Observer Issue 11 Fall 2023

Observer the

October 18, 2023

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

VOLUME XLIII, ISSUE 11

Student Clubs and Administrators Confront Israel-Hamas War

By MARYAM BESHARA Editor-in-Chief

Note: The information included in this article was accurate at the time of publication.

The attack on Israel by Hamas — the militant and political organization that has governed Gaza since 2006 — on Oct. 7 and Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes that followed have sparked responses from Fordham club leaders, organizations and members of the administration.

The escalating violence has exacted a heavy toll among civilians. The New York Times reported that Hamas’ attack in southern Israel killed at least 1,400 Israelis along with 29 Americans and victims from over a dozen countries. Following the assault, an estimated 200 hostages were taken back to Gaza.

Since then, Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, nearly 2,800 Palestinians have been killed as of Oct. 17.

This number does not account for the casualties from an explosion at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday night, which has so far killed at least 500 people according to the ministry. see GAZA CONFLICT page 4

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

Demonstrations took place around New York City, with protestors taking to the streets in reaction to the attacks in Israel and Palestine.

Fordham Hosts Prayer Service for Israeli and Palestinian Deaths

By ALEXA VILLATORO News Editor

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Fordham defense held strong against the Seawolves, forcing three turnovers and only allowing a single score in the game.

Football Crushes Stony Brook, 26-7

On yet another rainy Saturday, the Fordham football team tackled the Stony Brook University (SBU) Seawolves, 26-7. The game marked the Rams’ second victory in a row, as they defeated the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks with a walkoff, game-winning field goal during Homecoming weekend on Oct. 7.

Stony Brook and Fordham could not have gotten off to more different starts in the first quarter. The Rams’ defense successfully forced punts on each of the Seawolves’ first two offensive possessions.

CJ Montes, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’26, and Julius Loughridge, FCRH ’25, led Fordham’s offense as they seamlessly moved up the field on each of its first two drives. Both possessions resulted in field goals, and, at the end of the first, the Rams held a 6-0 lead. It would not take long for the Seawolves to respond, however, as they began a swift march down the field with time ticking and the opening quarter coming to a close.

Quarterback Casey Case, SBU ’24, connected with receiver Anthony Johnson, SBU ’26, on the second play of the second quarter for a 29-yard touchdown.

Despite Fordham’s strong defensive showing in the first quarter, it quickly found itself down 7-6.

Stony Brook’s touchdown served as a wakeup call for the Rams, and Fordham would not allow another Seawolf point for the rest of the game.

After that initial Stony Brook score, the offenses of both teams began to stall. They combined for four punts and one failed fourthdown conversion in the second quarter alone. Just as the game seemed to be grinding to a halt, Stony Brook began its most promising drive since the beginning of the second quarter.

NEWS PAGE 2

SPORTS & HEALTH PAGE 6

CENTERFOLD PAGE 8-9

By CHRIS MURRAY News Editor

Theatre Scholarship

Patricia Clarkson introduces scholarship to Theatre Program

Fordham vs. SJU

Women's soccer team loses critical season game

see FOOTBALL page 6

‘Dead Man Walking’

This Metropolitan Opera season opens with a bang

Campus Ministry hosted a prayer open to members of the Fordham community at the Lincoln Center campus on Oct. 11 in response to the mass casualties in Israel and Palestine following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, which has claimed thousands of lives. The war is the latest surge in decades long violent conflict between both states.

The event emphasized a desire to provide a prayer space for readings on peace and grief for those mourning the recent escalation in violence after the military wing of Hamas–a political organization governing Gaza–attacked Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7.

“We come here today as people who mourn. As we feel shock, confusion, grief or even anger, we long for comfort and consolation,” Erin Hoffman, director of Campus Ministry, said at the start of the event.

“Although we come here as a particular response to recent escalation in violence, there are many victims and countless people who mourn, far away from the front pages.”

Hoffman emphasized turning to faith for guidance and

OPINIONS PAGE 10

Paying Athletes

Student athletes work too hard and earn too little

encouraged unison among members of the community.

She then introduced an opening prayer.

Campus Ministry was asked by the university to organize the interfaith prayer on Oct. 10, one day prior to the event which was organized on Wednesday at Lincoln Center and Friday at Rose Hill to ensure that University President Tania Tetlow could attend. Campus Ministry reached out to various active clubs on campus to read selections from various religious texts.

The selected readings focused on themes of grief and peace, including the Mourner’s Kaddish, an Orthodox Christian prayer for the departed and afflicted, and a peace prayer from the Hindu Upanishads.

The event was an effort to offer space for individual prayers and grief.

“We wanted it to be as much from the students as possible,” Hoffman said. “Recognizing the diversity of our student body and wanting to honor and uplift the prayers of all of our student community.” see CAMPUS MINISTRY page 6

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 13

President's Ball

Fordham continues traditional annual student dance

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Patricia Clarkson Establishes Scholarship for Fordham Theatre Students

The Emmy Award-winning actress and FCLC hopes to provide students with financial support throughout their senior year

By GABRIELLA GUTIERREZ Assistant News Editor

Patricia Clarkson, award-winning actress and Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’82, recently established a scholarship for the university’s rising senior theatre students. Recipients are nominated and selected by theatre faculty, where financial need and merit are considered in being awarded an amount determined based on the recipient’s needs.

The scholarship has been in the works since May 2023, according to May Adrales, director of the Fordham theatre program, as Clarkson sought to give back to her alma mater. Although the specific qualifications have yet to be determined, theatre students and staff are excited at the prospect of this award. Adrales expressed her enthusiasm at seeing this opportunity unfold for students.

“Patricia Clarkson is an exemplar of Fordham Theatre education, a consummate actor who radiates with curiosity, vibrancy and pursues her craft with high-voltage energy and determination,” Adrales said.

Adrales noted her gratitude for the support of not only a scholarship donor but one from an accomplished alumni. She explained Clarkson will specify how the scholarship is distributed and awarded.

“This scholarship will be awarded to a rising senior student who possesses the same fervor and determination in the pursuit

of acting as well as demonstrated promise and potential,” she said.

The scholarship is directed toward Fordham theatre students in their senior year who display a resilience and growing ambition to continue pursuing a career in theatre, similar to Clarkson’s trajectory. With the guidance and support of her mentors throughout her time at Fordham, Clarkson is grateful for the theatre department and the ways it boosted her experience following graduation.

In an interview with Fordham News, Clarkson shared her belief that she could have used “just a little bit of help, a little bit of extra,” such as the opportunity she has now generated for future theatre students.

The scholarship is directed toward helping students preparing to enter the industry following undergraduate studies.

Riley Halpern, FCLC ’25 and a student on the performance track in the theatre program, said they look forward to hearing more details about the scholarship.

“It is a scary industry to be entering post-graduation because of the competition and limited opportunity, but having financial security like this is good,” Halpern said. “I most appreciate the generosity of our alumni network.”

Ryann Murphy, FCLC ’25 and a theatre student with a double concentration in performance and playwriting, said she is excited about the scholarship and sees this as a helpful boost to fixating on college funding and

overall financial security.

“My initial thoughts on Patricia Clarkson’s scholarship was that it is great because theatre is not always the most lucrative career path and college in itself can be quite expensive,” she said.

Because financial aid and security may vary for students’ situations, receiving the Patricia Clarkson scholarship may help relieve recipients of worry about repaying their debts and loans following graduation.

“I think when students don’t have to worry about the student financial aid office or cost of school, obviously, they do better and there is less to worry about,” Murphy said.

Fordham theatre students expressed their gratitude for the opportunities alumni have generated for them and connections between past graduates and current students. This sentiment was echoed by Zac Zwart, FCLC ’24 and a Fordham theatre student, who feels the alumni connections are a pivotal backing to the success of many students’ education and career paths.

“I feel as if there is a really strong community between the current students, and I’ve seen examples of students receiving job opportunities from many already in the industry,” Zwart said.

Upon graduating from Fordham in 1982, Clarkson continued to earn a master’s of fine arts from the Yale School of Drama, graduating in 1985.

Clarkson went on to win two Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2006

COURTESY OF CHRIS TAGGART

The new scholarship will offer Fordham’s theatre students financial assistance and support.

for her HBO drama series role as Sarah O’Connor in “Six Feet Under,” and she won a third Emmy in 2022 for her work on British comedy “State of the Union” as Ellen.

In 2003, Clarkson was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her work in “Pieces of April,” in which she held the role of Joy Burns. She won the latter award in 2019 for her performance in HBO’s miniseries “Sharp Objects,” playing Adora Crellin.

Clarkson earned a 2015 Tony nomination for her Broadway performance in “The Elephant Man.”

She has also starred in popular films such as “The Green Mile” (1999) as Melinda Moores, “Shutter Island” (2010) as Rachel Solando, “Easy A” (2010) as Rosemary Pendergast, “Friends with Benefits” (2010) as Lorna, and “The Maze Runner” (2014) as Doctor Ava Paige.

Students noted that seeing Fordham alum succeed in the arts and entertainment industry makes them hopeful.

“I think it is great that Fordham alumni are helping current theater students make it in the industry and I hope it continues,” Halpern said.

University Searches for New Vice President for Student Affairs

Students and staff have joined the committee which is chaired by John Cecero, S.J., vice president for mission integration and ministry

By ANOUSHKA SAWARDEKAR Contributing Writer

The search for Fordham University’s new vice president for student affairs publicly commenced on Aug. 31 with University President Tania Tetlow’s announcement of the creation of a search committee for the position, which would be chaired by John Cecero, S.J., vice president for mission integration and ministry.

The position, which oversees student affairs functions, staff

members and the university’s budget, alongside other aspects of student life on campus, was previously held by Jeffrey Gray, who retired on March 21, 2023.

Michele Burris currently serves the role on an interim basis. While the position does not directly interface with the student body, it nonetheless significantly shapes the university’s culture and mission.

Cecero emphasized the importance of rebuilding Fordham’s community as the university emerges from the COVID-19

STEVIE FUSCO/THE OBSERVER

The new vice president of student affairs will be selected from a pool of over 85 applicants.

pandemic.

To fill the position, the university is conducting a search with a committee which comprises faculty, staff members and students.

Fordham has also hosted listening sessions to garner community feedback.

“That’s why these listening sessions are so important, we can’t just take a business person who may have a lot of these skills but who’s never worked with students before,” Cecero said. “Somebody who understands what the mental health challenges are of students today and is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Cecero noted that during listening sessions, students’ mental health was mentioned often. Some other tasks on which the new vice president is focused include combating loneliness on campus and ensuring commuter and resident students feel a sense of belonging.

He said he believes Tetlow has quickly set a clear direction for Fordham, grounded in its Jesuit identity and mission, while addressing contemporary challenges such as sustaining democracies, environmental sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion. He shared that the selection committee currently has approximately 85 to 90 applications.

“I think a big piece of the job is somebody who can manage conflict well, that’s crucial to fostering the kind of culture here we want,” he said. “We are looking for someone who gets our mission, is an excellent administrator, and has

had extensive experience with student life.”

The vice president for student affairs will serve within the president’s cabinet, a body which comprises key administrators who manage different divisions of the university. The role will be tasked with addressing significant university-wide issues, guiding policies, and collaborating with other divisions.

In addition to overseeing student affairs, they also supervise recruitment or involvement issues relating to donors, fundraising, finances, budgeting or other events which majorly impact the university.

The committee’s role is to facilitate discussions and select candidates who align with the university’s values and mission, and it aims to present a shortlist of candidates to Tetlow by the end of the calendar year.

Shamia Rahman, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25, said she hopes the new vice president will authentically relate to the student body.

“Our new vice president should be someone who tries to work with the student body, not someone who separates themselves from us,” Rahman said. “In order to do this, our new VP must understand Fordham’s mission and the values its student body holds.”

Josi Oz, FCLC ’24, emphasized the importance of the new vice president for student affairs supporting student organizations and programming on campus.

“If the vice president for student affairs could help out with students having problems with clubs, that would be nice,” Oz explained.

“Be our voice if we’re struggling with OSI and other upper management boards at Fordham.”

As the search committee begins to evaluate candidates, Cecero emphasized the primary qualities for which candidates are evaluated, which include understanding and embodying Fordham’s mission; demonstrating excellent administrative and managerial skills; and having extensive experience with student life.

Additional criteria include being well-versed in legal processes and the challenges of today’s students; being deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion; and being a proactive collaborator who can effectively manage conflict.

In addition, Cecero noted that the vice president for student affairs must focus on bridging the gap between campuses and collaborating with faculty to effectively support students.

The committee hopes to find a leader who embodies Fordham’s mission and values, while also possessing the skills and commitment to guide student life and engagement in a rapidly changing world.

According to Cecero, the selection committee hopes to find a candidate by either the end of the fall semester or early January 2024.

Ana Kevorkian and Stevie Fusco contributed additional reporting to this story.

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October 18, 2023

Jordan Falls Short in Speakership Bid

News

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House Republican divisions deepen as a government shutdown looms

By SAM BRACY Contributing Writer

The 118th Congress has been characterized by chaos in the House as the slim, fractured Republican majority struggles to elect a Speaker after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy on Oct. 3.

The implications of the impasse are broad.

José Alemán, a professor of political science at Fordham, noted the potential detrimental impacts of a speakerless House.

“For the Fordham community specifically and Americans generally, this is extremely concerning because the House of Representatives, and thus Congress, cannot pass legislation the way they normally would,” he said.

