The Hofstra Chronicle (12-8)

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HEMPSTEAD, NY VOL. 81 Issue 9

The Hofstra

Chronicle

Tuesday December 8, 2015

KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935

University plans renovations of Rathskellar By Casey Lamkin SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The university project planning committee is moving forward on their plans to renovate the Rathskellar, also known as the Rat. The project consists of renovating the entire lower level of the Student Center in a way that enhances the area’s usefulness and attractiveness to the entire student body. The committee is made up of representatives from the Division of Student Affairs, the Student Government Association, Compass Dining and the Facilities and Operations Department. W. Houston Dougharty, vice president of student affairs, said, “Last year, during the many conversations we had with students and other community members during the master planning process, we heard loud and clear that our campus needs more places for folks to experience community – to hang out together, to study together, to gather casually and comfortably.” The committee is approaching the project as an opportunity to do something nice for the student community; however, there is a growing concern among the student body, particularly that of the gamers located in the basement Game Room and Hofstra’s Greek life who gather in the Rat. In a meeting on Nov. 16, three out of five plans that were discussed entail splitting the game room between Hofstra’s gaming community and Greek life community. Kevin Gomes, a junior RTVF major, avid gamer and game room employee, said “[The renovations are] complete garbage. The gamers and Greek life are two different types of people. We love getting loud and enjoying what we do best. Having both in one room would be hell. We have no resentment towards other groups,

but this is the home for the gamers and we feel that our social environment would be destroyed.” Gomes suggests that the committee “upgrade the facilities, but don’t move the organizations and communities in these already designated areas.” Beyond that there is a great worry within the Greek community that history would be lost in the Rat. A portion of students find even the thought of renovations unsettling. Senior Public Relations major and member of Phi Sigma Sigma, Nia Balbo said, “The Rathskellar is the only place Greek Life can call its own on campus. Long Island rules and spacing prohibit Greek organizations from having official chapter houses on or off campus, so the Rathskellar is the one place that we have to gather, meet and study with not only our organizations, but others as well. To either take our space away or combine it with other groups of people diminishes the quiet space a lot of us need.” This is recognized by the renovations committee and Dougharty reassures that “whatever we do, we must honor the traditions and legacy of the fraternity and sorority organizations that have long used and enjoyed the space. Ideally, I would love for us to be able to creatively establish spaces that all of campus can enjoy and retain design elements and gathering spaces for groups that already enjoy the space. We are hoping for a ‘both/and’ solution.” Building off of this positive approach toward the renovations, SGA Public Relations Chair Whitney Shepard explained the organization’s view of the proposals. She said, “SGA is excited to be a part of the process in helping the university brainstorm new plans to renovate the Rathskellar. To not only add new parts, but to revamp and

keep the traditions of the Greek Life community.” Shepard added that after the winter intercession, her committee will be hosting a press conference for the student body that will include administration and student leaders. “We are very excited about this upcoming process and encourage students to reach out if they have any other suggestions,” she said. The committee has made it clear that no decisions have been made and they are in the beginning stages of considering the pros and cons of the different plans currently drawn up. They are looking at other models of student centers, such as those found in Morgan State University, Washington College, Vanderbilt University and Miami University

for inspiration for the design. They would also like to place a new food service in the basement to make it more attractive to the entire student body. Talks of the food service have centered around making a full-service Starbucks with a professional barista and more food options, but all talks are preliminary. Octavia Thompson, captain of Strictly Steppin’, feels that renovations and a new food service are necessary in the Rathskellar and would benefit the step team because they practice there every night. “We would love to have air conditioners or some sort of fan system so that there is air being circulated throughout the room. We practice at night and we are sweating a lot. There is little air down here and it can be really

hard to breathe. We would also like a food service down here so that after our practices we can eat instead of going to HofUSA every single night,” she said. Thompson was however displeased that her team hadn’t heard of the renovations, “We are here most of the time and no one thought to notify us.” Discussion of these renovations will be ongoing. Dougharty said, “Our hope is that some positive renovations of the Student Center lower level can happen before the fall of 2016.”

For images of the blueprints refer to page “A10”.

Jesse Saunders/ The Chronicle Students gather in the Rathskellar to study, practice performances and generally meet with friends.


A 2 • December 8, 2015 Photo courtesy of Ana Luiza Loures

NEWS

The Chronicle

More security cameras to be installed across campus By Danny Nikander STAFF WRITER

The installation of new security cameras in Netherlands residence halls, left students questioning the purpose of these cameras and wondering why they were being installed now after years without them. According to Assistant Director of Public Safety Richard Pincus, the new cameras are a part of a plan to upgrade camera systems and security on campus. The purpose for cameras in residence halls is to stop students who piggyback into buildings, as well as preventing those who should not be in these buildings from entering. “The cameras also allow us to

do investigations,” said Pincus. “We don’t watch [the cameras] unless a student calls up and reports a problem.” Kimberly Gazdek, a junior video, television and business major, feels that this project will benefit student safety. “This is the first semester that any Netherlands resident is able to swipe into any house in the complex. There’s no turnstile at the entrance, so if you swipe in, you can bring as many people as you want. I think these cameras are

good because you’re able to see anybody that’s coming into the buildings,” she said. Gazdek is a resident assistant in Rensselaer, where a security camera was first seen after students returned from Thanksgiving break; others have since been spotted in various Netherlands houses. The cameras are located in the hallways of the buildings, pointing toward the entrances. The extent of their capability seems to be that they can see who is walking in and out of the building. Maria Santana, a freshman mass media studies major who

lives in Rensselaer said, “I feel like there is good motive behind installing these cameras and that they could be beneficial if they are used in the way that they are claiming they will.” There are currently around 286 cameras dispersed around campus, and Pincus said Public Safety hopes to get more installed in the next three to five years. “I have never felt unsafe at all on campus and so I feel like this wouldn’t really affect my level of feeling safe,” Santana said. “There is the opportunity for our privacy to be violated with these cameras, but if they are used in the way that they are saying they will, then our privacy should remain perfectly intact.”

Herbert Series discusses video games in education By Katie Krahulik STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday Dec. 2, 2015, the Herbert Lawrence School of Communication hosted its sixth event of the Herbert Insider’s Event Series. Dr. Brian McKernon, a games scholar and cultural sociologist, delivered a lecture called “Rethinking Digital Play: The Civic and Educational Significance of Video Games.” His goal of the event was to “share modern projects.” He described his research in gaming and explained his vision for how games can be an educational remedy in the future. “The goal of using video games is to diminish cognitive biases,” Dr. McKernon said. McKernon has been part of a study called the “Cycles Project” where he and a team of game specialists created a game to improve human intelligence by “lowering people’s chances of falling for cognitive biases.” “The results of the study were phenomenal. Students learned,” McKernon said. Dean Adria Marlowe, assistant dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communications, helped host the event. “This is actually the sixth of a series which we called Herbert Insiders Event. We host two per semester and we do them on a variety of topics. Sometimes we bring in alumni, sometimes we have faculty members bring in their colleagues or we’ll bring in

people we know in the industry to talk about a variety of different things,” Marlowe said. “It’s been successful for the most part. It’s a great way to bring in professional people who wouldn’t normally be talking to classes, and we open up the events to the entire campus.” Along with Marlowe, Professor Jingsi Christina Wu, a co-host for the event, felt that these events are necessary to present to students. “As a school of communication, I think it’s imperative that we keep abreast with the latest developments in the field,” Wu said. “Game studies and digital media research represent a different tier of communication research. Even the speaker said that gaming has become one of, if not the most common, of leisure activities of regular Americans, both as media users and media producers.” McKernon shared what sparked his interest in studying the effects of video games. “The shorter answer is that one thing I realized early as a student in high school was that I seemed to learn better or be more interested in the subject when it has entertainment features like with powerful stories, interesting characters and compelling plots. So early on, I thought about that and if I wanted to, let’s say, tell somebody a certain point about the history of racism I would point to these films or fictional books,” he said. “For me, those worked really well, but I was always a fan of games. I thought maybe for

previous generations movies were doing it, and for younger generations, games might be the right way to approach it.” He then explained his hopes for the future of video games. “Ideally, I want to see the demographics of games expand. I’d like to see more people and diverse audiences doing things with games both designing them and playing them. I would like to see more education from primary school to higher education incorporate games in classrooms.” With eminent opposing views against video games, McKernon addressed the conflicts associated with gaming and how to handle the negative influences games might create. “We absolutely should be concerned about the type of values, identities and worldviews that other types of games are sharing. This all exists in a very complex way. The relationship we have with any form of media is not going to be one way. Just because a game has a certain identity that we see on the outside that might not be the way the player actually sees it,” he said. “So, yes it could very well be that certain games are promoting violence and maybe some people are feeding into that. Other people will say ‘That’s not what I like about this game, in fact that’s what I dislike the most.’ As a researcher it’s very important to keep that in mind. We can’t just assume, but we absolutely should have these concerns.”

Alexandra Weinstein, a senior mass media major studying media law and policy, admits that she gained insight from McKernon’s lecture. “If there is anything I learned, it’s that more games should be utilized within the classroom,” she said. “Children can play Civilization, Minecraft and Cycles alongside their lessons. Teaching with active participation seems to be a more effective method of retaining information and creating an interest in either history or engineering; it all depends on how you play the game and what you can take from it. Planned lessons and games should coexist.” Nick Bofardi, is a sophomore communication major studying TV production and is another advocate for video games. He shared his take on the topic and on Dr. McKernon’s view. “For the most part I would go home, sit around, and play video games for a few hours,” Bofardi said. “I never considered it as much of an educational tool as he talked about, but I guess I could see how different genres of games, such as the ones he described [Minecraft and Civilization] could be effectively used in an educational setting. It was not the way I traditionally looked at games, but I guess he studied it so he has a much better background on it. It was cool to hear it from his perspective because he put kind of a twist on it.”

The

Chronicle

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Editor-in-Chief Lauren del Valle Managing Editor Ehlayna Napolitano Business Manager Kristen Rodriguez News Editors Michael Ortiz Marisa Russell Entertainment Editor Brianna Holcomb Sports Editors Mike Rudin Kyle Kandetzki Assistant Sports Editor Kevin Carroll @Hofstra Editor Janet Lee Assistant @Hofstra Editor

Amanda Valentovic Editorial Editor Rachael Durant Copy Chief Che Sullivan Photo Editor Jesse Saunders

The Chronicle is published every Tuesday during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by calling (516) 463-6921. The Chronicle reserves the right to reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous or offensive to the University community, The Chronicle or its advertisers may be refused. The products and opinions expressed within advertisement are not endorsed by The Chronicle or its staff.


NEWS

The Chronicle

december 8, 2015 •A 3

New Center for Student Collaboration aims to foster community By Laurel O’Keefe STAFF WRITER

A mutual space that would allow student associations and Hofstra administration to cooperate on community initiatives was the vision behind the new Center for Student Collaboration, a grand opening for which was held on Nov. 30 in the repurposed office space in room 242 of the Student Center. “This is a great space and I hope that this can become a bigger space where it’s more utilized and where students know it is accessible to them and available,” said Alyson Guarino, SGA president and senior information systems and business analytics major. “I would love to just see it filled all the time with people between classes or whenever they just need a landing space,” Guarino said. The space also houses the Student Government Association (SGA), Resident Student Association (RSA), Inter-fraternity and Sorority Council (IFSC), University Senate and a new club sports office and interfaith prayer room. A pride print, tables and a smart board for student use is also available in the space.

