Observer Issue 3 Spring 2023

ChatGPT Sparks Debate Throughout Fordham’s Campuses

By MARYAM BESHARA and DEL MEAR

News Editor and Contributing Writer

ChatGPT, the latest in artificial intelligence technology, has sparked discussions at Fordham and other colleges and universities about how it can be used in higher education without compromising academic integrity.

OpenAI, a San Francisco-based AI company, developed ChatGPT and released it as a free public application on Nov. 30, 2022. The software’s capabilities are based on the user’s input, ranging from mathematical equations to prompts that ask for the generation of ideas, arguments or other essay writing elements. The program is also able to answer follow-up questions, admit mistakes, challenge incorrect premises and reject inappropriate requests.

The application has garnered mass attention for its succinct and coherent responses as well as its wide breadth of knowledge spanning across different fields. Upon its release, Fordham faculty, students and the administration voiced their opinions on the software’s place within an academic setting.

Fordham Alum Luke Momo Premieres Film ‘Capsules’

By HANNAH KASKO Staff Writer

When Fordham Filmmaking Club founder Luke Momo, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19, met Davis Browne, also FCLC ’19, at Pizza Star in Princeton, New Jersey, in 2021, the goal was to discuss tabling their plan of producing a feature-length version of their short film “The Stamp Collector.” Instead, Momo presented a brand new idea, catalyzing a journey that would lead to their

very first feature film, “Capsules.” With Momo as director and Browne stepping into an acting role, the duo co-wrote and produced an engaging movie that blended science fiction and horror. It not only won “Best Feature” at its premiere at the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival, but it was also then sold to Oscar-nominated distributor Good Deed Entertainment.

“Capsules” follows a group of four college chemistry students who, during an intoxicated study session, experiment with

ingesting pill capsules filled with an unknown substance. Quickly, the students learn that if they don’t continue to take the pills, there will be fatal consequences.

Momo and Browne developed the plot in just two days, had a first draft of the script written in two weeks and then began editing. After their early September pizza shop meeting, filming began in late January of 2022, propelling them on a journey towards their December 2022 premiere.

page 14

GRAPHIC BY TARA LENTELL/THE OBSERVER

Fordham Law School Withdraws From ‘US News’ Rankings

By GABRIELLA GUTIERREZ Contributing Writer

Fordham Law School joined a growing list of law schools that have dropped out of the U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Law Schools” rankings on Jan. 13, 2023. Matthew Diller, dean of Fordham Law School, released a letter to the Fordham Law community announcing the decision to withdraw, describing the motivation behind the decision as the media company’s inaccurate reflection of what the university offers.

The report is an annually published list that ranks elementary schools, high schools, colleges, graduate schools, online programs and global universities. In the 2023 report, Fordham Law ranked 37 out of 200 schools in the “Best Law Schools” category, two places lower than the year prior and tied with five other law schools: Wake Forest University; University of California, (UC), Davis; University of Utah; Boston College; and UC Irvine. Both UC Davis and UC Irvine also withdrew from the U.S. News rankings.

In his letter, Diller mentioned that the limitations of the U.S. News ranking algorithm for evaluating the placement of law schools were a factor in the university’s reasoning for withdrawing from the

ranking. He added that the rankings do not reflect what a prospective law student may be searching for within Fordham’s law school.

“It also does not address whether a law school has programs and faculty expertise in a prospective student’s areas of interest or whether a law school has an alumni network that is supportive of students and provides connections and relationships over the course of a career,” Diller said.

Stephen Brown, assistant dean of enrollment at Fordham Law School, noted that the “momentum around withdrawing” from U.S. News rankings was another reason that the law school made its decision. Beginning in November 2022, several other major law schools withdrew from the rankings, starting with Harvard and Yale, followed by Stanford, Georgetown, Columbia and Berkeley soon after.

Fordham Law students also expressed support for the school’s choice to remove itself from the rankings. Christa Dominy, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’24 and an incoming student at Fordham Law School, said that she supports the school’s decision because she believes that U.S. News paints an incomplete picture of the law school.

COURTESY OF LUKE MOMO

One scene in “Capsules” recreates a scene from Momo’s “The Stamp Collector,” in which a character is behind locked doors.

Fordham Housing Fund Facilitates Academic Success of CSTEP Students

By TONY WU

Contributing Writer

Each year, over 40 Rose Hill students apply to Fordham’s Housing Fund program, which was created in 2011 to provide commuter students with free on-campus housing and meal plans so they can live on campus and participate in more activities and extracurriculars. This 2022-23 academic year, the Fordham Housing Fund is supporting nine students through the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), which has been a part of identifying the recipients since the fund’s inception.

CSTEP is a program that supports students from underrepresented backgrounds in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. It provides assistance with academic and career development, graduate/professional school admissions, and more.

The fund was originally established by Brian and Kathy MacLean, both Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’75, with an initial donation of $350,000 to accommodate housing for students who would benefit from living on campus. The MacLeans made additional gifts after meeting scholarship recipients and hearing from them.

According to Fordham News, the grant recipients often struggle with lengthy commutes and at-home living conditions that negatively impact their academic standing. In addition to providing a housing scholarship, the award also supplies recipients with a meal plan and a community of

other CSTEP students to further accelerate their academic success.

“Students will have the ability to live on campus, not have to rush home for dinner time, and overall have a more enriching experience here at Fordham,”

Renaldo Alba, associate director of CSTEP, said.

Alba also noted that on-campus living fosters a dynamic living and learning experience, allowing students from different cultures and backgrounds to interact with one another.

Recipients of these scholarships have expressed that the fund is both transformational and revitalizing in shaping the collegiate experience.

Alvin Feliz Varona, FCRH ’23 and a 2022 Housing Fund Scholarship recipient, explained how he used to commute two hours each way to classes. Since moving on campus, he’s been able to participate in more activities and is now the vice president of ASILI, the Black Student Alliance at Rose Hill, and president of the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students.

“You have those extra four hours, your life changes completely,” Feliz Varona told Fordham News.

Yu Jin In, FCRH ’24 and another one of the scholarship’s recipients, explained that the housing scholarship has allowed her to allocate more time to

completing her schoolwork and partaking in her hobbies, such as reading. Additionally, In noted that the fund allowed her to cultivate more friendships. “I used to travel from Queens, which is about a 80-90 minute commute,” In said. “I had trouble making new friends because it felt like I was late to the game as a commuter student.”

Daphne Buitron, FCRH ’23 and another scholarship recipient, was also able to participate in more activities, such as the dance club, by living on campus.

“This gave me the chance to do something for myself but also continue with my academics. I could do what I want instead

of what I need and then leave,” Buitron told Fordham News.

Since it was first created, the size of the program has expanded from supporting two students to nine students per year. According to Alba, students are selected through a diverse analysis of GPAs, need and other qualifying factors.

“We’re always looking to increase the availability of seats for the program,” Alba said. “We look to recruit rising juniors to provide them a scholarship experience for two years. There’s a standard application and an interview conversation, in order to determine how students will make the most of their opportunity.”

Outside of CSTEP, there are no similar initiatives or programs being offered to students in the form of free or discounted housing. With the Housing Fund’s continued success and growth, members of the Fordham community have initiated calls for similar programs to be built for commuters in general as well as for those in the creative arts, theater or business.

Lincoln Center students have also expressed interest in the creation of such a program at the Lincoln Center campus. Elizabeth Esposito, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’26 and a visual arts major, believes Fordham can work on making affordable housing a priority.

“I believe there exists a necessity within the university and the broader educational community to provide students with accessible housing,” Esposito said.

For the students that do receive the scholarship award, however, the award has proven itself to be incredibly beneficial and revolutionary for their individual collegiate experience.

“This scholarship is continuing to help me advance towards my career goals as a science major pursuing research towards graduate school,” In said.

Law School Ranked 37 Prior to Its Withdrawal

LAW SCHOOL RANKINGS from page 1

“I don’t know if you can define excellence with a few statistics,” she said. “I feel the rankings lack a comprehensive, holistic approach to looking at schools because it misses the essence of what each law school has to offer.”

Dominy added that rankings can also hinder the experience and work of students and faculty members due to their impersonal nature.

“Fordham is standing up for their core values of providing a high-quality education to their students and prioritizing their faculty’s hard work,” she said. “Rankings diminish the work everyone has put in as they reduce you to a number.”

Pre-law student Lydia Williams, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’25 and chair of the United Student Government’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee, also expressed her support for Fordham Law’s decision to withdraw from the rankings. She echoed Dominy’s belief that the school is recognizing its value and accomplishments outside of a given number and said she feels the rankings are ineffective.

“I feel the rankings are very numerical and statistical, (as)

opposed to being holistic about how a school may value certain aspects of a law school to another,” Williams said. U.S. News published statements to prospective students and deans of law schools regarding modifications to the “Best Law School Rankings” on Jan. 3.

The company announced its decision to use public data required

by the American Bar Association as opposed to relying on quality assessments from faculty, students and alumni, as well as placement success. The statement also emphasized that it believes the ranking is still valuable for prospective law students.

“We maintain that data beyond the rankings — whether collected by U.S. News or the American

Bar Association — is an essential resource for students navigating the complex admissions process and seeking to evaluate the important but costly education that you deliver,” the statement said.

According to the statement, in addition to the public information published by the American Bar Association, U.S. News utilizes submitted feedback in crafting the

rankings to ensure “fair and objective standards for an important academic disciple.”

In his statement, Diller said that whether or not the law school’s achievements are reflected in the U.S. News rankings is a “roll of the dice.” He described the components of the algorithm as “bizarre” and noted that schools can go up or down in the magazine’s ranking “based on imperceptible differences in data points.”

“In short, we all need to collectively lower the stakes around the U.S. News ranking,” Diller said. “If we can achieve this goal, prospective students will make better choices and law schools will better serve the profession.”

Brown said he believes that the rankings are not representative of students’ experience at the university, and he expressed that outside of the law school’s average LSAT scores and GPAs, it is commitment to its communities, academics, sports and experience that allow Fordham Law to be presented in the way it is.

“You really can’t get to know us — and our potential matches with your career goals and desired professional path — through a number based on flawed methodology,” he said.

Initially formed through an alumni donation, the fund grants financial aid to STEM students from underrepresented backgrounds for on-campus housing

“ You have those extra four hours, your life changes completely. ”

Alvin Feliz Varona, FCRH ’23

COURTESY OF CHRIS GOSIER VIA FORDHAM NEWS

Seven of the nine CSTEP students who recieved the Housing Fund which provides free on-campus housing to students who would otherwise need to commute.

MEGAN CARTER/THE OBSERVER

Students and administrators

do not beleive that a ranking can correvtly show the accomplishments, experience and community commitment that the law school demonstrates.

Faculty Report Mixed Feelings About New Software

Faculty Share Initial Thoughts on ChatGPT

The software program elicited mixed reactions throughout the university, with some faculty members finding the software interesting and others approaching it with hesitation.

Melissa Labonte, an associate professor in the political science department, shared that her initial thoughts on the software stemmed from campus conversations regarding what ChatGPT might mean for academia. She noted that she is unafraid of the software and thinks of it like Google. However, she added that while AI can supplement some tasks humans perform, she is unsure that it would ever replace “critical thinking, problem solving (or) human beings.”

