February 17, 2021

Feb. 17, 2021

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Volume CII

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Est. 1929

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www.sjuhawknews.com

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The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

University signs letter of intent to explore merger with

USciences

A man runs past the McNeil Science and Technology Center, at the University of the Sciences, towards 43rd Street on Feb 14. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

St. Joe’s signed a letter of intent on Feb. 10 to evaluate a merger with the University of the Sciences.

In a Feb. 10 announcement to the campus community, St. Joe’s University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., said St. Joe’s will “undertake exclusive discussions to fully evaluate the benefits” of merging with USciences.

Founded in 1821 as the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, USciences is located on a 24–acre campus in West Philadelphia.

The discussions between the two universities began last summer and have been ongoing among top leaders at each university, according to Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Those individuals were under a nondisclosure agreement until the letter of intent was signed on Feb. 10.

McConnell clarified that a letter of intent to consider a merger is not a final definitive agreement to merge.

“There’s a period of due diligence and a period of negotiation, and that’s where we are now,” McConnell said. “It hasn’t been finalized, and then once we do decide to move forward, if we do decide to move forward, then there’s an integration process. I would imagine it’s going to take several months to do a full evaluation of the opportunity.”

While the news came as a surprise to many people at both institutions, Reed hinted at the university’s openness to a

merger last October in an interview with the Philadelphia Business Journal.

“You can start the programs from scratch. You can acquire them. You can merge with another institution,” Reed said in the Oct. 29 article.

Reed’s interview created a buzz among community members, and Reed followed with a Nov. 2 announcement to the university community in which he reflected on the institution’s progress despite the pandemic.

“Although the pandemic has had an impact on all of us and will for some time, we remain ever-committed to the long view,” Reed wrote. “This includes a multipart strategy to maintain our financial strength, to increase our academic quality and programming, enhance our campus experience and deepen our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.”

McConnell said the possibility of a merger, while “an incredible challenge,” is an exciting opportunity that would open up new academic opportunities for students at both institutions.

“Imagine the combination programs we could have. It opens up brand new academic programs that really can be tightly aligned and cut down the cost and the time to completion for students. That’s a real tangible benefit for students,” McConnell said.

“On the new sciences side, we offer so many more programs on the undergraduate level that [students] could take advantage of. The tangible benefits are extraordinary.”

USciences has three colleges, two of which focus on health and medicine: the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and the

Samson College of Health Sciences. Within these colleges, USciences offers multiple majors not currently offered at St. Joe’s, including exercise physiology, occupational therapy and physical therapy. USciences’ third college is the Misher College of Arts and Sciences.

USciences President Dr. Paul Katz wrote in a Feb. 10 email to USciences faculty and staff that a multitude of external influences prompted university officials to further explore the opportunity to merge with St. Joe’s.

“Over the past decade, higher education in the U.S. has been in a state of accelerating disruption,” Katz wrote. “The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has magnified the impact of these changes on colleges and universities. To meet the demands of a rapidly changing environment, we must think creatively and act boldly to optimally position our University for the future.”

The Hawk requested interviews with Reed and Katz. Both universities declined to grant that request.

Guilbert Hentschke, Ph.D., dean emeritus of the University of Southern California and author of “Management Operations in Education,” said institutions of higher education have specifically been facing lower enrollment rates and the rates of demographics feeding into universities are down.

These external factors can contribute to a university’s decision to explore a merger.

In a December 2020 report from the National Student Clearinghouse, overall national postsecondary enrollment fell by 2.5%, which was driven by a decline in

undergraduate enrollment nationwide by 3.6% in 2020. St Joe’s enrollment, in particular, dropped from 8,415 in the fall of 2016 to 7,362 in the fall of 2019. Enrollment last fall then dropped by almost 600 more students, according to Inside Higher Ed. Hentschke said the coronavirus pandemic compounds the negative effects of these disruptive factors by causing both shocks to a university’s revenue and expense streams. The volatility of the higher education system has affected the rates of mergers as universities are looking to plan ahead for the very near future as well as develop a sustained future for the institution.

“What you really have is an acceleration of mergers which was quiet before,” Hentschke said. “I’m not saying you contribute this all to the pandemic. But in higher ed, it’s gone from this mentality of [looking at] year to year budgets to now looking much more at both a week to week and decade to decade [budget].”

Hentschke said there are multiple factors that go into assessing the benefits and drawbacks of merging with another institution, which include factors like geography between the two institutions, program opportunities and possible cost savings. Over time, merging has become more of a strategic plan for many universities for these reasons, Hentschke said.

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University signs letter of intent to explore merger with USciences CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “You had to be ready to die. You had to be ready to go out of business before you’d even consider a merger,” Hentschke said.

“Now, it’s more like a strategic tactic that you entertain. It’s more of an opportunity than a last-ditch, saving grace.”

McConnell said the possible merger for St. Joe’s is an “achievement of a strategic objective of the university,” to continue to grow programs and the student body.

But there is also uncertainty that comes with these discussions, Hentschke said. Regarding the possibility of layoffs, Hentschke said while there are often layoffs, they usually come later in the process. McConnell said she does not anticipate any program closures at this point in the process.

“The purpose of the proposed merger is to grow. It’s to grow students and it’s to grow programs,” McConnell said. “It’s too early to say what may or may not happen

based on a proposed merger, but the intent is not to get smaller.”

Jillian Garvey ’21, president of University Student Senate (USS), said when Reed mentioned the word “merger” in his comments to the Business Journal back in October, she didn’t think that was something actually in the works.

Although Garvey said she knows the decision is not finalized, she “really wasn’t expecting the merger to be happening, let alone happening right now.”

Garvey said she recognizes that USciences students will likely be more impacted if the universities merge, so it’s important for USS to not only act as a liaison for St. Joe’s students but for USciences students as well.

“It’s important that we consider what the USciences students are feeling because they’re being impacted a lot more than we are,” Garvey said. “St. Joe’s is retaining the name, we’re still going to stand, our mascot

is still going to be the Hawk. We’re really retaining a lot of our identity. It's really important that I get their perspectives early on.”

USciences’ student government president, Jayna Suter ’21, did not respond to a request for an interview before the time of print.

But Jacy Lieberum, a sophomore at USciences, started a petition on Change. org titled “USciences Should Not Merge with St. Joseph’s University.” As of Feb. 15, the petition has 1,715 signatures, out of the 2,500 signature goal, from both students and community members.

Lieberum said a large part of the student body is confused by the decision to explore a merger, so the goal of the petition is to bring awareness of students’ concerns to the board and Katz.

“We’re startled from this information, we would like new information, and we are a little tentative about the decision of St. Joe’s [to merge] with USciences,” Lieberum

said. “We just feel like it was an interesting choice of a college to merge with just because we are so different in a lot of ways, and we don’t really fully understand the scope of the decision.”

As the university moves forward with exploring the option to merge with USciences, Garvey said while there might be challenges, there is a lot to look forward to.

“I think St. Joe’s is aware of how challenging the merge is going to be when it comes to working out the logistics and every nitty-gritty detail,” Garvey said. “But, I think there’s also a lot of excitement to come about redefining the future of St. Joe’s.”

No. The current stage is an exploratory phase where both universities will assess whether or not to move forward, and this will not have a direct impact on students this year.

How would our campus change?

St. Joe’s sees a “strategic benefit” in utilizing both campuses, according to Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at St. Joe’s. But there are no firm plans until both parties agree to move forward and a merger is finalized.

If the merger goes through, will St. Joe’s still be called St. Joe’s?

Yes. St. Joe’s will retain its name and be the sole name of the institution.

Will we remain a Jesuit institution?

Yes. St. Joe’s will retain its Jesuit identity and mission.

Will our mascot still be The Hawk?

Yes. St. Joe’s will retain its mascot. As we know, The Hawk Will Never Die.

Sources: Wendy Greengrove, J.D., former director of mergers and acquisitions at GPU

Carly Calhoun ’21 contributed to this reporting.

St. Joe’s merger: FAQs DEVIN YINGLING ’22 News Editor What is a merger?

A merger is a combination of two entities (sometimes more than two) into a single legal entity. When two entities decide to explore merging, no universal set of rules determines how long the merger process will take or when it will be finalized. However, most mergers generally begin with a quiet phase when senior management considers the possibility of a merger, and then a more public phase

when senior management announces the possibility of a merger to stakeholders.

What is a letter of intent?

A letter of intent is an agreement between entities to take the next formal steps in exploring the feasibility of a merger.

Letters of intent offer a formal structure for the entities to assess their assets and liabilities, and essentially look at the pros and cons of merging with one another.

There is no universal timeline for the entities to abide by during this phase, but a letter of intent often includes a timeline that the entities agree upon.

What phase of the merger process is St. Joe’s currently in?

St. Joe’s and USciences is currently in what is called the “due diligence” phase, in which each university will assess their liabilities and assets and explore if a merger will be feasible.

Will anything change for students this year?

Guilbert Hentschke, Ph.D., dean emeritus of the University of Southern California Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at St. Joe’s

Pennsylvania higher-ed mergers CHRISTINE DISANTI ’21 Assistant News Editor St Joe’s announced on Feb. 10 that the administration signed a letter of intent to evaluate merging with University of the Sciences, adding to a growing list of universities across the U.S. who are exploring mergers as a next step in their development.

St. Joe’s potential merger would be the second higher education merger in Philadelphia in the past few years. In 2017, Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University merged under Jefferson’s name and brand.

Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is slated to consolidate and integrate six universities into two different entities due to financial constraints. The universities include California University, Clarion University, Edinboro University, Bloomsburg University, Lock Haven University and Mansfield University.

The Pennsylvania system’s Board of Governors will review merger plans in April 2021, with the goal of the consolidated and merged universities accepting students as early as August 2022.

These local mergers are part of a na-

tional trend as institutions in higher education face increasing financial challenges and global competition for students.

There have been approximately 40 mergers in U.S. higher education institutions between 2000 and 2017.

The number of closures of higher education institutions have also increased, with around 100 nonprofit, private universities closing between 2009 and 2017.

The financial hardships that many institutions are facing have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Postsecondary enrollment is down 2.5% nationally. Given these financial and enrollment trends, mergers provide ways for institutions both to contain costs and to allow for proactive steps in increasing an institution’s assets.

Private Institution Merger: Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University The merger between Jefferson and Philadelphia University stemmed from a meeting between the two university presidents, Dr. Stephen K. Klasko and Stephen Spinelli Jr, Ph.D., The merger process lasted about a year and eight months, with both universities announcing the completion of the process in July 2017.

A part of Jefferson Health, Thomas Jefferson University is generally known for its

medical and health related programs, while Philadelphia University was known for programs such as engineering, architecture and graphic design. Jefferson argued that the merger would place more emphasis on interdisciplinary and hands-on learning.

As a result of the merger, Jefferson reassigned roles for faculty and staff but did not eliminate any positions.

Jefferson retained all majors from both universities, increasing academic options.

Jefferson now has 12 colleges, schools and institutions and campuses in both Center City and the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia where Philadelphia University was located. In addition, Jefferson enrolled 7,800 undergraduates and graduates in 2018. After the merger, Jefferson’s undergraduate tuition increased by about 3.5% from 2017 to 2018.

Public Institution Consolidation and Merge: Pennsylvania State University System The economic toll of COVID-19 acted as the catalyst for a multi-institutional consolidation and mergers in the PASSHE, which was announced in fall 2020. The state system will consolidate six different universities into two entities: California, Clarion and Edinboro universities will integrate, and Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities will integrate to create “cer-

tificate and stackable credential programs,” according to a statement from Bloomsburg.

PASSHE is run by Chancellor Daniel Greenstein, who works directly with the Board of Governors within the System “to recommend and develop overall policies for the System,” according to the system’s website.

“The well-known financial challenges faced by the System have grown to a point where they now threaten our ability to serve all Pennsylvanians, irrespective of their zip code, with high quality, affordable higher education,” according to the PASSHE website. “Integrations give us the best chance to continue this mission and to expand the breadth of educational opportunities available across the state.”

Differing from Jefferson’s merger, the six Pennsylvania universities will retain their own names and identities while still integrating universities “into a single accredited entity with a unified leadership team, a single faculty and staff, a single academic program array, a unified enrollment strategy and a single budget,” according to the PASSHE website.

As a result of merging and integration, PASSHE website says “potential employment impacts do exist.”

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 17, 2021

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A tale of two universities Saint Joseph's University

University of the Sciences

Founded: 1851 Tuition (2020-2021): $47,740 Full-time faculty: 297

Located in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia at 600 S. 43rd Street Founded in 1821 as the “Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.” The school officially became University

MISSION STATEMENT

of the Sciences in 1998.

First college of pharmacy in North America

“As Philadelphia’s Jesuit Catholic University, Saint Joseph’s provides a rigorous, student-centered education rooted in the liberal arts. We prepare students for personal excellence, professional success and engaged citizenship.

Striving to be an inclusive and diverse community that educates and cares for the whole person, we encourage and model lifelong commitment to thinking critically, making ethical decisions, pursuing social justice and finding God in all things.”

Athletics name and mascot: The Devils Estimated tuition for students entering in 2021: $27,500 Full-time faculty as of 2019: 177

MISSION STATEMENT “University of the Sciences prepares students to become leaders, innovators, and skilled practitioners in the sciences, the health professions, and related disciplines. We deliver excellence in teaching, research, and service through a safe and supportive environment in which our students live, learn, and succeed.”

ACADEMICS Majors: 57 within 17 departments Three colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, Haub School of Business, School of Health Studies and Education

ACADEMICS Majors: 60 within 13 departments Three colleges: Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Samson College of Health Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences

RESEARCH CENTERS/INSTITUTES Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support Institute of Clinical Bioethics Maguire Academy of Insurance and Risk Management Academy of Food Marketing Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Center for Business Ethics Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations Center for Professional Development The Initiative for Family Business and Entrepreneurship

RESEARCH CENTERS/INSTITUTES Industrial Pharmacy Lab (IPHL) West Center For Computational Chemistry and Drug Design Bioimaging Resources Chemistry Core Facility Physical Therapy Research Facilities

STUDENT BODY QUICK FACTS

STUDENT BODY QUICK FACTS

2019 ENROLLMENT DATA FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS Total enrollment: 2,285 Undergraduate enrollment: 1,372 PERCENT OF UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT BY GENDER Men: 36% Women: 64%

BY RACE/ETHNICITY American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.1% Asian: 34.6% Black or African American: 6.2% Hispanic/Latino: 3.7% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0.2% White: 44.2% Two or more races: 4.2% Race/ethnicity unknown: 5.8% Nonresident: 1%

2019 ENROLLMENT DATA FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS Total enrollment: 7,362 Undergraduate enrollment: 4,784 PERCENT OF UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT BY GENDER Men: 46.2% Women: 53.8%

BY RACE/ETHNICITY American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.1% Asian: 2.6% Black or African American: 5.6% Hispanic/Latino: 7.7% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0.2% White: 77.1% Two or more races: 2.6% Race/ethnicity unknown: 2.3% Sources: Nonresident: 1.9% GRAPHIC: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

University of the Sciences website Saint Joseph's University website National Center for Education Statistics

Department of Public Safety reports (Feb. 5 - Feb. 11) ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

Feb. 5 Public Safety confiscated a quantity of alcohol inside the lobby of the McShain Hall. Residence Life was notified. Community Standards was notified.

Feb. 6

Public Safety was notified by an St. Joe’s student in regards to a suspicious female near the area of City and Cardinal Avenue.

Lower Merion Police along with PhiladelPublic Safety was notified by an area resi- phia Fire Department/Rescue Unit were dent ofStudents a noiseincomplaint on the 2400 block of notified and responded. The female was the botany and pharmacognosy laboratory at the then Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Science in 1933.

North and 54th Street.

Public Safety officers and transported off campus without incident.

Photo courtesy of the Wellcome Collection at Wellcome Library Philadelphia Police were notified, responded into the area, and spoke with the students.

Community Standards was notified.

Feb. 10 Public Safety confiscated a quantity of alcohol inside the lobby of the Pennbrook Apartments. Residence Life was notified.

Community Standards was notified.

10 0

On campus

Off campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

0

0

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm The frontQuad of the then Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science main building in 1933, inside the Morris Townhouses.

Public which is now Griffith Hall.

Safety Officers The preliminary Photo responded. courtesy of the Wellcome Collection at Wellcome Library On campus Off campus investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. The alarm was reset.

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

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Feb. 17, 2021

The Hawk Newspaper

Opinions

Following through on our promises Supporting Black-owned businesses

Editor in Chief

Jackie Collins ’21 Managing Editor Ryan Mulligan ’21 Copy Chief Cara Smith ’21 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner

Copy Editor Celia Hegarty ’21 Copy Editor Carly Calhoun ’21 Multimedia Editor Nick Karpinski ’21 News Editor Devin Yingling ’22 Assistant News Editor Eddie Daou ’22 Assistant News Editor Christine DiSanti ’21 Opinions Editor Tayler Washington ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Sehar Macan-Markar ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Maggie Brennen ’22 Features Editor Giana Longo ’22 Assistant Features Editor Nenagh Sheehan ’21 Assistant Features Editor Elaina Wall ’21

The St. Joe’s community has made many statements supporting The Movement for Black Lives during its height last summer, following the killing of George Floyd. In an email sent to the university following George Floyd’s death, President Mark C. Reed wrote, “Our Jesuit heritage and mission, grounded in the service of faith and the promotion of justice, calls on us to approach societal problems actively and reflectively. To care. To pray. To discern. To act.”

Now is the time for the university’s administration and community to follow through on this promise.

Over the summer, many members of the St. Joe’s community posted a black square on their Instagram accounts to show solidarity and support for the Black community. While this small action was well-intended, it has not actually done anything to address historic systemic and institutional racism in the U.S. Similarly, university statements like the one above have a lot of potential to be effective, but only if these statements and gestures are followed by substantive action.

The black squares that flooded Instagram in the summer are examples of aspirational promises made by “allies” of the Black community, and, if not followed by action, performative activism. Since the May 2020 uprisings, no fundamental changes have been made by non-Black Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) to address the racial injustices that prevail in the country.

Now, especially during Black History Month, is the time for us to follow through on our allyship and begin by financially supporting the Black community. St. Joe’s is located in a predominately Black and brown city and it’s important for us to acknowledge this and ultimately support our local communities.

Nicole Stokes, Ph.D., associate provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Daniel Joyce, S.J., wrote in an email to the university that “We must challenge ourselves to be better and to do better,” and now is our time to act on that.

One way to support the Black community that can be easily accomplished by St. Joe’s students is to shop at Black-owned businesses. With the COVID-19-related recession, many of these businesses are struggling to remain open. Whether it be ordering food from “Fill Your Soul” on N. 63rd Street, or ordering books from Harriett’s Bookshop

rather than Amazon, any purchase helps these businesses.