As mentioned by Dean of Students Sofia Pertuz, and Vice President for Student Affairs W. Houston Dougharty the space’s reputation has been misconstrued by students in the past as solely a destination for students to be reprimanded. “The very first day I was here at Hofstra, I was taking a tour with a tour guide and they walked me to the end of the hallway by the interfaith center and they said, ‘I think down there is the dean of student’s office but I’m not sure, I’ve never been in trouble,’” Dougharty said. “That was the point at which I thought, I’m not sure when and I’m not sure how but we will be shifting to the notion that this is a place where all students are welcome all the time.” Aside from changing the student perspective of the space and providing a space for students to comfortably work together, the office was designed to make it easier for student organizations to work on joint initiatives. “One of the things that we have to do at Hofstra, and that we’re charged with doing, is putting people in proximity to each other so that good ideas can happen,” said Dougharty. “This is about

leadership, this is about collaboration and it’s about community. It does my heart good to see all of us together in this space.” SGA, the IFSC and RSA have already begun to utilize the valuable proximity the space allows by forming action plans and polling the community to better understand needs. “Proximity is everything, being able to knock on [another department’s] door and they’re right there; and there we are working

together,” said Guarino. President Rabinowitz cut the ribbon to signify the official opening of the center and praised the development behind it. “This is such a brilliant idea, such a great idea that from now on I’m going to assume credit for it,” Rabinowitz joked. “But really, I feel so pleased about the relations between student organizations, and the relations between student organizations and administration.” “The space has literally allowed

us to share ideas and even offices and it has really allowed us to combine our efforts,” said Guarino. “Together we can work toward a mission to cultivate community, provide resources and advocate for students across Hofstra University’s campus.” After learning about the new space, sophomore accounting major Kristine Nalundasan said, “I’ll definitely check it out. It seems like another good place for students to go work together.”

Photo courtesy of Alyson Guarino The Student Government Association celebrates the opening of the new center with administrators on Nov. 30.

Confusion surrounds students’ inability to access Tinder Questions arise if the dating app was blocked by Hofstra’s network By Joy Jones SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

According to the IT director of Networks, Telecommunication and Client Services Helen Latimer, the networking department at Hofstra received its first in a series of complaints concerning Hofstra’s Wi-Fi connectivity and Tinder on Nov. 18. During the same time, Hofstra’s feed for the popular anonymous social app Yik Yak was flooded with similar complaints. Dozens of users proclaimed that Tinder was blocked. However, in layman’s terms, Hofstra was temporarily blacklisted from Tinder, due to high usage coming from a single (the university’s) IP address. The average college student balances a minimum of 12 credits, three to four extracurricular activities and possibly a full- or

part-time job. With such a busy schedule, finding love or even a casual relationship might prove to be difficult. Luckily, modern technology has allotted busy students with the means to find romantic partners quickly and easily. In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg gave us Facebook, which grants even the loneliest of souls friendship. Two years later, Jack Dorsey removed the notion that updating posts more than a few times a day was a sign of narcissism with the invention of Twitter. These were followed by numerous social and dating sites and apps including Instagram, Tumblr, Grindr, J Swipe and of course Tinder. “I read in an article that Hofstra was the number one school to use tinder,” Alyssa Rasile, sophomore business and marketing major said. “I think it’s stupid that the school had to block it.”

Earlier this year Hofstra topped the charts in an unscientific study by TheGradeApp involving campuses likely to follow through with relationships found on dating sites based on swiping interactions. It’s understandable that Hofstra Tinder users were outraged when they realized they no longer had access to Tinder through Hofstra’s Wi-Fi service. “If they want to meet someone, it’s none of Hofstra’s business,” Abby Del Sol, a sophomore graphic design major said. “Why would they block people from using Tinder? Not everyone’s doing bad things, some people are like making relationships and friends and stuff, and they shouldn’t get involved with that. It’s not affecting our school in any way. I’ve heard they may be blocking some other dirty sites,” she said. Tinder has since been restored

to its on campus, but Latimer explained that students’ inability to access Tinder through Hofstra’s Wi-Fi was not a decision made by the school. “After opening a problem incident with Tinder, it was determined that Tinder was blocking the University’s wireless network traffic because the volume of traffic appeared to be coming from the one IP address. Our network is designed to handle the vast number of mobile devices by combining all wireless traffic to one IP address. Tinder has since whitelisted this IP address,” Latimer said. Networks Project Manager Bruce Carlson referred to the brief Tinder outage as “a non-Hofstra technical error.” So as it turns out, Tinder was not blocked by Hofstra administration. Latimer says Hofstra’s security system typically

only blocks “malicious websites,” which may contain known threats, malware, exploits, destructive files, command and controls or other unsafe hazards. “Given the potential harmful risks, protection is not only necessary, it’s appropriate,” Latimer said. Tinder officials did not respond to interview requests. Sean Bates, a junior broadcast journalism major, weighed in on the applicability of Tinder to college life. “I use it mostly out of boredom,” he said. “I’ve heard that dating is a numbers game and having Tinder increases the odds of meeting someone worthwhile. I’m on my phone all the time anyway. It’s a really convenient way to meet people while I’m busy with classes and extracurricular things.”


NEWS

A 4 • December 8, 2015

Final thoughts from our graduating managing editor By Ehlayna Napolitano MANAGING EDITOR

Sitting down to write this piece, trying to decide what to say for my last issue of The Chronicle, I was struck by the symmetry of having written a piece for both the first issue of my freshman year and now contributing to the last of my senior year. Almost no one I worked with that first year is still here, since they have all graduated and moved on. Working this semester with a staff that was almost entirely younger than me gave me a lot of time and perspective to reflect on the fact that I had reached a goal that I’d had as a younger, inexperienced freshman, holding that first issue in my hands. Becoming managing editor of this paper was something that was and continues to be among the most meaningful and special somethings in my life. In spite of my sentimentality, I know that my time here hasn’t always been positive. There have been challenges, sleepless nights, seemingly insurmountable stresses, administrative pressures and miscommunications. There have been times I was so frustrated by this paper because of how difficult it can be to deal with the unique challenges that face a journalist. Every person on this paper has been ignored, talked down to and challenged at least once by everyone from the student body to the Hofstra administration. It’s not unusual; it’s part of the job and, at times, warranted. As journalists, this is our most important responsibility: Tell the story honestly, tell the story with respect for your sources and tell the story with authority but shirk the need for credit. Let the story speak for itself. Stories might escape you. Stories may pass right by you and you will miss them, either because of time, sources or some other outside forces that will compel you to abandon a story you might care deeply about reporting. It is hard to overcome the feeling of a missed opportunity or a failure to tell someone’s story; however, it is important to learn from those moments and pursue the next big story with even more fervor, determination and attention to detail. The hardest part for a collegiate journalist is that you are kind of like the president – you have a term limit of four years and before you know it, you’ll be graduating and only half the list of things you wanted to achieve during that time will

be actually completed. If you’re lucky (and I am), the people who remain after you leave will take your list, add to it and probably do better work than you ever even thought of doing. The overwhelming feeling I have when I think about this paper is pride. It’s not the stress that it gives me (although it’s considerable) and it’s not the lack of free time it leaves me with (although to my friends, I’ll see you again soon). It’s that at the end of long Monday nights, we have created something that we can be proud of, because we accomplished the task and we did it as a team. It’s that I have a “we” to speak of – and a “we” that is an accomplished, driven group of professionals that I have been honored to have worked with. Now, on my final lap with this group, it’s the pride that I felt holding that first issue freshman year and the pride I know I’ll feel holding my last issue now that I keep in mind, because I have been lucky enough to work with some of the brightest journalists at this school in between those two moments. To the writers, photographers, editors and management staff of this paper, both past and present, thank you for a remarkable four years. I’m excited to see where you all go next, and I promise to pick up if you call me on Monday nights with an InDesign problem. Stay friends and take care of each other. To Lauren del Valle, my co-editor, my editor in chief and my best friend, thank you for everything, I’m so proud of you and honored to have worked with you. You’re the most incredible journalist I know. Go News Team. Not everyone can be a journalist. However, I believe in those with ideas about making things better and that those that bring them to the table are the ones that help change happen. The paper has always been a work in progress, a publication only as good as the ideas brought to it by the people working on it. I’d encourage those with these ideas and goals to think seriously about joining the staff. And I’d thank you for reading. So long, Chronicle. I’ll remember you fondly when I finally start to get sleep.

“The overwhelming feeling I have when I think about this paper is pride.”

Farewell Ehlayna! From, The Hofstra Chronicle Staff

The Chronicle

Student entrepreneurs start on-campus business By PJ Potter STAFF WRITER

Real-world business experience is exactly what entrepreneur majors are looking for and three Hofstra students have been given that opportunity. Entrepreneur majors, junior Ariel Dure, and seniors Sean McNelley and David Stein have been given the chance to gain experience by starting up their own business on campus. Their company, “Dr. Multitech”, will debut in this upcoming spring semester. Funded by Capital One Bank, “Dr. Multitech” is a smartphone protection and repair service that fixes cracked screens, replaces batteries and offers unique customizations called “housing,” a process where the back of the iPhone is replaced with a different color. “I really liked Ariel’s idea. I thought that I could help with sales and he brought me in for the marketing side of the business. I want to see this do really well. I can definitely see myself pushing this business with Ariel,” McNelley said. “Dr. Multitech” will also be selling accessories such as phone cases, tempered glass and chargers. “We’re providing a service that’s a lower cost than what you would have on your phone carrier’s insurance. Unlike these carriers, we have just a one-time fee with no

monthly payments for our protection plan,” Dure, a certified technician, said. Since the startup, students have taken notice of the cheaper prices. “As students, many of us look to save a dollar or two when we can,” senior accounting major Mike Neglia said. “This business is beating the competition’s price.” Another perk this program offers is a mobile drop-off and pick-up service anywhere within a five-mile radius, which includes students who live off campus as well. “We’ll drop your phone off in class or your dorm if you want us to,” Dure said. The trio does not expect their business to remain stagnant. Outside of Hofstra, they are looking to expand to suburban college campuses all across the United States. “The idea is to have “Dr. Multitech” be operated by business majors in the management and marketing departments at their schools, including Hofstra,” Dure said. “Once I graduate, I would like to have this idea still on campus operated by other students here so they can also get real experience.” “Dr. Multitech” will continue until at least May 2017, when Dure graduates from Hofstra. “If this becomes profitable, I believe there will be plenty of open doors for this concept after I leave Hofstra,” Dure said.


NEWS

The Chronicle

december 8, 2015 •A A5

• Appropriations end of semester report: I. Total requested: $714,913.52 II. Total allocated:$297,004.24 III. Percent allocated: 41.54%

SGA WEEKLY

• Looking ahead to next semester, SGA wants to consider getting fitness center hours extended, getting library hours extended, making Hofstra a greener campus that is more recycle-friendly, and having a meal point sharing system.

WRAP-UP Compiled by Casey Lamkin

• 137 SGA club constitutions were audited. 51 were passed, 86 require further action to be taken. 59 clubs still need to be audited, and this will be done by February 1, 2016.

• The Anthropology Club and Pride Productions were both granted SGA recognition.

Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Gabriella Ciuffetelli On Nov. 28 at 11:55 p.m., PS received a report that there was a male banging on the glass doors of the Au Bon Pan restaurant. PS responded and identified him as a Compass employee. His supervisor was notified and stated that this individual had no reason for being at that location. The employee was banned from campus and terminated. On Nov. 30 5:35 p.m., a PS officer assigned to the Netherlands residence hall observed a student in the Rotterdam House lounge in possession of nunchucks. These were confiscated and the student was issued a summons. On Dec. 2, a Hofstra administrator reported that an iPhone charger was stolen from the

outlet near the lifeguard station in the Swim Center. Police assistance was declined. On Dec. 2, PS received an anonymous report that the odor of marijuana was emanating from a room in Hague House. PS responded and discovered two residents inside, as well as towels blocking the bottom of the door. No marijuana was recovered but both students received summonses.

Key PS – Public Safety


@HOFSTRA

A6 •DECEMBER 8, 2015

The Chronicle

O ve r h e a rd @ H o fs t r a Dress to impress Compiled by the Hofstra Chronicle staff

In Bill of Rights Hall: Girl: Well I just realized I’m wearing a crop top and shouldn’t have eaten a pizza and a bread stick. Outside the Netherlands Complex: Guy: My beta fish is named Cooper who is a Republican but he’s blue. When we were watching the Republican debate, he was splashing like crazy. Girl: My old gold fish would f*** with my dog and throw pebbles at it. In the Student Center: Girl: I found my brother ’s d*** pic on my iPod. Then I showed it to my mom.

In Monroe Lecture Hall: Girl: I only know how to dress in three ways. I’ll dress like a 12-year-old, a stripper or be overdressed. In the Lawrence Herbert Hall: Girl: They were supposed to be having a foursome, but he was focused on making memes instead. By the Netherlands: Guy: Yeah, I guess the Netherspan is the most photogenic of spans, but I prefer the Unispan. Girl: Okay then. In Bits and Bytes: Girl: He was old and had a beer belly, terrible combination. We’re always listening......

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for the holidays By Brianna Ciniglio STAFF WRITER

December is here which means the holiday party invites are going to be coming your way. Start thinking about possible outfits now so you won’t have to stress on the day of the event. One of the biggest trends this holiday season is metallic. Every store from Macy’s to Forever21 is showcasing metallic looks. This style can be found in the form of everything from shoes to dresses, so you will have plenty of options regarding how you’d like to wear it. Although many of us like to stick to black around this time of year, adding gold or silver metallic accents to your look will dress up your look.

Burgundy and maroon have been everywhere this fall, so there’s no reason that the trend shouldn’t carry into the winter season. A burgundy dress or skirt would be perfect for a dressy holiday party, or, if you would prefer to wear this color more subtly, try on a pair of maroon tights or a burgundy scarf. These accessories will not only keep you warm, but will also look great for any holiday event. White is also a great color to wear during this time of year. A white dress or sweater will look fresh and neat, and would perfectly offset silver or gold shoes and jewelry. Don’t go simple this holiday season; find a look that will make you stand out!

Look out for the big mustache on campus By Jordan Laird STAFF WRITER

In the refurbished King’s Theater in Brooklyn, New York, Hofstra freshman Scott Lakeram took the stage wearing colonialesque breeches, high socks, a suit jacket and his signature sideburns. He stood next to the other contestants and held a red number in front of himself. Five judges of the 2015 Just for Men National Beard and Mustache Championships presided over the partial beard sideburns category on Nov. 7. They analyzed Lakeram’s locks and how his beard complemented his outfit. Lakeram, at his first national competition ever, walked away with a third place medal. “I don’t know how to put it. The vibe of the competition, I’m never in a room full of bearded guys except at that moment,” said Lakeram. “I’m always surrounded by either clean-shaven guys or guys who keep a five o’clock shadow, nothing epically major like this.” This year’s competition included seventeen categories decided

by seven judges. According to competition officials, the most elaborate beard this year was styled to look like a birdcage, complete with a working door. Lakeram first sprouted facial hair during his freshman year of high school. He kept a goatee until sophomore year. In his junior year, Lakeram began growing a mustache. The summer before his senior year, he started growing pork chops with sideburns. “Everyone’s dad teaches him how to shave and they use the regular Gillette 5 blade razor that rips your face apart,” said Lakeram. Lakeram said shaving made his face break out so eventually he gave in and said, “Screw this, I’m not going to shave at all.” Now he is a master groomer and a master shaver. He knows how to use all types of blades, from straight razors to safety razors to Japanese knives. Lakeram learned a lot from videos online, but he also attended some classes at the Art of Shaving in Manhattan. “My plan was to grow a beard and braid it, you know when it gets long, look like a Viking,

probably throw some beads in it,” said Lakeram. “But when I started growing my beard, it got really crazy. Because it would go all the way up to my lip and cover my lip and then my mustache would cover my lip. When I ate, it was just terrible.” Lakeram decided to try out the partial beard sideburn look and shave the middle part on his chin. If it didn’t feel right, he could grow the beard back in there. “It worked out perfectly,” said Lakeram. “I can still shave, use all my expensive equipment, still kiss my girlfriend without her complaining too much.” Lakeram said that his girlfriend absolutely hates his beard. He grew it after they had already started dating. Lakeram said his girlfriend often wonders why he couldn’t just grow a regular beard. But his hairstyle matches his eccentric sense of fash-

ion. Lakeram never wears regular dress pants, instead choosing to wear breeches or something else more unique. “I’m more on the eccentric side. I need something to complement my cowboy boots or my kilt or something,” said Lakeram. “I could change categories if I wanted but I’m in it to win it.” Lakeram started the Hofstra Beard and Mustache Club last month. The club is open to everyone and already has around 12 members attempting to grow their own facial hair. They even have a

female board member. “Yeah, I thought it would make no sense to join the club because I am a girl and don’t have a beard,” said freshman treasurer Danielle Pitter. “I told Scott that and he told me it’s an opportunity to learn about a different interest of people. So I thought ‘Why not?’” Pitter described Lakeram as “goal-oriented” and an “excellent leader.” The club is planning a beard and mustache competition for November of next year to be held at Hofstra.

Courtesy of Scott Lakeram


The Chronicle

@HOFSTRA

December 8, 2015 •

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Triple threat: Alexandra Phipps By Laurel O’Keefe STAFF WRITER

Being a full-time student can be demanding – add that stress on top of RA duties, a job on campus, exercise, planning your own recital and coursework for three majors and a minor, and you’ve still only got a slight idea as to what Alex Phipps’s fall semester looked like so far. The Miami native started her Hofstra career as a music major and now, four years later, has found herself to soon graduate as a triple major in anthropology, global studies and geography with a minor in music. “I was a vocal performance major but I didn’t like the program because I felt really pigeonholed in what I was doing,” said Phipps. “It was like, what about the rest of the world? What’s actually going on? I felt very alienated from the rest of the Hofstra population.” As Phipps took on the daunting task of selecting a new major, she found herself slowly escaping the pigeonhole she felt trapped in. “I deliberately chose Hofstra because it has so many majors. I knew I wanted to do music

but I didn’t know if exactly what happened [deciding not to major in music] would happen,” Phipps said. “As soon as I found out what [anthropology] was and it was explained to me, I was like, ‘Oh my God I want to do this.’ I took on two majors after that because I liked global studies a lot and I wanted to get more of the economic and political side of current events and the world and the way things work.” Her third major came as a suggestion from her advisor who recommended geography because many of the classes coincided with global studies. As for a minor, keeping music as a part of her studies was a clear choice for Phipps. “I was in ballet as a kid. [My parents] put me in soccer for one day and I hated it. I literally called my mom on a payphone because I ran away from the field,” said Phipps. “Running around wasn’t for me, so I did tap, jazz and ballet and baby ballroom.” Phipps may have abandoned her dance career since childhood, but performing arts seemed to stick as a constant part of her life. “I started acting

and I went to this big acting camp in California and I discovered that I could sing and my teacher discovered that I could sing opera,” said Phipps. “I just kind of fell in love with it.” With her large number of commitments comes hectic days, so Phipps added music as a minor to ensure she would still have time to sing. As for the motivation to take on so much, Phipps said a difficult upbringing has had something to do with her tenacity. “Nothing was handed to me as a kid, so I’ve had to fight for everything I have. That’s what inspires me,” said Phipps. “If I graduate and I don’t have an awesome resume then I’m not going to be able to compete with the people who do have [their parents] helping them. The hunger from that kind of drives me forward.” As a soon to be graduate, Phipps has tried to ensure that she got the most out of her education at Hofstra and has taken advantage of the opportunities afforded to her, like the chance to develop her own personal recital.

Anthony Porcelli, advising extraordinaire By Jessica Harrington STAFF WRITER

“Be dedicated to what it is you are doing. Find what motivates you. It will allow you to continue in times of difficulty. Lastly, be humble.” That is the advice Anthony Porcelli, assistant dean at Hofstra University, has for those in leadership positions. He doesn’t consider himself an expert in the field but he does have a lot of experience under his belt. “In college, I was a resident assistant (RA) for three years as an undergraduate student. I then went back as a graduate assistant while obtaining my masters. After that, I came to Hofstra as a resident director (RD) for two years. My last year as an RD I also taught the RA training class. Now I am in the Center of University Advising,”

said Porcelli. Porcelli knows as well as anyone that being a leader comes with many obstacles and a lot of hard work. In his class, Porcelli prepares RAs at Hofstra to be the best student leaders they can. “You are not a person who is done learning. Do not look at yourself as an expert in the field who has all of the answers to everything. Know full well there is a lot more for you to learn. If you do that, you invest in learning in ways you did not anticipate. And that is how true progress is made,” said Porcelli. When asked what keeps bringing him back to these positions, his response was, “I don’t think I would have very fulfilling work without helping others. In most of my positions, I’ve held a mentorship role. What

it comes down to is, I don’t like seeing people struggle with things.” That statement can be supported by a number of his students and Residential Life staff members. “He is great because of his sincerity. He genuinely wants to help all of the students that he can. He is never too busy for others,” said Lili Avila, a senior public relations major and RA. Porcelli is fortunate enough to have had the chance to influence a number of peers and students. So far, he favored his job as an RD most. Porcelli described having a residential staff as, “An amazing thing to be a part of. I felt as though I had more of a concrete impact as an RD because I really got to know a set group of people and see them grow.”

Laurel O’Keefe/The Chronicle “Yes, it’s a lot of work but it’s something that I want. It’s fun to sing on a stage in front of people,” Phipps said. “Putting yourself in such a situation, there’s two options: You either succeed or you fail. You don’t do OK at this, so it’s been fun.” Phipps’s recital took place on Dec. 5 and consisted of 13 songs from different operas in five different languages, all of which require memorization and translation to ensure that she could support an hour of stage time by herself. “I really enjoy what I do,” said

Phipps. “There are so many opportunities at this school that all you have to do is reach out and take them. That’s the beauty of it being a big school.” As for advice to warming up to the school and getting the most out of being a student, Phipps encourages the idea of keeping busy and finding ways to learn from new experiences. “Really go out of your comfort zone,” said Phipps. “Do things that you think you would hate. Talk to people you think you would never talk to. Go ahead, spread yourself too thin.”

