Observer Issue 9 Fall 2019

OBSERVER THE

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September 18, 2019 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 9

Pipe Bursts in McMahon Hall

Fordham Theatre Takes Scotland

By COURTNEY BROGLE Managing Editor

By GILLIAN RUSSO Arts & Culture Editor

On Sept. 8, 2019, an internal plumbing issue in McMahon Hall resulted in a pipe leak in one dorm, displaced students and restricted running water access throughout the building.

Carlotta Santoni and Julia Britto, both of Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20, experienced the pipe burst in their 10E bedroom that morning, after noticing a minor leak on Santoni’s side of the closet space on Saturday night. By Sunday afternoon, the leak moved to the inroom sprinkler, before part of the ceiling split and bacteria-concentrated water flooded in.

“The issue was contained to my side of the room, but it stretched from the closet to the air conditioning unit,” Santoni said.

Jed Appleton, from facilities and management at FCLC, said that the mainline connecting all running water appliances — toilets, showers and sinks — experienced a clog. According to Santoni, the maintenance crew in her room estimated that the blockage could have been as large as 25 ft. lodged within the building’s 4-inch pipes. That claim was not confirmed.

“Definitely the initial problem was a main line clog coming down one of the risers,” Appleton said. “In McMahon, like most residential areas, you have a lot of risers that go from the ground floor all the way up. They call that a wet column; it’s inside the walls and usually bathrooms are back-to-back, going into one of these risers. In this case one of those risers got clogged.”

part-time adjunct professors when they began the campaign.

Almost all professors involved had little to no experience with union organization beforehand.

“Most of us are new to this kind of thing,” said Wilson. “In my case, I come from other kinds of activism, but it wasn’t labor.”

They, along with a handful of other faculty leaders on campus, established the all-volunteer organization FFU. They operate under the guidance of the worldwide Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which

An everyday visitor to Scotland’s capital will encounter a bustling yet idyllic city of cobblestone streets, old clock towers and a castle whose towering presence could put a New York skyscraper to shame.

But for the month of August, many of Edinburgh’s tourists flocked to a much different scene.

Juxtaposed against the rest of Edinburgh’s apparent placidity was the Royal Mile, the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which pulsed with near-tangible energy and a ceaseless flurry of activity.

Thousands of thespians occupied hundreds of venues with all their shows’ trappings in tow.

Actors, producers and spectators alike doubled as barkers, eagerly promoting their shows with flyers and merchandise.

As the sun rose on Monday, Aug. 19, one group of Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students rushed around theSpace (yes, stylized ironically with no space in its name) with neon tubing and only 10 minutes to put it up before “Dark Play or Stories for Boys” opened to the world.

Just because the show was named one of the 10 must-see LGBT shows of the year’s festival by the Edinburgh Fringe before its run even started didn’t mean the world just appeared in the seats.

The cast and crew had some barking of their own in store.

“Flyering is no joke!” said producer Elizabeth Kline, FCLC ’19.

“You can barely walk five steps without someone trying to give you a flyer. I found it difficult at first, but once I found my one sentence plug, I got into a rhythm.

see FFU page 5

see FRINGE page 12

see PLUMBING page 4

COURTESY OF FORDHAM FACULTY UNITED

Fordham Faculty United members protesting at an event at the height of tensions during their campaign in April 2017.

Fordham Faculty Fights For Fair Pay The story of the largest activist group on Fordham’s campus: its faculty

By GABE SAMANDI News Editor

On Aug. 28, 2019, every professor instructing a class at Fordham University knew exactly what their salary was going to be for the upcoming academic year. This wasn’t the case just two years ago.

Many students at Fordham have kept up with the vast array of activism campaigns led by students on campus; however few are aware of one of the largest activist campaigns in Fordham’s history taking place right now.

Since 2016, roughly half of Fordham’s faculty has been fighting

for higher pay, better benefits and more job security.

“Our working conditions are the students’ learning conditions,” said Professor Joshua Jordan, an advanced lecturer in the department of modern languages and literature.

In 2017, Jordan and Professor Katherine Wilson, an adjunct lecturer in the English department, began serving as co-chairs of Fordham Faculty United (FFU), a labor union representing those within Fordham’s faculty seeking more benefits from their positions at the university.

The two co-chairs were both

ResLife Introduces Quads to McKeon

By JOE KOTTKE Contributing Writer

For the first time in Fordham Lincoln Center’s history, certain suites in McKeon Hall have four residents sharing a single bedroom.

Thirty-eight converted living spaces were added to both McKeon and McMahon Hall.

“Students have been positive for the most part,” said Senior Director of Residential Life Jenifer Campbell. “We tried to notify residents of their housing options as soon as we could, based on receipt of cancellations and ongoing assignments.”

The concept of a “forced quad” — four beds fit into a triple — was introduced in McKeon for the 20192020 school year. In a forced quad room, two sets of bunk beds are placed in a traditional three-person living space.

According to Campbell, placement in a quadruple is accompanied by an adjusted room fee, which costs $4,875 per semester in comparison with the standard McKeon fee of $6,705.

In McMahon, standard double fees were lowered from $8,507.50 to $6,087.50 when made into a triple. Additionally, some single rooms were converted to doubles, dropping the price from $9,947.50 to $6,587.50.

Eliza Pagel, Fordham College at

Lincoln Center ’23, was not expecting to be placed in a quadruple.

“It’s not great, but we’re alright,” said Pagel. “It’s the same as any roommate dynamic, so we are fortunate that we like each other. We honestly think the whole situation is funny at this point.”

Pagel added that she and her roommates were disappointed to learn that their quad was originally a smaller triple in McKeon.

Campbell predicts this is not simply a temporary fix: “We are prepared to communicate to students who will tour during the upcoming admissions cycle that triples in McMahon and quads in McKeon are a definite possibility for the future.”

Redistribution is expected during the spring semester, which would lead to the potential de-quading of rooms and reconfiguration of costs. Last academic year, the Office of Residential Life faced similar issues with the semester overturn, leaving students who had been placed in triples and their families confused by unexplained price changes.

“Every year we try to improve services and are committed to implementing suggestions from our constituents in order to make their residential living experience more enjoyable,” said Campbell.

STarting from

SCRATCH

Page 10-11

Opinions

Features

Sports & Health

Forced Triples

Instagram Star

Football Victory

Page 7

Page 17

Page 20

Despite the hate, they’re not as bad as you think

Laura Auricchio, Dean of FCLC, follows back

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER

Fordham beats Bryant in first win of the season

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Quinn X Reopens for the Second Time This Year

PHOTOS BY JOE KOTTKE/THE OBSERVER

After lack of interest when it was open last year, Quinn X has been rebranded for the 2019-2020 academic year.

By MICHELLE AGARON AND SIOBHAN COSGRAVE Contributing Writers

On May 3, 2019, the Office for Student Involvement sent an email to the Fordham community announcing the opening of Quinn X, a new campus study space that was going to be ready before finals.

Yet in the weeks that followed, few students took the time to visit the new space. This semester, QuinnX returns for a second test run with a more concrete idea of what it offers students.

The Quinn X space, also known as Quinn Annex, used to house the original Quinn Library before its move to its current location in the “140 West” Building in 2016. After some debate, the administration decided to keep the space as a library and advertised Quinn X as “the silent study space.”

Director of University Libraries Linda LoSchiavo explained that she didn’t have the official authority to open the space to Fordham students until spring of 2019. “We were still working things out,” LoSchiavo said. “Opening Quinn X was not a simple matter. Among other considerations, there were building code and FDNY code issues that had to be resolved before the doors could be opened to all.”

While the administration in charge of the library has been open and willing to share QuinnX plans

and updates with The Observer, as well as trying to disseminate advertising throughout campus, students still report confusion about its purpose and whether its services are valuable enough to warrant utilizing it.

Many freshmen do not seem to have a clear idea of what the area is. Some were aware of it being “the quiet library,” some believed it to be just another place to study and some had not heard of it at all. When informed of the characteristics and purposes of Quinn X, many students were excited about the space. “I like the idea of having an area that cannot be used for collaborative purposes,” said Brenda DaSilva, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’23, “because sometimes the regular Quinn Library can cause more distraction than focus.”

Quinn X’s accessibility has also contributed to its mystery; students need to get a study pass from the circulation desk on the second floor of “new” Quinn, walk down two flights of stairs to the ground floor and follow the signs on the columns to Quinn X. Students looking for an alternative space to study on campus will find plenty of seating, an impressive assortment of books written before the year 2000, a math help room and amenities such as water fountains and desks to work at Quinn X.

The new Quinn X offers more space to work and study.

Office of Government Relations Encourages Student Voting

By TAMARA MAZETS Contributing Writer

On Sept. 9, 2019, the Office of Government Relations (OGR) sent an email to the entire Fordham community encouraging them to vote in upcoming elections and providing detailed instructions about how to register.

All universities are mandated to, at minimum, distribute voter registration forms to their students in accordance with the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. However, Lesley Masiah-Arthur, vice president of the office of government relations and urban affairs, explained that Fordham University goes further by actually encouraging its students to vote in elections.

“Fordham is a university in the Jesuit tradition and, as such, there is the expectation that students engage the world in a value-laden, thoughtful and discerning manner,” saif Massiah-Arthur about the University’s attitude towards political engagement.

Correction:

Students on campus seem to be on board with the university’s increased attention towards voting.

“It is important for young people to vote because our generation has been seen to have differing opinions from the baby boomer generation,” said Grace Spiegel, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’23. “In order for our voice to be heard as well as the older generations, we need to cast our votes.”

While young people, especially on campus, express interest in national and world politics, studies have shown a large disparity between those with the intention of voting and actual voter turnout.

One explanation for this is some college students failing to change their addresses from their home state to their new college state, and not ordering an absentee ballot, which some states allow.

Consequently, OGR works to assist many students with amending their addresses or requesting an absentee ballot. The office also has multiple campaigns prepared for the coming weeks, including a

2-week voter drive on all campuses and a Census 2020 initiative.

“The 2020 election cycle has already started, and there is much to do,” said Massiah-Arthur.

All voter registration initiatives must be non-partisan, as universities are bound to impartiality as not-for-profit organizations. Bob Howe, assistant vice president of communications, reconfirmed that Fordham’s leadership and policies “flow from the University’s mission and Catholic, Jesuit teachings, regardless of which political party controls the White House or Legislature.”

Recognizing the amount of partisan information to which students are exposed, OGR included links to non-partisan election resource sites. Massiah-Arthur hopes that these resources will encourage students to “find out about candidates and their positions in a manner which will, hopefully, allow them to go beyond political messaging and make informed decisions and choices which best reflect their values.”

IZZI DUPREY/THE OBSERVER

For the first time, Fordham administration encourages students to vote.

In Issue 8, the article “William O’Malley, Jesuit & ‘Exorcist’ Actor, Accused of Sexual Abuse” stated that the Rev. O’Malley lives in Spellman Hall. This was incorrect information; O’Malley previously lived in Murray-Weigel Hall before being removed following the surfacing of allegations.

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18 Years Later, Fordham Has Not Forgotten Students reflect through dance and prayer remembrence

PHOTOS BY ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

The dancers formed concentric circles on the Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center, creating a mandala energy for peace.

By SOPHIE PATRIDGE-HICKS News Editor

2019 is the first year in Fordham history that both students who remember the attacks on 9/11 mourn alongside younger students who were born after the event. Eighteen years after the tragedy, Fordham students found their own ways to honor the 2,977 victims who were killed on Sept. 11.

At 8 a.m., over a hundred city-goers took time out of their morning commute to gather at the Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center to observe the Table of Silence Project. The tribute is an annual dance performance that was conceived and choreographed by Jacqulyn Buglisi,chair of the Graham-based Modern Department at The Ailey School and a faculty member since 1988.

At 8:20 a.m., 150 dancers, including many Ailey students, took to the plaza. Dressed in white robes and accompanied by singers and musicians, the performance was marked by the sounds of the Upper West Side traffic, an inherent feature of the outdoor venue.

Aitana Jordan, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) and Alvin Ailey ’21, said that after she met individuals who were directly impacted by 9/11, she felt much more connected to the tragedy.

One of Buglisi’s students, Jordan said that she chose to participate in the event because “enjoying dance as a performer or audience member is a healthy way to cope with difficult circumstances.”

The dancers raised their hands for one minute of silence at 8:46 a.m., the exact time the American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower in 2001. At that exact moment, the sun moved be-

hind the clouds and a shadow fell on the plaza. “The shadow made the weight of what we were doing that much more compelling,” Jordan said.

Others took to a Campus Ministry Mass to honor the victims of the attacks. This year, Sept. 11 fell on one of Campus Ministry’s regularly scheduled Wednesday night “coffee table Masses.” An open invitation was offered to students who wanted a place to reflect on the events spiritually.

“It can’t ever hurt to reflect,” said David Fresolone, FCLC ’22, who read the hymn during the Mass. “I think we all grow from thoughtful reflection, and I’m sure that some people found this very healing. And if at least one did, then it was helpful.”

Bridget Fong, Gabelli School of Business ’21, chose to visit ground zero with friends as her own way of honoring 9/11. Her father and uncle were both policemen and first responders in 2001, and her uncle passed away in his efforts.

“It only felt right to visit my uncle’s name engraved on the memorial and honor all the other people who unjustly lost their lives that day,” Fong said.

“There was an overwhelming sense of respect,” Fong said, describing all the flowers and American flags that decorated the memorial. She said that visiting at night, with the light beams from the tower illuminating the reflection pools, created a peaceful setting for reflection.

“Although it has been 18 years since the tragic events of 9/11 occurred, I think it is important for us to continue to honor those who passed away, as well as recognizing that amount of growth that has taken place,” Fong said.

The dancers raised their hands for one minute of silence at 8:46 a.m.

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Pipe Bursts in McMahon Hall, Displaces Residents PLUMBING from page 1

Due to the severity of the damage to the pipes, a plumber was also brought in to assist the facilities team address the problem.

“It was chaos,” Santoni said.

“Facilities was working really hard, Public Safety was making announcements for residents to not use running water … it was just a big problem. It took them hours to unclog the pipes.”

“We do treat the pipes; we do preventative maintenance on them,” Appleton clarified. “We just have a whole bunch of kids in the rooms and anything can happen.”

Because of the damages the room had sustained, Residential Life temporarily relocated Santoni and Britto to an emergency space in McMahon to stay, which according to them was not clean upon their entry.

