Oct. 14, 2020 by The Hawk

Oct. 14, 2020

Volume CI

Est. 1929

www.sjuhawknews.com

The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

St. Joe’s adjusts course registration for spring 2021 Kay Cosgrove, Ph.D., professor of English, teaches her hybrid ENG 101 class in Merion Hall on Oct. 12. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

EDDIE DAOU ’22 Assistant News Editor

All St. Joe’s students who intend to be fully remote next semester must let the university know by Oct. 15, according to a university announcement sent Oct. 1. The announcement, which came from Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said the Oct. 15 deadline was firm. Once approved, remote students will only be able to register for online or hyflex courses, the announcement stated, not for hybrid or face-to-face classes. Hybrid courses alternate between face-to-face and online instruction while hyflex courses simultaneously deliver content face-to-face and online. Students who are approved for a fully remote schedule will be the first pool of students to register for spring courses. “We plan to give fully online students the opportunity to enroll in fully online courses and hyflex courses in advance so that we better match student needs and requests,” McConnell wrote in a follow-up email to questions from The Hawk. “Fully online students who register for a face-to-face course or a hybrid course by mistake will have those courses removed from their FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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schedule before registration begins for non-fully online students.” McConnell wrote that in asking students to make a decision by Oct. 15, the university is trying, to the best of its ability, to match the needs of students with available courses. “Sometimes the need to protect vulnerable employees does not perfectly meet student demands/needs,” McConnell wrote. “This is inescapable. However, every effort is being made to fully assess students’ online and on-ground needs and build the spring schedule accordingly.” Shannon Kelly ’21 signed up to take her courses fully online for the fall 2020 semester and plans on doing the same for the spring. But Kelly said as a second-semester senior, she is concerned about the availability of courses she needs to graduate since she will be limited to online and hyflex courses. “Your pick time won’t matter if the class you want isn’t online,” Kelly said. Fallon Oates ’21, who plans to enroll in face-to-face courses for the spring, said she also worries about how second-semester seniors will be accommodated given that online students will get first pick for online and hyflex courses. “I definitely think [online students picking first] is going to hurt people,” Oates said. “I don’t understand why,

if they are choosing to do all online, that they should get an upper hand, especially over seniors who waited so long to get classes picked first and need them to graduate.” Oates said she wants to make sure her course schedule for this semester will consist of [face-to- face] classes after all of her classes this semester were switched to an online format after modalities were released. Online students will not be competing for these in-person courses, though, as they are not allowed to register for face-to-face classes. “I hate it,” Oates said of online learning. “I’m trying to find classes next semester that are going to be on campus.” If the spring semester is anything like the fall, Oates may struggle to put together a fully face-to-face schedule. As The Hawk reported in a Sept. 1 article about students struggling with a mixed modality course load, approximately 17% of all undergraduate day courses in the fall are face-to-face. The rest are a combination of either online, independent study, internships, capstones, hyflex and hybrid courses, according to Gail Benner, director of public relations and media. Aisha Lockridge, Ph.D., associate professor of English and Faculty Senate

president, wrote in response to questions from The Hawk that faculty will continue to identify the modality they feel best accommodates their “subject matter, student need, and professorial ability.” “I planned my courses with as much flexibility as possible because we are in a pandemic,” Lockridge wrote. “I expect that students are worried and stressed, and I want to create as much space as possible to accommodate that while effectively teaching course material.” Unlike the fall, when many courses were still in flux just before or even after the semester started, spring course modalities should be finalized once the spring semester begins, McConnell wrote, except for in “extraordinary circumstances.” In the fall, students who chose a fully remote schedule were not allowed to live on campus. In the spring, students currently on campus who wish to take all of their classes online will be allowed to continue living on campus, according to Benner in an email to The Hawk on behalf of McConnell. Benner wrote that housing options are also available for students who wish to remain on campus and for students currently at home who wish to return to campus for the spring.

OPINIONS

FEATURES

SPORTS

Paul Koenig ‘22 demands presidential debate reform for American citizens

Meet the Greeks offers resources to Black students at predominantly white institutions

Read about the brief history of St. Joe’s football program

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

SPRING REGISTRATION BASICS OCTOBER The same course modalities from this semester will be offered next semester: Online: class is delivered fully online Hybrid: a combination of face-to-face and online activities Hyflex: class is delivered simultaneously to students face-to-face and online Face-to-Face: students take courses on-ground on campus

NOVEMBER

Request to go fully online for the spring 2021 semester by Oct. 15, using the Remote Learning Request form on St. Joe’s website. 15% of undergraduate students requested to take courses fully online for fall 2020. If you are requesting to take all of your courses online, you can register for classes with online or hyflex modalities. If you currently live on campus and want to request fully online learning next semester, you can continue to do so as long as you continue to abide by St. Joe’s iCare Pledge. Students who request to be fully online will register for classes first. Students requesting a fully online schedule will not know which courses are available in their modalities until after Oct. 15.

Find your course modality: 1. Go to the Nest 2. Under Classes & Registration, select “Self-Service Course Registration” 3. Select “Browse Classes” 4. Use advanced search and search by “Instructional Method”

SOURCES: CHERYL McCONNELL, PH.D., GAIL BENNER, UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCEMENT ON SPRING 2021, AND HAWK HILL READY WEBSITE

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

Department of Public Safety reports (Sept. 25-Oct. 8) Sept. 25

No incidents to report.

Sept. 26

No incidents to report.

Sept. 27

Public Safety was notified by an area resident of a noise complaint in the 5400 block of Woodcrest Ave. Public safety officers and Philadelphia police were notified, responded to the area, but were not able to locate any disturbance. Community Standards was notified. Public Safety was contacted by the Allied Universal desk attendant in regards to an alcohol confiscation in Rashford Hall. Public Safety responded and confiscated the alcohol. Community Standards was notified.

Sept. 28

No incidents to report.

Sept. 29

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in McShain Hall. A public safety officer responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. Alarm was reset.

Sept. 30

Public Safety was contacted by Residence Life in regards to a confiscation of a small amount of marijuana in LaFarge Hall. Public Safety responded and confiscated the marijuana. Community Standards was notified.

Oct. 1

No incidents to report.

Oct. 2

No incidents to report.

Oct. 3

Public Safety was contacted by Residence Life in regards to an alcohol confiscation in LaFarge Hall. Public Safety responded and confiscated the alcohol. Community Standards was notified. Public Safety was notified of an unknown person damaging the stop sign located at the entrance of the Lannon Hall parking lot. Facilities Management was notified. Investigation is ongoing.

Oct. 4

No incidents to report.

Oct. 5

Public Safety was notified of an unknown person damaging a wall inside the men’s bathroom located in The Perch. Facilities Management was notified. Investigation is ongoing.

Oct. 6

No incidents to report.

Oct. 7

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in Lannon Hall. Public safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. Alarm was reset.

Oct. 8

Public Safety was notified by an area resident of a noise complaint in the Ashwood Apartments parking lot. Public safety officers were notified and responded to the area, but were not able to locate any disturbance. Community Standards was notified.