Finals guide to success By Amanda Valentovic ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

It’s the last week of classes and finals are rapidly approaching, which means you probably have papers to write, projects to finish and tests to study for. Here are some tips to help you make it through with as little stress as possible. Stay organized. It can be hard to keep track of everything you have going on so make a list of due dates and other important things you need to know. Schedule study time and when you will be working on papers. Also, make sure to schedule breaks and time for fun. Take breaks. Constantly doing homework and having deadlines every day can take all of the energy out of you, but remember that it’s OK to take a break every once in

awhile. It might seem like you don’t have time, but spending an afternoon or even just a few hours with friends can relax you and help relieve some stress. Stay healthy. Exercising pushes extra blood flow to the brain, while sitting still for long amounts of time can make you tired. Take a trip to the gym. The adrenaline of a workout will give you more energy to keep going and you’ll probably feel productive. Eating right will also make you feel better. Healthier foods will make you feel more alert and ready to go – and when you’re done, you can reward yourself with all the holiday food you want. There is always a lot going on during finals week, so just take a deep breath and remember that you can get through it as long as you stay focused and organized.


A8 •DECEMBER 8, 2015

@HOFSTRA

The Chronicle

Man on the Unispan What’s your favorite holiday tradition? By Brianna Ciniglio STAFF WRITER

“Opening presents on Christmas Eve.” Gabrielle Wasserstein, Junior

“Baking ricotta cookies.” Marialena Rago, Junior

“[When] my mom and I spend the day baking these butter cookies.” Maggie Palermo, Senior

“[When] my family and I go to the Winter Fest of Lights in Ocean City and they take you out around the park to see different scenes and lights.” Alex Lewis, Senior

“Setting up the Christmas tree.” Joshua Hernando, Junior

“Shoveling, watching movies and extreme sledding.” David Strack, Senior

Photos by Sarah Kocher


The Chronicle

By Cailin Loesch STAFF WRITER

@HOFSTRA

December 8, 2015 • A9

The Humans of Hofstra

Biao Jinj, Freshman “[I’m studying] finance. I just came here [from China] two months ago. After graduation I’ll probably go back to China. I need to keep working with my father.”

Anthony Simeone, Freshman “How did you make the decision to come to Hofstra?” “My dad went here. It seemed like a great place to learn. He says that the school has gotten a lot bigger, but aside from that, it’s pretty much the same as when he left it.”

Mike Price, Freshman “I play rugby.” “How is playing rugby in college different than playing in high school?” “Better competition.”

Paige Baglione, Freshman “My dad wanted to come here when he was younger, but he couldn’t for financial reasons. I’m kind of ... I don’t want to say living for him, but it’s kind of cool [to be here]. It was difficult [to leave home] but I kind of like it. I was in the same place my whole life, so I was like, ‘It’s a change. It’s fun.’”

Kyle Bohringer, Freshman “I’m a film major. Right around my freshman year of high school, I was watching a lot of movies and I was like ‘You know what? I should do this for a living.’”

Photos by Jesse Saunders


THE FATE OF THE RATHSKELLAR

These are the six proposed plans of a large scale renovation of the lower floor of the student center put forth by the university planning committe on November 16th, 2015. The proposed renovation of Hofstra’s Rathskellar has recieved a large amount of backlash as well as support from various Hofstra communities. No currently proposed plans are final, however the university is enthusiastic to move forward with this project. The Chronicle will continue to report any updates as needed. Spread and photos by Jesse Saunders


A&E VOL 81 ISSUE 9

Peter Soucy / The Chronicle


B 2 •December 8 , 2015

A&E

The Chronicle

FORM Gallery: ‘Sonder’ steps into the shoes of strangers By Brianna Holcomb ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

I have walked through the city so many times, or sat at an event and just people watched. The fact that each person has his or her own story and individual life can be a hard concept to wrap my mind around. Jordan Siem explores this concept in the FORM Gallery “Sonder.” By definition the word sonder “is the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” We constantly go through life focused solely on ourselves and the issues or events taking place in our own life. Siem uses a series of photographs to allow the audience to step out of their own head and into that of a random person. Each photograph is able to tell a different story by looking at a different subject. What is most interesting about this photo series is that those found in the Courtsey of Jordan Siem

photographs are not only different in looks but also in destination. From Brooklyn to South Dakota, each subject is literally a different story. One of the most interesting photos is one of a man walking away from the scene of an accident. Whether or not the man was involved in the accident or was there to help is unclear, but what is clear is that the accident was tragic. In the foreground of the photo, the man is walking away toward the camera. Behind him is a collection of black smoke and flames emitting from the car. This photograph captures everything and nothing at the same time. Looking at each photograph, the photographer captures an interesting story of the subject. “Interactions amongst strangers can provide a retreat into an unknown world full of rich experiences, which in turn can influence the way we carry out our own lives,” Siem said. To look into what other

people are thinking or pieces of their lives that do not intertwine with our own seems to be unfathomable. The gallery looks at simple interactions between people that we would not normally think to look at. “These photographs have been made across the vast landscape of the United States taking into consideration the ordinary and extraordinary everyday interactions people have with one another,” Siem said. From a woman in bright clothing in Los Angeles to a single man smoking in Brooklyn, everyone has his or her own story. Whether or not we realize it, the world does not revolve around us and it is OK to take the time and look at what makes each person we come across unique.

‘Student Rep’ takes audience on a magical, psychological journey By Xavier Edwards COLUMNIST

It is the time of the year when dance and drama students combine their talents to create a captivating performance like no other. The Student Rep show is put on once at the end of each semester. This year featured the work of “Hospice” by Pearl Cleage, “J.Neto & Co: a Collection of Works,” “MOVOM” and “Watching the Moon” by Massimo Bontempelli. The English translation of “Watching the Moon” explores the mind of Maria, played by Carly Wilkins, as she goes through the stages of grief after losing her child. Playwright Massimo Bontempelli intended to examine the effects grief has on the human mind. Maria explores the land of Lots of Men and Women (played by various students) to reach her obsessive quest to destroy the moon. “Watching The Moon” is definitely one of those magical, psychological plays that make you question reality, while managing to captivate your attention without confusing you. Setting the atmosphere, the second half of the Student Rep showcase continued that whimsical spirit with the choreography pieces “Detached,” “Fwd,” “Vessel Grow Back Good,” “If I Break” and “Retro Metro.” As always, the opening performance helps to set the mood for the rest of the show. Oliver Greco’s choreography in “Detached” filled the atmosphere with organized

chaos. Each dancer had their own story as they illusing piece choreographed by senior Kevin Williams. His trated their sense of confusion through their body’s erratic piece “Take my Hand,” mimicked the art of praise dance movement. mixed with modern ballet. In an all-white wardrobe, the As the show went on, the choreography became more dancers illustrated grace as they spun, twirled, leapt and whimsical and fantasy-like. Much of the choreography extended into the audience’s heart. illustrated a strong variety of line extension, synchronizaThe Student Rep showcases all of the amazing talents tion and flexibility. and hard work of Hofstra’s department of art and drama. A personal favorite was “An Exercise in Anachronism,” performed by Julian Donahue who executed this tribalyet-elegant movement that incorporated many ballerina techniques which she has clearly mastered. Another favorite of mine was “Retro Metro.” The audience’s enjoyment was evident as they continued to watch in constant laughter, giggles and awe. I was quite impressed that my hometown Canarsie’s L train subway announcement became the intro and backdrop of their performance. Throughout the dance, the dancers portrayed the different Xavier Edwards/ The Chronicle internal feelings most commuters have, or wish to have, as Students performing during the Student Rep Show. they ride the subway. Ending the night was an uplift-


The Chronicle

A&E

Hofstra Chronicle’s Favorite Songs of 2015 By The Chronicle Staff “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend “I love the messsage in the lyrics because this song appreciates the fragility of life and love. Plus I love a good ballad I can belt out while I’m driving.” -Lauren del Valle, Editor in Chief “What You Don’t Do” by Lianne La Havas “This song is such a powerful and memorable one and I love just dancing around to Lianne’s smooth, beautiful voice and her incredible lyrics.” -Ehlayna Napolitano, Managing Editor “What I Never Knew I Always Wanted” by Carrie Underwood “Carrie Underwood has always been my idol so I’m a bit biased, but this is a beautiful song. It really makes me appreciate the mysteries of life and love.” -Marisa Russell, News Editor “Back to Back” by Drake “It’s hard to end another man’s career with a single song, but

Drake did just that. (It’s definitely your girl’s tour, Meek.)” -Michael Ortiz, News Editor

“Antidote” by Travis Scott “It’s lit ... at the night show” -Kyle Kandetzki, Sports Editor

“Good For You” by Selena Gomez “Not only is this song a jam, but the music video is great. I mean, who doesn’t have a crush on Selena Gomez?” -Rachael Durant, Editorial Editor

“Hotline Bling” by Drake “This is more than just a song. This is a phenomenon. Drake had himself a good year this year, and this song tops them all.” -Kevin Carroll, Asst. Sports Editor

“See You Again” by Charlie Puth ft. Wiz Khalifa. “The Fast and Furious series is amazing. It was also a very nice tribute to Paul Walker. Oh, the feels.” -Janet Lee, Features Editor

“The Way” by Kehlani ft. Chance the Rapper “I love this song because it’s like a cute crush song for adults! Plus Chance makes me happy.” -Brianna Holcomb, A&E Editor

“Missing You” by All Time Low “Like all the melodies in this song and the lyrics are really nice.” -Amanda Valentovic, Asst. Features Editor “Get Better” by Frank Turner “Most people are probably wondering ‘who?’ but this is a personal favorite from his newest album and hearing it in concert was all the sweeter. Such an upbeat, fun song.” -Mike Rudin, Sports Editor

“Hallelujah” by Panic! at the Disco “This song is insanely cinematic, nothing feels better than belting out every part of this song with a group of friends.” -Jesse Saunders, Photo Editor “Green & Gold” by Lianne La Havas “This is the best because of the flawless symmetry of the navigation of different identities in the lyrics and the syncopated instrumentation.” -Che Sullivan, Copy Chief

December 8 2015 • B 3

What’s happening this spring? By Brianna Holcomb ARTS AND ENTERTAIMENT EDITOR

As the semester comes to an end, so will all of the shows and performances put on by the Hofstra drama and dance department and the music department. Despite their showcases coming to an end this semester they will continue on in the spring semester. Next year both the music and Hofstra drama and dance department will put on an array of shows which will include plays by Shakespeare as well as the student-run productions. The year will start off with Hofstra’s music department putting on the “Hofstra Opera Theater” on Jan. 30. This show is the result of an opera training program that presets a fully staged production each January, which consists of two scene productions at the end of the regular semster. In February, the drama and dance department will put on the show “As You Like It” from Feb. 18-28. This play is one of

Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. It is set primarily in the Forest of Arden featuring one of his strongest female heriones. To continue on with annual Shakespeare plays, “The Play’s the Thing: A One-Hour Hamlet” will be performed Feb. 25 and 27. In April they will put on “Peer Gynt” from April 8-17. This show is an adventure and heartbreaking romance featuring madmen, trolls and the Devil himself. Next, in April, will be the “Spring Dance” from April 14-17. This dance concert features Hofstra Faculty choreographers Robin Becker and Anita Feldman with a special guest choreographers Doug Varrone and Sean Curran. To bring the year to an end the drama and dance department will put on their Student Rep showcase from April 29 to May 2. This show consists of a number of student-produced pieces. Keep a look out for these future events.

CWC host annual AIDS Benefit Showcase

By Brianna Holcomb ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Xavier Edwards/ The Chronicle

NAACP President Nyala Stagger (Left) and CWC President Natasha Rowley (right) welcoming guests.