“ This makes a

government shutdown more likely because the House, the Senate, and the President cannot negotiate a compromise that funds the government and is acceptable to all sides,” José Alemán Professor of Political Science at Fordham

Funding for the war in Ukraine, as well as aid for Israel in its war against Hamas, has intensified the crisis.

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

The House has been without a speaker for 15 days since Republicans ousted Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

Representative Jim Jordan lost his first bid to become House speaker on Oct. 17, further fracturing the Republican caucus, which is divided between moderate and hard-right factions. Another vote will be held on Oct. 18.

Without a speaker, the House cannot schedule votes on new legislation, including a bill to extend funding for the federal government past Nov. 17. If a spending bill is not signed into law by then, the federal government will shut down.

The passage of a last-minute bipartisan spending bill on Sept.

29 to avert a government shutdown for 45 days led to McCarthy’s ouster. The compromise struck by McCarthy with Democrats is set to expire on Nov. 17.

In the case of a shutdown, non-essential federal employees

would be placed on furlough and directed not to come in to work.

Essential government employees, such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement, will be required to work without pay until an appropriations bill is passed.

Jacob Smith, assistant professor of political science at Fordham, said the ongoing situation increases the likelihood of a shutdown, “especially if Jim Jordan or another hardliner becomes speaker.”

Jordan, a firebrand conservative from Ohio, fell short of the 217 vote majority needed to become speaker as 20 members of the slim Republican majority voted for other candidates. The scene was reminiscent of when 20 GOP hardliners blocked McCarthy’s bid for the speakership in January, only acquiescing on the

15th ballot after McCarthy agreed to major concessions, including allowing a single representative to motion to oust the speaker.

Those concessions, which allowed McCarthy to win the gavel, would ultimately cause him to lose it. After the former speaker crafted the compromise to avert a government shutdown, Rep. Matt Gaetz motioned to oust him. McCarthy became the first House speaker to be removed from the position when Gaetz and seven other Republicans joined all 212 Democrats in voting to vacate the office of speaker.

In his bid for speaker, Jordan enjoyed the support of ultraconservative Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus, which he co-founded in 2014, and the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. However, Jordan

needed to convince moderate House Republicans that their interests would be heard after a handful of hard-right Republicans held outsized influence during McCarthy’s speakership.

To reach 217 votes, Jordan needed all but four votes from the Republican caucus, with extraordinary leverage held by holdouts in the GOP’s slim majority. While McCarthy agreed to major concessions to secure the speakership in January, Jordan avoided making specific promises and instead pressured lawmakers by urging conservative voters to call their representatives and demand they vote for Jordan.

The weekend pressure campaign appeared to soften resistance to Jordan’s bid as several moderate lawmakers announced they had decided to vote in his favor, but fell significantly short on Tuesday. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, who voted for McCarthy during Tuesday’s vote, told reporters that Jordan’s attempts to pressure lawmakers had backfired.

“His tactics certainly didn’t work on me, actually I became more centered in my position,” Gimenez said. “He should have probably left me to my own devices to get there.”

Without the election of a speaker, the House will continue to be paralyzed and unable to work toward a compromise to fund the government past Nov. 17.

“This makes a government shutdown more likely because the House, the Senate, and the President cannot negotiate a compromise that funds the government and is acceptable to all sides,” Alemán said.

Stevie Fusco contributed additional reporting to this story.

QuinnX To Close Due to Budget Cuts

The university is considering replacing the designated study space adjacent to Quinn Library with music rooms for students

By ALISON BEINHAUR Contributing Writer

QuinnX, an extension of Quinn Library which serves as a silent study space on the Lincoln Center campus, is, according to Linda LoSchiavo, director of university libraries, closing due to budget cuts and a lack of student interest. Marco Valera, vice president of administration, said that the QuinnX space will be reconfigured into music rooms and other student spaces.

“Closing QuinnX to the public this year had nothing to do with reconfiguration by stakeholders, nor is the library involved in any such conversations,” LoSchiavo said.

The extended study space, which is located across the hall from the primary Quinn library, was guarded by a Public Safety officer during its hours of operation due to its isolation and seclusion. LoSchiavo said that the budget cuts forced library services to cut the funding for security, causing them to close off the space for student use. She also noted that a lack of student interest was a large factor in the decision.

Students at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) have expressed their disappointment to this news.

Nancy Mameli, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’26, said that she is “excited that we’re going to have music rooms” but said the reconfiguration “felt unnecessary.”

As an English major, Mameli said she feels that limited access to the additional library space is concerning to both literary and

QuinnX is shuttering as a silent study space due to budget constraints.

musical interest groups.

“Why does one specialty have to suffer on this campus for another to have what they need,” she said.

Ava Bauer, FCLC ’26, echoed a similar sentiment on the closing of QuinnX. “It is a shame that this campus is just so small, and we can’t have these two spaces co-existing,” Bauer said. “It does make me concerned about the future of how the resources in QuinnX will be distributed and prioritized after it’s rebuilt.”

Valera said he has facilitated the project to adapt the study space in conjunction with several other departments, including that of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dennis Jacobs.

“There’s been a need to have music rooms on that campus for a

OWAMI MASIYANDIMA MLOTSHWA/THE OBSERVER

long time, and to carve out a space for them,” Valera said.

Despite being in the early stages of the process, a donor, whom Valera did not name, has already come forward to finance the construction of these music rooms, making it the only part of the project that currently has funding from an outside source.

As the reconfiguration planning process — which Valera said will likely take up to six months — continues, the university will attempt to make the space marketable to donors. Valera added that plans to reconfigure the space had been initiated as early as 2019, but the process was delayed by the pandemic.

According to Valera, FLC’s ability to expand its campus is limited due to its residence in Manhattan.

He explained that this limitation was a heavy influence on the

decision to reimagine QuinnX’s purpose.

“There is no equivalent space,” Valera noted. “This is the last piece of substantial real estate that can be redeveloped at the Lincoln Center campus at this point.”

As Valera’s and Jacobs’ offices continue discussions and planning of the reevaluation of QuinnX, students at FLC are faced with the prospect of a new student space on campus in the spring semester.

Laura Auricchio, dean of FCLC, sent an email to students on Sept.

28 with a survey curated by the FCLC Dean’s Office and Fordham’s music program. The intent of the survey was to gauge student interest in music spaces. The survey featured questions gauging students’ interest in using a music room if the Lincoln Center campus were to offer them, or whether students would be interested in using

recording equipment if it were available in a music room.

The email did not specify whether these spaces would likely replace QuinnX as it currently stands.

“I took the survey myself, but at the same time literature is the most powerful tool in the world.

To limit the accessibility to that in any way just doesn’t feel right,” Mameli said. “How are you giving me a microphone and turning one off at the same time?”

QuinnX opened in the fall 2019 semester with the purpose of providing a focused study space and additional, curated library selections. Its name is a portmanteau of “Quinn” and “annex,” a combination which can be attributed to LoSchiavo.

Currently, the space holds over 300,000 volumes, all published prior to the year 2000. The Maloney Law Library also keeps part of their collection in QuinnX. Following QuinnX’s configuration as an interdepartmental space, there will be no silent study locations on campus for undergraduate student use. The fate of QuinnX’s existing resources also remains unclear.

LoSchiavo said that the resources in QuinnX are currently still accessible to students, as the desk in the main library is able to retrieve any material from the annex within 15 to 20 minutes of a student’s request.

More information about the music rooms and reconfiguration of the QuinnX space will be communicated to the student body as the planning process continues.

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October 18, 2023

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Students Divided Over Israel-Palestine Conflict

Club organizations across Fordham’s campuses voice their statements on the violence as airstrikes continue to take place GAZA CONFLICT from page 1

The hospital blast in central Gaza City claimed the lives of civilians and medical staff who were working to provide aid and shelter to those injured or displaced from the retaliatory air strikes. The source of the blast has yet to be determined, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the explosion was caused by a Palestinian armed group while Gazan health authorities note that the blast was the result of an Israeli airstrike.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has lasted decades and has long been a contentious and tense dispute involving religious, ethnic and political disagreement over the establishment of the Israeli state, which was chartered by the United Kingdom who had been occupying that land upon the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Prior to the creation of the Israeli state, Palestinians resided in the region. For more than seven decades, Israelis and Palestinians have engaged in violent conflict regarding regional land claims.

Along with the retaliatory airstrikes directed at the Gaza Strip, Israel has mobilized 360,000 military reservists. According to the New York Times, thousands of soldiers and materials have been massed at the Israel-Gaza border for a possible incursion in the 25-mile long strip of land that is home to a population of over 2.2 million people.

In addition to the bombing and airstrike campaign that has ensued since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, the Israeli government informed the United Nations on Oct. 12 that the over 1 million Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza should relocate to the southern part of the region, a migration which the United Nations described as “impossible ... without devastating humanitarian consequences.” Palestinians have faced limited access to water, fuel and sources of electricity.

According to The New York Times, Israel has launched airstrikes and missiles into southern Gaza, where Palestinians were told to evacuate, many in hopes of crossing the border into Egypt through the Rafah crossing — the only land route to escape the war.

In an email sent to the Fordham community on Oct. 10, with the subject line “Prayers for Consolation and Peace,” President Tania Tetlow decried the attack led by Hamas and mass casualties inflicted on civilians.

“Many members of our community are in unimaginable pain,

A protestor speaking at a protest in Times Square draped in the Palestinian flag.

terrified for loved ones in both Israel and Gaza, or mourning friends and family already lost to the horrific attacks and now to the war,” the president said in the email.

Tetlow added that for the university’s Jewish students, colleagues and alumni, this attack is another reminder of the rising antisemitism in the U.S. and across the world. She noted that Muslim students, colleagues and alumni face the fear of collective blame and reprisals alongside worries of violence and discrimination.

Interfaith prayer services led by Campus Ministry were announced in the president’s communication on Oct. 10 as Tetlow noted hopes of being able to “come together to pray hard for peace.” These services reached out to different religious communities on campus to read an excerpt from their religion’s text, with invitations extended to the Jewish Students Association (JSO), the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Lincoln Center and other faith-based clubs.

Following Tetlow’s email, clubs and organizations across the university’s Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses took to their social media accounts to upload statements regarding the war.

The Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Rose Hill, and another organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), shared separate statements condemning Israel’s actions as well as expressing

A supporter of Israel present at protest in Times Square on Oct. 13.

a need for president Tetlow to acknowledge Palestinians in her university-wide communication.

MSA at Rose Hill noted that their statement is an acknowledgement of “President Tetlow’s recent email completely disregarding Palestine” and added that Palestinians have the right to “defend their homeland and find a means to liberation.”

“Inshallah, there will be light at the end of the tunnel,” MSA at Rose Hill’s statement read. “Palestine will be restored, whether in this life or the hereafter.”

SJP’s joint statement with Fordham PSN shared that SJP “irrevocably and unconditionally stands with Palestinians worldwide,” and condemns Zionism as well as the U.S. government’s reaction to Palestinian resistance and vowed support for the Israeli government.

“We Palestinians and those who care for the Palestinian movement as their own express the utmost disgust at the spread of misinformation and the lack of humanity attributed to Gazans and all Arabs and Palestinians who stand in solidarity with resistance,” part of the joint statement read.

In regards to the university’s response, both organizations said neither Palestine nor Palestinians are mentioned once in president Tetlow’s university-wide communication from Oct. 10.

The administration and president Tetlow could not be reached for comment in response to these statements.

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

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A spokesperson from SJP, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’24 who chose to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation from Canary Mission, a website which claims to “(document) people and groups that promote hatred of the USA, Israel, and Jews on North American college campuses,” said SJP waited to publish a statement because they wanted to see the administration’s response. They shared that SJP reached out to several organizations on campus in an effort to spread their statement — which was successful for the most part.

A representative of the United Student Government at Lincoln Center (USGLC) shared that the organization reposted the joint statement between SJP and Fordham PSN on its platform. They added that “no student gave consent in being interviewed due to safety concerns among others.”

According to the SJP spokesperson, they received pushback from the Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS), an organization at Fordham dedicated to politics, foreign policy and international relations. AHS published a statement on Oct. 16 addressing a request to “show anger against the United States” as well as condemn president Tetlow’s university-wide communication. The chapter expressed that they will not produce an anti-American agenda and are in support of the president’s non-partisan call for interfaith solidarity.

Additionally, AHS acknowledged that they will never support those justifying the actions of Hamas and other militant organizations and will not lend public support to Israel’s blockade on movement out of Gaza and the shutdown on water, fuel and energy resources.

“If this statement is enough to convince you into believing we are taking a side - Yes. We are totally, completely, and absolutely opposing terrorism,” the statement read.

Aditya Goswamy, FCLC ’26 and president of AHS, declined to share the origin of the requests made to AHS in response to the club being asked to “show anger against the United States.”

He added that AHS is against anti-American sentiment and “will not partake in any condoning or justification of this.”

“We were also asked to condemn President Tetlow’s statement which followed a massacre of 260 people at a rave-concert,” Goswamy said. He added that AHS refuses to do so and stands in support of the president’s requests

for interfaith prayer, urging the entire Fordham community to “move towards a stronger bond between different religions represented by students on campus.”

The anonymous spokesperson for SJP shared that AHS’ statement was in direct response to SJP’s outreach to publish SJP’s joint statement with the Palestine Solidarity Network at Fordham.

Reyna Stovall, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25 and vice president of the Jewish Students Organization (JSO), shared that she has been unable to develop a fully formed opinion on the events that have unfolded since the Oct. 7 attacks because the conflict is a nuanced issue with a complex history.