“The emergency space was filthy, after we’d been assured it would be clean and ready for us,” Britto said. “I was really stressed; all my clothes and supplies were in my room, but luckily a couple other friends really helped us out when we needed them.”

“We just stayed with friends on Sunday night,” Santoni said.

“The room only accommodated me and Julia, but our other roommates couldn’t stay in our actual dorm because all of our belongings were scattered in the living room and the smell in the apartment was awful.”

The plumbing issues seem to have started in the room above Santoni and Britto as early as Saturday. 11E Resident Sarah Macy, FCLC ’22, stated that she and her roommates noticed that their kitchen sink was not draining properly, and that dirty water continued to rise from their pipes throughout Saturday.

“Whatever the clog was from floor 20 down was concentrated on floor 11 and then flowing down into our closet,” said Britto.

Macy said that facilities management was also in and out of her apartment all throughout the weekend trying to resolve the issue. While she and the rest of her suite were able to remain in their room during the maintenance, living conditions were not ideal.

They, like many other McMahon residents, received a series of emails regarding restricted

COURTESY OF CARLOTTA SANTONI

The emergency pipe burst caused over $200 in damages for McMahon Hall residents.

water usage in their dorm sent in conjunction with several security announcements made over the dorm intercom system. At 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, all D-style and E-style apartments on floors ten through 20 were not permitted to turn on their kitchen faucets.

By 6:54 p.m., McMahon residents were not permitted to

use any running water in their dorms. Students could not use their showers, sinks or toilets until 9:21 p.m., when a final email was sent informing residents that water usage may resume.

For Macy and her apartment, access to other living accommodations in their space was further restricted, as facilities work-

ers took up much of their living room and kitchen with large machinery. According to Macy, it appeared to “redo and suck stuff out of the pipes.” In the end, she couldn’t make her own meals for the weekend and was forced to eat elsewhere.

“We felt bad, even though it wasn’t our fault,” Macy said. “We

were just as confused as to why this was happening.”

Santoni and Britto were moved back into their room on Sept. 11, but now they face the issue of trying to get compensation for property that was damaged or lost.

“I lost all my chargers, that’s at least $200 off the bat, as well as all my shoes,” Santoni said.

While she and Britto are in an ongoing conversation with Residential Life about insurance and compensation for the damages incurred by the flood, the FCLC Residential Life handbook does state that “The University cannot be responsible for any loss due to theft, fire, vandalism, accident or students’ negligence and does not provide insurance for personal property.”

The handbook also encourages students “to have their parents’ homeowner’s/renter’s insurance cover their personal property or obtain apartment insurance.”

One of Britto’s other concerns was ensuring that their room was safe to stay in again. “They obviously had to open the ceiling up to get access to the pipes, but we wanted to know if there was asbestos in the ceiling, since McMahon is kind of old,” she said.

However, the Office of Residential Life assured the whole suite that because McMahon was built in 1993 after the ban on asbestos, they did not have to worry.

“I hope in the future, that this problem will be faster to fix and ideally won’t happen again,” Santoni said. “The building is very old so it’s likely these things happen but … this is a Fordham building that we expect to be safe in.”

Britto and Santoni were grateful for the assistance from facilities, but admitted that the process was a bit decentralized, with people often being kept out of the loop as the repairs progressed.

“Maintenance and facilities were very good and responsive, but continued communication would have been really nice,” Britto said.

“If only it had been worked out a little faster, maybe the rest of it wouldn’t have happened,” she added.

“This could easily have been much worse,” Santoni said. “We really do appreciate everyone at Fordham who helped us out.”

Student Activism on Campus: The Future of SJP, JSO and OneVoice

By JOE KOTTKE Contributing Writer

Student activism at Fordham Lincoln Center is known to garner controversy. Between the Students for Sex and Gender Equality and Safety (SAGES) operating underground to avoid disciplinary action, to the public battle that ensued over Fordham’s first student drag show. However, few topics have caused as much controversy as the student voices surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on campus.

The kickoff of the 2019-2020 academic year was marked by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) winning an historic lawsuit on Aug. 5, 2019, granting them a legal right to club status. Yet as SJP coordinates its plans for the academic year, other advocacy groups with an opinion on the conflict are also setting things in motion.

On Aug. 29, Fordham Lincoln Center hosted its annual club day. SJP filled up four pages of student inquiries; “It’s awesome to see so many people excited

about the club,” said Veer Shetty, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, SJP vice president.

“We feel amazing. We finally have a voice on campus to share our anti-war, anti-imperialist views, which Fordham has never really had,” Shetty added.

In addition to SJP, another initiative for a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict called OneVoice, with chapters at New York University, Columbia University and Yale University, is in the process of opening a chapter at Fordham.

“Ariel Arad brought OneVoice to campus last year,” said Jewish Student Organization (JSO) Secretary and intended Co-Founder of OneVoice, Emma Kossoy, FCLC ’22. Arad is a student at FCLC and will graduate in December 2019.

When OneVoice brought speakers to campus last year, “people from both Palestine and Israel talked about growing up in the war.

Ariel and I decided we wanted to create a chapter on campus,” said Kossoy.

According to Kossoy, they started the process of filing for

club status before they learned SJP had been approved.

OneVoice is currently in deliberations with the Office of Student Involvement. “The process for becoming an approved club on campus is long, but is taking

There may be different sides, but there’s so much that can be gained from peace Emma Kossoy, FCLC ‘22

even longer for us since we would be a chapter of a national organization,” said Kossoy. “We are making a lot of progress and are really excited to get approved.”

Shetty and Cohen had never heard of OneVoice, nor did they know a chapter was in the process of being formed at Fordham Lincoln Center. “We both had to Google it; we’ve never heard of

it,” said Shetty.

After fighting to become an official club for four years, SJP’s leadership raised questions about OneVoice’s status. “Given Fordham’s decision on SJP’s status as an official group — labeled as a polarizing group — I would have to believe that OneVoice on campus would also be polarizing,” said Cohen. “If concerns about SJP are the issues we’re discussing, it would make no difference who’s talking about them.”

While OneVoice works to become a legitimate club, SJP is excited to start hosting guest speakers, reading groups and events to raise awareness about their cause.

“It’s an issue that most people don’t know enough about, especially to the point of feeling unqualified to have an opinion,” said the secretary of SJP Margaret Cohen, FCLC ’20. “SJP is a way to empower people with information. We’re not here to tell you what to believe.” Cohen had also served on the E-Board for JSO in the past, but left and helped develop SJP over the last

few years.

Meanwhile, Kossoy and Arad hope that OneVoice will function as a political space where people can talk about complicated issues in an uncharged setting.

“We need to have a space to sit and talk about the conflict to find that common ground,” said Kossoy. “This is what OneVoice is all about. There may be different sides, but there’s so much that can be gained from peace.”

Even with similar goals, Cohen confirmed that “SJP would not work as a function of OneVoice at any point. SJP will be SJP — that’s what we fought for these past four years.”

According to Kossoy, JSO is a religious organization and not affiliated with a singular political ideology. JSO leadership intends to work with SJP more, especially as many on-campus organizations have worked together to create multi-club events.

“People from JSO have approached us with the intent to collaborate, which we’re super excited about,” said Cohen.

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Fordham Professors Negotiate Higher Pay Lecturer Minimum (Basic Adjunct Professor)

Fordham Faculty Status

Pay per course, 2017 = $4,200

0.9%

MAXIMUM INCOME PER ACADEMIC YEAR

Other Status

10.1%

Graduate Assistants

Fordham Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Tenure/Tenure Track

34.5%

15 : 1

$16,800 Pay per course, 2019 = N/A

MINIMUM SALARY EFFECTIVE AUG 1 2019

Contingent

National Average Student-to-Faculty Ratio 13.8 : 1

54.5%

$62,000

DATA FROM COLLEGEFACTUAL.COM, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY AND FORDHAM FACULTY UNITED FFU from page 1

has also worked with Fordham’s security staff for a number of years.

Murmurs of unionizing Fordham faculty had circulated for years, but the galvanizing push occurred in April of 2017. After several weeks of unsuccessful negotiations as an unofficial union, FFU leaders filed for legal action and issued a vote of no confidence in University President Father Joseph M. McShane, S.J. Tensions between faculty and administration were eased, however, when FFU became an official union and began negotiations. It was then, according to FFU’s co-chairs, that the administration changed course and began “sitting across the table — literally” from faculty leaders, said Wilson.

This year, the union hopes to give contingent faculty (professors classified as adjuncts or lecturers) more ability to integrate into the Fordham community.

Contingent faculty, who make up nearly two-thirds of Fordham’s professors, often have no office space on the Lincoln Center campus and little input in their aca-

demic departments’ decisions.

“A lot of the most recent work we’ve been doing over this last year has been around difficulties that faculty have faced via their departments or administration,” said Jordan. “For the first time now, they have some kind of recourse instead of just having to take things lying down.”

A particularly important victory for the union came last year, when contingent faculty were guaranteed a set yearly salary with raises and the expectation that they’d be invited back to the university to teach for subsequent years.

Just two years ago all contingent faculty were paid by-thecourse and had no idea where they would be spending their next semester.

“For a while there, all we had was one semester and a prayer,” said Wilson.

While most of these events occurred before the majority of the current student body arrived on campus, the efforts of FFU have had an unmistakable impact on their University experiences.

“When we went in to the negotiations, we were saying, ‘What do we want, well — we want to teach well,” said Wilson.

“So what are the conditions that enable us to teach well? [Many of us were] in an impossible situation, people having no offices, people having to run between five campuses, people not being able to afford rent.”

Yet while these developments were important to their professors, most Fordham students seem to be unaware of the union’s existence.

“I’m not sure how many of my professors have been adjunct versus tenure,” said Daejah Woolery, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22. “I know about the distinctions vaguely, but not as they specifically apply to Fordham.”

“And I haven’t actually heard about this union,” said Woolery.

“But I can’t say I’m surprised. It really just points to how much education is treated as a business first and foremost.”

“There isn’t enough care for students and certainly isn’t enough care for educators,” she said. “Even though I’m just hearing about the fight, I’m happy they won.”

For administration, most of the hesitance around meeting the union’s demands has been about keeping Fordham’s edu-

cational costs lower as the price of higher education continues to rise nationally.

“The University is aware of the considerable burden placed on students resulting from the rising costs of higher education,” said Beth Fagin, associate general counsel for Fordham University. “We are mindful of the need for both financial aid and higher pay for non-tenure track professors and try to balance these competing monetary interests.”

In regards to the conversation this year, Fagin said, “The administration and the union have a solid working relationship. We communicate weekly to address issues and work hard to resolve our differences.”

These resolutions have resulted in several new guaranteed benefits for faculty. While before, lecturers were paid as little as $3,750 per semester-long course, they are now guaranteed a minimum salary of $62,000, with raises built-in for inflation year after year.

Further, after a professor has taught a set number of courses (as established by their department) they can begin making plans for teaching for future years. In previous semesters,

some professors were unsure of their position until just a few weeks before classes began.

“Honestly, I had no idea about this union, but I think it’s really great that they are being paid a better wage,” said Duncan Taylor, FCLC ’22. “[Adjuncts] work on a similar level as tenured professors. If the majority of faculty are adjuncts, then they should be paid at the level they deserve.”

“The University and the union share the common goal of providing a world class educational environment for our students,” said Fagin. “At times, there may be disagreements over how to achieve this goal, but we have worked collaboratively to find common ground,” she said of the administrative perspective.

“This [has been], for many of us, our first experience of meeting the administration as a community at the same table,” said Jordan. “You had people who are accustomed to a certain precariousness in their working conditions who were at last getting this first glimpse of what union empowerment can mean. And it is sitting — facing the administration, and discussing the future working conditions at Fordham.”

Development and Diversity Training for Grad Students

By NICOLE MARK Contributing Writer

On Aug. 30, 2019, Fordham faculty and graduate students received an email reminding students that the university has joined the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD), which offers a number of resources and programs to support individuals as they progress through their academic careers at Fordham.

The NCFDD offers an array of professional development resources which can be helpful to academics who would otherwise not have access to “insider”

knowledge or support. These services are shown to facilitate career success, as well as ease the transition from school to career.

The decision to join NCFDD is reflective of the university’s increasing commitment to diversity in recent years. In fall 2015, President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., established a Diversity Task Force that focused on four components: people, curriculum, community engagement and policies, and procedures.

“Diversity and inclusion are institutional priorities at Fordham, priorities that emerge directly out of our identity as an

American, Catholic, and Jesuit institution located in the City of New York,” wrote McShane in his letter to the university regarding the Diversity Task Force.

The Jesuit philosophy “cura personalis” — care for each person, and care for the whole person — serves as the baseline for this motivation. Many of NCFDD’s programs provide a holistic consideration for students as they struggle with both the demands of academia and the realities of adulthood.

As Institutional Members of NCFDD, all of Fordham’s faculty, administrators, postdocs and graduate students will be able

to access programming to help with life planning and academic success.

Some of these resources include Monday Motivators, which are weekly emails that highlight the importance of positivity and offer tips to maximize productivity. Another program is the Dissertation Success Curriculum, which provides different training modules for successful dissertation writing.

Institutional Members also have access to 14-Day Writing Challenges, aimed at increasing productivity by writing for at least 30 minutes every day and subsequently evaluating oneself.

All of these services will be completely free for Fordham community members for the 2019-20 academic year.

Fordham’s first Chief Diversity Officer, Rafael Zapata, was appointed in January of 2018 to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the community, and has helped to spearhead this initiative.

“You can throw all the money you want at something,” Zapata said in an earlier interview with The Observer. “But money is not enough, you need leadership and sustained commitment,” he said.

“All of us, all of us, have to engage in the work.”

Opinions Editors Grace Getman - ggetman@fordham.edu Evan Vollbrecht - evollbrecht@fordham.edu

Opinions

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

OBSERVER THE

STAFF EDITORIAL

KNOW THE FACES OF ADMINISTRATION

W

hen students discuss the new faces at Fordham, thoughts almost automatically go to the Class of 2023, which has just begun to acclimate to the university and participate in campus life.

Rarely do new faces on the administrative level come to mind, and even if they do, it is as an afterthought in the wider context of Lincoln Center.

This mental shortcut obscures the true nature of the people and the bureaucracies that, to a very real degree, direct and shape the world around us — from the freshest student worker in the Office of Residential Life to the Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., himself.

