HEMPSTEAD, NY Volume 82 Issue 17
The Hofstra
Chronicle
Tuesday April 11, 2017
Keeping the hofstra Community informed since 1935
Bedbugs force evacuation, protocol causes disarray By Kyle Kandetzki and Katie Krahulik M ANAG I N G E D I TO R / ASSISTA N T N E W S E D I TO R
Upon the discovery of a bedbug in the corner of their room, senior Matt Tanzosh, sophomore Ariel Leal and their two roommates were forced to bag their clothing and leave their 14th floor quad dorm in Constitution Hall on Tuesday, April 4 around 3 a.m. Tanzosh felt itchy for a short period of time before discovering and killing the bedbug, and calling Hofstra’s Department of Public Safety shortly thereafter. Later, a specialist arrived and informed the residents that exterminators would be there to spray the room the following day. The students were moved to an “emergency” empty suite in Colonial Square’s Williamsburg
House, with an unclear timecontacting Public Safety, Facili- residents were instructed to put frame of when they would be ties and Operations was notified a change of clothes in a dryer to allowed to return. This was just as well as Resident Director of bring to Colonial Square with one of a handful of ambiguous Constitution Hall Samuel Baah. them. As for the rest of their answers the roommates were The room was inspected, and the clothing and bedding items, an given by email the unisent versity from during this Residenprocess. tial Life “A big asked issue was them the fact that to bag everything those was so items vague,” and Leal said. leave “There them were a lot in the of quesinfected tions we room. were askThe ing each four other as we students were packwere Photo Courtesy of Ariel Leal ing.” allowed Students inhabiting a room where a bedbug was found were forced to bag their clothes back After and evacuate the room for three days.
into their room on Friday, April 7. Despite being told that they were supposed to have their clothing and bedding materials returned by Saturday from the off-campus company dealing with the situation, they received their possessions Monday at 1 p.m., two days later than expected. For a total of six days, the residents could not access any of these belongings. It was not until after the clothing was bagged up that the students were told by Baah that they themselves would be in charge of cleaning the clothing during the extermination process. “Suggesting that we take up the entire [laundry room], spreading the bedbugs by opening these bags in the laundry room is very dangerous,” Tan-
Continued on 2
Gorsuch sworn in as Supreme Court justice following Senate standoff and rule change By Michael Ortiz EDITOR - I N - C H I E F
After over a year of intense, partisan political strife that led to a contentious Senate rule change – dubbed the “nuclear option” – President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, was sworn in as an associate justice on Monday in the White House Rose Garden to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Now Justice Gorsuch, the former judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit faced a tumultuous road to the bench following a risky political strategy from the GOP to block President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the post. Never before had a Supreme
Court nominee been denied so Donald Trump much as a hearing for their candid nominate didacy; however Republicans, a reassuring under the leadership of Sen. conservative, Mitch McConnell, refused to lis- entirely mainten to arguments for Garland’s stream figure nomination citing the looming and that made presidential election. their position Eric Freedman, the Siggi B. extremely Wilzig Distinguished Professor credible.” of Constitutional Rights in the Senate Maurice A. Deane School of Democrats Law, sees Gorsuch’s confirmafilibustered tion as a clear victory for the Gorsuch’s GOP and Trump. “In terms of nomination, strategy and tactics, I thought it arguing that was terribly played by the Dem- the vacant seat ocrats and well-played by the was Obama’s Republicans,” Freedman said. to fill since he “[Republicans] not only took a had months to gamble and won on the Merrick find Scalia’s Garland seat, but more critically, Continued ON A3
Photo Courtesy of Associated Press
Gorsuch was sworn in as a Supreme Court justice on Monday, April 10, 2017.