Collegiate Women of Color (CWC) brought together a variety of talent last Thursday to Monroe Lecture Hall in the name of AIDS awareness. Each year, CWC hosts the AIDS Benefit Showcase where audience members donate a small amount – this year it was $2 – in the name of AIDS research. The event is split into two nights – a dinner and a showcase. The showcase, which includes a variety of talent from students and organizations, was led by rapper Wordsmiff – who released an album entitled “Level Up, Vol. 1” in May of 2014. He brought a lot of energy to the stage and kept the crowd engaged throughout the show. As a host, it was clear to see how he is able to transfer the same energy into his own performances. Wordsmiff got the crowd involved with a lesson in how to hit the quan and milly rock. He even performed a piece of one of his songs for the audience – a treat that was greatly appreciated by all. The night started off with broadcast journalism major Nandee Mignon singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a capella. She

is not new to the stage, having performed at a variety of other events on campus and receiving a warm response each time. This was no different. Nigerian native Jesse Tabnasi, known by his stage name Jarhead performed as well, with his song “Still Nigerian” being a crowd favorite. The night continued on with a performance from the newly formed African Students Association, which was created in order to bring African culture to Hofstra’s campus and dance is one of the ways they are doing that. Their performance included a variety of African songs and traditional African dances. The outfits they performed in were modernized versions of traditional African clothing. The show also included two student comedians, which was a nice change of pace to come together and laugh about the things every Hofstra student can relate to, like food and parking on campus. CWC has done a great job of bringing awareness to an issue that many people shy away from and they used an entertaining event as a way to give back.


B 4 •December 8 , 2015

A&E

Videogame Review: ‘Star Wars Battlefront’

Photo courtesy of YouTubecom

By Rob Dolen COLUMNIST

In “Star Wars Battlefront,” players get to relive the classic battles from the original movie series in their own unique ways using environments that feel authentic to the films. Each of the four starting planets (more planets to come with paid downloadable content) are graphically beautiful: The barren and diamond silvers of the snow-planet Hoth, the lush forestry wilderness of Endor, the blackened grime and soot of the volcanic Sullust and the khaki dunes of Tatooine. Each landscape is beautiful in its own right. The environments shine the most in the large-scale sandbox action modes like Walker Assault and Supremacy, the original “Battlefront” mode where players fight to control points on the map. Walker Assault is a 20-versus-20 attack/ defense mode where the rebels have to defend their base from the invasion of the giant AT-AT walker tanks that will decimate ground forces, but the AT-ATs have weak spots that heavy artillery and air support can capitalize on. Players can control Imperial AT-ST walker tanks, X-Wings, Tie Fighters, gun turrets, artillery and many more of the iconic technologies featured in the “Star Wars” universe. By using these, as well as many other types of equipment found throughout the map in the form of glowing power-ups and Star Cards – unlockable equipment slots that allow limited use of special weapons and equipment of your choice – you are able to embark on a relatively realistic version of the “Star

Wars” series. “Battlefront” features several other game modes, most notably Fighter Squadron and Heroes vs. Villains. Fighter Squadron puts pilots against one another in total aerial battles. Heroes vs. Villains puts iconic characters Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo up against Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and Boba Fett in a battle for survival. Each character has their own special but unbalanced abilities. Specifically Boba Fett and Han Solo have overpowered damage ratios and kill rather quickly, against other heroes and villains as well as regular soldiers. “Battlefront” has many other game modes that are more typical, like Capture the Flag, but they all feel very similar with few aspects differing between them. Paired with there being only four maps available at release, only six playable heroes and villains, 11 different main weapons and 24 different Star Cards, this leaves plenty of room for repetition and early-onset boredom. The player will enjoy their first five to 10 hours, but soon after gameplay becomes redundant. In many different matches the player will be encouraged to do the same techniques in order to pass the level. The player is encouraged to pay more money and wait for a better game by purchasing the downloadable content and waiting two or three months. “Star Wars Battlefront” is relatively fun but mostly lacking; the game will improve in the future, but for now it might be a better choice to wait.

The Chronicle

Movie Review: ‘Ixcanul’

Photo courtesy festivalinan.com

By Muhammad Muzammal ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANT EDITOR

“Ixcanul,” the debut film from writer/director Jayro Bustamente, is a moving, powerful film about a Guatemalan family who face a wreath of troubles upon setting up an arranged marriage for one of the children. The child, María (María Mercedes Coroy) is set to marry her father’s employer, Ignacio (Justo Lorenzo), and her reaction – as the film’s opening shot cryptically shows – is void of any enthusiasm. María, who is in her late teens, has a boyfriend named El Pepe (Marvin Coroy), a loose, sometimes drunk 20-year-old, who dreams of moving beyond the mountains and into America. As María stands at a crossroads, her and her family’s futures hang in the balance. One of the greatest things about Bustamente’s film is how it never shows María as a victim, but as an actor in her own life. Later in the film, a terrible incident involving María strikes the family and instead of placing blame on another character, María looks for ways to handle her situation. María’s mother Juana (María Telón) not only helps her daughter, but also becomes the rock that María needs, through the toughest times. But Juana goes further and so does Bustamente. Instead of putting Juana in the box of the mother figure, Bustamente portrays Juana as a strong, fierce older woman who keeps her own in the household, despite any predilections from her husband. This message is powerful, especially in a film whose characters are untouched by

modernity and Western culture. It’s incredible that Bustamente is able to highlight and delve into the everyday lives of these Guatemalan villagers and come out with characters that don’t necessarily see the West as a better world. Why should they? If María and Juana can keep their own, if the family is able to survive a famine crisis and keep their culture with them, then why should they go to the West? Why should a film made in a remote part of the world want to move to a place that is full of inherent misogyny – like Hollywood? This is the biggest achievement of “Ixcanul.” It is able to look at a non-modern world, find its identity and use it to show how comfortable the villagers are with simply staying there and not moving to the U.S. With this, the film elicits discussion on the view of women in American films and how that is reflective of a still subtly misogynistic culture. Through its strong views on feminism, the film shows that even if you have a free nation, it does not mean misogyny will cease to exist. Women in Hollywood struggle to have a presence in the industry and therefore, films of this nature can never be made. However, “Ixcanul” is real, it was made and is recommended for being a powerful vision of humans that are just like us, only in a different world.

Cover photo: Zack Alexander during his performance at the Jazz Ensemble concert.

To be interviewed for print and online exposure, email A&E at hoftsraae@gmail.com


A12 • December 8, 2015

EDITORIAL

The Chronicle

The Party Line What should we do about Syrian refugees? The United States should play it safe

By Johannes Sorto CONTRIBUTOR

With the latest terrorist attack in Paris, students at Hofstra – as well as everyone in New York – are concerned that an attack from ISIS may occur here. This understandably heightened sense of danger seems to be overlooked when dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis. While it is true that the United States is a place for refugees escaping a civil war, it is also important to remember the gravity of the situation we are facing.

Those who criticize Republicans for trying to prevent Syrian refugees from coming seem to have forgotten how the American people feel. Many Americans, especially here in New York, saw what occurred in Paris and are extremely concerned that an attack may happen in our own backyard. And how can you blame them? Even though it has been over a decade since a major terrorist attack has occurred in the U.S., that alone will not prevent one from

happening tomorrow. Given the current situation, people should be more understanding as to why someone may not want a Syrian

voted with House Republicans to increase background checks on Syrian refugees. Democrats should stop calling Republicans insensitive, racist or betraying American principles, when it has nothing to do with race, ethnicity or immigration. Republicans are not concerned with any of that. We consider this a national security issue. It is the government’s job to protect America.

“This understandably heightened sense of danger seems to be overlooked when dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis.” refugee in their neighborhood. If Democrats are skeptical, look at the Democratic New York Congressman Steve Israel who

That being said, the United States can allow refugees to enter, but not until the situation calms down, and not until our intelligence community can properly screen each refugee guaranteeing that they have no connection to ISIS. In order for this to occur, the U.S. will have to work with European allies to have the best intelligence possible. By doing this we can keep America safe.

Johannes Sorto is the president of the Hofstra University College Republicans.

The views and opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section are those of the authors of the articles. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

America should be compassionate By Brett Linley CONTRIBUTOR

The tragic terrorist attack carried out by ISIS in Paris has exacerbated the issue of not only the civil war in Syria, but also the refugee crisis stemming from it. Thousands of families are being displaced from their homes due to the violence in the region. This has raised the question of what role, if any, the United States should play in managing these refugees. While there are risks involved and precautions that must be taken, the only humane option is for the United States to take a dominant role in assisting these

refugees. These are people being driven out of their homes by Islamic terror; they are not coming here to conduct it. To turn these refugees away is not only a dark stain on our nation’s fabric, but it is also, essentially, a death sentence. The biggest source of resistance to such measures stems from the fear that ISIS is going to sneak through with these refugees and orchestrate another terror attack. It is important to note that those who perpetrated the attack in Paris

were European nationals and did not enter through the flow of refugees. This all being said, it is understandable to exercise caution against those flowing in from a region that is currently a

terrorists would be able to slip through the cracks. The irony here is that most conservatives who swear by the efficiency and effectiveness of the national security state are suddenly rallying against letting refugees in on the grounds of government incompetence. The end result of both arguments is the violation of civil liberties and human rights. It is true that the refugee crisis will not stop until events in the Middle East are addressed. However, there’s no telling how

“To turn these refugees away is not only a dark stain on our nation’s fabric, but it is also, essentially, a death sentence.” hotbed for terrorism. Such fear cannot be justly used to shut out refugees. Refugees face an intense screening process and it is unlikely that

Have an opinion?

long the fight with ISIS could take to resolve itself. In which time thousands of rejected refugees could be subjected to oppression or death. If we truly are the leader of global affairs, then we must step forward as the shining beacon of liberty and open our doors. If we truly are an international force for good, the title should speak for itself.

Brett Linley is the President of the Hofstra Students for Liberty.

Email us at hofstrachronicleeditorials@gmail.com


The Chronicle

OP - ED

December 8, 2015• A13

Be an inspiration, go unedited By Kate Riccardi SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Beauty. The word is as abstract as the people who define it. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. Or at least, that is what we are told. So why is it that every time we watch TV or look in a magazine or online, we see beautiful women with contorted bodies and unrealistic figures? I have a strong admiration for those women who are rejecting any photo alterations. Kate Winslet recently told Lancome that her ad campaign photos will not be altered because she told E! News’s Cat Sadler that “we’re all responsible for raising strong young women, so these are

things that are important to me.” I could not agree more with her. We, as a society, need to raise confident young women who feel comfortable and beautiful in their own skin.

one does. We think of it as brave when a woman is confident in her own body. Yes, it is brave to admit that you love your body in a world full of hate, but it should not be. Everyone should be able to love themselves and their differences, whatever they may be. I am not white. I grew up my whole life not being white and looking totally different from the girls that are on TV or in magazines. I am Chinese. I grew up my whole life being different. My physical appearance is far different than that of the basic societal expectations of beautiful. We are expected to

“Everyone should be able to love themselves and their differences, whatever they may be. ” Actress and singer Zendaya Coleman recently had an issue with Modeliste magazine because they edited photos of her body. She was not happy to see the edits and took to her Instagram to call out the magazine. When young girls see edited photos, it is a whole new concept to them. It should not be odd to see a celebrity refuse Photoshop but yet, we find it almost heroic when

have a thin figure, big breasts, a large bottom, a pretty face and perfect hair. Guess what? No one has all that. And you know what? That’s OK! Young girls may not realize it, but it is your differences that make you beautiful. It is OK to not look like every other cookie-cutter girl seen on TV or in beauty magazines. I am not going to lie, it is hard to accept everything about yourself. But once you accept most of your

much happier. In the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Maria Borges made history by choosing to wear her natural curly hair in the show rather than a wig. This takes a lot of bravery, especially in an industry where your body is expected to meet certain stereotypes. This choice shows so many young girls to embrace their natural beauty. So many little girls, especially young African-American girls, are going to look up to this model and realize that their natural hair is something they should be proud of rather than try to hide or change it. Young girls need positive role models to encourage them to be proud of what they have and not be afraid of their unique qualities.