Unlike Labonte, Steven Stoll, professor of history at Fordham, shared that upon learning about ChatGPT, he was afraid of the new program because it could replace writers. He mentioned that the software is a concern in the humanities department because it allows those seeking an education in reading and writing to bypass that process.

and any students engaging with its services.

“Using these machines violates every principle of education,” he said in the email. “They make a mockery of the entire enterprise.”

Stoll added that he is determined to use other software programs to detect the use of ChatGPT and related bots. He said that he uses ZeroGPT, a free software that detects ChatGPT-generated content, but he believes that programs like ChatGPT will become more advanced.

Stoll said he urges students in his class to consider alternative actions if they are thinking of using ChatGPT, such as requesting an extension on an assignment or going to the writing center for extra credit. He noted that using anything to “fabricate your work is throwing your money away on a college education.”

“It really is throwing away a liberal arts education simply to see it as a game or something purely transactional, in which one’s task is to outsmart the professor and figure out a way to have an essay written for you,” he said.

Stoll added that he does not see any benefit or use of the program, especially when it comes to the software helping to solve issues that have to do with presenting, thinking, expressing or writing.

“It’s brilliant, but there’s a lot of things that people invent that turn out to be very destructive,” he said.

Stoll emphasized that the prominence of ChatGPT jeopardizes not only the craft of writing but also grading methods.

“For the future of the university, it’s a constant threat that undermines the teaching of writing,” he said. “It’s very disturbing the idea that professors would be reading and grading the dumb output of a machine, as though it were the work of a student, and then just calling that the legitimate work of the university.”

According to Labonte, faculty who are critical of the software are doing so “from a place of good intentions.” She noted that ethics and standards of academic integrity are important pillars when it comes to identifying oneself as a recipient of a Fordham diploma.

Use of ChatGPT

Found in Classrooms

In an email sent on Jan. 25 to students enrolled in his “Capitalism” course about the use of ChatGPT, Stoll expressed his disapproval of the software

Kathryn Kueny, professor of theology at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), said that she has already begun to see students using ChatGPT for assignments. She shared that although she understands how the software can help generate ideas or bring topics together, she noticed that the content it produces is often formulaic.

Kueny mentioned that some of the patterns she has seen from ChatGPT when her students have used it are that the submissions do not fully encompass the requirements detailed in the assignment; the product lacks specific sources; the language used is “stiff”; the vocabulary is different; and the sources in the bibliography are not sources to which students would typically have access. Kueny believes any ideas generated would need to be revised and edited prior to being published.

Similar to Kueny, Labonte also noted that one of the criteria she noticed regarding the usage of ChatGPT in her students’ assignments is their bibliographies. She noted that the sources they submit are ones she believes they would normally not have access to or are not reflective of her students’ work. According to The Oxford Review, ChatGPT is able to generate bibliographies with sources that are nonexistent.

“As human beings, we need to be more mindful and more deliberate and more creative in terms of how we think about it,” she said.

According to the Faculty Senate meeting minutes from

Jan. 20, Vice Provost Jonathan Crystal noted that there have been a few cases of plagiarism at the university. He added that Fordham Law School has suggested drafting a policy in conjunction with academic integrity committees at Fordham’s other schools, which have been asked by their respective deans to study the software.

The meeting minutes indicated that another senator also mentioned during the ChatGPT discussion that given the university’s investment in Blackboard, a webbased virtual learning environment where professors can upload their coursework for students, the program should propose solutions to AI plagiarism problems. Following this input, others noted that there is a larger problem than plagiarism and believe that the university should approach it with the “same kind of concerted effort expanded on the challenges of online learning.”

Students Speak on ChatGPT

The program’s usage at Fordham and overall usefulness was a topic of discussion on the minds of Fordham students. Although the software sparked interest in its launch, it also created a sense of worry for those who want to graduate from Fordham alongside its reputation for academic integrity.

Adib Belal, FCLC ’26, said that he sees ChatGPT as a “very exciting prospect.” He added that he believes it can do more good than harm.

“I definitely knew people were going to misuse it,” he said. “But I feel like it opens a whole new world of opportunities for both good and bad usage.”

Kei Sugae, FCLC ’26 and a theater major, said that he does not anticipate using ChatGPT for classwork explaining that he does not need a program to produce texts or scripts because he is at Fordham to learn how to be creative.

“There is a part of me that sees it as a threat to creativity and people who desire to create for a living,” he said. “Being able to just produce a script, just by putting in the basic concepts of an idea, is taking away the process that many playwrights go through.”

Sugae mentioned that outside of an academic standpoint, he believes that it is “amazing” that people have been able to develop a software program like ChatGPT but noted that there will be a

new level of mistrust regarding what information is released into the world.

In a similar vein, Belal said that while the software can replace certain structures, he does not believe it can replace writing or literature. He finds that humans are more skilled when it comes to those fields but noted examples of the software being useful as a tool for essay writing or to help develop answers or explanations for practice problems.

“It’s a very efficient way of getting things done and studying,” he said. “You can use it to learn in that sense.”

Regarding the administration, Sugae said that he wants some form of acknowledgement from an academic integrity standpoint.

“I want Fordham to take measures to limit ChatGPT or at least come up with a method that ChatGPT can be used to the students’ advantage and educate students on how to use it toward a higher level of academia,” he said.

Sugae noted that if students rely on ChatGPT without repercussions, the work and talent produced from Fordham will be limited and the university’s reputation will be affected.

“The more students who don’t produce their own work, the less qualified and less skilled labor coming out of Fordham will be,” he said.

Faculty and Administration Comment on Action

ChatGPT has evoked a consistent feeling throughout Fordham faculty and administration in which there is a consensus to ensure that students are not misusing the software and their education is not being threatened.

Maura Mast, dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, likened the program to Chegg, an educational technology program that students used in 2020 to get answers to tests. She noted that part of the administration’s responsibility to students is to help them understand how to navigate this technology and “when is it okay to rely on it as a tool and when you need to rely on yourself for learning.”

Laura Auricchio, dean of FCLC explained her belief that when a new type of technology is introduced, it opens up opportunities for both possibility and tremendous misuse. She added that the

technology is reliant on the intent behind its use and cited essay writing as an example where ChatGPT should not be used.

“Just because something is digitally produced instead of produced by a human, it doesn’t make it of less value,” she said. “It makes it a different value and to be judged on different standards.”

Mast noted that a separation needs to be made regarding what ChatGPT does and how it can be used effectively.

Both Mast and Auricchio believe that the university should enact a policy to ensure the academic integrity of students, but Mast said that she thinks “there’s very little we can regulate in terms of what students do.” Mast added that although the university does have rules and policies in place regarding academic integrity, there is a limit to how the administration can “police” the software program.

Like Mast and Auricchio, Labonte does not believe the university will be able to prohibit the software’s use. She shared that she understands the criticisms surrounding ChatGPT but believes that the conversation needs to be centered around regulation and adaptation rather than prohibition.

“There’s room to adapt our policies to ensure our students do not engage in unethical practices by using this tool,” she said.

Labonte added that at the end of the day, students are the ones who are responsible for their work, and if they choose to utilize ChatGPT as a tool in a way that is “ethically inappropriate” or is not in line with Fordham’s policies, she believes some sanctions are warranted.

She also said ChatGPT should be carefully monitored, and it is still too early in the software’s release to understand the impact it will have on different forms of writing. She noted that the program’s power should not be underestimated, but it should also not be overestimated because it is in its early stages.

Labonte noted that in order to effectively address the implications this program may have, all stakeholders must engage in conversation with one another, rather than administrators, faculty and students all speaking separately.

“I don’t think this is something that’s going to ever disappear; it’ll be something we’d have to get used to and plan for and think seriously about,” she said.

The ability to reprimand students who utilize the program is in discussion following cases of plagiarism found in classrooms

“ It’s very disturbing the idea that professors would be reading and grading the dumb output of a machine, as though it were the work of a student, and then just calling that the legitimate work of the university. ”

Steven Stoll, professor of history

at Fordham

OpenAI

CHATGPT

from page 1

Death Toll of Kahramanmaras Earthquakes in

and

By INSIYA GANDHI and LAURA OLDFATHER News Editor and Asst. Opinions Editor

A series of earthquakes in the Kahramanmaras regions of central and southern Turkey as well as western Syria have resulted in the loss and mass displacement of thousands of people. The first earthquake, with a 7.8 magnitude, struck the zone on Feb. 6, followed by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake nine hours later. A third earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, occurred on Feb. 20, causing further widespread destruction and fear among survivors in the region. Students, campus organizations, administrative bodies and clubs across the university have sought ways to help those impacted.

The 7.8 mainshock earthquake was the strongest to hit Turkey since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which was of the same magnitude and claimed around 33,000 lives. Additionally, the earthquake that occurred on Feb. 6 was one of the strongest ones in the Levant region, with tremors reported through Lebanon, Jordan and coastal areas of Turkey that have damaged roads and border crossings.

have collapsed or are irreparably damaged. The two major earthquakes were followed by more than 2,100 aftershocks.

In response to the damage and growing death tolls in the region, numerous students and groups on campus have organized relief efforts and Fordham United Student Government at Lincoln Center (USGLC) created a committee to address the demands of Turkish students.

The Turkish Students Association (TSA) was formed on Feb. 16 for Fordham students to organize donations and relief efforts, with the eventual goal of making TSA a club at the end of the semester, following the usual timeline that the student government has for clubs to be approved.

Djellza Pulatani, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24 and president of USGLC, explained that the ad hoc committee was created to provide Turkish students with funding from the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) resources and opportunities that other clubs are given.

Aysegul Yumusak, FCLC ’24, was voted chairperson. Yumusak, who is of Turkish descent, noted that the earthquake’s effects personally impacted her and people she loves.

“I have family friends who unfortunately lost a lot of family members,” she said. “People are always your mutual, so everybody’s had somebody that they know pass away which has been really difficult.”

Yumusak shared that the short-term goal of the committee is to provide aid for the Turkish people, effective immediately. Currently, the committee is focused on seeking approval for its flyers, securing tables for bake sales and increasing donation efforts.

She hopes that this committee can increase awareness of events in the Middle East for Fordham students.

The event was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of Turkey since an earthquake in 526 in Antioch and it was also the most destructive one in Syria since the 1882 Aleppo earthquake and the most malignant global earthquake since one in Haiti in 2010.

As of Feb. 28, the death toll in Turkey and Syria has surpassed 50,000 people. At least 164,000 buildings in Turkey

Claim

“Students tend to be a lot more American-minded when they know what’s happening domestically, but not really what’s happening internationally, especially in the Middle East,” Yumusak said.

Pulatani echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the committee would be an apt opportunity for students to reflect on and inform themselves about issues that impact people globally.

“I think that a committee like this would really reflect not only our student body, but also to help advocate and really make differences within so many different issues,” she said.

Yasemin Cem, FCLC ’25, who is from Istanbul, has been volunteering at the Turkish Embassy in New York. She shared that while the earthquakes did not impact her family directly, the country as a whole feels the repercussions of the event.

