Observer Issue 1 Spring 2023

bserver

Faculty Union Calls Off Strike

By ALEXA VILLATORO Asst. News Editor

Fordham University and Fordham Faculty United (FFU), the union representing nontenure-track professors at Fordham, reached a tentative three-year contract agreement on Jan. 18 after months of negotiations that began in March 2022. The tentative agreement came just under two weeks before union members were set to strike on Jan. 30.

The university accepted the terms of the latest contract proposal presented by the union that called for increased compensation per course, the provision of a health benefit for adjunct professors, and reduced pay disparities between schools at the university. The tentative agreement does not achieve complete pay parity as the union had originally proposed when negotiations began.

The contract is now pending ratification by union members through a majority vote and a vote of approval by the university’s board of trustees.

By KASSIDY DE NOBREGA Staff Writer

The first stage of Fordham’s core curriculum revision is in progress after a nearly three-year effort. The plan to modify the core began during the 2020-21 academic year, and the first stage of its revision is expected to be completed this April. The current core curriculum, instituted in 2008, has been challenged by students and faculty, creating a pathway for its reworking to begin.

The current core curriculum has been critiqued for varying reasons by students across different majors, who cited a lack of attention to diversity and anti-racism in its requirements.

In 2020, ASILI, the Black Student Alliance at Rose Hill, in collaboration with the United Student Government at Rose Hill, proposed the addition of a mandatory anti-racism course to the core curriculum. The student groups advocated for an anti-racism course that would uphold the Jesuit character of the liberal arts core curriculum with the purpose of “bridging the gap between Fordham and its students of marginalized racial and ethnic groups.”

The Diversity Action Coalition also proposed a core curriculum revision in response to the university’s diversity and inclusion mission in 2016. The proposal included a new distributive requirement entitled “Diversity and Society” and a Bronx-focused first-year seminar course. The coalition argued that this would facilitate significant engagement between students and diversity issues from the start of their college careers.

Amanda Rogers, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC)

’25 and a psychology major, said that she feels the required courses for the core curriculum can be overwhelming. She praised the core’s inclusion of different course materials, but believes that the curricula can be more encompassing of various cultures.

“I think the core is rather dense, in comparison with other colleges and universities,” Rogers said. “The core is diverse in that it draws in different perspectives, yet maybe they can draw on specific cultures as much as others. I feel that there is an emphasis on cultures we most often see without really touching on others, unless the course’s theme itself is specific to it.”

Students studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have voiced complaints regarding the difficulty of completing both core curriculum and major requirements in four years.

Sadiah Choudhury, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’23 and a biology major, said that she appreciated the core’s requirements but noted that her main problem with the university’s core curriculum is the “sheer number of classes” STEM students had to complete on top of the courses that are needed to satisfy her major. She added that the additional workload is difficult in combination with the demands of her other classes.

“A lot of my core classes were actually more difficult than my major classes and had a larger workload, so they prevented me from studying for my STEM classes as much as I would have liked,” Choudhury said.

By GABRIELLA BERMUDEZ AND AURELIEN CLAVAUD Sports and Health Editor and Asst. Sports and Health Editor

The Fordham men’s basketball team was on a tear as the halfway mark of their season — the end of the fall semester — came and went. The Bronx hoopers won 11 games in a row, including an impressive, high-intensity victory over Tulane University in New Orleans on Dec. 3. The Rams promptly flew home from the Big Easy and ripped through a home stand that saw them defeat Wagner College, 72-59; Binghamton University, 77-62; and Central Connecticut State University, 90-77. In their final home game before the start of the Atlantic 10 (A10) conference schedule, they defeated the Virginia Military Institute (VMI)

80-77 in overtime on Dec. 22. However, on Dec. 28, the Rams froze against A10 competitor Davidson College in a 57-43 defeat. Their season seemed optimistic, but their slate of games over winter break reinforced important lessons for the budding team.

A New Identity

Fordham has come together this year. Credit for this can be given to Kyle Rose and Antrell Charlton, both Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’24, due to their dramatic improvements over the previous season. Rose, despite playing fewer minutes, has seen his points-per-game spike from 7.5 to 9.7. Charlton has been a difference maker; his late game scoring and timely long range shots have uplifted the

Rams. Notably, his field goal percentage has gone from 33% last year to 45%, and his free throw conversion rate has improved by 30%, up to 90%.

According to Charlton, his improvement comes from confidence. He knows that if he plays well, he will elevate his team.

“Everyone is always on me about being more aggressive,” Charlton said. “It gives the team confidence when I’m making those shots. To me, it just brings energy to the whole team.”

However, despite his production uptick, Charlton is most proud of his team’s defense.

“We harp on our defense; that’s our identity at Fordham,” he said. “We harp on our attitude all the time — any adversity, just stay the course.”

COURTESY OF DIANE GEORGE

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

team

Fordham Bans Battery-Powered Vehicles

By MARYAM BESHARA News Editor

Following a spike in fatal fires across New York City due to faults in lithium-ion batteries, Public Safety issued an email on Dec. 8 informing university community members that all battery-powered electric scooters, electric bikes and electric skateboards would be banned on university property effective Jan. 3. The policy forbids individuals from using or storing their battery-powered vehicles on campus in an effort to avoid any hazards or fires that may erupt.

The email, which was sent by Associate Vice President for Public Safety Robert Fitzer, explained that the ban also stemmed from direction and safety recommendations from the Fire Department of New York. Fitzer noted that nearly 140 individuals have been hurt and six people have been killed due to fires caused by these batteries in 2022.

“The storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries in residence halls and other University buildings represent a serious hazard, as they may explode, causing injuries and starting fires,” Fitzer said.

Robert Dineen, assistant vice president for Public Safety, added that the decision was not due to any reported cases of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries on Fordham’s campuses but made out of an abundance of caution to protect both people and the university’s properties. He noted that the authorization of the policy was a “no brainer” because it would prevent community members from being harmed by any potential fires that may occur.

According to Dineen, Public Safety has received comments in support of the new policy, and the department has not heard any complaints against the ban.

“The community members were aware of the fire risk from the tragedies reported in the media,” he said. “They also mentioned that while walking on campus a scooter raced by them almost knocking them down.”

Andrew Kormilitsin, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’23, said that the new policy hinders students from transporting themselves around campus and defined the guidelines as “pretty vague” and an “extreme safety precaution.”

“It inhibits a lot of students from transporting themselves around campus,” he said. “It could be addressed in other matters.”

Kormilitsin noted that he has been using electric-powered devices for over six years and grew up in Manhattan, where he was part of a community that uses battery-powered vehicles. He added that he knows of over a hundred people within that community and is only aware of one person who had a battery malfunction that caused a fire.

“I’ve only encountered one negative issue with batteries which was related to somebody actively tampering with the battery to increase his voltage,” he said. “As a

result, when he was charging it, it exploded in his apartment which, even then, caused very minor damage to his wooden floor.”

Kormilitsin uses a Boosted board, a brand of electric skateboards, to travel to and from areas on campus that are far from his residence hall, such as Campbell, Salice and Conley Halls. He added that he utilizes his electric skateboard approximately three times a week but does not rely on it to travel to his classes.

Referring to the university’s decision to outlaw all types of battery-powered vehicles, Kormilitsin suggested only banning certain types of electric-powered devices but acknowledged that it

may be difficult for the university to enforce that rule. He said that he believes it is easier for Fordham to blanket ban all devices without understanding that most of them are safe to use and have no issues whatsoever.

“I personally still have my devices and everything,” he said. “I still use them. It hasn’t fully stopped me from doing it. No one has told me anything.”

Kormilitsin shared that since the ban he has passed Rose Hill’s Matteo Ricci Circle located at the university’s entrance while using his Boosted board to travel around campus. The entrance has a security guard located inside the post who did not stop him. He added that notices about the ban were posted in his residence hall but believes that the university may not make an effort to go after individuals who are using battery-powered devices because they have already ensured the postage of signs stating their prohibition.

According to Dineen, Public Safety will issue a warning to any individual who is observed to be using battery-powered vehicles on campus and direct them to a perimeter rack located near the university’s entrances to secure their device. If an individual routinely violates the university’s policy, their conduct would be “forwarded to the dean of students or university department head for appropriate follow-up.”

Dineen added that the university is in support of the ban, and its goal to keep people safe.

“Our job is to keep the campus community safe and this decision goes a long way in helping us do just that,” he said.

Fordham CCEL Joins NYC Mayor in Bronx Federal Study

By MARYAM BESHARA and ANA WINSTON News Editor and Contributing Writer

Fordham’s Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) has partnered with Bronx-elected officials and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to address the Cross Bronx Expressway’s effects on residents and the borough in a $2 million federal grant. The stipend will fund research for rectifying an urban planning design that has caused widespread chronic health issues in the Bronx’s neighborhoods of color and will allow the community to decide how to use the space freed up by the removal of parts of the expressway.

The expressway, which cuts horizontally through the middle of the Bronx, contributed to high levels of noise and air pollution around the South Bronx neighborhood, causing the community to report increased levels of respiratory illnesses and other health issues.

The grant was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and was submitted by the New York City Department of Transportation, the New York City Department of City Planning and the New York State Department of Transportation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, according to the city’s official press release.

In the city’s press release, Michael Brady, senior vice president of economic development and policy from the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, said that the study will develop a community-driven plan and identify strategies for transportation connectivity and sustainability.

Nilka Martell, founder of Loving The Bronx, an organization tackling social and environmental issues throughout the Bronx, joined Adams, U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres of New York’s 15th district, U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat of New York’s 13th district, New York City’s Department of Transportation, and CCEL in a press conference held on Dec. 19, 2022.

Adams noted in the press conference that the initiative plans to confront the effects of a stacked highway system following the displacement of thousands of residents and the expressway’s “tearing apart of a vibrant community.” He said the highway’s construction was racist and divided communities of color across the city through displacement.

“The Cross-Bronx Expressway was a scar carved through the heart of the Bronx, turning bustling streets into ghost towns,” Adams said.

Julia Gafney, executive director of CCEL, said that CCEL was founded in 2018 to “engage every member of Fordham University in community-based work that advances social justice and protects human rights.” She noted that part of the activities CCEL leads include research and course projects that help advance community solutions.

“This is all about partnerships: policymakers and community organizers working in concert and pushing each other toward solutions,” Gafney said.

“To do environmental justice work well, we can see from this project that we must start with community-led action that puts frontline communities in positions of power.”

Marie Atendido, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’24 and vice president of Lincoln Center’s environmental club, said that she believes the reimagining of the Cross Bronx Expressway would be beneficial. She noted that this effort would particularly aid Black and Latine communities in the surrounding area that have been affected by the noise and air pollution the expressway has caused.

Atendido added that the decision should have come sooner and that the delay is an example of environmental racism.

“I just think it’s unfair that specifically people of color with a lower socioeconomic background have been faced with a disproportionate amount of exposure to toxic waste facilities, dumps and pollution,” she said. “They are not only involuntarily placed in areas that put them at higher risk of toxic exposure, but then they are also excluded in spaces such as environmental policy making about their homes and lives.”

Rohit T. Aggarwala, chief climate officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, noted that the study will evaluate the needs of communities and propose equitable living conditions.

The study was created following grassroots movements organized in the area surrounding Fordham Rose Hill. According to Surey Miranda-Alarcon, director of campus and community engagement at CCEL, the center hopes to incorporate relevant feedback in order to address issues near the university’s location in the Bronx.

“One of the priorities of the study is to incorporate

community feedback in terms of the process of how (the reconstruction) is going to happen and rethinking what the space that will be created is used for,” Miranda-Alarcon said.

Stephanie Diaz, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’26 and a resident of the Bronx, believes that the study is important in addressing how the levels of pollution have affected the health of citizens of the Bronx. She added that the socioeconomic status of residents living alongside the Cross Bronx Expressway is also a factor of consideration in this conversation.

Diaz noted that the study is a necessary step toward improving the quality of life for residents of neighborhoods surrounding the expressway.