Shopping at Black-owned businesses not only supports Black business owners, but begins to address the massive wealth disparity between Black and white owned businesses.

The coronavirus closures have disproportionately impacted Black owned businesses, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. They found that the number of African-American business owners plummeted from 1.1 million in February 2020 to 640,000 in April— a 41% decrease.

Chattel slavery, Jim Crow laws and redlining ensured that Black Americans were denied the chance to acquire wealth. We know this from the data about generational wealth. According to a 2019 Brookings Institute report, the median white household holds 7.8 times the amount of wealth of Black households. White Americans clearly have an enormous economic advantage over Black Americans.

“Now, especially during Black History Month, is the time for us to follow through on our allyship and begin by financially supporting the Black community.”

We know this was deliberate and intentional. It is no surprise then that the economic effects of the COVID-19 recession hit Black business owners harder than white businesses.

As a part of our work to become anti-racist and dismantle systemic racism, as our Jesuit values call us to do, supporting Black-owned businesses is a small first step.

To this end, The Hawk compiled a list of local Black-owned businesses that you should support during Black History Month, and actually, all year round, found on page seven.

Find somewhere new to eat or shop, step outside of your comfort zone and shift your support from large, white-owned corporations to demonstrate your solidarity with the Black community. Take a walk down 63rd Street or 54th Street rather than going to the corporate

Sports Editor Riley Frain ’21

big-box stores on City Avenue. Follow up on that black square you posted on Instagram.

Take action.

At an institutional level, university administrators must take action as well. The university’s second annual Day of Dialogue is just the beginning of a conversation. One day of recognizing and talking about racial injustice is not going to change the culture at St. Joe’s. The university must go beyond eloquently written statements about being allies and expressing solidarity. Instead, St. Joe’s must take action to address racial injustices, on campus and in our communities. In fact, we have yet to acknowledge and properly address Maryland Province Jesuits’ owning and selling of enslaved Africans, as The Hawk reported in a series of investigations in 2016.

One major step the university administration could take would be to enact universitywide anti-racism programs. Dialogue is important, but cannot be our sole method of becoming anti-racist. The university must fund research aimed at dismantling white supremacy, and start severing ties to financial institutions connected to the prison industrial complex. Surely the university can create substantive ways to demonstrate its allyship to the Black community.

President Reed wrote in his May 30 announcement “I do know that this pain is deep and persistent, and I share the same anger, sadness, and frustration that I know you do as well.” Absent from this announcement was a list of actionable items to address our own support of institutional policies that end up supporting systemic racism. We have the tools to undo policies that lead to continued disenfranchisement of Black Americans. For example, we have a nationally recognized Haub School of Business, talented faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Health and Educational studies, and willing and enthusiastic students who want to fulfill our institutional social justice mission statement.

While there is much work for us to do, there are many ways in which we can begin to foster a fundamentally more inclusive environment that uplifts and supports the BIPOC community right here on campus and in our community next door.

- The Editorial Board The Hawk welcomes Letters to the Editor, typically no more than 300 words. They can be emailed to hawk.editorial@gmail.com.

Assistant Sports Editor Tyler Nice ’23 Graphics/Illustrations Editor Casey Wood ’23 Photo Editor Mitchell Shields ’22 Social Media Manager Sam Jenkins ’21 Business Manager Angela DiMarco ’22 Assistant Business Manager Colin Messenger ’22 Assistant Business Manager Danny Remishevsky ’23 Assistant Business Manager Jillian Bodemer ’23 Distribution Manager Alec Mettin ’24 Distribution Manager Deborah Duong ’24

TAYLOR’S VERSION Taylor Swift released “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” a re-recorded version of the old classic two days before Valentine’s Day. Swift’s timing is always impeccable. Our 10-year-old selves are truly thriving right now. Once again, thank you Taylor Swift for providing us with amazing music for the third time in the same, very difficult year.

POST LEARNING COMMONS (PLC) CLOSING AT 9 P.M. For those of us night owls who like to procrastinate, learning that PLC closes at 9 p.m. on weeknights is hard to take. Where are we supposed to go now in the late hours of the night when we want to pretend that we are going to get work done?

VIRAL LAWYER-CAT FILTER VIDEO If you haven’t seen the video of the lawyer on Zoom stuck with a cat filter on, you’re missing out. This video is just what we needed to lift our spirits now that the semester is underway. We want to wish this man well and assure him that we know he’s not really a cat.

CAUGHT SLIPPING Even though it’s been over a week since the snow storm, the sidewalks still remain icy. When you’re clumsy before slippery sidewalks are added into the equation, it never ends well.

STUFF-A-PLUSH Hawk Hill Productions hosted their annual Stuff-A-Plush event on Feb. 13. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and Galentine’s Day, than stuffing a plush either for yourself or someone else? Although they may look a little creepy pre-stuff, the stuffed animals are super cute in their true plush form. Long live Stuff-A-Plush.

OUR EARS—THE UNSUNG HEROES Our ears have really been hit hard during this pandemic and people aren’t talking about it enough. So you mean to tell us that our ears have to hold two masks, earrings, headphones and sunglasses?

Where do we draw the line?

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 17, 2021

5

No celebration without representation Holding our leaders accountable MAGGIE BRENNAN ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor KELSEY WELSH ’22 Special to The Hawk After the frightening, depressing days following the insurrection at the Capitol, it was a relief to see a sunny, normal-as-possible Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.

Inaugurations are always beautiful, joyful ceremonies, but this one was especially emotional for many as it was not only the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden, but of the first woman, first Black and first Asian-American U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris. While she has made controversial decisions in her career, for women and girls, especially of color, seeing Harris be sworn in was a monumental moment.

It has been said that Harris’ vice presidency offers representation to all women, all people of color and all women of color, but that is not completely true. To understand Harris’ position, we must look at both descriptive and substantive representation.

Descriptive representation is the extent to which an elected representative shares identities with their constituents, in this case, all Americans.

There is no doubt that this is important; when citizens see that the most powerful people in the country look like them, it can inspire them to picture themselves in positions of power and work towards them.

However, in their book “Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Political Influence,” Julie Dolan, Ph.D., Melissa M. Deckman, Ph.D. and Michele L. Swers, Ph.D. argue, “having women in bureaucratic positions of power is oftentimes helpful to women in the population but is no guaran-

tee that the diversity of women’s voices will be heard or acted upon.”

This is where substantive representation comes into play. Substantive representation is determined by how representatives fight for policies that help their constituents, and someone sharing the same identities as a community does not guarantee that their position will always benefit the community.

While Harris has only been vice president for less than a month, she has been in public service for three decades. This included being attorney general of California, when an attempt to keep children in school backfired.

She helped pass a law making it a criminal misdemeanor for parents to allow their children to miss more than 10% of school days without an excuse, making them face a $2,000 fine or up to one year in jail. Harris said in her 2011 inaugural address, “if you fail in your responsibility to your kids, we are going to work to make sure you face the full force and consequences of the law.”

This ended up punishing parents with circumstances outside their control, especially Black and Indigenous parents, whose children make up a disproportionate share of truant students. Harris has since stated her regret of the policy.

As attorney general of California, Harris also worked to deny gender-affirming surgeries for incarcerated people. While she may not have an LGBTQIA+ identity, representing all women should include representing transgender women, and representing Black people should include representing Black people that identify as trans. However, as attorney general, she also fought against the “trans panic” defense, which legitimizes violent and deadly behavior against mem-

bers of the LGBT community. This goes to show how politicians should not be idolized and thought of as perfect, no matter how tempting it may be when they are a “first,” like the first woman or first person of color.

There should still be optimism that Harris can offer substantive representation in her time as vice president. In her first weeks in office, she used the vice presidential power to break a tie in the Senate to pass a COVID-19 relief package. While this will help millions of Americans of all identities, it will especially help Black Americans.

While the U.S. unemployment rate is currently 6.3%, the Black unemployment rate is 9.2%.

This piece is not meant to diminish the gravity of Harris’ victory in any way. Rather, it is meant to remind us of the hard-earned lesson of the 2020 election cycle: politicians must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of their identity, background or personality. Too often, we begin to treat politicians as celebrities rather than public servants, complacent and distracted by a funny joke or flashy outfit. While it is perfectly okay to look up to a particular representative, or to be fond of one, this does not mean that they should be exempt from critique or accountability.

Though Harris has an imperfect track record, the young girls watching her inauguration did not know that—they only knew that they could one day be like her.

Social media was filled with pictures of young girls of all races captivated by their televisions as the vice president was being sworn in. Even for women, both young and old, who are aware of her history, there is hope that they can be in positions of power and make decisions that they think will be best for Americans of all identities.

The afflicted and ignored The neglect of male eating disorders LENORA THOMAS ’23 Special to The Hawk The lack of awareness of men’s eating disorders truly bothers me and shows the overt ignorance of how body image affects young boys.

I, a cisgender female, heard and saw the same things that a lot of my peers experienced growing up. I played with the Barbie Dolls with hourglass figures. I watched “Glee” and “Pitch Perfect,” where the “fat friend” was the comic relief and rarely got the main love interest. I heard the insults and experienced the bullying that came with being an overweight, African American girl. I suffered from an eating disorder, where I wouldn’t eat, to ensure that I would start losing weight and go down a dress size or two.

I got tired of shopping in the women’s section when I was still a little girl. At a certain point in my life, my body image actively reflected my self-worth. Then studies were publicized that focused on an increase in self-harm and eating disorders in young girls due to the lack of realistic body types in the mainstream media. It became a regular thing to talk about girls’ body image, the negative effects of photo editing and how the supermodel body often came at a cost.