“Seeing mothers in the affected regions calling for their children stuck under the rubble; children crying for their parents that have passed away; parents burying their dead children; friends losing their loved ones and family members; over 10 million people losing their homes; those who get saved from the rubble dying of hypothermia and disease, have affected all of Turkey,” she said. “I am lucky enough not to have been hit directly, but it does not change the fact that this is happening to the innocent people of my country.”

Yumusak agreed that the repercussions of the earthquake reverberated across the country, including regions that were not directly impacted.

“A lot of people assume it only has impacted the southwest part of Turkey, but in reality, every other part of Turkey has been affected too.”

In addition to student efforts, offices such as Campus Ministry have also organized relief efforts. José Luis Salazar, S.J., executive director of Campus Ministry, sent an email to all the Fordham community members on Feb. 6 with agencies to donate to, as well as asking to keep those afflicted in people’s hearts and prayers. He included the gospel verse that “reminded us of our identity as ‘salt of the earth and light of the world.’”

A number of organizations on campus have organized fundraising efforts. USGLC has compiled a list of places that those interested can donate to. The Ram Van office is currently accepting physical donations, and the TSA committee of USG is accepting camping gear that the Turkish Embassy in New York is sending to those in need. The most urgently needed items are tents, as in many areas people don’t have access to shelter and are not able to be in buildings. Additionally, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) has been raising money and awareness campaigns for those affected by the earthquake.

Abdo Yousef, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’24 and a representative for SJP, expressed that in attempting to coordinate fundraising efforts, he and other organizers associated with SJP have encountered roadblocks. He added that he believes Fordham served as a “barrier” to enacting social change.

“It is never the case that Fordham University is happy to collaborate or happy to provide the resources for these social movements,” he said.

Yousef noted a slew of bureaucratic and technical challenges in attempting to fundraise, such as stringent provisions regarding what items can be sold as well as how monetary contributions can be collected and distributed.

Yousef explained that a Turkish student originally wanted to collect donations through mobile payment services such as Venmo or Cashapp, but they were unable to do so because Fordham required the student to provide tax forms and a signed statement from the organization that was receiving the donations in order to move forward for liability purposes. He highlighted these conditions as an example of a bureaucratic impediment toward raising aid by expressing

how difficult it is to receive a statement from a charity while it is working on the ground.

“It is not simple for people or for organizations to stop what they’re doing in the middle of an earthquake that has killed and displaced hundreds of thousands of people to send Fordham University an email accepting our fundraising efforts,” he said.

Yousef shared that he feels the primary mode of inspiring social change is not through institutional efforts but through collaborating with individual communities.

In response to Yousef, Bob Howe, associate vice president for communications and special adviser to the president, shared that Fordham’s primary goal as an institution is educating students by giving them the tools to solve global issues and produce research that advances human knowledge.

“Our value to society is education and research: it’s what we do best, and what student’s tuition supports,” Howe said.

Howe shared the university does not have the financial or personnel resources to engage in relief work aiding those impacted in national and global catastrophes, thereby preventing the university from supporting students to the extent it would like to.

Hannah Berggren, FCLC ’25, has been working with her friends on making plushies and baked goods for a sale for direct fundraising. Berggren noted that she was inspired to raise goods and money for survivors of the earthquake because she feels that countries that are predominantly nonwhite receive less aid and attention from the international community.

“I feel like there’s a disproportionate amount of aid that goes to white countries,” Berggren said. “I want to do what I can to help alleviate that.”

Pulatani reflected on the efforts of students, praising their initiative and desire to help innocent people affected.

“Seeing all of the work that has gone into all of this and the resilience and the strength that every Turkish student has shown is just so true and genuine in a way where we should all be proud that we’re around people like this, because the fact that all of them came together so quickly to do something for their own nation,” Pulatani said.

Turkey

Syria

50,000 USGLC’s newly developed ad hoc committee, SJP and students at Fordham are dedicated to gather both monetary and food donations to help survivors in the region

BY ALEXA STEGMULLER/THE OBSERVER

“ I have family friends who unfortunately lost a lot of family members. People are always your mutual, so everybody’s had somebody that they know pass away which has been really difficult.”

Aysegul Yumusak, FCLC ’24

MARYAM BESHARA/THE OBSERVER

A donation box located in the Ram Van office is collecting much needed physical items like blankets and canned food.

Sports & Health

Fordham Defeats URI, 74-71, for 11th Conference Win

In a close game, men’s basketball struggled but eventually rose to the occasion, moving to second in the A10

By CHARLES BINNS Asst. Sports & Health Editor

In yet another high-flying outing, the Fordham men’s basketball team recorded a victory on Saturday, Feb. 25, 74-71, against the University of Rhode Island (URI). More than just another scratch in the win column, the Rams now hold a 26-6 record, including 11 Atlantic 10 (A10) conference victories.

This is the highest number of conference wins for the Rams since they joined the A10 in 1995, and it took place before a sold-out crowd at the Rose Hill Gymnasium. The Rams move to second in the A10, behind Virginia Commonwealth University, and are extremely close to making an NCAA bid.

At first glance, the box score was deceptive; Rhode Island performed with outright statistical efficiency. The team successfully scored 40% of all shots from the field, an immaculate 56% from behind the arc and 84% from the charity stripe.

The Rams fell far behind in each of these statistics. This was especially true of veteran leader Darius Quisenberry, Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) ’23, who put up three-of-13 from the field. Despite this, the Rams excelled because of their pace throughout the game. Fordham converted two more field goals in total and put up six more attempts.

The Rams looked to continue their recent success. Starting the game at forward, Rostyslav Novitskyi, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’23, opened the competition with a clean layup.

Rhode Island quickly responded with a 2-point conversion from Alex Tchikou, URI ’26.

A large part of the first period was a slow patch for the Rams. From the 17-minute mark — when the Rams forced their opponent to take a timeout — until the 11-minute mark, the home team scored just four points. In that same time, the Rams turned the ball over a staggering six times. A combination of inefficiency and unnecessary fouls meant that the Rams were facing a 19-13 deficit.

If there’s one thing to know about Head Coach Keith Urgo’s style of coaching, it’s that a fast pace, energetic defense and hustle are staples. The Rams furiously worked their way back into the game.

Fordham weathered a few uncharacteristic errors, such as Abdou Tsimbila’s, FCRH ’24, back-to-back missed dunks in the eighth and seventh minutes in the period, respectively. However, major scoring contributions from Kyle Rose, FCRH ’24, Novitskyi, and a last-second 3-pointer by Quisenberry put the team up 36-35 going into the second half.

In the second half, the Rams needed to boost their efficiency from the floor. Novitskyi and Richardson were the answer, working in tandem to put the Rams up 44-39 with 17 minutes left in the game. The extra possessions secured by the Rose Hill residents through their rebounding prowess were key to Fordham’s victory.

The Rams proved that if nothing else, effort will get you far.

The abundance of talent on the roster goes without mentioning. In an extended burst of grit, the Rams reeled in four offensive rebounds in the starting minutes of the first period. Starting with a missed three from Khalid Moore, GSAS ’23, the Rams got to work on the glass, grabbing the board. Quisenberry then attempted a three of his own, with the rebound landing back in Fordham’s hands. Antrell Charlton, FCRH ’24, then drove for the layup but was blocked by Brandon Weston, URI ’26. Quisenberry was there to rebound, but with the second shooting opportunity, Charlton missed again. The shot was then recovered by Tsimbila who finally converted the basket.

The Rams were up 46-39 with 16 minutes of play remaining.

Although grabbing four offensive boards is a statistically improbable feat, it does wonders for a team’s energy. The unity, fight and spirit on display in this single play may be enough to spur the team on for a real push toward NCAA basketball.

The game came down to the wire. Each player on the Fordham team had an important offensive role. The Rams’ final point was scored at the line by Quisenberry, making it a two-possession game with only 10 seconds remaining. Rhode Island pushed up the floor and dropped the ball into the hoop. The Rams were up 74-71 with four seconds left on the clock.

Charlton then bungled an inbounds play, turning over possession by stepping in and out of bounds before inbounding the ball. Rhode Island had a chance at a buzzer-beating shot — an event the Rose Hill gymnasium had recently acquainted itself with — but were unable to convert the 3-pointer to send the game into overtime.

The Rams are already playing their best basketball in years and are now close to securing a coveted top-four seed in the coming A10 tournament. The scoring efficiency was not on display, but the victory was well-earned by Urgo and his team. The Rams will play sixthplace George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, on March 1.

DeWolfe Saves Day: Rams Topple URI at Buzzer, 74-73

By CHARLES BINNS and AURELIEN CLAVAUD

Asst. Sports & Health Editors

The Rose Hill gymnasium has seen its fair share of dramatic endings, but Anna DeWolfe’s, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’23, buzzer-beating shot from beyond the arc to get just ahead of the University of Rhode Island (URI) on the night of Feb. 22 will go down as one of the most memorable.

Fordham held a double-digit lead in the third quarter, but URI managed to get back within striking distance in the last period. URI nearly won, but Fordham sent the game into overtime. As the clock hit zero in the extra period, DeWolfe heaved from well behind the 3-point line, sinking the miracle shot to win the game for the Rams, 74-73.

In the bigger picture, the Fordham women’s basketball team did a lot more than just win a game.

The contest against Rhode Island was the second to last in the regular season for the Rams. Entering the game fifth in the Atlantic 10 (A10) conference and on a threegame losing streak, Fordham was at risk of falling even further.

To an extent, the standings were out of the Rams’ control; third-place George Washington University (GW) played 10th-place Davidson College, and the chart-topping University of Massachusetts (UMass) played St. Louis University on the same night. Even if the Rams won against URI, it wouldn’t guarantee an improved position.

And yet, the stars seemed to align for the Rams: GW lost to Davidson, 66-59, and UMass was defeated by St. Louis, 77-75, despite a 7-2 run by UMass that was cut short by the clock, ending with just four-tenths of a second remaining.

With those two outcomes, and Fordham’s miraculous victory

over Rhode Island, the Rams were elevated from fifth place to third. GW fell to fourth, and St. Louis replaced Fordham on the totem pole at fifth. It’s an enormous shake-up in the conference with just one game to go in the regular season. And, importantly, it injected confidence in the Rams just as they were starting to taste the sting of defeat.

The A10 is unpredictable by nature. A single, hopeful heave to win a game and reshuffle the standings doesn’t come as much of a shock. For it to come at the hands of DeWolfe is hardly surprising either.

“That kid deserves her Cinderella moment,” Head Coach Candice Green said after the game. “She’s put in a lot of work, a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this program. She brings spirit; she brings leadership; she brings everything.”

DeWolfe, outside of her heroics, didn’t have the most efficient

of games. She shot two-ofeight from beyond the arc and five-of-22 from the field. However, it wasn’t for lack of effort, as she tallied five assists and as many steals.

Her hustle on the floor reflected the team’s overall effort. Fordham recorded 14 steals and forced 25 URI turnovers. The Rams also held their opponent to 31% shooting accuracy in the fourth quarter.

Fordham’s defense may have been locked in, but so was URI’s offense. In the first half, Rhode Island jumped out to an 8-point lead. The Rams were shooting 11% from the 3-point line. Moreover, Rhode Island had a size advantage that allowed them to get easy interior baskets and hold off Fordham post players like Kaitlyn Downey, Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) ’23, and Jada Dapaa, Gabelli Graduate School of Business ’23.