“Most of the people I know who live or have lived in that

area have asthma or other respiratory conditions that are most likely because of all the pollution from the Cross Bronx,” she said. “And because most of the people from these areas are from low-income households, they don’t have the funds to move somewhere else, or they simply might not want to leave because of the convenience.”

Miranda-Alarcon noted that CCEL will continue to utilize its resources in order to aid the efforts to reimagine the Cross Bronx Expressway throughout the course of the study.

“We are a well-respected higher education institution in the Bronx, so there is a moral imperative that we have to make sure that the Bronx, our home, also offers livable and dignified conditions for all people that live in the Bronx,” she said.

A surge of fires and the FDNY’s fire safety regulations were critical factors in Public Safety’s decision to prohibit lithium-ion batteries on university properties

KIA FATAHI/THE OBSERVER

Fordham Public Safety issued a ban on battery-powered scooters, bikes and skateboards on all university properties following safety recommendations from the FDNY.

COURTESY OF ABIGAIL LO/THE OBSERVER NYC Department of Health officials speaking with Urban Plunge participants in August about the Cross Bronx Expressway and its contribution to Bronx residents’ asthma rates, which are the highest of any community in the nation.

Fordham Welcomes Asylum Seekers to Manhattan

By MATTHIAS LAI Features Editor

Fordham Lincoln Center’s (FLC) newest neighbors moved in just three blocks south of campus in November 2022. Due to an influx of asylum seekers arriving in buses at New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal, The Watson Hotel, located on West 57th Street, was converted into a temporary shelter for migrants by the City of New York on Nov. 10, 2022.

The hotel is one of the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRC) recently opened by the city, since New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency on Aug. 7 and directed all relevant New York agencies to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The city’s response was prompted by a higher volume of asylum seekers from nations including Venezuela, Columbia, and Senegal arriving at the southern border of the U.S., affecting the city’s operations as thousands are being bussed by the Texas government to New York City and other sanctuary cities in the country.

criticism of this shelter.

New York City has a four-decade- old “Right to Shelter” law that requires the city to provide housing for its unhoused population, including newly arrived immigrants. Activist groups felt that the conditions the city created for migrants staying on Randall’s Island violated these regulations.

Only three weeks after it was opened, the Adams administration declared that they would shut down the facility and relocate residents of the humanitarian center to The Watson Hotel.

Experiences of a Resident at The Watson Hotel

added that he does not think he will bring his family to the U.S. because of the laborious immigration system.

“That is a time consuming process,” he said. “I prefer to work here and help them.”

He is currently employed by a car wash and sends the money that he earns from his work to his family in Venezuela. His dream job is to own a food distribution business, which he believes is possible now that because he is in the U.S.

“Thank God I am in the land of opportunity,” he said.

of immigrants who have moved into The Watson Hotel. According to the New York Post, there is a waiting list for a spot in the hotel as of Jan. 6, which the city claims has 600 rooms to accommodate migrants.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, Adams said that there were “nearly 28,000 asylum seekers in our care” and added that the city is overwhelmed by the number of migrants who continue to enter the city.

Community organizers have expressed dismay at the city’s handling of this housing crisis.

“I really recommend seeking out a Community Engaged Learning course or one of our programs,” she said. “We have several fellowship programs through the center where students can do a semester-long or a yearlong project working alongside faculty educators and community educators.”

The shelter at The Watson Hotel was implemented in November 2022 to replace a controversial “tent city” that was opened on Randall’s Island less than a month prior, on Oct. 20.

Inside the Randall’s Island shelter, there was a communal living space with rows of green cots lined head-to-foot and wallto-wall. Concerns about the cold weather and lack of access to the rest of the city also fueled

While the shelter at Randall’s Island was meant to house migrants for only a few days before they were moved to more permanent housing, some of the men who moved in when it first opened stayed there until it was shut down.

One of those men was 28-yearold Angel, who traveled to the U.S. from Venezuela with nine other migrants in October 2022.

Angel, who asked that his last name not be disclosed to protect his identity, said that he left his three children in Venezuela. He

Angel’s journey required him and his friends to cross the Darién Gap, a 60-mile stretch of jungle connecting Colombia and Panama. The trek through the forest is a notoriously deadly journey known as a last resort for migrants attempting to come to the U.S.

“In this life, you have to risk in order to win,” Angel said.

Now, Angel is navigating life in the concrete jungle. He is currently residing in The Watson Hotel, but he hopes to find a different place to live.

“For now we can only count on the shelters,” he said. “Later I can organize myself and rent a room.”

Angel is only one of hundreds

Adama Bah, an activist since 2014 for immigrants arriving in New York, criticized the shelters the government provided for those in need of housing.

“The shelter system has already failed our homeless population,” Bah said. “How is it supposed to be any different for this group?”

Instead, Bah coordinated with people living in New York City who are willing to provide living spaces in their own homes. She sought to provide a safe space for marginalized people, including LGBTQ+ individuals, families that would be separated by the city, and victims of abuse, all of whom Bah feels the city has failed to account for in its current system.

Fordham’s Efforts to Aid Asylum Seekers

Before housing asylum seekers became a citywide crisis, Fordham was involved in helping migrants establish a new life. According to the university’s website, from 2016 until the COVID19 pandemic, Fordham Law School’s Feerick Center Immigrant Justice Project sponsored trips to the southern border. During these trips, students, alumni and other volunteers in the university’s Law School community visited the country’s largest immigrant detention center, offering assistance to detained women with children.

Fordham’s Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) is now in partnership with community organizations, including Team TLC NYC, the Belmont Islamic Center and Part of the Solution, that all work with immigrants.

Julie Gafney, executive director of CCEL, says that the center is willing to work with students to find ways that they can contribute to their community and receive credit for it.

Gafney says that approximately 100 students have worked with CCEL in the past semester to assist asylum seekers. Fordham students have begun to express their support for the asylum seekers living in the neighborhood.

David Castaneda, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’23, believes the presence of immigrants is good for the community.

“It is a great thing to have immigrants in New York City since they bring a part of their respective cultures and add beauty and diversity to our city,” Castaneda said. “There is a tremendous value in having immigrants in a community since it is an opportunity to learn more about other cultures, which helps promote inclusivity and open-mindedness.”

Kendall Beitler, FCLC ’25, echoed that sentiment, citing the benefits that stem from welcoming communities that bring with them a diversity of culture, language and experience to the neighborhood.

“I think it is very important to have immigrants in New York,” she said. “There is a lot of value in having people from different cultures together in a community.”

Beitler also mentioned that students cannot be isolated from the city in which their university is located.

“I think that Fordham students need to be more involved in the community around campus at Lincoln Center and Rose Hill,” she said. “A lot of students tend to ignore the problems that are happening right outside their doors.”

University President Tania Tetlow, J.D., reaffirmed Fordham’s ongoing commitment to help migrants.

“We need to think about how the Fordham community can help,” Tetlow said. “We were founded in 1841 to serve the immigrants steaming into New York, often with little else than the clothes on their backs and enormous determination.”

A new shelter for immigrants at The Watson Hotel sparks a renewed commitment to social justice in the Lincoln Center community

“ There is a tremendous value in having immigrants in a community since it is an opportunity to learn more about other cultures, which helps promote inclusivity and open-mindedness.”

David Castaneda, FCLC ’23

MATTHIAS LAI/THE OBSERVER

The New York City government is using The Watson Hotel to house single male migrants.

COURTESY OF ANGEL

A look at the inside of the Randall’s Island Shelter, which used to house migrants arriving in New York City. To alleviate the cramped quarters, officials started moving migrants to other locations in the city.

Fordham’s Core Revision Is Underway

Major modification to the university’s arts and sciences core curriculum set to be completed by April

Violeta Juncaj, FCRH ’23 and a student on the pre-health track, agreed with Choudhury on the difficulty of core classes. She said she felt that the material required for the core classes was much more complicated than she had expected and added that the larger writing assignments required by some of the core curriculum courses normally land during the final exam season or close to it, which interferes with her major classes.

Despite concerns and complaints with the core, Rogers said she appreciates certain aspects of the curriculum. She praised the emphasis on writing and the interesting reading material, as well as courses such as “Texts and Contexts: Latinx Speculation.”

“They choose really interesting reading material that sticks with you,” she said. “It also makes you think and broadens your interests.”

As for suggestions in regard to revising the core, Rogers recommended trimming the requirements for STEM majors, as well as avoiding the reteaching of skills that students may have already cultivated in high school in classes such as the English composition series.

“I think we should try to put an emphasis on making sure people don’t have to elongate their time spent (at Fordham) because they didn’t do a core since they were focusing on their major and then they have to do the core at the very end, losing sight of what they did in their major because it was so far ago,” Rogers said.

As a result of these concerns, the core revision process began with assembling a team of faculty members representing all colleges and disciplines across the university. The advisory board, which was chaired by Robert Hume,

associate dean of the faculty of arts and sciences and professor in the political science department, and Kirsten Swinth, professor of history and American studies, published a report outlining the faculty’s argument for revising the core curriculum.

The advisory board, which was disbanded after the stage one committee was formed, worked with Dean of FCLC Laura Auricchio, Dean of FCRH Maura Mast, and the revision committees to oversee the core curriculum’s first steps toward modification.

The report released by the board was supplemented with statistics and feedback from student surveys. According to Auricchio and Mast, the revision committees have placed the core curriculum “on the chopping block” and are expanding the implications that the modifications may have. Auricchio emphasized the importance of the core curriculum and acknowledged that it is imperative to periodically reassess its foundations.

“Fordham is very proud of coming from a 500-year Jesuit tradition, and so the core will always be grounded in those fundamental values — but should also always be responsive to the world as it changes around us,” she said. “I think that’s why any university core should be revisited from time to time.”

In addition to students, Mast and other faculty members also expressed dissatisfaction with the current core curriculum noting that certain requirements the core requires may be structured in a way that doesn’t help students.

Each stage of reworking the core is faculty-driven, though students on either campus will be invited to participate in discussions with revision committees. Employing a backward design model for

the revision, faculty committees will first tackle goals and desired outcomes and then move forward with requirement specifics.

“We’re really starting from scratch,” Auricchio said.

She added that the revision committees are focused on the vision and overall goal of the new core, as well as the learning objectives that students should achieve by the end of their collegiate career at Fordham.

According to the report prepared by the initial advisory board, stage one — entitled “Vision” — will “identify the broadest common learning goals for the core curriculum” and connect them to “specific learning outcomes.” Stage two will then entail mapping the curriculum onto the established learning goals and outcomes and choosing a curriculum model. The third and final stage will finalize plans for the new core’s implementation, administration and assessment.

Mast explained that if stage one is successful, a stage two committee will be formed, composed of elected faculty members who will collaborate on redesigning the core through fall 2023.

“Courses will need to be approved, and then phase three will be faster in that it’s just developing a structure for oversight and assessment,” Mast said. “It’s still a year, at least.”

Auricchio underscored the importance of the assessment stage in the core curriculum’s revision plan. She noted that the learning outcomes determined in stage one will serve as the yardstick by which the new core’s success is measured.

“We envision this as a constant process of assessment and improvement,” she said.

Although revision committees of each stage will be working toward benchmark checkpoints, the

academic year of the revised core’s implementation is yet to be determined. Whether non-first-year students at the time of implementation will be eligible to take advantage of the revised core is also undecided.

Auricchio and Mast discussed the notion of a rollout plan that offers the revised core to firstyears, the traditional procedure by which new undergraduate programs are implemented. Though faculty members of the stage three committee will propose the final implementation plan, Mast acknowledged potential complications of offering two distinct core programs.

“It’s probably going to be a complex change of requirements,” she said. “If we have too much flexibility, then we might not be able to meet what students need. We have limited resources — we are constrained. So, we’ll have to think carefully about the implementation.”

The deans also shared a hope that the core curriculum will no longer serve as a list of requirements that students have to fulfill.

OBSERVER

They aim for it to be more useful and relevant to the academic experience of students.

“One thing that we are in agreement on, based on the feedback we’ve heard from students, is that, to a lot of students, the core is a checklist of things to be gotten through,” Aurrichio said. “We don’t want it to be that. The faculty doesn’t want it to be that. The students don’t want it to be that.”