And I felt liberated. I felt heard.

But there’s a neglected population who

experiences the same struggle-men. They experience the same social pressures to fit a certain body type in order to get the girl.

They feel the need to look a certain way to fit into society. Except the main goal isn’t always to lose weight, but to also gain muscle.

How does this not receive the same amount of attention and intervention?

Boys often suffer from reverse anorexia or bigorexia, a disorder with all the psychological features of anorexia, except they’re pushing it in the opposite direction. In boys, mannerisms of eating disorders appear like girls, such as rigid eating rituals, avoiding situations that involve food, having unusual behaviors around food (cutting food into small pieces, pushing food around the plate) or constantly critiquing their physical appearance.

Oftentimes, habits that are harmful to boys can hide in plain sight. According to the Child Mind Institute, behaviors such as excessive exercise and binge eating are considered expected and accepted behavior for males in western society.

From 1999-2009, hospitalizations involving eating disorders for male patients increased by 53%, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

In 2007, men made up 25% of individuals with anorexia nervosa, 36% with binge eating disorder and 25% with bulimia nervosa. A 2014 study found that men suffering from “subclinical eating disordered behaviors” were almost as common as women.

Subclinical behaviors include binge eating, purging, fasting and taking laxatives.

This silent epidemic has long-lasting psychological and physical effects. My main concern lies in the lack of media coverage and societal acceptance of conversation about this harmful practice in boys and men. It seems hypocritical, to be honest, to preach and call for open communication and acceptance, but to only focus this accepting ideal on one facet of our population.

From what I’ve seen in recent years, we’ve accepted women who are labeled as overweight and curvy, they get the male love interest with the socially accepted body type. We view their union as loving and accepting herself and realizing her value. But on the flipside, if a man is labeled as overweight or not of a muscular stature, and desires a “skinny, supermodel type,” he’s batting out of his league.

The next step is to take action.

There are several organizations that provide helplines with eating disorders, both virtually and through phone hotlines.

One website, 18percent.org, provides a support community for mental health including eating disorders. Simply go to their website and sign up with your email address and you will receive an invitation to their Slack community. Another virtual option is through the Alliance of Eating Disorders Awareness. This organization has Zoom meetings for support groups, as well as in-person options.

TODD ERKIS Columnist Professor Erkis, what will be the next GameStop? I’d like to get some quick profits like that. What do you think about Dogecoin?

It seems like I get asked about this almost every day. Thanks for asking and keep the questions coming! First, let’s recap what happened with GameStop. The stock had a price of about $20 per share on Jan. 12, rose to about $40 on Jan. 20, $65 on Jan. 22 and maxed out at $483 on Jan. 27.

These price increases were unusual and, as I explained in a prior column, not sustainable. At the end of January and into February, the stock price started falling, people started selling and the price dropped to $50 per share by early February. It’s important to remember that for everyone who buys GameStop stock, there is a seller of the stock on the other side of the transaction. People who sold at the top, and are now posting their stories on social media, sold to others who lost money, who are less likely to publicize their mistake.

When there is a buying mania, getting in early and getting out at the right time (before the mania buying ends) is everything. That is why chasing the next hot stock or other hot assets for speculative purposes can lead to large losses. It’s really hard to sell when things are rising fast. It’s human nature to expect the gains to continue and wait for that first price drop. But that is when everyone else will try to sell too. Those who sell late can lose money.

Dogecoin is a great example of the concern of some that there is too much speculation in the market right now. Dogecoin began in 2013 and according to Dogecoin’s Twitter account @dogecoin, “Dogecoin is an open source peer-to-peer cryptocurrency, favored by shibas worldwide.” Shiba Inu is a breed of dog from Japan. It started as a joke and has been used throughout the internet to show appreciation, like a tip. Its value has been less than one cent for many years—until recently.

Cryptocurrency is not widely used at this time and there are many types of cryptocurrency out there, with Bitcoin being the most famous. It’s not possible to know at this time the long-term value of any cryptocurrency. The long-term value will depend on when (if?) each type of virtual currency is widely adopted for purchases of real goods. It could be worth a lot or could end up being totally worthless. In my opinion, this is the definition of gambling.

My advice is not to speculate much of your money on the next hot thing or on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Dogecoin unless you believe in the investment over the long run. Invest in the broad market where you are buying an ownership interest in great companies with fantastic products and good business models. If you want to speculate, use money that you can lose and try to have fun with it. Maybe you will get crazy GameStop-like returns, but more likely you will lose money in the long run.

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Feb. 17, 2021

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

The burnout faced by Black students We cannot rely solely on students for change SEHAR MACAN-MARKAR ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor The racism that surrounds predominantly white institutions (PWI)’s is notorious. The experiences that Black students face with both subtle and explicit racism is appalling, but all too common. The understanding of that prejudice is exhausting.

Campuses are not a safe space, and there’s a sense of hyperawareness that comes with this realization. Not only do these students have to deal with the burden of racism, they are also expected to single handedly fight against it.

With the national movement towards racial justice, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020, universities want to appear nonracist. Diversity initiatives are being implemented and people are speaking out now more than ever. But do any of these words and actions hold gravity if, once again, Black students are expected to carry these efforts on their back?

At times, it seems like they are being used by the university to fix issues that aren’t their fault. They are the ones experiencing the lasting effects of systemic and overt racism, yet they have to be the educators.

In this work and education, it’s reliving trauma in order to make aspects of racism easier for their white peers to understand.

Black students are also simply just that– students. They have academics, work and social lives, and it should not fall on them to be racial educators as well. Trying to balance the many struggles and re-

sponsibilities that college students face is hard enough as it is. Black students deserve to enjoy their college years the same way that their white peers do. They should not have to worry about microaggressions or constant racist comments in and out of the classroom, but the reality is that they do. The constant vigilance is enervating. That, combined with the pressure to do the right thing and be activists as well, is an overwhelming emotional burden.

without cost. Reliving these experiences and constantly trying to make change can lead to burnout.

Mental health issues in the Black community are at an all-time high, and attending a PWI has additional adverse effects on Black students’ mental health. Many of them are burned out.

Activism is noble, necessary and sometimes thankless work. The feelings of hope-

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/ THE HAWK

When Black students are educating peers or discussing their lived experiences with racism, it is not an easy task. It is a courageous but draining act to share their stories. It certainly is important for students to understand what their Black peers undergo, but that doesn’t mean it comes

lessness, exhaustion and cynicism are some of the biggest signs of burnout. These signs are also symptoms of declining mental health, and are a huge detriment not only to the education of Black students, but to their overall health. If PWIs say that they are committed to bettering the lives of

their Black students, they need to show that with their actions. Instead of trying to appease white supremacist donors, they should listen to their Black students and make actual change instead of easy, swooping statements and not following through on promises.

It is not feasible for universities to rely on Black students, or a small group of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) staff members for all diversity work.

Substantive diversity work is needed from all members of the community, not just those who it directly affects. The work that many Black students provide is emotionally taxing and deserving of compensation.

It is essentially another job. There are ways for PWIs to show they care about their Black students without burdening them.

These same universities need to handle racism on campus seriously, instead of invalidating Black students who come to them for support. When they choose the comfort of white students over justice for their Black students, it sends a clear message what their priorities are.

There’s a difference between giving Black students a voice to make much needed change on campus and placing all of the work on Black student leaders to make the university look progressive. Diversity work is a great thing, and education is most definitely needed. But, it is not something that should be done by Black students alone.

What I wish my professors knew Taking classes during COVID-19

LESLIE QUAN ’22 Columnist There is not one waking moment when my eyes aren’t staring at my laptop screen.

Whether it be classes on Zoom, events on Zoom, meetings on Zoom or SI sessions on Zoom, everything is virtual. Some days I spend more than 10 hours on my laptop.

While it’s easy to enter a class just by clicking on a Zoom link, it does not mean that things are now easier to manage. There are many challenges that students face outside of their Zoom classes, and many of these challenges are out of their control.

I wish my professors knew that outside of our normal Zoom class time, I’m still on my laptop studying for exams, completing online assignments and attending club meetings. With very little in-person activities happening on campus, doing school work is really the only thing there is to do to pass the time.

I regret scheduling a class between 1112 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, during what used to be free period. Canceling free period took away our opportunity to have a one hour break to get lunch. Now, when I’m in my online 12:30 p.m. class, everyone watches me eat my Saxby’s plant-powered burrito. I wish my professors knew that sometimes when I’m in class, my head gets fuzzy and I can’t think straight because I haven’t had time to eat a real meal or snack in three hours.

Finding a quiet place to take an online exam has its challenges. Last semester, I booked a study room in the library to take my exam, but the students in the room next to me were being loud and distracting, so I had to scramble during my exam to find another

to be on Zoom, sometimes I don’t know where to find the Zoom link.

While some professors are able to return home to their families, many students are landlocked on our campus. When I got dropped off for the spring semester, I told

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/ THE HAWK

place to sit. There are times when I can’t even do work in my own apartment because of the noise and distractions from my roommates, who are also stuck inside completing their classes on Zoom. When it is too loud, I have to pack everything up and take the shuttle to the library. It is extremely frustrating to move around all the time just to find some peace and quiet.

I wish my professors knew that sometimes I don’t even know if I’m supposed to be in person that day, or on Zoom or not come in at all. Even if I know I’m supposed

my mom, “I’ll see you in four months,” even though I live less than 20 miles away from campus.