NEWS
A 2 • april 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Renovated coliseum reopens to Long Island high-speed Wi-Fi, according to By Josh Ringler a press release. STAFF WR I T E R The arena is home to the After 20 months and $165 NBA’s D-League’s Long Island million in renovations, the NasNets and also hosts a number sau Veterans Memorial Coliof college basketball games, seum reopened with a concert championship boxing and other from Long Island native Billy entertainment events. The arena Joel. can hold up to 16,000 people for The first week of the reopenconcerts, 14,500 for basketball ing also marked performances games, MMA and boxing, and by Stevie Nicks and The 4,500 for theater productions, Pretenders, Idina Menzel, Marc according to the press release. Anthony and WWE Monday Events are already scheduled into next January, which for Hofstra fans, includes a Hofstra men’s basketball matchup against 2016 NCAA Champions Villanova University. For local Islanders fans, the event schedule may bring disappointment. However, that may not be for too long. According to a Newsday exclusive and other reports from Bloomberg and CBS, the Islanders may return to their original home at the Coliseum due to issues at the Barclays Center, their current location. Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano met with Islanders Photo Courtesy of Newsday officials last November about Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum reopens after extensive renovations. coming back to the Coliseum. It should be noted that the press Night Raw. Gina Antoniello, the manager of Communications at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment – which operates the Coliseum, the Barclays Center and other venues – said, “There is a new allure to the Coliseum … There is an element of nostalgia here too.” The renovations doubled the number of bathrooms in the venue, brought on new business partners, created a new modern exterior and included
release detailing the renovations does have a stated attendance for hockey games at 13,900 people, which would make it the smallest arena used in the NHL. Harrison Grubb, a sophomore journalism major and an engineer for Islanders games on WRHU, hopes they return before he graduates. “As a Hofstra student, it is great to have a venue with so many events so close. But I really want the Islanders to return.” As a reporter for WRHU, Grubb said, “It would be a tremendous opportunity again for WRHU to continue working with the Islanders … and with hockey being my favorite sport, I’d want them back.” Antoniello could not confirm an Islanders return, but did confirm the Long Island Nets as the “anchor tenant” like the Islanders once were. As the Islanders once offered discounted tickets for Hofstra students, the question of whether the Long Island Nets will do the same remains unanswered.
Students left befuddled after bedbugs
Continued from a1 zosh said. The roommates would have been left to handle the clothing on their own if it was not for their resident director, Baah, who they felt went out of his way to help handle the situation by sifting through unclear directions after being seemingly unprepared. After originally being instructed to take care of their own clothing, Leal said Baah called a cleaning company to handle the issue. He also supplied pillows, sheets and kept the residents updated on what was happening in their room. Two hours after initially reporting the incident, the residents were working with Baah to resolve the situation. “The people on their end were very helpful,” Tanzosh said. Leal says that the exterminators seem to have
handled the room effectively, but the general consensus among the roommates was that there was a lack of communication and protocol by the university. “It’s not the type of thing to be handled so lightly,” Leal said. Despite being back in their room within three days of the incident occurring, the ambiguity and confusion of the instructions given by various Residence Life and Public Safety officials caused uncertainty in the time in between. Tanzosh says they were only given “rough estimates” for how long they would be out of their room, and that miscommunication within and between departments led to a lot of redirecting in order to find answers to their questions. In terms of protocol, beyond clothing and bedding, Tanzosh said the roommates were given
no instructions on how to handle other items like books and records that could have also harbored the bugs. “Beyond Res Life, who did the best they could, anyone that we spoke to didn’t seem to know a lot about the subject,” Tanzosh said. Karen O’Callaghan, the director of Public Safety, said they received a report, but that the details of the call could not be regenerated. “When the report was received, we notified the respective Resident Director and [Hofstra’s Facilities and Operations].” Infestations and exterminations, O’Callaghan explained, are not in Public Safety’s jurisdiction. “It’s not a report we’d typically generate.” Unable to comment on the details of the case due to privacy liabilities, Dom Lavin, the director of Campus Operations, explained the protocol in such scenarios. “We have an exterminating
company that the university contracts with. We have 24/7 response times. Generally, we’ll get there within two hours of us calling them. They’ll work with one of our managers. We also work with the Residence Life staff to make sure that we give entry into the space or spaces in order to do our inspections. We inspect, and then if need be, we treat,” Lavin said. The campus custodial staff does a thorough cleaning every summer. However, during the semester, they are not permitted access to student rooms unless a report is made. Students in suite-style dorms are expected to maintain cleaniness within their own rooms and bathrooms, whereas bathrooms in the highrises are cleaned five times a week by custodial staff. Tanzosh said, “If we weren’t being accountable about this, there are no safeguards to prevent people from saying ‘Well, you know, screw it.’”