According to Mast, the committee working on stage one of the revision process is currently determining the “abilities, skills, perspectives, experiences and mindsets” a contemporary Fordham student should possess and is drafting universal learning goals and outcomes that will guide the stage two committee in designing the new core.

While referring to revisions, Mast said “whether that Fordham student is in Gabelli Lincoln Center, studying biology here at Rose Hill, or English, it’s supposed to transcend departments.”

Insiya Gandhi contributed additional reporting to this story.

By MEGAN YERRABELLI Asst. News Editor

The Offices of Student Involvement (OSI) and Residential Life (ResLife), alongside Dean of Students at Lincoln Center Jenifer Campbell, hosted a grand opening celebration of the McMahon RamFit Center on Jan. 19, a week after the center became fully operational. The first 250 students to attend the event were given a reusable water bottle with the RamFit logo on the front, and light snacks were provided while students toured the new equipment and machinery.

According to Christina Frankovic-Sepsi, interim director of student involvement, there were approximately 125 students in attendance and 50 university staff members.

The fitness center was designed by Joseph Scaltro, director of engineering services. Scaltro worked with OSI and ResLife to organize the gym’s soft opening, which took place from Dec. 12-20. During that period, the center debuted its cardio and weight rooms for student use. The multipurpose studios were then available after the gym fully reopened Jan. 12, and the area is now accessible to students and faculty.

According to students who were present during the launch, the gym was almost at full capacity during and following the event.

Emma Ritchie, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25,

arrived at the gym with a friend around 4 p.m., nearly two hours after the event had concluded, and noted that she struggled to find a space to workout.

“We could hardly get any machines to use,” Ritchie said. “The gym was pretty busy. Specifically, the cardio room and weight room were very full.”

Despite the large number of students who attended the event and visited the facilities, there were mixed reactions from gymgoers about the type of equipment provided and how the space was organized. Taehun

Kim, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ‘25, felt that the weight room was lacking in certain aspects. For example, he noted that the

weights only go up to 50 pounds. Kim added that the weight section needs dumbbells going up to 100 pounds, another squat rack or power rack, and at least two more bench presses.

“Those movements are essential for compound exercises,” he said. “Anyone who does exercise seriously knows how important compounds is.”

Attendees also criticized a shortage of locker space and the ResLife policies that have been instituted for renting those lockers.

The signs posted on each locker say, “‘Locker Rentals are available for the semester for an additional cost. If you are interested in renting a locker for the semester, please come by the main office, MCM 108 to inquire more information.

Please note: all unregistered locks will be clipped.”

According to the Office of Residential Life, each locker costs $50 per semester and there are fewer than 30 currently available for use.

Isaak Abud, GSBLC ’25, noticed these signs when touring the gym after the event.

“It’s a weird decision to not only put so few lockers on a campus of 5,000, but then also make none available after rentals, not to mention the additional cost after tuition prices,” Abud said. “I feel like the lockers should be first come, first serve like most gyms.”

Despite a few complaints, some students were excited that Lincoln Center students now had access to these new facilities. Vishesh Chawla, GSBLC ’25 and

vice president of the Commuting Student’s Association, gave insight to how the gym will benefit commuters who struggle to find fitness space near their home.

“I think what commuter students struggle in is to find a gym around their house and to dedicate time to that gym,” Chawla said. “Because it’s convenient for them before and after classes, they can just come and de-stress themselves and maybe take a shower or meet their friends here.”

He also mentioned how the new space can support more commuter-resident interactions on campus.

“I think it’s going to help bridge the gap between commuters and residents to act as a specific lounge space where both of them can meet,” he said.

Campbell also commented on her positive expectations of the new facilities and says she is excited about the possibilities that RamFit will provide.

“I think students are going to enjoy it. It’s a nice testament to us being able to improve the offerings for students,” Campbell said.

The RamFit Center will operate from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The dean’s newsletter noted that the gym’s cleaning and restocking hours will take place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m, during which the center will be closed.

Andrew Dressner contributed additional reporting to this story.

INFOGRAPHIC BY ALEXA STEGMULLER/THE

ANDREW DRESSNER/THE OBSERVER The

FFU and Fordham Reach Tentative Agreement

The three-year contract secures improved working conditions for adjunct and nontenure-track faculty

Union members will no longer strike and form a picket line on Jan. 30 as they had planned to in the event that the university did not accept the terms of FFU’s proposal.

Following 10 months of negotiations, Diane George, co-chair of FFU and adjunct professor in the department of sociology and anthropology, characterized the union’s second contract as an “important stepping stone” for the working conditions of nontenure-track faculty.

“It is not what we had hoped to get when we went into negotiations in the spring; it’s much better than we thought we were going to get,” George said. “We were shocked that we got it. I was very, very surprised.”

In a Fordham News press release from Jan. 19 announcing the tentative agreement, the university said that it “sought to balance the needs” of adjunct faculty members against the costs to students and families.

“We are grateful to the union leadership and our colleagues for the power of their moral arguments and above all, for their contributions to our students,” University President Tania Tetlow, J.D., said in the release.

Melanie Knuts, an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Social Service (GSSS), said that she believes the university administration reached an agreement with FFU following the “swelling of support” from community members.

“The administration’s strategy to remain rigidly nonnegotiable over fair salary increase (especially in the light of inflation), health insurance for adjuncts, and pay parity across Fordham schools over these past 10 months---until this 11th hour in our bargaining--has allowed FFU to build a momentum in its ‘people power,’” Knuts said.

In response to the tentative agreement, Devauntae Norman, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’26, said that he is happy that the university and union were able to avoid a strike. He added that he believes the university administration still needs to continue providing support for faculty members.

“It’s kind of unfortunate that it had to come to this point of us having to go out and strike for the professors and the faculty to get what they deserve,” Norman said.

“Not all professors are going to be the best and nicest, but every professor deserves equal treatment.”

$42,000 to $46,565.06 per year while senior lecturers and clinical professors will see an increase from $69,000 to $76,499.75. Lecturers, clinical assistants, advanced lecturers and clinical associates will see the same percentage increases. Those that are making more than the minimum salary will experience compensation increases but at a lower rate.

Under the new agreement, adjunct faculty members at GSSS with a master’s degree and zero to three years of experience will see an increase from $4,900 to $6,900 over the course of three years. Those with a doctoral degree and the same amount of experience will see an increase from $5,400 to $7,400.

At the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Service (GSRRE), adjunct instructors will see similar increases, but compensation at both schools will continue to fall short of that at the College of Arts and Sciences and others.

“As long as GSSS adjuncts suffer this gross pay disparity, Fordham communicates that our GSSS adjunct teaching is worthless, our GSSS students are worth-less, the work we do and the skills we have as social workers are worth-less, and our contributions to Fordham and society are worth-less,” Knuts said.

George explained that because second contracts are much harder to negotiate than first contracts, she is “pleased” with the achievements gained by the union but also highlighted that the agreement falls short of the goal of pay parity among schools at the university.

Equal compensation for all adjunct faculty members was initially proposed at the beginning of negotiations, but by the tail end of negotiations, it had been compromised. According to information compiled by FFU, the union decreased their initial proposal’s average compensation per course for adjunct faculty members at GSSS by 39.3% and 43.4% for those at GSRRE.

insurance policy, but the university administration and union agreed on the provision of a flexible spending account (FSA), an account of nontaxable, employer-contributed funds that can be spent on health expenditures like copays and prescriptions. The funds from an FSA cannot be used on health insurance premiums, which can cost hundreds of dollars a month.

“ Obviously no one wants to strike. It’s a lot of work. It’s risky for us because we can lose pay.”

“This has been possible thanks to the voices of students, tenured and tenure-track colleagues, and parents who joined ours when ours were becoming discouraged,” Valfredini said. “They really showed how much they value the work we do and our investment in the university community.”

One student, Brian Tong, FCLC ’26, felt that it was “ridiculous” that the state of contract negotiations had resulted in preparations to strike. He added that the university keeping Fordham community members informed about the working conditions of nontenure-track instructors is an important step for initiating change.

“I’m happy to see that there’s now health insurance on the table; I’m happy to see that parity among schools is closer,” Levy said. “Adjuncts, at the point where their labor keeps the whole operation running, should be valued as such.”

According to an FFU document reviewing the tentative agreement’s highlights, the union made several other wins in its negotiations.

GSSS field advisers will retain membership within FFU. Those requiring continuing education credits to maintain their social work license will have the opportunity to take up to 12 of these credits at GSSS at no charge.

The new tentative agreement now also allows adjunct professors to apply professional development funds beyond conferences they will present at. They will share the same eligibility as fulltime professors who can apply funds for conference travel, registration, and accommodations for discipline and pedagogy related workshops and classes.

FFU joins faculty unions at NYU, The New School and Barnard College, all of which have negotiated contracts for adjunct and contingent faculty members since 2022.

“It is a time for unprecedented support for labor,” George said of union organizing efforts across the U.S. In the New York metropolitan area, other faculty unions currently in negotiations are looking toward union achievements like that at Fordham.

The tentative agreement does not achieve the union’s goal of pay parity among schools. With this agreement, adjunct faculty members with zero to three years of experience at the College of Arts and Sciences will see an increase in compensation per course from $7,000 to $8,500 over the course of the three-year contract.

Contingent, full-time faculty will see a 10.87% increase in compensation over the course of their three-year contract. Teaching fellows will see a salary increase from

“For me at this point, personally, it does not reach pay parity, and that is a huge problem for a Jesuit university that claims to uphold social justice,” George said.

Union officers will also be compensated under the new agreement. Two officers will be designated for compensation by FFU each semester.

The tentative contract also includes a health benefit for adjunct instructors based on the number of courses they taught the previous semester. FFU was unable to negotiate a health

Adjuncts who taught one class in the previous academic year receive $300, those who taught two receive $400, and those who taught three or more classes receive $500.

“The concept of health care for adjuncts is now in contract, and that is a huge step,” George said.

George shared that she did not expect to learn of the university’s acceptance of the union’s contract proposal on Jan. 18 but said that it’s good news faculty members will not have to strike.

“You know, obviously no one wants to strike. It’s a lot of work. It’s risky for us because we can lose pay,” George said. “Ultimately the university has the right to replace us if they want to do that because the labor laws are not really in our favor on the question of replacement workers, so we were taking huge risks and people were committed to doing that, and we were ready to do it.”

Prior to the tentative agreement, Alessia Valfredini, Italian language program coordinator, director of the language program in the department of modern languages and literature, and a senior lecturer teaching Italian, said that as she kept up with contract negotiations throughout the summer and fall of 2022, she felt as though the administration had “no good will to move forward.”

After finding out about the tentative contract agreement, Valfredini noted that she was glad the administration had responded to the union’s call to “live up to our institutional values” but hopes that there will be further gains toward pay parity between schools and health care access.

“I don’t see them as just professors because at the end of the day, they’re also people. Sometimes we forget that other than playing a role as our instructors, they also provide a lot of outside value with their life experiences and various backgrounds,” Tong said. “Our professors are human, and I think understanding that greatly impacts how myself and other students feel toward the necessity of fairer pay and working conditions for them.”

Anna Levy, who joined Fordham’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) in 2018 and taught at Fordham until 2022, says that she has been impressed by the recently elected leadership at the union.

“They very quickly organized to strike, to put enormous pressure on the university, to signal and flag that the way the process had been working in the spring just wasn’t going to work like that anymore,” she said.

Levy, who is now teaching as an adjunct associate professor of public service at New York University (NYU), described a difficult and mentally taxing experience as an adjunct instructor at Fordham when sustaining injuries for which she had no access to any employer-contributed health benefits.

“I remember going home and thinking to myself, ‘Well, I can’t go to my emergency room because I don’t know what the bill is going to be. I don’t earn enough to cover variable bills like that.’ I went home, I iced it and went to sleep,” Levy said. “I woke up in the morning and blacked out on my kitchen floor. I woke up a minute or two later and went to urgent care, still nervous about the cost. They told me I had a fractured rib.”