Our administration is not a faceless monolith, and their roles and politics matter.

Some newer members of the administration have front-facing roles, such as the academic dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, Dr. Laura Auricchio, and Chief Diversity Officer Rafael Zapata. However, others, such the eight new members of the Board of Trustees, the departing Assistant Dean and Director of Academic Advising Joseph Desciak and the retiring former General Counsel Elaine Crosson have received far less attention.

For most, it’s easy to lose sight of the impact that the administration has on daily student life, lost in the noise created by classes, clubs and career searches.

However, it is detrimental for students to think of Fordham faculty and staff as “the administration,” an amorphous entity that occasionally creates policies, procedures and problems for its students.

Tenure-track faculty, adjunct professors and low-, middle- and top-level administrators all have their own domains, interests and struggles, affecting each and every student at Fordham.

Tenure-track faculty, adjunct professors, and low, middle and top-level administrators all have their own domains, interests and struggles, affecting each and every student at Fordham.

There’s a lot going on behind the scenes. If you’re a senior, maybe you were there when Fordham’s faculty announced their vote of no confidence in McShane.

Maybe one of your professors has voiced concerns in class about tenure, adjunct pay, employee benefits and more. Maybe you’ve heard of the department-by-department movement to allow students to go by their preferred names and pronouns that has swept Fordham Lincoln Center over the past year.

Or perhaps you haven’t.

Struggles like these are still ongoing. Behind the doors we pass on our way to class, the future of the university we attend is being shaped in offices, search committees and faculty break rooms. These are changes that students often know little or nothing about due to their unpublicized and seemingly routine nature.

Those low- and middle-level representatives of Fordham are the faces you see in the halls every day.

It’s these individuals who create the world we live in, who have championed or stymied recent initiatives for preferred pronouns or inclusive restrooms and housing, who decide which clubs are funded and how much they receive, who create class schedules and keep Fordham running.

It’s easy to think of Fordham employees in abstraction, but we come face-toface with the individuals we generalize every day — in club appeals, disciplinary hearings, 10 a.m. philosophy classes and the package room line. We have as much stake in the workings of Fordham University as any employee, and as such we can only benefit by engaging more with our campus community. By helping each other rather than working in isolation, students, faculty and administrators alike can accomplish so much more.

Editor-in-Chief Owen Roche

Managing Editor Courtney Brogle Business Managers Alexios Avgerinos Teymur Guliyev Kristian Koprivica Online Editor Izzi Duprey Layout Editors Esmé Bleecker-Adams Steph Lawlor Asst. Layout Editors Defne Akiman Lara Foley News Editors Sophie Partridge-Hicks Gabe Samandi Asst. News Editor Gus Dupree Opinions Editors Grace Getman Evan Vollbrecht Asst. Opinions Editor Nicole Perkins Arts & Culture Editor Gillian Russo Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Ethan Coughlin Features Editor Marielle Sarmiento Asst. Features Editor Roxanne Cubero Sports & Health Editors Luke Osborn Lena Weidenbruch Asst. Sports & Health Editors Aiza Bhuiyan Patrick Moquin Photo Editor Andrew Beecher Asst. Photo Editor Lena Rose Fun & Games Editor Esmé Bleecker-Adams Copy Editors Libby Lanza Jill Rice Melanie Riehl Social Media Managers Maca Leon Shamya Zindani Newsletter Editors Gillian Russo Shamya Zindani Multimedia Editor Zoey Liu Asst. Multimedia Editors Defne Akiman Caitlin Bury Retrospect Host Kevin Christopher Robles Retrospect Producer Alyssa Morales IT Manager EJ Ciriaco Visual Advisor Molly Bedford Editorial Advisor Anthony Hazell PUBLIC NOTICE No part of The Observer may be reprinted or reproduced without the expressed written consent of The Observer board.

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THE OBSERVER September 18, 2019

Opinions

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Minimum Tolerance Does Not Count as Love SOFIA ANJUM Contributing Writer

When I was in the eighth grade, I had one of those cheap Walmart watches that glowed in the dark. The kind of watch for which you immediately lose the owner’s manual.

My watch always screamed at noon. I didn’t know how to shut it up. Normally this would be the death of a shy kid, but I didn’t mind. My friend James would always smile and point and say, “Again? Yo, why you keep letting this happen?” and our friend G would always mumble, “I don’t know why you haven’t smacked him.”

Because he’s my friend. Because he’s funny. Because, who cares?

I did not care until the day it went off as usual, and James said, “Hey, terrorist. Why haven’t you learned how to chill yet?”

I smiled once, twice, confused.

Laughed, “I’m sorry” — button-clicked the noise away.

In my head, every time the alarm went off, my watch screamed. In James’ head, my watch mimicked the funny beeping of a Muslim’s bomb. It took far too long, 11 months, for my confusion to turn into anger, anger borne of a realization short and strong: I did not deserve his condescension.

I grew up in Walton County, 40 miles east of Atlanta, my home caught between three highways and still in the middle of nowhere.

The sickening thing about small Georgia towns, like any small town, is that there is a comfortable and unjust order. In my town, white people don’t belong strictly up top; they belong anywhere. In wealth or in dirt, their existence is uncontested in all instances. Black people

belong strictly below, preferably separate, the acceptance of their existence contingent upon the most infuriating of terms — “knowing their place.”

And then there are the Muslims. In my outlying metro county, the Muslim community is spare. Established is one small, clean, peaceful masjid in a renovated Dollar General. In this space, we are sacred, but in all others, Muslims that look the color of sand — sand n-----s — terrorists — have no place to visibly exist without fear or apology sitting ready in their throat.

My school’s Muslim population was my sisters and I along with a smattering of Iranians and Indians. A few black Muslims, too, but I know this only statistically — I knew none individually. Whereas black Muslims in America have to literally wear their religion on their sleeves to be assumed Muslims, anyone who looks vaguely Arab, regardless of their beliefs, wears “Muslim” on their skin.

My best girl friends were white and my best boy friends were black. In the eleventh grade, we Googled all the Sofia Anjums, and a Pakistani poet’s work in swirly Urdu script floated to the top of the results.

One of my best white girl friends said, “Hey, Sofia can just read it” — I could not — and, “Oh well, it probably just says, ‘Kill all Americans’” — it did not.

This time my anger was immediate and my words were precise as I schooled her in the facts of strife. Her remorse was real, her incendiary foolishness cleared. I forgave her, but I hold the memory close to my chest.

I was kid becoming woman, my holey jeans becoming skirts that by graduation hit above my knees. I argued for Syria and I argued for Palestine and I argued against the rhetoric that

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We often talk about “acceptance” and “tolerance” as the height of progress, but they are only the bare minimum.

my Ummah, my Muslim community, was a cruel and festering race.

Before, I was an excuse not to lesson plan the one-day unit on Islam. I was an innocent. But as I became belligerent, the teachers began to treat me differently. In Current Issues, I was left high and dry by the self-proclaimed self-made assistant teacher in every single debate that edged near Islam. He would validate comments, careless, baseless, with no concern for the harm and hate that they accredited. In World History, when we talked about the Renaissance and learned about humanism as faith in human excellence, one boy said, “So, the exact opposite of Islam, right?” The young, liberal teacher saw my face lose light but made no effort to correct the student.

But the teacher did laugh.

That laugh. That weak laugh of someone who thinks something is wrong but does not want the trouble of action. My weak laugh from eighth grade. The weak laugh that doesn’t mean that I am hated, but that I am not worth being advocated for.

I molded to those who loved me anyway: my Republican best friend hard-won from a screaming match in U.S. History, my Communist friends who loved me as an error in the system. I loved them for loving me in spite of my otherness.

And they did no wrong in accepting me, but I committed a double-edged structural sin in elevating them for doing the bare minimum.

First, I was actively condescending. I assumed that the base level of compassion and em-

pathy of which these individuals are capable was lower than my own. I assumed that they lacked the capacity to ever understand human beings outside of their small, clearly cleaved world, consequently giving them freedom from the full weight of their choices and their full responsibility to educate themselves.

Second, I passively enabled condescension. I accepted less respect for my Ummah than I would accept for any other group of humans.

I should not feel content when I am shown minimum tolerance, and I should not feel joy when I am shown minimum acceptance.

I should not have to use the language of “anyway” and “in spite of” when I speak of love. I choose instead to hold all people accountable to the highest standard of love.

The Hidden Benefits of Being a Freshman in McMahon EMILY ELLIS Contributing Writer

You are a senior in high school, struggling under the crushing weight of college applications. Life seems drab and miserable until one day you hear the good news: you were accepted into Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus.

Flash forward months later, and you are attending an Accepted Students Day. Crowds of hopeful freshmen walk slowly down the halls, taking in every aspect of the school and anxiously conversing with faculty and current students.

Finally, you reach the best part of the day: the dorm tour.

You almost can’t believe your eyes. The McKeon dorms are gorgeous shrines to the beauty of the NYC skyline. They give you a glimpse into the city life of which you always dreamt.

Then, during the summer comes the bad news: You were placed in McMahon Hall as a freshman.

Also, you have eight roommates.

While this discovery was overwhelming at first, take heart: Being placed in a forced triple as a freshman has been single-handedly the best possible aspect of my experience at Fordham so far.

My roommates and I instantly acclimated to the unique challenges of living together. As McMahon residents, we were not required to have a meal plan, which meant that we ventured on shopping trips together and held roommate dinners almost every night. In our small, domestic

apartment, we became friends and companions — an invaluable asset the first few weeks of freshman year.

While we certainly have missed the benefits of McKeon (of which there are many), we have grown to view our space as a home, and each other as a quasi-family. Just like that, our freshman fears of loneliness and isolation vanished. No matter what we were doing or where we were going, we had each other to lean on and sympathize with.

Additionally, the sheer size of our apartment allowed us all to mingle with each other and become friends when we normally wouldn’t have crossed paths. With seven distinctly different majors, the shared apartment space allowed us to build a diverse and inclusive community.

We are able to both celebrate new cultures and introduce each other to our own traditions. Whether we venture into Flushing to eat at a hot pot restaurant or set up pallets of blankets to watch our favorite movies, we introduce ourselves to each other by sharing what we love.

Being a freshman in McKeon is a classic Fordham experience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best one. The smaller dorms and varying cultures of every floor at McKeon can lead to an air of exclusion and isolation, especially if one doesn’t get along with their roommate(s).

At McMahon, this sense of separation is nonexistent because students live close to one another and share the same gyms, laundry rooms and lounges. Although McMahon has its downfalls, it undoubtedly fosters a stronger sense of community and friendship, attributes that incoming

GRACE SPIEGEL/THE OBSERVER

While many freshmen are disappointed with forced triples, forced tripling can lead to growth, fun and adventure.

freshmen can’t help but appreciate.

While gaining access to McKeon can only be classified as a huge hassle, this inconvenience is often circumvented by meeting in shared social spaces, such as the Ram Cafe or the student lounges. Friends from classes will often sign you in, and brand new stickers from ResLife also give you access to McKeon’s social events and lounges. Late night shenanigans at McKeon might be off-limits to McMahon freshmen, but there are plenty of entertaining

student experiences in McMahon as well. Just a glance at some of the signs pasted on the windows will prove that.

McMahon may seem like the ugly stepsister in comparison to McKeon’s fair maiden, but the truth is much more complex than that. McMahon, despite its lackluster reputation, provides freshmen with a domestic experience that gives them not just a dorm, but a home.

Even though I have only lived in McMahon for a few weeks, I can’t

wait for what the future has to hold.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas parties already planned and birthdays coming up soon, I have no doubt that my roommates and I will foster an even closer community in the months to come.

I cringed when I saw my freshman year roommate assignment, already picturing the chaos of living and interacting with so many people.

Looking back at it now, only three weeks into my stay at Fordham, I wouldn’t change a thing.

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Opinions

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

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Autism Representation Needs to Be Better HALEY SMULLEN Contributing Writer

When you imagine an autistic person, whom do you picture?

Maybe you immediately visualize a nerdy, socially inept teenager.

He doesn’t make eye contact when he speaks, aces all his biochemistry exams and wears the same roomy sweatshirt everyday.

Or perhaps you automatically and subconsciously reference Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory,” or the mathematical savant Raymond from the film “Rain Man.” If you’re a connoisseur of autistic pop culture, however, you might instead imagine the sweet, endearingly loquacious, penguin-loving Sam from Netflix’s original series, “Atypical.”

“Yeah,” you think to yourself, “I kinda know what autism is.”

But what about women?

What about autistic people with linguistic talents or total disinterest in anything academic? What about autistic 13-year-old girls?

Have you ever seen an example of what that person may look like? Why does nearly every depiction of autism in the media circulate around the trope of socially tactless, mathematically-inclined men?

The history of autism spectrum disorder is indisputably long, complicated and controversial. Today, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders differentiates between three different “levels” of autism. The first level is often colloquially known as Asperger’s syndrome, or, more broadly, high-functioning autism.

Individuals with level one autism are defined as needing minimal support conducting their own independent lives. Individuals with level two or level three autism spectrum disorder are defined

as needing more substantive support.

While all experiences of autism have specific struggles, the first level of autism spectrum disorder has been historically very difficult to identify due to its subtle symptoms, leading to the insidious maltreatment of certain autistic adults who are ostracized

pas, so is more able and willing to participate in social life. An autistic woman may realize she struggles to initiate and maintain social interactions with non-autistic people, but she may also recognize that if she follows a certain script of phrases, gestures and tones, the social interaction will be more successful. Through

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LARA FOLEY/THE OBSERVER

Poor representation of autism in the media isn’t just lazy: it’s damaging.

and bullied for their inability to masquerade as “neurotypical.”

Autistic women experience the same symptoms as autistic men but present these symptoms differently. For example, while an autistic woman may struggle with intuitively understanding social communication, she may learn early on in life to mimic the reactions and words of her peers to avoid perceived social faux

social masking and mimicry of neurotypical behavior, an autistic woman may hide her neurological differences.

As a result, autistic women may frequently engage in social interaction, while an autistic man whose masking skills are less developed may eschew conversational situations altogether. Her conversational skills, however, may seem superficial

or be perceived as odd. If the autistic woman in question does not employ masking techniques to engage in conversation or social interaction with non-autistic people, then she may be labeled a “spazz,” “jerk” or “weirdo.” In reality, they have done nothing offensive; they simply existed in a neurotypical world as their autistic selves. Autistic women are socially ostracized anyway.