“I think a lot of what’s happening, especially to civilians, it’s horrible,” she shared. “But beyond that, politically, I don’t quite know where I stand.”

In response to Tetlow’s statement, Stovall said that from a personal standpoint, it was comforting to know that the president was thinking about impacted families. As for any avenues of support the university could offer, she mentioned the Jewish community’s concern about rising levels of antisemitism, and that any specific actions from the university to combat it would be comforting.

Stovall added that she has not personally felt unsafe or uncomfortable on campus as a Jewish student. In terms of any resolutions to the ongoing violence, Stovall noted that she cannot think of an equitable solution herself.

“I haven’t come to anything in my mind that quite makes sense,” she said. “And that’s equitable or equal to all people involved.”

Stovall noted that she spoke from her own perspective and not as a representative of the JSO at Lincoln Center. The JSO at Lincoln Center has not released a statement on the war as of Oct. 17 and could not be reached for comment prior to publication.

The war has also resulted in impassioned responses from students, administrators and some alumni from other universities across the U.S., including Columbia, Harvard and UPenn, in protest of the violence.

Demonstrations across New York City, including a large gathering in Times Square, have taken place on Friday following a former leader of Hamas’ call for a “day of rage,” according to reports from the Washington Post and The New York Times. These calls prompted Associate Vice President of Public Safety Robert Fitzer’s university-wide communication on Oct. 12 notifying students of potential protests that may occur in New York City the following day as well as NYPD patrols that may be present across the campuses.

“There are no credible threats at this time, according to the NYPD, but police are taking the situation very seriously,” Fitzer said. “The NYPD is on heightened alert, with increased patrols at synagogues, mosques, and colleges and universities, as well as other high profile locations throughout the city.”

As of Oct. 17, Biden and world leaders from countries across the Middle East issued their expressions of outrage and horror following the explosion at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.

Additionally, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced calls from Ione Belarra, Spain’s minister of social rights, to be brought before the International Criminal Court and be investigated for war crimes.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

October 18, 2023

Office of Disability Services Adjusts to Post-Pandemic Influxes

News

5

Students report differing experiences with seeking accommodations for learning disabilities from the office

By ANA KEVORKIAN Managing Editor

The number of students requesting disability accommodations at Fordham has risen sharply since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This led the university to approve the hiring of two new full-time employees in the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at the start of the 2023-24 school year, according to Mary Byrnes, director of disability services at Fordham.

An increase of 57.95% of students registered with ODS occurred between the end of the 2018-19 academic year to the 2022-23 academic year, with the numbers of students registered being 1,056 and 1,668, respectively. Fordham’s ODS is composed of seven staff members, three of which are based at the Lincoln Center campus.

Byrnes attributed the rise in accommodation requests to the pandemic as well as the increasing class sizes that have been admitted over the past three years.

In order to receive disability accommodations from ODS, students must fill out an online application and upload documentation of their disability, after which they must call the office to schedule an “intake meeting,” a one-on-one appointment with a staff member in which the staff work with the student to create an individualized accommodation plan.

According to Byrnes, this process typically takes one week,

from when a student submits their online application to when they are scheduled for an intake appointment.

Bianca Ortega, Gabelli School of Business ’25, sought accommodations from ODS following her diagnosis with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety in February 2022.

“I feel like the process for me was pretty straightforward and simple to navigate once I found those resources and was pointed in the right direction,” Ortega explained.

She added that she realizes she may have been at an advantage compared to other students because her psychologist researched what Fordham provides for her and laid out the information in a way that was understandable and accessible.

Ortega attributed the ease of her process with ODS to the assistance of her psychologist and described her psychologist’s help as invaluable.

Ash Daniels, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’24, shared a different outlook and experience when he sought an accommodation from ODS to be exempted from the university’s foreign language core requirement.

Despite receiving this exemption from a similar requirement at his high school due to language-learning difficulty relating to ADHD, Daniels said he was denied this exemption at Fordham and was told to re-apply.

Daniels noted that they were in therapy and were prescribed medication at this time, but were advised by ODS to seek other departmental resources from the university in order to determine the best course of action.

“I then said that language classes were detrimental to my mental health and they said if it was that bad maybe I shouldn’t be in school at all or, seek other help,” he said.

According to Byrnes, the statement by the counselor with whom Daniels communicated was the standard response from ODS regarding students’ mental health concerns: to recommend speaking with the deans as well as counseling and psychological services.

After being denied the exemption, Daniels said that he was not told what type of documentation he would need should he want to resubmit his request in order to receive the accommodations.

The type of documentation necessary to receive accommodation varies based on the category of disability — psychological, learning/ ADHD or physical/medical.

For psychological disabilities, students must provide a letter from the person diagnosing the condition, including the formal diagnosis, the onset of the condition and its effect on the student.

The documentation must be dated within the past six months, be on official letterhead, and include the mental health professional’s signature and license number.

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

Since the pandemic, ODS (Office of Disability Services) has seen an uptick in accommodations requests

When seeking accommodations for learning disabilities and ADHD, students must provide a neuropsychological report or a high school individualized education plan (IEP)/504 plan — which outline accommodations for students in K-12 and, in the case of a 504 plan, collegiate education — dated within the past four years. If the report is out of date, the ODS website specifies that students may be able to supplement it with an updated letter from their doctor, but whether this is acceptable

varies on a case-by-case basis.

Students with physical/medical disability requests must provide a letter from their doctor, dated within the past six months, explaining their condition and how it impacts them. The letter must be on official letterhead as well as include the doctor’s signature and license number.

Throughout this process, Byrnes maintained that the office remains eager to assist and support students in their educational pursuits.

Campus Ministry Holds Prayer for Lives Lost in Israel-Hamas War

The service at Lincoln Center included readings from different religions and a candle lighting for individual prayers CAMPUS MINISTRY from page 1

Lincoln Center’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) declined to participate in solidarity with Palestinians, according to an MSA E-Board member, who requested anonymity due to fear of retribution from Canary Mission, a website which claims to “(document) people and groups that promote hatred of the USA, Israel, and Jews on North American college campuses.”

“We feel that this vigil for peace taking place now after the Hamas attack is hypocritical, when Palestinians have not had peace for 75 years and no vigil was held for them,” a member of the E-Board of MSA at Lincoln Center wrote in a statement to The Observer.

According to Hoffman, no Muslim student participated in the prayer, although a Muslim colleague helped select the readings from the Quran. Campus Ministry chose to include the selections regardless to “ensure representation from the Muslim tradition.”

In response to MSA’s decision not to participate in the event, Hoffman emphasized that Campus Ministry sought to structure service recognizing loss for both Israeli and Palestinian communities, “recognizing that the impact for Palestinians is and has been vast too.”

Hamas’ attack on Israel was the largest assault on the state in over 50 years, and since, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly removed from northern Gaza as thousands of missiles and airstrikes bomb the enclave.

“When we do have a prayer

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

Campus Ministry was asked to host an interfaith prayer open to members of the community amid Israel-Hamas war.

service such as this, it is thus an opportunity to include prayers for everyone who is and has been impacted by the conflict not just now but over time too and to pray for justice and peace for all people - which we sought to do in the selections of readings and prayers we offered,” Hoffman said.

Campus Ministry did not reach out to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), an organization on campus which has long sought to obtain official club status, according to an SJP spokesperson, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24, who also requested anonymity due to fear of retribution from Canary Mission, a website which

claims to “(document) people and groups that promote hatred of the USA, Israel, and Jews on North American college campuses.”

Hoffman confirmed that because SJP is not an officiated club at Fordham, Campus Ministry was unable to access their contact information through the Office for Student Involvement.

The spokesperson said that as a Palestinian, they experienced very mixed reactions after hearing that oppression should be turned into freedom and occupation into liberation during the closing prayer.

“They seem like they’re trying to understand,” the anonymous SJP spokesperson said

of the university’s response to the war, though they elaborated that it “looks like there’s not as much effort as there should be in trying to comprehend.”

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been a contentious and tense dispute involving religious, ethnic and political disagreement over the creation of the Israeli state.

They emphasized that they felt the university should have reached out to SJP and expressed disappointment that there was no Muslim student who spoke at the prayer service.

“I feel like it could’ve been done better,” the SJP spokesperson said.

Jacobo Filman, FCLC ’24 and

treasurer of Lincoln Center’s Jewish Student Organization, said he thought the event was comforting.

“I think it was good to spread a message of peace, unity across campus,” Filman said. “I think it’s really good that the Campus Ministry is able to organize events that highlight the diversity of religion on campus.”

Attendees also participated in a candle lighting, prayer litany and closing prayer. Jenifer Campbell, dean of students at Fordham Lincoln Center, shared prayers for both Israeli and Palestinian families affected by the war.

“We pray for the families in Israel and Palestine who live in fear, for those who dread the next missile strike, for those whose anxiety gnaws at them as they wait for the news of missing loved ones, for those who are forced to flee their homes, for those who can’t bear to face a day without the loved ones they have lost,” she said. “Their lives will never be the same, and they are afraid of the future.”

Campbell called on leaders in the region to resolve the violent conflict through God. “There is so much pain among Palestinians and Israelis, we pray for leaders throughout the region and ask you to turn their hearts toward just and lasting peace,” the dean of students at Lincoln Center said. “As leaders and those around the world consider how to respond, please grant them wisdom and insight.”

The prayer event ended with a small performance of “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” read by students and Robert Minotti, director of music.

Sports & Health Editor Chris Murray

Sports & Health

October 18, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Is the ‘Freshman Flu’ Real?

As students return to campus, the risk of illnesses spreading, especially among first-years, increases

By SOFIA STRELNIKOVA Contributing Writer

The start of the semester is characterized by a highly social, excited environment in which students are constantly in contact with one another. This is especially true for incoming first-year students, as they begin to make friends, adjust to their new campus and create lasting experiences to remember their first few weeks at their university. Some students, however, find themselves taking a trip to a recent student hotspot: university health services (UHS).

Make it a habit to dust exposed areas of furniture, vacuum or mop floors, and clean the bathrooms to ensure no bacteria is trapped inside the dorm.

“Freshman flu” is a term used across universities to define the trend of illnesses contracted by first-years within their first few weeks at college. While there are no major research publications that have studied the “freshman flu,” symptoms of the sickness have had consistency in their description: sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache or fever, nausea, and fatigue.

According to College Cures, an online publication and resource for college advice and

tips, the “freshman flu” is likely caused by an influx of individuals being introduced to a new environment, or new pathogens.

The flu or the cold have an easier time spreading when individuals are living in enclosed spaces, which makes the “freshman flu’s” ability to spread in the first few weeks of the semester unavoidable.

But, does the “freshman flu” at Fordham really exist? Yes and no.

While students may experience symptoms such as runny noses, sore throats and headaches more often than usual when entering college, especially at the start of the school year, the reasons for this vary.

Maureen Keown, director of UHS at Fordham, noted that, more often than not, the rise in colds, viruses and other illnesses is a result of people adjusting to a new environment. She highlighted that “students who find themselves living in dorms for the first time may find their immune systems put to the test.”

International students in particular may also find it hard to adapt to New York City’s odd weather patterns. “Students are ill due to not getting enough rest and the recent increased stress levels,” Keown emphasized.

As assignments begin accumulating and sleep schedules become irregular, Keown highlighted that students’ lack of proper nutrition and poor dietary habits bring on additional stress and further instability to their immune systems.

Regardless of whether students have already experienced illness while at Fordham or if

they have been lucky enough to go sickness-free, Keown advised that “all students should maintain a healthy diet, limit stress, exercise, get enough sleep, and take time for themselves each day to do something that relieves stress and makes them happy.”

The director of UHS also highlighted the importance of proper hand washing habits, as bacteria may be transferred from dining hall tables and classroom door handles. She recommended that

students use the hallway hand sanitizers located throughout the university’s campuses more frequently.

“All the factors mentioned above will help support a healthy immune system and help fight off infections and illness,” Keown said.

To maintain a healthy community, students who feel unwell are advised to immediately contact UHS for an appointment. The UHS team has a list of urgent care offices and a virtual urgent care option on

the Fordham website under the Health Services and Center tab.

“UHS is open to all students on campus and commuters regardless of the type of health insurance they hold, as well as non-members of the student health insurance plan,” Keown said.

Should you contract the “freshman flu,” College Cures advises students to drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated as well as receiving plenty of rest.

GRAPHIC BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

In the excitement of starting college, first-years often find themselves facing an onslaught of illness.

Football Win Sets Season Back on Track

The Rams closed the game on a 20 to nothing run to notch their second straight victory and move to 5-2 on the season FOOTBALL from page 1

On back-to-back plays, Case connected with receivers for gains of 28 and 25 yards to break into Fordham’s territory. Then, he found Johnson again with 23 seconds left for a 20-yard gain to Fordham’s 8-yard line. Following a spike, the Seawolves had three plays and 18 seconds to find the end zone.

The Rams forced an incomplete pass before Case fired a pass for a 7-yard gain. With time winding down on the 1-yard line, the Seawolves frantically attempted to push into the end zone on their fourth down. Fordham held strong and prevented Stony Brook from scoring a single point before the half, shutting down its momentum and preserving the Rams’ lead.

The game slowed tremendously in the third quarter as Fordham attempted to move more methodically on offense. The Rams embarked on a 12-play, 5-minute and 38-second drive that featured zero incompletions and zero rushes for loss.