After hearing about the contract agreement, Levy expressed that it was the beginning of what FFU can achieve in the future.

Velina Manolova, an adjunct professor at Pratt Institute and NYU, said there is an important ongoing reform movement as multiple faculty unions in the New York metropolitan area continue to negotiate contracts. At Pratt, adjunct faculty haven’t received a raise since 2019 and are currently negotiating their own contract.

“Universities would not run without adjunct faculty. They would not run without faculty, period,” Manolova said of the proliferation of union organizing across the city. “That’s a very important reminder to keep sending to these university administrations.”

In a no-scab pledge, over 1,000 professors at different New York metropolitan area colleges and universities have vowed to not replace striking instructors. The pledge, which includes signatures from Fordham professors, is a show of solidarity that Manolova said “sends a clear message that now is the time for change.”

Kate West, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ’23 and one of the students that presented a student letter of support to Tetlow’s office in October, said that if Fordham wants to stay a competitive school in the New York metropolitan area, it must put in the efforts toward those working in academia.

“A good school needs good professors,” West said. “And good professors are going where the pay is.”

Tong said that as a student, he will also continue to advocate for his professors and help his peers stay updated on recent faculty union developments and how they can get involved.

“At the end of the day, our professors work tirelessly and deserve so much more than they are currently and will be receiving,” Tong said.

FFU will hold a vote from Jan. 26 through Jan. 30 on whether or not to ratify the agreement.

Dante Alejo, Maryam Beshara and Tony Wu contributed reporting to this story.

“ It’s kind of unfortunate that it had to come to this point of us having to go out and strike for the professors and the faculty to get what they deserve.”

Devauntae

COURTESY OF DIANE GEORGE

FFU members and allies gathered for a rally during Tetlow’s inauguration to advocate for better working conditions.

Diane George co-chair of FFU

Sports & Health

Rams Tested in Tumultuous Toss-Ups

The Forwards

Following the departure of Chuba Ohams, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) ’22, who joined a professional team in northern France late in the summer of 2022, the Rams’ interior play was fraught with questions and doubts. The next two men up were Rostyslav Novitskyi, FCRH ’23, and Abdou Tsimbila, FCRH ’24, and suffice to say that they have worked together brilliantly.

Tsimbila’s minutes have shot north two-fold and in his new role, he is scoring 6.4 points per game, a radical improvement over his 2.7 in the 2021-22 campaign. He is averaging 7.7 rebounds, twice that of the previous season and, most notably for a post player, his free throw percentage has improved by nearly 10%.

on the early season has been one of progression, not reward. If his squad came out with a win and marked improvement, that was enough to warrant satisfaction.

“We just want to get 1% better each and every day,” Rose said after the VMI game.

A rude first test of the season against No. 10-ranked University of Arkansas on Nov. 11 ended predictably with a resounding 74-48 defeat for the Rams. But it steeled their resolve, invigorating them and sending them off on a decimating sweep of their pre-conference schedule.

After mediocre seasons, the men’s basketball team was finally performing. The Rose Hill Gymnasium felt alive for the first time in a while, and the Rams seemed poised to add basketball to its list of truly competitive programs. Part of this success can also be attributed to unity. Urgo sounded off on the camaraderie of his team.

“These guys really like each other,” he said. “They root for each other, and there’s no animosity.”

Urgo has been a powerful leading presence for the Rams. While the Rams’ 12-1 record entering the A10 demonstrated their dominance, the looming specter of conference play would soon give them another wake up call that they aren’t soon to forget.

Winter Break

Novitskyi, an imposing and physical forward from Kyiv, Ukraine, has been Tsimbila’s frontcourt partner. What Novitskyi does to defenders is almost magical: He is shooting at a 72% clip from the field and is averaging 5.2 rebounds a game — 40% of which are offensive boards. Novitskyi’s interior abilities and footwork are prized skills in a game that increasingly prioritizes the 3-point shot.

But the most significant change for the Rams this season came on the coaching front. When former Head Coach Kyle Neptune left Fordham to take the reins of the famed program at Villanova University, the Rams were faced with the distasteful reality of a third coach in as many years. Nevertheless, the program proceeded under the leadership of Head Coach Keith Urgo, who has elevated his squad.

“Whatever is necessary,” Urgo said of his players’ mentality after a 72-67 victory over the University of Maine. “We talk about having a great attitude and playing for 40 minutes; it doesn’t have to be pretty every night, but we just find a way to get it done.”

Rose, the starting guard, remains level-headed. His outlook

On Dec. 28, the Rams scored just 43 points in a total breakdown versus Davidson. Stephen Curry’s alma mater is now second-to-last in the conference standings, adding tremendous weight to Fordham’s second loss of the season.

The A10 slate over winter break demonstrated one thing above all: that Fordham is not invincible. The Rams’ historic win streak ended when reality rolled down the window. The A10 is a fierce competition, and if the Rams’ performance in five conference games is any indication, a difficult road lies ahead.

A brief review of the Rams’ tumultuous January games follows.

Jan. 4 at Rhode Island

The New Year was yet another heartbreaker for the Rams, who suffered a defeat at the hands of the University of Rhode Island (URI), 82-79. The deceptive box score highlights Darius Quisenberry’s, GSAS ’23, tremendous 33-point night, off 4-of-11 from behind the arc and 91% from the stripe. The rest of the Rams carried their weight, and URI hardly out-rebounded or out-shot

its competition until the waning minutes of the first half.

By the end of the first half, Rhode Island had jumped to a double-digit lead that they would only briefly relinquish for the rest of the contest. Tsimbila’s 12 rebounds were insufficient. Rhode Island star Martin Malik, URI ’23, led the way with 23 points and 5-of-9 from 3-point range.

Jan. 7 vs. SJU

After dropping their 11-game win streak and adding two losses to their season, the Rams secured a hopeful 12-point victory against Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) on Jan. 4. In the initial 10 minutes of the first half, SJU scored 25 points against the Rams, holding a ninepoint lead. Quisenberry and Charlton led the Rams in points, each scoring in the double digits.

Jan. 10 vs. Dayton

On Jan. 10, the Rams lost by 24 points to the University of Dayton. Dayton scored 15 points in the first seven minutes, and the Rams quipped back with only two. Quisenberry underperformed as he only put up three points, well below his 16.3 average.

Both teams had offensive highs in this competition. Fordham’s star this game was Will Richardson, FCRH ’26, who put up 19 points in 26 minutes. Much has been expected from Richardson, and the LaSalle game was his breakout performance.

Looking Ahead

The competition was not in the Rams’ favor until the end of the first half, when they began to close out SJU’s lead. The Rams made their move in the second half. Eight minutes remained as the Rams’ lead increased, 53-47. After a barrage of Fordham free-throws, the competition closed out 66-54.

However, the outcome was not entirely surprising. Dayton hasn’t allowed its opponents to score more than 60 points in its past seven games.

The Rams struggled in the first half, only scoring 18 points as Dayton scored 33. Fordham’s pace changed in the second half as the team put up 40 points to Dayton’s 49. It wasn’t enough, and the Rams lost 82-55.

The Fordham men’s team had a gloomy January, far from what fans were expecting after their historic run. But a 65-58 win over Duquesne University on Jan. 21 may hold off a complete fall from grace.

The Rams will face the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies on Jan. 25. The outcome of the game will likely have little impact on the standings, as the Bonnies (7) are just one spot above Fordham (8). However, a win against the Bonnies would extend the Rams’ win streak to three.

Fordham is now eighth in the A10, and the next four games for the team are all against higher-ranked competitors. However, Urgo is hardly discouraged. His attitude has been consistent this season: Fordham is a new team, and it is ready for what lies ahead.

Jan. 14 at LaSalle

The Rams picked themselves back up after their loss against Dayton, as four days later they won a close contest against La Salle University, 66-64. The game was won at the buzzer, and it wasn’t short of spectacular as Charlton drained the finisher.

“I’m not so sure that any teams here at Fordham have had this much depth in a long time,” Urgo said. “Everyone’s contributed at some point or another.”

This sentiment has been echoed multiple times by Urgo and his players. If there is one thing to look forward to as the Rams march on, it’s their grit and

determination.

Fordham men’s basketball faces long and ardous Atlantic 10 road after a historic 12-1 start in 2022-23

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

In his first year as head coach, Keith Urgo has led the Rams to a 15-4 season.

First-year Will Richardson put up 19 points in just 26 minutes against LaSalle.

The Fordham men’s basketball team has prided themselves on their ability to use every player on their roster.

WINTER BREAK B-BALL from

“ We talk about having a great attitude and playing for 40 minutes; it doesn’t have to be pretty every night.”

Keith Urgo, head coach

“ I’m not so sure that any teams here at Fordham have had this much depth in a long time.”

Keith Urgo, head coach

“ These guys really like each other. They root for each other, and there’s no animosity.”

Keith Urgo, head coach

By MIRANDA SAENZ DI VITERI Contributing Writer

The new year is officially in full swing. January offers a fresh start for people to compile their ambitious resolutions to better themselves, their lives and their overall well-being. Some people are determined to learn a new skill or to save money, but perhaps the most prominent collective goal seems to be to get in better shape.

According to a 2021 survey by YouGov, 23% of Americans set goals pertaining to living healthier. Like others, I made a physical fitness resolution. I decided to switch up my typical routine to see how alternative workouts would affect my overall health and fitness. You can typically find me with the free weights, bench pressing with the bar or at the squat rack, but I decided to spice things up and give another activity a try — yoga.

Yoga was nowhere close to being on my fitness radar. I had always been involved with some sort of sport and saw yoga only as

From Gym Rat to Yoga Mat

a relaxed, spiritual pursuit. However, word had gotten around that there was a yoga studio close to Fordham Lincoln Center’s campus that was offering a full week of classes to students. I figured, why not give it a try — it could be fun, and it was free! I signed myself up and embarked on a revamped fitness journey.

roots, and many of the postures are said to strengthen your mind as much as your muscles.

By developing the relationship between the mind, body and, most crucially, the soul, this ancient art extends well beyond the physical characteristics — and the body and postures are where it all begins.

Some of the most popular and well-known movements of yoga include downward-facing dog, mountain pose and warrior stances. Yet what people may not know about yoga is that there are different variations that incorporate cardio, high-intensity activity and core exercises. I participated in a style of yoga called “Yoga Sculpt,” which is a blend of traditional yoga and these cardio components.

Usually, my workouts with weights included sets and reps with breaks in between — but not during the yoga classes. Once the session began, there would be no significant breaks until the end.

Yoga always starts with setting an intention and clearing our minds from any distractions or troubles, which I had never really found myself doing before a workout. My goal was usually just to get in and get out. Yet, there was a sense of security and tranquility while easing into the session with a community and an instructor.

into them. Not only was my mind settled to the conditions but my body as well. I found the exercises more feasible. Soon, my knees would reach higher than before, and my stretching would reach up toward the stars.

As a result, I began engaging in the more complex variations of poses and used heavier weights for the weighted portion, honing in on my balance and control. My body felt more flexible and sturdy, as though nothing could topple me over.

Yoga is a collection of physical, mental and spiritual disciplines meant to calm the mind and help practitioners deal with mental clutter. It has strong spiritual

My experience with yoga proved to be very difficult at first, but I noticed benefits after practicing consistently. During my first few sessions, I was winded. It was atypical for me to do such intense and fast-paced exercises, including mountain climbers, high knees and jumping jacks.

An active lifestyle benefits one’s body and rewards the mind. Exercise is known to help with feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.

Typically, my intentions revolved around releasing any negative energy that I may be harboring in order to induce a peaceful state of mind. After the session, my mind always felt more calm, clear and positive.

It was difficult to adjust to the new routine, but I developed an acute appreciation for the practice. There were elements of balance and endurance required from yoga that I wasn’t used to. I was pushed to test my limits with both my body and mind. It was challenging to keep up with the poses and pace, but it was invigorating.

Finally, after sweating and stretching, the instructor guided the class through meditation practice to cool down. The act allowed our bodies and minds to rest and reset.