Because autistic women have the same symptoms as autistic men but different presentations of such symptoms, problems with social communication, repetitive and restricted behaviors, special interests, and issues with sensory integration tend to be chalked up to anxiety disorders or a certain “quirkiness.” The autistic woman’s experiences are interpreted as either her inability to deal with stress or character traits and flaws. A young woman with autism might not make eye contact; in most people’s eyes, she is just shy, and that’s okay, because young women are supposed to be demure, right?

When we portray most autistic people as men, it perpetuates the stereotype of autism as a male-specific disorder. Autistic women who, due to male-biased criteria for autism spectrum disorder, have never been evaluated for a diagnosis, assume they couldn’t be autistic and that they shouldn’t bother inquiring about a possible diagnosis (and the accommodations and support that come with one) because they don’t look or act like the autistic people they see in the media.

These stereotypes have the direct effect of preventing autistic women from obtaining the diagnosis and support they deserve.

The reality of being an autistic woman in a neurotypical world is to be wedged unwillingly between the pillars of sexism and bigotry which question, belittle

and villainize any move she makes. If an autistic woman is social, she is scrutinized for her often awkward or scripted social skills. “What a weirdo,” some think, the animosity they feel toward people who lack social conformity etched pertinently upon a raised eyebrow complimenting an unreasonable and unnecessary (yet so proud) frown.

If an autistic woman refrains from participating in social situations, her nonchalant or passive behavior causes her to be labeled either snobbish or reserved. If she is snobbish, then she overestimates her own worth and under estimates that of others, deciding they are simply not worth her time. If she is reserved, then her shyness is the effect of a lack of confidence, and this passivity is normal to many because women shouldn’t be assertive, right?

Herein lies the problem of representing autism as something mostly men experience: In order to advocate for autism acceptance and understanding, we must first learn to interpret autism as a diverse and widespread spectrum, affecting any person at any age in any gender from any ethnic group.

Rip off, like a Band-Aid, the stereotypes plastered on your wound of a lack of education concerning neurodiverse populations. Autistic people will not necessarily be nerdy young men with a predilection for computer programming. Autistic people are (and this is a real hot take) ... people. They deserve the same respect and autonomy given to non-autistic people. If you seek to cultivate a more respectful and harmonious society that endorses a culture of respect for the diversity of the human race, then educate yourself about autism to effectively reject the stereotypes and prejudices surrounding the neurological difference.

Return to Unity Without Terror BRANDON SAPIENZA Staff Writer

Wednesday, Sept. 11 marked 18 years since tragedy fell upon New York; Washington, D.C.; and Shanksville, Pa. America saw the worst the world had to offer that day, and the scenes from Sept.

11 are etched in the hearts and minds of every American who was unlucky enough to witness the horror of thousands of innocent men and women losing their lives on an otherwise beautiful September morning.

In the shadow of evil, there was one thing that Americans had in the days, weeks and even months following the attacks: unity, in the form of volunteering, charity and prayer and above all, looking past the differences that we have let divide us. In the piles of rubble, scattered all about the 16 acres of the area that was once the World Trade Center, recovery workers both from all backgrounds and experiences descended on ground zero in the hopes of doing something to help the country heal.

Unity is more than just cooperating with others; it means standing in solidarity with our fellow Americans. Despite all of its flaws, this country is still the greatest place to be in the world.

New Yorkers watched as their skyline burned in the distance.

Everyone stopped in their tracks and pointed their heads towards a sky full of smoke and ash. When the twin towers came crashing

KAYLEE HELLEN/THE OBSERVER

After 9/11, Americans across the country united in a way that seems impossible in today’s political climate.

down, the souls we lost were of all different races, genders, sexualities and political beliefs.

The same diversity was found in all the people watching helplessly on the ground, horrified by the events that they were witnessing.

In every heart was inexplicable amounts of grief and despite the terror they witnessed, they united in their shared identity as Americans.

For survivors and those unaffected alike, in the midst of

terror, something happened that I couldn’t grasp as a two-year-old.

When night fell upon a city and country that was still shocked by the disaster that had happened that morning, they did not hide or alienate themselves. They united.

Even as we dreaded that more attacks might follow, the true form of American resilience came out from the wreckage through holding hands in prayer and song.

One of the most powerful images that I can think of is the dozens of candlelight vigils held around New York that night. In these images, you can see Americans praying together while their burning candles illuminated a wall of pictures of the missing.

As I’ve grown older and listened more closely to those who actually witnessed that day unfold, no one cared about what differences separated fellow New Yorkers — and that’s the way it should always be.

We are living in a time of such brutal division where every particular difference serves as another barrier between ourselves and the humanity of those around us. On the worst day of their lives, millions of New Yorkers and Americans succeeded in something that we now can’t imagine on our best days.

In 2001, we did not let our differences overcome our ability to love and care for each other.

Now, when we need national unity more than ever, we only continue to build more division.

At the heart of change able to bind the wounds of division are

people who can make a difference. America was founded on the differences in the hearts and minds of our founding fathers, and we can echo their sentiment of love for this country and show the decency, and yes, even love to those with whom we might disagree. We as Americans seem to have forgotten that those who share different views than us are still entitled to basic human decency and respect. Love in this case is all about recognizing the validity of a person even though they may think different than you. In the events following 9/11, people gave up their differences for goal of bettering the nation.

Now, we can do the same, but without the horror of losing thousands of lives.

We are still people made in God’s image and likeness, and we are told in Galatians 3:28 that our differences mean nothing in comparison to the fact that we are all one in Jesus Christ. It’s our job to still maintain and build relationships with the intent of looking past our differences that we may have.

In this moment, we stand on the precipice of greatness. If you turn to the news, the country we live in seems bleak and grim.

However, this country has proven it can turn around quickly. Out of respect for those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, we owe it to those we lost to ensure that we don’t need terror or tragedy to bring together a country that has strength and unity woven into its very fabric and core.

Rubberneck The

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Crusade Against Climate Change ANNA MONEYMAKER Contributing Writer

A full-blown climate emergency is upon us. As a good steward of the earth, I do everything I can to prevent further damage to our home. I am a strict vegan, I use metal straws when drinking from entirely plastic cups and I scowl at people who don’t use reusable bags like mine. It’s hard work, but it’s deeply worth it to me to feel better than everyone, and also save the earth.

But ... I want to do more. I see these people around me, uncompassionate and ignorant, driving cars to their homes without solar panels and eating hamburgers. No matter how much I scowl, they just don’t change their ways, claiming my lifestyle is “too expensive” — can you imagine such conceit?

I was always skeptical of the poor. The way they “didn’t have money” made me wonder if they even wanted it at all. It soon became clear that they were the problem behind our dying planet, purposefully slacking and purchasing cheap environmentally harmful products just to get into their gas-powered cars and go to work at a polluting job. The continuous talk of finances is also a bit tacky. To place such importance on money is frankly unprogressive.

Good men like Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, do what they can to help these lost souls, giving them jobs and a purpose in life. This generous owner of a

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small, family-run business is just doing his duty in helping his serf — I mean, valued employees.

Yet they only turn around and complain. Talk of unions and “harmful” working conditions discourage other philanthropists from even helping at all, and frankly, I sympathize with him.

It is incredibly rude to look a gift drone in the surveillance camera.

So, what am I going to do?

The mission statement of my cause is this: poor people are the cause of climate change, and it’s time we put them to work.

I work with many other people in the upper class to make this happen. We call ourselves the GOP, Gentlefolk Opposing the Poor. We host country club events raising money to build human-sized treadmills under-

ground to power our cities with clean, human-made energy. We contact local farmers and give them funds, as we plan on feeding our unpaid laborers only the best and most organic soylent (and nothing else). The sheer satisfaction their brains will experience knowing that they are saving the planet will be payment enough and also make up for the vitamin deficiency, de-

hydration and inevitable death by exhaustion.

This is the key to saving our planet, our only beloved home.

Our crucial values of tolerance, open-mindedness, and compassion will allow us to restore countless once-thriving ecosystems. Join us to save planet Earth.

Except if you’re poor — then you’d better take up jogging.

Eat, Pray, Cry: The New York Grocery Shopping Experience CATHERINE GALLIFORD Contributing Writer

After a long day consisting of going to class for two and a half hours and deleting approximately 16 emails from both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campus bookstores, all I have the energy to do is accidentally nap for four hours and then half-heartedly do homework until 2 a.m.

Yet, my empty cabinets tell me that I will be on a different journey this afternoon.

As I prepare to face the unique challenges of grocery shopping on the Upper West Side, the sage words of my father’s favorite joke ring through my mind: “Remember, if you forget it at home, you can always buy it in Manhattan for three times the price.”

With the optimism of a woman only three weeks into the semester, I stride confidently out of my dorm, certain that this trip will empower me to stop ordering copious amounts of soup from Uber Eats.

I hustle to Morton Williams, looking to keep my shopping experience short and sweet. Once inside, I am greeted by a blast of cool wind and a hot bar perpetually down to its final scoop of crusty mashed potatoes. Within moments, my guard is up.

Although the store is not busy, I sense a dark presence within the aisles, which might just be a burnt-out fluorescent light above. Soon, though, I am comforted by the shelves of familiar name-brand products.

Never before has my mood been so improved by the sight of a box of Barilla rotini pasta. Now, after boldly navigating the remaining shadowy corners of the store, I cram myself into the line. Before long I am on my way, $20 poorer and the proud owner of a single box of cereal and some saltine crackers.

I only make it a few steps back to campus before I realize that my purchases add up to a meal that will surely result in a bad case of scurvy for me and the McMahon rat residents. Luckily for me, Whole Foods is a short walk away, and the sidewalks are only mildly congested with tourists and Fordham students deliberately avoiding eye contact.

Once I join the hordes of other New Yorkers determined to do their grocery shopping at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, I wrestle businessmen and nonagenarians to reach the produce aisles, blindly reaching for a bag of baby carrots and leaving it up to God to decide whether I get the organic kind or not. I force myself to not think about Jeff Bezos’ unimaginable wealth so that I may buy my bananas in peace. Thankfully, the line is more than long enough to give me time to surreptitiously check my account balance, and I boldly impulse-buy the $15 organic hand sanitizer I’ve been eyeing.

Despite my best efforts, my shopping experience is far from over.

Although its distance is daunting, the siren call of Trader Joe’s affordable products leaves me with no choice but to make the trek up to 72nd Street. As I approach the store, I can see the

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checkout line spilling out the front doors. With trepidation, I channel my inner linebacker and plow through four grandmothers on my quest to seize as much fruit leather as possible.

Remember, if you forget it at home, you can always buy it in Manhattan for three times the price.

Not even the witty quips painstakingly printed onto the merchandise can make me smile — for in the clutches of Trades-

man Joseph, there is no time for joy.

With a heavy cart and a heavier heart, I join the back of the line somewhere around 48th Street. Laden down with bags of frozen rice medley and 79-cent seltzer, I shuffle ever forward, dolefully kicking my basket along with me. Eventually, I come face-to-face with the bright-eyed cashier who attempts to create a rapport with me about the items I am purchasing, but all my overstimulated mind can focus on is the cash register screen, watching my total slowly increase.

“Wow,” I can’t help but think to myself. “These are some good deals.” Behind me, two women engage in physical violence over the last bag of shredded mozzarella.

Back home, I barely manage to stuff my groceries into the fridge before I collapse onto my couch, exhausted and afraid to receive my next bank statement.

Just as I start to think about dinner, my phone lights up with a notification. “$5 off a $20 order,” whispers Postmates. Turning my back to the kitchen, I unlock my phone.

After all, it doesn’t hurt to look.

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Arts & Culture

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

Star WWW.fordhamobserver.com

ee e rm r u e reer

m m ue m

PHOTOS BY ZOEY LIU/THE OBSER

Ramses Records founders Paolo Estrella and Jordan Meltzer smile following a successful launch party at Platt Court.

Teymur Guliyev

The label’s first signed artist is Teymur Guliyev, FCLC ’21, known to fans and classmates alike as simply “Teymur.” Originally from Azerbaijan, Teymur grew up in New York as a child performer, acting in off-Broadway shows and even performing on David Letterman. His father is a painter and sculptor who leads his life with a passion for the arts. This lifestyle influenced Teymur’s desire to speak and sing with confidence. “My father always pushed me but gave me the space to follow my own passions,” he said.Teymur is a self-taught artist and first began making music at age 15 on the digital music program GarageBand. His first album, “Three,” was written, produced and released in 2018, featuring “Bonnie and Clyde” and “For You//A Lullaby.”

Chesca Mac

Chesca Mac, FCLC ’21, is an NYC-based si her own music for 10 years. Mac grew up a taking piano and guitar lessons alongside h without music playing. She draws inspirati Norah Jones, and Mac herself aims to “con Her singles “After All” and “Life” are out no streaming platforms.

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mses Records aims musicians

RVER

By MILEY CAO AND GABRIELLE DINIZO Contributing Writers

Ramses Records, Fordham’s new unofficial record label, was warmly welcomed to the Ramily this past week with a launch party in Platt Court on Friday, Sept. 6. The gloomy rain did not dampen the party, made a success thanks to the students in attendance sharing pizza and their thoughts on the label.

Ramses Records is an entirely student-run record label, created

and envisioned to operate completely independently from Fordham University.

The launch party reflected the label’s mission to bring students together with music. Several in attendance expressed their enthusiasm for the project, the latest in a host of student-led activities on campus this year. Based on the buzz among students, Ramses Records is an exciting addition to campus, not just because of the student music on the way.

The founders of Ramses Re-

cords — Jordan Meltzer, Gabelli School of Business ’20, and Paolo Estrella, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20 — have invested considerably in the project.

“It’s been a lot of time, effort and money,” said Meltzer. “We couldn’t feel happier.”

The founders have an extensive musical background, with a combined resumé featuring internships at major record labels and their own musical projects.

Meltzer is an intern at Universal Music Group and Island Records.

Estrella, who has been singing since he was three, also interns at Universal Music Group. The duo brought together a growing team of 11 students, each specializing in a different piece of the project. Their combined knowledge paired with their passion for the business make them the newest unstoppable leaders on campus.

They hope to see the Fordham community embracing and supporting the student artists on the label. “The goal is to connect artists together,” Estrella said.

Meltzer hopes to see the label

continue for years past his Fordham career. “Fordham has a lot of talent, which people take for granted,” he said.