“Young girls need positive role models to encourage them to be proud of what they have and not be afraid of their unique qualities. ” features, your confidence levels will skyrocket and you will be so

Illustration by Tom Cassese

The Chronicle congratulates all Hofstra’s December graduates on their accomplishment. Best of luck in your future. #RoarWithPride


A 14 • December 8, 2015

SPORTS

The Chronicle

OPINION: Men’s basketball primed for postseason run By Gio Annatelli STAFF WRITER

College basketball season is upon us and that means that March Madness is getting closer. Beginning on March 13 with Selection Sunday, the best time in sports begins. For those that may not know what I’m talking about, March Madness is another name for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship. For three weeks, the whole country will be expecting the favorites to win and hoping for a Cinderella team to emerge. In the past couple years, we’ve seen the likes of Butler, Davidson and Wichita State come out of nowhere and shock the world. Following their big breaks, all three teams stuck around as a dangerous team come tournament time. The Hofstra Pride men’s basketball team is looking to become one of those Cinderella stories. Any team coming out of the Colonial Athletic Association, a mid-major conference, will face adversity against the big schools like Kentucky and Duke. However, the CAA has produced teams who made it as far as the Final Four. If anyone remembers,

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) played in the CAA for a while and made a big name for itself come tournament time. Following its big run in 2011 and early departure from the madness in 2012, VCU was good enough to move up to the Atlantic-10 conference. Anybody remember 2006 when George Mason made it as a controversial at-large bid and shocked the world as an 11 seed going to the Final Four? I sure do. The Patriots, who didn’t even make it to the conference finals, mowed down opponents, including the one-seeded UConn Huskies in overtime, en route to the Final Four to get blown out by Florida. But how? How can Hofstra be that team when they themselves couldn’t make it to the conference finals last year? The Pride is a much better team than it was last year and is a much hungrier team. For one thing, Hofstra is led by CAA Preseason Player of the Year Juan’ya Green. This is no surprise, Green averaged over 17 points a game and was ninth in Division I in assists with 6.5 per game last season, while being named apart of the All-CAA first team. So far this season, Green has exceeded

Cam Keough/The Chronicle Juan’ya Green (1) drives down the court past an Appalachian State defender during Sunday’s win at Madison Square Garden.

both statistics, having 18.3 points per game and 7.4 assists per game. The 7.4 APG puts him seventh in the nation. His ability to cut through the defense and drive through the lane while being able to see the whole court is an integral part of this Pride team. Joining Juan’ya Green on the first team is fellow senior Ameen Tanksley. Tanksley was fourth in the conference last year with over 16 points a game and fifth in steals with 1.4 per game. Currently, Tanksley is second on the team with 16 points per game and has pulled down 5.1 rebounds per game. He has the ability to knock down threepointers, grab down rebounds and drive into the paint and score. This is the first time since the 2006-07 season where Hofstra had a pair of players on the preseason All-CAA first team. During that same year, the Pride made its first and only CAA finals, which it came up short in against UNCW. The Pride has its own version of “The Big Three” with Brian Bernardi joining Green and Tanksley as the third member. Last year was Bernardi’s first year with the Pride on the court after transferring from SMU and boy did he knock the lights out. Bernardi sunk a team-high 95 shots from behind the arc and also shot over 40 percent from the outside area. “The Staten Island Sniper” is at the top of the CAA, knocking down 52 percent of his threes, along with averaging 15.6 points per game. Rounding out the starting line are big men sophomore Rokas Gustys and transfer Denton Koon. Hobbled by injuries, Gustys went under the wing of top big man Moussa Kone. Now, a year older and wiser, Gustys is second in the conference in rebounding averaging 9.1 per game. After starting his career red-hot in an always-tough Ivy League conference, Koon suffered a knee injury in the preseason of his senior year and ended up missing the whole season. Now fully healthy and ready to have the senior year that he missed, Koon brings a veteran’s presence with the

Cam Keough/The Chronicle Rokas Gustys has been a big presence in the post for the Pride this season.

experience of going up against schools like Harvard, Syracuse and Butler. Koon is currently the fourth member of this Hofstra Pride team to score in double digits, averaging just over 11 points per game. The one thing that can give Hofstra that extra push in the tournament is the depth on the bench. The Pride has one of the toughest and scrappiest players in the conference in Malik Nichols. He is always all over the court, providing a huge spark off the bench. Nichols is topping his season last year, averaging 7.4 points per game and is right behind Gustys in rebounding, averaging 6.6. Since joining the CAA in the 2001-02 season, this marks the second time the Pride enters the season as the preseason favorite. The first time it happened was during the 200607 season that made it to the conference finals. The similarities keep showing up. But the Pride has a stronger drive after being seconds away from making it to the conference finals. It’s dealt with heartbreak. It’s dealt with disappointment. This year is

different. My prediction before the season was that the Pride was going to just coast through the non-conference schedule, going undefeated and carrying its fantastic play into conference season. The Pride then lost only two games in the conference: once at home against James Madison and then the following game at Northeastern. After that, it lights a fire under the team and it dominates the rest of the season, garnering the one-seed come tournament time. Hofstra coasts through the tournament and is able to call itself CAA champion for the first time. So far, I was only wrong about the undefeated part. But it seems the Pride is riding through the non-conference with ease. For the rest of the season, my prediction stands. With a lot of luck, skill and the magic that comes with March Madness, the Pride will become bracket busters and make a run, and a name, for itself. Following this year, the Pride will cement itself as a mid-major powerhouse and will go back to the tournament for years to come.


The Chronicle

SPORTS

December 8, 2015 • A 15

Pride women’s basketball: Semester in review By Mike Rudin SPORTS EDITOR

The Hofstra Pride women’s basketball team soared to new heights after an opening 7-1 record to start the 2015-16 season. Considering the only loss came against seventh-ranked Oregon State down in San Juan, Hofstra has made great strides to begin head coach Krista Kilburn Steveskey’s 10th year at the helm of the team. “They are just a group that cares about winning more and I’ve been saying this for 10 years that I’ve been here as a coach,” Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey said after Saturday’s win against St. Joseph’s. “I wanted to coach a team that represents the years of my past … like [when] I came into NC State but that was a culture that was already established … they do care about each other really well.” The dynamic duo of Krystal Luciano and Darius Faulk have been a strong boost to the team’s success so far. The two players

work well feeding the ball to each other as well as directing the rest of the team. The two players rank in the top three in assists and steal; Luciano averages 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game while Faulk puts up six points and 4.3 rebounds each game. Luciano’s shot has been on fire lately, scoring in double digits five of the last six games. She’s scored on average 12 points per game which nearly doubles her average of 6.5 in 2014-15. Faulk came up clutch in some key situations, such as the grab-and-go turnover in the final seconds against Navy, providing the game-winning basket. Ashunae Durant currently has been one of the most vital and consistent players on the team. From her work inside the paint to grabbing boards, she’s been a team player and the catalyst of the team when needed. Overall, things look great on paper and some players have stepped up for the Pride, but there are some underlying issues that pose concerns. Mainly, the distribution of rebounds and the problems at the five spot have

posed some red flags. Anjie White was KilburnSteveskey’s go-to player to start at the five and it began on a rocky road. She struggled to be the projected reckoning force on the court, averaging 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 points per game. Then during the Oregon State game, White left the game within the first minute due to injury, forcing reserve players Sandra Dongmo and Sydni Epps into the fire to fill White’s spot. While Ashunae Durant leads the team with 10.5 rebounds per game, the next best average stands at 6.3 a game. Durant alone makes up 26 percent of the team’s rebounds with 50 more than the next player. On the plus side, Hofstra’s bench proved to be a major plus in the starting portion of the season with players like Asia Jackson and Jakelle King-Gilchrist. King-Gilchrist notched her best performance with 15 points in the season opener. Jackson tallied 10 or 11 points three times. Hofstra has three remaining non-conference games left in the

Victoria Mickens/ Hofstra Chronicle The Pride is out to a red-hot start to begin the season, posting a 7-1 record.

regular season against University of Massachusetts (2-4), then they’ll face off with Marist College (2-7) and the Pride will end their non-conference portion against Delaware State University (1-7).

Hofstra has a great chance to begin 10-1 before conference action, since all three non-conference teams are ranked higher than 200 in NCAA RPI.

Pride men’s basketball: Semester in review By Steven Wolff STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra men’s basketball team looks for redemption, after their one point, double-overtime defeat last season against William & Mary in the CAA semifinals. Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich’s Pride has gotten off to a quick start this season at 6-2. He recently recorded his 300th career win last Wednesday, in an 84-80 win against his alma mater, La Salle. On the season, the Pride has four players averaging in double figures. Junior guard Brian Bernardi has been an efficient scorer, averaging 15 points per game, shooting 51 percent from the field and about 90 percent from the free-throw line. Senior point guard Juan’ya Green is leading the Pride in scoring on the season with 18 per game, but has also done a fine job of distributing the ball to his teammates, racking up seven assists per game. Green has

scored in every game thus far. However, like last season, he can do a better job of improving his efficiency, shooting 40 percent from the field. Senior guard Ameen Tanksley has scored 16 points per game and has given the Pride another outside shooting force, making it a little easier on Green. Bouncing back from an injury he suffered last year, Denton Koon, a 6-foot-8-inch forward, has given the Pride a positive impact in the early onset. He is providing them with another scoring option averaging 11.5 points per game. Koon has also given the Pride an extra body under the basket, grabbing almost seven boards per game. Overall, the early offensive onslaught is contagious as Hofstra is regularly scoring 85 points per game, compared to last year where they averaged only 78. With the loss of last year’s center Moussa Kone, the team

has benefited from Rokas Gustys and Malik Nichols. Gustys is averaging nine points and nine boards, while Nichols is coming off the bench and giving them seven points and seven boards. If the Pride is going to continue to be a dominant team and have a chance to win the CAA title, the two will have to continue playing at this high level and Gustys will need to improve his free-throw shooting late in games. It is essential for Hofstra to get off to quicker starts in games. On the season they have only scored about 300 points in the first half, while scoring 384 points in the second half. They are finishing off games strongly but the second half would be more manageable if they weren’t often trailing early. If the Pride can maintain their overall strong play going into CAA contests, they will have a better chance to avenge last year’s loss and win the Colonial.

Cam Keough/The Chronicle Coach Joe Mihalich has led the Pride to a great start this season, winning six of the team’s first eight games, including MIhalich’s 300th victory.