After getting into the swing of things and adapting to the yoga lifestyle, I became more familiar with the names of poses and was able to transition more smoothly

Once I completed my week of yoga, a certain gloom engulfed me — I had thoroughly enjoyed my time at the studio more than I could have imagined. But, I did not think of it as a permanent ending, rather a gentle pause. I knew that my yoga journey was only just beginning.

The mental liberation and spiritual growth with which the experience had graced me was something I could not give up.

Upon my return to the weight room, I noticed that my lifts had improved. My form while engaging in specific exercises like single-leg lunges and squats was more controlled and precise. My body felt stronger, along with my mindset, as I pumped out those few extra reps. I could feel my core engage in more of my lifts and soon noticed the difference in my body. Getting involved in yoga not only shone a new light on physical and spiritual practice — it also refined my typical routine with fitness.

An active lifestyle benefits one’s body and rewards the mind. Exercise is known to help with feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. With the completed renovations of Fordham’s gym at Lincoln Center, it is now more accessible for students to engage in physical activity. Whether with yoga, lifting or cardio, staying active is invaluable for improving numerous aspects of one’s life. It allows individuals to challenge not only their physical strength but also their mental grit — and it’s never too late to start.

Fordham Stars Show Off in Annual Hula Bowl

By CHARLES BINNS Asst. Sports and Health Editor

The 2022-23 season was an overall success for Fordham’s football program. Despite an early exit from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) after their loss against the University of New Hampshire, the Rams showed heart, quality and talent culminating in their 9-2 record.

The program’s key players, Tim DeMorat, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’23, and Ryan Greenhagen, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ’23, were able to participate in one final game before the end of their Fordham careers. In recognition of the stars’ stellar season, the Hula Bowl invited the players to participate in the prestigious AllStar game on Jan. 14.

The Hula Bowl was established in 1946 and was originally known as the Hula Bowl All-Star Football Classic. It is sometimes considered a noncompetitive counterpart to the highly competitive Hawaii Bowl.

The event has become a massive opportunity for collegiate athletes to showcase their talent. From around the world, scouts from professional leagues including the NFL, United States Football League and Canadian

Football League, come to watch the athletes perform.

In an interview with The Scouting Depot, DeMorat spoke of his gratitude for being selected to participate in the esteemed competition. The decorated former Rams quarterback stated that he still has a chip on his shoulder, as Fordham was the only school to make him an offer out of high school.

When asked what he hoped to show at the event, DeMorat confidently said, that he’s “an NFL quarterback.”

The game is usually played in Hawaii, hence the name. Since 2021, however, the game has been played in Orlando. Those invited are split into two teams: Aina and Kai, which mean “land” and “water” in Hawaiian, respectively. DeMorat and Greenhagen were both selected for Aina.

Each team now has a fivewin record under their current names, with Kai winning this year along with the past three. Despite the loss, DeMorat made a couple of highlight plays. The play of the afternoon came from the former Fordham quarterback. Wearing No. 17, DeMorat received the snap, faked a handoff to his right and stepped into the pocket. Simultaneously,

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) receiver Trea Shropshire, UAB ’23, got the best of his defender. Thanks to DeMorat’s awareness, the pair connected for a 75-yard score.

DeMorat’s career at Fordham was one for the history books. It is no surprise he was able to pull off such a difficult pass. His four years at Fordham saw DeMorat enter the Fordham top five

all-time for completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns, as well as earn two Patriot League Player of the Year awards.

The Fordham Rams now look toward the 2023-24 season. It will be difficult to replicate their success without the leadership, fervor, skill and passion displayed in every game by DeMorat and Greenhagen. Regardless, there is a feel-good

factor lingering around the Bronx program, a welcome change reminiscent of the success of past Fordham teams. Whether they play in the NFL or elsewhere, the careers of DeMorat and Greenhagen are far from over. As for Fordham fans, the road ahead is uncertain. The Rams’ future success hangs in the balance and will be determined by their younger core.

How yoga redefined my physical fitness journey through spiritual growth

Ryan Greenhagen and Tim DeMorat flew down to Orlando to participate in the showcase

GRAPHIC BY ALEXA STEGMULLER/THE OBSERVER

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’23, and Ryan Greenhagen, GSAS ’23, were invited to the Hula Bowl to participate in the prestigious All-Star game on Jan. 14.

Yoga always starts with setting an intention and clearing our minds from any distractions or troubles, which I had never really found myself doing before a workout.

The Museum of Broadway Shows Magic of Theater

The museum is a wonderland for theater lovers, featuring a plethora of memorabilia and interactive exhibits

BY ALICE MORENO Multimedia Editor

Attending a Broadway show remains a staple of any New York City visit. Audiences are constantly dazzled by these performances, enjoying the catchy musical numbers, engaging acting and overall once-in-a-lifetime experience. Now, Broadway fans are able to experience the magic behind the scenes — and onstage — at the Museum of Broadway.

The Museum of Broadway — located in Times Square at 145 W. 45th St. — is the first-ever permanent Broadway museum and was inaugurated on Nov. 15, 2022.

Created by Broadway producer Julie Boardman and marketing executive Diane Nicoletti, the three-floor interactive museum dives into the history of live theatert. With over 300 shows performed in 41 different Broadway theaters, the museum features a variety of props, costumes and memorabilia from the beginning of Broadway to current shows.

The museum is open every day. Patrons must make a reservation to enter and choose a time between 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available from $39; there is a special $25 entry cost every first Tuesday of the month.

In this exhibit, the room is filled with pages upon pages of the script of the Broadway show “Showboat.”

PHOTOS BY ALICE MONERO/THE OBSERVER

Upon beginning their Broadway expedition on the third floor, visitors are greeted by a bright yellow wall filled with current Broadway show productions and a QR code on each poster with which you can purchase tickets.

All authentic to the early 1900s, Ziegfeld Girls wore makeup, perfume and a variety of colored gloves.

The “West Side Story” exhibition features a recreation of the drug store where main character Tony works.

Finale

Now Showing

The final portion of the museum, entitled “The American Theatre,” shows artwork done by Al Hirschfeld of Broadway stars. In the Hirschfeld exhibit, guests are able to use the tablets to design themselves as Hirschfeld drawings.

A quilt made by the Broadway Cares organization is on display. The quilt is dedicated to all Broadway actors and personnel who have died of AIDS.

Costumes of characters Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler — among other props and costumes — are on display in this “Hamilton” mini-exhibition.

Costumes for characters (from left to right) Dionne, Berger and Jeannie on display at the “Hair” exhibtion.

Opinions

Fordham Faculty (and Students) United

Fordham faculty and the university reached a tentative agreement, but the fight for labor justice isn’t over

ANA KEVORKIAN Head Copy Editor

There was one word on everyone’s mind during 2022 — and no, Merriam-Webster, it wasn’t “gaslighting.” Rather, the word that defined the past year’s political and social discourse was “union.”

From Starbucks baristas organizing at record speed to Staten Island Amazon employees forming the first union in the company’s history, workers across the country have mobilized at historic rates to secure higher wages and better benefits. Before being elected mayor of Boston in 2013, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh spent his career as a union organizer in Boston, and his tenure in the Biden administration has coincided with the highest level of labor union activity in decades.

Nevertheless, the United States is far from a workers’ paradise. On Dec. 2, ahead of an impending rail worker strike, the federal government intervened in a contract dispute between rail owners and the workers’ union, forcing the employees to accept the existing agreement and ignoring their demand for paid sick leave. By implementing this “deal” through federal intervention, Congress and the Biden administration prevented the union from exercising its right to strike.

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935 protects workers’ “right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.”

More specifically, the NLRA states that nothing may “interfere with or impede or diminish in any way the right to strike or to affect the limitations or qualifications on that right.”

In other words, all workers have the legal right, under United States federal law, to self-organize and, if necessary, strike in order to collectively bargain.

Recently, faculty and graduate student unions across New York City have exercised this right in order to win concessions from their universities — many of whom have, over the past several years, relied more heavily on adjunct and nontenure-track faculty while paying them lower wages on average than their tenure-track counterparts.

Fordham Faculty United (FFU), the union for part-time and adjunct faculty at Fordham University that was

formed in 2017, spent much of 2022 in unsuccessful negotiations with the university for their next collective bargaining agreement (CBA). On Dec. 26, the union members voted to authorize a strike, which was set to begin on Jan. 30, 2023.

Luckily, on Jan. 18, just 12 days before the planned strike, the union announced that the university had accepted its proposal and they had entered a tentative agreement (TA), pending approval by union members. This TA contains three key provisions that were top priorities for FFU throughout the negotiation process, as outlined in an Aug. 16 open letter from FFU.

Fordham professors, the majority of whom are adjunct or nontenure-track, make Fordham what it is; it is high time that they’re paid fairly and equitably.

School of Social Service (GSSS) and Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education earn, on average, between $2,100 and $2,400 less per course than their counterparts in other schools. The letter from FFU highlighted that in addition to baselessly devaluing certain fields, this disparity “perpetuates systemic gender and racial inequalities, for at Fordham, as elsewhere, women predominate in the social work and education fields, and the GSSS faculty serves the most racially diverse group of students at the university.” By beginning to rectify these disparities, the TA will make progress toward faculty receiving equal pay for equal work.

On their website, FFU noted that the initial strike petition, which was signed by the majority of members in October and November, led the administration to make its largest movement since negotiations began in March; in other words, the union’s vote to strike was, in part, a last-ditch (and, ultimately, successful) effort to encourage the university to meet its demands.

Observer the

Editor-in-Chief Allie Stofer

Managing Editor Maddie Sandholm

Online Editors

Emily Ellis Kreena Vora

Creative Director

Alexa Stegmuller

Advertising Coordinator Luis Castellanos

Layout Editor

Tara Lentell

Asst. Layout Editor Alyssa Shonk

Photo Editors

Alyssa Daughdrill Andrew Dressner Asst. Photo Editors

Aurelien Clavaud Molly Higgins

Head Copy Editors Ana Kevorkian Alyssa Macaluso Nora Reidy Asst. Copy Editor Quincy Reyes

News Editors

Maryam Beshara Insiya Gandhi Asst. News Editors Alexa Villatoro Megan Yerrabelli

First, the TA increases wages for faculty members to address the cost of living as it has risen across the country, and particularly in New York, since the first CBA was signed in 2018. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of living in the New York-Newark-Jersey City area has increased by 6% in 2022 alone.

Second, the TA provides health benefits for part-time faculty members. Under the previous CBA, nontenure-track faculty members did not receive employer contributions to their health care plans, meaning professors were often forced to balance excessive teaching commitments to multiple schools, thus limiting the time and capacity that they were able to devote to Fordham. Although FFU members were able to purchase the university’s health care plan at full price, the lack of an employer contribution made the plan, in many cases, prohibitively expensive. Given the United States’ status as the only industrialized country that does not have universal health care, employers have historically offered as a “benefit” what should be a basic right — and, luckily, Fordham has finally agreed to meet this need for FFU members.

Third, the TA makes progress toward pay parity across schools within the university. The open letter explained that faculty in Fordham’s Graduate

In a Jan. 17 Instagram post, FFU said that the “Fordham administration can end the strike at any time by offering us new proposals that meet our demands,” a claim that was proven true despite initial budgetary concerns raised by the university on Jan. 18, as the university avoided the strike by accepting the union’s proposal. Evidently, the university found a way to “stretch our compensation budget,” which University President Tania Tetlow, J.D., previously implied was impossible in a letter to the Fordham community on Nov. 18.

Over the holidays, I faced a barrage of questions from eager friends and family members about my college experience. And, unsurprisingly, the question of “How do you like your professors?” was significantly more common than “How do you like the administration?”

Fordham professors, the majority of whom are adjunct or nontenure-track, make Fordham what it is; it is high time that they’re paid fairly and equitably. Students ought to celebrate the achievements of FFU and its members — and, hopefully, this situation will inspire students to engage more deeply with labor issues across their lives. Support unionized businesses, and don’t cross picket lines. If the success of FFU has taught us anything, it should be that workers can only achieve what we’re owed — that’s right, “we” — if we organize as a collective.