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

7 1

On campus

Off campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

On campus

Off campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

‘White Nationalism and Racism in the Trump Era’ TYLER NICE ’23 Hawk Staff The election of U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016 bothered Arnold Farr, but it did not surprise him. “Racism is nothing new,” said Farr, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at the University of Kentucky. “It is not new with Trump. People are just bolder in their racism because of Trump.” In fact, the historical context of politics and racism being deeply embedded in American society paved the way for President Trump’s election, noted Farr, who was a professor in the Philosophy Department at St. Joe’s for 12 years and was the founding director of the university’s Africana Studies Program. Farr spoke with St. Joe’s students on Oct. 9 in a Zoom event titled “White Nationalism and Racism in the Trump Era.” The event, a student-only Q&A session, was planned and organized by Audre Brokes, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, and Michael Kates, Ph.D., professor of philosophy.

Farr told students that over the course of Trump’s administration, the president has enabled white supremacist groups to become visible. Farr said he believes President Trump’s refusal to blatantly condemn white supremacist groups perpetuates further racism. “This allows [white people] with subtle and tactical forms of racism to say, ‘Well, I’m not racist because my racism is not visible and intentional,’” Farr said. White nationalism is a result of white supremacists building a protective hedge around the privileges that accompany whiteness, Farr explained. “In these white supremacist groups, the attitude is that this country is theirs, and nobody else’s,” Farr said. “Everybody else is trespassing, and even though [Black people] have grown from being slaves, somehow this country is not ours.” What happens then, Farr said, is that white supremacy and white nationalism lead to the silencing of Black voices and Black pain. He pointed to criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement as an example of that silencing, and a double standard.

“Black people can be victimized at any moment through acts of violence, but America wants them to peacefully protest,” Farr said. “No one talks about these thriving Black communities throughout American history that were burned down by racists.” Some students asked Farr how to be more cognizant of their white privilege within the St. Joe’s community, one that is predominantly white. Stephanie Zellner ’22, co-president of SJUPride, asked how she could decentralize her own whiteness without speaking over people of color as a student leader on campus. “I don’t want to speak for people without amplifying their voices, but at the same time I am in a position where I do have a platform,” Zellner said. Farr said he learned from a colleague that one way to better understand white privilege is to think of it as “white priority,” where white people are given a “benefit of doubt” in many settings. “When you’re white and you’re in a certain space, you belong there,” Farr said. “When you’re a person of color and you’re in that space, people get suspicious that

Philadelphia county voters: Where to drop your mail ballot Voting by Mail PA Voters: find your county election office location using this QR code.

If the location is an election office, you can also register to vote (until Oct. 19) or apply for a mail in ballot at that location as well (application must be received by Oct. 27.

you don’t belong.” Farr recalled an example during his tenure at St. Joe’s that involved a faculty member of color. “When I was at St. Joe’s, I knew of a female professor who was on her way to teach a class, and a white man came out of the restroom to inform her that the bathroom is out of toilet paper,” Farr said. Victoria Myers ’22 said in conversations about race, parties should engage in dialogue, as opposed to people of color always being the educators. “We create this culture where it’s always a person of color’s [job] to educate everyone else on an issue instead of participating in a dialogue with others while sharing their authentic experiences,” Myers said. Farr agreed that progress will not be made unless people are willing to engage in uncomfortable conversations about race that aren’t superficial. “White people have to be willing to have serious conversations about race to solve problems,” Farr said. “If you’re not uncomfortable talking about race, we’re not getting anywhere.”

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GRAPHIC: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

Oct. 14, 2020

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Response to spring semester plans Informed decisions require more information 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 Copy Editor Olivia Giannetta ’22 Multimedia Editor Nick Karpinski ’21 News Editor Devin Yingling ’22 Assistant News Editor Eddie Daou ’22 Assistant News Editor Christine DiSanti ’21

On Oct. 1, St. Joe’s students were made aware that they had two weeks to decide whether or not they wanted to attend classes fully online in the spring 2021 semester. Because the spring 2021 course schedule is not yet available to students, they had to make this decision not knowing what courses will be offered in the spring, or in what modalities. That matters because online students are only allowed to take online and hyflex courses, not hybrid or face-to-face courses. So, choosing to be remote means from the start, limiting course options. It means students may not be able to take courses they want or need. Perhaps one perk: students who choose a fully remote schedule are allowed to register first. And, unlike this fall, they will be allowed to live on campus. We appreciate that the university is allowing students a space to remain on campus even if students are not comfortable attending face-to-face classes. But giving students who choose the fully remote option a leg-up on other students during the course registration process seems unfair to those students who are choosing face-to-face instruction. This fall, only a small percentage, 17%, of undergraduate classes were face-to-face. Chances are, the classes students need to graduate or fulfill requirements will be online again this spring, giving online students the advantage. Perhaps all of these worries are unfounded. But without all of the information, students are left to worry about the unknown. Additionally, some students may have wanted to base their decision to be fully remote on class performance this semester. On-

line learning isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of personal initiative and responsibility. Some students may be coming to that realization this semester. But the Oct. 15 deadline to decide about the spring semester comes before students have even received their midterm grades. The Oct. 1 announcement said that the Oct. 15 deadline is firm. After this deadline, only requests involving extraordinary circumstances will be considered. However, these exceptions cannot be guaranteed.

“The best way the university can help students is to first give them all of the information they need to make an informed decision.”

The deadline, then, becomes another competing factor in the decision process, already weighed down by fears about fulfilling academic and graduation requirements, staying safe during a global pandemic and paying for a college education amidst financial uncertainty for many families. It’s an enormous decision to make during a time when nothing around us is stable. Even experts can’t make firm predictions about the course of the pandemic or the availability of vaccines. It’s an

enormous decision that we were given two weeks to make. We appreciate the complexity involved in setting up the spring schedule and honor the university’s desire to balance faculty and student needs. Ultimately, there may be more students who want face-to-face classes than faculty are able and willing to teach. Or there may be some face-to-face classes that online students will be shut out of. But the best way the university can help students is to first give them all of the information they need to make an informed decision. If students make a decision that ends up not being the right one—the pandemic is a moving target as is the schedule itself—the university needs to be gracious, not firm. Accommodating, not fixed. After all, that’s what they expect of students. —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.

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 Sports Editor Riley Frain ’21 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 Distribution Manager Alec Mettin ’24 Distribution Manager Deborah Duong ’24

AYO, ORANGE SUS The new multiplayer game, Among Us, has us hooked. Nothing is more chaotic than an emergency meeting when you’re just trying to finish your tasks, and all of the sudden “you’re sus,” or someone thinks you “vented.” Let us scan in the Medbay in peace please!

MIDTERMS Everyone can agree with us on this one. It’s that time of year again: stress is high, morale is low, the temptation to drop out and move far away is strong. We feel you and we believe in you. You got this.

KICKIN’ IT AT MERION BOTANICAL PARK Looking for a new place to hang out outside of your room? Try the Merion Botanical Park! It’s the perfect place to get some work done or have a socially distanced picnic with friends, all while enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

ICED OATMILK LATTE AT DUNKIN’ We really wish this could be in the hot section. But getting charged extra for oatmilk even though it’s in the name of the drink? That’s just simply not hot.

THE FLY You know the fly we’re talking about. Now, people may be arguing over who won the first vice presidential debate. But the real star of the debate? The fly. It’s not every day that a fly remains still for an entire two minutes. Clearly, he knows his angles. Fame here he comes.