Meltzer and Estrella agree that Ramses Records is strictly about the music, unity and community. “This is very DIY,” said Meltzer.

The artists signed by Ramses Records will collect all streaming profits, and the label plans to spotlight artists, book shows and create a missing community on campus to celebrate music and support artists.

Chris Parkin

c

inger-songwriter who has been writing as part of a musical family in New Jersey, her siblings and rarely finding her house ion from artists like Bruno Major and nnect with others” through her own music. ow, and all her music is available on all

The third label signee is singer-songwriter Chris Parkin, FCLC ’21. Parkin’s musical spark was ignited early as he began taking classical piano lessons at age three in his hometown in Cape Cod. Not satisfied with mastering just one instrument, Parkin took up the violin in the third grade. In the fifth grade, he began taking fiddle lessons, which he opened him up to new styles of music. He took his fiddle skills to local pubs in both Cape Cod and New York City, playing Irish tunes and jigs. While he began singing with the choir in his high school years, it wasn’t until college that he said he really fell in love with singing. He is currently working on an EP with Ramses Records.

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor Gillian Russo - grusso12@fordham.edu

September 18, 2019

THE OBSERVER

Fordhamatthe

Fringe

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KYRA CONROY AND MARC DAVID WRIGHT

Fordham Theatre students brought a studio show to the global stage at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival.

FRINGE from page 1

plug, I got into a rhythm. We were the only show with wristbands and bottle openers, so that set us apart because people were literally wearing our show information.”

Some might remember “Dark Play” (sans bottle openers) from its performances in the Veronica Lally Kehoe Studio Theatre this past February. The play, by Carlos Murillo Zamora, follows a boy named Nick — Clayton Barth, FCLC ’22 — and his experimentation with “dark play,” the phenomenon where some people in a game don’t know they’re in a game. Nick’s “dark play” takes the form of a fake female persona — McKenna Harrington, FCLC ’20 — with whom he catfishes another boy — Parker Henderson, FCLC ’21 — online. The endeavor gets unexpectedly complicated when Nick becomes obsessed with the game and its unwitting victim.

It’s a story for the digital age, but not necessarily in its current incarnation. The chat-room setting evokes the bygone days of AOL Instant Messenger, which the target audience of teens and college students may rather forget, considering that they likely used that platform in middle school.

Lighting designer Vittoria Orlando, FCLC ’21, was surprised to find that “Dark Play” attracted an entirely different demographic this time around.

“The people who wound up seeing our show were people ranging from mid-40s to — some people even seemed to be in their early 70s,” Orlando said. “That wasn’t the audience we had had here [at Fordham], but they were really listening. There wasn’t as much laughter and taking things as lightly as a younger audience did, but

they were definitely more focused on what was happening.”

All in all, about 120 people saw the show in its 3-day Edinburgh run. That meant 40 people filled the seats each morning in a 50-person theater — certainly more than any of the students ever bargained for. Like Harrington’s character Rachel, the idea of taking the story to the Fringe seemed at first an unreachable fantasy. “Dark Play” for months was but a ghost of a Kehoe show past. It was a ghost that haunted the group with a nagging sadness over its end.

began manifesting on the horizon.

Before the group knew it, Kline had booked the flights and the theater, and they were on a plane.

All the cast and crew from the studio production reprised their same roles in Edinburgh (with the exception of Kline, who joined in May). The show itself, though, had to undergo a rehaul before hitting the Fringe. The festival’s hard onehour-per-show time limit required the team to make significant cuts to the 90-minute play — and according to Wright, the redesign

Everything required focus and diligence. I felt like I was running on pure adrenaline. It brought out the best and strongest in everyone.

Marc David Wright, Director

“Usually after studio shows, amidst the sense of pride and accomplishment there is at least a little bit of relief to have closed,” said director Marc David Wright, FCLC ’19. “But none of us were happy.”

And then came the idea: perhaps it could be resurrected.

“At our cast party, Marc was just like, ‘What if we took this to the Fringe?’” sound designer Amelia Way, FCLC ’21, recalled. “It started as a joke, sort of like an aspiration that we thought would never really happen, and then it became more real as we just kept talking about it.” The tipping point was a matter of funds; the production received Fordham’s Ars Nova grant and met their $5,000 goal on GoFundMe. The green was rolling in — and the rolling green hills of Scotland

and restaging had to come together in only one week of New York rehearsals.

“Our new theatre space was structured completely differently than the Kehoe at Fordham, and how we had staged and designed the last production was very dependent on the architecture of Kehoe,” said Wright. “We had to rethink everything. And I think we found something stronger than the original.

“We had to waste no time, so everything required focus and diligence,” he added. “I felt like I was running on pure adrenaline. It brought out the best and the stron-

gest in everyone.”

It ultimately brought out positivity in audiences too. One reviewer called it “the best show [he’d] seen and reviewed at the Fringe” — and there were more accolades where that came from. Everyone had their own encounter: Orlando remembered a man who asked the cast to take a photo with him and sign his sweatshirt. Bailey Jordan Garcia, who played Nick’s mom, talked to a man “who was so happy to see young, queer stories onstage.” One girl stopped Kline and Wright in the street to show them a picture on her Snapchat story whose caption said she planned to see “Dark Play” again because it was her favorite show.

Some of the most meaningful support, though, came from fellow Edinburgh performers. Multiple students in “Dark Play” mentioned that after attending other shows, the actors from those shows would come to “Dark Play.” The occurrence was common, and it created a strong sense of camaraderie that extended beyond the students. The mere presence of a non-Fordham audience was enough to have an emotional impact on the group, especially Wright.

“During our opening performance at the festival I looked out into the audience and realized I did not recognize a single face,” he said. “It was an audience of complete strangers who had either been handed a flyer by our team on the street or read an article about us online and decided to take a chance on us. That is why we wanted to do this — to take our work and see how it stands in the ‘real world.’

“My whole life in theatre, I’ve been performing mostly for family, friends, people I would recognize in the audience … To share work

with a completely new audience, who had no idea who we were and had no expectations for what we were capable of, and then to have them cheer us on as well… that was very moving.”

The cast and crew grew closer, even solidifying their team with an official moniker: The Neon Box Theatre Company, named for the neon tubing used in their set. “Dark Play” took up a relatively small amount of their time, so they spent the rest seeing other shows — as many as four and five per day. One night, they escaped the frenzy of the Mile and hiked up to Arthur’s Seat, the city’s highest peak, where they took in Scotland’s tranquil landscape and a brilliant sunset together.

“We’re a huge family,” Way said.

“This trip could have either made us all hate each other or love each other even more, and we just love each other even more.”

Wright said, “Who would’ve thought that a little studio show in Kehoe could’ve taken us here?”

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Alumni Spotlight: Van Hughes “Pick the thing that you want to focus on and do that every day”

By GILLIAN RUSSO Arts & Culture Editor

Standing onstage beside Billie Joe Armstrong while headlining a musical arguably qualifies a person as “almost famous.” Van Hughes, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’05, has earned that moniker — and he’s performing in it, too.

Hughes was recently cast in a new musical adaptation of the 2000 movie “Almost Famous,” about a young music journalist who gets swept up in a rock band’s inner circle. The show, produced in part by fellow alum John Johnson, FCLC ’02, will officially open at the Old Globe in San Diego, Calif., on Sept. 27.

Hughes plays Rolling Stone editor David Felton, among other ensemble roles. Since graduating from Fordham Theatre, he has also appeared in many touring, off-Broadway and Broadway productions including “Hairspray,” “9 to 5: the Musical” and most recently, Deaf West’s “Spring Awakening” in 2015. Above all those, he cited “American Idiot,” in which he starred as Johnny on Broadway and on a national tour, as his favorite project.

“I was the center of the show and I got to do it with Billie Joe Armstrong on Broadway, and my family got to see me do it,” Hughes recalled.

It would happen that, years later, “American Idiot” orchestrator Tom Kitt would write the score for “Almost Famous.” Hughes would be asked to “round out the cast” in two of its workshops, collaborating with Kitt once more and becoming part of a movie he “absolutely” loved in his teenage years.

“I was in high school, or almost in high school, when it came out, so the things you see in that time period in your life really stick with you and make an impression in your life, especially if you like them,” he said.

The show is currently rehearsing in New York and will soon move to the West Coast to begin technical rehearsals. Hughes has drawn on even the most rudimentary of his Fordham education in the process.

“All the Acting I stuff — the physical storytelling and yoga,

PHOTO COURTESY OF VAN HUGHES

Hughes has many acting credits to his name, but the musician, composer and instrumentalist sees himself as more than just an actor.

breath control, voice — I’m still using on a day-to-day basis, especially with musicals,” said Hughes.

“I went in like, ‘I don’t even need to go to college, I’m just going to be an actor, get me to New York.’ But I’m a completely different person, and I can’t believe I thought that at 18.”

Nowadays, “just an actor” is opposite to how Hughes sees himself.

He began acting at 8 years old after seeing child performers in community theatre in his home state of Virginia. He recalls feeling a strong sense of “belonging” that led him to delve into the world of theatre himself.

Soon after, he took lessons in piano, saxophone, clarinet and guitar. He began writing songs at age 13 and was part of a country rock band in high school called the Noodles. He now self-describes as a multi-instrumentalist, singer and writer as well as an actor.

“I don’t just see myself as solely an actor; I’m not putting all my eggs in that basket,” said Hughes.

“It’s just nice to be able to use all different disciplines to fuel my artistic life; there’s never a time when it has to stop.”

These many disciplines keep him busy between acting projects.

Hughes has been part of synth-pop band Teen Commandments for the last five years, and he composed a musical with them entitled “Burn All Night,” produced at American Repertory Theatre in 2017. Alongside “Almost Famous,” he is now composing a new musical called “Space Dogs,” about the dogs used to test rockets in Russia during the Russian-American space race in the mid-20th century.

Passion for his work is the main driver of all of Hughes’ projects. He said he wants to build a career not just for its own sake, but to make it a reflection of what he feels a con-

nection with.

“The main thing I’ve learned is to not do anything that you feel compromises your time on this earth,” he said. “Even if the show doesn’t get made, I want it to be a worthwhile adventure.”

He offered similar advice to anyone pursuing a career in the arts.

“Pick the thing that you want to focus on and do that every day,” said Hughes.

“That’s a learning experience for the rest of our lives that will be shifting — what we want. But it’s a worthy quest to try to find that answer and go after it.”

Ram Jams: Love, Hate or Indifference Toward ‘Lover’?

By PAOLO ESTRELLA AND BRIELLE CAYER Staff Writers

The Deets

PHOTO COURTESY OF REPUBLIC RECORDS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

The reviewers agree this album is equally lovable and forgettable.

After a hiatus riddled with controversy and Scooter Braun/Big Machine troubles, Taylor Swift released her seventh studio album, “Lover,” on Aug. 23. True to its title, “Lover” showcases 18 songs that explore subjects from Swift’s current partner to her mother to London. Brielle Cayer and Paolo Estrella find a number of masterful gems among more forgettable tunes.

The Reviewers Paolo Estrella (PE): I have historically disliked Taylor Swift love the “old Taylor” better. I come from a hip-hop and R&B music background, but I wanted to give this album a shot.

Brielle Cayer (BC): I’ve been a Swiftie since I was eight years old.

For me and many others, Taylor Swift put our thoughts to music.

I didn’t enjoy the darker “Reputation,” so the announcement of “Lover” made me hesitant, but hopeful.

Top Picks PE: My favorite song is “Soon You’ll Get Better.” It’s “sad yeehaw” Taylor at her finest. Plus, with a

Dixie Chicks feature, this song could do no wrong.

BC: Taylor broke my heart in this stripped-down tribute to her ill mother.

PE: We have differing opinions on “The Archer.” I hated it. I thought, lyrically, it was really bad and it put me to sleep.

BC: I think it’s the most emotionally honest single off the album. Swift shines whenever she takes a thoughtful, reminiscent approach to personal experiences.

I felt a little let down because the song seems to build toward a soaring chorus, but it hovers and never crescendos into the fantastic piece it could be.

Skippable Tracks PE: I thought “Lover” would have benefited if Taylor had cut “Cornelia Street,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” “London Boy,” “Afterglow” and “Daylight.” The lead singles “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down,” were straight up offensive. I hated the lyrics, and the songs themselves were irritating.

BC: I watched the midnight premiere for the “ME!” music video, but I should’ve gone to bed. Swift actually rhymes “me” with “me.”

PE: I was thinking, “You’re better than this, Taylor.” I just can’t get

over, “Hey kids! Spelling is fun!”

Are you serious?

Sparking Conversation BC: “You Need to Calm Down” was a catchier single in which Taylor showed public support for the LGBTQ community.

PE: It was cool that she took a stand; I just wished she had done it sooner.

BC: There was a lot of backlash from people claiming she’s using the gay rights movement to benefit her brand. I don’t believe Taylor had such intentions, but I’m glad the song has started a dialogue around what it means to be an LGBTQ ally.

Takeaways BC: “Lover” is a mature sequel to “1989” that incorporates new perspectives, political points and a pastel color palette. I rate it a seven out of 10.

PE: I give it a four out of 10 at most.

BC: I take it you won’t attend the “Lover” tour?

PE: I’ll spend money on artists I actually like, thanks.

This conversation has been condensed and edited.

For more about this review visit www.fordhamobserver.com

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Percy Jackson Is Coming Home A literary sensation of Olympic proportions is poised to strike Broadway once again

By MARIELLE SARMIENTO Features Editor

On March 31, the energy outside of the Beacon Theatre was electric. The crowds of people waiting to enter were dotted with bright orange Camp HalfBlood T-shirts, donned by enthusiastic children and excited adults alike. Demigods young and old were all ready to experience “The Lightning Thief (TLT): The Percy Jackson Musical.” Six months later, Percy Jackson is finally coming back home to New York City.

Adapted by Joe Trucz (“Be More Chill”) from the first book of the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series by Rick Riordan, and with music by Rob Rokicki, “TLT” is about demigod Percy Jackson and his friends as they battle modern-day monsters of Greek mythology.

The show opened off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theater in March 2017 with a limited 3-month run. The national tour kicked off in January of this year, returning to New York at The Beacon Theater for a 3-night run.

“TLT” gained traction, and an active social media following during the national tour, when positive reviews started popping up in the young adult book community. Percy Jackson fans raved about how accurate and true the musical was to the essence of the book series in comparison to the movie adaptation of “TLT” in 2010. The show’s official Twitter’s bio even states, “Maybe you’ve heard of a movie with a similar title — we’re not that, we’re based on @camphalfblood’s book.”