“Just being aggressive, trying to force turnovers,” Green said of the strategy against Rhode Island. “We got gritty kids that can make up for that size.”

Against the odds, Downey, Dapaa and Asiah Dingle, GSAS ’23, went on an 8-0 run to eradicate the 30-22 lead URI held. The score was tied as the teams retired to the halftime locker room.

The Rams showed no signs of slowing down in the second half. Pushing the pedal to the metal, DeWolfe swished a 3-pointer. After this, DeWolfe cooled off for the remainder of the third quarter.

Rhode Island tried to take the opportunity to claw its way back into the game. However, a combination of free-throw line efficiency and lock-down defense

on Feb. 22

saw the Rams maintain a 10-point lead going into the fourth.

The fourth quarter was a cagey affair. The Rams struggled from the field, converting only four-of-15. The window was starting to creep open for Rhode Island. The Rams’ defense couldn’t help but foul the opposing side.

The charity stripe was fundamental to Rhode Island’s overtime bid. Tied at 63 with only 31 seconds remaining, Anaelle Dutat, URI ’26, hit two free throws to take a two-point lead. The clutch factor is strong within this Fordham team; Dapaa scored a layup to force overtime with three seconds to spare.

The last period of the game came down to pace. The number of possessions increased as the game sped up, which gave the Rams more scoring opportunities. However, the road to victory was far from easy. Once again, it seemed Rhode Island was going to end the period with free-throw line success.

Ines Debroise, URI ’26, stepped up but went 1-for-2. With four seconds left, no timeouts and Fordham down 73-71, DeWolfe ran the floor. She got to her spot, pump faked and stepped through on an awkward 3-point lob toward the rim.

The Rams won by a single point. Emotions ran wild, with screams of happiness from the Rams and visible despair from the Rhode Island players. Back in the win column, the Rams moved on to their final game of the regular season on Feb. 25 at Davidson. Fordham took care of business, returning to the Bronx with a 74-65 win under the team’s belt.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Darius Quisenberry, GSAS ’23, celebrated with the student section after posting 14 points in the game.

The Fordham women’s basketball team heroically prevailed over the second-best team in the A10

COURTESY OF VINCENT DUSOVIC VIA FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Anna DeWolfe, FCRH ’23, scored 14 points including the thrilling, game-winning buzzer beater.

Monsters, Celsius, Bangs — Oh My!

A brief review of caffeinated beverages and their varying effects on the human body

By ALYSSA MACALUSO Copy Editor

Consuming caffeine is practically a right of passage in college. Vending machines are always stocked with Monster Energy Drinks, Yerba Mates, and canned Starbucks drinks such as espressos and frappuccinos. Argo Tea — with its wide selection of caffeinated beverages — is a popular spot for Fordham Lincoln Center students to meet up or study. Even in the library, it’s rare to see a table without a cup of coffee or other caffeinated drink. But, as midterms approach, perhaps you’re reconsidering that extra kick during crunch time.

I’m not here to rail against caffeine consumption or shame those who drink copious amounts of it; I’m an avid fan of Monster Rehabs and Celsius drinks myself. It’s rare to see me in class without a Starbucks shaken espresso or cold brew in hand. Additionally, caffeine has been shown to decrease anxiety, boost pleasant moods, increase the brain’s processing speed, and improve long- and shortterm memory in adults.

It took me a while to learn how to put into place healthy boundaries for caffeine consumption and decide which products I felt comfortable drinking. Hopefully, this article will serve as a guide of sorts to help you figure out how you want to take your daily caffeine.

Conscious Consumption

Knowing how much caffeine is in the drink you’re consuming is important. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about four cups of black coffee or two energy drinks.

Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to jitteriness, trouble concentrating, an accelerated heart rate, trouble sleeping, anxiety, nausea and headaches. Some people experience these symptoms at lower levels of caffeine intake because they’re more sensitive to caffeine, so make sure you’re listening to your body and paying attention to the effects that caffeine has on it.

When it comes to ascertaining how much caffeine a beverage has, don’t judge a drink by its packaging: Bangs, Celsius and even Monsters feature fun, playful branding but pack a serious punch when it comes to the amount of caffeine in them. Bang energy drinks have 300 mg of caffeine in a single can, which is already fairly close to the FDA’s recommended upper limit.

cold brew has about 205 mg of caffeine while a canned double-shot espresso has around 120 mg of caffeine. Most bottled frappuccinos have between 75 mg and 110 mg of caffeine.

Tracking caffeine intake can be as simple as noting the amount on the side of a can or near the nutritional label — or, for those handcrafted beverages, doing a quick Google search to find the online nutritional label (often underneath the drink on the Starbucks website or app).

Reading Beyond the Labels

By ALEXA VILLATORO Asst. News Editor

The topic of menstruation is often seen as taboo and “off-limits,” something that should not be seen or discussed. However, being able to speak openly about period health is essential for people who struggle with them. Various studies confirm the significant role that dialogue and participatory processes can have in improving the health of people with uteruses.

Menstruation involves the monthly shedding of blood and tissue that builds up as a lining around the uterus. The buildup occurs to prepare the body for pregnancy. However, if not pregnant, hormone levels will lower and induce the shedding of this lining, which is commonly called a period.

Throughout this process, people who menstruate will experience various symptoms and conditions, including dysmenorrhea, or menstrual pain; amenorrhea, the absence of a period; menorrhagia, or heavy bleeding; metrorrhagia, or bleeding at irregular intervals; oligomenorrhea, or infrequent periods; and hypomenorrhea, or light periods.

Although everyone who has a period will have different experiences and symptoms, one’s menstruation cycle can affect academic performance and attendance.

Stress can induce dysmenorrhea and encourage people who menstruate to have negative perceptions of their health. Feeling

Guayakí’s

Celsius, although promoted as a health-conscious energy boost, has a whopping 200 mg of caffeine per can. Monster energy drinks and Starbucks’ recently released Baya energy line both have about 150 mg of caffeine per can.

Yerba Mate canned beverages have anywhere from 80-150 mg of caffeine, depending on which type you choose.

If you want to avoid the heavy hitters but still enjoy a non-coffee energy drink, Red Bull is a good candidate. Red Bull has a manageable 80 mg of caffeine.

Or, if you’re a fan of a regular 8oz cup of joe, that has about 80-100 mg of caffeine per serving.

Starbucks canned and barista-prepared drinks run the gamut, but most have caffeine in the 80-225 mg range. A medium, or grande, iced latte (two shots of espresso) has about 150 mg of caffeine, and an iced shaken espresso (three shots of espresso) has about 225 mg of caffeine. In addition, a

While it is important to calculate your caffeine intake, taking careful notice of the other ingredients you’re consuming is crucial to your health. Energy drinks often have a ton of added sugars, which can boost your energy but also contribute to serious withdrawal effects after the caffeine high. Even energy drinks that are sugar-free or boast low calorie counts, like several types of Monster drinks and Bangs, can have negative effects on your health, particularly your metabolism and gut biome.

There is also currently not a lot of conclusive research on the potential benefits or risks of consuming large amounts of vitamins and other substances in energy drinks. Although this is not a reason in and of itself to stop drinking energy drinks, it is worth keeping in mind as you make decisions about what to put in your body.

Even when a drink is advertised as healthy, that may not always be the case. For example, Celsius recently came under fire for misleading consumers about its ingredients. Celsius claims to have “no preservatives,” but citric acid, common in canned beverages, is one of the drink’s ingredients. Although the

company claims that citric acid is used for flavor, not preserving, they still recently settled in a major class action case about the misleading label.

Although it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day whether Celsius uses citric acid as a preservative or a flavor, it still serves as an important reason to not always trust the packaging and to thoroughly research what you drink.

Knowing When To Tap the Breaks

Drinking caffeine is likely a natural part of your day or an essential fixture of your routine. I know getting through my day would be a whole lot harder without the joy from sipping on an iced latte or the extra little boost for my motivation when finishing up some homework. But I entreat you to do so with great attention to your health and moods while consuming. When my friend bought new coffee grounds at Target — always one for irony, she was intrigued by the promise of the strong black brew advertised

by Death Wish Coffee Co — she didn’t expect it to come with a side of excessive caffeine intake symptoms.

A regular enjoyer of a pot of black coffee and Monsters, she is no stranger to large amounts of caffeine. Possibly misled by the near-hyperbolic jests on the coffee bag, she decided to give “the world’s strongest coffee” a shot. She later found out that she had been consuming nearly 900 mg of coffee when she used the grounds for her usual pot of coffee.

Death Wish Coffee Co didn’t list the amount of caffeine anywhere on the bag — nor did it provide the helpful statistic that a cup of coffee made with its grounds has nearly 500% more caffeine than the average cup. Although this is the cautionary tale to end all tales, you shouldn’t feel scared away from caffeine entirely. It can make an enormous positive impact on your life, especially as a student. However, you should bear in mind the dangers and effects caffeine can have on your health and well-being. So, please do enjoy your Monsters and shaken espressos — responsibly, of course.

Talking About Health: Menstruation and Stress

stressed can lead to more intense premenstrual symptoms like fatigue, general aches and pains, lowered school and work performance, and more. People can also experience absent or irregular periods which can, in turn, increase stress about their health (or, for those who are sexually active, accidental pregnancy).

In both a 2018 cross-sectional study of 738 health sciences students who menstruate in Saudi Arabia and a 2013 cross-sectional study of medical students in India, researchers found similar results where high perceived stress was associated with menstrual problems such as dysmenorrhea. In the 2013 study, they also found that stress levels impacted premenstrual symptoms and irregular cycles.

A systematic review of 83 studies similar to these from countries across the world, including the U.S., noted that attending higher education is strongly associated with improved health and that menstruation can interfere with learning abilities and needs. Students across the studies were found to not address these concerns with a doctor or medical professional to treat or diagnose menstrual abnormalities.

According to a 2020 study, dysmenorrhea can also lead to poor sleep quality and have negative results on mood, possibly resulting in anxiety or depression.

Menstrual symptoms and pain are also directly linked to absenteeism among people of various ages according to a 2017

study, which concluded that menstruation-related symptoms cause decreased productivity.

Women under 21 years of age were found to experience the most absenteeism from either work or studying, but a large majority of the cross-sectional sample of over 30,000 women said that they wished there was greater flexibility regarding the experience of menstrual-related symptoms. According to The New York Times, there are several countries across the world with menstrual leave policies, including Japan, Zambia and Indonesia. At Fordham University, there is no absence exception noted for menstrual pain or discomfort.

According to Emily Martin, vice president for workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center, these policies may perpetuate stigma surrounding menstruation. She instead suggests implementing leave policies for both men and women experiencing chronic medical conditions.

In an academically rigorous setting, college students experience high levels of stress, which can affect a period, such as by causing its absence. According to Randa J. Jalloul an associate professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, studies show that a majority of women who experience any absent periods will recover if they were caused by weight loss or psychological stress.

She said that stress of any kind will cause an “increase in

endorphins and cortisol secretion, which interrupt hormone production” and can lead to an abnormal period.

The effects of stress on menstrual health are unique and informative of the influences on one’s menstrual cycle that challenge everyday experiences due to pain or irregularities. If asking why one may be experiencing abnormalities in their menstruation cycle, stress is one possibility to consider.