In order to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19, many students are testing their mental endurance by waiting until after the semester is over to return home. I wish my professors knew that I don’t travel anywhere else besides my apartment and campus. I feel trapped all the time and I honestly just feel burned out.

Even though the university has replaced our spring break with “Health & Wellness

Days,” I don’t think any health or wellness is going to take place on those days. There is no way that I can recover from my mental and physical burnout in only one day. Also, professors have already assigned papers and exams due the day right after our Health & Wellness Days. So while the university may promote health and wellness activities for those days, the majority of students will be studying for exams or writing papers, which completely defeats the purpose.

I wish my professors knew that sometimes I can go all day without going outside.

Now that there’s snow on the ground, I try to avoid walking on the icy sidewalks. Along with that, we’re still in a pandemic, so I try not to stray too far from my apartment. At this point, it’s not even worth going outside anymore.

These are the realities that many students are facing while taking class during the coronavirus pandemic. Even though we got through it the past year, it doesn’t make things easier now. In fact, it’s becoming even more taxing and the Zoom burnout is becoming all too real.

While professors can’t change many of the challenges we face, I just hope that professors who read this can extend a bit more empathy to their students, especially this semester. It’s hard to focus on school when you miss your family. It’s hard to study for an exam when you haven’t seen the light of day. It’s hard to complete online assignments when you’ve already spent more than five hours staring at a screen for your online classes. It’s hard for everyone this past year, but it does not always have to be that way.

Features

Feb. 17, 2021 7

The Hawk Newspaper

Black History Month PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

PHOTO: ALEX HARGRAVE ’20/THE HAWK

Atiya Ola’s Spirit First Foods

Hakim’s Bookstore

“We specialize in vegan, vegetarian and raw foods. We’ve been in business over 13 years. We’ve been in a brick-and-mortar for 11 years. What inspired me to start was my brother-in-law got married and he was upset about how they made the couscous and the cost of it. We have people travel here to get food because there’s not too many places in West Philadelphia that specialize in raw food.

We specialize in raw food, [stir-fry], health drinks. We carry vegan cakes, and occasionally we make raw pies.”

“Hakim’s Bookstore specializes in books on African American history, children’s books, health, religion and self-help. We also carry Afrocentric gift items and jewelry. We provide a resource for the community to obtain books not often carried in mainstream bookstores that educate not just African Americans but all about our history that has long been omitted from the history books and not taught in schools. We are also a source of encouragement to others that may want to be entrepreneurs.”

310 S. 48th St., Philadelphia Owned by Atiya Ola Sam Jenkins ’21, Social Media Manager

All The Way Live

6108 Germantown Ave., Germantown 8419 Germantown Ave., Chestnut Hill Owned by Sheena Dickerson Elaina Wall ’21, Asst. Features Editor “All the Way Live is a vegan restaurant. We specialize in raw live food, which is food that is prepared in a way that uses raw ingredients or uses heat under 116 degrees to keep the integrity of the food.

We also [offer] cooked vegan dishes. Our aim is to uplift the health of the community. The only thing you have is your health, to go about carrying out your mission in life, and we offer cuisine that keeps you on that path. This means so much to me and my daughter, because our community suffers a lot, and the country in general now is suffering a lot from poor health.”

210 S. 52nd St., Philadelphia Owned by Yvonne Blake Nenagh Sheehan ’21, Asst. Features Editor

A selection of local Black-owned businesses to support Bossy Brows

Owned by Onisha Claire 29 Bala Ave., Bala Cynwyd Nenagh Sheehan ’21, Asst. Features Editor “Bossy Brows is one of the premier destinations for your brow maintenance, restoration and DIY brow care, plus we are an authority in education for beauty professionals. Being a Black-owned business means that both consumers and professionals can find representation and knowledge specific to the needs and concerns of people of color. My goal for Bossy Brows is to establish that the idea of beauty and what it is to be beautiful is accessible to everyone [and] there are no limitations and countless possibilities.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RICKY CODIO

PHOTO: ELAINA WALL ’21/THE HAWK

Dibbs BBQ

5617 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia Owned by Darren Pearson and Pierrette Pearson Kaylah Hernandez ’21, Hawk Staff “We are a family run business. We sell slow-cooked authentic barbecue. We provide high quality and freshly prepared foods at affordable prices. We use a special base and homemade barbecue sauce that allows our customers to share and enjoy the great taste of barbecue in a welcoming friendly backyard environment. Once customers come to our establishment, we treat them like family. They are all inducted into the barbecue family, that’s what we call it here.”

PHOTO: LUKAS VAN SANT ’21/THE HAWK

8 Feb. 17, 2021

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

CineHawk Review: “One Night in Miami” JAYLEN DOTSON ’21 Columnist “One Night in Miami” tells the fictional tale of an extraordinary meeting between Black icons Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke on the night of Ali’s victory against Sonny Liston. Beautifully performed, it is a stunning directorial debut from Regina King herself, an actress with multiple awards.

Based on a screenplay by Kemp Powers, it is adapted from a 2013 stage play of the same name. The movie stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. in the lead roles. It is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

The film begins in 1963 with a boxing match between Ali (still going by the name Cassius Clay) and Henry Cooper, with Ali nearly losing after a strong punch rings his bell. The main events of the narrative unfold one year later, with Cooke, Brown and Malcolm X all arriving in Miami to support their friend in his bout against heavyweight champion Liston. Once the match is over, the four men retreat to Malcom X’s hotel room to celebrate.

However, as the night progresses, tensions arise amongst them as their respective points of view on how to achieve Black liberation leads to heated arguments. Malcolm X is planning to leave the Nation of Islam to form his own group, just as he convinces Ali to publicly join it. While Cooke’s musical career struggles, Brown is transitioning from football to acting.

Though the story told is fictional, Powers’ script perfectly captures the personalities of these larger-than-life characters: Ali’s boisterous and charismatic confidence, Malcolm X’s unrelenting and inspiring sermonizing, Cooke’s independent attitude and Brown’s self-assured yet kind-hearted mien all shine through in their captivating interactions. They are all right and yet all wrong at the same time, with who “wins” their debates largely up to personal preference.

In addition to their strengths, the script also brings out their faults and hypocrisies, making them all the more human and relatable. Cooke is talented and confident but does not want to rock the boat, Ali is brash but prone to impulse. Malcolm X is dedicated to his cause but also judgemental and insecure. Brown pursues what he wants but has trouble standing up to casual racism.

Each character’s introduction gives the audience an efficient exhibition of their core personality traits and the arcs their characters will travel over the course of the film.

We first meet Brown as he returns home to Georgia, where he is greeted by Mr. Carlton, a family friend. Though they have a cordial conversation, Carlton soon shows his true colors by refusing to allow Brown into his house on account of his race, even tossing in a slur with the most casual tone possible.

This confrontation sets up an idea that is

ILLUSTRATION: SADIE HENZES ’24/THE HAWK

brought up again later that night by Brown in a conversation with his fellow icons; racism expressed with a smile can be even more odious than unambiguous hate.

We meet Cooke as he performs in a club catering to upper-class white Americans, who treat him with contempt as his performance falters. Though his voice is on point, his lyrics are safe and nonthreatening, stifling him artistically.

After his near knock-out in the opening, Ali is next seen in a training session where he stands up to his cornermen regarding his decision to bring his controversial friends to his big fight.

Malcolm X is introduced coming home to his wife as one of his speeches plays on their television. The couple discusses his plans to break away from the Nation of Islam, as it will significantly impact them financially since the NOI pays for their property. He had tried to convince fellow NOI member Louis X to join them, but was turned down. However, Malcolm X is undeterred and instead focused on supporting his friend Ali on his big day.

With years of experience in television directing under her belt, King brings a fully realized cinematic voice to her material, which immerses viewers in a radically dif-

ferent time period where the daily reality of Black Americans was an uphill battle.

Though Ali’s fights make up a small portion of the running time, King brings them to life with energetic and brutal choreography, with the fight against Liston building to a showstopping climax where the self-described “Greatest” finally ascends to the top of the world.

The majority of the film, though, is centered in one location: the motel where Malcolm X is staying. Luckily, King ensures that this setting never gets dull by infusing the conversations with dynamic movements from the actors as well as occasional flashbacks to other moments in their lives.

As well written as the characters are, they would not have been nearly as fun to watch if not for the talented performers who bring them to life. Hodge and Odom Jr give great performances, but special credit goes to Ben-Adir as Malcolm X and Goree as Ali. Having seen many real-life clips of these men, I felt as if they had stepped out of history and into this film. Ben-Adir’s Malcolm X brings a certain gravity and weight to almost every word he says, showing that who he was in public was the same man in private, while Goree’s Ali steals every scene he is in, arguably more so than

Ben-Adir at times.

“One Night in Miami” is a magnificent tribute to some of the greatest icons in Black history. Its smart script and superb direction are beautifully matched with a roster of stars who give their all to doing justice by these important historical figures. Now more than ever, it is a timely, provocative film that is not afraid to explore difficult conversations and an unjust past.

Rating: 9 Hawks out of 10

Features

Feb. 17, 2021

The Hawk Newspaper

9

Student leader spotlight: president of Bridging the Gap NENAGH SHEEHAN ’21 Assistant Features Editor With St. Joe’s students isolated to abide

by COVID-19 protocols, chances to connect with fellow students are limited. Each week, The Hawk will offer conversations with various student leaders to help the community get to know them and their organization.