Nearing the end of the national tour in late July, fans started tweeting #BringTheBoltToBroadway. “TLT’s” social media accounts entertained the fans’ shenanigans, even posting

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEREMY DANIEL

The national tour cast of “The Lightning Thief” musical is headed to Broadway to the delight of the novel’s many fans.

Broadway memes themselves.

On Aug. 12, less than two weeks after the national tour ended, “TLT” announced it was headed to Broadway. “TLT’s” Twitter account has sinced changed its name to “The Percy Jackson Musical is GOING TO BROADWAY!!!” in honor of its scheduled 16-week run starting Sept. 20 at the Longacre Theatre.

W. 48th Street should be renamed Greek row. “TLT” will be right across the street from the Walter Kerr Theatre, the home of “Hadestown,” a musical that reimagines the myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone (and is the Fordham Family Weekend show at the end of September). “Hercules,” an adaptation of the Disney version, ran at the Public Theater this August,

adding to the Greek mythology revival of the New York theater scene.

“TLT” was originally an hourlong musical in concert before receiving an updated score and expanded script for off-Broadway and the tour. The entire original national tour cast, including leads Chris McCarrell (Percy) and Kristin Stokes (Annabeth) are returning for Broadway — a testament

to the success of the musical so far.

As a book-inspired production, “TLT” falls in the same category as Team Starkid’s college production of “A Very Potter Musical” and off-Broadway’s “Puffs,” rather than serious Olivier-award winning “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” “TLT” very much embodies the genuine humor and plotlines that are true to the book. “TLT” is a hard book to adapt. The 377page novel’s numerous side quests translate perfectly as a musical montage number.

If the Broadway version of the show doesn’t stray from the national tour, audiences can expect a fresh reimagining of Rick Riordan’s characters made to sing — much of the dialogue is word-for-word from the chapters of the “Lightning Thief” book.

Unlike most adaptations that age up their adolescent characters to teens and young adults, “TLT” remains true to the book and makes it explicitly clear that Percy and Annabeth are 12. The designers made innovative choices in their colorful costuming and scrappy props when it came to visually representing the fantastical monsters and larger-than-life gods of Greek mythology. The show’s industrial, dark scaffolding set is an adaptive backdrop to assist audiences as the show jumps between Manhattan, Camp Half-Blood, Los Angeles and the Underworld. The grungy feel of the production fits the rock music score as well as the folk songs reminiscent of the nostalgia of summer camp.

The audience at the Beacon Theatre in March was fully invested on this “Killer Quest,” every musical number ending in whoops and applause and almost every character having to pause their lines for laughter and clapping. The outpouring of support from fans since the Broadway announcement hints that the Longacre audiences will react the same way.

‘It: Chapter Two’ Floats high

By KEVIN STOLL Contributing Writer

In an age defined by an exhausting number of horror sequels, reboots and adaptations, Andrés Muschietti’s “It” (2017) garnered mainstream publicity both prior to and during its theatrical release falling into that trend. Well, that and the fact that it stars a demonic entity that primarily takes the form of a 1950s circus clown (Bill Skarsgård). That probably helped too.

But, simply put, Muschietti’s own take on Stephen King’s original novel was not only unique when placed next to Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries of the same name, but it did what the latter should have done all along: focus on the kids and save the adults for later. Now, in this second chapter, it’s time for the adult translations of these characters to get their opportunity to shine in front of the camera.

Set 27 years after the events of the first film, the Losers Club of Derry, Maine have now grown up. Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) now works as a horror author and screenwriter who constantly fails to write good endings to his stories. Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) found a successful career with an insurance company, though

he still has anxiety about his medications. Richie Tozier (Bill Hader) is making a living as a stand-up comedian and is still as immature and foul-mouthed as he was before. Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) is a fashion designer forced to come home every day to an abusive husband.

Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) is no longer the fat kid of the group and has become an architect.

Stanley Uris (Andy Bean) now works for an accounting firm.

Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), however, is the only one who decided to stay behind in Derry.

Upon discovering that “It” has returned after more than two decades of absence, he calls each member back to their hometown so that they can face their fears again and finally vanquish this force of evil by performing the mysterious “Ritual of Chüd.”

And if that mention of King’s questionable mythology seems a little tacked on, that’s because, from a narrative standpoint, it certainly feels that way.

With a lengthy runtime of 2 hours and 50 minutes, “Chapter Two” finds itself constantly looking for filler to pad out an otherwise straightforward endgame. Muschietti constantly transitions to flashbacks involving the Losers Club’s younger counterparts, complete with

but fails to frighten

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY KOZINOV VITALIY VIA PIXABAY

somewhat distracting de-aging effects, solely for the purpose of retconning what we know about their identities.

Speaking of those identities, what helps carry most of these scenes is undoubtedly the chemistry of this cast. Hader and Ransone are the standouts here. Each actor, though, not only does the best possible job they could with embodying the personas of these characters, but also gives us a sense of satisfaction whenever they’re on screen together.

Not to mention, fear itself is subjective. Some viewers, especially those of the young adult demographic, will appreciate Muschietti’s use of the jump scares. Some will even tolerate the downright outlandish climax during the third act. In many ways, this almost-bonkers but incredibly Stephen King style of both horror and comedy ends up working against our investment in these characters. That somewhat self-aware yet still serious tone that was present in the previous film has practically been traded in for something right out of King’s fever dreams, right down to a rather on-the-nose cameo from King himself.

The two child characters (one introduced during the first act and the other during the second)

struggle to find a reason to be here, other than just to reiterate that Pennywise has returned.

Psychotic bully Henry Bowers (now played by Teach Grant) even finds his way to the Losers’ Club after escaping from a mental hospital, and with only around six minutes of screen time, his presence seemed completely unnecessary in the grand scheme of the story.

By the time Muschietti decides to close the film on a rather uplifting note with all loose ends (supposedly) tied up, the only thought that comes to mind is a feeling of frustration. It’s a storybook ending that leaves you feeling unfulfilled, and while this has always been a common criticism of King’s literary work, here’s some advice about adaptations: You can take creative liberties when necessary. If something didn’t work in the novel, then change it for the film. As it currently stands, “Chapter Two” tries to do so much that its pacing is stretched to the point where a good 30 minutes or so could have easily been cut, yet weirdly enough, it seems to only scratch the surface of what it’s trying to explore. There’s definitely a gray area somewhere; it’s just that Muschietti clearly couldn’t find it in time.

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Diving into R.LUM.R’s Newest Release ‘Cold’

By PATRICIA ANGELES Staff Writer

When it comes to relationships, alternative R&B artist R.LUM.R seems to know exactly what you want to say and how to say it.

Throughout his new song, “Cold,” he repeats, “I guess we went cold/ It’s nobody’s fault” and he continues on to express the conflicting nature of a dying relationship that has no apparent pitfall. From “Cold,” we come to realize when people drift apart in a relationship, there’s not always a reason and sometimes there can be nothing done to control or repair the situation. The inherent struggle and the desire to keep things together can be more detrimental and dividing to the individuals and the relationship.

Throughout his career, R.LUM.R has used his life experiences as tools to mold himself into the artist he wants to be. Back in 2016, he became the artist to watch when he released “Frustrated,” which amassed nearly 20 million plays on Spotify and has gained nearly three million views on YouTube since its release. Since then, R.LUM.R has been hard at work creating new music, evolving and grasping inspiration from genres such as rock, rap and R&B. The Florida-raised artist has been through his fair share of heartbreak, which is expressed through his music. R.LUM.R not only hits you with his painfully relatable lyrics, but hypnotizes you with his killer falsetto and soulful vocals.

The singer-songwriter just dropped his newest single, called “Cold,” this past week. “Cold” is one out of a few singles he’s released in the past year. Earlier in 2019, he released “I’m Alright” and “How This Feels,” and over the summer he released “Boys Should Never Cry.” These last couple releases give a taste of

stuff like King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd. But my mother only let us listen to R&B and soul like Sade and Anita Baker.

Are you going on tour anytime soon? Where are you now with the music?

I will be touring, and information about that will be available as soon as possible. Right now, I’m really focusing on the music. You know you got to get things right, make sure everything is prepared in a way that I was ready to really express so I wouldn’t have to explain it all the time. I want people to be like, “I get this, I love this, I feel this.” When we meet on tour, which is happening, we all revel in how dope the music and the moment is, rather than wondering whether people get it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISLAND RECORDS

R&B artist R.LUM.R’s new single reflects his own experience with growing to which any listener can relate.

how the upcoming debut album will sound. We can infer that this album will be infused with the soulfulness of R&B and injected with a bright and upbeat electronic sound that will juxtapose the raw and veracious lyrics. The Observer chatted with R.LUM.R to talk more about the upcoming debut album, touring and the inspiration behind “Cold.”

What inspired you to write “Cold”?

Growing apart is an issue that a lot of people can definitely relate to. A lot of people live in a gray

area. There’s a lot of music that is very polar. The song talks about the highest you’ve been and the lowest you’ve ever been. I think and have observed 95% of people’s lives, people are like, “I don’t know how I feel? Did that person ghost me? Or, did I ghost them accidentally? Was it problematic what I did?” Writing about and observing these in-betweens is something that I really try to do, and “Cold” was that situation that happened to me, where two people grow apart. Nobody cheated, nobody lied, nothing dramatic happened. You kind of have to be

woken up and realize that you are two different people. This song is the process of doing so.

Who are your musical influences and who do you listen to on a daily basis?

First song that comes into my head is “No Stress” by Tycho, Densel Curry’s “Automatic” and the recent James Blake record. As far as influences, it’s all over the place. Who really made me want to write and play guitar was Coheed and Cambria and Circa Survive, a lot of emo bands like that.

I really got into a lot of art rock

Any more exciting projects coming up?

We have a full debut album that is coming very, very soon.

The record is definitely coming in the fall. I’m very excited to get the record out, and I’ve been working on it for a long time. People are getting pieces and glimpses with the singles that have been released.

How would you describe your musical journey?

For me, it’s a quest for understanding of my own life, by which I hope to clarify things for other people as well. I’m sure you’ve had the experience, and I’ve had the experience of and everyone’s had the experience of listening to an artist who sort of codifies things and gives you the words for a situation you’re going through. And helps you make sense of things and have understanding. I’ve had that experience a lot with bands that I listened to growing up, such as Linkin Park. I think it’s our duty as musicians to give that back to our audience.

‘I Belong to Myself’: An Interview with Pom Pom Squad’s Mia Berrin

By ALYANA VERA Staff Writer

When I saw Pom Pom Squad (PPS) on the rooftop of Our Wicked Lady in Bushwick, the punk quartet had gathered to headline and celebrate frontwoman Mia Berrin’s 22nd birthday.

Onstage, Berrin is bottled lightning — fierce snaps of energy flicker as she snarled into the mic, the heat of her voice crackling as she seethed on slower songs. Each growl Berrin let loose was refreshing; women aren’t taught to externalize their emotions the way she does, and PPS’s music encourages the listener to not just feel, but feel deeply.

Berrin’s work has always centered around emotional release.

Originally a hobby project in her Orlando bedroom, PPS was a way for Berrin to process her “post-high school angst.” Influenced by the likes of Riot grrrl and the L.A. punk scene, Berrin fell in love with punk as a child: it “was the first thing that punched me in the gut.”

Berrin’s project wouldn’t take off until she left to study acting at New York University in 2015.

While there, Berrin was approached by trained musicians who were interested in recording with her.

This partnership with trained musicians would lead to PPS’s first EP, 2017’s “Hate It Here.”

Although the group would disband after a year, “Hate It Here” set the tone for Berrin’s future

COURTESY OF KIRA WILSON

Fresh out of college, Berrin is confident in her artistry.

work, offering deeply personal tracks that touch upon abandonment, loneliness, regret and self-doubt.

In the time between bands, Berrin worked on her second EP, “Ow,” with the original intent to record, produce and mix it herself. Berrin eventually found a new lineup, and with the band together she set out to record their latest EP. Berrin called it a “delayed reaction” and “a reflection” of her first EP. I asked Berrin if she now has answers to the questions on “Hate It Here.” The title track was the result of a friend challenging Berrin to write the questions she was afraid to ask: “Am I ever gonna be okay?/Am I allowed to like myself one day?”

Berrin paused before offering, “I don’t know if I’m answering things for myself, but I’m navigating better.”

“Ow” was written almost entirely in Florida, at a time when Berrin was dealing with depression. Berrin would turn what she described as “a stream of consciousness, depressive episode” into “Ow,” but it wasn’t easy. Berrin said that while she trusts her songwriting abilities, she felt more confident in her lyricism on “Hate It Here” than on “Ow.” “In the same way that some people kind of hide self-hatred or self-deprecating feelings with humor, I hide the thing I actually want to say with flowery, smart songwriting rather than forthright, straightforward songwriting.”

There is certainly a bluntness to the lyrics on “Heavy Heavy” with Berrin intoning, “I’m feelin’ empty, F--- the MTA/I always miss my train” on the track. The absence of flowery language lends the track an almost oppositional slant, which at first caused Berrin some unease.

“I think letting myself be vulnerable, it’s letting myself feel mad. I’m like, okay, I’m angry.

What do I want to do with it rather than trying to convince myself not to feel it?”

Writing is cathartic for Berrin, who translates her experiences into song. Although she sings about her relationships, Berrin is clear that her focus is on herself: “Ultimately, I write music for myself first and foremost, to teach myself something.”

Berrin is open about struggling to center herself and be confident in her work. “Honeysuckle,” the third and last single off “Ow,” sees Berrin hint at imposter syndrome, with the lyrics, “Sometimes I feel just like an actress/Begging for your validation.”

“That song, for me, was about making room for myself inside of that and allowing myself to take credit for what I did and what I do.”

Now that she has released her second EP, I asked if imposter syndrome still strikes.

“I do feel like I belong now,” Berrin said. “But I also feel like I belong to myself and I feel more comfortable inside of myself.”

Pom Pom Squad’s second EP, “Ow,” is out now.

un &

Fun & Games Editor Esmé Bleecker-Adams - ebleeckeradams@fordham.edu

ames

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

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EDITED BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS

Across

1. result or consequence 8. take on 14. one who advocates, in court perhaps 15. toxic gas formed by arsenic and acid 16. Penn or Grand Central

17. what makes an ad bad 19. Panem’s president in “The Hunger Games” 20. ancient Egyptian souls 21. Annie played by Ali Stroker 22. fed up

25. premium for currency exchange 26. pull out all the 27. pen used to treat allergic reactions 28. group of ships 29. particularly: Abbr.

