The Hofstra Chronicle, February 28, 2023

The discussion about school

through the news as I scrolled through my emails. President Poser sent out an email at 10 a.m. discussing her thoughts and highlighting a gun violence summit held by the Maurice A. Deane School of Law and the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine. I shifted it to the back of my mind and prepared for class.

Hofstra community outraged over Black History Month post

The Hofstra community almost immediately grew outraged by the post. After a few hours, the post was taken down and a story was posted from the Hofstra Instagram account, apologizing for the post and explaining that the campaign was meant to showcase various voices.

By Savith Collure

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

CW: SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

AND VIOLENCE

I found out about the Michigan State University shooting through a friend’s message at 2 a.m. on Valentine’s Day. It was a passing text from them, just a statement.

In the morning, I went

I stopped by the student center after to grab a bite to eat. Roses were being sold in the atrium, and the campus had a familiar buzz of energy. I asked a few friends if they were thinking of swinging by the summit tomorrow; nobody had plans of going. I didn’t bring

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By Megan Naftali NEWS EDITOR

On Friday, Feb. 15, the Hofstra University Instagram account posted a picture of Jessica Eads, the vice president for Student

Speedy Claxton signs multi-year extension

sion to remain the Pride’s head coach on Monday, Feb. 27, per a release by the university.

“Speedy Claxton embodies Hofstra Pride,” said Hofstra president Susan Poser. “He is an outstanding coach who has established a special bond with his players and with the entire Hofstra community. I am thrilled that he wants to remain at Hofstra for the long term.”

to really good start, and doing a really good job. They’re invested in me. I got to make a return on their investment and keep continuing to do well.”

Enrollment, Engagement and Success, along with a quote from her about the importance of Black History Month as part of a month-long social media campaign.

“We wanted to encourage dialogue among all members of the community about the meaning and importance of Black History Month. But, as you told us loud and clear, we missed the mark,” the Instagram story read.

The Division of Marketing and Communications at Hofstra sent an email on Friday, Feb. 17, inviting members of the community to join a discussion

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Hofstra hosts Civil Rights Day celebration

By Andrew Fantucchio SPORTS EDITOR

After earning the Hofstra men’s basketball team its second straight 20-plus win season, a regular season championship and the first overall seed in the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament, Speedy Claxton earned himself a new multi-year contract exten-

According to Claxton, the school approached him two weeks ago to begin initial conversations about a new deal. Although it came initially as a surprise, Claxton viewed Hofstra’s willingness to negotiate as a sign of validation.

“They kind of caught me off guard,” Claxton said. “I told them what I wanted and needed, and to their credit, they gave me exactly what I wanted. I’m off

In two years as Hofstra’s head coach, Claxton has an overall record of 44-19, with a 29-7 mark against the rest of the CAA. With the Pride playing at a prolific rate since his arrival, speculation had begun among college basketball fans that Claxton’s name was on the shortlist for competing schools.

While it’s uncertain if the university was aware of such rumors prior to the extension, it’s clear that Hofstra wanted to lock up their head coach long-term before he ever had the chance to even consider another offer.

By Moriah Sukhlal NEWS EDITOR

In honor of Hofstra University’s Civil Rights Day and Black History Month, The Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice hosted its annual colloquia series on Wednesday, Feb. 22. The Center worked

in partnership with Hofstra’s Criminology Program and Department of Sociology to feature Tasseli McKay, a National Science Foundation postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Sociology at Duke University.

Claxton has a combined winning percentage of 80% in two years as Hofstra’s head coach.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics

shootings is a hard but necessary one

As a part of Hofstra’s celebration of Black History Month, post doctoral fellow Tasseli McKay presented: “The Time is (Never) Right for Reparations.”

MSU students attending a vigil in honor of their fallen classmates.

Photo courtesy of Dale Young

Photo courtesy of Hofstra University

A discussion is held in the parlor of Hofstra Hall over the controversial Black History Month Instagram post.

Megan Naftali / The Hofstra Chronicle

‘Good Morning Amercia’ televises Hofstra bone marrow registry

ethnicities to join the registry.

“Unfortunately for Black and Brown people, there is not enough diversity and people of color in our registry to be able to save a patient who identifies as Black or Latina or Asian and so forth,” Hernandez said.

not getting a transplant because their donor cannot take time off work,” according to the Be The Match website. “Those patients who have a harder time finding a match on the registry are also impacted by their potential matches reporting not having the same access to time off work or job protections for donating.”

By Madeline Armstrong NEWS EDITOR

ABC’s “Good Morning America” and Be The Match, an organization that helps people sign up for the bone marrow and stem cell transplant registry – a database that will match those with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood disorders with donors – hosted an event on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 5-9 a.m. in the student center to encourage students to join the registry.

The event commemorates the 10th anniversary of the bone marrow transplant of Robin Roberts, a television broadcaster for “Good Morning America.”

Lizbeth Hernandez, the account manager in New York for Be The Match, said that since Roberts’ transplant, she has done a lot to spread awareness about donating bone marrow to those in need.

“She has led over 25,000 people to join the registry and about 140 people have actually gone and donated to a person in need,” Hernandez said.

Be The Match also televised drives to join the registry at Duke University, Howard University, Villanova University and University of South Carolina. Jim O’Brien, a leukemia survivor and Be The Match volunteer, said that he thinks that this event and the attention it brings is incredibly important.

“Unfortunately for a lot of patients, their only cure is a

bone stem cell blood transplant, and anytime they don’t have a match in their families to save their lives, they turn to the registry to find an unrelated matched donor,” Hernandez said. “We are the largest and most diverse bone marrow registry. We operate in all 50 states [and] in Puerto Rico and in Mexico.”

O’Brien was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and has undergone two bone marrow transplants since then.

“I had a ridiculously easy time getting two matches. I never had any doubts or worries that I was going to be able to find a match,” O’Brien said.

“I know I had an objectively privileged matching experience. I volunteered for Be The Match because I wanted to give people as good of a shot as I did at getting a match.”

Hernandez said that most people do not know how simple it is to join the registry. To join, individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 40. They will then fill out a health questionnaire to ensure that they are eligible to donate; after that it requires just a simple cheek swab to join the registry. If a person is found to be a match with someone in need, the donation is similar to donating blood, according to Hernandez.

Hernandez also emphasized the importance of having a diverse registry, and he encouraged individuals of all races and

According to the Be The Match website, “Patients and donors often share the same race and ethnicity. The likelihood a patient has a fully matched donor on the Nation’s Registry varies from 29% for Black patients to 79% for white patients.”

O’Brien said that this event brings much-needed awareness to the lack of diversity in the bone marrow registry.

“The fact that Good Morning America is using their platform to promote something like Be The Match, especially during Black History Month with the disadvantage toward Black people, is great,” O’Brien said.

Be The Match is also advocating for the Life Saving Leave Act, which will allow bone marrow donors to take a 40-hour paid leave from work with no questions asked.

“There are patients with matches on the registry who are

“I think the [legislation] is a really exciting development,” O’Brien said. “I think it’s a great step for our country moving forward.”

Eighty-seven Hofstra students were added to the registry on Tuesday and students from all different majors and clubs came to show their support.

“It’s great being the person who actually donates because you feel so good about yourself,” said Nora Janikian, a sophomore television production major.

“I think that if you are healthy and you have the ability to, you really should because other people aren’t granted that in life, and you should help them if you can,” said Francelia DePalma, a sophomore writing for the screen major.

Hernandez was pleased with Hofstra’s support for Be The Match and said that the organization will come back to Hofstra and host another drive in the future. Anyone interested in joining the bone marrow registry can learn more about how to do so at bethematch.com.

“Good Morning America” televised a bone marrow registry event hosted by Be The Match at Hofstra.

Students showed their support for Be The Match by getting swabbed in the student center and cheering on TV.

Alexis Friedman / The Hofstra Chronicle

Alexis Friedman/The Hofstra Chronicle

What you may have missed

7 . 4 5 A M

Over 44,000 animals dead after biohazardous Ohio train derailment, East Palestine, Ohio, Feb 28 – Residents within five miles of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio are returning from the five-day emergency evacuation due to the release of a cancer-causing chemical that contaminated the area and reportedly caused health and environmental concerns. The amount of wildlife has drastically declined over the past three weeks due to the toxic waste contaminating the air, water and soil, according to officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Local residents and workers are reporting severe health conditions, with symptoms similar to bronchitis, forcing them to stop working at local factories and businesses

Brutal violence, including arson and murder, increase tensions between Israel and Palestine, West Bank, Huwara, Feb 27, – Israeli settlers stormed into Palestinian territory shooting people and burning homes cars and businesses on Sunday, Feb 26, and Monday, Feb 27 More than 350 Palestinians were injured, and one was killed. The attack was in retaliation to an unknown Palestinian gunman who murdered Israeli brothers Hillel, 22, and Yagel Yaniv, 20, on a highway that intersects Huwara.

CONTINUED FROM A1

Southern Californians are witnessing a winter wonderland, the first time for many, California, Feb 26 – Up to seven feet of snow topped the mountains outside of Los Angeles inciting many residents to enjoy the rare weather in southern California

More than 126,000 residents were without power throughout the entire state

making sure that we start with

Information compiled by Lily Spinda Graphic by Megan Naftali

Screenshot by Will Germaine

Meeting the challenges of reparative scholarship

Due to the vast and complex history of racial cruelty, researchers have always struggled with the ability to comprehend the harm it has caused to Black communities. Yet, alarmingly, this very certitude strains the extent to which repair can be performed to account for such harm.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the participation of researchers in the social science field. A recent study evaluating the publishing activity of social science faculty members of institutions in the U.S. found that between 2011-2019, the publication of journal articles per scholar increased between 3% and 64%. In addition to the overall increase in social science research, there has been a reinstated drive to research social issues plaguing minority communities and those impacted by a history of racial injustice. While the increase in research presents the opportunity to enrich our knowledge of the social issues in these communities, McKay suggests that this moment presents social scientists with the unique opportunity to “challenge the status quo of racial harm and contribute to its undoing.”

During her interdisciplinary workshop, McKay questioned, “What is the role of scholars and social scientists in grappling with racial harm and envisioning possibilities for repair?” She examined the motivation for reparative scholarship and explained how researchers could develop reparative methodologies.

According to the Society of American Archivists, reparative research is the “remediation of practices or data that exclude, silence, harm, or mischaracterize marginalized people.”

McKay urged attendees to “consider what a non-neutral actively reparative paradigm might look like.” In other words, when conducting research on minority groups, “don’t just send a message about

who belongs and who doesn’twhich are the kinds of questions [social scientists] tend to focus on.” Instead, focus on clarifying present misunderstandings.

For instance, McKay provided a personal account of an example of the “decades of systematic exclusion about LGBTQ+ perspectives” on family dynamics and couple relationships.

“It’s distorted our whole understanding of what family life is ... current efforts to make sure that LGBTQ+ scholars feel comfortable in the academy is nice,” she said. “But that in itself doesn’t do anything to counter the knowledge that has been produced out of systematic exclusion.”

She stated that researchers need to rethink their research questions and the agenda they serve.