“THE BATMAN” BEING DELAYED Sadly, we’ll have to wait to see Robert Pattinson grace our screens as Batman until 2022. In the meantime, we guess we’ll just have to keep rewatching all of the “Twilight” movies to get our Pattinson fix. (Not that we’re mad about that though.)

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

Presidential debate reform

What does Jake Tapper have against dumpster fires? PAUL KOENIG ’22 Columnist

CNN news anchor Jake Tapper characterized the first presidential debate as “a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck.” Now, while this comment may have been offensive to dumpster fires everywhere, it is a fairly accurate representation of the debate. I turned off the television at 10:30 p.m. in a state of complete dismay and despondency. A CBS post-debate poll found that only 17% of respondents felt “informed” following the debate, while 69% felt “annoyed.” I cannot imagine any undecided voters felt better able to make their decision following the debate. The conduct of U.S. President Donald Trump and the debate’s overall lack of substantive content was an absolute disgrace to our nation. The full blame for the presidential debate debacle does not solely lie with President Trump. Instead, he just stands as an aggravating symptom of the problem. The main problem is the debates themselves. Our debates are no longer substantive policy discussion forums in which opposing candidates outline their party’s platform and vision for the country. Instead, they are much more akin to a sib-

ling argument or better yet, the bickering that ensues after that one uncle brings up politics at Thanksgiving. How is it possible that during a pandemic, the American people did not hear about President Trump’s healthcare plan, or more aptly, his lack of plan? A topic so complex as criminal justice reform was only delegated two minutes of

the lack of content. Our presidential debates are in need of serious reforms that address format and content. The issues facing America and the American people are not easy. They deserve more than two minutes. They deserve lengthy segments that delve into the complexity and minutiae of each topic and issue. By significantly increasing the length of

“The conduct of U.S. President Donald Trump and the debate’s overall lack of substantive content was an absolute disgrace to our nation.” “uninterrupted” speaking time. Instead of lengthy policy discussions, the debate fostered a playground fight during which one candidate made fun of the other’s family, called the other “not smart” and failed to condemn white supremacy. It is unthinkable that this spectacle stems from the same lineage and tradition as the John F. Kennedy versus Richard Nixon debate or the Ronald Reagan versus Jimmy Carter debates. I blame President Trump for the disrespect and puerility of the debate. However, I do not fully blame him for

time devoted to each topic or issue, the candidates will be given the necessary format to fully verbalize their beliefs, experiences and plans. Not only that, it could possibly eradicate candidate’s nonanswers and sardonic quips. With 10 or 15 minutes on the clock, a candidate is forced to say more than a simple one-liner. The second necessary reform regards the moderator. I hold no animus toward Chris Wallace. I think he is one of the few reporters worthy of moderating debates and that he tried his best to maintain dialogue

and to adhere to the debate guidelines. However, I do not think it is fair or conducive to have only one moderator. Instead, it would be far more beneficial to have a full panel of “experts” to facilitate discussion and dialogue between candidates on specific issues. For example, an economist and hospital administrator could spearhead the segment focused on healthcare. A police officer, district attorney and leading activist in the Black Lives Matter movement could direct questions regarding criminal justice reform and racial injustice in America. Experts from academia and the professional world would ensure diverse perspectives are presented, affirm the complexity of each issue and promote a worthwhile back and forth between the candidates and the panelists. Our presidential debates should be the pinnacle of civil discourse in America. They should embody Americans’ clash on policy, but also acknowledge agreement on foundational principles. The American people deserve to be fully informed come Election Day. Presidential debates should further aid this goal, not detract from it. President Trump’s potential exit from the political arena this November will aid this cause, but it will not solve the problem all together. We need debate reform.

The Second Debate: VPs in the spotlight PATRICK ADAMS ’23 Columnist Sen. Kamala Harris and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence squared off on Oct. 7 in the first and only vice presidential debate. But compared to U.S. President Donald Trump's and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s performance, both Harris and Pence were poised, mature and calm in the face of tough questions. While there were the usual interruptions and squabbling between the two, the debate was a breath of fresh air compared to the presidential debate. While a lot more substance was said during this debate, three sharp divisions emerged between the campaigns on separate issues: the coronavirus pandemic, the criminal justice system and climate change. Predictably, Pence praised the Trump administration’s early travel restrictions on China and its commitment to testing, promising a vaccine “before the end of this year.” Additionally, he drew comparisons with the work that he and the president have already done to Biden’s coronavirus plan. In fact, Pence took the opportunity to dig on Biden further by saying his plan, “looks a little bit like plagiarism, which is something Joe Biden knows a little bit about,” a reference to Biden’s admitted plagiarism in law school. Harris rebutted this by saying, “clearly it hasn’t worked, when you’re looking at over 210,000 dead bodies in our country.” Additionally, she took issue with the Trump administration’s repeated downplaying

of the virus, even when President Trump himself knew the potential severity back in February. Conversations around criminal justice reform were just as contentious when discussing the widespread protests and unrest since the Minneapolis Police killing of George Floyd. The candidates were specifically asked about the Breonna Taylor case, where a Kentucky grand jury decided not to indict any officers involved in the killing of Taylor. Pence and Harris were asked if Taylor received justice after her death, to which Pence strongly said yes, and Harris said no. Going first, Harris said, “I’ve talked with Breonna’s mother, Tamika Palmer, and her family — and her family deserves justice.”

She called the shooting unjustifiable and compared it to the killing of Floyd, which has not yet gone to trial but resulted in the officers being charged. Pence answered, “Our heart breaks for the loss of any innocent American life, and the family of Breonna Taylor has our sympathies…. But I trust our justice system, a grand

jury that refused the evidence.” Pence said it was “remarkable” that former prosecutor Harris “would assume that an impaneled grand jury looking at all the evidence got it wrong.” Additionally, he addressed Floyd’s death saying, “I think, with regard to George Floyd, there's no excuse for what happened to George Floyd. And justice will be served. But there’s also no excuse for the rioting and looting that followed.” The huge disconnect between both campaigns is not just the issue of racial bias in the criminal justice system, but more importantly to the Trump campaign, the extrajudicial violence that has occurred in protest. Pence and Trump believe in the current justice system while Biden and Harris have

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

indicated that it must be reformed. Finally, the candidates debated climate change. When asked if he believed in man made climate change, Pence answered, “The climate is changing, but the issue is what’s the cause and what do we do about it?” Attacking Biden’s climate plan, Pence said, “They want to bury our economy under a

$2 trillion Green New Deal...[They] want to abolish fossil fuels, and ban fracking, which would cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs all across the heartland.” Harris quickly denied both claims, saying Biden has changed his mind on fracking and Harris unequivocally stated it would not be banned if she and Biden were elected, but the attacks on the Green New Deal were not so easily diffused. As the co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate, it is extremely difficult for Harris to distance herself from the plan she strongly supports on record. Additionally, as it says on Biden’s campaign website, “Biden believes the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face.” However, Pence did offer an alternative to focusing on climate change, mentioning the good state of the environment in general. He claimed, “Our air and land are cleaner than at any time ever recorded, our water is among cleanest in the world.” BBC confirmed this as mostly true, with the only caveat being that the U.S. is actually 26th in water safety. Many issues were at play in this debate and clearly a lot more policy was covered compared to the presidential debate. If you skipped the Vice Presidential debate after seeing the first disaster with Trump and Biden, I would highly suggest you watch it, especially now that fact-checked versions are available. This debate was the best display of each side’s actual stances on key issues so far, as expressed by the candidates without great interruption.