One thing is clear: Organized labor works.

Sports & Health Editor Gabriella Bermudez Asst. Sports & Health Editors Charles Binn

Aurelien Clavaud

Opinions Editors

Ava Peabody Isabella Scipioni Asst. Opinions Editors Jake Eraca Laura Oldfather Jessica Yu

Arts & Culture Editor

Isabella Gonzalez Asst. Arts & Culture Editors Julia Jaramillo Aditi Praveen Kariyanahalli Avery Loftis

Features Editors Matthias Lai Erika Tulfo Asst. Features Editors Lola Cravath Madeleine Signore

Fun & Games Editor Irene Hao

Social Media Editors Alexa Villatoro Eeshita Wade Asst. Social Media Editors Chelsea Casilla Shelby Williams

Multimedia Editors Lauren Bocalan Alice Moreno Asst. Multimedia Editors Riley Kraus Maria Terzulli

Podcast Hosts Shaily Jani Morgan Johnson Christian Madlansacay

Podcast Producer Brianna Doucette

IT Manager Zayda Bleecker-Adams

Editorial Adviser Richard Rosen

Visual Adviser Jessica Green

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

No

board will do so at its own discretion.

The Observer has the right to withhold any submissions from publication and will not consider more than two letters from the same individual on one topic. The Observer reserves the right to edit all letters and submissions for content, clarity and length. Opinions articles and commentaries represent the view of their authors. These articles are in no way the views held by the editorial board of The Observer or Fordham University.

The Editorial is the opinion held by a majority of The Observer’s editorial board. The Editorial does not necessarily reflect the views held by Fordham University.

To reach an editor by e-mail, visit www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer is published on alternate Wednesdays during the academic year.

Printed by Five Star Printing, Flushing, N.Y.

On Jan. 6, 2023, exactly two years after the infamous insurrection led by far-right groups, the House saw yet another unprecedented event — Republican Speaker-to-be Kevin McCarthy fell short of the absolute majority requirement for the 14th consecutive time. Finally, on the 15th vote, McCarthy was elected speaker of the House with 216 of the possible 428 votes (some Republican members refusing to vote for McCarthy were convinced to vote “present,” reducing the number needed for a majority).

Party were first displayed during the 2022 midterms with an abysmal showing in a highly anticipated election cycle. This was an especially telling sign of the party divide, since historical data stretching all the way back to World War II has shown that the presidential ruling party (in this case, Democrats) almost always sees a significant drop in their seats in both the House and Senate.

Democrats maintained their control over the Senate, and poor performances by extremist candidates supported by former President Donald Trump led to a much slimmer GOP majority in the House. The few far-right radicals who did manage to squeak through, who refer to themselves as the “Freedom Caucus,” now hold the most power, as the Republican Party needs to appeal to its demands in order to pass anything on the GOP’s agenda.

member of the House communicating feelings of “distrust” in McCarthy is enough to put a reelection in motion, how does he plan on unifying the party to vote on anything?

Take, for example, the debt ceiling. Every year, the House must vote to raise the ceiling to prevent the country from defaulting on its loans and going into economic chaos that would ripple into the global markets. Extremist members of the GOP have already expressed hesitation to raise the debt ceiling unless the deficit comes out of the few remaining, fundamental social welfare programs in the country, which is something the more moderate members of the party are unlikely to agree with. Add to the mix the GOP’s paper-thin majority, and it is highly likely that the result is a frozen, chaotic House that could quickly create a largescale economic fallout.

sort of organizing power within the group to mediate this tug-ofwar, it is only a matter of time before the band snaps.

Americans gawked at the unprecedented spectacle, and latenight TV hosts had a field day at the expense of the Republican Party. But it’s worth considering: What does a failure to reach consensus at a level unheard of since before the Civil War mean for the GOP?

Before answering that question, it’s important to look at the underlying factors that led to this particular situation. The cracks within the Republican

The caucus already knew that McCarthy would do anything to satiate his long-held desire to become speaker of the House. He was minority leader in 2019, groveled before Trump last year and moved into the office of the speaker well before the first vote for the position was held. This inability to conceal his longing for the position has left him a phantom in power, having already given many concessions to a group who will hold everyone hostage as long as they remain in the political spotlight.

Just like voting for the speaker, all bills that pass through the House need a simple majority to move along the legislative chain — but this may prove to be a difficult task. If only a single

To better visualize what is going on, think of the Republican House as a rubber band, the ends of which are being pulled in opposite directions by its members — the radicals and the moderates. Without a strong speaker, one who holds some

As it stands right now, American citizens are in for a few months of passionate showboating that will see the internal rift between the moderate and radical members of the GOP deepen without an effective speaker.

For obvious reasons, this is a bad situation to be in, not only because an inefficient political system is nothing to be proud of, but also because the 2024 presidential elections are right around the corner. Just as the party had difficulty obtaining a majority in the House and fell short of controlling the Senate, it may be a struggle for radical and moderate members of the GOP to unite around one presidential candidate.

From a purely statistical point of view, McCarthy’s

decision to put personal ambition above all else and consolidate power within the hands of the Freedom Caucus does not present a pretty picture for the upcoming elections. Republicans are losing some of their primary voter blocks, including educated suburban individuals and independent voters who lean conservative. Even more telling, split-ticket voting, which is when an individual votes for people from multiple parties, is becoming more prevalent among Republican voters, meaning that the quality of candidates (not just their political party) still matters to voters.

Throw in the public spectacle that the House is going to be over the next few months, and these data points might just get worse. Only time will tell if the GOP will realize its shortcomings out of sheer motivation to do well in the next election cycle.

Only time will tell if the GOP will realize its shortcomings out of sheer motivation to do well in the next election cycle.

GRAPHIC BY ALEXA STEGMULLER/THE OBSERVER

ANDREW ARMOUR Contributing Writer

The first activity my elementary school teachers would have us work on after winter break was always to make a New Year’s resolution. We would write a goal on a piece of paper and draw a picture reflecting it, then return to the rug and share our answers. Usually, an eager classmate or two would raise their hands and share things such as brushing their teeth, eating their vegetables or cleaning their rooms. Everyone seemed to make the same resolutions year after year. Nothing changed.

In middle school, I made what ended up being my final New Year’s resolution: jogging in Central Park every weekend. In theory, I appreciated the idea of a good workout, but after a few weeks, I realized

New Year’s Resolutions Are Pointless

that keeping this resolution meant placing this reminder on an already long and nonsensical iPhone to-do list. There was something insincere about this resolution. I knew I could exercise whenever, and there would be no real consequences if I didn’t. It was then that I decided to stop making New Year’s resolutions, and I’ve never felt the need to make another again.

Americans participate in this tradition in an unreasonable manner. Statista found that America’s most common resolutions for 2023 were either to exercise more, eat healthier or lose weight. Making these resolutions is a perfect example of what not to do. Similar to my middle school resolution, these goals could benefit our everyday lives. The problem is the stress created about them, which can discourage people from completing their goals.

I soon realized that I am not the only one who is frustrated and

unfulfilled by this annual tradition. Experts agree that for some, making an unrealistic commitment at the beginning of the year can be challenging at best and counterproductive at worst.

Mia Wiston, a clinical psychologist based in New York City, explained that, “Setting resolutions can increase stress in someone who’s had a hard time with goal-setting at other times of year.”

She added that the ambitious but vague resolutions that we often set can make it difficult for us to achieve them, which can lead to self-criticism and disappointment. While we shouldn’t shy away from self-improvement, we need to make sure that any goals we set for ourselves are realistic.

Nutritionist Rebecca Brownstein also reminded students not to try to juggle too many difficult resolutions.

“While it is great for someone to have goals to give up smoking,

drinking and lose weight in the next six months, doing many things at once can be difficult,” she said.

Many members of Generation Z are at an age that requires big, life-changing decisions. That may not be the best time to be adding on more broad, unrealistic and stressful resolutions. Despite this, Forbes Health reported that “Gen Z feels more pressure to set a resolution than any other generation.”

A New York Post survey from 2020 suggested that a lack of discipline, busy schedules and the time needed to successfully meet resolutions are the top reasons people abandon them. These factors are especially prevalent in the lives of college students. Additionally, many of us still feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether we lost someone to COVID-19 or continue to struggle after years of remote learning, some still find themselves lacking the willpower to complete daily responsibilities concerning academics, jobs and other obligations. While it can be beneficial to set a goal for ourselves, it is essential to focus on the basics, especially if we are already overwhelmed with other responsibilities.

We should refrain from forcing ourselves to fit our goals into our busy schedules. College is a time of constant stress, and if we pressure ourselves into something, it is counterproductive to the goal of creating a healthy, stress-free lifestyle. Instead, we should be more aware of the reality that time is finite. No matter how much I want to read 500 books in a year, I know that is impossible given my other responsibilities at school and at home.

Since resolutions aren’t disappearing anytime soon, a few changes are necessary to make this obsolete tradition more fulfilling.

Is Football Worth the Risk?

MATTHIAS LAI Features Editor

On the night of Jan. 2, football had a reckoning. After tackling Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the last Monday Night Football game of the season, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and went into cardiac arrest. Thanks to the efforts of on-site medical staff and a coordinated emergency response, Hamlin was resuscitated and transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

He has since made a recovery and been discharged, but the football community is still in shock over the event. Medical experts are not certain what the exact cause of Hamlin’s near-fatal collapse was, but it’s hard to deny that football played a part in it.

It is no secret that football is a violent sport, and Hamlin’s injury was just one of hundreds suffered every year by NFL players. Over the past seven NFL seasons the league’s 1,696 football players suffered a combined average of over 375 concussions, MCL tears and ACL tears each season.

The alarming rate of injury, some of which can be severe enough to end a player’s career, has led to increased measures by the NFL to reduce the risk of the sport. This has included instituting more limited contact practices and stricter enforcement of rules protecting vulnerable players. The

NFL has shown a decrease in injuries, especially concussions, in the last few years thanks in large part to these changes, but is it enough? Is football still too dangerous to justify its nationwide popularity?

It is important to remember that football is not just played at the professional level. There are tens of thousands of college football players competing every year, but a vast majority of the people playing football are children.

helped to the sideline, more times than I care to remember. Football players, even at the high school level, pay for the sport in blood.

In the 2018-19 season, over 1 million teenagers suited up for their high school football teams. I was one of them. That same season, over 450,000 injuries were reported among high school players. Thankfully, I was not part of that number, but I knew many people who were. At my school, one of our running backs broke his hip during a tackle, an injury that forced him to miss the track season that spring. A defensive end tore his ACL close to the end of the season, and another end broke his arm when two tacklers collided their helmets against it while he ran with the ball.

I’ve been on one knee, clapping while a teammate or opponent was

The fact is: Football is extremely popular, and it continues to thrive despite the brutality. This is dangerous not only because injuries can affect players’ long-term physical health, but also because of the unseen mental effects of concussions. On average, concussions make up over 20% of high school football players’ injuries. They are especially harmful because they are a known cause of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disorder which is linked to long-term cognitive impairment. CTE can be triggered by just one concussion, though it usually results from repeated blows to the head— something that happens to many football players.

CTE is only detectable through autopsy of the brain after death, so it is impossible to know how many people currently suffer from this disorder. However, we do know that football players, even at the youth level, are at an outsized risk of suffering repeated impacts to the head that can cause concussions and lead to CTE.

Every year, many young football players are made vulnerable to life-altering injuries for the entertainment of their parents and classmates and for the profit of their schools and teams. One proposed solution to this issue is the introduction of informed

consent to youth football.

By making students aware of the danger they are putting themselves in when they gear up and take to the field, we don’t have to feel bad about the harm they are exposed to, right? Wrong. Youth football leagues pit teams of 5-year-olds against each other in contact football matches. These players are too young to give any sort of informed consent, and even kids as old as high school age are known to make reckless decisions without really considering the consequences.