This week’s Q&A is with Jessica Atoo ’21, president of Bridging The Gap (BTG), who is from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

After Atoo graduates with degrees in information technology and music, she plans to stay an extra year at St. Joe’s to earn her master’s degree in web and database technologies from the computer science department.

In the future, Atoo hopes to continue giving back to her community by doing volunteer and service work, all while implementing computer science and music.

What is the mission of BTG? BTG is a proactive and progressive organization that aims to promote awareness of all diversities and underrepresented lifestyles and ethnicities to create a more welcoming and accepting environment at St. Joe’s. BTG strives to create a cohesive community amongst the student body, faculty and administration to spread the message of unity and embrace the beauty and celebration of diversity with the entire campus community’s support. BTG will increase consciousness of the need to celebrate all identities, bridging the gap between people from all walks of life.

What is your personal mission as BTG president?

BTG is a community to me. We try to make everyone feel included and welcome in the club, which is how I felt when I first joined. BTG strives to be a space where people can come and feel uplifted, which is so important to me.

My mission as president is to uphold the values and goals stated in the mission statement to ensure that the club remains aligned with our goals in creating a safe and

welcoming environment for everyone at St. Joe’s. I want to make sure people feel heard and celebrated for who they are.

What impact does BTG have on the St. Joe’s community?

I think BTG has been able to bring people together to highlight and respect not only different cultures on campus, but [also] allow others to see the intersectionalities in their fellow students. We’re all so much more than just students, and I think BTG has really strived to show that and celebrate that. A good example of this is Taste of the World, which is our biggest event. During Taste of the World, we bring people together with food but also use the event to celebrate all of the diverse groups on campus and shed light on the cultures of so many St. Joe’s students with food, performances and music.

Why is a club like BTG important at a school like St. Joe’s, a predominantly white institution (PWI)?

The fact that St. Joe’s is a majority white school is of big significance. It can be really challenging for minority students to adjust to going to a school where most of their peers and professors can’t relate to them because of their race or identity. This causes a bit of a disconnect and many challenges that often go unconfronted or unresolved. It’s essential that everyone feels welcomed because when you’re at a school where you’re the minority in one way or another, it can feel really isolating.

So, having a space where people can just talk to you, and you can know that you’re not alone [is essential]. Being a [Black, Indigenous and person of color] at a PWI can be an overwhelming and uncomfortable experience. I think having clubs like BTG, and the other clubs within the [Center for Inclusion and Diversity (CID)], is so important because members have this space where they can feel like they can be themselves and let their guard down a little, being in a space with people more like them, whether that’s in terms of ethnicity, economic background or identity. We try to advocate for everyone and try to start discussions so that St. Joe’s

Jessica Atoo ’21 makes students feel welcomed, heard and celebrated. PHOTO COURTESY OF ATOO

can become more aware and inclusive.

What does it mean to be Black and female at St. Joe’s?

There are definitely challenges, but I’m so thankful that I joined the Running Start early move-in program my freshman year because that introduced me to the CID and all of the amazing people and programs that come out of it.

Being a Black woman at St. Joe’s can feel very isolating at times. Still, I’ve been fortunate enough to not only find a group of peers that I can be myself around and that can relate to my challenges, but I can now also work to be a part of the movement to make St. Joe’s even more inclusive.

What should St. Joe’s be doing to make the campus a more welcoming environment to students of color?

I think the CID is such a great space that St. Joe’s has. Everything that comes from the center aims to create a space where all students can come and be themselves. I think the more resources that can be given to the center, the better.

I think there should also be some sort of universitywide diversity training or course.

Everyone at St. Joe’s comes from such differ-

ent backgrounds, and I think it’s important that we’re all taught the foundations of how to really be men and women with and for others. This starts with education on topics about racism and microaggressions and the like. [It] then needs to lead to individual reflection and communal accountability so that we can strive to uphold the university’s mantra and make sure none of our community feels like they’re being left behind or highlighted only to save face.

After you graduate, what do you hope to leave behind with BTG? I’m hoping I could be the person that I looked up to when I was a freshman, like someone who is super welcoming and makes an impact on someone’s life or someone’s day. Just being that positive kind of welcoming person, even if the events didn’t go as planned, I like to always remain positive.

Being able to be someone’s friend whenever they need me to.

To get involved in BTG, send an email to btg@sju.edu or follow @SJU_BTG on Instagram. Also, check Student Life for future events, anyone is able to join.

Angelo Pizza ’17 bursts onto Philly pizza scene SARAH HARWICK ’21 Staff Writer A sign inside The Angelo Pizza, an upand-coming restaurant in the 200 block of Market Street in Philadelphia, reads, “The guy’s name is Angelo Pizza.”

Angelo Pizza ’17 opened the Old City restaurant last November. Yes, his last name really is Pizza, and the St. Joe’s alum will happily show you his driver’s license to prove it.

Pizza is not just his last name and the heart of his business, though. It’s a part of Pizza’s personal history. At three years old, he was helping his grandpa make dough. Later, he worked at his dad’s, Angelo Pizza, pizza shop, Angelo’s Carryout, in Little Italy, Baltimore. Angelo’s Carryout, which was known for its 32-inch pies, closed in 2013.

“I would be tossing that dough at 14 years old,” Pizza said. “The dough was almost as big as I was at the time.”

Pizza chose to go to college rather than straight into the family business. But at St. Joe’s, he didn’t stray too far from the food industry.

“Food was one of my only passions coming into college,” Pizza said. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to be centered around food in some manner.”

Pizza ended up majoring in food marketing. After his graduation in 2017, he worked in insurance for a while. It took a global pandemic to get him back to his roots.

While the world was in quarantine last spring, Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, began unboxing and reviewing frozen pizzas. After long conversations with friends, Pizza decided to send Portnoy his

classic cheese pizza, The Angelo Pizza, an adaption of the family pizza.

“We were literally on the phone with each other,” said Johnny Schouten, a childhood friend of Pizza, “and I get a text from my brother, in all caps, ‘OMG ANGELO’S ON BARSTOOL RIGHT NOW’ and I’m like, ‘Bro, you need to hang up. It’s happening.’”

Thanks to an authentic story and a mouthwatering product, Pizza received a stellar score of 8.1 from Portnoy.

“I quit my job two days after the review came out at the height of the pandemic in May,” Pizza said.

After the review from Portnoy, Pizza began making and shipping the frozen pizzas out of his apartment in Manayunk, Philadelphia.

“I liked making pizzas in my kitchen when it was for fun or for friends,” Pizza said. “But trying to produce the frozen pizzas out of my house was a total nightmare.

Trying to figure out how I’m freezing 50 to 100 pizzas and then vacuum sealing them in a residential freezer was definitely the biggest challenge.”

After a few months, Pizza set his eyes on establishing a small factory and increasing the production of his frozen pizza. But while browsing commercial real estate ads, Pizza came across a restaurant location at 229 Market St. in Old City and changed gears.

“It seemed like it was too good to be true,” Pizza said. “I went down there and the place was great. It needed some love for sure.

It needed paint and needed a lot of cleaning, and we had to put our own touch, our own decor, but Old City was just a no brainer. I jumped on it.”

Angelo Pizza ’17 opened The Angelo Pizza in Old City. PHOTO: LUKAS VAN SANT ’21/THE HAWK

Combining his unique story, passion for pizza and his food marketing skills, Pizza created a following of support.

“He is extremely passionate about his pizza business,” said Paras Bhagat, associate director of business affairs and analytics in St. Joe’s department of Institutional Effectiveness. “He works extremely hard for his goals. He will put in the time and effort required for his business. His competition may have more experience than him, but I will tell you that Angelo will outwork them.

That’s what he knows best.”

For Schouten, though, it’s the pizza that’s the main reason for his friend’s success.

“It’s by far my favorite pizza,” Schouten said. “It’s not even comparable. It’s just light

and crispy. The sauce is the best part. That’s a million-dollar recipe right there. That stuff is absolutely to die for.”

With eight pies on the menu and no additions or substitutions, you can call to place an order for takeout, or go in for limited indoor seating per Philadelphia’s current COVID-19 guidelines.

As for the future of The Angelo Pizza, Pizza has big plans: He wants to bring back his line of frozen pizzas. Then he wants to be known for making the best pizza in Philadelphia.

“Eventually I’d like to be somewhat synonymous with pizza, if it’s not too big of an ask, when it comes to pizza in Philadelphia,” Pizza said.

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Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Preseason All-American looks to lead men’s lacrosse AARON TULLY ’23 Hawk Staff If you don’t know Zach Cole’s name by now, you will surely know it by the end of the upcoming season.

The junior face-off specialist received notable preseason recognition in the lead up to the 2021 men’s lacrosse season by being named to the preseason All-American Third Team as a Face-Off Specialist. Cole will look to build on his 2019 season, in which he won the Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Year award and was named to the NEC First Team.

According to Cole, the preseason awards and the accolades are an honor, but the team’s success comes first.

“It would be awesome to be the first team in St. Joe’s history to win the NEC Championship,” Cole said. “We want to make it to the NCAA Tournament and make some noise there.”

Senior attacker Matt Tufano said Cole is talented enough to become a first or second team All-American by the end of the season.

“He’s always one of the top guys in the country with face-offs,” Tufano said. “He has the potential to win the highest NEC awards, including MVP.” St. Joe’s men’s lacrosse Head Coach Taylor Wray said Cole is a tenacious competitor who takes his craft very seriously and is one of the hardest workers on the team.

“Zach has had a tremendous impact on our team,” Wray said. “Not only because of his ability as a face-off specialist but because of his approach to the game.”