30. results of built-up vapor in clouds 32. informal acknowledgment of debt 34. med. procedure involving electric stimulation 35. held-up subway 41. Chicago ballplayer 44. Le Bon and Blanchett, for example 45. be wrong 46. get the point 48. X or Y in math, for example 49. used-up cell 51. zilch 52. questionable, colloquially 53. Iranian currency 54. nerve that runs from the lower back to the foot 57. cascade 60. dress 61. one who migrates 62. skip over 63. dislikes with a passion

Scorpio

Down 1. chances, for short 2. final or best: Abbr.

3. store with steep prices 4. fix for 22 Across 5. repulsive 6. pet sounds 7. suffix with directions 8. member of a class of knights in Dungeons & Dragons 9. rages 10. OK time zone 11. and caboodle 12. reluctant 13. each day, from Latin 18. fix for 30 Across 20. French military hat 22. suffix often seen in languages 23. recent Cadillac model: Abbr.

24. gossip, slangily 25. many 28. marketplace regulation and consumer protection org.

30. groove, made by wheels perhaps

Oct. 23 — Nov. 21

Scorpio, you’ve been taking it slow and steady for months. However, September might be the month during which you will actually be satisfied when it comes to security, commitments and a series of adventures. From Sept. 14 onward, emotions will run high, and you will find yourself making a current life decision that may affect your routine.

Sagittarius

Nov. 22 — Dec. 21

Discomfort and unhappiness subside in the month of September as Mars clashes with Jupiter, forcing you out of your shell. A new burst of energy and passion will inspire you to unleash your creativity and finally start working on something you’ve been holding off. This may be the start of a stronger bond with your loved ones.

Capricorn

Aquarius

Virgo Aug. 23 — Sept. 22 Happy solar return! The sun reenters Virgo this month, bestowing new energy and joy. Virgo, this month will make up for the messy July and August that slowed you down for a bit. On Sept. 2 onward you will find yourself being more confrontational than usual. Open up and don’t be afraid to show a little more of your feelings to others.

Dec. 22 — Jan. 19

Mars clashes with Jupiter on Sept.

12 onward, leaving the quiet Capricorn in a competitive mood.

You’ve been tired and on the search for spiritual development.

A full moon in Pisces around the second week of September will call for an overflow of honest emotions.

Find the

Libra Sept. 23 — Oct. 22 Libra, you’ve been craving some alone time to ponder your life decisions and relationships for quite some time.

As the communication planet makes a connection with Uranus in Taurus this month, you will clearly communicate what your heart has been desiring recently.

Jan. 20 — Feb. 18

Anxious Aquarius, the issues with your finances are finally being resolved this month, week by week. With the full moon comes a release of unhappiness and emptiness; you will start spending more time with the aspects of life that make you happy.

As Mars opposes Neptune, you will find yourself being less productive than usual — but everyone needs a lazy day, right?

Pisces

31. member of Congress who isn’t a rep.

32. frosts, a cake perhaps 33. responses of assent: Var. 35. X-rays and ultrasounds, for example 36. fix for 35 Across 37. $150 purchase in Monopoly 38. lessens 39. Greek god of war 40. American filmmaker Sachs 41. insulated boxes 42. container for ashes 43. one who works at a plant 46. soul 47. fix for 49 Across 50. suffix with hippo or palin 52. titles for knights 55. product of cellular respiration: Abbr.

56. actress Mowry of “Sister, Sister” 57. character Mosby of “How I Met Your Mother” 58. catch 59. form of “your” en Français

Feb. 19 — March 20

Your ruling planet, Neptune, makes September quite an exciting yet busy month for you. Mars clashes with Jupiter toward mid-September, which might mean that you have to stay patient and peaceful in the midst of quarrels, Pisces. You will learn a lot about controlling your emotions this month.

By PRISKA MOHUNSINGH Staff Writer

March 21 — April 19

Aries

Aries, you’ve had your fair share of ups and downs for quite some time. Don’t worry — September is about to cool down your frustrations and make way for exciting conversations or projects.

Just keep your temper in check as you meet new experiences and people on this new journey.

April 20 — May 20

Taurus

Taurus, you’ll find yourself seeking reassurance this month as you make decisions on your own without the influence of another. Enjoy the relaxed nature of your commitments; don’t overthink them. The full moon in Pisces mid-September calls for a climax regarding the unfinished business that’s been bothering you lately.

May 21 — June 20

Gemini

Gemini, even if things get tough, keep your eyes on the prize. Mid-September, you will find yourself conflicted between your options in your career or relationships. As you face the peak of your career, make sure you stay humble and calm and possibly find the root of your problems as Mercury clashes with Pluto.

June 21 — July 22

Cancer

Cancer, September is a month of personal development and positive emotions as Mercury meets social Venus.

Your energy will be directly focused toward your family and home life as you hope to strengthen and nourish the relationships that count most to you.

July 23 — Aug. 22

Leo

Leo, your focus this month is all on your future goals. September is the month that brings your focus back from your personal to professional life. You will find yourself planning and proceeding toward your end goal. Stay patient and calm as you explore other aspects of your professional life this month.

Features Editor Marielle Sarmiento - msarmiento3@fordham.edu

Features

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

Dean of FCLC Follows Back Dr. Laura Auricchio takes to Instagram to connect with the Fordham community

lauraauricchio 144 posts

554 followers

668 following

Laura Auricchio Dean, Fordham College at Lincoln Center @fordhamuniversity; author The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered @aaknopf @vintageanchorbooks

lauraauricchio Display of costumes and sets by students in theater design program

lauraauricchio Slide cabinet in #naturalsciences lab

lauraauricchio Just two of the many works of art nestled on the Lincoln Center campus

lauraauricchio Welcome to Ramhattan!

lauraauricchio Love this slogan!

lauraauricchio Evening commute COURTESY OF LAURA AURICCHIO

Auricchio’s Instagram features snapshots in and around the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses.

By MARINA VERGARA Staff Writer

While most adults on social media still don’t know how to properly use hashtags, Dr. Laura Auricchio, the newly appointed dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), posted on Instagram every day for the month of August. Her posts, ranging from snapshots of Lincoln Center to photos of campus, truly capture the nuances of FCLC. Auricchio decided to do this “Insta-challenge” of sorts for three main reasons, the first being for herself. As an art historian and professor of art history, Auricchio has an affinity for the visual; she chose to take and post photos of her days here as a way to get to know her surroundings by taking the time to notice and observe something new every day.

Secondly, Aurrichio wanted to let the world know that FCLC exists. According to her, FCLC is “one of the great lesser-known gems of Manhattan,” but is fre-

quently mistaken as just a law school or forgotten in favor of the Bronx campus by many native New Yorkers.

It is Auricchio’s goal to show Manhattan that FCLC is a lively community of caring and driven individuals. “There is a tremendously vibrant life here, and I wanted to share it with the world,” she said.

Her final reason for posting every day was for the students.

She wanted to use Instagram as a medium to connect with them and have them connect with her.

Auricchio wanted to challenge the way students typically see their dean — as a remote, administrative figure — and instead interact with them in a language that they speak.

She chose to use Instagram to build a relationship with the students in a way that is both visual and exciting, and also indicative of the campus culture.

Dean Auricchio used her Instagram not only as a way to share her journey with the world and to connect with students but also as a reminder of the reasons

she came to Fordham and as a way to find new reasons to fall in love with Fordham every day.

When asked why she chose to

Auricchio chose to use Instagram to build a relationship with the students in a way that is both visual and exciting, and also indicative of the campus culture come to FCLC, Dean Auricchio simply said, “Everything.”

Her family ties played a role; Auricchio comes from a family of Fordham alumni — her mother received her Ph.D. from Fordham at Rose Hill, her cousin went to FCLC, as did her mother’s partner. She was also drawn to Fordham because of its Jesuit traditions, like the commitment to social justice, a life lived for

others and intellectual rigor.

Auricchio was particularly drawn to FCLC because of its connection to the arts. She sees great potential for FCLC to connect with Manhattan through its visual arts, theatre and dance programs. She sees the same potential in FCLC’s proximity to Lincoln Center. As someone with connections to many of Manhattan’s great cultural institutions, she aims to help weave Fordham into the fabric of Manhattan through the arts.

Auricchio has been the dean of FCLC for over a month now and she has learned a lot, but she still wants to keep growing. “I have a lot more to learn,” she says. Out of all that she has learned, what has really stuck with her are the people that make up Fordham — the faculty and staff, who she describes as “unbelievably committed to undergraduate education,” and the students, who are “genuinely engaged in a way that one doesn’t always find.”

Auricchio describes the students she has met here as kind,

caring, curious and driven — all qualities I agree reflect the student body of this school. She says that the students here are driven, “but not in a back-stabbing kind of way, but in a raise-eachother-up kind of way.” Fordham students push each other to do better without tearing each other down.

It is this kindness expressed by the Fordham community that is Dean Auricchio’s favorite thing about this school, and this kindness is timeless. During our interview, she told me a story about her and her mother visiting Rose Hill after she got the job. They were walking around the campus and got a bit turned around so they stopped at a map, and a student came up to them and asked, “Can I help you?”

They said thank you and talked for a while; after the student left, Auricchio turned to her mother and said, “Oh, that was so nice!”

To this, her mother replied, “That’s what Fordham students are like.”

And before you ask, yes: Dean Auricchio does follow back.

18

Features

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

WWW.fordhamobserver.com

A Dummy’s Guide to the MTA

By LOREEN RUIZ Contributing Writer

For New York newcomers, the subway evokes images of rats, delays and some memorable characters. While these associations are not untrue, as a seasoned veteran of the MTA, here is some advice to avoid a trainwreck of an experience.

Whether you’re perusing this article because the F train is late again or because you’ve freshly arrived in the city, everyone can learn how to make subway travel a safer, more pleasant experience.

Be one with the turnstile There is a very specific MetroCard swiping speed required to unlock the turnstile. New Yorkers have mastered this speed and can get it on the first try, pushing through the turnstile in one smooth gesture. Swipe your card too fast or too slow, though, and you’ll get the dreaded error message: “SWIPE CARD AGAIN AT THIS TURNSTILE.” In an attempt to provide useful information for once, the perfect speed, the MTA declared, is anywhere between 10-40 inches per second, or 0.57-2.27 m.p.h. As usual, this information is helpful to exactly no one.

Don’t wreck your trek: plan ahead Google Maps and Citymapper may give you projected travel times, but they don’t account for delays. On average, almost one third of subway trains arrived late in 2018. To avoid being late, leave at least 15 minutes early in case there are unexpected delays or route changes. It’s also not uncommon for a train to indefinitely stop in between stations to let another train pass or to remain at a station with its doors open before departure.

Furthermore, Google Maps doesn’t always adjust its directions according to planned service changes. For the most accurate travel information, go directly to the source: the MTA website. Service changes are especially abundant on Friday nights and weekends, which are timed so as to not disrupt weekday commuters. You might find

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA BONENFANT/THE OBSERVER

that a certain train isn’t running to your stop, in which case the MTA will run a free shuttle bus service or suggest alternate trains to take.

Make room It’s the kind thing to do to give up your seat when you see someone that needs it, most often a pregnant woman or an elderly passenger. However, never assume they would like your seat. Instead, you can sim-

ply ask, “Would you like to sit down?” You can also offer to switch seats to keep families with children together, or give up your seat to accommodate someone who is holding a lot of bags or suitcases.

Not only is this courtesy, it’s also logical — letting others off the train first makes more space for you to go inside. Once everyone has gotten off, push forward into the car as much as you can

— don’t just stand by the doors.

Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with people brushing uncomfortably close to you.

Got a backpack? Place it between your feet on the ground.

This way, you’ll be able to keep your belongings in sight and avoid inadvertently smacking someone in the face.

When in doubt, ask for help Though New Yorkers may seem aloof at times, they love to give

directions, and will never pass up the chance to show off how much they know about the subway. If you’re lost, or just want to make sure you’re going in the right direction, feel free to ask the person next to you.

But you won’t have to, because you read this.

For more of this story, visit www.fordhamobserver.com

Lessons Learned Down Under

By ROXANNE CUBERO & MARIELLE SARMIENTO Asst. Features Editor & Features Editor

What do you do when New York isn’t enough? Students study abroad for many reasons.

Maddy Casale, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’20, wanted change. While some venture across the pond, Casale trekked down under through a non-Fordham study abroad program at the University of Melbourne. With a semester on the other side of the world from Lincoln Center, Casale talked to us about the lessons she learned abroad and the transition upon returning: The Observer: Why did you decide to study abroad?

MC: At Fordham, I’ve found friends I love and school clubs that make me really happy and groups in the city where I feel like I belong. But, I was beginning to notice how small Fordham is and how I was getting stuck in the same routines. I wanted to switch things up and meet new people.

I knew that it was definitely the right move for me to get out of NYC and Fordham and into the unknown on the other side of the world. When I’m scared to do something, it means I probably should do it.

COURTESY OF MADDY CASALE

Casale chose to study abroad in Australia because she wanted to go to a country she’d never visit otherwise.

O: How did you pick your program?

MC: I was dead-set on going to University of Melbourne, which

Fordham doesn’t offer, so I applied to go with an external program. My program coordinator was helpful in working with me to

make sure credits would transfer.

Because I went with an outside program, I’ve met people from all different schools, so now I’ll have lifelong friends in Australia.

O: What is the most important lesson that you learned while abroad?

MC: Make local friends. So many people who study abroad become close with the others in their program, which I’ve done as well, but you will get so much out of the experience if you try making friends with people local to the area. They have an insider perspective, and will be your friends and allies for life. It might be hard to make local friends, so I highly recommend joining as many clubs as possible, and putting yourself out there.

O: Knowing what you know now, do you have any advice for those that are preparing to study abroad?

MC: If it’s financially possible for you, take the leap. I get very anxious when I start something new, so in the beginning I was a wreck. Once I got over the initial homesickness, I never looked back. The only time you should limit yourself is with money — budgeting is very important, especially if you want to both eat and go on trips.

O: How was the transition back to Fordham?