A 16 • December 8, 2015

SPORTS

The Chronicle

Wrestling’s Mike Hughes “zoned in” to succeed By Victoria Mickens STAFF WRITER

Mike Hughes is a junior on the Hofstra Division I wrestling team who is currently powering through his best season yet. Or, as he modestly puts it, “So far the season is going better than the other two years but it still could be better. It’s definitely improving in the right direction in my opinion.” He is currently 16-3 on the season after just this past weekend making his way to the second day of the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational. Hailing from Smithtown, New York, Hughes has been involved in the sport of wrestling since the age of six or seven. “My parents put me into the kids’ program at the high school. So it was just kind of having fun with my friends,” said Hughes. Hughes did indeed play many other sports, including five years of football at Smithtown West High School. But like most

athletes, the others tapered off and the focus shifted entirely to wrestling. Weighing in at 285 pounds and standing at 6 feet 3 inches, Hughes credits a lot of his consistent performance to practice and repetition. “I’ve just been trying to get bigger and stronger, put on more weight, and try and work on some technique. Just sticking with the same things every day. Just trying to work on it over and over.” Most athletes have special preparation routines involving music, books, movies, prayer or other traditions or superstitions. Hughes, however, prefers to sit and relax. “I don’t usually wear like headphones or anything, but when I do listen to music I like to listen to country music just to try to relax me a little bit,” he said. He has noticed that mental preparation, in terms of relaxation, focus and personal confidence, has been a major contribution to his overall progress as

a student athlete. Inspiration seems to also have strongly played into Hughes’s shift in mind set and noticeable improvement. He finds most of his drive from the unconditional love and support of his father. “My biggest inspiration would definitely be my father just because he’s always on my side. Always giving me or trying to give me motivation even though all the time he might not understand wrestling,” said Hughes. “He always texts me before matches and it’s just nice to know that he’s backing me up the whole way.” Looking forward, Hughes plans to redshirt next season and spend the time training hard and preparing for the following season. As for the future, Hughes is studying physical education and health science and aspires to be a teacher and a coach. “I love working with kids, love working with high schoolers. I like coaching, so for me I thought [this career choice] was very good. I [can] influence lives like

Cradle: Much more violent than a baby’s bed – at least one leg is on the opponent’s head in an attempt to gain full control. Funk: No, not the music genre – an unorthodox move or hold. These moves are not necessarily illegal, but can be. Stalling: Being inactive or not attempting to score; can result in a penalty (see below.)

There are five different ways to score points in wrestling: Takedown (2 points): taking the opponent down to the mat while being in control Escape (1 point): when the wrestler gets out or “escapes” from being held down on the mat Reversal (2 points): taking control after being held down on the mat; essentially turning the tables Near Fall (2-3 points): almost pinning the opponent down to the mat; if held down for two seconds, two points are awarded; if held down for five seconds, three points are awarded Penalty Point (1-2 points): given if the opponent commits any of the following illegal moves: • Illegal hold • Technical violations (for example: grabbing clothing) • Unnecessary roughness • Unsportsmanlike conduct • Flagrant misconduct (imme-

Victoria Mickens/The Chronicle Long Island native Mike Hughes currently has a 16-3 record in 2015-16 season.

people have done for me.” There’s no denying that Hughes brings a passion and intensity to the mat. “In wrestling, when you’re sitting there before a match you hear everything going on around you, but for some reason once

you step on the mat most of the time the coaches are screaming and you don’t even hear them until you get that break and you have to reset … It’s just weird sometimes, they just scream and you’re just zoned in and you don’t hear one word they’re saying.”

Wrestling Sportnotes: Hit the mats with Pride By Regina Volpe and Abby Strusowski STAFF WRITERS

Before we start, no, not all wrestlers look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson or Hulk Hogan. When you think of wrestling, you probably think of John Cena from the WWE. However, that is performance wrestling. The actual sport does not involve nearly as many dramatic flips or odd costumes. Before watching a wrestling match, you will need to know a few things about why two people are rolling around on the floor. Terms: Base: Not to be confused with a baseball base, this is the starting position. The wrestler has to have a strong and stable position. Blank: A forfeited match. Think of that episode of Zoey 101 when she was on the wrestling team and all the other teams draw a blank because she was a girl and they did not want to fight her.

Frequently Asked Questions: What is a weight class? A weight class is how much a wrestler weighs. For example, a wrestler weighing 200 lbs. would only wrestle others who weigh 200 lbs. It would not be fair if a 200 lb. person wrestled someone weighing only 150 lbs. How long does a wrestling match last? There are three periods, totaling about seven minutes altogether. However, if the score is tied at the end of the seven minutes, the match goes into overtime. How do you score?

Victoria Mickens/The Chronicle Get to know some wrestling terms so you can cheer on the Pride this season.

diate ejection and the match is over) • Stalling (each wrestler only gets one warning, then subsequent offenses result in the opponent being awarded points) • Incorrect starting position/

False start With your new knowledge of the sport, go forth and, as Hulk Hogan would say, catch a match, brother.


The Chronicle

SPORTS

December 8, 2015 • A 17

Point/Counterpoint: Division I Hockey at Hofstra IN FAVOR OF HOCKEY By Rob Pelaez STAFF WRITER

Hofstra seems to be left in the dark ages when it comes to our athletics. The teams we have seem to be improving every year, however there are some students, including myself, who just want more. I’m sure I’m not the only one here who is proud of my school, so why not have another team to boast about? We’ve tried out football, and sadly it doesn’t seem like it will return in the foreseeable future. Why not try hockey next?

The New York Islanders used to play right next to us. They may have moved to Brooklyn, but the stadium is still intact. The amount of support, heart and dedication that this one strip of land has for that hockey team and the Nassau Coliseum is unmatched to most. Yes, the Coliseum has also had its fair share of wear and tear, but there are other alternatives. There are plenty of schools who use facilities outside of their campus, including professional venues for their games, so why can’t the Pride? If men’s basketball can play at

Madison Square Garden, who’s to say a potential future HU hockey team couldn’t? Long Island hockey has been a standard for the past 40 years, and there is no need to deprive these fans of the sport any longer. Out of the four major sports that exist in the nation, Hofstra only offers two of them. As stated before football, is non-existent. Not having a football and/or hockey team at the school has certainly turned away a handful of recruits and talent that would help Hofstra thrive academically

as well as athletically. The amount of talent that has been produced locally was largely influenced by the Islanders proximity to the population of Long Island. It’s always something special when homegrown talent can make it onto their favorite childhood team, and it attracts more of an audience than one would think. Sports, whether they are collegiate or professional, have become a constant in society and almost impossible to ignore. It is a part of our culture and also rakes in a sizable income from

the paying public. Having some sort of prominent college hockey program on the Island would bring in more attendance, income and recognition for Hofstra. Hofstra sports, which have finally started to rise from the dead since the programs have a solid foundation to build on, so why not add another one to the resume? There are limited schools in the area that students can attend to provide them an excellent education and hockey team.

a cloister of New England teams, Atlantic Hockey plays the same role for schools just south of there, hence why Hofstra would find a niche in that conference; but they wouldn’t find success. Only four Atlantic teams have ever made it past the NCAA tournament’s first round, only for all four teams to lose in the second round. Granted if Hofstra were to get a program going, it would go nowhere. For the women’s team, there isn’t even Atlantic Hockey. It’s only a men’s conference. Most

Atlantic Hockey schools with a women’s program belong to The College Hockey America (CHA) conference. Naturally, Hofstra would follow that trend. Just like the men’s team, they would still be against all odds to succeed. Mercyhurst is the only CHA team to reach the NCAA tournament’s final round, once. Wisconsin shut them out by five. Establishing a program is one thing, establishing a winning one is another. Hofstra currently lacks the means for consistent success in NCAA Division I hockey.

AGAINST HOCKEY By Alex Mitchell STAFF WRITER

The question remains, though, of who would serve as opponents to the Pride. Each team at Hofstra is affiliated with the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference. No school within the CAA runs a hockey program, as it isn’t a CAA sport. Northeastern is the exception to the rule. The Boston-based CAA school has both men’s and women’s NCAA Division I hockey. It’s played in a separate confer-

ence. They’re in the Hockey East Association (aka Hockey East); which is the SEC of college hockey. The powerhouse conference includes Boston University, Boston College and Providence College, to name a few. Since 2009, a Hockey East team has won the NCAA tournament four times. Northeastern has only had two tournament appearances since 1993, both of which came as first round losses. Plus, so far their men’s team hasn’t won a conference game this season. It’s safe to say Hofstra couldn’t waltz

into Hockey East. Because Hofstra is Division I for all sports, downsizing for hockey is awfully improbable. The men’s team would most likely join the Atlantic Hockey Conference. This fairly new Division I conference features Sacred Heart University and Canisius College, two schools that are on this season’s Hofstra men’s basketball schedule. Some other Atlantic Hockey schools are Robert Morris, Mercyhurst, Holy Cross and West Point. While Hockey East is primarily

Three wrestlers reach day two in Las Vegas By Victoria Mickens STAFF WRITER

On Friday night, three juniors on the Hofstra men’s wrestling found themselves advancing to the second day of the 34th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Unfortunately, all three, Jamel Hudson, Frank Affronti and Mike Hughes, were eliminated in the fifth round of wrestlebacks on Saturday morning. Collectively, the Hofstra Pride finished the tournament in 30th place with 18 points. The Missouri Tigers, ranked eighth, won the tournament with 154 points. They were 41 points ahead of the second place finishers Big Red Bears of Cornell who are ranked 14th with 113 points and 49 points ahead of the third place finishers and

18th ranked Minnesota Gophers. On the first day of the tournament, Jamel Hudson (8-3 on the season) posted a 3-1 mark and a 1-0, which earned him his spot in the second day of the event. Hudson opened with an 11-4 win over Nebraska-Kearney’s James Bamford. Hudson, fourth seed in this particular tournament, 4-2 in the CKLV, was pinned by Tyler Smith of Bucknell at the 2:02 mark of their 141-lb. match. Frank Affronti (16-6 on the season) opened with a close 6-5 victory over Purdue’s Jacob Morrissey. He recovered from a defeat with a 6-4 win over California Baptist’s Christian Smith and advanced to the second day with a 6-0 victory over Drew Foster

of Northern Iowa. Affronti was knocked out of the tournament by a 7-5 decision to Army West Point’s Brian Harvey. He was the 10th seed and 3-2 at the CKLV. Michael Hughes (16-3 in the season) opened with a solid 6-1 victory over Purdue’s Tyler Kral before he was upset in the round of 16 by the 11th seed Tanner Hall from Arizona State. On Friday evening, Hughes defeated West Virginia’s Anthony Vizcarrondo with a 7-0 victory, thus earning his spot in day two. Hughes, was also 3-2 in the CKLV and a 10-3 defeat by Ohio State’s Nick Tavanello brought his experience to a close. Day one of the tournament also consisted of individual victories from two other wrestlers prior to their elimination. Sophomore Bryan Damon

(8-11) opened with a remarkable 11-2 major decision over Army West Point’s Sean Badua at 125 pounds before he was pinned by Dylan Peters of Northern Iowa and eventually eliminated in a 4-2 loss to Thierno Diallo of Binghamton. Pride freshman Omar Haddad (5-11) won with a close 6-5 victory over Newberry’s Cody Brundage before he was knocked out of the CKLV by medical default. Unfortunately, freshman Ryan Burkert (4-6), junior Jahlani Callender (10-9), redshirt freshman Bobby Fehr (1-9) and sophomore Cory Damiana all suffered consecutive losses on the first day of the tournament and were eliminated as a result. The men will be back in action in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

for the Lock Haven Invitational after taking a break in order to focus on final exams for the fall semester. The Hofstra men’s wrestling team will make its home debut over winter break, participating in a three-team meet on Jan. 3, first taking on Bloomsburg University at 3 p.m. before finishing the afternoon with a 5 p.m. match with the Virginia Military Institute. For fans looking to watch the Pride in person, Hofstra will host the Hofstra Duals on Sunday, Jan. 24. The Pride will kick of the Hofstra Duals with a 1 p.m. showdown with Sacred Heart University and also take on Clarion University and Columbia University at the event.