According to the American Family Physician Journal, those experiencing menstrual abnormalities and irregularities can find relief through the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, topical heat or oral contraceptives. College students may also reduce menstrual-related conditions like dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea induced by psychological stress by addressing work, academic and personal life balances.

GRAPHIC BY MARIA TERZULI/THE OBSERVER

GRAPHIC BY ALYSSA SHONK/THE OBSERVER

Celebrating Women’s Suffrage in Central Park

Central Park, Seneca Falls and the women who inspired a movement

By ANGELA LOCASCIO Staff Writer

Central Park was approved in 1853 and opened in 1876, bringing 840 square acres of vegetation and rich green foliage to New York City. Despite this quick construction, it took over 164 years to bring the first-ever statue of historical women to the park, honoring those who stood for women’s rights and suffrage.

The statue, which was installed along the Literary Walk in August of 2020, brings to light the history of women’s suffrage. The bronze monolith created by Meredith Bergmann stands tall at nine feet, featuring some of the foremothers of women’s rights: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth.

Born in New York in 1815, Stanton became a pioneer for women’s rights and was also involved in the anti-slavery movement at the time. She first met Anthony in 1851 at an anti-slavery convention, and the two worked together to protest for women’s rights going forward. Truth was a Black woman who was born into slavery and gained her freedom in 1828. In 1851, the same year that Stanton and Anthony met, Truth began a lecture tour, during which she became known for believing that suffrage for formerly enslaved men should come at the same time as that for women.

Why did it take so long for New York City to finally put a historic statue of women among its other 22 historic statues of men? Statues depicting Alice in Wonderland, installed in 1959, and Juliet from “Romeo and Juliet,” installed in 1977, have lived in the park for decades. If fictional women can be memorialized, why not the real deal?

The reason is that this country was built on misogynistic reasoning by sexist leaders. Men, specifically Thomas Jefferson, wrote in the Constitution of the United States of America that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” This did not include women, nor people of color.

Many of the 22 men with statues in Central Park are known for their racist histories. One of the most prevalent examples is that of Christopher Columbus. Columbus, who is often celebrated for “discovering” the New World, led the devastation of the Indigenous people who already lived there, enslaving them and bringing diseases that wiped out entire populations. Men like Columbus certainly do not deserve to have statues built in their honor before women who helped bring suffrage to those in New York and the rest of the United States.

The women’s suffrage movement was growing here in New York years before Central Park was founded. In 1848, Stanton met with over 300 women and men in Seneca Falls to form the first-ever women’s rights convention. The convention opened with words from Stanton: “We are assembled to protest against the form of government, existing without the consent of the governed — to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraced laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in the case of separation, the children of her love.”

People in New York City also held two women’s suffrage

parades on May 4 and 5 of 1912 on Fifth Avenue, marching from Washington Square to Carnegie Hall. Over 15,000 people from all over New York and other states came to support the cause. Mothers showed up with baby carriages, with children and dogs marching along beside them. These marches were not exclusive to New York. One year later, the labor lawyer Inez Milholland rode on horseback to lead

a women’s suffrage march on in Washington, D.C. This demonstration was the first organized march in Washington, and Milholland eventually became the inspiration for the iconic comic book character Wonder Woman.

The demonstration was organized by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who were leaders in the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and who were galvanized by the failure of a constitutional amendment which would have outlawed the denial of suffrage based on sex. These are just some of the often-overlooked heroes of the struggle for women’s rights.

At the time of these suffrage marches, the streets of New York were lined with magnificent trees, gardens in front of stores,

brownstones, and small parks to just sit and take respite. Women took advantage of these parks, as it was there that they were able to share tales of their lives as mothers, wives and college students. They would communicate through secret suffrage meetings or clubs away from home or off campus, and many expressed their desire for a ratification of the right to vote, alongside the other protections men had. They wanted to have jobs and their own bank accounts, as well as to be able to keep their children if they were to divorce their husbands.

Race was another major factor in the fight for women’s suffrage. A young 16-year-old Chinese-American woman named Mable Ping-Hua Lee was instrumental in helping to organize the

The statue of Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton highlights

PHOTOS BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

The Women’s Rights Pioneers statue is the first in Central Park to depict real-life women.

Sojourner Truth believed that Black men and women should gain suffrage together.

demonstrations in New York City and marched down the streets, but this sort of inclusion was not always the case. For example, women of color were not invited to the 1848 women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, which is largely considered the birth of women’s suffrage.

Sojourner Truth, who is one of the three women immortalized in the Central Park statue, was one of many Black women not present at the Seneca Falls convention. She is now best known for her speech “Ain’t I a Woman,” which was heard in Akron, Ohio, at the 1851 National Women’s Rights Convention. However, white attendees attempted to boo her off the stage before she could speak, and different papers at the time reported her speech differently, some giving her a racialized dialect that she most likely did not have.

Furthermore, when looking at this statue, it is important to note Stanton and Anthony’s complex history with the abolition movement as white women. Although they were both part of the anti-slavery movement prior to the Civil War, following the introduction of the 15th amendment — which made it so that Black men could vote — they withdrew their support due to the amendment

not including women. Stanton and Anthony believed that no one should receive suffrage if it did not include women as well.

In 1920, the passage of the 19th Amendment finally gave women the right to vote. However, Black women, and many women of color, were still ostracized at the polls for their race, in the form of literacy tests, poll taxes and violent intimidation. It was not until the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 that the right of Black women to vote became protected, and the suppression of Black voters remains an issue today. When we celebrate the anniversary of women’s suffrage, the rage of oppressed women’s voices still rings on.

With even just a quick glance through the history of women’s suffrage, it’s clear that there are many influential women who deserve to be commemorated through statues in Central Park alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth. These trailblazers raged for the rights of women, and women like them should have their stories told throughout Central Park just as the stories of prominent male figures are — because the only thing more powerful than rage is a voice.

Fast Facts

• The Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument was installed in August of 2020.

• It took 164 years before a statue of real-life women was installed in Central Park.

• There are 22 statues of men in Central Park.

• Over 15,000 people attended women’s suffrage marches in New York City in 1912.

influential 19th century activists.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (right) met Susan B. Anthony (left) in 1851 at an anti-slavery convention.

Unionization has been a pressing topic at Fordham University, with various groups of workers organizing for better pay, benefits and working conditions. From Fordham Faculty United (FFU), to the Fordham Graduate Student Workers (FGSW), to the recent emergence of the Fordham Rose Hill Resident Assistant (RA) union, university workers have been standing up and demanding change.

RAs at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus announced their intention to unionize on Feb. 1, citing complaints from RAs of alleged mistreatment by the Office of Residential Life at Rose Hill and calling for better compensation, communication and respect. RAs created a petition and held a rally, and when the university failed to recognize their efforts within the one-week deadline they gave, the RAs indicated that they would be filing for an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). If the majority of RAs vote in favor of unionization, the university is legally required to recognize the union.

The Residential Life staff is vital to the wellbeing of students living on campus. They provide support during incoming students’ initial adjustment to living in campus dorms and are available to students 24/7 during the first week of classes. All year (including holidays), they are on on-duty rotation and are responsible for office coverage, rounds, phone calls and guest passes, among other tasks. These students report emergencies, work with

campus security, monitor facilities, conduct room inspections, perform basic maintenance and cleaning duties, plan and execute at least six programs per semester, moderate resident disputes, and maintain relationships with residential faculty. Needless to say, RAs do a lot to keep Fordham operating.

The RA union comes at a time of increased labor organization across the university. In addition to FFU’s efforts to negotiate with the administration for better health benefits and higher pay, which nearly culminated in a faculty strike, graduate student workers have also been organizing for living wages, better health insurance and better grievance procedures.

ing administrative tasks and supporting faculty members, and their labor concerns also deserve our support.

The university’s Jesuit mission calls on all community members to dismantle unjust systems. The Observer editorial board commends the unionization efforts of the Rose Hill RAs, as well as workers across the university community, and we call on the university to swiftly and equitably address labor concerns. As with the Rose Hill RAs, The Observer would support RAs at our home campus, Lincoln Center, should they decide to organize into a union — a right of every worker, both in response to any current mistreatment and potential mistreatment in the future.

FGSW, which voted to be represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) in April 2022, renewed its efforts due to concerns exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including unfair pay compared to work hours. Despite FGSW’s support for and involvement with FFU, the union has not received the same level of attention or support from the university community as other university unions. These members of our community play a crucial role at the university through teaching, tutoring, perform-

We call on the student body to recognize the direct impact of labor concerns on the university’s day-to-day functions and thus the urgency of taking action. An FFU strike would have seen a significant number of professors indefinitely suspending classes. Graduate student workers cannot perform essential responsibilities without fair pay and working conditions. RAs cannot effectively maintain security and contentment for students without compensation for their crucial work.

Fordham students have an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our peers, professors and workers. We demand change from the institutions to which we belong. The Observer believes it is our duty to vocally support the efforts of our RAs at Fordham, because unions succeed when they receive support from their community.

COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Become competitive in the fast-growing tech industry.

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Queens College is offering in-person and online classes over four summer sessions:

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Students from all colleges welcome. www.qc.cuny.edu/summer

Evening, weekend, and some online/hybrid classes are available | Reduced tuition for master’s programs

Fordham’s Computer and Information Science Department now offers the following graduate programs:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science

• M.S. in Computer Science

• M.S. in Cybersecurity

• M.S. in Data Science

• Advanced Certificate in Data Science for Cybersecurity

• Advanced Certificate in Financial Computing

• Advanced Certificate in Financial Econometrics and Data Analysis

Scan the QR code to join us for an information session.

Michigan State’s Misinformation Nightmare

The mass shooting at East Lansing revealed egregious flaws in social media and American culture

MATTHIAS LAI Features Editor

On the night of Feb. 13, I was getting ready for bed when one of my best friends, who lives on campus at Michigan State University (MSU), sent me a text saying, “I am safe, locked down, and hiding right now.” I had not yet seen the news of the school shooter who wounded five people on the MSU campus in East Lansing and killed three others. Suddenly, I was wide awake, scrolling through Twitter feeds and news updates for the next three hours, frantically searching for any information that would tell me that my friend was unharmed, the shooter was caught and it would all be okay.

My friend is safe, and the gunman was never even close to the building they live in, but at the time, no one — not me, not my friend, not even MSU police — knew that. The shooter could have been anywhere, and tracking him down was no easy task: MSU has one of the largest campuses in the country, spanning over 5,200 acres. But the internet is even bigger, and navigating the flurry of misinformation and false reports made the situation worse for everyone involved.

The shooter was a Black man in his 40s, wearing a jean jacket and red shoes and carrying a handgun, but a New York Times analysis of police audio from the incident revealed reports that it was a person in a burgundy sweater, or a green one, or a white man carrying an AR-style rifle, or a trio of gunmen. At one point, the officers even responded to a reported shooting in an athletic center that never actually happened.

It’s bad enough that police and civilians struggled to pin down the perpetrator. But the deluge of false reports on Twitter only

made the situation more stressful for those under lockdown and for those on the outside trying to ensure the campus’ safety.