“Very little [has been done]

focuses on reparation and abolition.

Moreover, she recommended that researchers rethink sampling strategies and who they represent.

“We need to rewrite our measures so that they capture the nuances of people’s lived experiences rather than trying to collapse it into the categories that matter to the group in power at the moment,” McKay said. The objective is to rewrite

In a similar light, McKay also critiqued the current trend of community-based participatory research. She stated that as the social science field has seen an increase in community-based research, it is often neglected that performing such research requires a relationship-building process that occurs between the researcher and the participant community.

For instance, when performing research on mass incarceration, McKay speaks of the continued legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and the use of secondary sources to provide quantitative measures of harm.

analytical approaches to bring to the surface “the kinds of truths that have been systematically obscured.”

To perform reparative work, she stated that researchers must rectify the historical harm of “grossly misaligning the distribution of burdens and benefits of research,” McKay said. “The tradition is that members of marginalized communities are overwhelmingly burdened by the research process, often to the point of gross exploitation, and benefit very little.”

“Guess what? We’re still doing it, and our government is keeping beautiful records of who it’s being done to,” McKay said. “Our whole body of scientific work, much of which was not collected with the effort of informing reparations or abolition, can be repurposed to the task of putting an economic estimate to these harms.”

According to McKay’s research, the estimated economic impact of carceral harm is $7.16 trillion. She explains that this equates to 86% of the wealth gap between Black and white family households.

When researching the impacts of historical events on modern communities, it is crucial to consider the effect of generational trauma, said Monique Griffith, assistant professor of psychology.

“If you’re not attending to the hurt that’s existing now and even trying to question why individuals even now have such a reaction to events today, you discount the fact that that trauma has been passed on,” Griffith said. The perception of researchers is critical due to the minimization of the origins of the reactions of minority communities.

to correct the damage that those distorted understandings have been done in public policy and in the social fabric,” McKay said. She insisted that scholars must be clear if their research

Reparative scholarship focuses on intervening in “policies or practices of racial harm and on actively correcting their [minority groups] legacies,” McKay said.

One way to account for this is to utilize “secondary data to answer questions that are of direct interest to members of directly affected communities,” McKay stated.

McKay’s stance on reparative scholarship “forces us to think about how perspective affects what is seen as right and wrong,” said sophomore undecided major Maximillien Raymond. “Regarding how we can take steps in the right direction, it can be as simple as doing our research and educating others on the wrongs that Blacks have faced. This isn’t to say it is easy considering that ignorance on its own can make these goals difficult to accomplish; it is to say that it isn’t impossible to do the right thing.”

According to McKay’s research, the estimate economic impact of carceral harm is $7.16 trillion. She explains that this equates to 86% of the wealth gap between Black and white family households.

In her most recent book, McKay discusses the repercussions of mass-scale imprisonment and brings to light the economic costs and harms.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra University

Assessing the epidemic of gun violence

Public Safety Briefs

Compiled by Megan Naftali

Key:

PS - Public Safety

CS - Community Standards

NCPD - Nassau County Police Department

HU - Hofstra University

By Alexandra Webb STAFF WRITER

On Monday, Feb. 13, a gunman opened fire at Michigan State University, leaving three students dead and five injured. In the wake of this tragedy, Hofstra University students and staff have come forward to comment on the threat of gun violence in the home of the Pride.

Mass shootings have become one of the greatest crises in the U.S.: an epidemic plaguing society, killing innocent people and fueling the flames of a political war on gun laws in America.

According to Gun Violence Archive statistics, there have been a record 67 mass shootings in the United States in 2023 alone – more than the first two months of any other year since 2014.

According to Janet Dolgin, professor of health care law and science education, the reason why mass shootings have become so common today remains unclear. As it stands now, the issue of gun violence is a festering problem that will continue to grow unless approached on numerous fronts by a community of educated voices within society.

There is a “cultural anger,” according to Dolgin, which exists in America where society is desensitized to violence. Additionally, access to deadly firearms can exacerbate existing violent tendencies.

According to Alex M. Cutler, adjunct assistant professor of journalism, media studies and public relations, the mass shooting epidemic is a “product of

our pioneer heritage ... there is a certain comfort level with firearms which is built into American society.”

This has evolved into a generational public health issue, where “Americans are infatuated with guns,” according to Cutler, and schools have quickly become a target of these patterns of violence.

The recent shootings have left Hofstra students like Amber Bianchi, a freshman journalism and criminology major, rattled and seeking better security measures from the university.

“This shouldn’t happen,” Bianchi said. “I think our school assumes we already know how to act in emergency situations, and they aren’t taking action to educate us.”

Referencing the “Emergency Protocols” signs posted on walls across campus, Bianchi said that she feels “like there should be better protections implemented so that kids here don’t have to worry about it.”

“You can never do enough with these kinds of things,” said Dakota White, a freshman marketing major.

Having had a personal connection to a Michigan State shooting survivor herself, White reflected on Hofstra’s protective protocols currently in place should such a horrific incident befall the campus.

“I think Hofstra is doing what they can,” White said. “You can always prepare for the worst but when it is actually happening ... you can never be prepared for something like that.”

On Feb. 11, at 5:55 p.m., an unknown person pulled the fire alarm in the Graduate Residence Hall, causing an activation and evacuation. PS, the plant department and the Uniondale Fire Department responded. An investigation is being conducted into this matter.

On Feb. 14, at 1 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that their poster board, which was being displayed in the student center, was missing. A search of the area was conducted with negative results.

On Feb. 14, at 11:30 p.m., two HU students reported to PS that there had been ongoing noise complaints involving items being dropped on the floor from above during late hours. Residence Life was advised on this matter.

On Feb. 16, at 8:30 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that they lost their AirPods and house keys in the student center. The tracking device on the AirPods pointed to a location off campus. The NCPD responded and took a report.

On Feb. 17, at 2:26 a.m., an HU student reported to PS that while in HofUSA, they lost their jacket containing their wallet. The student was

escorted back to HofUSA to check inside the building, but the items were not there.

On Feb. 17, at 1:05 p.m., an HU student was issued a referral to CS for allowing a non-student to utilize their Hofstra ID. The non-student was banned from campus.

On Feb. 18, at 12:46 a.m., PS responded to Stuyvesant Hall for an activated fire alarm. The fire panel indicated that smoke activated the alarm. Upon arrival, there was an odor of marijuana and heavy smoke inside the lounge area, along with unopened bottles of alcohol in plain sight. The resident of the room was issued a referral to CS for their actions.

On Feb. 18, at 1:07 a.m., the RA of Enterprise Hall reported to PS that two HU students were in the lobby with a strong odor of marijuana. The HU students admitted to smoking and they were issued referrals to CS.

On Feb. 21, at 5:08 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that there was an odor of marijuana emanating from a room in Plymouth House.

Upon arrival, PS discovered drug paraphernalia in plain sight. The residents of the room were issued referrals to CS for their actions.

On Feb. 21, at 9 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that they had left their skateboard behind the glass doors of the Unispan. Upon returning approximately an hour later, the skateboard was gone. A search of the area was met with negative results.

On Feb. 23, at 5:12 p.m., the fire alarm in Stuyvesant Hall was activated due to steam from the shower. The fire alarm sounded and the building was evacuated. PS, the plant department and the Uniondale Fire Department responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On Feb. 23, at 5:12 p.m., PS discovered three HU students failed to evacuate the building while responding to an activated fire alarm. Upon entering the room, PS observed two candles in plain sight. All three students were issued referrals to CS for their actions.

Alexis Friedman / The Hofstra Chronicle

Amidst a rise of mass shootings, the U.S. faces a new public health epidemic, calling into question America’s current gun laws.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra University

Personal Essay: Third Grade Lessons

By Anna DeGoede MANAGING EDITOR

When I was in third grade, I lived in West Africa – specifically, Gambia, which is a tiny country bordered by another country, Senegal, on three sides.

At the time, I remember resenting it very much. My dad was teaching sustainable energy at the University of the Gambia, and brought the entire family – me, my mom and my brother – as part of the year-long experience.

I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. I hated being away from my friends, and I hated being in a country that was so different from the one I was used to – especially since I had only my family to really keep me company.

Now, I have come to understand that time in my life as an immense privilege and gift.

The people I met there have stories and histories that I will never fully understand myself. I cannot pretend to share their struggles or speak for their culture, but I can speak to what they taught me about the world.

My dad had a blog when we lived in Gambia where he recorded our experiences. For a very long time, I refused to contribute. Apparently, I ‘didn’t want the

publicity,’ to quote my younger self, which is ironic considering my major now and the byline underneath my name that would suggest the opposite.

Consider this my long overdue reflection of my experiences and a tribute to the stories that will always deserve more words than can fit on a newspaper page.

In another life, I think that Keta, our gatekeeper, would be a wizard. He had a patience and a wisdom to him that I haven’t quite seen on anyone else. Many people called him “the little man,” because he was very short.

Every morning when I woke up, I could hear the rhythmic swishing of his broom as he swept away at our house’s yard. Whenever he saw my brother and I, he would smile and wave with a twinkle in his eye.

About Keta, my dad once wrote, “In the past couple of weeks, Keta has given us a basket and a promise to pray for us every day,” which I think encapsulates his spirit perfectly.

He was selfless and generous, even to a family he had nothing in common with – a reminder, I think, that even when you have endless differences with someone else, there will always be something you can connect on.

Jainiba, our housekeeper, was equally as patient with us. She

was an extremely hard worker, always working to provide for her children. Even though we were most definitely better off in life, she was generous with her time and knowledge.

Some of our most unique experiences were because of Jainiba. She brought us to her family, threw my brother, Nate, his 11th birthday party and invited us to our very first Gambian wedding.

All the while, she looked out for us when we didn’t know what to do. In my own third grade homeschool assignment, I said, “Jainiba is our house cleaner, and she’s sort of our bodyguard, because she once walked Mom down to our house with a gardening hoe because there was a man following her.”

Though she had a no-nonsense attitude much of the time, once again, I think she is a great example of how generosity is not always monetary, but kindness to others is always free.

Beyond Jainiba and Keta, there’s Brewer, who sometimes went by the name “Obama” and loved to keep my dad updated on world news; Jainiba’s daughter Binta, who my mom still messages on Facebook; our favorite taxi driver Muhammad, who once tried to refuse payment because he was so kind … and so many more.

There are so many people that we met in that short time that my memories of them don’t fit into one article, though they are equally deserving of a place here. I wish there were more time to write about them, so you could learn as much from them as I did.

More than anything, my biggest lesson from my time in Gambia was how powerful humanity is. You do not need to speak the same language to share a meal with someone and you don’t need to be rich to have something worth giving.

If you’re interested in hearing more stories from Gambia, scan this QR code:

“More than anything, my biggest lesson from my time in Gambia was how powerful humanity is. You do not need to speak the same language to share a meal with someone and you don’t need to be rich to have something worth giving.”

Anna DeGoede / The Hofstra Chronicle

ChatGPT: Where does Hofstra University stand?