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

Being Latina in the U.S. A population still facing discrimination NATALIA VELÁZQUEZ LÓPEZ ’21 Special to The Hawk Living in the U.S. as a Latina is frustrating, and living here for the past four years has made me realize that my community continues to face discrimination. I have encountered many St. Joe’s students who deny that citizens of Canada and Latinx countries are also considered Americans. They have denied the fact that I am an American even though I am from the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the U.S. This isn’t the only instance where a form of my identity has been denied. There have been countless times where people at St. Joe’s have minimized my opinion in conversations by labeling me as “feisty” or “too loud.” People have also said, “You’re acting like a stereotypical Spanish mom” and “I’m surprised you speak English so well.” These are ignorant comments rooted in stereotypes and misrepresentation of the Latinx community. These uncomfortable situations have made me feel insecure, angry and as if my value as a Latina is based on the color of my skin or the way I act. No person’s ethnicity should be judged by their pronunciations or whether they fit a certain stereotype. My identity as a Latina has been constantly questioned for being “too white” when referring to the color of my skin or by

saying things like, “What type of Latina are you? You can’t even tan,” as if we should be put into some type of category. It’s interesting that St. Joe’s only has a category for Hispanics, but not Latinx on their Inclusion and Diversity webpage. It makes it seem as if they’re using the terms interchangeably when they have different meanings. Hispanic refers to people who are native Spanish speakers, while Latinx refers to anyone of Latin American origin or ancestry. The singular category makes St. Joe’s seem as if they’re trying to be perceived as more diverse than they actually are. Most students that are categorized as Hispanic are white, which leads to misrepresentation in the statistics. It is essential to have white Latinx and Hispanic representation. But what about our Black and brown Latinx people? My recommendation for St. Joe’s is to acknowledge the distinction between the Latinx and Hispanic categories and enroll and fairly represent more students that are Afro-Latinx. The Latinx and Hispanic communities are multi-faceted and we all deserve to be represented. Despite the microaggressions I have faced, I find pride and confidence in my ethnicity and identity. These experiences have not only made me realize that my people are resilient and powerful, but it has also made me acknowledge my white privilege within the Latinx community and ways I can use that to continue fighting against racism and inequality.

TODD ERKIS Columnist

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

As a white Latinx person, I hold myself accountable by doing anti-racist work. My anti-racist work consists of advocating for more Latinx representation, signing petitions which promote equality and equity and voting and donating to organizations that share the same values as me. My experience has urged me to pursue a career in public health services and policy to continue researching the health disparities that marginalized groups face. Although the university somewhat addressed the racial bias incidents that happened in the past few years, there is still a lot of work to be done. Keeping the conversation going is a good start. However, including more faculty and student representation is extremely important, as it strengthens the community and helps Latinx and Hispanic students feel more comfortable. It would also expose students of different backgrounds to positive and diverse representations in the classroom.

Joyrides to Mars Privatization of space exploration is the way of the future ALEX MANDUCA ’22 Columnist On Oct. 7, SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer owned by Elon Musk, celebrated the first time a vehicle of theirs made a near flyby of Mars. This was the first time a private corporation’s vehicle made such a close approach to the red planet. The flyby marks yet another historic milestone for the California-based company, which, over the past year, has made strides in the private spaceflight industry. Earlier this year, SpaceX sent human astronauts to the International Space Station in a rocket from a private corporation for the first time in history. The launch, which was the first to depart from U.S. soil in almost a decade, ignited the beginning of the era of privatized spaceflight. The privatization of the space industry will push forward research and innovation. An argument often made against privatizing the space industry is that it destroys the spirit of space travel and exploration. Some argue that privatization will lead us down a road in which only the wealthy can travel to the stars and that human greed will follow them. This is simply not true. In the coming years, commercial space travel might become a reality for the super wealthy that can afford multi-million dollar trips around the moon, but these sorts of luxurious excursions provide us with exactly what the space industry needs: funding.

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

NASA, an agency of the U.S. federal government, has, until recently, been the primary vehicle for the advancement of aerospace research and space exploration programs in the U.S. As a part of the federal government, NASA is given its funding from the federal budget passed each year by Congress. Since the end of the Space Race in the 1960s, the percentage of the federal budget allocated to NASA has decreased markedly. Although NASA’s budget has been around $15-20 billion in the past 10 years, it is simply not enough to fund missions that would develop technology fit to send human beings to space again. Rather than investing in the development of its own novel technologies, NASA is using its funding to pay for contracts with private corporations that develop technologies for them. These private entities have

access to funding outside the federal budget and therefore have greater resources for their research. Expanding the space industry to private markets opens up a virtually unlimited amount of funding for research and exploration missions. This means that funding for spaceflight no longer has to be bounded by half a percent of the U.S. federal budget. Private corporations like SpaceX have already proven themselves more than capable of succeeding NASA’s legacy. In addition to already sending astronauts to space, they’ve produced innovative solutions that have made spaceflight more affordable and more eco-friendly, they’ve carried telescopes and satellites to orbit around the earth and they are preparing for humanity’s first manned mission to Mars. Without the help of private corporations, none of this would have been possible.

I need $1,000 in two weeks and I don’t have it. I will get paid from my part-time job at the end of the month, but it will be too late. Therefore, I am considering taking a cash advance on my credit card. Does that make sense? Anonymous ’21. I am sorry to hear that you are short $1,000 and need the money quickly. Normally, I advise against taking credit card cash advances because they are expensive with annual interest rates in the 20% to 25% range per year. But in this case, it’s not a terrible option because it’s a relatively small amount and only for a few weeks. The $1,000 advance would cost you only $7 or $8 in interest, assuming you pay it all back when you get paid at the end of the month. The key is to pay it back at the end of the month. Don’t let this become a pattern or carry the balance over a long period of time. There are a few options to get some cash that would be preferable to a credit card cash advance. The best option would be to approach your job for an advance on your pay. Even if it is not the entire $1,000, anything you could get from your job now would lower the interest you would pay on the credit card advance. Since you work there and, hopefully, are a good employee, they may help you out and let you work off the advance (maybe even with no interest) by taking more hours or by decreasing your future pay. I am assuming you thought about borrowing from family or friends already. But maybe no one has $1,000 either. Even if you could get a few hundred dollars, it would lower the cost of the credit card advance. Do you have money in a bank account that maybe you can’t or your parents don’t want you to take out? If so, check with your bank to see if you can get a loan based on that money. The beauty of this type of loan is that the interest rate is super small since you are basically borrowing your own money. My last suggestion would be to ask your landlord if you could pay your rent late or find another bill where you might be able to ask for an extension of a few weeks. With the current COVID-19 crisis, some landlords/creditors will let you delay a payment for a few weeks as long as you end up paying. Your landlord may be OK with it since you likely have given them the last month’s rent in advance. So they have money in case you don’t pay up later. I hope it works out for you and you can find a way to start saving some money or lowering your expenses so you don’t get into this jam again. Having some cash in case of emergencies is really important as you move forward after college. Anna Lubomirski ’21: As a student, I would be looking for the easiest way to borrow money that also has the most favorable terms. Obviously, family and friends would be the best option to fit these criteria, but I think that landlords and employers are also decent options because of the relationship that you already have with them. It makes sense that banks and credit card companies should be a last resort because of all the expensive terms and general hassle of getting the money in the first place.