MC: The first week back was really hard. It took me 40 hours total to get home to Pittsburgh from Melbourne before heading straight to NYC for summer classes. I felt overwhelmed by the city and its stress, and I didn’t want to be around anyone or do anything.

But I had considerate friends who got me out of my room. Once I got busier, I fell back into the rhythm of the city and didn’t have time to wallow in post-abroad depression.

Now I feel pretty well-adjusted back to everything.

O: Has what you learned abroad changed the way you’re going into this school year?

MC: It’s really easy to get caught up in NYC and its stressful “go, go, go” mentality. However, going abroad helped me realize that taking time for yourself to enjoy life on your own is not a waste of time. I am trying to adopt the Australian “no worries” mentality, and while I still struggle with it, I think I’ve improved in worrying less about things I can’t control.

Instead, I’m trying to focus on having fun and enjoying whatever time I have left at Fordham with the people I love, because the world is big, so who knows where I’ll be this time next year.

Sports & Health Editors Luke Osborn - losborn1@fordham.edu Lena Weidenbruch - lweidenbruch@fordham.edu

Sports & Health

September 18, 2019

THE OBSERVER

Anne Chen: From FCLC Student to Med Student

By LUKE OSBORN Sports & Health Editor

Every year at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), Natural Science majors graduate and apply their knowledge in fields such as biotechnology, research and medicine. Some, like Anne Chen, FCLC ’17, go on to further their education in medical school. The journey down this path can be especially trying on an individual; the prerequisites and application process requires an immense amount of effort.

Fordham students like Chen, now a second-year medical student at Stony Brook University School of Medicine on Long Island, persevere.

Chen grew up in a medically under-resourced community, and this environment inspired her goal to help improve healthcare access. Therefore, Chen set her eyes on becoming a doctor when she was an undergrad at Fordham. In particular, spending a summer shadowing health professionals solidified her intention to go into medicine. Chen said, “After shadowing and volunteering some more, I realized that through medicine, I can help improve healthcare disparities whether it be through direct patient care or through advocacy.”

After graduating, some premedical students decide to go straight into medical school, while others apply later and take a year off between undergrad and medical school. Chen followed the latter path. “I took a gap year because I felt that I’ll dedicate the rest of my life to science and medicine, and that I should have at least one year doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: teaching,” she said.

During her gap year, Chen

COURTESY OF ANNE CHEN

Anne Chen graduated in 2017 from FCLC. Now, she’s a medical student at Stony Brook University.

worked for an AmeriCorps program called City Year. AmeriCorps is a federally funded service organization, and City Year is one of their community programs that aims to improve math and language arts skills in elementary and middle school students.

Medical students often compare learning in their classes to drinking water from a fire hydrant. Chen agrees — “It feels like the amount of material that was covered in a semester’s worth at undergrad is the amount of material we cover in two weeks at medical school, so time man-

agement is really key.”

When she began medical school, the rigor of it all gave Chen a case of imposter syndrome, the feeling of doubt towards one’s accomplishments.

Chen said, “I think part of that was due to the toxic culture that pre-med life created.” In particu-

lar, she cited the constant pressure of needing to achieve the highest grades as central to toxic pre-med culture.

Chen has since shed her imposter syndrome now that she is beginning her second year at medical school. “Where I am today, I can truly say: it’s okay if you don’t get a perfect grade in a class,” she said. “Just do your best and learn what you can, and if you have the passion and dedication, you will make it to medical school.” Grades and test scores are just two factors out of many that medical schools use to consider applicants.

Other admission factors include clinical experience, leadership roles, research experience and community service. Another negative facet of pre-med culture can be the pressure to insert oneself into research roles or hospital volunteer roles to satisfy admissions committees. Chen disagrees with this common premed sentiment. “You don’t need that 4.0 or all those ‘checkbox’ requirements. Just do things that you are passionate about, and things will work out at the end of the day.”

Chen’s remarks about medical school admissions show that Fordham pre-med students should not give in to the pressures to mold their applications around becoming the stereotypical successful pre-med student.

Rather, pre-meds should focus on checking the required boxes to gain admission, like gaining some clinical experience, registering for the proper science classes and taking the Medical School Admissions Test. Beyond these requirements, pre-med students should follow their passions and chase the experiences that follow.

Healthiest Places to Eat around Fordham Lincoln Center

By LUKE OSBORN Sports & Health Editor

If you’re returning to Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) without a meal plan this fall, odds are you will have to start eating your meals in the Lincoln Square area for the next couple of months.

Luckily, FLC is situated in one of the best areas in Manhattan for food. You could go out to a different eatery around Fordham every day and still not get to every place, but, as always, not all of the food around us is the healthiest. Don’t wait till Jan. 1 to start eating healthy; start now with these healthy restaurant suggestions.

Juice Generation 979 Eighth Ave.

Located between 57th and 58th Streets just off Columbus Circle is Juice Generation — the best of the three Columbus Circle area juiceries (Pressed Juicery and Juice Press). Juice Generation doesn’t overemphasize protein and sells awesome açaí bowls. If you just have a hankering for a smoothie, the Ram Cafe would be a more suitable option, since their smoothies are much less expensive. Nevertheless, if you have grown tired of Ram Cafe smoothies, Juice Generation’s Watermelon Dragon — a mix of cherries, dragon fruit, lime, strawberries and watermelon — would make the perfect fruity and flavorful afternoon snack.

LENA ROSE/THE OBSERVER

Juice Generation, located near Columbus Circle, is a great place to pick up a healthy and filling smoootie.

The açaí bowls, however, are the main attraction, especially if you are looking for a quick lunch.

To açaí bowl fanatics, these bowls might not be the best they have ever tried, but Juice Generation’s açaí bowls are some of the better options within walking distance of FLC. The All-Star Açaí Bowl is one of their best. If you like unique fruits like drag-

on fruit and starfruit, then you should definitely try this bowl.

Juice Generation blends almond milk, bananas, dragon fruit and açaí to make the base, and they garnish the bowl with strawberries, starfruit, blueberries and granola. The mix of vibrant fruits will give you enough energy to power through your afternoon classes.

Dig Inn

100 W 67th St. Located between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, Dig Inn is a farm-to-table, healthy option for lunch or dinner. Dig Inn sells “market bowls” that contain a base, two sides and a protein.

They rotate their menu every season, but their bases and pro-

teins typically remain constant from season to season. Dig Inn offers rice or dressed greens as a base, and their proteins include chicken breast, blackened chicken thigh, seasonal fish and tofu.

Dig Inn’s sides are the most variable items of their menu. The sides are split into hot and cold categories; an appetizing side the summer menu included was the Marinated Persian Cucumbers.

These cucumbers are almost than their pickled counterparts. Made with black Urfa chili, sumac, garlic, shallot and apple cider vinaigrette, Dig Inn’s cucumbers are an excellent seasonal addition that you must add to your market bowl.

You can also add fresh avocado to your bowl, and they’ll season it with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil right in front of you.

An interesting protein you can get at Dig Inn is their tofu. They currently prepare it with roasted onion, pickled pepper relish and pesto. After you’ve picked your base, protein and two sides you can choose one of their delicious sauces. A couple honorable mentions are the rosemary vinaigrette and the pesto. If you’re looking for some locally sourced goodness, Dig Inn is your place.

The healthy options around FLC are not limited to this small list. What’s more, you don’t even have to go to a healthy restaurant to find healthy options. Plantbased, unprocessed meals are everywhere, so take the school year as an opportunity to eat your way through the Lincoln Square area.

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Sports & Health

Upcoming Sports Events

September 18, 2019 THE OBSERVER

WWW.fordhamobserver.com

Football Figures It Out for First Win

SEPT. 18

Women’s (W’s) Volleyball at Manhattan, Riverdale, N.Y., 7:00 p.m.

SEPT. 19

W’s Volleyball at Columbia, New York, N.Y., 7:00 p.m.

W’s Soccer at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, N.Y., 7:00 p.m.

SEPT. 20

Men’s (M’s) Tennis at Quinnipiac Invitational, Hamden, Conn., All Day W’s Tennis at Cissie Leary Invitational, Philadelphia, Pa., All Day M’s Cross Country at Paddy Doyle Invitational, Bronx, N.Y., 10:00 a.m.

W’s Cross Country at Paddy Doyle Invitational, Bronx, N.Y., 10:00 a.m.

W’s Volleyball at LIU Brooklyn, Brooklyn, N.Y., 6:00 p.m.

SEPT. 21

M’s Tennis at Quinnipiac Invitational, Hamden, Conn., All Day W’s Tennis at Cissie Leary Invitational, Philadelphia, Pa., All Day M’s Golf at Quechee Invite, Quechee Golf Club, Quechee, Vt., All Day M’s Water Polo at Bucknell, Bison Invitational, Lewisburg, Pa., 1:00 p.m.

M’s Soccer vs. La Salle, Bronx, N.Y., 2:00 p.m.

M’s Water Polo vs. Salem International, Bison Invitational, Lewisburg, Pa., 6:00 p.m.

Football at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, N.Y., 6:00 p.m.

Fordham’s offense asserted themselves late in a thrilling comeback victory.

Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’22, drops back to pass deep in Fordham territory.

SEPT. 22

M’s Tennis at Quinnipiac Invitational, Hamden, Conn., All Day W’s Tennis at Cissie Leary Invitational, Philadelphia, Pa., All Day M’s Water Polo vs. Wagner, Bison Invitational, Lewisburg, Pa., 9:15 a.m.

W’s Soccer vs. St. Bonaventure, Bronx, N.Y., 1:00 p.m.

M’s Water Polo vs. La Salle, Lewisburg, Pa., 3:30 p.m.

SEPT. 24

M’s Soccer vs. Manhattan, Bronx, N.Y., 7:00 p.m.

SEPT. 26

W’s Soccer at George Washington, Washington, D.C., 3:00 p.m.

SEPT. 27

W’s Tennis at Eastern Championships, West Point, N.Y., All Day

SEPT. 28

M’s Water Polo vs. George Washington, Bronx, N.Y., 10:00 a.m.

Football vs. Richmond, Bronx, N.Y., 1:00 p.m.

M’s Water Polo vs. Johns Hopkins, Bronx, N.Y., 4:30 p.m.

M’s Soccer vs. St. Bonaventure, Bronx, N.Y., 6:00 p.m.

The events in maroon are located at Rose Hill or in New York

COURTESY OF FORDHAM SPORTS INFO

Andrew Mevis, FCRH ’21, kicked three field goals against Bryant, two in the second quarter to keep the Rams in contention.

By PATRICK MOQUIN Asst. Sports & Health Editor

It is difficult to know if anyone saw this victory coming. Despite a difficult start to the season, industry analysts still considered Fordham a favorite in their third game. The 2019 Bryant team was no longer the impressive force it had been last season, and their offense had been sputtering for most of the game. Their 14–6 lead over the Rams going into the fourth quarter was tenuous at best.

But what transpired over the next 15 minutes of play shocked every analyst and fan alike. Fordham put on an offensive display, scoring 23 unanswered points on the way to a suddenly decisive victory. Their path to this unexpected result was a tumultuous one.

Fordham began their season with a heartbreaker and a thrashing. In their first week, a hardfought battle with Central Connecticut State came down to the final play. The Blue Devils scored on a field goal as time expired to give Fordham a 26–23 loss.

While the dashed hopes of their first week may have disappointed fans, at least Central Connecticut State gave Fordham an opportunity. The Ball State Cardinals provided no such opportunities in their second game. After a closely contested first quarter,

they outscored the Rams 43–15 over the next three quarters to run away with a 57–29 victory.

After a 0–2 start, it was clear that Fordham would have to turn their fortunes around quickly against Bryant University. Last year, such a feat would have been far more difficult. Bryant began their 2018 season hot, going 5–2 through their first seven games before tailing off as the season went on. That decline continued into the 2019 season, and the formerly accomplished Bulldogs found themselves in the same position as Fordham with a 0–2 record. For both sides, this was a must-win game.

The first half was an evenly fought defensive battle. Bryant drew first blood in the opening quarter when it ran in a touchdown on its second drive, and in those first 15 minutes, Fordham’s offense was largely shut down.

The roles reversed in the second quarter when Bryant’s offense struggled and Fordham kicker Andrew Mevis, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’21, managed to convert two field goal attempts into points to make the score 7–6 going into the half.

Despite staying in the game through several impressive defensive stands, Fordham’s offense was unable to find the end zone in the first half, and those struggles continued into the third quarter.

Quarterback Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’22, threw his fourth interception of the season, and two additional Fordham punts indicated a lack of offensive firepower. Meanwhile, Bryant managed to lengthen their lead on a 38-yard touchdown, putting the Rams down eight points as the third quarter drew to a close.

After three quarters of offensive inefficiency, it would be very difficult to predict what would come next. Starting the fourth quarter with the ball, running back Zach Davis, FCRH ’21, led the Rams downfield, setting up another field goal for Andrew Mevis. Fordham had the ball back almost immediately after their stout defense forced the Bulldogs to punt. Two minutes later, DeMorat connected with receiver Fotis Kokosioulis, FCRH ’22, for a 45-yard touchdown, and while the subsequent two-point conversion failed, it gave the Rams their first lead of the game, 15–14.

Bryant’s attempt at a comeback was meager. Their offense was only on the field for one minute and six seconds before they were forced to give the ball back to the Rams. On this Fordham drive, DeMorat was hardly even needed under center. Davis rushed twice for 6 yards, and his third run went for 48 yards and resulted in another touchdown for the Rams. The entire drive took only 23 seconds.

To put the final nail in the coffin, DeMorat decided to rest his arms and use his legs instead. As the game wound down, the quarterback ran for a 20-yard touchdown to turn a formerly close game into a blowout, 29–14.

At the end of the day, DeMorat threw for 187 yards and scored one touchdown through the air and another on the ground.

Davis ran for 140 yards and a touchdown as well, serving as the major catalyst for Fordham’s fourth quarter resurgence.

The Rams ended a game that consisted mainly of overlong drives and inefficient offensive play by rapidly striking against a Bryant defense that could neither rest nor regroup. The Bulldogs’ offense could not stay on the field for long, and their defense cracked under the continued pressure of players like DeMorat and Davis.

It is unclear if this is the beginning of a new and exciting Fordham team or a fluke performance against a weak and poorly conditioned opponent. The one thing that cannot be questioned is that the Rams’ performance in the fourth quarter was exciting and satisfying, and Fordham fans will be overjoyed to learn that those adjectives have once again entered the lexicon of their football program.