By Jessica D’Aniello

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

As the recently created artificial intelligence ChatGPT is becoming a hot topic in schools around America, Hofstra University faculty and students are presenting many different perspectives on its potential use in classes.

While Hofstra University does not plan to control the extent to which faculty and departments use ChatGPT, the provost’s office has instructed all faculty to include a statement about using artificial intelligence tools in their syllabus. Students are expected, according to the statement, to

maintain academic integrity and honesty.

“Unless indicated otherwise in the instructions for a specific assignment, the use of ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence tools for work submitted in this course constitutes the receiving of ‘unauthorized assistance for academic work’ and is a violation of the Hofstra University Honor Code,” the statement reads.

Daniel Seabold, the acting dean of the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, put together a faculty event on Wednesday, Feb. 22, to explain what ChatGPT is, so professors can better under-

stand what they are dealing with. He believes each instructor will have a different policy on the use of ChatGPT.

“In some classes, they may actually be studying ChatGPT to understand how it works; in other areas, it might be a tool to do some kind of research,” Seabold said. “This is a kind of a brave new world.”

Eric Gantwerker, associate professor of otolaryngology at the Zucker School of Medicine, feels optimistic about ChatGPT. Many tasks within the medical field are clinic-based, where there is no use for ChatGPT. However, he encourages using and teaching AI in the medical field to help with prior authorization tasks, like billing repeals and insurance.

“We have to recognize that there are advantages to this, and being resistant to technology is going to end up causing us more worry and money than it would

be to figure out how to properly use it,” Gantwerker said.

On the other side of the academic spectrum, Ethna Lay, chair of the writing studies and rhetoric department, believes ChatGPT should not be used as a tool to help students complete work but rather to help improve their writing skills.

“Studying the validity of an AI-generated text can be a really useful assignment and potentially offers students another way to learn how to write,” Lay said.

Students also have differing opinions on the use of ChatGPT in the classroom. In a poll on the social app Fizz asking whether students at Hofstra should be allowed to use ChatGPT, Hofstra University students’ answers were split almost exactly in half. 292, or 51%, answered “yes” and 280, or 49%, answered “no.”

Sydney Livingston, a freshman, is open to using ChatGPT to

Personal Essay: Cherry Springs

By Savith Collure SPECIAL

TO THE CHRONICLE

CONTENT WARNING:

Discussions of death and grief

I got the call that Matt had died while I was in Target debating with myself about toothpaste. Dennis called me, which I promptly declined because I couldn’t decide whether I should get a travel size or a full size Sensodyne, and I assumed that Dennis wasn’t calling about anything important. Then Grant called me, and he and I joke that we only call each other when someone’s dead or someone’s heartbroken.

“Hey Grant, if I got a full sized Sensodyne tube, do you think it would get used by the others?” I shot off, before he could get a word in.

“Yup, plus you just take home the extra,” he said without missing a beat. Grant has always been a sensible guy. “Also, Matt’s dead, he passed away in Texas yesterday.”

We both said nothing for a minute or so. I put down the

travel size tube and asked him if that’s why Dennis called. “Probably, they stayed in touch,” he said.

We said nothing for another minute or so. “Okay Grant! I’ll see you in Cherry Springs in like six hours,” I chirped and promptly hung up the phone.

I stood in the same aisle for a few minutes, and then looked down at the Sensodyne. I still needed to check out; I could call Dennis from the car for the longer conversation.

A couple friends and I were all driving out to Galeton, Pennsylvania, to see Cherry Springs. It’s the clearest state park to observe the Milky Way east of the Ohio River, and Grant had been asking to go camping there for months.

Seeing that there were nine of us, we decided to split an Airbnb instead, opting for the comfortable choice. Driving five and a half hours west is a great way to think or avoid thinking and go through every alt rock album you know.

I’m not particularly good with processing death. I conceptually understand what it means, what it could mean for others and how

to comfort others. I just struggle with the feelings for it.

I’m no stranger to it; my first funeral was at 15 for a friend that was 14. He was walking to the bus stop, and his heart just stopped. Imagine, at 15, going to your first open wake to see someone you spent every day with the week before.

It didn’t really seem real. Over the past five years I’ve been to more funerals than I have fingers, including my thumbs. You get used to it after a while.

We got to Cherry Springs at around 8 p.m. on a Thursday. Some of us started setting up the house. We spent most of the night talking about Matt, our other friends and our families and catching up.

I woke up around six in the morning, seeing Grant and the others stirring as well. Grant and I both eyed each other, eyed the bathroom door and then bolted. I did not get to use the toothpaste first.

Grant and I talked about it a little bit. About Matt and growing up. We had all been in the same friend group since we were kids;

check resumes and cover letters.

“I don’t think we should be so prone to be against such an amazing piece of programming and technology that could add so many benefits to education just because it’s scary and new,” Livingston said.

Jake Epstein, a sophomore, understands where both sides of the conversation are coming from.

“I think AI should be allowed to speed up the research process but not the writing of papers because that isn’t the student’s original thought,” Epstein said.

ChatGPT is a growing software that will change the way people use the internet and perform tasks in the classroom and in the professional field. Gantwerker believes this development can be compared to when the Internet first came out.

“Life had to transform to a new normal involving this technology into our lives,” Gantwerker said.

I’ve known Grant since I was 8 years old.

We all grew up in the same neighborhood in Wilmington: on the same bikes, in the same schools and doing the same extracurriculars. We all ran cross country together. Matt was the first person to teach me how to play guitar.

Weezer? That was Matt. The Strokes? Also Matt. How to absolutely strike out at talking to girls? Unfortunately, that was both of us.

I moved to New York when I was 16 and left Matt and the rest of the guys back in Delaware. We stayed close as long as we

could, but sometimes relationships fade with distance. It’s hard to keep in touch sometimes. I wish I tried harder. Both my parents cried when I told them he died, my sister too. I never cried, or I guess I just couldn’t.

Grant and I lay on the field in the park with a few others. There was some idle conversation here and there; we were mainly just taking in the ocean of stars in front of us. If you squint it feels like the stars are moving, and when shooting stars pass its feels like a ripple.

Planets, galaxies, nebula trails, you can almost see everything. Almost.

“Life had to transform to a new normal involving this technology into our lives.”

Photo courtesy of Savith Collure

M AN ON THE U NISPAN

How do you keep yourself entertained on campus?

By Julian Rocha and Zoe Casselman FEATURES EDITOR AND ASSISTANT

EDITOR

“I usually go to the game room; I’m obsessed with that place. I’m actually on my way there now!”

O verheard @ h O fstra

“You’re always right. I just wish you weren’t a man.”

“I just have to let out a little meow every day.”

“Great day to rob a Papa John’s.”

Person 1

“I will need to go back to my black light poster and my bong to understand that.”

“I’m so sorry I mis-mental illnessed you.”

“By going out and seeing friends, getting food or, like, if there are cool activities going on like Coffeehouse. We’re big fans of a guy who plays piano.”

Samuel Malkiewicz and Charlotte Dippel, sophomores

Person 2

“It’s okay, we only kissed.”

“The bathrooms here aren’t nice enough for me to drink black coffee like you do.”

“I’m in WRHU, so if I have an hour or two to kill between classes, I’ll go to the office and talk to friends.”

- Anthony Boscia, junior

“We fight, I lose and I puke.”

“I want to see if your feet are pretty.”

“I’m awake 18 hours a day and 14 of those hours are devoted to Hofstra men’s basketball.”

Spread by Audra Nemirow

- Natalie Rodriguez, freshman

-

Julian Rocha / The Hofstra Chronicle

By Lea Edelson SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Lea Edelson is a personal chef based in the Catskills. She holds public dinner special popups at the Belvedere Inn in Stamford, New York, and occasionally takes catering gigs and private clients. Her Instagram is @leaedelson, where you can see her event postings, as well as many recipes and projects she’s working on.

A creamy savory pasta dish. You can omit the egg yolk to make it vegan!

Chron Cooks ft. Lea Edelson: Dairy-free Miso Carbonara

Ingredients:

1 white onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced

3-4 scallions, sliced

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 egg yolk

Long pasta of your choice

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Small splash soy sauce

Scallions, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Preheat olive oil in a metal pan on medium heat.

2. Start cooking pasta in decently salted water.

3. Add onions, garlic, the white parts of scallions and a little splash of soy sauce. Cook until the onions start to turn golden brown.

4. Add ⅓ cup pasta water to the onions to deglaze.

5. Blend the onions and pasta water with miso paste (you can use a regular blender or nutribullet, or transfer contents into a tall jar or quart container and use an immersion blender).

6. Once the sauce is blended smooth, quickly whisk in the egg yolk.

7. Drain the pasta, add it back to the pot and pour in the sauce. Mix well, adjust salt to taste and serve immediately.

8. Top with sliced scallions (green parts) and a scrunch of black pepper.

Photo courtesy of Lea Edelson

Students swab to save lives

Be The Match, an organization that hosts drives to sign people up for the bone marrow or blood stem cell donation registry, held a drive at Hofstra on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Good Morning America broadcasted the event live as part of a campaign to visit universities in the Northeast and spread awareness about blood cancers and disorders and the importance of signing up for the registry. Students who are interested in joining the registry can learn more at bethematch.com.

Spread by Jacob Lewis

Photos by Alexis Friedman / The Hofstra Chronicle

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt

VOL. 89 ISSUE 3

‘Cocaine Bear’ is as crazy as it sounds

didn’t die?” and “What would be the bloody consequences if the bear fancied a human snack?” The film is a drastic departure from Banks’ previous directorial efforts, which include “Pitch Perfect 2” and the 2019 reboot of “Charlie’s Angels.” For the most part, Banks does an adequate job bringing the blow crazy beast to the screen.

By Sam Cotter

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

In 1985, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that a deceased bear was found in the woods just south of the Tennessee border, which in itself, is a seemingly normal occurrence. What was not quite normal however, were the 40 opened and partially consumed containers of cocaine that were also found at the scene. To put it in layman’s terms, a bear did cocaine.

Universal Studios’ latest creature feature from director Elizabeth Banks dares to ask the questions, “What if the Bear

Taking place in 1985, the plot follows a mother, Sari (Keri Russel), trying to find her daughter Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and her friend Henry (Christian Convery) after they ditched school to go into the woods. Meanwhile, a drug kingpin (Ray Liotta) sends his son Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) and his fixer (Daveed O’Shea Jackson Jr.) to find several thousand dollars’ worth of cocaine dumped in the woods in Georgia by a crashing drug smuggling plane: the same cocaine fueling the high of the titular bear.

Though many similar genre films in the past have struggled

to present human characters that are likable enough, the characters and performances are funny and charming enough to hold on their own.

One performance that particularly stands out is that of character actress Margo Martindale as the forest ranger Liz. Martindale knows exactly what movie she is in and plays her character accordingly, giving a performance that manages to walk a fine line between believable and just the right amount of camp. The real star of the show, however, is none other than the bear herself who is undoubtedly the highlight of the film; the bear is an unstoppable killing machine made of black fur and coke and delivers several scenes of excellently crafted chaos that will satisfy any horror fans in the audience. However, the unfortunate truth is that outside of these handful of crowd-pleasing scenes, the film tends to drag when the bear is not on screen. The characters and humor can only get the film so far before the audience starts to ask themselves, “Where’s that bear that I paid to see?” Some

Quick Hits

scenes feel unnecessary or oddly out of place. There are several instances where a scene will reach a climactic point and the film will cut to another scene of characters walking around the woods making small talk for far too long.