It is tempting to dismantle youth football altogether to eliminate these harms. But I, like many of my football-playing peers, love football. The sport provides an outlet for players to exercise, build team bonds and see a world outside of our schools and towns. Instead of ending youth football, we should replace it with less violent alternatives like flag football and 7-on-7 football. This will provide kids with the opportunity to experience the

If you do want to make a resolution, it’s important to be realistic. Brownstein noted that “resolutions should be achievable and create moments to learn something about ourselves.” She encouraged students to sit down with a calendar and make bullet points for goals they’d like to accomplish yearly, daily or even hourly, such incorporating vegetables into one meal a day or participating in a few practical workouts per week. Those actionable goals on your calendar can then be revisited when you need motivation.

Wiston echoed this point, saying that “Reframing resolutions as lifestyle changes that people are mindful of throughout the year will likely lead to more success.”

Even a simple rephrasing of resolutions as lifestyle changes will create a better outlook on how we see our goals. Following Brownstein and Winston’s suggestions will create better results than setting broad goals, allowing us to build stamina toward creating healthier lifestyles.

Rather than trying to keep yourself accountable for overly broad resolutions — which can easily lead to frustration if you miss a day or lose some progress — it is more productive to share your goals with people you trust, like family or friends. This approach gives you a better support system and increases the likelihood that you’ll meet your shortand long-term goals. Who knows, you may even inspire your loved ones to join in on your self-improvement journey.

When we set goals for the new year, we must remember that taking care of ourselves is most important. This means focusing less on New Year’s resolutions and more on permanent lifestyle changes and meaningful decisions for our well-being.

game they love while also protecting their bodies and their brains for the future. Nothing shines quite as bright as the Friday night lights, but when the lights go off, players have to carry their battle scars for the rest of their lives.

Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest was extremely rare, but it highlighted the much more common dangers of football at any level. Fans and teams alike rallied around Hamlin, broadcasting their support for him from around the world and donating millions of dollars to his charity’s toy drive on GoFundMe. The football community needs to bring that same energy to protecting the kids who are being sacrificed for our entertainment by demanding that changes be made to how football is played in youth leagues and high schools around the country.

GRAPHIC BY KYLA MCCALLUM/THE OBSERVER

Arts & Culture

Celebrations, Snubs and Historic Moments: What You Missed at the 80th Golden Globe Awards

The awards show premiered on Jan. 10 to the second-lowest ratings in its history, despite delivering an evening full of turbulence

By JUJU JAWORSKI Contributing Writer

Awards season is a jam-packed blur for film and television enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. To some, the Golden Globe Awards may seem indistinguishable from program ceremonies like the Oscars. (As I explained to my hometown friend, the Golden Globe Awards celebrate both film and television whereas the Oscars focus solely on film.) While awards shows such as the Golden Globes can appear performative or illegitimate, they serve as a time and place to celebrate the labor and love that goes into the world of cinema and television. This year’s Golden Globes was no different — yet, it was packed with surprises and snubs, just like previous years.

Despite NBC hitting its second-lowest ratings for the awards ceremony — averaging 6.25 million views — the Golden Globes was full of first-time nominees and boundary-breaking wins. The ceremony returned to television this year after going off-air in 2022 due to criticism of a lack of diversity in its voting body directed toward the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization that runs the Golden Globes.

This year, the HFPA president, Helen Hoehne, stepped onstage to note the organization’s strides toward creating room for diversity within the HFPA, while host Jerrod Carmichael highlighted the lack of diversity from the HFPA in years prior. Carmichael opened the night saying, “I’ll tell you why I’m here. I’m here because I’m Black.”

Carmichael, a well-known comedian, provided high energy and laughter to audience members, as well as numerous quick changes, sporting some of the ceremony’s best looks. The broadcast ran past its strict 11 p.m. end time, causing stress from producers, and not reaching

the four biggest honors — best drama series; best comedy series; best picture, comedy or musical; and best picture, drama — until after the designated end time.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” was the most nominated film at the event with eight honors and took home one of the prized gems of the evening: best picture, musical or comedy. Steven Spielberg’s “The Fablemans” followed by taking home best picture, drama. For television, the big winners were “House of the Dragon” (drama) and “Abbott Elementary” (comedy or musical).

“ The late Toni Morrison said that your life is already a miracle of chance, just waiting for you to order its destiny. ”

Bassett, 2023 Golden Globe winner

‘Look, Mom, I’m on TV!’: Moments in Television Categories

“Abbott Elementary” stood out at the Golden Globes, taking home multiple acting awards for cast members Quinta Brunson in her performance as Janine Teagues (best actress, comedy or musical series) and Tyler James Williams in his performance as Gregory Eddie (best supporting actor, musical, comedy or drama).

Mike White’s “The White Lotus” also made waves when it was awarded the titles of both best limited series and best supporting actress in a limited series for Jennifer Coolidge’s performance as Tanya. White and Coolidge

had memorable speeches, both expressing their immense love for one another. Coolidge was not only remembered for her acceptance speech but also for her time presenting, as she exclaimed, “And the Oscar goes to ...” before correcting herself: “Oh, no, no, wait, Golden Globes.”

‘Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this’: Moments in Motion Picture Categories

Angela Bassett made Marvel history by winning best supporting actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her speech was incredibly moving as she

said, “The late Toni Morrison said that your life is already a miracle of chance, just waiting for you to order its destiny.” She ended her speech with dedicating the award to “Black Panther” star and 2021 Golden Globe Award winner Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in August 2020.

While Michelle Yeoh (best actress, musical or comedy) and Ke Huy Quan (best supporting actor) won accolades for their outstanding performances in “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” the acclaimed film was snubbed for the category of best picture, musical or comedy, losing to “The Banshees of Inisherin.” With the 2022 film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert being rated as the ninth-best movie of all time on IMDb, the loss was seen as an upset.

Yeoh’s stunning acceptance speech expressed the magnitude of her win. She opened her speech by saying, “I’m just gonna stand here and take this all in. Forty years, not letting go of this. So just quickly, thank you Hollywood Foreign Press for giving me this honor. It’s been an amazing journey and incredible fight to be here today, but I think it’s worth it.” When rushed out by music, signaling to wrap up her speech, Yeoh moved forward, saying, “Shut up, please,” in one of the most iconic moments of the evening.

Yeoh’s win was energizing and hopeful, as she discussed feeling her age play a part in her career, but receiving this role reignited her spark. “As time went by — I turned 60 last year — and I think all of you women understand this: As the days, years, numbers get bigger, the opportunities get smaller as well,” she said. “Then along came the best gift: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’”

The Golden Globes also honored performances such as Austin Butler’s portrayal of the titular character in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” as well as awarding showrunner Ryan Murphy (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”) with the Carol Burnett Award.

The evening seemed to be filled with high spirits, partly due to flowing drink and limited food. As White said in his acceptance speech, “I was gonna give this speech in Italian, but I’m too drunk because there’s no food. The food — when you got there, they were like, ‘The food is over, you can’t have any.’ It was just drink.”

Despite the laughter and high energy of the evening, the HFPA still has work ahead of them in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion. In response to the 2022 controversy, the HFPA has added six Black journalists to the organization as well as 103 nonmember international voters in an effort to create an equitable space. In prior years, the HFPA had no Black members in the organization. During the broadcast, Hoehne stated, “We commit to strengthening our partnership with Hollywood and with the worldwide fans who celebrate, like we do, the best in film and television. We will continue to support groups that amplify a variety of voices and continue to add representation to our organization from around the world as we did this past year.”

As awards season continues on and Oscar nominations were recently released, it may seem like the logical conclusion that the Golden Globes would foreshadow the Academy Awards’ winners. However, it has been shown in past years that the two often have little to no correlation. For example, the 2022 Golden Globe winners for best picture, “The Power of the Dog” (drama) and “West Side Story” (musical or comedy), lost to “CODA” (best picture) at the Academy Awards, despite being nominated at both award shows. The Golden Globes, seemingly a more wide-ranging awards show with many more categories than the Academy Awards, may start off the awards season but won’t predict future winners.

The Golden Globes was an evening to remember and a catalyst for the remaining awards season for the film and television industry.

Angela

PETER DUTTON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The 80th Golden Globe Awards premiered on Jan. 10 and packed historic wins and losses.

By CHRISTINA IOANNIDES Staff Writer

As anticipation for the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” grows, “Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” is the perfect way for fans to enjoy a refreshing and fun take on the beloved sci-fi horror series. Following up its original 2021 NYC run at the Players Theatre, the show has come to Playhouse 46 at St. Luke’s, finding great success and extending its intended January 2023 closing date into March.

Written by Jonathan Hogue and directed by Nick Flatto, the musical primarily adapts the TV show’s first season. Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s, the story follows a group of young friends (Mike,

Lucas and Dustin) in their search for the missing Will Byers. Accompanied by Will’s mother Joyce, the jaded police chief Hopper and the superpowered human experimentation subject Eleven, they discover a mysterious parallel world called the Upside Down, infested by the monstrous Demogorgon that threatens the peace of their small town.

“Stranger Sings!” is best enjoyed by those who are wellversed in the source material, as the comedy is highly referential to the television series on a whole. While season one is the main focus, various references are made to the later seasons, such as the Scoops Ahoy ice cream shop from season three and Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” from season four. The play’s structure was

somewhat loose, oftentimes trading plot depth and details for gags and fan service. Though this may be slightly confusing for newcomers in the audience, it has proved worthwhile for the greater comedic purpose.

As a relatively small off-Broadway production, the show cleverly takes advantage of its limited cast and performance space. The actors transition seamlessly through multiple roles; for example, the character of Will hilariously appears as a puppet voiced by Caroline Huerta, who also plays Will’s mother Joyce. “Stranger Sings!” does not shy away from breaking the fourth wall in every creative manner, from occasional audience interactions to an entire song by Joyce referencing Winona Ryder, the actress who plays her in the original series.

The fourth-wall comedy is facilitated by Walt Spangler’s uniquely immersive set design. The show is staged in the round; the basement theater has been transformed into the Byers home, with the Dungeons & Dragons table as a centerpiece surrounded by the iconic Christmas lights strung around the room and audience members seated on all four sides. There is little separation between performer and viewer, giving the impression that we are right alongside Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Eleven on their paranormal adventure.

Through the actors’ vibrant and passionate performances, the majority of the characters are adapted humorously yet faithfully from their television counterparts. However, some of the play’s funniest moments come from the more creative liberties taken with characterization. The aforementioned

Will puppet, the dancing Demogorgon and a very sexualized Steve Harrington all drew laughout-loud moments from the crowd. The cold and intimidating scientist known as “Papa” became a twirling, flamboyant character and his few minutes on the stage were some of the most memorable. Most notably, though, the sidekick character Barb Holland leaps beyond her minor role in the TV show as the overshadowed best friend, surviving her struggle in the Upside Down and stealing Nancy’s spotlight through a dazzling performance by SLee.

Each and every cast member gets their time to shine, bringing their vocal talents to Jonathan Hogue’s catchy, high-spirited original songs. The opening number “Welcome to Hawkins” introduces the quirky small town where

“nothing ever goes wrong”; subsequently, of course, everything goes wrong as Will is pulled into the Upside Down. Other standout tracks include Nancy and Barb’s earworm of a duet “Forever,” in which they cheerfully affirm that “best friends never die” (a nod to Barb’s death in the series), as well as “The Dad I Never Had,” a rare moment of sincerity as Eleven longs for the familial connection she was denied during life in the lab.

“Stranger Sings!” is a must-see for fans of the sensational Netflix series. As much as the parody thrives in ridiculousness, an earnest passion and love for “Stranger Things” shines through in every aspect of the production. If you have yet to jump on the bandwagon, there’s still time to catch up, as “Stranger Sings!” now runs through March 5, 2023.

Off-Broadway parody musical “Stranger Sings!” delights fans and audiences at Playhouse 46.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EVAN ZIMMERMAN VIA MURPHY MADE

The majority of the characters in “Stranger Sings!” are adapted humorously yet faithfully from their television counterparts.

Royalty in Modernity: A Dive Into ‘The Empress’

By ERIC JOOYOUNG KIM Contributing Writer

Last year saw the release of some of the most successful series in recent history, with streaming heavyweights such as “Heartstopper,” “House of the Dragon” and “Wednesday” dominating Anglophone pop culture. However, one series in particular drew international attention away from its English-speaking rivals.