Features

We asked first-year students at St. Joe’s, who have never attended a pre-pandemic campus, and only know it as a place of masks and brown paper dinner bags and tents and often empty common spaces, to capture the campus from their perspective. Our ask is based on Bloomberg CityLab’s Coronavirus Map Project, which was published in June and features maps that people all over the world created to document their city, neighborhood or home spaces as impacted by the pandemic. Of the more than two dozen maps we received, we find first-year students grappling, as they do every year, with trying to get to know their new home. We see sunrises and study nooks and running paths. We see exhilaration and loneliness, desires for connections and the relief of solitude. We see students coming to terms with a semester on Hawk Hill like no other, but still finding their way. If you’d like to contribute a map to our series, please contact Giana Longo ’22, Features Editor, at thehawkfeatures@gmail.com for submission guidelines.

The Hawk Newspaper

By Owen Moelter ’24: Being a lifelong athlete, I have never enjoyed sitting around my house doing nothing, knowing I could be outside doing physical activity. Before coming to St. Joe’s, I found my escape from the pandemic in my daily runs. I was able to break free from the confines of my home and enjoy the outdoors around me without a care in the world. When I moved into my dorm in McShain Hall, a cramped 14-by-10-foot box, my need to get out only grew.

“Before coming to St. Joe’s, I found my escape from the pandemic in my daily runs. I was able to break free from the confines of my home and enjoy the outdoors around me without a care in the world.”

Owen Moelter’s Map

Once again, my escape was doing the runs that St. Joe’s men’s track and field coach Mike Glavin sent out for off-season training. I started out with short, 30-minute runs to get me back into running shape, exploring the campus and discovering

“This map is much more than just a map. It is the embodiment of my evolution as a runner through my exploration of new areas.” new routes along the way. As I regained my running form, I moved up to longer six-toseven-mile runs, breaking out of the boundaries of campus, further exploring into the surrounding community. One weekend, I sat down, mapped out a 10-mile course on my phone, and went out to run it. As I traveled from Low-

Oct. 14, 2020 7

er Merion to Bala Cynwyd and across the Manayunk Bridge, I embraced every minute of the hour and 20-minute run along the Schuylkill River Trail, down Martin Luther King Drive and back through the Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park. Running through Philadelphia that day inspired me to create this map because running is one of the most important parts of my life. This map is much more than just a map. It is the embodiment of my evolution as a runner through my exploration of new areas, and I cannot wait to get back out and find even more routes to explore. Moelter is a biology major from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the St. Joe’s men’s track and field team.

Oct. 14, 2020

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

Quarantine Angels deliver gifts to quarantined students NENAGH SHEEHAN ’21 Assistant Features Editor The Quarantine Angels are a group of five St. Joe’s students who voluntarily distribute baked goods, books, puzzles, art supplies and games to students in quarantine and isolation in Moore Hall, Sourin Hall and the Homewood Suites. Sarah Quinn ’89, M.B.A. ’09, St. Joe’s chief of staff and liaison to the board of trustees, offered to coordinate the Quarantine Angels after it was brought up during a senior leadership discussion. “We were recently able to begin providing an SJU branded blanket to each student entering quarantine and isolation,” Quinn said in an email to The Hawk. “We also have plans to provide a blanket to students who completed a quarantine or isolation stay earlier this semester.” Students, faculty and staff can drop off donations at Regis Hall between 9 a.m. -12 p.m and from 4 -5 p.m. Each week, Quinn receives a list of the rooms occupied by students in quarantine and isolation and informs the quarantine angels where to deliver the treats for the week. These deliveries go to students like Amanda Boehme ’24, who has been quarantining in Sourin Hall since Sept. 24. Boehme said the gifts gave her a sense of comfort that she needed. “It’s nice knowing that people care for us and haven’t forgotten about us,” Boehme said. “When I received the brownies and cookies, it brightened my day.” Olivia DeSabella ’24, a Quarantine Angel, said she joined the group to help other

students manage their struggles in quarantine and isolation. “Isolation can be lonely and boring, so dropping off some treats and activities could make people feel less disconnected there,” DeSabella said. “I hope people who get the donations can realize that there is a whole community of people who care about them and their wellbeing.” Boehme said quarantine was lonely at first because she was the only one in her suite, but when she got the snacks, she realized she wasn’t alone. “The first couple of days were tough to get used to, but knowing there were students out there like the Quarantine Angels, helping me, made me feel more at ease,” Boehme said. Quarantine Angel Bryn Spaide ’23 said they leave baked goods outside the suites in Sourin Hall and outside the rooms in the Homewood Suites. In the lobbies of Moore Hall and Sourin Hall, tables are set up with baked goods and activities for students to take before they go into isolation. Emma Nemeth ’24, who started quarantine on Sept. 29 in Moore Hall, said that the work the Quarantine Angels are doing makes her feel recognized and cared for. “Every small act of kindness goes a long way, and it’s comforting to know people are looking out for you, thinking of you, even if they don’t personally know you,” Nemeth said. “People taking time out of their busy schedule to make treats for us exemplifies the message of love and kindness that SJU spreads.” Julianna Pollander ’24, a quarantine angel, said that quarantine can be isolating, so the goal was to make the two weeks feel more comfortable for students.

Quarantine gifts sit outside a door in a residence hall. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRYN SPAIDE ’23

“Even if these goodies are just a little sprinkle of happiness delivered to them, it’s nice to see their faces light up,” Pollander said. Spaide said she is sympathetic towards the students in quarantine and hopes that what she and the Quarantine Angels are doing is making a difference. “If I had to quarantine, I would think

it’s so boring, you’re by yourself,” Spaide said. “I can’t imagine already being away from home and then having to quarantine alone, so we thought a small act of giving them treats and providing them with activities would be nice. We want to bring them some good vibes and positivity while they are quarantined.”

Black Greek life provides support for Black students KAYLAH HERNANDEZ ’23 Special to the Hawk Representatives from five citywide chapters of the historically Black National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), also known as the Divine Nine, spoke at the Black Student Union’s (BSU) annual Meet the Greeks event held via Zoom on Oct. 9. The Divine Nine consists of nine Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities that support Black students with academic, social and professional resources that many of the chapters do not always receive at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The Gamma Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha is citywide, including members from Drexel University, La Salle University, Philadelphia University (UPenn), St. Joe's University and the University of Pennsylvania. Ashley Codner, president of the Gamma Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA), and a senior at UPenn, said the main goal of her organization is for members to support each other and the Black community.