By the time the film cuts back to the previous scene any suspense or tension that was previously built up is ruined. At times, the film feels like it was far too restrained for a movie with such a bombastic title; the gore is relatively restricted, and much of the violence is just off screen. While the scenes with the bear are excellent, there are only a handful of these scenes, mostly in the first and second acts. By the time the third act rolls around, the film feels as if its high has worn off.

“Cocaine Bear” is worth a watch. If you want to see a bear do cocaine, then this film is for you. It has decent scares as well as good laughs, however the oddly reserved approach this film takes to its subject matter keeps it from being truly the wild ride it should have been.

A blast from the past: Nostalgia media’s cultural explosion

By Aidan Judge ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Nostalgia has proven to be one of the most successful ways into the hearts of the everyday media consumer. With massive franchises like “Stranger Things” becoming pop culture juggernauts, it seems one of the best strategies to get a hit series is to cash into the days when things were simpler.

The trend of nostalgia media isn’t something the world has just gotten used to. Early forms of nostalgia media trace all the way back to the 1970s, a period that inspired content that is still being produced decades later.

Look at a show like “Happy Days,” possibly the first example of nostalgia media breaking its way into the mainstream and proving to be a success. The series, which takes place in the 1950s, fondly looks back on the times of the baby boom and classic, old-fashioned American household living. After pre-

miering in 1974, the franchise produced over 200 episodes and aired over the span of ten years on ABC. Besides being a classic sitcom that American audiences have grown to love, “Happy Days” inspired a plethora of nostalgia-based television and film content that would cement themselves as pop culture sensations.

Fox checked in with their take on nostalgia media in 1998 with the wildly successful “That ‘70s Show,” with series creator Bonnie Turner even stating that the show took direct inspiration from ABC’s success with “Happy Days.” Fox’s iteration of remembering the “good old days” became its second longestrunning sitcom of all time, clocking in at 200 episodes and eight seasons by the end of its initial run (before Netflix decided to cash in with “That ‘90s Show,” of course).

For the record, nostalgia content has begun to expand outside the world of visual media

in recent years. Think about the resurgence of vinyl since the turn of the decade; a whopping 43% of music sold in 2022 was sold in the form of vinyl (you can thank vinyl force Taylor Swift for that).

It isn’t uncommon to see cassette tapes sold for albums in recent years as well, with artists like Olivia Rodrigo marketing physical media as part of the aesthetic for merchandise in album rollouts.

Of course, discussing physical music media lends itself to a conversation about the sound of music in 2023 as well, which is also incredibly retro. Ever notice the sheer amount of synth waves and electronic-infused production you hear on tracks from massive albums like “Midnights” and “After Hours?” The sound isn’t exactly accidental; in fact, artists like Swift take advantage of the past decades’ looks and sounds in order to market their media to wider audiences.

The creation and insurgence of nostalgia media begs a major

question: is the genre itself stable enough to create longevity? It’s hard to imagine a time in the near future when people aren’t longing for the past and finding a way to reflect that in their entertainment. It’s interesting to think about how writers and producers in entertainment media will find ways to romanticize the modern times that we live in after some … less-than-ideal years since 2020.

There’s an argument against this claim, however, like with NBC’s short-lived series “Connecting,” a series filmed in entirety over Zoom that made a point to emphasize the relaxing times of staying at home during the pandemic. It looks as if some creators aren’t even waiting for the near past to become nostalgic before creating fun-loving media based on it, which speaks to the success of the genre that is increasing in size and popularity year by year. Perhaps a “That 2020s Show” is coming sooner than we think.

Courtesy of Variety

Courtesy o f LA Times

Courtesy of NBC News

“Succession” series creator announced Season 4 will be its last.

Alec Baldwin pled not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Ariana DeBose went viral for their rap performance at the BAFTAs.

Lloyd Devereux Richards’ book became a bestseller through TikTok.

Courtesy of HBO

The film opened with generally positive reviews, earning a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of CBC

Photo courtesy of Fandango

The Jonas Brothers will begin a five-night Vegas residency on March 14.

By Mac Sykes ASSISTANT ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

New Yorkers are no strangers to some of the oddest sights in the world, but to see hundreds of people, many dressed in elaborate alien costumes, lined up around the block of the 92nd Street Y theater in Manhattan on a Monday night might have been a little bit jarring.

On Monday, Feb. 13, the theater hosted a historic sold out event for an advanced screening of Season 3 of the highly anticipated “Star Trek: Picard.” It is safe to say, “Star Trek” is back at its best in over twenty years. “Picard” premiered on the platform Paramount+ in 2020 to praise from critics and casual audience members alike, but the show has struggled to find its footing among the fans of the franchise and to bring “Star Trek” back to its roots of dramatic storytelling about the future of a better tomorrow.

The show was heavily an-

‘Picard’ finally ‘Engages’ with fans

ticipated, with Patrick Stewart reprising his leading role of JeanLuc Picard from the successfully acclaimed “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which ran for seven seasons from 1987-1994. Ultimately, “Picard” failed to live up to expectations until now.

Season 3 was filmed back-toback with Season 2, which premiered last spring, but it is clear there is a dramatic shift in the direction of the story and overall presentation of the narrative.

Lifelong fan Terry Matalas served as the sole showrunner of this season, whereas past seasons have involved the work of Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, Michael Chabon and Akivia Goldsman. Matalas clearly understands the fundamentals of “Star Trek and has a genuine passion for the material,” having grown up with it at the height of its popularity. Under the creative direction of Chabon, Goldsman, Kurtzman and Orci, the franchise has seen some of the worst direction and development.

Matalas has been heavily involved in the development of this final season, hoping to reunite

the cast of “The Next Generation” one last time and give them the proper sendoff they were denied. Matalas pitched the third season to the reluctant “The Next Generation” cast with a story more akin to 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” the grand send-off for the original cast from the first “Star Trek” series.

The series finds Admiral JeanLuc Picard (Patrick Stewart) retired from Starfleet and living a tranquil life in the countryside of France.

Picard receives a strange cryptic request for help from his former comrade and lover Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), who is secretly working on a project on the other side of the galaxy which has fallen under attack. Concerned for Beverly, Picard reaches out to his former first officer, now Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and together the two set off to discover the truth behind the mystery.

Following the premiere, the cast sat down with MTV host Josh Horowtiz for a discussion with audience members in attendance

about the development of the show as a whole, the return to the franchise and the importance of the message of “Star Trek” in the modern day.

Speaking about what fans can expect this season, Jonathan Frakes noted the development of the relationship between Riker and Picard, saying, “It was a pleasure. What the writers pitched to me and Patrick was ‘Butch and Sundance,’ but in conflict. I think what we got to do this season together was as interesting or exciting as the scenes we played prior. When you look into Patrick’s eyes and you play the scene with him, you know you are in good hands.”

Ultimately, Season 3 of “Picard” is off to a terrific start, and there is plenty for longtime fans of the franchise to love in its premiere episode.

From character interactions to world-building moments to this unsettling sense of dread lurking around the corner for our heroes, there is a clear amount of love poured into the plot. What’s more interesting to note is how unconnected this season feels to the

preceding two as it starts with a clean slate right from the start.

Despite being written by a fan, Matalas avoids unnecessary fan service to appease audience members. Matalas has set out to correct the mistakes made before him, all while bringing to life his vision of “Star Trek.” This iteration pays respect to what has come before while creating a compelling new story.

“Picard” Season 3 serves as a love letter for longtime fans such as himself, the final tale of Jean-Luc Picard. While it took years for “Star Trek” to return to its ideas and themes of a brighter future where we put aside our differences for the betterment of tomorrow, for love, family and loyalty, a story we need now more than ever in the 21st century, this was well worth the wait.

The rest of the third season will air weekly until April 28, when the final conclusion of the Starship’s Enterprise crew will, as Picard puts it so often, “Engage!”

Qveen Herby slays Valentine’s Day with ‘The Muse’ release

By Kat Salmon

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

After nearly a year without a new EP, rapper Qveen Herby finally released “The Muse” on Tuesday, Feb. 14. She and her husband announced the project on their podcast “House of Herby” earlier this month. After listening, it is safe to say that the Qveen is here to stay and slay the day away.

The opening track “Thank Goddess” channels the energy Qveen Herby has always been known for. It’s a song that embraces taking ownership of your life.

The first lyrics in the prechorus, “Bitch, after all, who says we can’t have it all? I have the ball, every day, I make the call,” reiterates that you are the one in control of your life. The ball is in your court and not anyone else’s.

“Thank Goddess” is the song you play when getting ready for a girl’s night out or when you just

need a good hype song.

Qveen goes back to her soulful R&B roots with the track “Chucky Cheese.” The song sounds as if it is inspired by her earlier song “Sade in the 90s.” Unlike its presumed inspiration, “Chucky Cheese” is all about healing and selflove, two topics she has been trying to advocate for on all of her platforms. This is the perfect song to play when you are by yourself in the car, listening at full volume with the windows down.

Singles “5D” and “Dress Code” clearly belong on the EP, but leaving them for the end was a mistake. “The Muse” would have sounded 10 times better if they were placed in the middle,

between “Marie Antionette” and “Nah.”

The best song has to be “Marie Antionette” as it is all about starting a new chapter. Qveen

being the bigger person. It is the perfect combination of R&B and rap, something Qveen Herby has perfected numerous times. This is the song you play when you are ready to turn over a new leaf.

Another song worth a listen is the first single, “5D.” The song is reminiscent of early Eminem and Missy Elliot with the delivery of the lyrics. Plus, the music video is filled with colorful imagery and amazing fashion. If you miss the early 2000s, this is the song for you.

worth pursuing. The heavy beats of the song do not seem to fit with the rest of the tracks on the EP. However, it is still a good song. The lyrics, “Just found out / I’m the baddest bitch,” prove this.

Fans who loved Qveen Herby when she was in Karmin or from her earlier EPs will enjoy “The Muse.” If you have recently come across Qveen Herby on TikTok or Instagram, “The Muse” offers a great introduction to her spunky persona. It does not disappoint. You are bound to find a new favorite song after listening to it a couple of times.

Herby is trying to get her fans to understand that they should not care about what others think. All they should care about is

There are not any bad songs, but “Just Found Out” seems out of place. It is all about realizing that relationships where you are not the other’s first priority are not

Hopefully her album “The Muse” will not be the only music Qveen Herby releases in 2023. She hinted on her podcast that there would be more to come, with the possibility of a tour. “The Muse” can be streamed on all digital music platforms.

Qveen Herby started releasing music in 2021.