It appeared at one point that Fordham had scored a touchdown, but it was negated by an offensive pass interference penalty. After that call, the Rams’ drive sputtered, and they settled for a field goal attempt.

It was blocked, however, and the score remained unchanged, 7-6.

The Seawolves’ ensuing drive was not nearly as successful, and it eventually resulted in a punt.

In similar fashion to its first drive of the second half, Fordham ate much of the clock and meticulously moved down the field.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Benefiting from advantageous field position, the Fordham offense scored 20 unanswered points in the second half, including two touchdowns by Julius Loughridge, FCRH ’25, pictured right.

A series of penalties by Stony Brook extended the possession, notably a roughing the kicker penalty after the Seawolves had forced a fourth and 17 for the Rams and a defensive pass interference call that advanced the ball to Stony Brook’s 16-yard line.

Ultimately, it was Loughridge who would not be denied. Fordham closed the drive with four straight rushes by the running back, and he broke into the end zone, as time expired, to extend the Rams’ lead.

The offense stayed on the field to go for a two-point conversion and make it a seven-point game, but Montes’ attempt was unsuccessful,

and Fordham took a 12-7 lead into the fourth.

Stony Brook’s metaphorical wheels fell off in the final quarter.

Both teams traded punts to begin the period. The Seawolves received the ball with 11:14 remaining, but after an incomplete pass and short rush, Case was sacked by Matt Jaworski, FCRH ’25. Case lost the ball, and Fordham recovered it to retake possession on the Seawolves’ 12-yard line.

A pair of rushes by Loughridge resulted in another Fordham touchdown, with the Rams now having a 19-7 lead. On Stony Brook’s next drive, an almost identical scenario

played out. Running back Roland Dempster, SBU ’24, fumbled the ball on the first play but was able to quickly recover it for no loss.

Following another short rush, Case was sacked by none other than Jaworski and fumbled once again. This time, Fordham recovered it at Stony Brook’s 19-yard line and parlayed the turnover into yet another rushing touchdown, credited to Jamell James, FCRH ’27.

Now facing a 26-7 deficit and with only 8:17 remaining, the Seawolves needed to respond.

Unfortunately, just two plays into their next possession, Case threw

an interception to Nahil Perkins, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’24, that essentially ended the game. Both teams would trade a couple of punts as the clock wound down and Fordham emerged with a 19-point victory.

This was the first game of the season that did not feature a Montes passing touchdown, but luckily Loughridge carried the weight on offense. He finished with 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Fordham defense stymied the Seawolves, holding them to a single score.

Additionally, the individual effort of Jaworski shut down Stony Brook in the fourth quarter, as his two forced fumbles prevented a Seawolves response and led to two Fordham touchdowns.

He earned the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award for his efforts.

Fordham has regained a semblance of momentum following the devastating loss to Georgetown University on Sept. 30 in the opening of its Patriot League Schedule.

The Rams will spend the coming weeks preparing for a difficult matchup against the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders on Oct. 28 during Family Weekend.

The Crusaders also have a pair of losses this year, albeit to tougher opponents than Fordham’s defeats. A Fordham victory in the Ram-Crusader Cup would undoubtedly have major implications for the final Patriot League standings, although Holy Cross has won their last six meetings.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

October 18, 2023

Sports & Health

7

Saint Joe’s Defeats Women’s Soccer on Senior Day

The crucial loss placed the Rams’ postseason hopes in jeopardy as the season comes to a close

By CHRIS MURRAY Sports & Health Editor

It was a tale of two halves at the university’s Rose Hill campus on Sunday, as the Fordham women’s soccer team gave up two second half goals to fall to the Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) Hawks, 2-1. The loss put a damper on the Senior Day festivities and has jeopardized the team’s postseason outlook with just two regular season games remaining.

The Rams entered the contest with a 2-3-3 record, on the edge of Atlantic 10 (A10) playoff contention. Their opponent sat just three points ahead of them and a win on Sunday would have shot Fordham up the standings to secure their spot in the top eight.

The first major chance of the game arrived when Caroline Monahan, Gabelli Graduate

School of Business (GGSB) ’24, sent a swinging cross into the box during the sixth minute. Cianna Elmazaj, GGSB ’24, got a head on it and sent the ball toward the net, but the shot lacked power and was gathered by keeper Katie Cappelletti, SJU ’24.

Saint Joe’s created a dangerous opportunity of its own in the 14th minute, when a corner kick found an unmarked Hawk. The ensuing header hit directly into a Fordham player positioned on the inside post who cleared the ball away from danger. Still, Fordham applied the majority of the offensive pressure in the first half. It took 11 shots to the Hawks’ 3, including five on goal.

The ice was finally broken when Fordham capitalized on a corner kick of its own. A chaotic series of bounces after the cross

by Monahan led to a desperate

header followed by a kick by Abby Doyle, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’25. The ball squeezed along the right post and hit the back of the net before the Hawks could register what had happened. Just like that, Fordham took a 1-0 lead.

Monahan nearly added to the lead in the 32nd minute when she broke through the St. Joe’s defense for a breakaway opportunity. She was forced to shoot prematurely as defenders closed down on her and Cappelletti secured the attempt.

As time expired in the first half, Emily Hanrahan, SJU ’27, sent a shot toward Fordham’s net from well outside of the box. The ball surprisingly sailed directly for the crossbar, forcing Serena Mensah, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’24, to make a leaping save. With that, the Rams

entered the half maintaining a crucial lead.

The Hawks emerged from the half looking like a new team.

Only three and a half minutes into the second half, Saint Joe’s made its move. The play started with a free kick by Cappelletti deep in the Hawks’ half of the field. The ball connected with another player who then chested it down to a teammate and delivered a picturesque through ball to Hanrahan. She sent a slow but well-placed shot into the bottom left corner and Mensah was caught on her heels, not even attempting to save it.

As Fordham struggled to build back its momentum in the second half, Saint Joe’s maintained its pressure. In the 67th minute, the Hawks sent a cross into Fordham’s box. The ball rattled around until it fell to the feet of

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Serena Mensah, FCRH ’24, leaps to make a save and finished the game with two saves and two goals allowed.

Hanrahan once again. She took advantage of some space and fired a shot into the bottom right corner of the net. The Rams fell behind their conference foes, 2-1.

Given their current position, the Rams will not only need to earn points in their remaining two games, but also receive some lucky outcomes across the rest of the A10.

The Rams would only receive a handful of chances to level the match the rest of the way. One of those chances came in the 76th minute when a beautiful pass upfield from Emily Crocco, GGSB ’24, fell to the feet of Monahan in between multiple defenders. She broke away into the Hawks’ box, but shot the ball directly into the hands of a charging Cappelletti.

The final opportunity for the Rams occurred with around three minutes left. A foul by Chloe Khelil, SJU ’24, gave Fordham a free kick on the penalty arc. Monahan lined up a shot and sent it for the upper right corner of the goal, but a diving stop by Cappelletti put the Rams’ hopes of an equalizer to bed. The late push was not enough and Fordham fell 2-1.

The women’s soccer team now sits in 10th place in the A10, with the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. They trail eighth place Loyola Chicago by only two points and will be facing Virginia Commonwealth University, the team in ninth place, on Oct. 19. Given their current position, the Rams will not only need to earn points in their remaining two games but also receive some lucky outcomes across the rest of the A10.

Fordham’s final home game will be on Oct. 22 against the University of Massachusetts in a contest that may have decisive playoff implications.

Football Preview

Featured Sport: Basketball

One of the biggest games of the Fordham football season is rapidly approaching. After stringing two wins in a row, the Rams will get a rest this upcoming weekend. On Oct. 28, however, they will take on their heated Patriot League rival, the College of the Holy Cross (HC). The Crusaders are one of three remaining teams that are undefeated in Patriot League play thus far. Fordham will come face-to-face with quarterback Matthew Sluka, HC ’24, once again.

He has never lost in the Ram-Crusader Cup during his career and his devastating dual-threat style of play has proven extremely effective over the years. The majority of Holy Cross’ offense is returning alongside Sluka, including wide receivers Jalen Coker, HC ’24, and Justin Shorter, HC ’25, as well as running back Jordan Fuller, HC ’25. It will be a tall order for the Rams to take down this iteration of the Crusaders, but a victory would send shockwaves through not only the Patriot League, but the entire Football Championship Subdivision.

Every year, Ken Pomeroy compiles a set of advanced statistics to rank every Division 1 men’s basketball program. The famed statistician and columnist posts his findings on the official KenPom website and updates his rankings throughout the season. The Fordham men’s basketball team found its way onto Ken’s list this year, coming in at 163rd in the country. Pomeroy predicts an effective defense and a lackluster offense for the Rams and slots them in to finish tenth in the Atlantic 10 (A10). KenPom’s ranking is far from the only reputable ranking system in college basketball. Another metric used to measure Fordham’s expectations heading into the season is the A10 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll. The Rams were chosen to finish seventh in the conference, but notably received one first place vote, signifying a slim confidence in the team’s ability to shock the world. For college basketball fans, rankings like these can add important context to the upcoming season and forecast what’s to come.

Waterpolo Wins The Fordham water polo team has made a splash in the NCAA rankings. The Rams have coasted to 10 consecutive wins and moved all the way up to 17th in the weekly ranking for the Collegiate Water Polo Association and 14th in the list published by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches. Although Fordham sits at 14-3 for the season, its road is about to get much tougher. The team is set to embark on a West Coast road trip that features five games against ranked opponents in the next week. One matchup on Oct. 19 will be against the University of California - Berkeley, the second ranked team in the country. With starting goalkeeper Thomas Lercari, FCRH ’25, back in action, these pivotal games will surely be intense and present an opportunity for Fordham to make a statement.

A10 Preseason Poll 1. Dayton 2. VCU 3. St. Bonaventure 4. Duquesne 5. Saint Joseph’s 6. Saint Louis 7. Fordham 8. Loyola Chicago

9. George Washington 10. George Mason 11. Richmond 12. Davidson 13. Massachusetts 14. Rhode Island 15. LaSalle

‘Dead Man Walking’ Opens 2023-24 Met Opera Season The long anticipated production is nothing short of a stellar performance and takes the audience through a transformative journey

By DURGA DESAI Contributing Writer

Content warning: This article contains mentions of sexual assault in describing the plot of “Dead Man Walking.”

“Dead Man Walking,” the most widely produced opera of the 21st century, opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2023-24 season on Sept. 26 and tells a profound story of forgiveness and love within the system of capital punishment.

Joseph De Rocher (Ryan McKinny), an inmate on death row in the high-profile Angola State Penitentiary, laments that 17 minutes is “how long it takes to decide whether a man should live or die.” Convicted of rape and murder, De Rocher’s pithy comment encapsulates the brutality of the justice system: It only takes a few minutes to determine one’s, very permanent, fate.

Originally released as a memoir by Sister Helen Prejean in 1993, “Dead Man Walking” was adapted into a highly successful film in 1995, directed by Tim Robbins and starring Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean, before it was recently composed into an opera by Jake Heggie.

The story centers around the spiritual journey between Sister Helen (Joyce DiDonato) and a murder convict on death row, De Rocher.

The operatic adaption raises no question of De Rocher’s guilt, beginning with him and his brother brutally raping and murdering two teenagers, a bold departure from the ambiguity of the film adaptation.

By placing the murder upfront instead in contrast to the film’s storytelling technique: Revealing bits and pieces throughout the runtime, the narrative shifts from questioning De Rocher’s guilt to exploring the story of death, forgiveness and love at the center of Sister Helen’s novel.

The opera follows the deepening of Sister Helen’s relationship with De Rocher, while she serves as his spiritual adviser

and concludes with the chilling scene of De Rocher’s execution.

In a controversial move, the production behind the opera chose to feature both of the pivotal scenes (the initial attack and rape of the teenagers and De Rocher’s execution) on-stage, rather than briefly referencing or alluding to the act.

While the story is explicitly about capital punishment, it also explores fundamental moral dilemmas, stretching beyond the labels of right and wrong, good and bad, nun and convict.

According to the New York Classical Review, “McNally insisted that these traumatic events be depicted onstage, not just implied or referred to. This production handled the two dramatic bookends in radically different ways: the crime in a blurry night video to start the opera, with the teens and their attackers in a chaotic struggle ending in dimly-seen shooting and stabbing, and the killer’s execution in a brightly lit room, a slow, clinical process of lethal injection, videoed live and projected many times life size in excruciating closeup.”

While the story is explicitly about capital punishment, it also explores fundamental moral dilemmas, stretching beyond the labels of right and wrong, good and bad, nun and convict. It presents itself to be a story of two human beings — so seemingly different — coming together.

Sister Helen and De Rocher connect over faith, empathy and their admiration for Elvis Presley. Though the opera

is centered around the heavy topic of capital punishment, it frequently utilizes witty humor (such as the Presley medley) to break up the tension. While this balance exists, the governing tone of the opera remains centered around themes of grief and the pain of losing one’s child — be that De Rocher’s mother or the families of the victims — as the characters navigate conflicting feelings about the morality of the execution.

DiDonato, a Mezzo soprano, was proclaimed by The New York Times to have a voice “nothing less than 24-carat gold” and that’s clearly no exaggeration. Her domineering and melancholic performance of Sister Helen moved both the audience and De Rocher toward vulnerability, empathy and ultimately, forgiveness.