Cole was the 2019 SJU Most Outstanding player and SJU Rookie of the year.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

For Wray, it is this disciplined, hardworking approach that makes Cole a topnotch lacrosse player.

“He is an incredibly hard worker when it comes to his fitness level and his weight room approach,” Wray said. “Whether he was facing-off or playing another position, Zach [Cole] would be one of our hardest working, most disciplined and focused guys.”

According to Cole, the coaching he received at St. Joe’s helped him develop and progress as a player.

“I’ve definitely gotten stronger and faster since I’ve gotten here and started getting in the weight room,” Cole said. “My stick

skills have definitely gotten a lot better since I’ve gotten here too.”

Tufano said that each season Cole has come back bigger and stronger than before and that his competitive mindset and love for lacrosse have helped him continue to improve.

“He’s very committed to making himself better,” Tufano said. “Throughout the years he has become a better leader as well.”

On the same note, Wray said Cole puts in a tremendous amount of work both during the season and in the offseason.

“He sets a tremendous example for the other guys as to what it takes to be success-

ful at the highest level,” Wray said. “He is consumed by the process of improvement.”

According to Cole, training with other players from top Division I schools in the offseason helped him to become the face-off specialist he is now.

“I train with a lot of guys from top Division I programs,” Cole said. “[We’re] making sacrifices to be able to have time to work with each other and perfect our craft.”

Cole hopes that he has a positive impact on his teammates, and that they’ll remain confident in him as he continues to improve both on and off the field.

“Over the years I think I proved myself,” Cole said. “I have started to come into a leadership role.”

According to Tufano, Cole is as consistent of a player as they come, and while he is an outspoken leader, he always backs it up on the field.

“His consistency makes everything at practice go smoother,” Tufano said. “He is a vocal leader, while also leading by example.”

Wray said Cole’s leadership gives all of his players an example of what it takes to be successful, and if they follow his lead, good things will come.

“He sets a tremendous example for the other guys in terms of how to approach their training,” Wray said. “He shows them the amount of effort, energy and discipline that goes into being one of the best players at your position in the country.”

Cole won 13 of his 18 face-offs in the team’s opening game to Towson University.

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 17, 2021

11

A conversation on social justice and sports RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Stephanie Tryce, J.D., professor of sports marketing, writes extensively on the intersectionality of sports and racial justice issues.

As a licensed attorney in the city of Philadelphia, Tryce consults for professional basketball players regarding the legal responsibility of endorsers.

The Hawk spoke to Tryce about race and sports, athlete activism and how she addresses these issues in her sports marketing classes.

Why is it important to discuss race in business pedagogy, especially at a predominantly white institution (PWI) like St. Joe’s?

Our university mission states we are striving to be inclusive and a diverse community, and I take that seriously. For me, when that is part of your reason for being, it has to show up in every part of the institution. How you hire, how you retain, how you purchase things and the curriculum that you’re providing. We are trying to prepare students for a global workplace and it does them a disservice by avoiding topics that may be uncomfortable, that they may not have had much experience talking about because people in their lives and in their educational experiences have not addressed it. I was only at St. Joe’s one semester when it was very clear to me just how uncomfortable students were talking about issues of race, and most didn’t even have the language.

What does it mean to be a female professor of color at St. Joe’s, a PWI? I’ve only ever taught at what I call historically white institutions. And you have an understanding that when something is historically some way, you’re not surprised about what shows up in that space of familiarity. Sometimes you do feel like you’re in the out group a bit, because you don’t see much of you even among faculty. Things that have happened to me in the classroom that I wonder if these things happen to white professors or white male professors. There’s also a heavy

[Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] service, and this often happens whenever issues of diversity come up, we all look at the person of color in the room and expect them to do all the work or all the teaching. And oftentimes, at least in corporate America, people of color who take on that work, they often do so at a cost. Their performance appraisals will go down compared to white folks who are doing that same work. So, being a person of color talking about race, sometimes isn’t to your benefit but I do it anyway because if I don’t, then what?

There’s also invisible labor. I teach in the business school. I teach in the sports marketing major. I don’t get a lot of students of color. So when I’m doing events for the diversity inclusion office and I encounter students of color, sometimes they just want to reach out. So, it’s hard to not engage with students for whom you may be their first faculty person of color. Or maybe they don’t have one and want to reach out to you because they know that you’re navigating a predominantly white space as a faculty member, as they are as students. And so you end up being an advisor to students who aren’t technically assigned to you as advisee.

How is race significant in sports?

Sport is but a microcosm of the broader society. If there is inequity and oppression in the wider society, you are going to see it in sport. What makes sport interesting or significant is that we all have this birthright in play.

We are born to play. We have played competitive games as children, in our yards or on the playground or in gym class.

So we have those common experiences that have shaped our social identity as it relates to sport, and so sport becomes an easy lens to tackle these harder societal challenges like racism, sexism, homophobia. So sport becomes that thing we all have some relation to, some piece of our social identity is rooted in it, and we can use that as a common place to then examine these more difficult topics. Here’s the really important part—to challenge old struc-

tures of inequality and design new frameworks for equity in the law. That’s the goal.

Do you think athletes of color should be able to use their platform to speak out against racial injustice?

Not just athletes of color but any athlete who wants to because it’s a platform, and it’s one that we as marketers take advantage of.

We leverage the power of sport and our social identities with it. It’s why 70% of all sponsorship dollars are sports sponsorships, because brands know they can reach their consumers through sport. How is it that we are okay to use it for commercial purposes but not use it for purposes for any kind of justice issue?

Now with that said, there are circumstances where you may have contracted away your right to do that. Let’s say you’re a professional player and they don’t allow kneeling during the anthem, like the NBA that’s in the collective bargaining agreement, and so to do so means there’s going to be a consequence and if you’re willing to suffer the consequences, then have at it. And that goes for any speech. That said, for those athletes who use their platforms for social justice, especially those who have done so to their great peril, we owe them a debt of gratitude.

What can St. Joe’s do to make campus a more welcoming environment for students and student athletes of color?

The best way I can describe it is, how would you invite a guest to your home? Would you open the door to a person who’s never been to your house, say come on in, help yourself to whatever you want, and then you go off onto your business? Or do you invite them in, show them around, let me take your bag to your room, here’s where you can get food, here’s where the bathroom items are, here’s the lay of the land, this is what the neighborhood is like. Let me know if you need anything. Check in periodically just because sometimes people don’t want to ask. Which way makes you feel more included?

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE TRYCE, J.D.

We’re at this reckoning with race that feels different than it has before, and we have to be careful about the form of looking like we’re trying to be inclusive versus the substance. The form looks like we’ll put this on a T-shirt, and we’ll put this on a bulletin board, and we’ll put statements on our website that say we’re a diverse community and we’ll put it in our mission statement, that’s the form of being diverse and inclusive. The substance is, what is our obligation as a historically white institution to take a look back to see where and how inequities have been in our system and how can we correct that going forward?

That’s where the real work is and that has to be done by people in power. They have to be committed to it, not just in word, but in doing the work. And it’s uncomfortable work.

Analytics focused coach joins Hawks’ baseball staff TYLER NICE ’23 Assistant Sports Editor St. Joe’s baseball Head Coach Fritz Hamburg announced the hiring of Pat Brown on Feb. 9, who will serve as an assistant coach for the Hawks in the 2021 season.

Brown is a 2015 graduate from the State University of New York at Oswego, where he played five seasons of baseball for the Lakers. The Liverpool, New York native, who was on staff at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee for the 2020 season, returns to Pennsylvania after previous coaching stints at Bloomsburg University and Arcadia University.

Brown said he knows coaches within the college baseball community who hold the St. Joe’s baseball program in high regard, which made his decision to join the coaching staff an easy one.

“It seemed like a no brainer for me,” Brown said. “I’m just looking forward to working alongside Coach Hamburg and helping these guys get better everyday.”

In his previous coaching positions, Brown was tasked with working with pitchers, the same role he will be serving on Hawk Hill.

“They brought me in to help with the pitching staff,” Brown said. “This spring, I want to get to know the pitchers, build relationships with them and help develop them.”

According to Hamburg, Brown will provide an experienced coaching staff with

new-school knowledge of a growing field within the game of baseball.

“He brings very good balance with respect to understanding analytics and data,” Hamburg said in a press release by SJU Athletics.

Brown said that using analytics and data is important for college baseball teams because when that information is utilized, player development is enhanced.

“As a young coach, it’s important to stay up on the newest information and be able to help your guys as much as possible,” Brown said.

Specifically, Brown uses analytics to help the pitchers he coaches. Matt Bradley, a junior pitcher at Carson-Newman University who pitched under Brown in the 2020 season, said Brown uses the cloud-based software Rapsodo to track data for pitchers, including factors like spin rate, spin efficiency axis and how different pitches move as they approach the batter.

“When we started, he got all of our numbers and really recognized what each guy needed to work on,” Bradley said. “For me, it was my slider. When I had more vertical break than horizontal break, I got more swinging misses. The whole fall, we worked on making sure that my slider had more vertical break than horizontal break.”

While Brown’s prowess in analytics simplifies the game for the pitchers he coaches, he also understands the importance of the mental aspect of baseball and tells his players to embrace competition, according to Bradley.

“He understands the analytical side of base-

ball, but when it’s game day, it’s all about competing,” Bradley said. “He’s a player’s coach. The guys at St. Joe’s are going to love him.”