The Hofstra
Chronicle www.thehofstrachronicle.com 203 Student Center
Editor-in-Chief Michael Ortiz Managing Editor Kyle Kandetzki Business Manager Erin Kiley News Editors Danny Nikander Laurel O’Keefe Assistant News Editor Katie Krahulik A&E Editors Brianna Holcomb Brianna Ciniglio Assistant A&E Editor Rob Dolen Sports Editors Kevin Carroll PJ Potter
Assistant Sports Editor
Joe Fay
@Hofstra Editor Amanda Valentovic Assistant @Hofstra Editor Allison Eichler Mack Caldwell Editorial Editor Gabriella Ciuffetelli Assistant Editorial Editor Kirnendra Sidhu Andy Sadaheo Copy Chiefs Sarah Kocher Marie Haaland Multimedia Editors Jesse Saunders Peter Soucy Social Media Manager Kimberly Gazdek
The Chronicle is published every Tuesday during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by calling (516) 463-6921. The Chronicle reserves the right to reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous or offensive to the University community, The Chronicle or its advertisers may be refused. The products and opinions expressed within advertisement are not endorsed by The Chronicle or its staff.
NEWS
The Chronicle
April 11, 2017•A 3
‘Nuclear option’ brings Gorsuch to Supreme Court Continued from a1 successor after his death in February of last year. Since Garland was blocked, democratic leadership called on Trump to put forth a more mainstream nominee; instead, Senate Republicans invoked the so-called “nuclear option,” eliminating the 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court justices and pushing Gorsuch through with a vote of 54-45. Three Democrats, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Manchin III and Joe Donnelly voted with 51 Republicans to confirm him. “He is certainly more than qualified and I think that the attempt to paint him as some sort of extremist has been thoroughly misguided,” Freedman said. “It’s misguided because it’s not factually true and it’s misguided politically because it’s a form of crying wolf that will tend to reduce the credibility of people who might want to oppose the next nomination of a candidate who truly is extremist.” Gorsuch is expected to em-
ploy an originalist philosophy regarding interpretation of the Constitution, and the textualist practice of judging a law by its wording and not taking outside variables into consideration – both ideologies that his predecessor was known for. Nathaniel Aron, the president of Hofstra College Republicans said, “As a judge, [Gorsuch] embodies the American value that the Constitution is not a living breathing document that can be altered for political gain, but an everlasting commitment to the promise our Founding Fathers had when making it.” Jesse Saunders, the president of Democrats of Hofstra University, categorically disagreed. “Our constitution was designed as a living breathing document meant to change with the times; having another originalist on the Court will only push us back-
wards and halt the progress we have made in recent years.” Freedman sees Gorsuch as a comparable replacement for Scalia and suggests this is the correct comparison to make, not how Gorsuch will be potentially different from Garland. “The right comparison is where [the
Justice Gorsuch is a continuation of the trends that were there when the seat was being filled by Justice Scalia.” The simple majority now needed to confirm a Supreme Court nominee is viewed as dangerous to some who fear the disappearance of consensus for such a powerful – and lifelong – position. “Over the longrun, it’s certainly bad for the Court in the sense that where the president and the Senate are of the same party, the president has less incentive to pick somebody acceptable to a broader spectrum of opinion – which is not a good thing,” Freedman said. “The structure of the Constitution contemplates that whoever is nominated will have to achieve a certain amount of consensus because after all the person – among other things
“... a political tactic was used that was somewhat novel, but it was successful and all within the rules of the game.”