“To be able to fall back on your school’s Black community in those moments has been such a crucial thing for me throughout college,” Codner said. “Your school will really beat you down sometimes, whether that’s on an institutional level or whether that’s in your classes when you’re the only student of color.” Zoë Welsh ’22, parliamentarian and documentarian for the Gamma Epsilon chapter of AKA, said joining Black Greek life at St. Joe’s required a lot of effort due to a lack of easily-accessible information and representation of Black Greek organizations. “The main difficulty is that it takes a lot of personal initiative, because it’s not as easy as just getting things on campus like some of the other organizations [do],” Welsh said. “You have to do a lot of your own work in order to stay informed.” Welsh said she is the only student at St. Joe’s who is a member of a Black Greek letter organization. According to St. Joe’s website, the university currently hosts seven Panhellenic sororities and fraternities. Four Divine Nine

Zoë Welsh is the only member of AKA on campus. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ZOë WELSH ’22

organizations have chapters open to St. Joe’s students: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated (APA), AKA, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Despite the lack of access and representation of Black students at PWIs, members of the Divine Nine who spoke at the Meet the Greeks event said they found their experiences with their respective organizations to be an invaluable part of their college experiences. Nyeem Maloney, a senior at UPenn and the current president of the Psi chapter of APA, said being part of the fraternity removed the pressure to fit into a predominantly white environment at UPenn and expanded his network of support. “I have a bunch of people now that I feel comfortable reaching out to,” Maloney said. “Going to a PWI, you have a limited amount of people that you feel comfortable reaching out to.” Maloney said PWIs are not rooted in the success of Black people, and because of this Black students cannot always rely on their institutions to be there for them. He said Black Greek letter organizations allow Black students to maintain a safe space for their own success. During his time as an undergraduate at the UPenn, Montell Brown, a former president of APA, said there was a lack of Black administrators for him to confide in. Both Brown and Maloney said that the brotherhood they developed through APA gave them a space where they had Black role models. “If you feel that you don’t belong in a certain space, there’s research showing that people feel like they either have to conform to or fight a stereotype. They should just be focusing on how they should be doing academically,” Maloney said. Like Brown and Maloney, Codner said being a member of AKA has given her a

support system for her academic and professional needs. “I have never felt as supported as I have within AKA,” Codner said. “Both personally, by my lines of sisters [and] professionally by the mentors that I’ve been exposed to. It’s really been a great opportunity to be lifted up.” Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Vice President, is a prominent member of AKA and has received public support from her sorority sisters. Welsh said her views of Harris don’t reflect any general sorority views but Harris’ accomplishments are historic for a Black woman. “As a sorority we have very strong leaders who are dedicated to service and service to all mankind,” Welsh said. “I’m personally very proud of her.” Brown said that being part of APA equipped him with the skills to give back to the Black community in his role as an educator. “It’s important to give back as a Black person to the Black community because we have to rely on each other,” Brown said. “This world is not fair. This world is not necessarily just, but we are in it. And in order to survive and in order to thrive, we must work together.” Welsh said students who are members of Black Greek letter organizations benefit from the support systems these organizations provide and that increased representation of these organizations on campus can provide Black students with the support they need at a PWI. “A lot of people might not know about these organizations growing up, and if there’s not already that presence on campus, then it’s hard to even know about them at all,” Welsh said. “It goes back to representation on campus and knowledge of these organizations.”

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

Student starts business selling traditional African waist beads GIANA LONGO ’22 Features Editor Inspired by her family’s Ghanaian roots, Jala Cosley ’22 started African Twist, an online business that sells traditional waist beads and other accessories. “For me, being born in the United States, I feel like I’ve always [tried to] integrate African culture [into my style],” Cosley said. While waist beads, like the ones from African Twist, can be worn as a fashion statement, Cosley said they hold symbolic value as well. “In West Africa, waist beads are a big thing,” Cosley said. “They symbolize purity.” Cosley said they can also be used to track weight by monitoring the fluctuation in waist size. “Basically, say you gain weight, the waist beads don’t stretch,” Cosley said. “They’re not an elastic, so they’ll rise [if you gain weight,] or if you lose weight, they’ll lower.” Since launching the business, Cosley has expanded and started making anklets, bonnets and earrings. Prices for different items vary, but waist beads range in price from $18-25. “Other people, they’ll sell [waist beads] and they’ll be so expensive and then you break them and it’s like, ‘Oh no,’” said Autumn Richardson ’22, Cosley’s friend and loyal customer. “But [Cosley’s] are actually durable and not super expensive, which is awesome.” According to Cosley, traditional waist beads are threaded on a cotton string and tied around a woman’s waist. She threads her glass beads on a metal wire to make sure

Jala Cosley ’22 sells traditional African waist beads. PHOTO: KELLY SHANNON ’24/THE HAWK

they are durable. She will also customize a strand to a particular order. Cosley adds a metal clasp so that the beads can be removed and changed on a regular basis instead of having to be cut off. This way, they can match any outfit. Cosley said that making a strand only takes 15-30 minutes and is actually a stressreliever for her.

“Many people think it’s so tedious and crazy to put all of those tiny beads on the string,” Cosley said. “But I personally find it really relaxing.” Cosley said she has made waist beads for her and her friends since she was in high school, but when more people started asking for them, she decided to start her business. Cosley has been operating for six months

and is glad to have found a way to help people express and celebrate African culture. “I think it’s something that people should really try, especially if they want to show their Black or African pride, something that they can definitely show in a small way,” Cosley said. Richardson said that she has been wearing waist beads since she was 16 and has learned a lot because of them. “Once you get into it, you can actually learn about the cultural background and why people wear them,” Richardson said. “That’s where it’s kind of enlightening.” Asia Whittenberger ’22, another one of Cosley’s customers, said she wears waist beads for weight awareness. However, because she is not a Black woman, she thought carefully about her decision to wear them. “I don’t have African roots, so in buying them I had to think about cultural appropriation,” Whittenberger said. “I came to the conclusion that I’m not wearing them to be trendy or to show it off to people. I’m wearing it for my own personal reasons.” Even though it is early on, Cosley is excited about what’s in store for African Twist. “[The goal] is to see where God takes me,” Cosley said. Whittenberger said that she is proud to support African Twist and is excited to see how much it has expanded in the past few months. “Not only is she my close friend, but [supporting her] is supporting a small Black owned business, which is very important,” Whittenberger said.

Socially distant fall activities in and near Philadelphia ELAINA WALL ’21 Assistant Features Editor The air is crisp, football season is back and the leaves are vivid reds, oranges and yellows. It’s officially fall! Although the season looks different, and everyone is wearing face masks instead of Halloween costumes, there is still plenty of fall-themed fun for you to enjoy while staying safe and healthy. Check out these fall activities happening around Philadelphia this month. Eastern State Penitentiary “Night Tours” The infamous prison canceled their annual haunted house but opened its yards and cellblocks for visitors to explore at night. Visitors can walk through the penitentiary on a

self-guided or audio tour to see Al Capone’s cell and view animated films and art exhibits about today’s prisons and mass incarceration. Health and safety protocols in place include mask requirements, physical distancing protocols and increased routine cleanings throughout the penitentiary. Night tours are available through Nov. 15 and tickets must be purchased in advance. Hike at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Just under a two-hour drive from campus, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, near Redding and Allentown, is the perfect place to enjoy nature and see the colorful fall foliage. Hiking will get you outdoors to take in the fresh air, while still practicing social distancing. Shady Brook Farms offers customers pumpkin picking . PHOTO: ELAINA WALL’21/THE HAWK

Shady Brook Farms offers socially distant hayrides. PHOTO: ELAINA WALL’21/THE HAWK

At Hawk Mountain, there are more than eight miles of hiking trails, with varying lengths and difficulties. Many of the trails lead to great scenic lookouts and views, where there is a chance to see a hawk in the wild. Masks are required in populated areas.

wagon rides, a pumpkin patch and live music on the weekends. FallFest is open 10 a.m.6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Halloween Movies at The Philly Drive-In The Philly Drive-In is hosting a free drive-in series of movies in Fairmount Park outside of the Mann Center for Performing Arts. The Drive-In will feature Halloween movies, including Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, Halloween II and more. The movies are screened Wednesday and Friday nights through Oct. 30. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and presented at check-in.