In Brown’s first year of college baseball at the State University of Oswego, the Lakers went 1-17 in its conference, the SUNYAC. However, by the time Brown graduated in 2015, they had earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in three straight years. Brown said that the program’s improvement over his college career emphasized the importance of having like-minded and selfless players on a team.

“That’s the most important thing on a team,” Brown said. “If you have 35 players who all have the same goal and are working for the guy next to them, you’re going to do some pretty special things.”

Though Brown has been with the team for only a few practices, he said he is encouraged by the habits the Hawks have and is excited to integrate himself into the program.

“They do an incredible job of working hard and being very businesslike,” Brown said. “I’m just excited to add into that piece and continue to build the culture.”

Brown helped lead Arcadia University to a 2017 NCAA Tournament bid.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAT BROWN

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SJU Athletics’ greatest Black coaches and administrators As part of our Black History Month coverage, The Hawk is highlighting Black coaches and administrators who have spent time or played a sport on Hawk Hill.

Through their legendary professional careers and the impacts they’ve each had on SJU Athletics, these coaches and administrators have forever impacted St. Joe’s sports history.

coach, promoted Bryant to his NBA staff as a player development coach in 2016. Bryant later earned a promotion to assistant coach. After his promotion, he also joined the Nigerian National Basketball team as an assistant coach for the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil.

At the conclusion of the 2020 NBA season, Bryant was hired as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls as the franchise attempted to rebuild its diminished coaching staff following three losing seasons in a row.

John Bryant ’04 - Chicago Bulls assistant coach

Roosevelt Hunter - SJU Athletics moderator and community liaison

RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor

er he went. He passed away in 1999 and was described as a “man for others,” the ultimate image of the Jesuit identity.

Dale Hodges ’90 - Former collegiate coach

D. Palmer Charter School in Philadelphia, helping to oversee the creation of Philadelphia’s boys and girls middle school basketball leagues. In 2013, Hodges served as an assistant coach with Fordham University’s women’s basketball team helping them to a 25-8 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

James “Bruiser” Flint ’87 - University of Kentucky men’s basketball assistant coach

PHOTO: SJU ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

PHOTO: SJU ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Bryant, a member of St. Joe’s historic 2003-04 men’s basketball team, which had an undefeated regular season and received a No. 1 ranking for that year’s NCAA Tournament, was a defensive rock for the Hawks throughout his collegiate career.

As co-captain during his fifth season at St. Joe’s, Bryant helped the team get to the 2004-05 National Invitation Tournament [NIT] Championship Final where the Hawks lost 60-57 to the University of South Carolina. After his final season, Bryant went on to play a few years of basketball overseas and in the NBA’s G-League with the Bakersfield Jam, now known as the Northern Arizona Suns, the Phoenix Suns’ G-League affiliate.

Following his professional career, Bryant coached multiple G-League teams before landing with the Delaware Blue Coats, the Philadelphia 76ers G-League affiliate, who brought Bryant on as an assistant coach heading into the 2014-15 season.

Brett Brown, the former 76ers head

PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

Hunter, or “Rosey,” spent 21 years spearheading many of SJU Athletics’ community service outreach programs throughout the 1990s.

Hunter was a constant fixture at field hockey, women’s basketball and softball games. Due to his unwavering support, the women’s basketball team created the Roosevelt Hunter Community Service Award, an annual service award presented to one player on the team. Previous recipients of the award include former NCAA Women of the Year nominee Chatilla van Grinsven and St. Joe’s women’s basketball Assistant Coach Katie Kuester.

According to former Director of Athletics Don DiJulia, Hunter was also an ambassador for SJU Athletics and established relationships with [athletics programs at] local universities.

Hunter could be seen wearing Hawks gear and representing the university wherev-

Hodges helped to lead the Hawks to three NCAA Tournaments in her time on Hawk Hill while receiving accolades such as twotime A-10 Player of the Year and 1988 Big 5 Rookie of the Year. Throughout her three seasons at St. Joe’s, Hodges also led her team in scoring, rebounding and blocks.

After a successful career at St. Joe’s, Hodges played overseas in Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, France and Russia from 1990-95. She was hired as an assistant coach for Drexel University’s women’s basketball team immediately following her overseas career. A year later, Hodges joined the women’s basketball staff at the University of Massachusetts (UMass).

Hodges made a return to professional basketball in 1996 as the seventh overall pick in the newly formed American Basketball League’s draft, playing until the league’s collapse in 1998. Later, Hodges signed with the New York Liberty of the WNBA before she was waived by the club in 1999. Hodges would return overseas to play for a few more seasons before her retirement from professional basketball in 2004.

After her retirement, Hodges was named head coach of Arcadia University’s women’s basketball team for the 2004-05 season. A year later, Hodges became head coach of Rutgers University-Camden’s women’s basketball team for the 2005-06 season.

Following her coaching career, Hodges became the athletic director of Walter

PHOTO: SJU ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Flint, a former St. Joe’s men’s basketball player, helped lead the Hawks to both an A-10 Championship and NCAA Tournament berth as a junior. Returning for his senior year, Flint earned an A-10 Conference First Team selection.

Following a successful career on Hawk Hill, Flint coached for over 30 years. He started as an assistant coach at Coppin State University, then was hired by Hall-of-Fame basketball coach John Calipari at UMass. When Calipari eventually departed for the NBA, Flint was promoted to head coach at UMass in 1996 until his resignation in 2001.

In April of 2001, Flint was hired by Drexel University to take over as the team’s head coach. Over his 15 year tenure, Flint won more games than any coach in the school’s history.

In 2016, Flint was fired by Drexel University and ended up at the University of Indiana as an assistant coach for three seasons.

Eventually, Flint reunited with Calipari when he was hired by the University of Kentucky in 2020 to join the team as an assistant coach.

Football needs more Black head coaches Racial disparities in the NFL TYLER NICE ’23 Assistant Sports Editor The Rooney Rule, an NFL league policy instituted in 2002 that mandates that teams interview at least one minority candidate for a head coaching vacancy, has proven over its nearly 20– year history to be more of a formality than difference-maker. In a league where 70% of the players are Black, only one of the seven head coaching vacancies this offseason was filled by a Black coach.

Heading into the 2021 season, only three out of 32 head coaches are Black.

This is especially disappointing considering that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2021 Super Bowl Champions, employ one of the most racially diverse coaching staffs in the NFL. The Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special teams coach and assistant coach are all Black men, and their assistant strength and conditioning coach is a Black woman. In a league in which the assistant coaches of the most successful teams are generally pinpointed as top head coaching candidates, as a group the Buccaneers’ assistants accumulated a total of one interview for a head coaching position.

Eric Bieniemy, the Black offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, interviewed for seven head coaching positions this offsea-

son. Despite the Chiefs’ appearances in the last two Super Bowls and Pro Football Focus rating their offense as the best in the NFL, Bieniemy was not hired by a team. Some sports media outlets report that Bieniemy interviewed poorly. However, the outcomes of his interviews could have resulted from racial discrimination in interviewing practices.

In 2003, the Dallas Cowboys had a head coaching vacancy. Jerry Jones, the team’s owner, interviewed the eventual hire, Bill Parcells, in two separate interviews that spanned more than 11 hours cumulatively. On the other hand, Jones opted to interview a Black candidate, Dennis Green, over the phone. In 2018, Oakland Raiders Owner Mark Davis hired current head coach Jon Gruden in 2018 without thoroughly considering enough Black candidates.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which promotes diversity in NFL coaching, said that the two Black candidates who interviewed did not get the chance to compete for the first offer. Even though Jones and Davis obliged by the Rooney Rule by interviewing candidates of color, white candidates were given favorable interview circumstances in both cases.

In May 2020, on the heels of social and racial activism in the U.S., the NFL expanded the Rooney Rule to mandate that teams must interview at least one minority candidate for all senior football operations jobs.

Teams must interview two minority candidates for head coaching vacancies, at least one minority candidate for any coordinator,

general manager and senior football operations positions and minority and/or female applicants for senior-level positions, including club president jobs. This goes beyond the previous requirement, which only applied to head coaching vacancies.

Despite the enhancements to the Rooney Rule, racial consciousness does not appear to be at the forefront of NFL hiring practices.

Within the coaching staff that Nick Sirianni assembled when he became the Eagles head coach in January, no Black coaches occupy the two coaching roles often considered second in command behind the head coach: the offensive and defensive coordinators. In fact, the Eagles have not had a full time Black head coach, general manager, offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator in the last 20 years.

In some instances, teams not only ignore racially diverse hiring, but dismiss past racist actions of candidates they look to hire.

The Jacksonville Jaguars recently hired Chris Doyle, a former strength coach at the University of Iowa who was accused by more than a dozen former players of discrimination and the perpetuation of racial and cultural biases.

The Rooney Rule will never be enough to make real change, no rule or mandate ever will. The change has to come from within. Until team owners want to advocate for anti-racism and engage in racially diverse hiring practices, the NFL will find itself in a whitewash.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, named after the first Black head coach in the NFL, was

GRAPHIC: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

formed after research published by civil rights lawyers Cyrus Mehri and Johnnie L. Cochran Jr found that Black coaches were systematically disadvantaged in pursuing head coaching positions. It works to encourage the adoption of rules that champion diversity within the NFL, educates NFL team owners and managers about available minority candidates for team staff positions and advocates for the promotion of minority candidates on NFL team staff hierarchy through public education and communication with team and league ownership and management.

Its website, www.fritzpollard.org, provides additional information on how the organization fosters diversity in the NFL and provides educational resources to its members.