A 18 • December 8, 2015

SPORTS

The Chronicle

Pride overcome slow start behind Bernardi’s big day By Frank Aimetti STAFF WRITER

A second-half offensive surge by the Pride helped to stave off the upset-seeking Appalachian State Mountaineers, 86-80, in the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival. A lackadaisical beginning for the Pride led to an early deficit, with second-chance points and potent outside shooting proving to be the main ingredients in the Mountaineers’ impressive start. Appalachian State pounded the offensive glass early and often, leading to put-backs or kick-outs for wide open three-pointers due to a scrambling Hofstra defense. Speaking after the game, Coach Joe Mihalich said, “[Early on] we were more excited about being [at Madison Square Garden] than playing defense.” The Pride was able to narrow the deficit however, as Appalachian State’s hot shooting began to cool off. What didn’t change was Hofstra’s inconsistent defense, which struggled to

chain together stops. Slow defensive rotations were a thorn in Hofstra’s side the entire game with Appalachian State players continually finding holes in the Pride’s defense. The Pride’s relative lack of rim protection was especially apparent when compared to the numerous athletic shot blocks provided by the Mountaineers’ defense. The Pride managed to cut the deficit to only two going into the half, despite generally being thoroughly outplayed over the first 20 minutes. Brian Bernardi was the lone first-half bright spot for the Pride, adding in timely buckets and displaying improved off-the-dribble chops. Bernardi finished with a team-high 23 points, continuing an impressive junior campaign. “I worked the whole summer on my ballhandling, [how to] get better use out of pick-and-rolls and how to get my shot if they’re guarding me tight like that,” said Bernardi after the game. “I mean, it was all summer, I worked.” Hofstra came out of the break

energized, where the increased activity level was especially apparent on defense. Swarming perimeter defense helped to force turnovers, which led to easy buckets for the Pride in transition. While the Pride kept trying to pull away, Frank Eaves of the Mountaineers had other ideas. Eaves poured in a game-high 38 points, with 18 points coming from downtown, while adding in six more points from the charity stripe. Eaves almost single-handedly kept the game in range for Appalachian State heading into the closing minutes. “Whatever we did [on defense], didn’t work,” said Coach Mihalich, speaking on Eaves’s performance. “I think our biggest mistake was letting him get comfortable early on. With the really good scorers, you let them make their first few shots and the basket gets bigger and bigger for them.” It was an ending to remember at Madison Square Garden, capped off by a sensational sequence where Hofstra had a

Cam Keoughj/The Chronicle Brian Bernardi is all smiles after dropping 23 points on Sunday afternoon.

shot rejected at the rim, before stealing the ball back, then having a second shot sent back, before the ball finally bounced to Juan’ya Green who coolly knocked down a pivotal threepointer. Green wasn’t done, drawing ooh’s and aah’s from the crowd after a spectacular behind-the-back pass to the rolling Rokas Gustys, who laid it in. Green finished with 17 points,

chipping in five rebounds, six assists and four steals in a wellrounded performance. A well-designed out-of-timeout play by Coach Mihalich led to a wide-open Ameen Tanksley three-pointer, giving Hofstra an unassailable seven point lead with 32 seconds remaining. Hofstra (6-2) will head to Siena (5-4) for their next game on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Former NBA scout Waheed boosts MBB staff By Anders Jorstad STAFF WRITER

College basketball season has started at Hofstra and excitement is in the air. “[Hofstra students] are passionate about their school,” said men’s basketball assistant coach Akbar Waheed. “That’s the one thing that I feel every day.” Waheed is a new addition to the Hofstra Pride coaching staff this season, replacing former Assistant Coach Shane Nichols who has taken up a similar job at Murray State. Waheed brings a lot of experience to the coaching staff as he has not only been an assistant coach at multiple college programs, but he was also most recently an NBA scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. When asked what he learned along the way, Waheed said, “From Coach Mihalich, I would say just being genuine. Being genuine with the guys and being honest. We had a lot of good players, we challenged them

daily to achieve their goals and dreams.” Waheed worked under Pride head coach Joe Mihalich for 11 seasons at Niagara, so the two have a history together. Although Waheed is a new face for Hofstra fans, there is familiarity between the two coaches. “I’m big into loyalty,” Coach Waheed said, explaining his decision to join the staff at Hofstra. “Coach Mihalich gave me my start as a college coach. It was an opportunity for me to get back into the game that I love. I love impacting young players’ lives, helping them achieve their goals and dreams and it was just a winwin for me and my family.” Coach Waheed has various responsibilities here at Hofstra, including helping out in player development, recruiting and coaching players on the court as well. “It’s all hands on deck and [everyone on the staff] has a voice,” said Coach Waheed about the communication between the coaches. “That’s

Photo Courtesy Hofstra Athletics Waheed brings more NBA experience to the Hofstra coaching staff.

one of the things that I really admire about coach Mihalich, that is he really cares about your input. We sit in our meetings almost daily and we’re expected to be creative, to be energized and to bring that passion to basketball every day.” That smooth communication between the coaches has surely helped lead the Pride to a 5-2 start to the season that includes

a win over Florida State, one of the premier programs in college basketball. But even with the hot start, coach thinks that there’s always room to improve. “Well we can always get better and that’s our goal daily,” said Coach Waheed. “You never stay the same, you get better, you get worse. And we challenge the guys every day. I would say currently our team is in a good position. We’re ranked pretty high in the preseason polls and it’s something that we’ve embraced for a long time. Nobody is going to put more pressure on ourselves than us. We understand where we are, we embrace it and our goal is to go out there and prove it every night. Just to have someone say ‘oh well you have a good team’ or ‘you guys should be number one.’ No, we want to be number one every night we step on the court.” Coach Waheed said the team has been very receptive to the

advice from the coaching staff this season. “I’ll start by saying this, we have a team full of great kids,” he said. “They want to learn, they want to get better. As a coach, that’s all you can ask. It makes your job a lot easier when you go to practice every day and you’ve got 12-13 guys staring at you, just all eyes and ears and ready to get better. There’s not a better environment to be in as a coach when you have players who are driven, have goals, have dreams and want to do big things.” With plenty of games left in the non-conference season, there is still a lot of time to improve before conference play begins. The Pride has several difficult matchups in the non-conference including a match against Stony Brook after a thrilling victory over the Seawolves last season. Coach Waheed will be a major contributor to the coaching staff as the team attempts to build on their strong start.


The Chronicle

SPORTS

December 8, 2015 • A 19

Pride beats Saint Joseph’s, wins third in a row By Robert Palaez STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra women’s basketball team defeated the Hawks of St. Joseph’s University, 75-62, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Saturday. Kelly Loftus was dominant in the win, coming out strong in the second half and ending up bagging a game-high 24 points, and Ashunae Durant put up 17 points and hauled in 15 boards. As for St. Joseph’s, Alyssa Monaghan and Kathleen Fitzpatrick were the team’s high scorers, putting up 16 and 21 points, respectively. The win improved the Pride’s record to 7-1, and drops the Hawks to 2-4 for the year. As for Durant, she has continued to be impressive in her sophomore year, as she put up her fifth double-double in eight games this year. Krystal Luciano and Asia Jackson also got into the double figures category, scoring 11 and

10 points, respectively. From the tip-off, Hofstra controlled the tempo of the game and forced the opposition to take outside shots and wouldn’t let them into the paint at all. The Pride controlled the majority of the action throughout the first half, but St. Joseph’s hung around, largely due to the efforts of Monaghan, who had 12 points in the half. The Pride didn’t have a scorer in double-figures in the first half, but eight different players were able to score, leading to a 31-19 halftime lead for Hofstra. The Pride continued to hold the Hawks at arm’s length throughout the second half, using a flurry of offense from Loftus to squash any potential comebacks from St. Joseph’s. Loftus, who was 1-5 from three-point range in the first half, simply could not miss, hitting all four three-pointers she attempted in the second half. The Pride fended off the Hawks, who were plagued with foul trouble down

the stretch, to improve its record to 7-1 with a 75-63 victory. Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey had a lot of praise for her rotation of Sydney Epps, Durant, Sandra Dongmo and Loftus, keeping the ball moving offensively and defensively forcing the Hawks to have a third of their points from the outside and free throws. After the game, Loftus was about as humble as you could be after putting up the type of production she did on Saturday. “I was just playing; nothing was really different for me. I think I just had a lot more confidence today after I had been struggling the past few, but the team kept giving me the ball so it shows they have a lot of trust in me,” Loftus said. The next game for the Pride will be the start of a three-game road trip, taking on the University of Massachusetts on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.

Cam Keough//The Chronicle Krystal Luciano looks for an open teammate during Saturday’s victory.

Faulk flourishes in front of hometown crowd By Marco Meglio STAFF WRITER

Two years ago, Darius Faulk was playing the role of backup point guard on a West Virginia team. Now, she’s back in her hometown of Hempstead, leading the Pride on its quest for a Colonial Athletic Association title. Faulk, the Pride’s new starting point guard got the team off to a hot start this season. With the Pride winning six of its first seven games, they officially matched their hottest start to a season since 2011. In her final season as a collegiate athlete, Faulk will get to finish it out once again in her hometown. “It feels great to be back home, in front of family and friends, especially for my senior year, there’s no better feeling,” said Faulk. The Hempstead native’s main focus this season is distributing the ball. Last year Faulk ranked second in the CAA in assists, with 4.7 per game. She finished with 205 assists, ranking 28th in Division I. This year her numbers are a bit down,

with just 3.3 a game. When asked about her personal goals Faulk said, “I want to be the CAA player of the year. I also want to be the top leader in assists.” The Pride did not need big game “takeover” performances so far this season. No player is averaging more than 13 points per game. The Pride’s Kelly Loftus, Krystal Luciano and Ashunae Durant all are averaging 13, 12.1 and 12 respectively. When asked about the performance of the team and the scoring mentality they have, Faulk said, “We rely on the flow of the game. It can be anyone’s night. Any night can be anyone’s night.” The Pride is on an absolute tear of late, with the key emphasis on defense. In wins against Coastal Carolina and University at Buffalo, the Pride allowed a total of 36 and 40 points in the contests, respectively. In the second quarter against Coastal Carolina, the Pride even shut out the Chanticleers 27-0 in the second quarter.

“We’re playing collectively as a unit right now. And our defense is fueling our offense,” Faulk said. With only four more games left until conference play the Pride is looking to finish out its nonconference schedule strong. The first conference game is less than a month away, with a matchup at Hofstra against the University of Delaware. Faulk shined last year during conference play, shooting just above 50 percent from the field. The main goal for Hofstra is to get back where the season ended last year, in the CAA finals. James Madison was the only thing standing in the way of the Pride last year, with a 62-56 loss. “We have to take one game at a time. There’s not one team in specific. The ultimate goal is the CAA title,” Faulk said. With the Pride starting off strong this season there is no reason to think they cannot get back to the championship game. Faulk, now a senior, knows the role she plays. She was in this position before with both the Mountaineers and

Cam Keough/ The Chronicle Darius Faulk has been a leader on the court for the Pride in her senior season.

last season with the Pride. She will continue to lead the Pride down the stretch, in its quest for the title as the team faces UMass on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Back Cover: Brian Bernardi goes up and attempts to shoot over Michael Obacha (4).


The Hofstra

Chronicle HOME TOWN HERO Staten Island’s Brian Bernardi drops 23 points in Madison Square Garden win

Cam Keough/The Chronicle


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