Fright Factory Fright Factory, the ultimate haunted house experience in South Philadelphia, is celebrating their 20 year anniversary. It’s a scary and startling haunted house inside a 120-year-old factory building. Health and safety protocols in place include a reduced capacity, a mandatory mask requirement and temperature check for visitors. Fright Factory is open Oct. 1618, 22-25 and 28-31. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

FallFest at Shady Brook Farm Shady Brook Farm is an hour drive from campus, and their FallFest offers classic fall activities including bonfires, a corn maze,

Oct. 14, 2020

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

Athlete activism and protest have a long history AARON TULLY ’23 Special to the Hawk Sporting events have historically been an arena for social activism and athlete activism, according to Stephanie A. Tryce, J.D., assistant professor of sports marketing. Tryce was the featured speaker at the first webinar of the Faculty Signature Lecture Series hosted by the Office of Inclusion and Diversity. In her presentation, Tryce explored the history of athlete activism, identifying four periods, or waves, of activism, beginning in the early 1900s and continuing into the current resurgence of activism among college and professional athletes. Athletes and activism is not a new phenomenon, Tryce said. “Sport is nothing more than a microcosm of the greater society, and it absolutely reflects what’s going on in the greater society,” Tryce said. “Now, how we may feel about that is individual, and it depends upon what our relationship is with the society in which we reside.” Brian J. Yates, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, said people are upset when they see athletes protesting for justice because people believe that athletes should only be there for their own entertainment. “In this country, Black Americans can’t escape inequality,” Yates said. “It’s every day, staring us right in the face. So when people say stick to sports, that would be fine, if sports were an actual escape.”

Tryce said the first wave of athlete activism began just after the Civil War when Black athletes were gaining legitimacy and recognition in racially segregated leagues enforced by Jim Crow laws. The second wave of athlete activism, from about 1946-60 was characterized by Black athletes gaining access and rights during the desegregation era of sports. During the third wave, between 1960-70, Black athletes demanded dignity and respect. One of the webinar’s attendees, Alex Hood, a redshirt freshman on the St. Joe’s men’s soccer team, said he participated in a protest at the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. in June. In an interview with The Hawk after the webinar, Hood said his biggest takeaway from the experience was how many people felt passionately about social inequality. “I think as athletes we have a special opportunity to draw the attention of more people than the average person would, because in sports everyone’s eyes are on you when you’re playing,” Hood said. “But also not just on the field, but off the field, or even before you start playing.” Yates said protests in sports settings force the audience to see people of color as human beings who are not being treated equally. “That’s why they have such a horrible response because they don’t want to be reminded of the fact that the American experience isn’t the America that many people experience,” Yates said.

Tryce said we are, to an extent, indoctrinated into a type of patriotism by the culture around us as we grow. “When you are thinking about patriotism as a form of national attachment, those things are formed, along with other parts of our social identity on the micro level [that are] influenced by our families, by schools, and by other types of institutions,” Tryce said. Tryce identified two types of patriots: uncritical patriots, who have blind love for their country and will not allow it to be criticized, and constructive patriots, who love their country, but see faults in it and want it to be better. “We really have to look at what type of patriot we are, uncritical or constructive, and really pay attention to see how much that informs how we view those protests and how we feel about them,” Tryce said. In fact, Yates said the argument that protests disrespect the flag or the military is forced patriotism. “If our country was built on the value that we should comply with the flag, we would still be using the Union Jack,” Yates said. Tryce said the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin during the third wave of athlete activism jump started the fourth wave, which athletes are currently in. “Trayvon Martin was really brought to our attention by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat,” Tryce said. “And the names, we know the names, sadly, we can’t say them all. But police brutality is

what brought Kaepernick to his knee during the playing of the national anthem.” Hood said protests are not just a trend but a response to a systemic issue that people are living through daily. He pointed to the Premier League, the top professional soccer league in England, as an example. “In the Premier League, they’re still taking a knee before the game starts, reminding people that these injustices weren’t just some one-off during the summer that came and went,” Hood said. Tryce said the nearly 50-year gap in between the third and fourth wave of athlete activism can be explained by the lack of big money endorsement deals available to Black athletes. Athletes now make far more money than their predecessors did, particularly in endorsements, she said. “Now what we’re seeing is athletes having more sources of income,” Tryce said. “And the more sources of income that you have, the less vulnerable you are to a particular brand wanting to gag you, to silence your voice in any way.” Social media has made a big difference for athlete activism, Tryce said, giving athletes the tool to reach a global audience and a tool to have their authentic voice be heard as opposed to just being heard through interviews, where a journalist gets to decide what they will quote. “You have this direct access to people that you didn’t have before social media,” Tryce said. “I think that makes a huge difference.” ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 14, 2020

Eagles and Steelers should put fan safety first RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Until recently, both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers have not allowed fans to be in attendance at their games. However, when the two teams faced off on Oct. 12, the Steelers had fans in attendance for the first time this season. On Oct. 6, it was announced by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf that outdoor sporting events are now permitted to have 15% capacity, or a maximum of 7,500 fans, in their stadiums, leaving many wondering if both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will take this opportunity to start authorizing fan attendance. While the new legislation will help to limit any potential outbreaks among fans who would choose to attend games, there is no way to guarantee the safety of everyone in attendance, which in itself is too big of a risk to take. As we saw in week one of the NFL season in Kansas City, a fan who attended the game later found out they were positive for COVID-19 and could have spread it to others during their time in Arrowhead Stadium. With up to 7,500 fans in attendance for either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, the chances that someone attending the game has COVID-19 are fairly high.

Unfortunately, it would be tough to track if one person out of 7,500 had the virus, especially when some people don’t show symptoms. The Eagles and Steelers would have no way of knowing if someone entering the stadium was positive for the virus prior to their arrival. As of right now, the Eagles and Steelers don’t have protocols in place to help gauge if a fan entering the stadium has COVID-19. This leaves an opportunity for people who attend games to contract the virus and take it back to their own communities and infect even more people.

Students and other members of the St. Joe’s community should prioritize the health and safety of our peers. But if fans in our community opt to attend one of these games, they are putting everyone else within our community at risk and breaching the duty they have to keep those around them safe and healthy. While some students might view their attendance at one of these games as no big deal, it only takes one person to spread the virus throughout all aspects of university. Ultimately, students who want what’s best for St. Joe’s should choose not to attend

“If fans in our community opt to attend one of these games, they are putting everyone else within our community at risk and breaching the duty they have to keep those around them safe and healthy.” If the Eagles allow fans to their games, it could have a significant impact on the St. Joe’s community. Chances are that students who are able to attend games will want to tailgate, and they might contract the virus while at the stadium. Those students then might spread COVID-19 to other students in our community, which could create a potential outbreak at St. Joe’s.

these games to ensure the safety of our community if they have the option. Additionally, we’ve seen at least 12 games across the NFL postponed so far due to outbreaks within their teams. During Week five of the NFL season, from Oct. 5-11, the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears were the latest of seven total teams who reported at least one positive test

among their active players. Each day there are more and more names appearing on the list of players who have the virus. Around the league, teams are slowly having their organizations infiltrated. If NFL organizations are struggling to keep COVID-19 out of their own locker rooms and business offices, they can’t possibly ensure the safety of the 7,500 fans who attend their events. I understand some organizations want fan attendance to help drive revenues which have dropped significantly amid the pandemic, but with the chance of an outbreak, teams are putting people’s safety at risk, which should always come before financial implications. This is especially true when there are other potential revenue drivers that teams can still profit from such as TV deals, advertising and other safer forms of fan engagement. Even though Pennsylvania may only allow fans in a limited capacity, in the end, it would be best for both the Eagles and Steelers to elect not to have fans at games despite what their peers are doing, and what the Pennsylvania government is saying. The health and safety of the fan base should always come first. Even though fans want to be at games more than anything, it should fall on the organizations to ensure their safety. The best way to do that would be opting to not have fans in attendance.