Court] was on the day before Justice Scalia died and today when Justice Gorsuch is filling that seat. That’s the comparison and reasonably speaking, there’s not going to be a whole lot of change,” Freedman said. “Essentially what you’ll see with
– will be judging between the executive branch and the legislative branch. If you only need 51 votes instead of 60 votes, you reduce the level of consensus necessary and that’s not good because if the president and the Senate are controlled by the same party, it emboldens the president to pick someone who is farther out of the mainstream.” Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, led the opposition against Gorsuch’s nomination, saying the seat was stolen from a Democratic president. Freedman says this is pure politics. “It was not stolen. It was certainly an unprecedentedly bold political move which might have backfired terribly. It might have resulted in voter outrage and Democratic control of the Senate – but it didn’t,” Freedman said. “All that happened is that a political tactic was used that was somewhat novel, but it was successful and all within the rules of the game.”
now open!
NEWS
A 4 • april 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Commisioner advocates ‘Healthiest Nation 2030’ Samantha Storms
by the nation’s health advocates. “I really hope there will be less substance abuse – I see it everywhere, and it’s a huge problem here,” she said. “I hope
that people get the point that it’s not something we should be doing …” Jackson Padilla, a student at Barry Tech High School, anticipates a surge of proactivity in the future of health professions. “Personally, I think that at the rate that things are going, it can only improve since more students of the millennial generation are going out into the workforce to fill jobs that will continue to help people out,” he said. Assistant Professor of Health Professions Dr. Anthony Santella organized the event, and emphasized the need for the country to focus more on the prevention of health-related conditions alongside medical care. He explained
that the health science community’s greatest achievements in increasing life expectancy and quality of life have been because of public health and prevention. “In order for us to be the healthiest nation by 2030, we need to rethink and redefine health,” Santella said. “From ecigarettes to childhood obesity, regardless of where you live or where you go to school, we all need to be aware of the negative health consequences associated with our behaviors.” At the end of his address, Zucker urged students to utilize social media as a way to keep informed about the newest advances the Department of Health is making toward the creation of a healthier generation. Zucker said, “This is all about you – believe me, you are the future. You are tomorrow’s doctors, you are tomorrow’s engineers, you are the ones that are going to change the world for us and I’m going to be coming to you for help one day.”
the current cultural climate. Sophomore Genesis Rivera, STAFF W R I T E R a political science and sociolDuring a student panel titled ogy major, as well as a Hofstra “You Do It for the Culture: NAACP and panel member, preDiscussing Rape Culture,” parsented audience members with ticipants spoke of their personal ground rules for the event and experiences with rape culture cautioned event members that and criticized urban culture’s the discussion would be diffailure to remedy issues perficult, covering subjects such as sexual assault and harassment. However, she emphasized that it is an important conversation to have and introduced counselors from the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center who would be there to provide support for students over the duration of the event. The panel contrasted societal views of women and men as portrayed in the media. One student noted the double standard for men and women on social media, with the latter often accused of being “provocatively dressed” as opposed to confident. Students also shared their outrage and placed responsibility on the shoulders of traditionally “male-controlled” institutions such as education Photo Courtesy of Columbia Records and several students shared A popular example of a song that is highly debated as enforcing rape their concerns that dress codes
in schools are misogynistic. For some audience members, it was difficult to draw a distinction between the art and the artist. The panel recited lines from songs by Usher, DMX and Robin Thicke to highlight the mainstream objectification of women. They did not shy away from holding the more innocent seeming songs responsible including “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid,” and the holiday classic “Baby, it’s Cold Outside,” both of which imply non-consensual sexual advances. It was stressed that consent must be blatantly affirmative between both individuals and both of these songs suggest otherwise. One song in particular, “U.O.E.N.O.” by Rocko, drew the most criticism. In it, he details a flagrant account of sexual assault and raps, “Put molly all in her champagne/She ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that/She ain’t even know it.” Panel, audience and community members were taken aback by these lyrics and discussed their inability to separate Rocko from his art.