De Rocher showed an intimidating, yet charismatic personality through McKinny, a bass baritone. His breathtaking performance and intense expressions portrayed De Rocher’s humanity — not the monster other characters make him out to be — and made the process of forgiveness more attainable. Perhaps, however, the most impressive part of his performance was when did more than a dozen pushups with no wavering in his vocal performance.

The performance breaks many of the audience’s expectations coming into the show as the show is so much more than spirituality and the death penalty. For one, this is not an opera on missionary conversions or biblical teachings. In fact, the show has traditionally been performed with steel bars, dividers and shackles, but they have none of that at the Met Opera.

The current set, however, is devoid of any objects (aside from the occasional prison bed or bench).

With its creative use of shadows, the open, liminal spaces are turned into confines of human fears. By using an institute-like set and clearly demarcated areas of movement, the audience isn’t

distracted by the physical barriers between the two characters and is forced to focus on their emotional and spiritual connection.

One of the most unique elements of the opera was its use of live camera operators: recording the singers and projecting the video on a large screen. When Sister Helen first arrives at the prison, the camera uses live editing to blur the faces of the convicts and rapidly moves to create a jarring effect and dehumanize the prisoners. In other scenes, however, the camera zooms in crisply on De Rocher, showing just how human he is.

This signature technique of Ivo van Hove, Belgian theater director and producer of the Met Opera’s “Dead Man Walking,” was remarkably used to set the tone and dictate how the audience is supposed to perceive the characters.

As this was the dress rehearsal, the audience had the unique opportunity to see the music director Yannick NézetSéguin hand out real-time feedback and even stop the opera to redo a scene.

Despite his critiques, the orchestra seemed nothing short of stellar and did a fantastic job of varying the tempo to match the emotions of the scenes.

Yet, the most impactful scene was when there was no sound at all — the scene of the execution. As De Rocher lay on his deathbed awaiting his lethal injection, only a deafening silence was to be heard. The live cameras crisply zoomed in on his face, and the realistic intensity of the scene held the entire hall in a harrowing paralysis. On stage, white light shined on De Rocher while those watching were bathed in red. Sister Helen stood at the edge.

The silence was finally interrupted by Sister Helen singing the same hymn with which she began her performance. The opera ends the same way it begins — from an awful illegal murder to a legal murder by the state.

The profound opera following an inmate on death row will run at The Met Opera throug

gh Oct. 21.

COURTESY OF KAREN ALMOND VIA MET OPERA LAYOUT DESIGN BY ALYSSA SHONK

Opinions Universities Should Pay Their Athletes

Student athletes commit so much time and effort to their sports — it’s time they receive compensation for it

SIMRATH PARMAR Opinions Editor

College athletics, especially at a Division 1 (D1) school like Fordham, are a big time commitment. Sports consume their participants’ lives, forcing them to live and breathe nothing but their athletic careers. Because of that, it’s time for universities to consider paying their athletes.

Life as a university student is already stressful, as one is forced to juggle their GPA, internship applications, extracurriculars, a social life, a good night’s sleep, and “adulting” for the first time in their life. Now imagine adding 20 hours of athletic training every week on top of that — college just became 10 times harder.

At the end of the day, universities are profiting off these student-athletes Besides not being able to allocate enough time to get a job or have a social life, college athletes can rarely find the time to be a student. Even as a high school athlete, my schedule was school, tennis, workout, tennis again, shower, and finally finishing any homework or studying I had to do.

One season, I decided to swim for my high school’s swim team, and by the end of just a couple of hours of swimming, I was exhausted. If three to five hours of practice and training were too much to endure, I can’t imagine how physically exhausted college athletes are, as the demands of school and sport amount to more than a full-time career.

The career of a college athlete does not begin on their first day of training on campus. For many, their athletic careers start at as young as five or six years old. Further, some football players from Fordham and Rutgers universities with whom I spoke told me that, in high school, they were multisport athletes, meaning they trained yearround, working their bodies hard even outside of football season.

When student-athletes begin their collegiate careers, it does not become any easier; the pressure of maintaining athletic scholarships weighs heavily on students’ shoulders. They must remain focused and committed, spending most if not all of their time on sports and academics, with little opportunity to partake in other aspects of the college experience such as participating in clubs or applying to internships.

Currently, the NCAA does not allow college athletes to receive any compensation from schools for their athletic performances. However, the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) deal, which was created in 2021, allows college athletes to have paid partnerships with brands or sponsors.

The NIL allows college athletes to profit off themselves through products, advertisements, public appearances and other publicity. Although the NIL deal allows players to receive some compensation, it may not be equivalent to that which the player contributes to their school team.

At the end of the day, universities are profiting off these student-athletes. Publicity is a great way to make a little extra cash, but at least some of the millions of dollars in revenue that schools make off of college sports should go to their student-athletes.

Even though they are fulfilling dreams of attending college to play their favorite sports, constant training can become a bit draining.

Student-athletes have to face both the mental exhaustion of being a student and the physical exhaustion of being an athlete When your sport becomes your whole life, it can easily become overwhelming. It is necessary that we find a way to abolish the rules of the NCAA and urge it to allow college athletes to profit from their sports careers.

On top of the 20 hours a week student-athletes spend on their

sporting careers, they also must dedicate hours to their academics. The NCAA requires student-athletes to be enrolled in a minimum amount of classes, typically 12 credit hours per semester. In those classes, they have to uphold a minimum GPA requirement to continue playing for their college or university.

Students know how mentally draining school can become. October marks midterm season, and it feels as though as soon as one exam or assignment finishes, the next one rolls around the corner. I have spent a lot of time studying, and I could not imagine having the added pressure of attending practice or training for long hours every day.

Student-athletes have to face both the mental exhaustion of being a student and the physical exhaustion of being an athlete, essentially working two jobs at once. The NCAA needs to recognize that by mandating that schools compensate their players — they can certainly afford to.

Big 10 schools such as Rutgers, Michigan State and Purdue universities, make as much as 58 million dollars per year in revenue just for football. Last year, Fordham made over 37 million dollars in revenue for college sports.

This money is made from the work of the athletes who have put consistent time and effort into their sport for years. They should receive compensation for their time and energy, especially since it has come at the expense of other aspects of their lives and college experiences.

Universities already receive a large amount of funding from tuition and fees, sponsored research, private grants and more. There is enough funding that at least a fraction of the revenue made from sports can be allocated to student-athletes.

Ultimately, the lack of compensation for D1 athletes, like ours here at Fordham, needs to be addressed.

The NIL deal has made strides toward equity, but it is not enough. Student-athletes are entitled to at least a portion of the revenue made from college athletics by their schools. They train and play like a full time job — it’s time they be paid like it.

Opinions Editors Jake Eraca Matthias Lai October 18, 2023 THE OBSERVER

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October 18, 2023

Opinions

11

What’s the Stigma Around Women’s Nipples?

Nipple discrimination, enforced in school dress codes and social norms, is a sexist double standard AVA MIN Contributing Writer

For centuries, the fashion industry — which is centered around the framing, covering and enhancement of the female breast — has expanded. From balconettes, bustiers and bandeaus to sport sets, demi-cups, push-ups and halters, today’s overflowing bra catalogs are as jam-packed as the McKeon

Hall elevators at 8:21 a.m. on a Monday morning.

But, when and why did bras become such an inherent component of clothing? According to AnaOno, an American lingerie company, the first true brassiere was made in 1869 from a corset split into two. The garment sparked the beginning of the bra’s evolution, which made it customary for women to conceal their breasts and nipples, while shirtless men were permitted to gallivant through society.

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This form of “nipple discrimination” is contemporary and can be found in the enforcement of school dress codes. In 2018, Lizzy Martinez — a high school student in Bradenton, Florida — decided to wear an outfit without a bra to school one day to reduce the pain from a bad sunburn. She was taken to the principal’s office and told to “X out her nipples” with bandages. The school’s administration reportedly described Martinez’s choice of clothing as “disruptive to a conducive learning environment.”

That same week, Martinez’s male friend, Markey Vazquez, wore a tight, semi-sheer shirt through which his nipple piercings were wholly visible. Vasquez was never dress coded, proving that an astonishing double standard exists. The issue was not really whether Martinez’s nipples were a disturbance, but rather they were deemed disruptive because of her gender.

Martinez isn’t alone. Many women — myself included — have to revise our fashion choices as a result of it.

My mother used to tell me that “no one wants to see a girl’s nipples out in the wild.” In Korean, she would call them “창피하다,” (pronounced “chaeng-pi-hehdah”) which roughly translates to “embarrassing.” While I don’t agree with her that female nipples, as a concept, are undignified, there’s an unspoken rule that nipples should be hidden from plain sight.

Because of this, wearing a bra is generally an unquestioned part of my fashion choices — especially in professional settings. According to The Wall Street Journal, women

express concerns about their nipples showing through their clothing at work.

While I might be comfortable not wearing a bra at a march for climate action or at a Laufey concert, I’m less likely to feel that comfort at work, where I’m paid as a coach to speak with concerned parents about their young childrens’ futures in competitive figure skating. I need to appear professional, and a woman’s nipples are not synonymous with professional.

So, the choice becomes: black lace or nude polyester? The pink mesh or the navy cotton?

These choices only exist to be made because of the premise that I will need to wear a bra tomorrow, regardless of what activity I have planned. And it doesn’t even matter what the bra looks like, so long as it accounts for nipple coverage. If I, like Martinez, want to go to classes without wearing a bra, I have to be willing to brave the potential judgment passed down from a society that caters to the male gaze.

In August 2015, American television host Jimmy Kimmel inquired about a rainbow-sequin and heart-pasties outfit Miley Cyrus wore as a guest on his talk show. In this case, even if you make it in Hollywood and have nearly all of your breasts showing on live television, your outrageous outfits should still cover the nipples.

It seems to be that it’s alright to show the breast fat around the areolas but not the insidious nipple itself. Your boobs can bounce as long as you’ve crossed bandaids over the “scary part.”

However, is the scary part the nipple or is it just your gender?

Societal norms seem to suggest the latter.

In 2012, with the birth of the “Free The Nipple” movement, outspoken women tried to attack this double standard. The viral social media trend urged women around the world to ditch bras entirely. I myself went on a rampage, refusing to wear either of the two bras I owned for a full three months. Even among the throngs of shirtless women who attended nipple-freedom protests and sported signs that read “My body is not indecent” and “Stop sexualizing baby food,” bedazzled nipple pasties covered almost all of the attendees’ areolas.

To an ironic extent, seeing a horde of women with exposed nipples would draw attention at any protest, even at a pro-nipple demonstration. Even at a demonstration that aims to destigmatize female nipples, that very stigma is present amongst its female combatants. If any men were present at such a protest, it is unlikely that they would also feel the need to wear a nipple-pastie.

It’s completely acceptable for men to go shirtless, but for women to attempt to do the same would be an automatic indicator of something provocative.

In the centurieslong quest to command a woman’s curves, bra companies have managed to construct the ultimate holding device with hook and eye closures. Nipple discrimination is the ultimate culmination of gendered double standards in the 21st century. Instead of fixating on whether nipples are exposed, we should focus on the personalities of the women who are attached to them.

Addressing McMahon RamFit’s Overcrowding Problem

The newly renovated fitness center needs to provide more machinery and opportunities for gymgoers to exercise FATIMAH WAQAS Contributing Writer

The relentless academic and extracurricular pressures of college underscore the need for consistent physical exercise in students’ daily routines. But even following the renovation of the RamFit Center in McMahon Hall throughout 2022, this aspiration feels like an elusive dream at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC).

The fitness center’s multipurpose studios and weight and cardio rooms should ideally provide abundant space and machines for all gymgoers to exercise, meditate and maintain overall physical fitness; however, the Lincoln Center RamFit Center in McMahon Hall’s status as the only gym has made it incapable of sustaining the demand during peak hours.

When the new RamFit Center opened in January, I aspired to make it my sanctuary through which I could alleviate my academic and personal stress. After a heavy day of lecture-based classes and assignments, I wanted to head to the gym to work out or meditate. I aimed to feel the apprehension of exams and assignments leaving my energized body at the end of a good workout session.

Like most people I knew, my classes spanned throughout the day, so the evenings were my only chance I was available to go to the gym. However, the RamFit Center, especially its cardio room, was filled to the brim whenever I have tried to visit, typically between the

hours of 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thus, because I could only exercise in the evening, I felt excluded from using the fitness center in peace.

This disdainful memory and observation points to a serious problem: At peak hours, especially on weekdays during the evenings, the Lincoln Center RamFit can become congested to the point that it is nearly impossible to enjoy a workout without feeling claustrophobic or waiting for someone else to stop using a machine.

I am particularly critical of the cardio room for its shortage of treadmills and stair machines. The lack of equipment and the need for more space in the cardio room amplifies the overcrowding problem at the Lincoln Center RamFit and results in less productive workouts. This inconvenience disrupts the flow of a workout and adds anxiety and tension to an environment that should be tranquilizing instead of stress-inducing. The weight room also has a reported shortage of equipment, as there are not enough bench presses and dumbbells.

To escape the crowd and equipment shortage, I often went to the studios, a soothing space for all purposes, including yoga, stretching, pilates and other self-workouts. Since these rooms are spacious, I achieved more personal and intimate workout sessions here, feeling relatively more relaxed and tranquilized compared to my experiences working out in other parts of the gym.

Additionally, I had my personal mat and resistance bands

with me, so I was able to better utilize the studios and exercise without the need to wait for equipment, allowing me to have more productive workout sessions.