German actress-turned-writer Katharina Eyssen’s new period drama, “The Empress,” was released on Netflix on Sept. 29, 2022. The show revolves around the radical life of Empress Elisabeth “Sissi” of Austria during the exceedingly conservative 19th century and is delivered entirely in German (although a lackluster English dub is provided). The show was a global hit; during its peak, it managed to secure its place as the second-most watched Netflix series worldwide for two consecutive weeks, only trailing behind the American hit-series “Dahmer.”

Since its debut, “The Empress” has cemented itself as one of the most successful Netflix releases from continental Europe, rivaled by the likes of “Elite” from Spain and “Lupin” from France. What is essentially a biopic of Elisabeth masterfully portrays a glimpse into the dynamics and machinations of one of Europe’s most reactionary courts during the 19th century.

In an era dominated by towering series productions with multimillion-dollar budgets and a burgeoning East Asian film and animation production industry, how did this unassuming German period drama captivate an international audience? The answer, perhaps, lies beyond show business.

“The Empress” follows a slew of recent royalty and nobility period drama successes — namely, “The Crown” and “Bridgerton” from the United Kingdom; “The Serpent Queen” from the United States; and “Marie Antoinette” from France. In fact, “The Empress” is not even the most recent retelling of the story of Elisabeth. “Corsage” (2022), written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Marie Kreutzer, details the story of the Austrian royal’s obsession with beauty later in her life. Though the period drama has long proven to be a successful formula, its recent prominence can be partially attributed to the abrupt ascent of modern royalty to the media spotlight.

In October 2021, the former Princess Mako (now Mako Komuro) of Japan’s imperial family thrust the ancient institution into the spotlight when she announced her marriage to Fordham Law graduate Kei Komuro, School of Law ’21, her college sweetheart and a commoner in the eyes of the Japanese Imperial Household Law. In doing so, the princess abdicated all of her royal duties, as well as the inheritance and status that comes along with those duties. The former princess’s decision to effectively leave the Japanese royal family made global headlines and kicked off a year that saw a surge in the popularity of royal families.

Less than a year later, in June 2022, the Princess Märtha Louise of Norway also renounced her royal status in favor of marriage to a commoner. Her engagement to American shaman Durek Verrett drew national criticism in Norway that paralleled the attention that Komuro received in Japan.

As shown in “The Empress,” royal marriages are incredibly publicized affairs that are often arranged to increase the prestige and popularity of the next generation of royals. As such, both praise and backlash are intense experiences for newlywed royals — Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle, for example, elicited a much different and more negative public reaction compared to his brother Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton.

Royal marriage, however, constitutes the first step before the raison d’être of royalty itself: succession. That much is emphasized in “The Empress” as well, with the titular character often clashing with her mother-inlaw, the Archduchess Sophie of Austria, over the matter of producing an heir.

Royal succession has also recently been thrust into the public spotlight following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September and the subsequent accession of King Charles III to the British throne. The late queen’s funeral broke records to become the most televised and watched event in human history and saw the attendance of every other remaining royal family in the world, ranging from the Saudi to the Spanish royal families.

The queen’s death formally challenged the place of monarchy in the modern world. In one case, it prompted the late queen’s distant cousin Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to strip most of the Danish royal family’s titles, with only her immediate family remaining as royalty — a decision that reverberated throughout the Danish tabloids.

While the multitude of royal incidents in the past year wcertainly helped to catapult the rise of royalty in popular media, the appeal of “The Empress,” along with its many other period drama contemporaries, continues to lend itself to the imagery of bygone eras of grand, absolute monarchs. In today’s turbulent political climate, both within the United States and abroad, the idea of leaders that are publicly perceived to be infallible, sophisticated and otherwise “perfect”

sounds incredibly appealing.

“The Empress,” beyond its beautiful settings and costumes, its engaging story and its cast of talented actors and actresses, tells a story of someone who was born to rule and who wholly devotes herself to the good of her people. Royalty’s ascent in both fictional and real popularity represents our yearning for faultless leaders to rally around in an age where it seems that no political figure is without flaws.

‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Deserves To Be Taken Seriously

By JULIA JARAMILLO Asst. Arts & Culture Editor

The first scene opens to a merry celebration of a town’s beloved and chivalrous hero. The hero in question sings about his feats and adventures with pride. Even when the festivities awaken an angry giant, the hero defeats him with thrill, laughing in the face of death.

But what ensues after is not a movie about this hero fearlessly saving the day from a big bad monster. Instead, what follows is a beautifully animated lesson about one’s mortality.

This movie is the “Puss in Boots” sequel, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”

Despite being the studio behind some of my childhood favorites

such as “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “Rise of the Guardians,” I haven’t paid much attention to DreamWorks films in recent years. “Trolls” was mediocre; “The Boss Baby” is universally hated; and “Abominable” was alright at best.

When “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” was nominated for Best Animated Feature at both the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards, I didn’t bat an eye. But after listening to reviews that said the newest “Puss in Boots” movie was making them believe in “Shrek” and DreamWorks again, I decided to give the film a chance. I was shocked, but also very delighted, to find an incredibly enjoyable film.

Despite his confidence, Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas, dies in his fight against the giant. Puss’ “fearless hero” bravado has caused him to squander eight of his nine lives. It is in this movie that he finally begins to realize that death is both very real and very close.

But his realization isn’t muddled with over-the-top outbursts or slapstick comedy. Instead, he struggles in a fight against a bounty hunter (Wagner Moura). In the form of a wolf, the bounty hunter clearly has the upper hand, and Puss slowly loses his cool in the duel. Then, the bounty hunter lands a hit on Puss, drawing actual blood. Puss’ life flashes before his eyes, in hair-raising, hyperventilating fear. It’s a chilling scene, as the fear of death is quite familiar to many.

The intensity of it all is enhanced by the gorgeous, multi-framed animation. Compared to previous films, which favored a more realistic

style, “The Last Wish” combines 2D and 3D animation, resulting in an illustrated, paintbrush-like aesthetic that brings the world to life. The inspiration drawn from the critically acclaimed “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is especially present in the dynamic fight scenes. The lower frame rate allows the audience to feel every hit, and snappy quick-cuts make Puss’ anxiety feel so much more tangible.

Reprising her role from the original “Puss in Boots” film, Salma Hayek voices Kitty Softpaws, an expert thief and Puss’ rival-turned-love interest. Perrito, a friendly, peppy therapy dog voiced by Harvey Guillén, joins the two. Chasing after them are three villains, including the haunting bounty hunter.

Goldilocks, voiced by Florence Pugh, is the leader of the Three Bears Crime Family, and Big Jack Horner is an evil pastry chef and crime boss voiced by John Mulaney. With such a large cast, most of the characters could have easily been unremarkable and forgettable, but the film manages to make every one of them leave an impression. Whether it was through pulling at my heartstrings, making me laugh at their antics or filling me with dread, every character contributed in some shape or form to the film’s message. It’s a message that certainly reminds you that death is coming, but it also demonstrates a celebration of life that speaks to viewers of any age.

Watching “The Last Wish” didn’t feel like watching a kid’s movie. Besides animating blood, the way DreamWorks depicted Puss’ anxiety and fear is

uncommonly realistic — a topic I never thought would be explored in a popular kid’s franchise. The ever-present bounty hunter that triggers Puss’ newfound fear of death is quite unsettling. There are even censored swear words and on-screen deaths that were surprisingly gruesome but also hilarious in the moment.

Since “Spider-Verse” came out, mainstream animated media has begun to stray away from a realistic art style and revolve around deeper topics that appeal to both children and adults. The belief that animation is only for kids is fading. Shows like “The Legend of Vox Machina,” “Arcane” and “Invincible” are examples of this. However, while these are amazing shows, they specifically are adult shows with adult content.

“The Last Wish” is special because it is a kids’ movie only in rating. What bothers me about the belief that animation is only for kids is that it assumes kids are stupid, and therefore their content must be stupid. But children aren’t necessarily dumb; they’re just inexperienced. Movies like “Encanto” and “Turning Red” demonstrated this concept beautifully and to great success.

Death and fear aren’t completely foreign concepts to children. Just as I am able to understand that death is scary, so can the 9-year-old that sat next to me in the theater. There doesn’t have to be animated media strictly for adults or an animated media strictly for kids; there can just be animated media. I’m happy to say that “The Last Wish” falls under this category.

Katharina Eyssen’s period drama on Netflix boasts international success; it’s also a sign of the times

The critically acclaimed ‘Puss In Boots’ sequel demonstrates that animation is for everyone, while exploring mature themes of life and death

NETFLIX

“The Empress” is exemplative of a global burgeoning interest in royalty.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” stuns audiences with its clever and unique approach to themes of mortality and anxiety in a film primarily marketed toward children.

un & ames Fun & Games Editor Irene Hao January 25, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Crossword: How Do You Like Them Apples?

BY IRENE HAO

58. Across

13. Gathering place or market in ancient Greece 17. Corporate endings include this and LLCs 23. Good summer, in French 24. Not mine, in text 25. *Sweet and crunchy variety? 28. Dismiss as inadequate or inappropriate 29. Web design language alongside HTML 31. ___ ___ well, or me too (2 wds) 32. NYC-specific agency which releases development plans (Abbr.) 33. Male chickens 34. 2001 BBC children’s program, starring an eponymous Mexican gerbil 35. *National apple of Canada 38. Witless or foolish BY

Opposite of NNW 59. German and Jewish surname, from “ox” 60. Doctoral and master’s program after undergraduate years (Abbr.) 1. *Applejack’s grandmother in “My Little Pony” 2. Jetsam is one 3. “Bad” cholesterol 4. The top of a mountain (2 wds) 5. *Gin-based cocktail with grenadine 6. ___ you ___ the love tonight? 7. ___ butter: often used in skin cosmetics 8. Aspiring people, in a derogatory way 9. Dessert made of ladyfingers and coffee 10. The cream of the ___ 11. Narrow cut 12. Large intestine pouch connecting the small intestine and colon Down Instructions: Each row, column and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1-9 exactly once.

grade in high school least favorite class verb ending in -ing color shape professor name

friend name fruit singular writing utensil

number unit of time

Maybe it’s because I stayed up binge-watching ____________ last night. Maybe it’s because I was stressed from the _________ work piling up. But I woke up today from the strangest dream. I was back in high school, the first day of _____________ year. And my teacher walked in _______ minutes late. My first class was ____________, and I planned on __________ in class for the rest of the semester. The students sat in _____ chairs arranged in a ______. Then __________ pulled out a(n) _______ and chucked it. Surprisingly, it landed perfectly onto the _____ front desk. ___________ had their back turned, writing their name and the objectives on the board with a _____________, and showed no sign of noticing. I really wanted the fruit to transform into a rotten, moldy _____________ and stared and stared at it, willing it to change. After a ________ ____________, it happened. Like something out of “Harry Potter,” the fruit peeled and melted and folded upon itself until it became _____________, before floating and splattering itself against the teacher’s _________ and the board. I marveled at my newfound power, but before I could cause more mischief, I woke up.

color least favorite food body part

same least favorite food

Informal greetings 42. Sideways infinity number 43. Rattling sounds in unhealthy lungs; homophone to train tracks 46. Author of “The Three Musketeers” 8

Decisive victories in boxing and fighting-based video games (Abbr.) 8 3

47. 7 3

41. 4 1

Entice 48. God of war 49. “Baby, I can see your ___ / You know you’re my saving grace” 5

53. 6 8

1 TV show name class name number

39. Sudoku 2 7 4

3 8

6 2 1 7

5 8

7 1

7 8

An Apple a Day Keeps the Teacher Away BY IRENE HAO RAM LIBS GRAPHIC BY CHAISE JONES BACK to SCHOOL

2 9

8 4 6

IRENE HAO 9 4

A platform that sends oneway messages to inform employees and the public of an emergency (Abbr.) 54. Three months after 35 Across 2 3 6