Joy Jones, a senior journalism major, said that urban artists and music as a whole is “extremely sexist, and even racist depending on the song.” She noted that while hip hop and rap culture are at fault, the genres are not exclusively to blame. “Statistics state that 80 percent of Top 40 songs have sexist undertones,” Jones said. She explained that, on occasion, she will stage her own personal protest to draw attention to this problem plaguing the entertainment industry. “If I disagree with a song’s basic principles, I will intentionally stand still to make sure everyone around me can see that I am uncomfortable with the song and I don’t agree with the messages of the song.” Rivera spoke about changing the language when discussing those who have been sexually assaulted. She urged audience members to avoid calling the assaulted “victims” and to refer to them as “survivors” instead. Rivera said,“Survivors still have their life. ‘Victim’ re-victimizes people.”
STAFF W R I T E R
Students from four local high schools visited Hofstra on April 3 to listen to New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker in celebration of “Healthiest Nation 2030,” a movement advocating for the creation of a healthier America in one generation. Representatives from the New York Department of Health sat beside students from Westbury, Roosevelt, Barry Tech and Cambria Heights high schools, filling the seats of the Student Center Theater as Zucker spoke about the dangers of substance abuse that face young New Yorkers every year. He addressed the steps he and his agency are taking to ensure a healthier state. Throughout his speech, Zucker spoke of the power social media has to spread both positive and negative messages regarding health habits to a generation constantly submersed in technology. Audience mem-
bers watched a series of public service announcements warning of the dangers of e-cigarettes that the Health Department estimates will collect over 7 million impressions by the end of the agency’s campaign. “We’re so concerned about ecigarettes because the industry is actually targeting those who are young – vaping rates are going up astronomically. The industry is telling you that e-cigarettes are a safe alternative to cigarettes, but studies show that e-cigarettes are not hazard-free,” Zucker said. The commissioner went on to explain that e-cigarettes contain the highly-addictive drug nicotine and ultra-fine particles found in aerosol emissions
related to lung cancer. Mandy Wagnac, a student at Westbury High School, expressed her hopes that prevention, treatment and recovery procedures would be improved
“From e-cigarettes to childhood obesity, regardless of where you live or where you go to school, we all need to be aware of the negative health consequences associated with our behaviors.”
Students listen to the perpetuation of rape culture
Jill Leavey
culture.