Why student-athletes should register to vote MATT MIKESIC ’21 Columnist With the 2020 presidential election less than a month away, more Americans are registering to vote every day. Sports teams across the country, at both the collegiate and professional levels, are encouraging players to register to vote, and St. Joe’s is no exception. Recently, both the St. Joe’s men’s and women’s basketball teams announced that their entire teams are registered to vote. Having collegiate sports teams use their platforms to promote voter registration sets a good example for all students at the university. It not only shows how quick and easy the process to register is, but also the importance of voting. Unfortunately, younger generations have the lowest turnout rate at the polls. Voting is an essential part of how our government works, and it is one of the easiest and most effective ways of having an impact on the future of our government. It

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

takes strong leaders to encourage positive change in a community, and having student-athletes register to vote can create a ripple effect.

This year’s election could be a chance to rewrite the narrative, especially if student-athletes are taking the initiative seriously and registering in large numbers.

Once a few members of a team are registered to vote, more of their teammates will follow their example, until everyone is registered. Positive peer pressure is not limited to sports team members. Student-athletes are also leaders on campus and students can follow their example. All it takes is one person in a group or on a team to start a movement to register to vote, and others will follow. Having the men’s and women’s basketball teams registered to vote is a good start, but as of right now, they are the only two teams at St. Joe’s who announced that the whole team is registered to vote. The example set by these two teams should motivate other coaches and players across Hawk Hill to encourage their team members to register to vote. Ultimately, by having coaches and players push for each other to be registered to vote, we’ll have a larger portion of the student population ready to have their voices heard on Nov. 3.

Oct. 14, 2020

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

A moment in SJU Athletics: St. Joe’s football RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Since The Hawk is unable to bring our readers typical sports coverage due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to reflect on sports highlights from years past. This week’s edition highlights important moments regarding St. Joe’s football team. Having a football team at St. Joe’s is the punchline of many jokes and nothing more than a pipe dream for St. Joe’s students. However, not many current students know the story of our football team and the historic connection our school has with the sport. The inaugural season for St. Joe’s football was 1922. At that time, the university was known as St. Joseph’s College. Early on, the team struggled to find a place to practice and play their games. Due to the small size of the school, roster size was also an issue during the early days of the team. However, that changed in 1929, when the team played their first home game on the brand new Finnessey Field, now Sweeney Field, where the Hawks fought to a tough 7-6 loss to the Pennsylvania Military Academy. Here are some of the highlights of the St. Joe’s football team: The Hawk, “Sports-Light,” 1930: “On the Ides of October, 1929 the Cadets from P.M.C...came marching onto the, as yet unhallowed, turf of Finnessey Field... It was a dusky, fleet-footed sprinter from Ohio [Ken Smith] who saved the Crimson from a total white-wash and sent the Crimson banner to the masthead with the first St. Joe touchdown in the new Stadium... Ken Smith, Hawk quarterback and track star, gathered in the ball near his own goal and leaped ahead. Ken [Smith] galloped through the funnel shaped lane of interference that formed rapidly and was halfway up the field before a hand touched him. After throwing off two desperate tacklers he out-raced the Cadet safety and cavorted gayly over the goal line to a chorus of frenzied cheering from the stands.” In 1929, St. Joe’s athletic teams officially donned the nickname “Hawks”, which was picked by the student body. According to the student annual, this nickname was a great fit because it was “suggestive of the aerial attack which has made our football team so famous.” The Hawk, “Hawk Team set for F&M. Opener,” 1931: “Coach Emid Thomas, head mentor of the Varsity team, has formulated a new system of attack which will encounter its first real test tomorrow. According to form displayed in practice sessions, an aerial game will form the major portion of the Crimson offensive.” While today you’ll find St. Joe’s and Drexel University duking it out on the basketball court in City 6 matchups, the two schools posed a heated rivalry on the football field. In the all-time series, St. Joe’s held a lead over their rivals winning seven out of eight of the annual contests from 1923. The 1933 season was thought to be a turning point for the St. Joe’s football program as a whole. After a total of eight games, the Hawks walked away with a mere two wins and one tie. However, their record does not accurately depict the strength and grit of the squad. Wins over West Chester University and Washington College were backed by a draw with the University of Delaware and hard

The 1932 St. Joe’s football team picture taken on Finnessey Field. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HAWK ARCHIVE

fought close games against both Muhlenberg College and Susquehanna University. The Hawk, “McCusker Leads Hawk Scorers; Blue Hen Deadlock Closes Year,” 1933: “The scoreless deadlock with Delaware ended what St. Joseph’s students are calling the most successful football season in the last four years...A total of 26 points was amassed by the Hawks. Frank McCusker, star end, led the scorers with 13. John Kane with 7 and Jim McGonegal with 6, followed him.” From there the Hawks only continued to get better, and in 1936 they set a record scoring 59 points over Brooklyn College. That same season, wins over the University of Delaware and LaSalle University guided the team to their best season record since the induction of Finnesey Field, fighting for six wins over the course of nine games. The Hawk, Joe Duval ’37: “On the whole, I think the past season shows a definite trend toward better football teams at St. Joseph’s. Coach Heinie Miller is developing a great bunch of young players who, in a few years, will be the best in the circuit.” However, after a few more successful seasons from 1937-39, Miller announced at the completion of the 1939 season that he was leaving to join the Philadelphia Eagles in a new coaching role. With Miller’s departure, University President Rev. Thomas J. Love announced that the athletics department would be disbanding the football program for the foreseeable future. The decision was a tough one for the athletics department and in an open letter to students in The Hawk, Director of Athletics Father Aloysius S. Travers, S.J. wrote: “On reviewing the facts and figures of the last six years we had to accept the hard conclusion that football at St. Joseph’s had never measured up to the expectations that brought it to life. The conviction was inescapable that to continue football would be unjust to every athletic department and unfair to the great majority of students.” While the story of a football program on Hawk Hill is a rather brief one, there is no doubt it brought joy to former students in a

time of transition and growth for St. Joe’s. The Hawk, “Football at St. Joseph’s College,” 1931: “The history of St. Joseph’s in the football world is not one to make fans stay up at nights, nor send them home talking

to themselves, but it is one that represents the joys and sorrows of students dating from the new era, 1919, when the college separated from the high school and began intercollegiate competition.”

Former St. Joe’s center Tom Harrison during the 1938 season.