Photo courtesy of Billboard

The knives are out in ‘You’ Season 4 Part I

By Mac Sykes ASSISTANT ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Few horror shows and movies come to mind that keep audiences on the edges of their seats or continue to develop their main characters in an interesting way by the time the subsequent installments come around. Fortunately, Season 4 of “You” is one such show. Thursday, Feb. 9, saw the return of Netflix’s popular psychological thriller for a fourth season – one that delivers a satisfying continuation in a story that amazes and leaves us constantly guessing as to what will come next.

The series takes on an unexpected approach in the narrative that the promotional material does not do justice to. The over-thetop, far-fetched, sexually-driven plots that dragged out Season 3 have faded away, and the writers have grounded the show back to the roots of what made this such a gripping tale to start with. Penn Badgley’s complex portrayal of the bookstore clerk-turned-killer, Joe Goldberg, is back at the center

of attention.

Season 4 finds Joe, now under the alias of Dr. Jonathan Moore, hiding in London as a university professor after burning away his old life in the suburbs of California, where we saw him at the end of the third season.

What begins as a fresh start does not take long before things begin to spiral out of hand, as Joe finds himself entangled in a mystery with an unknown figure who is fully aware of all his secrets and ready to expose them to the public. Joe finds himself at his most vulnerable, having met his match in a real life game of chess. Each move proves consequential as he attempts to outsmart the unknown enemy and leave everything from the past behind for good.

An overwhelming majority fans were ecstatic at a continuation of another chapter in the show. A few expressed their concern that the story seemed extremely cluttered, which was a problem with previous storylines that focused less on Joe’s development. Additional concerns arose that the

writers had run out of steam, with fans stating that the plot seemed equivalent to the “Knives Out” films, as the trailer showed Joe attempting to solve a murder related to a group of powerful members of society. All of this left some to question the relevance of a continuation, as the story had seemingly been seamlessly concluded by the end of the previous season. Fortunately, the first five episodes had much more to offer, putting the worries of those who raised concerns about potential flaws, to rest. “You” has taken a chance at the murder mystery plot that has been done to death, and still manages to deliver a new take in each episode, having the lead protagonist and former killer now be hunted by a threat beyond himself.

Gone are the days of the intense, disturbing stalker Joe was in Season 1, as we now see him in his weakest point. The clever hunter has become the hunted prey, and Joe must do his best to survive. The element most lacking in the previous two seasons was fixed within the first episode.

The plot that focused on Joe’s inner monologue and the process he undergoes to solve this mystery proved to be much more interesting and fresh in comparison to past episodes.

While some elements have been repeated continuously throughout the show, specifically in their endings, each season of “You” is brilliant in its own right. There is something for everyone to love with each season.

Since the release of the episodes earlier this month, a lot of fans have complained that the show has become a bit dull in its pacing, especially in comparison to past seasons. However, this slower pacing is a welcome change.

The writers have set out to develop Joe’s character and grow him as a person. They do not wish to repeat the same story elements about him over and over in subsequent seasons, where the tropes become all too familiar.

It is worth applauding the efforts of the creative team. Joe is back in the focus of the narrative and the audience is once again put

inside the mind of this complicated killer. Fortunately, fans see a less malevolent side to Joe this season and are instead treated to a reserved man trying his best to change. Having lost everything, Joe is completely broken-hearted, using his intelligence and skills of deception for the greater good – even if it is to save his own life when he certainly deserves to go down. It is a nice change for Joe’s character to be focused less on another crush he has deemed “the one to his heart” and instead fighting against the devil himself to save his own life.

For long time fans, this season is worth the watch as we see Joe’s growth and the different take in the presentation of his story. Less of the emphasis is focused on murder and the consequent results and more of it is focused on an intriguing mystery about survival. Whether or not Joe will truly change once and for all and escape his fate is something fans will have to wait for when Part II of Season 4 premieres Thursday, March 9, on Netflix.

What happened to long seasons of TV?

By Abby Gibson SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Shorter television seasons have become increasingly common in today’s streaming world. There used to be more than 20 episodes per season, but over the past few years, many only have half of that. With shorter seasons, there is less time for character development and world-building. Filler episodes are no longer necessary, and while that might be good for the plot, it also prevents us from learning more about the characters.

With streaming services becoming more and more popular, the budgets for these shows seem to prioritize quality over quantity. Without filler episodes, viewers are left to imagine what the characters are like outside of the show. Filler episodes used to provide viewers with insight into secondary characters, or even more knowledge of who the main

characters are.

An example of this is the Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” The show has never exceeded nine episodes; however, it does a great job of letting us into the plot and growing it over time. The downside to this is that we never see the kids doing kid things or the teens being teens. There is never a break from the world of monsters that lasts for more than a few minutes.

Some well-known actors favor shorter seasons, as it gives them more time to pursue other projects. For example, Viola Davis from “How to Get Away with Murder” would only sign on if they kept the show at 15 episodes instead of ABC’s normal 22-episode order.

Our society has dived deep into the art of binging a televi-

sion series. With shorter seasons, there is more appeal to binging a show. For example, “Stranger Things” would be completely

Spoiler alerts on social media become more frequent during the release of big shows like this, and shorter episodes can help remedy that. Keeping with the “Stranger Things” example, some of their episodes last around an hour. This is completely different when there are more than 15 episodes per season as each one lasts around 30 to 40 minutes.

different if it had around 20 episodes. Yes, we would get to see more of the characters but it would be harder to watch all of them in a 24-hour time period.

ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” plans to have 22 episodes in its third season. This is the most the series has done, and the fans seem to be excited for a longer season. This series says that it was not influenced by the many calls to give the show a full order.

A problem for cable TV with this trend of a lower number of episodes per seasons is syndica-

tion. Syndication is when a TV series begins to air reruns. The series has to either have entered their fourth season or have around 80 to 100 episodes. It is more difficult to get to this point if there are no longer 20+ episodes per season. The process of syndication is likely to be in trouble as more and more shows are deciding to focus more on the plot and less on filler. Streaming services have also affected the syndication model, as they do not care how many episodes a show has as long as they have content to put onto their sites.

While each viewer has different opinions on this change in the world of television, it seems to be sticking around. I do not believe there will be much of a change in episode orders anytime soon.

Until then, you have free range on streaming services to watch whatever show you want with episode numbers ranging from eight to 21.

Photo courtesy of EW

The standard episode order for a network television show used to be 22 episodes.

Guest passes at the fitness center shouldn’t be a priority

By Ethan Albin

A new policy allowing guests at the Hofstra Fitness Center has recently been enacted. The policy, outlined on the Campus Recreation website, says, “All current Hofstra students, employees, faculty and staff members are welcome to bring one guest per day.”

The entry fee for these guests is $10 and can be purchased from opening until 5 p.m., which is when guests must leave the premises. While the cash flow might be a great addition, there are several issues with allowing guests to use the facility.

First off, the size of the facility can barely handle those who already go. It’s common to see people waiting near equipment that is being used by another person. Since there isn’t enough

By Xavier Suggs

equipment as it is, guests are only going to make it harder to get a workout in.

A major issue with the condition of the fitness center is the state of the equipment. There’s always an issue with broken machines, and, as of the time this article was written (Friday, Feb. 24), the leg press, rowing machine and leg extension machines are all busted. This means that the gymgoers who already frequent the fitness center are unable to do their workouts properly and must adjust because these machines aren’t fixed. I know myself and plenty of others have asked the staff about when the machines will be serviced, but nothing has come to fruition.

There are five total barbell racks in the fitness center, which

is already too few for a college gym. Those racks are used to squat, bench and military press among a plethora of other things, but there are five of them for the whole gym to use. There are two sets of each weight available in the free weight section, with only half weighing an amount that the average human can lift. That isn’t enough functioning equipment to fully serve those who already go; how is adding more people going to help?

While I understand that an additional profit source may help service the broken machines and provide funding for new equipment, it also brings new challenges to the university that can induce fear in students attending the fitness center.

Allowing guests also poses

a safety hazard to students and faculty as non-students will be allowed into a campus facility. Michigan State University just had a terrifying incident done by someone with zero affiliation with the school. This recent incident speaks volumes about why allowing guests is a poor decision. No background checks and little registration are required for said guests, so practically anyone can come in.

The gym also helps build a community within the student body. Students can mingle and interact with friends and fellow Hofstra students whom they may not have previously known. I personally have met so many of my friends at the gym.

Allowing non-Hofstra guests breaks the fabric of the community formed at the gym, consid-

ering this is a college gym and not a commercial one. While financially helpful, the influx of guests will only disturb the community that’s been built by gymgoers over the years. All in all, the fitness center should be for those affiliated with Hofstra. It’s a college gym for those who attend and work at the university, so it should be utilized as such. Perhaps consider opting for a commercial gym, seeing as the price of the guest passes is equivalent to some gyms’ monthly fees. The fitness center is funded by and utilized by those attending the university; that’s who should be using it.

Race-swapping needs to come to an end

With the release of the muchmaligned “Velma” show, HBO Max reopened a long debated can of worms of whether to race-swap legacy characters. Race-swapping or racebending is the changing of an established character’s race or ethnicity. Although the discourse around race-swapping has picked up over recent years with calls for increased diversity in Hollywood, raceswapping has been a practice for all of history. Since the release of shows and movies like the aforementioned “Velma,” the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” among others, it’s a good chance to revisit the debate around race-swapping.

In my opinion, if the race, ethnicity or nationality of a character doesn’t affect their identities or storylines then race-swapping is fine. For example, in a show like “The Fairly Odd Parents,” the race of the characters doesn’t have a

bearing on the story compared to a show like “The Proud Family,” which had a multitude of storylines revolving around traditional Black family dynamics, segregation and discrimination.

This doesn’t mean that every piece of media should be forced to address heavy themes of racism, bigotry or intolerance. Personally, I love both of these shows equally, but when a show includes minorities as a part of the main cast and chooses not to address these topics, those characters shouldn’t be criticized for “pandering” or being “forced diversity” or being “political statements.” Minorities in real life aren’t “forced diversity” or “political statements” but rather people who deserve to see themselves represented on the big and small screens alike.

This is an even more ridiculous statement when applied to live-action. There was much contention made around the choice of having Halle Bailey star as Ariel in the live-action remake of “The Little Mer-

maid.” The controversy was stupid as most of it boiled down to Bailey not looking like the “traditional” Ariel, ignoring the fact that she is a decorated actor and singer who may have been the best option to depict the character. The criticism leveled at Bailey was avoided by other actors portraying classic Disney princesses like Lily James’ Cinderella and Emma Watson’s Belle. So where does “Velma” stand in all this?

Mindy Kaling’s “Velma,” which is an adaptation of the famous Scooby-Doo property, is a shit show. I mean, it’s grim how bad the show is. The jokes aren’t funny, the meta humor doesn’t make the show seem clever, it’s annoying how the show falls into the tropes they’re attempting to lampoon and the show is just plain mean.

It’s understandable why so many Scooby-Doo fans were so turned off to these shows because the characters are nothing like their former adaptations. The titular character, Velma, is a bisexual South

Asian American, Norville, formerly Shaggy, is Black, and Daphne is East Asian American. Although I just listed the races and ethnicities of three of the main characters, they don’t matter as long as the writers can capture the essence of the original characters.