petuating the matter. Hofstra’s NAACP chapter presented the event on Thursday, April 6 in the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center. The presentation was comprised of segments analyzing how aspects of urban culture such as language, music and entertainment contribute to
NEWS
The Chronicle
April 11, 2017•A 5
Secular calendar disrupts religious celebrations Elliot Rubin SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Since Hofstra switched from a religious to an academic (secular) calendar prior to the start of this academic year, some students have expressed issues with classes not being canceled for religious holidays such as Good Friday and Passover. Elana Delafraz, a senior public relations major, is particularly distraught about the change to the academic calendar. She has chosen to go home to participate in the Seders (ceremonial dinners which are a highlight of the eight day Jewish celebration) with her family. In past years, the eight-day holiday has often coincided with Hofstra’s spring break, but this year that is not the case. “Religion is more important than missing one class, and community [is the] most important aspect of Judaism for me,” Delafraz said. Delafraz also expressed that she wishes there could have been more student input on the issue. “Hofstra needs to take their student body into consid-
eration,” she said. With all of the dietary restrictions Passover creates, Delafraz fears that she is “not going be able to eat anything” when she returns to campus. For Angelina Corozzo, a junior biology major, this change is not only a big adjustment for herself, but for her family as well. Corozzo went home for the holidays in previous years, and struggled with the decision to miss her classes or join her family; she ultimately decided to go home to ensure family traditions were not disrupted. Professor of accounting, taxation and legal studies Stuart Bass, said the decision to switch to a new academic calendar was not one that was taken lightly. Discussions started roughly nine years ago, he said, when a survey was sent to faculty and students ask-
ing if they wanted the calendar to change from the previous academic calendar. Students felt two to one that the calendar in place at the time was better,
change to a secular calendar. While students no longer have off for all of the religious holidays, Professor Bass feels it is important that students still feel protected and are able to celebrate them. Professors are not allowed to assign big tests or assignments on holidays, he said, and if this calendar becomes problematic, faculty government will work on fixing it. However, he “doubts it won’t work.” Associate professor of accounting, taxation and legal studies and chair of the senate executive committee, Eugene Maccarrone, was initially not a big fan of the change. Given that that the previous calendar had been around for most of the university’s history, he didn’t see a pressing need to change it. Maccarrone accepts the new calendar, which is in place partly because of Hofstra’s rising diversity, and the fact that
“The new calendar has its pros and cons for the school; and for people who might not celebrate, it could make the school year go faster and keep students in the workflow.”
while faculty were split. Another survey yielded similar results a few years after the initial one. Given the university’s increased diversity, and the fact that President Stuart Rabinowitz gave the go-ahead, faculty government decided to
the university does not “want to favor one group over another.” Not all Hofstra students are upset with the change. Tal Weiss, a senior computer science major, is not especially bothered by not having off for the holidays and the Passover Seders. Weiss, who considers himself “traditional” and “not as devout as most Jews,” says he understands why more religious people would be upset with the change. “For secular Jews like myself, it is not a big deal ... The new calendar has its pros and cons for the school; and for people who might not celebrate, it could make the school year go faster and keep students in the workflow,” Weiss said. “With breaks, they have to get readjusted.” Weiss added that devout Jewish students and students who are concerned about missing either classes or the Seders can go to the Seders at Hillel. He said, “It’s not going [to] be like your parent’s cooking, but it’s there.”
Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Brianna O’Keefe On March 31 at 2:20 p.m., PS received a report that a male and female student inside a room in Newport House got into a loud verbal altercation because one of the students had dropped a bottle containing liquid. There was no physical contact and the situation had calmed down when PS responded. Both of the students were taken to the Information Center and crisis counselors were notified. Both students were issued referrals to OCS for disruptive conduct. On March 31 at 4:30 p.m., A Hofstra faculty member reported that between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on March 1, $105 was taken from her wallet which was inside her office in Hauser Hall. The office door was unsecured during the time. Police assistance was declined at this time. On April 1 at 2:00 p.m., PS received a report from a faculty member that there was a vehicle
being driven recklessly in the Netherlands parking lot. She said that when asked to slow down, the driver became abusive. The vehicle was registered to a Hofstra student. On April 3, the student was interviewed at the Information Center, where he admitted to being involved in the dispute. The student was issued a referral to OCS.
from 202 Gittleson Hall. An investigation was conducted and revealed a Hofstra student – who was observed on video cameras – taking the board from the classroom. When questioned, she said that she found the writing on the board assisted her in her studies. The board was recovered and the student was issued a referral to OCS.
On April 1 at 3:30 p.m., A PS officer while on patrol in Cambridge House smelled marijuana emanating from one of the rooms. He entered the room and found it occupied with two students and a strong odor of marijuana inside the room. There was no marijuana recovered and both students were issued referrals to OCS.
On April 6 at 10:00 p.m., An RA in Constitution Hall reported to PS that she smelled the odor of marijuana on the sixth floor. PS responded, knocked on the door of the room it was eminating from and there was no answer. PS keyed in and found the resident inside. When questioned, the student admitted to smoking on campus but said they did not smoke in the room. The student was issued a referral to OCS.