In the messy combination of amateur detectives and cookie crumb reporting on social media, the truth can get lost in a sea of plausible misinformation. If something sounds like it could be true, the internet hordes seize it in an attempt to make sense out of a senseless situation. For over an hour, I saw countless tweets reporting that “Lynn Dee Walker” was the suspected gunman and reposting photos of a white man with a mustache and goatee, with a vape in his mouth and his middle finger up. However, Walker was not a real person, and the photos were actually of internet streamer Logo Daedalus, who was not involved in the crime. Many of the tweets accusing Walker of the shooting have since been deleted.

left campus. Once confronted by law enforcement several hours later in East Lansing, he fatally shot himself. Not knowing what was happening at the time was terrifying, and the high volume of misinformation being tossed around online didn’t help.

I can’t blame concerned Twitter users for reposting information they believed was important and accurate, but I can criticize the forces that led us here. The shooting showed Twitter at its worst, an incoherent flurry of fabricated to-the-second updates and political talking points drowning out any real news about what was actually happening. When my best friend’s life is in danger, I don’t want to hear about how liberals won’t accept conservatives’ thoughts and prayers or that MSU is a gun-free zone, so gun control obviously doesn’t work.

The falsification of Daedalus’ image was the most heinous, but there were other false reports spreading online. A photo of three people carrying large rifles circulated for a while, stoking fears that there were multiple shooters. Twitter users caught wind of police scanners allegedly indicating that there were potentially explosives being unloaded at a building close to my friend’s dorm. There were not.

We now know that the shooter fired shots on the north end of campus around 8:15 p.m. then

That Twitterstorm is the result of two and a half decades of growing internet connectivity and social desensitization in America. In 1999, a response like this to the shooting at Columbine High School was unfathomable. The country trusted law enforcement to deliver the facts and provide a reason for an unimaginable crime. But now, we feel as though we must be purveyors of the truth, and Twitter has democratized information sharing to make this possible. Instead of a centralized voice assessing the situation and providing accurate information, we have thousands of individuals reposting the latest rumors from their feeds — a result of the lack of oversight of information dissemination on Twitter.

Social media can be a valuable means of spreading information. For instance, the killing of George Floyd was live streamed on Facebook Live, reigniting the American consciousness of police brutality. However, it is important to be thoughtful about what

you are posting, especially when you’re playing journalist in such a terrifying situation. Without the typical oversight and corroboration that comes with institutionalized news sharing, we must become our own editors and fact checkers.

Most of the people posting about the shooting were not ensuring that they were being considerate of the situation or sharing accurate information. Hundreds of accounts reposted viral false reports or political talking points, stoking unwarranted fear and turning an unfolding violent event into a political debate. Users’ need to boost their online egos overruled their better judgment and made a bad situation worse. This unfortunate result was a reflection of clout-chasing social media culture, but it was also due in large part to the cultural desensitization we’ve developed toward mass shootings.

I understand that asking lawmakers to do something about gun violence will yield nothing, be-

cause as long as the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturing lobbyists are in enough Congress members’ pockets, guns will have free reign in America. And while I believe that militarization anywhere is a threat to humanity everywhere, I understand that in our current iteration of society, where the wealthy thrive off of heavily armed military and pseudo-military government groups, there will not be a disarmament. Instead, I ask those of us with sensibilities not clouded by legalized bribery and extortion to wield our greatest weapon — our voice — wisely. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool, and it can be tempting to echo trending reports and make shallow political pleas to feel like we’re contributing something. But before we hit post, we should ask ourselves if what we’re saying is bringing meaningful thought into the public discourse or if we’re just shouting hollow words into the void.

Mental Health: The Newest Online Commodity

assessments of mental health conditions on social media without the accreditation of an advanced degree?

If you sat waiting in a doctor’s office only to be given a diagnosis without examination, what feelings (or four-letter words) might that evoke? No need for a blood test or medical history; they immediately know what’s wrong. You can go pick up your prescription at your nearest Walgreens. Almost all of us would conclude, rather quickly, that we would not be rushing to the corner of happy and healthy.

With that in mind, why would we accept such blind, confident

Within the addictive labyrinths of content on platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, online misinformation about the realities of mental health present the greatest threat to both public understanding and personal recovery in the modern day. The seemingly omniscient social media algorithms are famous, maybe even infamous, for populating your timeline with videos you simply need to see.

Titles like “Signs You Could be Autistic” and “Hidden Symptoms of Repressed Trauma” spark new

doubts in the minds of viewers: “Wait ... those sound like me. Am I actually autistic? What if I have repressed trauma and I just can’t remember it? I thought this was normal ... but I guess it isn’t?”

The winning combination of an authoritative tone and some buzzwords like “detachment” and “subconscious,” and suddenly you’ve got a spiral of doubt shaping up for a 3 a.m. arrival. Lurking in many of these videos are universal experiences shoved into pathologized language. No, “needing structure but also craving impulsivity” is not a sign of ADHD, but rather a symptom of being a human being with an active brain. I can’t remember who my friends were in the first grade because it was over a decade ago, not because of secret trauma.

In an often well-intentioned attempt to expand awareness of unique clinical presentations, these videos manage to generalize symptoms to the extent that it is indistinguishable from common human experiences. We are bundles of organs and nerves held together in sacks of flesh. It’s a flawed and at times irritating process; imperfections should not require a clinical category to be worthy of acknowledgement and empathy. With content creation as an increasingly popular source of personal income, the ease of selling alleged solutions for mental

health issues is troubling beyond words. With apps like BetterMe selling plans to heal your childhood trauma in “just 28 days,” we see the consequences of misinformation reflected in pitches for a quick fix — psychological snake oil. Without anyone to report harm to, except perhaps a cursory customer service number that will ring indefinitely or an email that is never checked, the anonymity of online forums allows individuals to skirt the responsibility of being identified and held accountable for harmful advice or an incorrect diagnosis.

Accreditation requires some degree of authenticity, involving intimate details like your real name. Without it, @User-followed-by-a-string-of-numbers can continue to promise the psychological equivalent of what Ozempic is to the Kardashians. Twenty-eight days, BetterMe says. On the 29th, the uninformed will ask what is taking so long, and those seeking help will wonder why they haven’t managed to overcome adversity within one calendar month.

To promise reliability, progress and recovery to those searching for meaning without the intent to follow through is irresponsible. Though a crime made faceless in the digital space, offering immediate relief to those convinced it is beyond reach dangles hope in front of one’s face only to

yank it away when the in-app purchase goes through.

It’s important to note that discouraging brazen strangers with smartphones from handing out diagnosis and treatment plans like Tic Tacs is not akin to saying that the current mental health care system is flawless or even effective. Those that caution against social media as a primary source of psychoeducation must also address the systemic racism, sexism and classism that inhibit the current path to formal treatment.

However, like ditching Windex for maple syrup, replacing professional clinical assessment with advice from someone who “can read vibes” is bound to land us in a stickier situation than where we started. Being an “empath” is not the same as years of graduate school and subsequent clinical training.

So while a sufficient solution to address the underlying issue of inaccessible mental health care has yet to be determined, consumption of aforementioned “Signs You Have (Insert Diagnosis Here)” content just isn’t how we’ll find it. A necessary first step is to consider why this misinformation is so voraciously consumed.

Until we can ensure access to mental health resources at all levels of support for those who need it, Becky in Idaho will still be offering fake Instagram therapy from behind the register at 7-Eleven.

BRANISLAV ONDRASIK VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

There was confusion and panic at Michigan State University when misinformation spread online amid an active shooter situation on campus.

GRAPHIC BY MARIA TERZULLI/THE OBSERVER

When my best friend’s life is in danger, I don’t want to hear about how liberals won’t accept conservatives’ thoughts and prayers.

Arts & Culture

Wednesday Addams Reclaims Her Pop Culture Icon Status

Tim Burton’s reimagining of the classic tale skyrockets to Netflix’s second most popular English-language series, surpassing 1 billion views

By JUJU JAWORSKI Staff Writer

Contains spoilers for the “Wednesday” Netflix series.

Many names hold significant meaning, whether they are from family members, fictional characters or pop culture references. When “The Addams Family” first appeared as cartoons in The New Yorker in 1938, the family members were nameless. In 1964, Charles Addams, the cartoonist behind the print series, turned it into a television series and gave the characters names: The parents became known as Gomez and Morticia Addams, and their gloomy daughter took on the name of “Wednesday,” based on the “Monday’s Child” nursery rhyme line, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.”

Wednesday, dressed head-totoe in all black, with her hair in her iconic braids, has been a pop culture icon for decades. However, her surging popularity in 2022 was a big surprise for the Addams Family franchise and Netflix alike. In November 2022, Netflix released Tim Burton’s creation “Wednesday,” a new series centering on the titular character as she navigates her teen years, new schools and attempted murder. The limited series creates a landscape for an amateur detective show mixed with deadpan comedy.

Although the show was released in November instead of October — missing out on an opportunity to tie in the spooky themes of the show with Halloween — it managed to rack up high ratings. “Wednesday” reached the No. 1 slot on Netflix in 83 countries and held the record of most hours viewed in a week for an English-language Netflix series, with a total of 341.2 million hours

watched in the first week of its release. “Wednesday” became an overnight phenomenon for teenage and millennial audiences alike, and it came at Netflix’s 11th hour.

With the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things” drawing to a close after its upcoming fifth season, critics and television analysts have identified “Wednesday” as the next hit show in the sci-fi/horror genre, filling the gap left by the Duffer Brothers’ iconic series. As both are Netflix productions, the streaming platform will likely retain its dominance in the subgenre.

Wednesday’s unabashed confidence and deadpan personality serve as inspiration for people who feel on the outskirts of society themselves.

The real questions are: Why Wednesday Addams, and why now? This is because, for the first time, amid an influx of teenage-centered dramas on streaming platforms, we see a protagonist who is undeniably herself.

While protagonists on television shows like “Riverdale” or “Never Have I Ever” exist in a realm of real-world anxiety and Gen Z angst, Wednesday is able to exclude herself from that narrative, aided by the otherworldly setting of Nevermore Academy.

Wednesday’s prominent status as a self-proclaimed “outcast” adds to her audience appeal and her mainstream popularity. Her unabashed confidence and deadpan

personality serve as inspiration for people who feel they are on the outskirts of society themselves.

Another important aspect of the popularity of Wednesday lies in her ability to blur the lines between protagonist and antagonist. She undeniably cares about her younger brother, Pugsly, and rushes to his rescue when he is bullied by the high school swim team in the show’s opening episode by dumping piranhas in the school pool. However, in “Woe What a Night,” when it’s revealed that Wednesday’s budding romantic interest assaulted her friend the previous year, she confronts him, but then readily forgives him after he shows remorse. Wednesday picks and chooses who she shows her loyalty to, demonstrating traits not often seen in modern media.

Wednesday has not only resurged in popularity through the Netflix platform but through social media platforms as well.

Wednesday’s iconic dance in “Woe What a Night” to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps, choreographed by actor Jenna Ortega herself, went viral overnight. The dance has been reposted millions of times and was adapted to a sped-up version of “Bloody Mary” by Lady Gaga by several TikTok dancers.