However, students, particularly treadmill enthusiasts, cannot rely solely on the serene, spacious multipurpose studios.

The administration must, therefore, solve overcrowding by incorporating more machines in the cardio and weight rooms for the center to become a better exercise spot for the Fordham community.

Prioritizing physical wellness should not come at the price of frustrating gym experiences.

Admittedly, the cardio room is tinier than other gym parts and might not have space for excessive machines. The university can solve this problem by possibly taking some space out of the plaza to devote to the fitness center.

I understand that renovating RamFit at Lincoln Center again might be challenging since it reopened this year. However, students need more machines in the fitness center, and the only way to do so is by expanding the gym space even more.

An alternative solution could be creating a system where users can make reservations for specific time slots. Currently,

reservations can only be made for the studios on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the university should provide students with a reservation system for all aspects of the fitness center. This will ensure that every student and member of the Fordham community has an opportunity to utilize the RamFit Center without feeling crowded or unable to exercise the way they want to.

The RamFit at Lincoln Center was initially designed to cater to the needs of gymgoers at Fordham. The current issue with overcrowding and a lack

of equipment, however, is an obstacle for people to benefit from the gym properly and detracts from the center’s purpose of promoting a healthier lifestyle.

It is high time more machines are instilled in the center, especially in the cardio room, to accommodate everyone simultaneously. If the administration cannot do so, the RamFit Center might not become the premier exercise spot for FLC students. After all, prioritizing physical wellness should not come at the price of frustrating gym experiences.

ABBY GRUNZINGER/THE OBSERVER

The RamFit Center at Fordham Lincoln Center reopened in January 2022, featuring a newly renovated cardio room.

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Opinions October 18, 2023

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Parents Should Not Post Their Children

Family influencers who use their children as the highlight for their social media content are exploitative KATHERINE VARRELL Contributing Writer

In recent years, family-centered content on TikTok has been reaching greater audiences than ever before. This ranges from videos showing children lounging and playing games to parents oversharing private information concerning their children’s lives. The problem with this type of content are the exploitative practices behind it.

Family vlogging is not a new nor recent subsection of content creation, and has been around since the creation of platforms such as YouTube in 2005. Since then, several parents began using social media platforms to share intimate moments of their family’s daily lives with larger audiences.

In the U.S., parents legally have the right to upload videos of their children online. There is no law that specifically prohibits parents from sharing content of their child or from exercising the right to share their family life on social media. This allows parents to misuse their authoritative power and post their children on social media without the consent of the child.

Some states are beginning to set up protections for child influencers, though. Illinois recently signed a bill that will go into effect July 1, 2024, ensuring that children under the age of 16 are compensated for any content they are featured in.

Parents are supposed to be safeguards for children, but the family influencer career is antithetical to that aim. Children with influencer parents risk having cameras shoved in their faces during delicate moments, such as their first period or if they fail a test in school. Their steps in their adolescence are documented and viewed

by thousands of people a day.

Not only is this content an invasion of privacy for children as they are unable to have the authority to consent to what is being uploaded, but it should also be considered child endangerment. Considerations regarding online safety as well as “stranger danger” have gone completely out the window.

Parents are now providing more avenues for child predators to obtain content from their children. Jaquelyn Paul, a mother of one and a content creator on TikTok, came under fire for posting videos of her toddler in “compromising situations” as Paul showcased her playing with tampons or bathing. These types of videos often reached the attention of adult men, many of whom left comments displaying their perversion.

Viewers noticed the uptick in this style of content from Paul and the increase in shares and likes the videos were receiving.

As a mother, she has the duty of protecting her child from sexual exploitation on social media.

Following this controversy, many parent influencers, including Bobbi Althoff, decided to no longer post their children’s images on social media or discuss them at all. Althoff, who originally began her social media career as a family TikToker, has recently changed her content style to focus on herself rather than her children.

This rebrand has been extremely successful for Althoff and allowed her to gain popularity. The American media personality now hosts her own podcast called “The Really Good Podcast” and has proven that being an influencer does not need to revolve around her role as a mother.

While Althoff has shifted the focus of her content away from her children, others are only getting more exploitative.

Recently, Ruby Franke of the 8Passengers YouTube channel was arrested on felony child abuse charges and lost custody of her children. Franke had been documenting her children’s lives on YouTube since 2015 for their 2 million subscriber base to see. The channel was deleted in 2022 after Franke and her husband Kevin Franke separated.

Franke and her ex-husband were often criticized by viewers for their abusive parenting practices. Shari and Chad Franke, the eldest children, cut ties with their parents once they turned 18. The youngest four Franke children are currently in state custody following their mother’s arrest.

Since the Franke family publicized their lives for several years, the ongoing investigation has become highly documented as well. An already traumatizing event for these children is becoming even more so as intimate details of their mother’s abuse are shared with the public.

The problem with these social media accounts is the lack of autonomy children have if a parent chooses to disregard their child’s needs in exchange for social media validation. In these cases, children are treated as props rather than humans.

One argument family influencers typically make is that their children enjoy the popularity and recognition of being famous on social media. However, it can be said that children cannot grasp or understand the implications of their lives being documented on social media; they cannot logically consent to such an impactful decision.

Another argument that many parents make is that nobody has a problem with child actors and their fame compared to children being posted on social media. The difference between a child actor

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and a child influencer, however, is quite stark.

Child influencers rely on personal information to be shared whereas child actors are impersonating a role. There are virtually zero boundaries between the viewer and the child as an influencer. Everything shared about family influencer’s children is real information compared to child actors, where their name may be publicized, but oftentimes the child actor is recognized under the name of the character for which they are famous.

While it is true that the entertainment industry can be exploitative toward child actors, child actors receive far more legal protections than child influencers. The Coogan Law protects the actor’s earnings from their parents and requires that 15% of the wages earned by a minor be withheld by the employer and placed into an account that will become accessible once the child is an adult.

In contrast, child influencers are susceptible to never receiving any payment from their parents’ influencer fund, despite being the focus of popular and lucrative social media accounts. This means that parents can make unlimited amounts of money from their children without them sharing in the profits.

The environment of film production also differs greatly with numerous adults present all holding each other accountable to protect the children on set.

With content creation, parents are trapped in an echo chamber without any outside influence, direction or forms of accountability.

While the influencer industry is still fairly new to many, protecting and advocating for the rights of children should be at the forefront of people’s minds. The exploitation of children will have serious consequences in the future and it is vital for children’s safety that these protections are put into effect immediately as the industry continues to grow.

Your Murder Will Make ‘Great’ Background Noise

True crime podcasts have built an empire on the ruins of real lives and desensitized their listeners to tragedy NORA KINNEY Contributing Writer

In April 2020, I desperately needed something to curb the tedium of early quarantine. I settled on repainting my bedroom and took to the project with vigor, completing it over the course of a week. To fill the silence between brushstrokes, I turned to reliable long-form audio entertainment — true crime podcasts. For that week, it was just me, semi-gloss paint and a disembodied voice narrating the demise of countless innocent people.

Inhaling paint fumes and indulging in hours of violent media is not exactly a practice in mindfulness, but it did not strike me as an outright harmful use of my time either. Only in the following months — when my true crime enthusiasm waned — did I step back to thoroughly consider its cruel implications.

Upon questioning the premise of the genre, true crime answers for itself. By cutting down trauma to a palatable 45 minutes and interjecting it with inappropriately cheery ads, true crime podcasts make tourist attractions out of gravestones.

Sensationalism obscures the nuance of a victim’s personhood and enshrines them in the infamy of their killer. This, along with nauseating listener responses such as serial killer fan clubs, invasive internet sleuths and a

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hypervigilance to personal safety that slips into paranoia, is evidence to the fact that true crime entertainment is a sinister cheap thrill.

In light of this realization, I was left feeling not only complicit in the exploitation of reallife tragedy, but also shaken by the extent to which I had been desensitized to it.

Case facts are filed away neatly in my memory and read with all the exuberance of a police report: Victim bled dry in the bathtub and dissolved with acid. Victim stabbed upward of 30 times. Victim found with organs missing. Victim identified with dental records due to physical disfigurement. Spiked through the cranium. Chopped, bagged, sunk.

The brutality is endless.

No doubt, the allure of true crime media stems from a seemingly infinite reserve of shock factor. Listeners satisfy their morbid curiosity by knowing that whatever episode they choose is certifiably horrific — and thus utterly fascinating.

This mechanism of instant gratification, all too familiar in the age of social media, has troubling repercussions. When it operates to convey highly graphic content, a recipient’s tolerance subconsciously builds up. Over time, emotional sensitivity plateaus.

The saturation of the true crime audiosphere does just this, with some popular shows pumping out weekly installments for years on end. Now, fans have a revolving door of horror at their disposal. Listen on your

commute! Listen with friends!

Listen before you go to bed! Let it play in the background and deaden your own empathy.

One fan, posting on a subreddit for their favorite show “Morbid”, lamented a steady decline in descriptive gore. “They use to tell us every gruesome detail of a story and that is what made it interesting, but now they’ll just skip over details because it’s ‘too much’ ...

They’ve really gotten too soft and have become way too commercial to be properly enjoyed.”

The commenter views censorship as an impediment to their listening experience rather than an effort to retain victims’ privacy and dignity. Their favorite podcast is part of an extractive entertainment industry predicated on effective raw material.

The listener demands to be entertained; thus they feel entitled to the plunder of personal tragedy.

This is not to say that every true crime podcast is a soulless cash-grab turning us indifferent to suffering. Some podcast producers take care to cover cases ethically and pursue justice for the victims that were affected.

The show “Crime Junkie” has donated over $640,000 to different advocacy organizations and charities with help from its devoted listener base. On several occasions, they have directly supported families of victims whose stories they’ve covered. In 2021, one of the co-hosts, Ashley Flowers, founded Season of Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to funding

investigative agencies in their efforts to solve cold cases.

I understand that some listeners may expect moral follow-through from their favorite true crime podcasts. The genre does raise some degree of awareness, which can lead listeners to dignify themselves as patrons of a noble cause.

However, I hesitate to call the business altruistic. Despite the show’s philanthropy, “Crime Junkie” also advertises a paid fan club membership and the hosts have toured the country, performing a rehearsed episode for ticket holders.

The spectacle of violence is a longstanding tradition in the world of media entertainment.

When it comes to reality — rather than fictionalized narratives — we cannot lose sight of the people who were impacted.

True crime podcasts capitalize on victims, shoving tragic source material into machinery that cuts it to size and coats it in shiny lacquer. The output is a formulaic portrait of the killer and the killed.

Notorious criminals are delineated and mythologized in full color, their names committed to our collective memory.

The other party is rendered in caricature: a jumble of many stolen lives, ubiquitously referred to as “the victim.”

I implore true crime enthusiasts to see the cruelty in reducing humans to soundbites of their violent ends and to consider taking a break. Painting victims with such broad strokes is an unmistakable desecration in itself.

Arts & Culture Editor Aditi Praveen Kariyanahalli

Arts & Culture

October 18, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Tetlow’s Second President’s Ball Fosters Campus Unity

The weather conditions and rain did not prevent students from partaking in one of Fordham’s storied traditions

By CHAISE JONES Staff Writer

Amid a relentless downpour, Fordham University’s annual President’s Ball illuminated a gloomy night with the warmth of camaraderie. The intercampus event united the university’s two student bodies, inviting students from Fordham Lincoln Center and Fordham Rose Hill to celebrate the night on Edward’s Parade at the Rose Hill campus.

A staple of the university’s social calendar, the President’s Ball is traditionally a time of celebration and elegance. High hopes were abuzz for the student body. Zoe Comstock, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’25, has attended the President’s Ball throughout all three years of her enrollment and said that she came to experience a “live Fordham event” where so many familiar faces would be present.

The music became a unifying force, and students were drenched but delighted as the weather did not affect the event’s program.

Nalini D’Souza’s, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’26 and a second-time attendee, said her expectation for this year’s President’s Ball was a “myriad of tightly packed, jumping-up-and-down, sweaty bodies,” and she wasn’t too far

off. According to D’Souza, the picture was complete with the presence of University President Tania Tetlow.

This year, the event reinforced the importance of intercampus gatherings in fostering a stronger sense of community In fact, one of the most anticipated moments of the evening was Tetlow’s arrival. Known for her warm and approachable demeanor, the president greeted students under the tent on Edward’s Parade but notably refrained from shaking hands with attendees. This subtle shift in her usual approach struck a chord with many, leaving students to wonder the reason behind the president’s reservations.

Isabel Velazco, FCLC ’24, said she knew “a lot of people who were going to come but last-minute did not, so I was concerned there wouldn’t be good energy.”

Even so, the joint celebration was a testament to the enduring bond between Fordham’s two campuses.

Despite the hourlong, vertigo-inducing Ram Van ride that often divides the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses as well as concerns regarding the rain, students came together to scream the lyrics to chart-toppers such as Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” and Bad Bunny’s “Effecto.” The music became a unifying force,

COURTESY OF NALINI D’SOUZA

Even with the rain pouring outside the tents at this year’s President’s Ball, Fordham students from both campuses came together for music, food and dancing.

and students were drenched but delighted as the weather did not affect the event’s program.

While a shared enthusiasm for music was present, eventgoers remarked on the predictable playlist. The DJ’s setlist mirrored that of last year’s President’s Ball, evoking memories of high school dances and 2000s Digicam weddings and suggesting a need for a fresh infusion of creativity and originality.