On April 3 at 11:00 a.m., A Hofstra faculty member reported to PS that at some time between March 29 and March 30, a whiteboard was removed
On April 6 at 10:40 p.m., PS responded to Colonial Square
and discovered an intoxicated male student who had jumped over the fence was creating a disruption by knocking on the window of a room and requesting to be let in. PS responded and apprehended the student who said that he had been at a concert in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and had drank several beers. He admitted to climbing over the Hofstra fence because he could not find his vehicle – which was parked on campus – due to being intoxicated. The student was taken to the Information Center and the crisis counselors were notified and responded. Afterward, the student’s vehicle keys were confiscated and the student was issued a referral for his actions, and took an Uber back to his residence. On April 6 at 11:40 p.m., PS received a report that the residents in a room in Rensselaer
House were involved in a physical alteration. PS responded to the location and discovered that the students had been separated. An investigation revealed that students had gotten into an argument while playing a video game in the lounge of the room. After the situation was calm the students were issued referral to OCS.
Key PS – Public Safety OCS – Office of Community Standards RA – Resident Assistant
@Hofstra
A 6 • April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Overheard @ Hofstra In Colonial Square:
On the Unispan:
Just let me aggressively eat my carbs and leave me alone!
In Nassau:
What do you think happens to the squirrels?
I’ve actually never seen the Olympics before.
In the Student Center: My roommate Googled it because she wanted to eat glitter.
Are you even American? That is the most fascist thing I’ve ever heard you say. I can’t believe I’m best friends with a commie.
On Calkins Quad:
In LH Comm:
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the tank is clean ... THE TANK IS CLEAN!
In Bits ’n’ Bytes:
Let me take this shot and throw up, then I’ll be good.
You’re softer than sh*t on a hot summer sidewalk.
Maybe the military recruits them.
Internet on Film Drama alumna produces and stars in independent movie By Amanda Valentovic FEATURES EDITOR
Heading to the silver screen at this year’s Manhattan Film Festival will be Casey Killoran, a 2009 Hofstra graduate who produced and starred in “Viral Beauty,” a full-length movie about the digital age. The film focuses on a character named Marsha Day who uploads a dating ad online, only for it to go viral and become an overnight internet sensation for all the wrong reasons. “You see her ascension into online fame and what happens to her,” said Killoran, who plays Day in addition to being an executive producer on the film. After Day’s video goes viral, the internet turns on her to make fun of her appearance and personality. “She’s very fish out of water, she’s placed into this world of entertainment and stardom,” Killoran said. “She talks when she’s not supposed to talk, she says things she’s not supposed to say, she keeps getting in trouble.” Killoran’s production partner David Tyson Lam directed the movie with a script written by his sister Elizabeth Lam. It originally started out as a short film before turning into a feature. “When
it was a short I was signed up [and] I was going to be the actor and produce. It was a short, it’s manageable,” Killoran said. “But when it turned into a feature I said, ‘why don’t we look around and see if we can cast out?’ And either I couldn’t find the right person or I was talked into doing the role. Whichever came first, so I ended up doing it.” While related, producing a movie and acting in one are two very different things; however when the same person is doing both at once, it creates a different experience. “When you’re an executive producer on a film … you stay with it from the beginning to the end – especially in independent films where you don’t have a huge blockbuster budget. You get to see every single aspect; every single thing goes through you,” Killoran said. “I’ve been living with this film for two and a half years now.” To make sure she could focus on each job she had to do, the production hired another producer to be on set while Killoran was on camera. That way when she was acting she was only acting, and when she was producing she was only producing. Since Killoran and Lam only had 19 days
to shoot the entire film, most of the work was producing. “There was a lot of prework with getting the character ready,” Killoran said. She had to gain 30 pounds to achieve the character look that was required. “It’s one of the main reasons of why she’s ridiculed for her dating and why people don’t understand why she’s getting so popular,” Killoran said. “I understood the shift in normal societal changes, like how they treat heavier people and the bias that goes on with that.” A unique aspect of the film is the camera work and the incorporation of real online personalities in the cast. Half of the shots are traditional to a movie, but the other half were shot vlog-style to look like the audience is watching their own computer. “We got it edited all together and watched it through and we thought something was missing,” Killoran said. “There was just no authenticity of online.” This led to the addition of real-life internet stars like Perez Hilton, Michael Rizzi and Nicola Foti. Also featured in the film is Bad Mary, a group of musicians from
Photo courtesy of Casey Killoran Casey Killoran exeutive produced and starred in “Viral Beauty,” a movie about internet culture at it’s finest.