Without Ortega as the lead, this show would not be as successful. Ortega has been acting since she was 9 years old, but her breakthrough performance was as young Jane in The CW comedy-drama series “Jane the Virgin” in 2014. Her performance as Wednesday has received such high acclaim due to the actor’s preparation and dedication to the role. Ortega even took lessons in cello, fencing

and German to prepare for the titular role.

In interviews, Ortega also noted that she watched Addams Family movies from the ’90s, read Addams’ comics and watched the ’60s TV series. Although she was hesitant at first to join the series as she wanted to move her career toward film and away from television, Ortega knew she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with Burton and step into the shoes of this iconic character.

Ortega’s ultra-specific perfor-

The Enduring Charm of ‘Carmen’

mance of Wednesday attracted the attention of not only viewers but also awards organizations. For ceremonies such as the Golden Globes, “Wednesday” managed to acquire two nominations within a mere 38 days before the eligibility period was up. Despite losing in both categories — best television series, musical or comedy, and best actress, television series, musical or comedy, for Ortega’s performance — the series still managed to turn heads by receiving nominations so late in the season.

Inspiring countless works, Bizet’s final work has proven itself to be a timeless romantic classic

By ERIC JOOYOUNG KIM Staff Writer

As one scrolls through the seemingly endless film and television libraries, they may realize that it is incredibly difficult to escape romance in film. This prevalent theme extends far beyond the screen, grounding its origins in the earliest forms of art and culture.

The concept of love has inspired generations of artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians to compose powerful works depicting the wonders and tragedies of romance, one of the oldest genres of entertainment. Written in the late eighth or early seventh

century B.C., “The Iliad” is a romantic tragedy in which two protagonists fight over the beautiful female lead, an enduring narrative that influenced countless works of romantic literature, art and music thereafter.

This narrative of tragic romance particularly resonated with Georges Bizet, born Alexandre-César-Léopold Bizet, a 19th-century French composer famous for his most important and final work, “Carmen.”

The opera, set in the Spanish city of Seville, tells the story of the titular protagonist Carmen, a mysterious and attractive Romani woman and a time-honored

femme fatale, and her love triangle entanglement between the corporal Don José and the bullfighter Escamillo. In true iliadic fashion, tragic romance has been a key theme in opera.

Like “Carmen,” more modern approaches to a love triangle have gained immense traction as well. The films “Gone with the Wind” (1939) and “Twilight” (2008) feature prominent ones. “Carmen,” however, showcases the love triangle motif in a different light by giving the primary love interest (in this case, Carmen) more power than her suitors, a theme which has persisted since the opera’s premiere.

The sultry voice of Carmen is played by a mezzo-soprano, in sharp contrast to the usual soprano female protagonist. This encapsulates Bizet’s vision of the relatable proletarian woman, as mezzo-soprano is the most common voice type for adult women.

Carmen’s verses also suggest a more modern and liberal approach to romance than what society traditionally allowed of women during Bizet’s time. In “Habanera,” or “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle,” Carmen opens the song with the phrase, “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser,” meaning, “Love is a rebellious bird which nobody can tame.” Additionally, in “Près des remparts de Séville,” also known as “Séguedille,” Carmen sings the lines “donc pour me tenir compagnie, j’emmènerai mon amoureux,” meaning “so to keep me company, I will take my lover.”

Through the opera, Carmen is portrayed as the one in control of her romantic situation instead of either of her male lovers, a subversion of the love triangle motif that dominated romantic art, music and literature at the time.

“Carmen” is a testament to the enduring allure of the theme of romance, albeit tragic romance, that is ever-prevalent in the arts and in reality. Beyond his exquisite composition technique and persistent ambition to excellence, Bizet crafted an opera that stood the test of time.

“Carmen,” directed by Benjamin Millepied and scored by Nicholas Britell, is slated for release this year as the most recent film rendition of the immortal tale, starring Melissa Barrera as Carmen and Paul Mescal as Aidan, the male love interest.

“Carmen” served as the inspiration for multiple films, including “The Wild, Wild Rose” (1960, Hong Kong), “Carmen Get It!” (1962, Czechoslovakia), “Man, Pride and Vengeance” (1967, Italy) and “First Name: Carmen” (1983, France).

Carmen herself has been portrayed by some of history’s greatest actresses and performers, including Dorothy Dandridge, Grace Chang, Beyoncé Knowles and Rita Hayworth.

Today, “Carmen” continues to inspire, as recently as the Belgian artist Stromae’s modern rendition of the opera’s most popular melody, “Habanera,” in his eponymous song “Carmen.” Lana Del Rey’s, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’08, “Carmen” also references the titular protagonist of Bizet’s opera and portrays Carmen as someone or something that is desired. Both Stromae and Del Rey’s songs retell the key themes of the perils of romance and desire.

The tale of Carmen is a definitive tale of romance and a reflection of our weakness in the face of what has commonly been known as the most powerful emotion.

NETFLIX

Jenna Ortega’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the recent Netflix series has surged in popularity on social media.

POCHI VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

With her deep vocal range and bold lyrics, Carmen presented a new and liberated take on the love triangle trope.

‘Capsules’ Film From Fordham Alumni Is Triumphant at Science Fiction Film Festival

Fordham alumni Luke Momo and Davis Browne’s first feature film wins Phillip K. Dick’s ‘Best Feature’ and is sold to an Oscar-nominated studio following its festival premiere

Those who have worked with Momo in and outside of the club have noted that they saw hints of his old shorts within “Capsules,” even going so far as to compare moments from them to new shots in the feature side-by-side.

“I like to think of the film like it’s like my ultimate Fordham Filmmaking Club film,” Momo explained, noting that “Capsules” has benefited from all of the short films he had made in the past. For Momo, the feature film is composed of a series of short films, so the natural progression of his shorts bleeding into his first feature is not only to be expected but celebrated.

“Movies are made of movies,” he said.

“Capsules” was filmed in only eight days, and from the get-go, Browne explained, the cast and crew were all in. Immediately, they “really bought in to the vision of what the film was supposed to be.” This attitude fostered a collaborative environment on set, on which both Momo and Browne placed a considerable amount of emphasis. Browne detailed their commitment to listening to the cast and crew’s input, explaining that he and Momo did not want the set to feel like it had a hierarchy of power. They believe the strongest level of creativity and some of the best ideas came from the collaborative efforts of everyone on set.

“ When you’re in that environment, you remember why you wanted to do this in the first place.”

Luke Momo, FCLC ’ 19 and director of “Capsules”

Notably, many of these collaborators were also graduates of FCLC and friends of both Momo and Browne, with Momo describing it as “quite a Fordham joint.” “Capsules” features the work of Caroline Potter Shriver, FCLC ’19, as a lead actress; George Dissinger, FCLC ’20, as the film’s composer; Eamon Redpath, FCLC ’18, as a sound recordist; Emma Szymanski, FCLC ’19, with after credits music; Joseph Scanlon, FCLC ’18, with sound effects and special music queues; Addison Thompson, FCLC ’20, with makeup and costume design; and Ben Strate, FCLC ’16, as a supporting actor. Because of their handpicked team, despite the change in scale, both Browne and Momo felt like they were back in college making a movie.

Momo and Browne introduced

some new collaborators too, one of whom was Ashley Thomas, who worked as the special effects makeup artist. Known for her work on high profile projects like “Good Time” (2017) starring Robert Pattinson and NBC’s “New Amsterdam,” Thomas’ work was an integral part of the film. On the very first day of shooting, the “Capsules” cast and crew worked with a moving prosthetic, which started filming off with a bang. The cast and crew had barely met, but they were already crowded around a prop cut-open torso complete with breathing lungs, a beating heart and internal bleeding that Thomas designed herself. By stationing herself off camera and maneuvering the organs in the prosthetic via a remote control, Thomas was able to create the show-stopping scene that Momo and Browne had envisioned. With a crew filled with Fordham alumni and New York/New Jersey locals, it was fitting that the film was slated to premiere at the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival held at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. There, Momo and Browne were able to watch their film with an audience for the first time, noting moments that garnered full audience laughs and others that shook the theater into silence. An audience member even left the screening and vomited outside the theater. While the filmmakers certainly didn’t wish illness on anyone, they admitted it was quite cool to realize that their film had that much of an impact on its audience.

“When you’re in that environment, you remember why you

wanted to do this in the first place,” Momo said.

This cathartic joy only increased when “Capsules” was announced as the winner of the “Best Philip K. Dick Feature” award, given to the best feature film at the festival. Yet this was still not their greatest achievement of the weekend. Momo and Browne revealed that their top accomplishment was selling their film to Oscar-nominated distributor, Good Deed Entertainment. The studio is best known for “Loving Vincent” (2017), which received a nomination for best animated feature film at the 2018 Academy Awards. Representatives for the company told HorrorBuzz. com that Good Deed Entertainment is aiming to distribute “more ‘elevated horror’ films and tell unique stories in an artful and thought-provoking way,” making “Capsules” an ideal candidate.

As each new audience watches the film, Momo hopes that they take notice of the intentional way in which “Capsules” subverts traditional horror movie tropes. For example, he explains that the film doesn’t feature an “unambiguously evil human villain,” in contrast to a slasher film in which the Michael Myers-esque character would hunt down the group of teenagers. Instead, the students in “Capsules” slowly morph into antiheroes, or perhaps even antagonists. The film presents the question: Do values and morals remain sound, or do they morph in response to the fact that life is imminently coming to an end?

In this vein, Browne said he hopes audiences find themselves reflecting on a time when they be-

lieved they were invincible — taking risk after risk convinced that they would be fine. This, Browne explained, makes the often abrupt and jarring realization of one’s own mortality all the more poignant. He added that before this discovery, “you don’t even consider (death) as a possibility.”

“ It feels very gratifying when you get that recognition from a film festival like Philip K. Dick and our distributor, Good Deed Entertainment. ”

Luke Momo, FCLC ’ 19 and director of “Capsules”

This sensation is one that the students continue to struggle with throughout “Capsules,” as they begin to fall apart under the pressure of imminent death but continue to hold on to the (possibly delusional) belief that they will make it on the other side. None of the students contacted their families throughout the duration of the film; Momo and Browne claim that as further proof of the kids clinging to the illusion of invincibility despite being given evidence that their demise is mere hours away.

Momo and Browne are far from finished with making new work, but right now, they are

focused on sharing “Capsules” with as many people as possible. They emphasized that reading what viewers have to say about their film has been a highlight of creating it.

“We’re really proud of (‘Capsules’),” Momo shared. “And when you put in hard work, you expect success based on the work. So, it feels very gratifying when you get that recognition from a film festival like Philip K. Dick and our distributor, Good Deed Entertainment.”

Momo and Browne cite both persistence and acceptance as major themes for their young careers, which on paper seem contradictory. But instead, they find that the two are interrelated — acceptance of what is not meant to be, coupled with the persistence to move forward and continue to create, is the perfect recipe for growth. “Capsules” was born that way, and Momo and Browne could not imagine a better outcome.

With the exciting opportunity of large-scale distribution on the horizon, Momo and Browne are itching for more people to have access to their film. The official release date on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and other on-demand channels is March 31, 2023. But for those who want to see the film even earlier, it will be playing at the Garden State Film Festival in New Jersey on Sunday, March 26 at the Jersey Shore Arts Center. The Fordham Filmmaking Club is also hosting a screening of “Capsules” with Momo and Browne on March 31 at 7 p.m. It is a first come, first serve, RSVP event.