Not too far from the slippery dance floor sat food tables, at which students commented on a noticeable change in the food quality. While President’s Ball has never been celebrated for its fine dining or culinary delights, attendees were served single-package Chocolate Chip

Grandma’s Cookies alongside the usual fare this year.

“They had mac and cheese bites ... chicken tenders, watermelon, cookies and I think pigs in blankets,” Trish Scully, FCRH ’25, said. “The food was pretty good but it was just the food you would get in the caf.”

The downgrade from grocery store cookies to vending machine contraband left many scratching their heads and further underscored the questions surrounding the allocation of university resources: Is Fordham divesting from the President’s Ball?

Despite these hiccups, the President’s Ball remained a poignant kick-off for Fordham’s homecoming weekend, ushering in a sense of unity across the

university as well as anticipation for the upcoming school year.

This year, the event reinforced the importance of intercampus gatherings in fostering a stronger sense of community — where one, in line for chicken tenders and mac-and-cheese bites, could lean toward a student from the opposing campus and observe the music, food or Porta Potties together.

The rain, rather than being a hindrance, acted as a symbol of good fortune. The old wives’ belief that rain on a wedding day is a sign of luck seemed fitting. As students danced the night away under the indigo strobe lights, the incoming storm blessed the union of Fordham’s campuses, infusing the night with an extra touch of magic.

Radical Dance at the Met: Vignettes of Martha Graham

The museum’s new exhibition incorporates a series of live performances honoring the dancer’s legacy

By NORA KINNEY Contributing Writer

Just after 5 p.m. on Oct. 7, a barefoot figure in a white top and long black skirt emerged from the crowd gathered in the Charles Engelhard Court at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The figure stepped into the open space in the middle of the gallery and assumed a starting pose. Her presence was undeniably arresting. The audience fell silent and awaited her first movement, which would ignite a performance entitled “Immediate Tragedy” — an excerpt from the work of legendary modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.

An entrancing piano melody began to play and the figure rose, exuding quiet power. She then transformed into a whirlwind of dynamic intensity. She ran toward the crowd, keeled over and retreated backward, then pulled into a seamless pirouette.

The performer’s motions were controlled and exact, from skyhigh leg extensions to contractions of the torso. Her composure morphed from commanding to frantic to resigned, all at the pivot of her heel or bowing of her head.

Punctuating each move was the sound of her breath, which could be heard by audience members.

The dancer’s gaze raked across their many faces, close enough to make some avert their eyes. The performance concluded with the dancer slumping to the floor and the room erupting into applause.

As a part of the Met’s new exhibition on culture and politics in the 1930s, a series of Graham solos were staged around the museum at different intervals, featuring dancers of the Martha Graham Dance Company. “Immediate Tragedy” was performed by Anne Souder, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’14, a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA program.

Graham is considered a revolutionary figure in the history of contemporary dance, and her vision and accomplishments continue to influence the art form today. Her seminal dance technique is based on the principle of contraction and release, pelvic movement and the “spiraling” of the torso around the spine.

Over the course of her 70-year career, Graham created 180 choreographic works and collaborated with a pantheon of artists, composers, directors and designers. Her work subverted conventional artistic definitions of femininity, contrasting the rigid aesthetics of ballet that held prominence in the world of dance. Through this, she offered a reimagined feminine identity: a woman anchored by deeply emotive and primal physicality.

The American dancer and choreographer debuted her iconic solo “Lamentation” in 1930 at Maxine Elliot’s Theatre in New York City, which was brought back for its reenactment in the Leon Levy and Shelby White Court of the Met by Martha Graham Dance Company dancer So Young An.

An wore a tube of fabric that encased everything but her face, hands and feet. This restrained her movements, which created dramatic tensile shapes and conveyed a wrenching sense of inner conflict. Graham described this work as an exploration of grief — in her words, using the fabric to “indicate the tragedy that obsesses the body, the ability to stretch inside your own skin.”

The feeling of suffocation was palpable as An pushed desperately against the fabric, nearly consumed by its distortions. She became a pulsing manifestation of torment — less human form

than visceral human experience.

Other works in the performance series included “Spectre-1914” (1932), “Satyric Festival Song” (1932), “Ekstasis” (1933) and “Deep Song” (1937). Each brought the audience into a fleeting vision of life — sharing glimpses of the prismatic and often indescribable sensations of being.

Many people feel out of their depth when it comes to interpreting modern dance. Admittedly, experimental movement is often discomforting. Some completely dismiss it as absurd, while others grasp for familiar physical motifs in an attempt to illuminate facile

symbolism. In the face of abstraction, viewers desire a procedural logic that will not emerge nor guide them to meaning.

Performance art is foremost an experience, not a puzzle.

The vignettes of Graham at the Met remind us that every beautiful and strange moment lives only once. We are brought together to share evocative experiences and then pulled apart toward disparate endings. Performance art replicates the momentum of this cycle. It contracts around meaning — holding it in place long enough to make us feel — and then, it releases.

GRAPHIC BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD

Throughout her 70-year career, Martha Graham’s work influenced the feminine identity in the sphere of modern dance.

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Arts & Culture October 18, 2023

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THE OBSERVER

‘Sex Education’ Season 4: Hope for All Who Need It

The final season of ‘Sex Education’ offers a new spin on the beloved show heralded for its representation

By HANNAH VENNING Contributing Writer

* Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the fourth season of “Sex Education” After two agonizing years of anticipation, the fourth and final season of “Sex Education,” the British dramatic comedy series by playwright and screenwriter Laurie Nunn, was released on Netflix on Sept. 21. Following its debut in 2019, “Sex Education” quickly won over audiences with its complex cast of loveable, relatable and redeemable characters navigating the erotic and complicated world that we all know as high school.

“Sex Education” is a show like no other — one that unapologetically portrays the impossible challenges of growing up in an entertaining yet earnest manner while boldly embracing sex as a means of storytelling. The series follows Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), a painfully awkward teenager and son of a sex therapist, as he follows in his mother’s footsteps and opens his own clinic.

What begins with an anxious virgin whispering sex advice through bathroom stalls, quickly becomes a chronicle of teenagers exploring their identities as they navigate the sexual trials and tribulations of Moordale Secondary School.

Nunn’s approach to this material avoids the patronizing pitfalls of so many other coming-of-age stories, and it is the diverse and well-developed cast that truly sells the show.

The show’s diversity is exactly the kind that audiences deserve, and the characters are not tokens or plot devices, but rather fully fleshed

NETFLIX

While the show dealt with heavy themes such as addiction and assault, the fourth season of “Sex Education” offered its audience hope and assurance. out individuals with unique struggles that accompany their identities without defining them.

While the show has addressed relevant and heavy themes since its inception, what makes season four so poignant is its focus on religious trauma, gender dysphoria and addiction. Besides these thematic elements, the final season is also set apart by its open embrace of all that is queer and colorful, bringing these storylines from the backdrop and into the spotlight for the first time in the show’s tenure.

After Moordale Secondary loses funding with the close of the third season, the cast embarks on a new journey at its much more cheerful and progressive counterpart: Cavendish College. The

new season is still characteristically framed around sex, but here, unlike at Moordale, it is expected and embraced. With a more open outlook on sex and the removal of the obstacles presented by a closeminded institution, the show is able to delve further into the character’s personal issues and better explore their complicated identities and experiences.

This is especially evident in Eric Effiong’s storyline, as he continues to struggle with the intersection of his Nigerian, Christian and queer identities. Played by Ncuti Gatwa, Eric wrestles with his identity throughout the show, bearing the burden of disapproval as a result of his sexuality and vibrant self expression.

This internal conflict is further elevated by his mother’s insistence that he become a baptized member of his family’s closeminded congregation. However, rather than the tragic ending audiences are so sorely accustomed to, Eric’s story closes with hope. His vulnerability and unapologetic queerness ultimately lead him to discover his own desire to become a pastor, offering much needed affirmation to religious LGBTQ+ people everywhere, that they have the power to find and create spaces where they are loved as is.

Beyond Eric’s storyline, this season also does a wonderful job portraying a variety of trans and nonbinary characters. Unfortunately, diverse and dynamic representations of trans individuals are few and far between, as the media either fails to represent the community’s diversity or disproportionately focuses on the most painful aspects of the trans experience. However, “Sex Education” goes far beyond the despair that audiences have come to expect, sharing the trans joy that is too often discounted.

While the show features a couple, Roman (Felix Mufti) and Abbi (Anthony Lexa), who identify as transmasculine and transfeminine respectively, the season centers on the returning character Cal Bowman (Dua Saleh). Cal is nonbinary, and season four documents the beginning of their physical transition, exploring the strained relationship with their mother who struggles to accept their identity, as well as the physical and mental toll their dysphoria takes on them.

These experiences offer a personal, realistic and necessary

depiction of what it means to be a nonbinary teen, reminding trans youth that they can embrace their identity and still find love, happiness and acceptance.

Although the show’s exploration of queer and trans identities is both eye-opening and heartfelt, it also delves into grief, illustrating the complicated and painful experience of addiction. Addiction is an inherently complex disease, one that becomes even more difficult when your parent, the person supposed to protect and care for you, suffers from it.

During season four, one of the show’s central characters, Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), loses her mother to an overdose, and when she returns from America to process this grief, she delivers a eulogy that achingly acknowledges how “a mother can be a pretty shit parent sometimes, and you can still love them and want them to get better. And someone can be an addict and still be generous and kind.”

Maeve verbalizes her contradicting feelings and accepts the difficulty of her situation rather than shying away from it, offering heartfelt assurance to other children of addiction that they are not alone in their conflicting feelings.

Season four of “Sex Education” is arguably its best yet, providing hope for single mothers, trans youth, children of addicts, victims of sexual assault, queer people of color and anyone else who may need it. Nunn does not lie about how hard the journey will be but instead comforts audiences with the promise of a loving community, self-acceptance and a better tomorrow.

New Yorker Festival Highlights New Comedian Memoirs

The New Yorker’s Emma Allen interviews Aparna Nancherla and Ziwe Fumudoh about their new books, comedy, cancel culture and their shared hatred for social media

By BRETT DALIS Contributing Writer

Pop culture’s biggest and brightest musicians, journalists, comedians, authors, actors and filmmakers congregated in Chelsea from Oct. 6-8 at the 24th annual The New Yorker Festival, straddled between Webster Hall and the SVA Theatre. On the second day of the festival, Emma Allen, cartoonist for The New Yorker, interviewed comedians Aparna Nancherla and Ziwe Fumudoh at Webster Hall following the publications of their respective memoirs, “Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome” and “Black Friend: Essays.”

Allen opened up the conversation with the author/comedian duo by probing them to share their writing processes, specifically how they were able to stay motivated. Nancherla expressed that the material came to her easily because of her ongoing struggles with self-doubt and imposter syndrome in her dayto-day life; she highlighted that writing her book became a good way to materialize those struggles. Fumudoh gave herself ultimatums, telling herself, “you gotta write today or you’re in trouble,” or alternatively, “you’ll get a donut.”

Allen then noted Nancherla and Fumudoh’s mentions of Brett Kavanaugh and the expectation to be soft-spoken as a woman in their books, shifting the conversation to their place as women of color in comedy. Fumudoh explained how she finds her perception to other people as “terrifying,” with which Nancherla

agreed, stating that she is “perpetually waiting to be misunderstood.” Nancherla later brought the mood back up by dubbing Fumudoh as “the gotcha journalist of Brooklyn-based comedy,” a title that solicited a laugh from Fumudoh herself.

Between questions, Allen had prepared clips from Nancherla’s skits and both Fumudoh’s Instagram lives and her Showtime talk show “Ziwe” so that the audience could get a feel for the kind of humor that would be referenced in conversation. An excerpt used was from the episode of “Ziwe” that featured Nancherla, showing Fumudoh practicing her trademark “baiting” technique, in which she comically corners her guests into saying politically incorrect statements.

On the topic of comedy, Allen pinned the two interviewees as people who are “doing comedy wrong,” deduced from the experiences shared in their memoirs about being entertainers who go against the grain in their content. When asked how they respond to that claim, Nancherla responded that she did not know how else to do comedy. This proved to be a problem for her when having to write skits for other people, as she often heard the critique that they sounded too “Aparna.”

Fumudoh recounted her time in college interning at The Onion, a satirical media company and newspaper publication, where she felt that her comedic voice had been “washed out” to keep the voice of the newspaper consistent.

Fumudoh then explained how she has kept her confidence by finding what she likes in other comedians

and seeing it in herself. She concluded this segment by addressing the crowd as follows: “To all the Ziwe Jr’s out there, you’re enough.”

Failure, specifically how to face failure, was a prominent topic returned in different iterations throughout the conversation. Fumudoh and Nancherla said their identities as women of color in the comedic realm allow them to lean on each other for advice on dealing with failure.

Nancherla shared that she is learning to “lean into” failure, a trick that she picked up from Fumudoh’s book. Likewise, Fumudoh noted that she learned the importance of showing vulnerability, despite it being against her nature, from Nancherla’s memoir. She admitted that this was refreshing for her to read, since she perceived Nancherla as someone perfect prior to the book.

When Allen brought up social media, Fumudoh and Nancherla both mentioned a deep running hatred for the role that certain platforms like X, formerly known as Twitter, have taken in recent years. Fumudoh further expressed that these apps used to be a playground for creativity in comedy but overall have become too intertwined with politics and career progress to be fun anymore.