“Velma” isn’t bad because the character’s races are swapped, it’s bad because those characters are written as the most annoying, most insufferable, most spiteful versions of the show. Nor is “Velma” bad because it’s “woke,” as many of the jokes that revolve around race and politics aren’t funny and are borderline offensive.

Earlier in this article, I said that race-swapping has been a historic practice, so to end this article, let’s take a look at some of the more famous examples of race swapping that drew less criticism than some of our previous examples.

In Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” series, Katniss Everdeen was described as having “black hair and olive skin,” as were many characters

in District 12. Many fans of the series speculated that the themes were meant to imply racial segregation. And although Jennifer Lawrence was iconic in the role, I wouldn’t really describe her as having “olive skin.”

From one “olive-skinned” savior to another, in Revelations 1:14-15 Jesus was described as having hairs, “white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace.” Joan E. Taylor used archaeological evidence, historic text, and ancient Egyptian art when writing her book “What Did Jesus Look Like?” Taylor concluded that Jesus likely had brown eyes, dark brown to black hair and olive-brown skin like most Judea and Egyptian people at the time.

Now I want you to think about the depictions of Jesus you normally see – could they really be described as having “olive-brown skin?”

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. 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.

Xavier Suggs is a freshman sociology major.

Ethan Albin is a sophomore journalism major and the opinion editor of The Chronicle.

Graphic by Makenzie Hurt / The Hofstra Chronicle

The discussion about school shootings is hard but neccessary

CONTINUED FROM A1

it up again; I didn’t want to be a downer on everyone’s excited mood. The thought of the summit scratched the back of my head in a way unfinished ideas only can. It bugged me that everyone was hyperfixated on Valentine’s Day when something so tragic happened to a campus just like ours.

I woke up early on Wednesday morning and drove to campus. I found somewhere to park after a few minutes of searching and walked over to the University Club. Quietly slipping into a seat, I found one of my fellow writers next to me, along with a lot of doctors and lawyers. Although it made sense given which schools were hosting it, I was unnerved to see almost

By Ava Dela Pena

William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s famous painting, “Dante and Virgil,” sits in Paris’ Musée d’Orsay. Made in 1850, the painting illustrates Dante and Virgil of Dante’s “Divine Comedy” in a gruesome fight. It is difficult to look at it. It is upsetting. It is, undeniably, art.

Two hundred years later, Schiaparelli opened Paris Fashion Week 2023 (PFW23) with three gowns that were equally hard to look at for some distressed onlookers. The designer caused controversy after representing “the leopard, the lion and the she-wolf” of the “Divine Comedy” in hyperrealistic garments. Three gowns portrayed the heads and bodies of the animals. Although the designer assured audiences that the garments were painstakingly made from faux fur and no animals were harmed, many observers still voiced that they were “uncomfortable” with what they were afraid would “normalize” taxidermy and

no undergraduates there. One came in a few minutes later and asked if I was also here for extra credit. I didn’t have a chance to reply, as the next set of speakers began. The students’ question bounced on the back of my head; in a sense of indignation, I suppose. All thoughts quieted when the summit began.

The gun violence summit lasted from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sessions I sat in for focused on the gun industry’s marketing (discussed by the law school) and violence risk screening (discussed by the school of medicine). The material was enlightening yet disheartening at the same time; doctors and lawyers went over both misconceptions and how we approach gun violence. The Washington Post reported that gun violence

research funding only kicked off in 2019, split between the National Institute of Health and the CDC. Each institution receives $12.5 million for gun violence research, even though the NIH receives over $45 billion in taxpayer dollars for research. That’s 0.027% of their funding. The issue seems to be, in part, how we discuss gun violence.

Doctors pointed out that a better approach would be focusing on viewing gun violence as a public health crisis and referenced the U.S.’s immediate response to COVID-19, which the NIH received over $4.9 billion over for research. Part of gun violence is how we approach the conversation.

Wanting to also be part of my conversation, I raised my hand, full of righteousness, wanting

to ask how I could bring this discussion to our undergraduate portion of campus. My train of thought started clearly, but my hands started wavering and I lost my train of thought halfway through. I got through my question and listened to the responses, focusing on having the conversation even through simple ways like fundraisers for families to create a sense of community.

I walked out during the next panel switch a little dumbfounded that my body had lost its composure – something it never had done before. I went on to grab some lunch with friends after, yet I could not find the energy to participate at all. I didn’t realize how draining the conversation was and decided to just go home with my body

Hands-off haute couture

poaching.

One of the top comments on Schiaparelli’s Instagram post asks why the designer would, “with all the creativity that the human mind can create, choose dead animal heads” to craft.

The same comment also expresses that they feel “a strong pain and displeasure” due to the garments. The comment has received over 6,000 likes, and Schiaparelli’s PFW23 posts have been flooded with a myriad of similar complaints.

I am reminded of the horrifying nature of Bouguereau’s painting, and how it is still widely regarded as a masterpiece. Daniel Roseberry, the creative director of Schiaparelli, describes the animalistic gowns as “terrors” he aimed to represent from “Dante’s Inferno.” Whether onlookers of Schiaparelli’s show are valid in their feelings of discomfort or not, isn’t art often uncomfortable?

Those that describe the gowns as “disgusting” and “insensitive” seem to ignore the intent and context behind the

garments. Fashion, especially haute couture, is an art form, and Roseberry’s show only exemplifies that.

Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, has a wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art displaying garments, drawing attention to both the historical significance and the artistry behind them. Wintour’s wing aims to convey to the public what Roseberry and other designers believe: that fashion deserves to be respected and analyzed in the same way that other ‘traditional’ art forms are.

One article from Vogue expressed that “it’s a shame” how the knee-jerk reactions to the garments “overshadowed the extraordinary work Roseberry and his team lavished on molding, sculpting and embellishing the majority of the collection.”

Art is often problematic. Art incites emotions, even negative ones. Art does not tread on everyone’s individual comfort. These are sentiments people seem to accept when it comes to traditional art forms, but why can’t audiences seem to regard

working on autopilot.

It’s not that we don’t want to have conversations about gun violence, gun control or mental health. It’s just exhausting.

When we think of campus, we want to think of mixers and Valentine’s Day and annoying assignments. We worked for years to get to college and having to question our safety wasn’t one of our goals. That being said: every time we push ourselves a little further to discuss gun violence and mental health, we get closer to making our campus a little safer. We don’t have to think about it alone.

fashion in the same way? Why is fashion considered less important?

An article from Observer argues that “the convergence of art and fashion is symbiotic” and likens the relationship between designer and model to “performance art.” Fashion is the only art form that every single person must personally engage with every single day of their lives, making it arguably one of the most significant art forms that exists.

Roseberry’s garments have also been criticized for not being cruelty-free, despite his claims that “no animals were harmed” in the making of each look. Critics argue that the gowns are unethical and unsustainable because the faux fur is made of wool and silk. These claims ignore the fact that ethically sourced wool and silk exist. Articles from the Council of Fashion Directors of America (CFDA) claim that silk and wool are environmentally friendly textiles that can be made cruelty-free. Massproduced alternatives such as

acrylics are often praised for being cruelty free but have a major negative impact on the environment due to microplastics. In fact, since haute couture produces one-off, well-crafted garments, one Vogue article on fashion week argues that it is one of the most sustainable genres of fashion that exists.

New York Fashion Week took place from Friday, Feb. 10, to Wednesday, Feb. 15. Everything from the sketches to the construction of the garments was a major artistic endeavor for each designer, just as Bouguereau’s paintings were. Consider Thom Browne’s fabulous textile work or Marc Jacob’s structural boldness with the same appreciation you might give to artwork in the Louvre Museum or the Mu-

of

seum

Modern Art.

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. 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.

Ava Dela Pena is a first-year student, majoring in journalism. You can find her @avadlpn on Twitter.

Savith Collure is an economics and public policy major. You can reach out via savithcollure@gmail. com

By Max Edelman SPORTS EDITOR

Pride silenced by Fairfield on the road

by the Mennella sisters, as Nikki and Taylor Mennella each scored a hat trick for the Pride in the loss. The sisters have a combined 19 of the Pride’s 39 goals scored thus far this season, with Nikki at 13 goals and Taylor at six. Kerry Walser scored the only other goal for Hofstra in the contest. All seven of Hofstra’s goals were unassisted.

The Hofstra University women’s lacrosse team suffered their second consecutive loss in a 15-7 game on the road at the hands of the Fairfield University Stags on Saturday, Feb. 25.

After Hofstra opened the season with two consecutive wins, including an upset victory over No. 25 Vanderbilt University, the Pride dropped their second in a row and fell back to .500 on the year.

Hofstra’s offense was carried

By Aaron Diaz STAFF WRITER

The Stags offense turned on the jets in the contest, putting 15 goals past the Pride. This was due in large part to the contributions of Elizabeth Talltulo, whose four goals and three assists were both team highs in the game.

Ellie Grefenstette recorded a hat trick for the Stags, while Grace Staler and Amanda Kozak each netted two of their own. The scoring was rounded out by Olivia Doody, Libby Rowe, Haley Burns and Rylee Harrell, who each scored once.

The first quarter was one largely dominated by the Stags, who scored six of the first seven goals scored in the contest, with all four of Talltulo’s goals coming in the first quarter of the game.

From that point on, it was all Stags. The Pride were outscored 3-1 in the second frame and 5-3 in the third. Although the Pride did score two goals in the fourth, it was too little too late, as they fell 15-7 in commanding fashion.

The Pride, now 2-2 on the season, will look to right the ship before conference play begins.

Hofstra will play their next two games at James M. Shuart Stadium when Marist College and Army West Point come into town on Wednesday, March 1, and Saturday, March 4 respectively.

Hofstra top St. John’s for second straight win

Rory Jones finished as the day’s top scorer, leading the Pride with three goals.

Hofstra got to scoring right away as John Madsen put his side on the board in the first minute of the opening period with a strike to the top left corner of the net. The Pride’s lead was then extended with what was perhaps the goal of the day when Tom Ford found the back of the net from the midfield logo with his first of two goals.

faced in a single game thus far in the beginning of the season. He finished with nine saves. Up next, the Pride will play in their home opener against the Villanova University Wildcats on Saturday, March 4, at James M. Shuart Stadium, where the team won four of six games last season. Faceoff is set for 4 p.m. Live stats will be available on gohofstra.com.

The Hofstra Pride men’s lacrosse team defeated the St. John’s University Red Storm 1612 at DaSilva Memorial Field in Queens, New York, on Saturday, Feb. 25. Hofstra has now won its last two games after losing its first three to start the regular season.

The Pride took charge of the game in the third period when they put up six unanswered goals. Within that span, Griffin Turner scored one goal and provided two assists to contribute to the surge.

St. John’s had a six-goal stretch of their own in the final nine minutes of the game, but the rally ultimately fell short.

Hofstra’s ability to execute was evident as they outnumbered St. John’s in total shots 49-44, while 30 of their shots were on goal. The Pride made it a tough day for St. John’s goalkeeper Kyle Munson, despite the fact that he made 14 saves.

St. John’s best efforts came from the attacking duo of Brian Kelly and Connor Kalmus, who each scored four goals, with Kelly also providing four assists.