The official release date of “Capsules” on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and other on-demand channels is March 31, 2023.

COURTESY OF GIANNI MOMO

The cast and crew of “Capsules” on stage at the Philip K. Dick festival on Dec. 15, 2022.

COURTESY OF LUKE MOMO

Luke Momo and Davis Browne had previously worked on “The Stamp Collector” before joining forces again to create “Capsules.”

Slasher horror

By LARA POPOVIC

Contributing Writer

“Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” a slasher film based on A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s children’s book series “Winniethe-Pooh,” hit theaters on Feb. 15 and earned a $1.58 million gross in its opening week despite a total budget of less than $100,000.

The movie opens with a cartoon representation of young Christopher Robin spending his childhood playing with the strange “crossbreeds” Pooh, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore and Piglet within the deep Hundred Acre Wood. Christopher keeps them company and feeds them, making a promise that he would never leave his friends behind.

As time passes and Christopher grows up, he moves away to college, forcing the crossbreeds to fend for themselves. With no one to care for them, a harsh winter brings them to the brink of starvation, forcing them to eat Eeyore in order to survive. The trauma from this abandonment and eating one of their own warps the group’s minds and changes them forever. They become murderers, vowing to never speak again as they seek revenge on Christopher and develop a hatred for all of humankind.

The movie is impressive given its small budget and 10-day shooting schedule in Ashdown Forest in England, which was the original inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood. Its title is creative and eye-catching and made me eager to see the film. The spooky masks of Pooh and Piglet evoke the discomfort one would expect from a horror version of “Winniethe-Pooh.” Pooh’s outfit — a red flannel with overalls — did seem

featuring

a bit too farmerlike for the movie, but his questionable outfit can be explained by Disney’s trademark on Pooh’s iconic red shirt.

The film contains a decent amount of gore and creative kills. The camera shots mimic the body movement of Pooh and Piglet as they approach their victims and are accompanied by an impressive score, inducing an exhilarating feeling. There is a symbolic use of flickering lights, portraying Pooh and Piglet’s quiet but deadly approach toward their victims. The ending includes a cinematic scene with fire that serves as a thrilling conclusion to the film.

The introduction ended up being one of my favorite scenes, due to the directors mixing in cartoon illustrations to portray the crossbreeds’ origin story with Christopher. The illustrations are far from the usual Disney-fied cuteness one to which one is accustomed. Pooh and his friends are depicted in an unsettling black-and-white tone as their bodies appear hollow, with soulless, sulking black eyes and a hunched-over posture.

The progression in illustrations illuminates the crossbreeds’ psychological change; the drawings get darker as more trauma is endured. Aside from the cartoon illustrated introduction, only Pooh and Piglet make an appearance in the movie, leaving fans to question what happened to Owl and Rabbit.

It is worthwhile to mention that not all of the characters in the original Disney bunch are included due to licensing issues. While the licensing of Pooh and many of his friends expired in January of 2022, Tigger is still owned by the Disney company.

Additionally, one of the main critiques I have of the movie is the acting, which was mediocre at best. It felt as if the filmmakers selected random people off the streets to act for the first time in their lives. Regardless, one must consider that the movie had a low budget, making the movie’s poorer qualities slightly understandable. Perhaps if the idea of a “Winnie-the-Pooh” horror film was pitched to filmmakers with better writing and directing skills and significantly better actors, the movie would have been more successful.

It was quite fast paced, with a runtime of one hour and 40 minutes that truthfully felt a lot shorter. The storytelling could have focused more on the development of its individual characters, as the majority are poorly written with random storylines added, allowing no time for the audience to develop an attachment to them.

However, the mediocre acting and writing gave the movie a slight comedic and campy slasher vibe. I can’t help but wonder if elements of the movie, such as the acting and use of stereotypical horror tropes, were intentional and meant to be humorous. Nonetheless, it is up to fans to interpret them as they wish. One thing that I can say for sure is that viewers going into this movie with the intention to consume a serious horror film such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” will come out utterly disappointed.

Overall, Pooh proved to be quite a brutal slasher and is confirmed to be coming back for another installment. This film certainly is not the best horror movie you will ever lay your eyes on, but it’s worth a watch

if you’re interested in a fun time watching a “so bad that it’s good” movie or in fueling a love for camplike horror — or merely seeking a good laugh.

Along with a sequel, director Rhys Frake-Waterfeild has also teased the making of two more horror films based on the characters Bambi and Peter Pan, expressing his aims in creating a

The Unending Legacy of ‘Titanic’

universe of characters in which he can do crossovers, such as Pooh versus Bambi.

With the box office earnings of “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” cashing in at $3.4 million — way higher than its budget — I am hopeful that the creators will take into consideration viewers’ criticism and come back with even stronger movies in the future.

James Cameron’s epic romance (re)captures the magic of the movies, 25 years later

By ANA KEVORKIAN Head Copy Editor

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, James Cameron’s iconic 1997 discourse-spawning romance-turned-disaster-flick “Titanic” received a 25th-anniversary remaster, playing for the first time ever in high-frame-rate IMAX 3D.

Cameron has become notorious for pushing the boundaries of film technology. His most recent release, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” was famously delayed for nearly a decade after its predecessor in order to develop the technology to digitally recreate realistic water. To his critics, however, this reliance on the technological wow-factor has come at the expense of nuanced storytelling and realistic dialogue.

“Titanic” has by no means escaped this feedback. Commentators find faults in the by-thebooks romance and the sudden tone shift halfway through, as the Titanic strikes an iceberg and begins its historic descent to the bottom of the sea. This criticism is, at face value, undeniable: Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose’s (Kate Winslet) romance is an archetypal star-crossed lovers tale that ends exactly as one would expect (spoiler alert: Jack dies). On the value judgment, though, the critics are wrong — the archetypal nature of the film is a feature, not a flaw.

Just as a 101-year-old Rose tells her story to Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) and company in order to convey her experience

on Titanic, the ship, let me tell you an equally important story about my experience with “Titanic,” the film. It’s been 84 — nine, probably — years.

I was home “sick” from school — Ferris Bueller was my role model as a child — scrolling through Netflix for a film to watch, when I stumbled across Cameron’s “Titanic.” I’d heard of it and didn’t have anything better to do, so I clicked on it and started watching.

Immediately, I was captivated. Even on my laptop, the striking recreation of the Titanic captured my future-history major imagination — and young Leo certainly didn’t hurt. Even knowing that disaster was coming, I held out hope that maybe the ending would be different, at least for these two. Of course, the ending doesn’t change — the Titanic sinks, and Jack freezes to death in the water (for the record, the door was not, in fact, big enough for both of them).

When I reached the end of the film, I didn’t close my laptop, nor did I choose a different movie to watch, like one would expect. Rather, I dragged my mouse right back to the beginning of the progress bar and started it over again. When I finished the second viewing, I did the same thing. By the end of the day, I’d watched the full three and a half hours of “Titanic” three times, spending over 10 hours watching one movie. And I don’t regret one single second of it.

I’ve watched “Titanic” several times over the nine years since,

and it has yet to lose its magic. There’s no reason for me to question how the film will end, yet I do. Every time I watch, I spend the entire runtime on the edge of my seat, wondering if the ship will actually sink and, if it does, if both Jack and Rose will survive. Despite knowing the ending, the film captivates my attention and immerses me in the tragedy. (As an aside, speaking to the immersion, the ship sinks in real time: There is almost exactly one hour between Captain Andrews declaring that Titanic will go under in that amount of time and when it actually does.)

The term “blockbuster” today has become nearly synonymous with “superhero,” as — aside from films like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which are both sequels — Marvel Studios dominates the theatrical landscape year-round. However, the enduring legacy of “Titanic” has proven it to be an anomaly — an original, standalone blockbuster, with longstanding appeal across demographics.

The immersion that Cameron manages to craft can only truly be experienced on the big screen: It’s impossible not to brace for impact as you hear windows crack, preparing for an onslaught of water to come rushing in. It’s clear that the blood-curdling screams — and, on a more positive note, the thundering “Love Theme,” Celine Dion’s iconic ballad “My Heart Will Go On” — were simply not made for AirPod speakers.

If you’re able, see “Titanic” in theaters — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime

experience, a true “ship (film) of dreams.” But, if you miss it, don’t worry: Cameron’s immersive spectacle, pushing up against the boundaries of what “film” is and

can be, holds up whether you’re watching it alone on a laptop or in a packed theater in IMAX 3D. With that said, don’t wait another 84 years to see it.

JAGGED EDGE PRODUCTIONS

A stark contrast from his lovable, cuddly appearance, Winnie the Pooh is now a menacing, revenge-seeking killer.

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’: Ironically Iconic?

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Pooh, Piglet and friends takes a frightful spin on one of Disney’s most lovable stories

PARAMOUNT PICTURES, 20TH CENTURY FOX Titanic’s rerelease has brought back fans to theaters in celebration of the film’s iconic impact over the last 25 years.

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Crossword: As the Seasons Change

25. It can be solar or lunar

28. Communication system with hand gestures (Abbr.)

35. “Every ____ begins with Kay”

30. Borrowed money

31. Under the weather

33. Like some rush hour train fares

36. Chap across the pond

37. *Seasonal saying snippet

39. “Umbrella” singer, to fans

40. One from a South American mountain range

42. Up to, in poetry

43. 4 preceders to Caesar

44. Shakespeare’s before

45. Former Canadian one-dollar coins

47. Poehler from “Parks and Rec”

1. Swabs the deck

2. Singer Guthrie

3. Reynolds or Gosling

4. Not a pro

5. Tire cover

6. 2001 Johnny Depp movie

7. Person who catches swimming snakes

8. Sassy retort

9. Who you want to pass the ball to?

10. Get better

11. In the Constitution, this outlines the judicial branch

12. Stinks

13. Large swaths, as of land

38. Pipes in engines or furnaces

41. Like spray paint cans

46. ____ time; turn by turn (3 wds)

47. “Don’t look ____ horse in the mouth” (2 wds)

48. Matt who sang “My Kind of Girl”

50. The land down under, for short

51. 1 point scrabble draw

52. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s middle name?

54. Jon from “Chicago P. D.”

55. Cartoon lightbulb

56. Cut, as hair

57. One from the Balkans, maybe

49. Went away (2 wds)

53. *Seasonal saying snippet

55. ____ now or never

15.

16.

BY KREENA VORA

19. It may precede chem in a college catalog

22. Narrator of James Macpherson’s poems

58. “Court is now ____” (2 wds)

59. Tennis champion Agassi

61. “Lord of the Rings” protagonist

62. Deceive

63. There and they’re counterpart

64. Referring to pitch

65. Feminine suffix

66. *Seasonal saying snippet

BY IRENE HAO

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

23. *Season symbolized by 37 Across

25. Idris of “Thor” fame

26. Edible ear

27. Saw (3 wds)

60. Rangers and Penguins org. 1.

IRENE HAO

BY

7 3 4 8 1 9 6 8 2 6 9 6 8 4 5 7 3 2 9 7 3 1 4 5 2 3 8 7 6 9 6 3 1 7 1 8 3 8 9 5 2 Across GRAPHICS BY ALYSSA SHONK Down