Nancherla said she is thankful that she does not have to rely on social media to maintain her career and can allow herself to step back from it without consequence. Fumudoh acknowledged that social media was what got her where she is and recognizes that it can be a useful tool to

refine your voice in comedy — if used correctly.

Allen asked Nancherla and Fumudoh if they were afraid of cancel culture due to the raunchiness of their content. Nancherla simply stated that she is canceled by all Swifties following a 2017 tweet regarding Swift’s single “Look What You Made Me Do” and said she is still scared of them.

Fumudoh brought up how Megyn Kelly had tried to cancel her for having a clip of her show played at a private school. She

emphasized that she “tried” to cancel her since Fumudoh otherwise had no control over where her content was played. She earned roars from the audience by concluding that thought with this: “How can you cancel the wind?”

The duo has a natural ability to captivate audiences with their charm. Attendees of The New Yorker Festival were lucky enough to see these two minds play off of each other in real time and be able to balance an informative panel about vulnerability with humor.

WALLY GOBETZ VIA FLICKR

Comedians Aparna Narcherla and Ziwe Fumudoh spoke about vulnerability, social media and cancel culture at the 24th annual The New Yorker Festival in Chelsea.

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October 18, 2023

Arts & Culture

15

New Dark Comedy ‘Hit Man’ Captivates Audiences

Richard Linklater and Glen Powell penned the script for their most exciting collaboration yet at the 61st annual New York Film Festival

By EPHRAM OLIVER Staff Writer

“Hit Man,” the latest film from “Dazed and Confused” director Richard Linklater, made its U.S. premiere at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Square on Oct. 3 as a part of the 61st New York Film Festival (NYFF). The experience of attending the festival is worthwhile enough, but it certainly helps when viewing a film as enjoyable as this.

The comedy-action film is declared by the opening credits to “kind of” be based on a true story. A loose adaptation of Texas Monthly writer Skip Hollandsworth’s 2001 profile, “Hit Man” follows a man who leads a double life as a psychology professor and an undercover contract killer for the Houston police department.

The main conflict kicks off when Maddy (Adria Arjona) solicits Gary’s services to kill her abusive husband (Evan Holtzman). Due to her kind demeanor, Gary discourages her from moving forward with her plan and instead recommends that she get a divorce and move on with her life. The two begin a romantic relationship, leading Gary to begin to get tangled up in a web of lies associated with his double life.

Hollandsworth and Linklater, in their first collaboration since 2011’s “Bernie,” take the script’s comedic premise from the 2001 profile and exaggerate the pulpier elements of the story while deconstructing the Hollywood myth of the “hit man.”

A standout montage early in the film sees Powell meeting with clients in a variety of establishments, donning tough-guy outfits and spouting fake strategies for body disposal. It is these scenes

NETFLIX VIA FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER

The dark comedy film based on the 2001 “Texas Monthly” article, “Hit Man,” premiered in the U.S. as part of the 61st New York Film Festival at Lincoln Square.

that are most faithful to the source material and help to highlight the comedic elements.

The script probes the dark and delusional corners of humanity, where one chooses to deal with their life circumstances by blindly trusting a stranger to kill a human being in exchange for payment.

This money eventually serves as the proof of solicitation that consigns these otherwise ordinary people to a life behind bars.

If this description sounds similar to another gritty crime thriller, rest assured that Linklater’s breezy humor and unpretentious style is utilized to great effect here. During the question-and-answer session that followed the film, Linklater discussed how he

wanted to merge the noir detective story with the screwball comedy. The story’s inclusion of a “femme fatale” character in the form of Maddy highlights the influence of the noir genre.

Throughout the rest of the film, the audience experiences the tension between Gary’s two identities. This is demonstrated well in a sequence that crosscuts between his philosophical lecture about the id and the ego and his romantic and faux-criminal escapades. Viewers see how far Gary has disappeared into “Ron,” the fake hit man persona he uses around Maddy, as he starts to get his facts mixed up with the police. They also see his frequent contact with Maddy as a conflict

of interest, but he just cannot help himself.

What was once an obligation has become an absurd, twisted roleplaying exercise where he gets to embody someone much more confident and spontaneous than himself.

The film — co-written by Powell — makes unique use of the actor’s talents, simultaneously convincing the audience that he is a divorced, bird-watching, cat-owning, glasses-wearing dork, as well as a hunky, overprotective boyfriend. One could say he steals the show, but this would discredit how generous of a performer he is.

In the scene that will probably be most widely remembered

from the film, he goes to Maddy’s house and yells at her — knowing they might be recorded — while communicating advice to her through the Notes app on his iPhone. Her character is forced to improvise on the spot while responding to his direction. The two animatedly play off each other’s chemistry before reaching a rousing conclusion that received much applause in my theater.

There are few real movie stars left, actors whose talent and onscreen charisma encourage audiences to flock to the theater no matter what they are in. After what he accomplishes in this role, I think Powell should be considered among them.

Filling out the film’s supporting cast are Retta and Sanjay Rao, who help to ground the story’s whackier elements. While they are likable presences in “Hit Man,” the two resemble comic relief sidekicks on top of an already amusing central narrative and do not have a lot of individual interiority. Separate from this is Jasper (Austin Amelio), however, the undercover cop who was suspended and replaced by Gary, whose character evolves nicely and serves as a semi-antagonistic force.

“Hit Man” concludes on a morally gray note that may shock some viewers, but I found it darkly hilarious and an enjoyable subversion to expectations.

If not for Netflix’s poor promotion of their original content and tendency to reject wide theatrical releases, I am positive the film would do well with a large crowd, as it is consistently entertaining and thought-provoking.

With any hope, “Hit Man” will find its audience on the streaming service and become a modern cult classic. A critic can only dream.

‘Poor Things’: A Female Frankenstein

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest release is a biting feminist take based on Alastair Gray’s novel

By LUCAS GONZALEZ Contributing Writer

Yorgos Lanthimos, known for “The Lobster” and “The Favourite,” premiered his latest film at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 29.

The Greek director, popular for his absurdist narratives and societal satire, takes his works to new heights with “Poor Things.”

Described as a feminist adaptation of “Frankenstein,” the film tells the story of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman who is brought back to life by Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) using the brain of an infant. Following the procedure, the series of events that unfold are thrilling and incredible.

The film is vibrant, bright and colorful which allows viewers to imagine seeing the world for the first time through Baxter’s eyes.

Based on the 1992 eponymous novel by Alasdair Gray, the story takes on the unending misogyny and double standards that women face, while at the same time, allowing the viewer to experience the world through the eyes of a newborn, intentionally forcing a rebirth of optimism and wonder

for the world that may be withering away, culturally.

Lanthimos has created a fascinatingly chaotic film, that sparks fascinating existential questions, about a woman with the brain of a child. Is life defined by the social expectations that one is expected to fall in line with or is it defined by how we choose to deviate from the status quo.

Does life mean one must conform to society’s expectations? Or does life mean one must follow one’s dreams? Or is it more complex than that? While the film does provide an answer, it gives the audience space to draw their own conclusions.

As for the acting, Stone’s performance as Baxter is something that most actors could not achieve in their entire lifetime. It is raw, passionate and it is the heart and soul that makes this film feel alive.

Stone plays a woman trying to discover herself in a world that can be unjust and cruel, while never losing her childlike optimism and desire for improvement. The actress assumes the role with a conviction that makes it almost impossible not to root for Baxter and her journey of self-discovery.

In a year where cinema seems to be focused on highlighting the stories of women, “Poor Things” certainly abides, if not exceeds those standards.

The rest of the cast — Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott — all give exceptional performances in their respective roles. Unfortunately,

none of them hold a candle to what Mark Ruffalo accomplishes in this film. Portraying an incredibly hilarious, juvenile, yet hateful character, Ruffalo never fails to deliver, and his performance is second only to Stone.

The production values are stunning and while the aesthetics depart from Lanthimos’ usual style of bleak tones and cool color palettes, the film is vibrant, bright and colorful which allows viewers to imagine seeing the world for the first time through

Baxter’s eyes. The narrative takes us all over Europe — from Portugal to Greece, Paris and London — with each place serving a different purpose in Baxter’s self-discovery.

Although the overt sexual imagery used throughout the film and on the sets may be too much for some, it advances on the double standards women face regarding sex. In fact, the entire film uses Baxter’s experience to comment on the societal hypocrisies women face, by showing how the men in

her life try to control her, in more extreme ways than others.

While Baxter’s path is messy, comical, difficult and most of all heartbreaking, it still allows her to engage in a journey of self-exploration.

I honestly cannot get enough of this film, with its universal message of wanting to be understood in a world that refuses to recognize one’s humanity; it is a triumph of what films can be and how there is no limit to the stories we can tell.

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Emma Stone stars as an infant girl stuck in a young woman’s body revived by her scientist father played by Willem Dafoe.

Fun & Games Editor Abby Grunzinger

un & ames

October 18, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Crossword: Food for Thought

BY ABBY GRUNZINGER

Across 1. It can come in oat, soy or skim varieties 5. “And others,” in Latin (Abbr.)

9. Artistic medium of Studio Ghibli movies 14. The spookiest Great Lake?

15. Part of a shoe

16. Common broadcast form 17. *Key lime level of simplicity? (3 Wds.) 19. Suppose 20. Explosive letters? (Abbr.)

21. A state of matter 22. Canada’s neighbor (Abbr.)

23. “30 Rock” and “Mean Girls” writer/actor Tina ___ 24. Excessive shopping trip 27. Corn storage structure

30. Ending of Nicole Kidman’s AMC ad: “Because here, they ___.”

31. Response to a ques.

34. *Tranquil tuber? (2 Wds.) 39. Government org. created

by Nixon in 1970 41. On edge 42. Candy covering 44. Bustling Brazilian city, for short 45. *Bit from the ocean? (3 Wds.) 47. Weep 49. Test that records heart’s electrical signals (Abbr.)

50. Supporter 51. Regions 53. Like nines or tens?

55. Closing number of “A Chorus Line” 56. Word following “chocolate” or “science” 57. Horror franchise featuring serial killer John Kramer 60. Potato-based potable 62. *Where struggling briny cucumber seeds might be located?

65. “Game of Thrones” saying: “And now his watch is ____” 66. Employee hired on a shortterm basis 67. Formal title typically used for young, unmarried women 68. Common Valentine’s Day bouquet 69. “Should I ____ or Should I Go” by The Clash 70. A ladybug has at least one black one

Down 1. Type of competition, as for swimming or track 2. Country to the west of Afghanistan 3. You might make one for groceries 4. Unlocking device 5. Writing form for Didion, Ephron or Orwell 6. Shirts, blouses, tanks and more 7. Famed boxer Muhammad 8. Marvel universe co-creator Stan 9. A lawyer when they present a case for your side in court 10. Common symptom for the seasick 11. It can be bright or bad 12. “Les ___”: shortened term for Jean Valjean’s musical 13. Greek goddess of the dawn 18. Measured by number of years around the sun 23. Geometrically, these lie on the major axis of an ellipse 24. Settled in the audience for a play 25. Shrimp-like crustacean 26. Fashionably nostalgic 27. Healed wound that left a mark 28. Chemical bond involving opposite charges 29. Egyptian city on the site of ancient Thebes 32. Only country with a nonrectangular flag

33. Witchy cast 35. Hoard 36. A mash of blended fruits or veggies 37. Major Japanese port city 38. What you might call a clumsy caveman 40. Creatively inclined 43. National Merit Scholarship qualifying test (Abbr.)

46. Accounts on a popular photo-posting platform (Abbr.)

48. Aaron Judge or Mark Twain’s Hank Morgan, for two 52. Cracks open “Infinite Jest,” for example 53. Cheerful and content 54. Prominent Jedi Master, for short 55. Ones, threes, fives, sevens and nines 56. Spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism 57. Slang for an album track that you would not listen to 58. In addition 59. Direction to face the sunset 60. Not horiz.

61. Lennon’s wife 62. 1946 Christmas dramedy “___ A Wonderful Life” 63. Ideal destination for a puck or basketball 64. Department for journalism or film majors at Fordham (Abbr.)

Logic Puzzle

Sudoku

BY ANA KEVORKIAN

BY JASMINE WHITE

Instructions: Each row, column and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1-9 exactly once.

Oh no! The statue of the ram at the Lincoln Center campus has gone missing, and the alibis of the four main suspects have all been jumbled. Help us match up each suspect with the dining hall they were eating at (location) as well as what meal they were eating (time of day) so we can track down the perpetrator and bring justice to the university. The first clue has been put in for you as an example — use “X” to cross out the incorrect placements and “✓” to denote the correct matches. After you’ve matched up each suspect, you can check your answers with the grid on the bottom corner of the page!

Argo Tea

Cody

Mick

Phil

Community

Ram Cafe

Schmeltzer's

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

2 5

Dessert

X

Lunch

X X X

2 8 4 5

2 6

X

Breakfast

6 1

1

X

Sally

3

1

7

1 3 7 5 6 4 1 8

3 3

1

2

5 9

4 6

5

Dinner

Dessert

Ram Cafe

Sally

Schmeltzer's

Phil

Breakfast Dinner

Argo Tea

Mick

Dessert

Community

Cody

Dining Hall

Name

Lunch

GRAPHICS BY GIADA EVANGELISTA AND ALYSSA SHONK

Meal

1. Sally ate breakfast.

2. Mick ate at Argo Tea. 3. Ram Café was not open for dinner.

4. Phil ate lunch.

5. Sally did not eat at Schmeltzer’s.

6. Whoever ate at Community had dessert.