While the Pride held firm for most of the game, they threatened their own chances with 18 turnovers. In the end, goalkeeper Mac Gates faced the greatest number of shots he’s

Photo courtesy of Evan Bernstein / Hofstra Athletics

Photo courtesy of Fairfield Athletics Hofstra is now 14-5 all time against Fairfield.

Gerard Kane leads the offense with nine goals and nine assists.

Graphic courtesy of Dylan Brett

Men’s basketball wins CAA regular season title

By Andrew Fantucchio SPORTS EDITOR

me,” Claxton said. “To come back and be able to win this thing as a coach, I can’t say enough things about it.”

With the win, the Pride captured its 11th straight victory and finished the regular season with a final record of 23-8. Now, with a 16-2 record against the rest of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Hofstra finishes the year as the conference’s regular season champion for the third time in the last five years.

“I made the right decision,” Williams said. “The culture is really good. Guys are hardworking, always in the gym, and it’s just great to be here.”

For someone who has been involved in as many basketball games as Speedy Claxton, there are many that get lost in time. However, after winning his first-ever regular season championship as a head coach, Claxton will be sure to hold on to the Hofstra University men’s basketball team’s 84-52 victory over Northeastern University in the Pride’s regular season finale at the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex on Saturday afternoon.

“This is more than a job to

“It’s extremely hard,” Claxton said when asked about the difficulty of his team’s accomplishment. “You really have to come out and play hard, and play the right way, night in and night out. You can’t have any off nights. I’m just extremely proud of these guys.”

Tyler Thomas led all scorers with 23 points, while Warren Williams contributed 19. Both players transferred to Hofstra at the beginning of the season and, after the game, felt their choice was even more justified.

It was the addition of players such as Thomas and Williams that has elevated the level of the Pride’s play this year. Of course, Aaron Estrada is the frontman of the band, commanding the most attention from fans and opponents alike. But Hofstra’s depth and ability to pick opponents apart in any way possible has been their signature song.

As Estrada struggled to find a rhythm in the first half against Northeastern, Hofstra clung to a narrow lead. With the Huskies threatening, German Plotnikov picked off a pass, raced down to the other end and fought through contact to sink a right-handed layup.

Then, when Northeastern took a 21-20 advantage, it was Plotnikov again who made the big play. Standing in the corner, the JUCO transfer collected a

pass and flew in into the paint with reckless abandon to slam home a dunk that sparked a 27-4 Hofstra run that carried over into the second half.

“German was outstanding,”

Claxton said. “We’re confident in our bench. We know German can step up to the plate, and we don’t have any problems going to our bench at all.”

Now, at the close of regular season, Hofstra can look back with admiration at all they’ve accomplished thus far.

The Pride answered every challenge the CAA had to offer this season, with at least one win over each of their conference opponents, none of which were bigger than the victory over the rival College of Charleston on Jan. 28.

Charleston finished the year

with an identical record as Hofstra, giving the Cougars a share of the regular season tile. But Hofstra’s victory in the lone game between the two teams this year gave the Pride the tiebreaker and eventually earned them the first seed in the conference tournament.

Hofstra will more than likely need to go through Charleston to get total bragging rights. Until then, they’ll savor this win for a little while.

“I’m so proud of this team,” said Hofstra vice president director of athletics Rick Cole, Jr. “It’s been an unbelievable journey.”

Monmouth spoils Pride senior day with last-second victory

By Aaron Diaz STAFF WRITER

“I thought our girls battled, I’m disappointed in how the game ended,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “I don’t want the loss to take away from what they were able to do tonight with bouncing back from one of our worst games all year to come back and battle and push through.”

it. Whether they were here for three years or just one year, they have had huge impacts and have helped this program move forward. I love that they are great players, but they are also good people, and they’ve helped as we continue to try and build a championship program.”

The senior day celebration was dimmed for the Hofstra University women’s basketball team due to a pair of last-second free throws that led to a win for the Monmouth University Hawks, 69-67, on Sunday, Feb. 26.

With the Pride’s last game at the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex, Hofstra celebrated senior day for the seniors on the team: Brandy Thomas, Jada Peacock and Rosi Nicholson.

“They all have had a major impact on our program,” Atkinson said. “We are continuing to build, and in that build, they’ve been a part of

Despite their last couple of outings, Hofstra maintained a good pace with the Hawks throughout. Both Thomas and freshman Emma Von Essen contributed a well-balanced performance for the Pride with 19 and 13 points respectively, while also adding three rebounds and one assist each. Swint led the team in the paint with 12 points on 5-7 shooting from the field and seven rebounds.

“When Brandy [Thomas] is out there and she’s playing with energy and playing as hard as she can, she can be productive as she was tonight,” Atkinson said. “She continued to battle and fight, so I thought it was great how she played, and we want to continue to get the production from her.”

On the other side of the court, the Hawks played a well-rounded game with three players just below double-digits. However, Elizabeth Marsicano’s 18-point performance threw a wrench in the Pride’s plan, going 4-7 from the 3-point line. Right behind her was Ariana Vanderhoop, who displayed a 12-point game with three rebounds and four steals on the night.

With both offenses playing a tight game, both teams’ mistakes were few and far between in the first half. Tied at 31 going into halftime, more of the same ensued as the scoreboard read 52-52 heading into the fourth quarter. But the fourth quarter turnover woes of the Pride struck again.

“When you’ve been in games that we’ve been in when things get tight and that starts to happen, then our confidence waivers a little, but with tonight we fought back,” Atkinson said. “We had those turnovers, but we didn’t fold and stayed together, but that stretch right there did put us in a tough spot.”

With a 67-65 lead for the Hawks, Sorelle Ineza made her way through the paint for a good 2-point jumper to tie the game 67-67 with less than a minute remaining. Multiple missed opportunities for both teams with turnovers on the Pride and missed shots could not put the game away. With five seconds left, the Hawks tried to lay the ball in, but Nicholson fouled them with half of a second left. A pair of Vanderhoop free throws gave the team the narrow 69-67 victory.

“They battled and there were long stretches where there was no stoppage of play, and I think we got a little fatigued,” Atkinson said. “Monmouth was able to score on transition, and we made some silly mistakes, including those turnovers, but we were able to bounce back and battle.”

With their final two games on the road, the Hofstra women’s basketball team seeks a strong finish to their season with their first stop against the Hampton University Pirates on Thursday, March 2, at 7 p.m.

Hofstra is the No. 1 seed going to the CAA tournament for the third time in five years.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics

The three seniors combined for 35% of the Pride’s offense this season.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics

By Dylan Brett STAFF WRITER

Hofstra completes sweep over Albany

last weekend.

“I felt like we played a lot better today,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto.

“I was really happy with our performance; always nice to bounce back with a sweep.”

Hamilton and Martinez picked him up and kept us in the game.”

The Hofstra University baseball team certainly proved what a difference a week can make on Sunday, Feb. 26, as they completed a three-game sweep over the University at Albany Great Danes with a 14-8 victory at University Field in Hempstead, New York.

The Pride improved their record to 3-4 on the young season after suffering a fourgame sweep at the hands of Florida Gulf Coast University

Things looked bleak for the Pride early on, as the usually reliable Brad Camarda surrendered six earned runs on five hits and five walks in just 2.1 innings of work. However, the freshman reliever duo of Carlos Martinez and Sean Hamilton was able to right the ship on the mound for the Pride, as they combined to pitch 5.2 innings and surrendered just two runs on four hits the rest of the day. The effort earned Martinez his first collegiate win, while Albany’s Joseph Tolbia was charged with the loss.

“Even though Brad [Camarda] didn’t have it, sometimes he’s not gonna have it,” Catalanotto said. “The young guys like

The Hofstra offense was also able to pick up their starting pitcher, tallying 14 runs on 16 hits for their second consecutive offensive explosion. Senior outfielder Will Kennedy led the way for the Pride on offense, going 5-6 with a double and four singles in the win. Second baseman Santino Rosso drove in three runs for the Pride, while Kennedy, Brian Morrell, Kevin Bruggeman and Steve Harrington all posted multi-RBI games as well.

“We know offense is this team’s strength,” Catalanotto said. “We know we were gonna score runs eventually, so to see the guys go out and do that the last few games is encouraging.”

Freshman utility man Dylan Palmer was one of the stories of the day, making his first collegiate start for the Pride

and reaching base three times. Palmer made the start at shortstop on Sunday but is a versatile piece that can make an impact at a number of positions.

“Having Dylan [Palmer] in the game was exciting for me because he causes so much havoc with his speed,” Catalanotto said. “He does a great job in the infield, great job in the outfield, you can put him at any position.”

After winning their first three

games at home, Hofstra will hit the road for an eight-game road trip over the course of three weeks.

The Pride’s next stop will be in Reno, Nevada, where they’ll meet the University of Nevada Wolfpack from the Mountain West Conference for a fourgame series that begins on Friday, March 3, and concludes on Sunday, March 5.

Speedy Claxton signs multi-year extension

CONTINUED FROM A1

By Andrew Fantucchio SPORTS EDITOR

“I think we’re always going to expect there to be interest in Speedy Claxton,” said Hofstra vice president and director of athletics Rick Cole Jr. “That’s going to remain as long as he’s in the coaching profession. He’s our coach, and we knew that we wanted that to be the case for years to come.”

Regardless of the presence of any outside pressure, the timing of Claxton’s extension is important nonetheless. Not many coaches can boast the same resume as Claxton in their sophomore season, never mind in their careers, which is something that he is keenly aware of.

“I’m not like other coaches,” Claxton said. “I really just won a regular season conference title in just my second year. That’s just what I do. I’m a winner. Wherever I go, I win. But then, when I stepped back, I was like, ‘Wow, this is actually kind of crazy what I just did.’”

As crazy as the extension may

feel for Claxton, he doesn’t sense any added expectations to deliver a conference championship to Hofstra this week and send the school to its first NCAA national tournament appearance since 2001. Like they always are, Claxton and the Pride are sure of themselves and view their upcoming trip to Washington, D.C., as business as usual.

“I don’t put any pressure on myself,” Claxton said. “My guys are ready, and I’m ready. We’re going to go out there confident but not too overconfident. We know we can get the job done.”

Whether or not he can get the job done this year remains to be seen. Either way, Claxton is eager for the chance to continue to build upon his achievements heading into the future. Especially due to Poser’s commitment to investing in the school’s athletics programs, something he views as a rarity among other university presidents.

“She’s visible,” Claxton said.

“She’s at the games, she’s in the suite and she’s on the sidelines.

I think that’s the best thing that

she’s doing by far. That goes goes a long way. She sees the vision, and she knows that it can help elevate the university.”

When Claxton was hired as Hofstra’s head coach prior to last season, he took the job with the intention of bringing the program to prominence and with the hope of reaching new heights. Now, with more time to work with and more resources at his disposal, Claxton has greater ambitions that go beyond win-

ning a conference championship next week – not only for Hofstra but for himself as well.

“This is more than a job,” Claxton said. “This is my legacy.”

