Editor
Joe Burrows, of the Cincinnati Bengals, has been a fan favorite following his success at Louisiana State University where he won the 2020 College Football Playoffs National Championship.
Title Town Flies South For Winter By Thomas Coppola Contributing Writer In the past few years, Boston sports fans have had a whole lot to cheer about. Since the turn of the new century, Boston’s professional sports teams have each reigned in their respective leagues at least once since 2000; this makes them the only city to accomplish this. The city of Boston has celebrated 12 championship parades since then; the New England Patriots have won six Super Bowl Championships, the Boston Red Sox won four World Series titles and the Boston Bruins and Celtics have each won a sole championship throughout the last 20 years of sports. To fans all around the country, this is an impressive feat. But, will they be dethroned to an up and coming sports city? The city of Tampa, Fla. has shown incredible success to their fans in recent years, and many think that Tampa will be the next big championship hub of all of professional sports. With two Boston legends, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, reuniting on the football field to represent the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, combined with a young and star-studded Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, all signs point to Tampa taking the championship torch from the city of Boston. On top of the other leagues, the Tampa Bay Rays (35-19) are currently sitting atop the American League East division of Major League Baseball, with the famed Red Sox dead last (20-34). Although the city does not currently host a National Basketball Association team, I believe that Tampa will quickly rise as the next championship hub for professional sports. Let’s start with the Buccaneers, who have been one of the hottest and most frequent headlines in NFL news lately. The team has recently added some big names to their group, most notably the former New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, who hauled in an impressive six Super Bowl wins. With his recent repeated playoff success in Boston, there is no doubt that he can repeat this in Tampa. He is surrounded with old and new faces on his offensive line, one being his go-to tight end, Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement to catch footballs for his former quarterback. Also joining them on the gridiron is former Penn State University wide receiver, Chris Godwin, and seasoned receiver Mike Evans. Finally, with the recent pickup of running back Leonard Fournette, the Bucs offense looks rather scary to opposing NFL defenses. Even if the Buccaneers do not dive into their winning ways right away, don’t panic; within the next few years and with the addition of more young stars, they will be able to secure the Lombardi Trophy in no time. The Lightning, out of every other Tampa sports team, has had the most success in the past five years. They gave fans a spark of excitement in 2015 when they ran an impressive Stanley Cup run in the National Hockey League, only to lose in the championship to the Chicago Blackhawks. In 2015, the tide of the NHL changed, with the Blackhawks’ dynasty breaking apart and the Lightning’s rise to success just beginning. Young stars began to take shape; Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy have been three standout players in the Lightning’s last few seasons. They have been
slowly, but steadily, rebuilding their team, and now they have created one of the most solid offenses in the league. This year they posted a
league high of 245 goals, proving they are a dominant scoring team. They most recently fended off the New York Islanders in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, after a hard fought battle to make it to the final stage of the playoffs. There is a very legitimate chance that you will be seeing this year’s Lightning team bring home the cup and kickstart the city’s championship era. Finally, the Rays team has been on the rise recently. Although they had a brief streak of bad news in the last week, with the loss of their first baseman Ji-Man Choi to an injury and a split of their series versus the Red Sox, that is simply a mere fork in the road for the red hot Rays. The last year showed that the Rays can play with the big dogs, more specifically the Houston Astros. They began the playoffs with a wildcard game win over the Oakland Athletics, and then took the dominant Astros to a five game series, where their postseason came to an end. Currently leading the pack in the American League East, they have proved that they are not letting their small setbacks get in their heads, and they will keep pushing forward, possibly into the realm of playoffs. This Rays team can play baseball, and they will undoubtedly prove this in the future, if they have not already. Through an analysis of the three Tampa sports teams, I can say with confidence that Boston will no longer be the dynamic championship-winning city they used to be because the Tampa teams will prevail. In this decade, the Buccaneers, Lightning and Rays will have a lot to prove to the sports world, but I believe that they will make a name for themselves and shock the world. The future is incredibly bright for Tampa sports; the fans will soon have their turn to line the streets and celebrate in the way that Boston has become accustomed.
Creative Commons/Boston Skyline Creative Commons/ Tampa Skyline Photo Courtesy of @buccaneers on Instagram
The city of Tampa, on Tampa Bay in Florida, has put up a good fight thus far against Boston, Mass. to claim the title of the best sports city in the country after years of average athletics.