Hofstra currently has five hitters batting above .300.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics

Rockville Centre native finding confidence at Hofstra

“And [the] little girls, that’s the best thing ever. I was them. I came to Hofstra when I was little; I played at halftime games when I was like eight years old too.”

By Michelle Rabinovich SPORTS EDITOR

Basketball was Emma Von Essen’s destiny.

Since before she was born, Emma Von Essen’s dad has been at the head of Game 7 Sports, an after-school program on Long Island where students can learn and develop their basketball skills. By the time she was old enough to go to school, it was decided that she was old enough to play ball.

“I was just always around basketball,” Von Essen said. “I got to kindergarten, and I started dribbling, and I was at [my dad’s] summer camps all the time.”

From there, she went to Lutheran High School, where she played on their varsity team for all four years.

“I played for a really, really good high school,” Von Essen said. “They just got No. 1 in the country for basketball.”

That pretty much sealed her fate for playing the highest levels of basketball.

“[With Lutheran] our practices were like college practices, and we traveled like college players,” Von Essen said. “So, the transition was pretty easy.”

The strength of the school,

and by extension Von Essen herself, was confirmed by her high school head coach, Christina Raiti.

“Every single day at practice, first kid in the gym, last kid to leave the gym,” Raiti said.

“She was just an extremely hard worker. She had her fair

Indeed, she holds every single one close to her heart, because she knows that it’s exceedingly rare for women to have the spotlight in sports. Von Essen looked back on when Hofstra hosted the youth clinic for girls before playing North Carolina A&T State University as one of the happiest memories she had playing here.

“There were like 200 girls in the clinic, and I knew so many of them and it’s just so cool seeing that,” Von Essen said. “A lot of them are girls

“[For] some kids, their talent comes easy for them. [Von Essen] works for everything she does,” Raiti said. “She has a gift for just being able to feel the game out and to understand some higher-level concepts. I think the idea of her understanding Xs and Os of basketball is a lot different than other players. She’s able to put other teammates in spots to be successful.”

In fact, that was one of the most attractive things the coaches saw in Von Essen before coming into this team, on top of the fact that she’s local –meaning she has the advantage of a personal cheerleading squad.

“The biggest things that

her chances to start the season the way she wanted to.

“When we came back [from summer break] she had to have surgery on her wrist. The team had been practicing for five weeks without her, [so] she had to get her confidence back,” Atkinson said.

To hype her up, the coaching staff stepped up and posted one of her favorite quotes on social media:

“Some women fear the fire, some women simply become it,” by R.H. Sin.

Turns out, she took being bold a step further.

“I also really liked the quote ‘No guts, no glory.’ That’s another one of my favorites,” Von Essen said. “Last year, in the beginning of my senior year, I used to play it safe. And it’s like alright, nothing’s gonna happen if you don’t have guts to do it; nobody else is [going to] do it for you.”

What really helped solidify her confidence was a core memory with the team, specifically the come-frombehind win against Army West Point.

share of time where she got her butt kicked as a freshman and a sophomore.”

What helped the Rockville Centre native start her collegiate career on the right foot was the fact that she stayed close to home to continue doing what she loves. In a sea of spectators, there’s one group of people she hears cheer the loudest, without fail, every time she steps into the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex.

“There’s so many people from my town [who come],” Von Essen said through a smile.

that train with my dad or girls from St. Agnes [Catholic Youth Organization], my hometown church where I also played basketball.”

With that comes the question: how does she handle the stress of playing in front of those that consider her a hero?

“I try not to look,” Von Essen confessed. “I don’t really get nervous for games but it’s just like, wow, everyone’s here, now I really have to do good.”

Von Essen has more than proven that she tries to “do good,” according to the coaching staff.

“She never got too rattled; she’s a fearless freshman,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “She didn’t come in as a typical freshman. She was very much so ahead of the curve.”

Her former coach took it a step beyond that, saying that it’s not talent but how she reads the court that sets her apart every time she steps on the hardwood.

we saw was her versatility at that guard spot, her ability to score, as well as her skill in her basketball IQ,” Atkinson said. “Emma has a whole fan club section. When you recruit local players like that, you’re able to bring their support system with them, in essence, so it’s special when you get to keep those local players home.”

Despite the fact that Von Essen is known for dropping 3-pointers like it’s no big deal, considering she leads the team in that category, confidence on the court has never come naturally to her. A wrist injury on her shooting hand made matters worse, slimming down

“In the last two minutes, we came back, and we won. And we went in the locker room, and we’re all like out of control, so happy. We always wait for the coaches to come in and someone said for us to get our waters,” Von Essen said. “It was a complete splash-fest. I would relive that a million times. And that’s just what keeps me going; I just want to keep winning and having those celebrations.”

With just a week of the regular season left for the women’s basketball team, so long as Von Essen stays cheesin’, it looks like the ball is in her court.

“Some women fear the fire, some women simply become it.” - R.H. Sin

Alexis Friedman / The Hofstra Chronicle Von Essen strives to become the fire on the court.

Alexis Friedman / The Hofstra Chronicle Von Essen leads 3-point shooting with 40%.

By Dylan Brett STAFF WRITER

Thirteen years ago, Craig “Speedy” Claxton was on his way out of basketball and unsure of what the future held, as he missed his third straight NBA season dealing with a slew of leg injuries and grappled with the fact that his career on the court could be over. Fast forward to 2023, and Hofstra’s prodigal son is on the precipice of history, as Claxton will attempt to coach his alma mater to a conference championship and their first NCAA tournament bid since 2001 next week in Washington, D.C.

Claxton now spends his days engineering Hofstra guards into college basketball’s brightest stars and coaching the Pride to victory at a historic pace with an unprecedented 44-19 record thus far on the sidelines.

Claxton’s rise to success in the realm of coaching has been nothing short of meteoric, something that he accredits to the lengthy catalog of legendary coaches he spent time learning from throughout his career and the winning culture he has established thus far in his young tenure at Hofstra.

While his coaching pedigree tends to garner the spotlight, Claxton’s journey with the Pride began long before many of his current players were even born. Claxton spent four years in Hempstead playing out his college career under the tutelage of Hall of Fame head coach Jay Wright and set program records in assists and steals throughout his illustrious career at Hofstra.

Claxton then continued on to the NBA, where he was selected 20th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft and became one of 14 players in Hofstra history to make the jump to the association.

Throughout his 10-year career in the pros, Claxton played under some of the game’s most legendary coaches, the most notable of which was San Antonio Spurs head coach and NBA all-time wins leader Gregg

Exchanging of the guards

Popovich. Throughout his time in San Antonio, Claxton gained invaluable experience learning from the Basketball Hall of Famer that he would later use on the sidelines at Hofstra long after the conclusion of his playing days.

“Coach Popovich always taught me to treat the first and last guy on the bench the same way,” Claxton said. “By getting on the best guy just like you get on the worst, that’s how you earn respect in a locker room.”

As he approached the end of his playing career, Claxton began to deal with a plethora of injuries to his knee and hamstring, ultimately meaning his playing days were now numbered. During his final year in the league, a conversation with then-Golden State Warriors

conference title in 2020.

Claxton also oversaw the development of guards Desire Buie and Eli Pemberton, who both eclipsed 1,200 points at Hofstra and won conference titles with the Pride as well.

“I just teach my guards to be a leader on the floor,” Claxton said. “At the guard position, it’s all about being one step ahead of the play, and that’s what we try to build in them.”

Since being named head coach of the Pride in 2021, Claxton’s prolific pedigree at the guard position hasn’t stopped growing, with stars such as Tyler Thomas, Jaquan Carlos, Darlinstone Dubar and reigning CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada all putting up career numbers for the Pride this season.

Claxton’s deep arsenal

on the floor,” Carlos said. “Just being a point guard, you have to be a leader for your team, pave the way and set the tone for the offense.”

While Claxton’s on-court product is undeniable, a coaches’ impact is so much

second coach in Hofstra history to win 20 or more games in each of his first two seasons. Claxton acknowledged Mihalich for piecing together the winning culture currently in place at Hofstra and says the former Pride head coach left him with the perfect blueprint to follow.

“Culture-wise, we just picked up right where Coach Mihalich left off,” Claxton said. “He did an outstanding job, so for us it was about keeping it going.”

head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson would change the trajectory of Claxton’s career forever.

“Don saw how I was interacting with the players and said I was like a coach on the floor,” Claxton said. “He told me I would make a hell of a coach, and if you’ve got a Hall of Famer telling you that, it should be a no-brainer.”

After joining the Hofstra coaching staff as a special assistant to head coach Joe Mihalich in 2013, Claxton’s impact on the sidelines was instantaneous, especially at the guard position. A number of Hofstra guards blossomed into superstars under the guidance of Claxton, including Hofstra legends such as Justin WrightForeman, who would go on to win the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Player of the Year on two separate occasions and lead the Pride to a

of guards has taken college basketball by storm this season, and propelled Hofstra to the top of the CAA in offensive efficiency and true shooting percentage by a wide margin.

Each of Claxton’s prodigies at the position serves a unique role on the team and fits into the lineup differently, and the epitome of this notion is Carlos, who averages six points, four rebounds and five assists per game this season on just 15.5% of possessions used. Carlos takes just 11% of the team’s shots, yet ranks among the 100 most efficient players in college basketball since the beginning of conference play. Carlos’ role on the Pride is unquestionably peculiar, but he credits his head coach with helping him find his mantle as the team’s primary facilitator.

“Speedy has preached a lot of leadership to me and really taught me how to be a leader

bigger than basketball and is often best illustrated in the culture he builds within his program.

“Culture is everything,” Claxton said. “Last year, I just tried to amass as much talent as possible, but this year it was about finding the right guys and building that perfect culture.”

When Estrada spoke about all the things he’s learned from Claxton, he raved at length about all his head coach has taught him off the court.

“He’s taught me all about being consistent with my work ethic, he preaches about that a lot,” Estrada said. “If you work hard, all the other stuff will work itself out, and it shows. That’s something that’s stuck out to me and I’ll always remember.”

That same work ethic has undoubtedly made the Pride a model program in the CAA, as Claxton recently became the

Overall, it can be easy to dwell on the present and look ahead to the future as the Pride prepares to play for conference gold next week, but one must acknowledge all that has happened in the past to elevate the program to this point.

In the end, Claxton’s trials and tribulations at all levels of the game have fortuitously paved the way for him to build something special back where his basketball journey began, as he sits just three wins from making history with his alma mater.

Although his resume as a coach is eye-catching, a look beneath the flashy sneakers and extravagant, emphatic coaching style will show Claxton’s true place with the Pride as a teacher and keen developer of character. The accolades that Claxton already held at Hofstra were impressive enough. Now, in just his second year as head coach, Hofstra’s prodigal son has added to his pedigree and has undeniably built something special in Hempstead.

Speedy Claxton has amassed an impressive 44-19 record at Hofstra.

Photo courtesy of Lee S. Weissman / Hofstra Athletics

“By getting on the best guy just like you get on the worst, that’s how you earn respect in a locker room.”

THE HOFSTRA CHRONICLE

February 28, 2023

N eed F or S peedy

Speedy Claxton signs multi-year extension to remain home at Hofstra.