Hofstra. Drama professor David Henderson’s band consisting of himself, former students Amanda Mac and Mike Staub, and Mac’s father Bill Mac all make an appearance on the soundtrack. Killoran learned how to pull double duty working on a production while at Hofstra. “The production side is completely different. It’s numbers and books
and you’re making creative decisions. It’s just not where my brain falls naturally, so to do it forces me to learn,” she said. Killoran was able to begin learning in college, when she directed her own stage play. “It was learning how to get costumes and lighting and getting a composer, that’s all producing. I got my first real taste of that at Hofstra.”
@Hofstra
A 7 • April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Order up with HofUSA’s Karen Orellana By Daniel Nguyen STAFF WRITER
It’s a Friday afternoon right after HofUSA has opened its doors to the student body. Two or three groups of early customers are scattered around the Dave and Busters-style eatery, an innocuous sampling of what’s to come. Employees are still on the down-low, waiting for the flood of drunk, hungry and rowdy students who inevitably will materialize later in the evening. I’m sitting across from Karen Orellana, a HofUSA supervisor, in the quiet doldrums of early opening traffic. “The Fridays start off, as you see now, slow. Not a lot of people come,” Orellana said. “After a while it starts picking up and then at the end, everyone comes inside at the last hour and we get a mob rush.” “After 10 p.m. is when we’re really busy, because that’s when everybody is leaving the bars.” In this perpetual stream of students, all possessing varying degrees of hunger, lucidity and discontent, Orellana acts as an unfailing anchor, there to keep the ship steady and the operation running smoothly. Not one for shirking work, Orellana often takes orders as well and this is how most students know her. “I like to help them out. It’s not like I just like to stand there like a regular supervisor and just watch them. I actually get down and dirty with them,” Orellana said. Orellana has worked at Hofstra since she was 16, moving up from a cashier position to her current position as supervisor of HofUSA. Many of the Hofstra students she’s befriended have moved off campus as upperclassmen or graduate students and don’t often go to HofUSA anymore. Still, her constant presence behind the counter has made her a familiar face to a large part of Hofstra’s student body. On the student body, Orellana said, “Some of them are pretty cool. Some of them, we really get along. We have personal relationships out of the job, with a few. Some of them just stick to themselves. Some of them can be rude.” When asked to elaborate, Orellana said, “They’re just a bit
snotty, some of them. But most of them are really nice. But [for] some, if something doesn’t come out the way they want it, they give us attitude off the bat, but we try to not deal with that. But I like working with them, I like getting to know them. Some of them, we do build relationships. They come in and they already know my name; I already know what they’re going to get.” As a HofUSA supervisor, Orellana oversees employees and makes sure jobs – such as cooking and taking orders – are performed correctly. At this, Orellana excels, due to her years of experience. “I know this job like the back of my hand,” she said. Orellana, who was promoted to supervisor last year, attributes a large part of her success to her manager, Ian John, who helped her as a young employee at HofUSA. “I would say he [John] is like a father figure. He was here since I started and he gave me the opportunity to move up, so I thank him for that,” Orellana said. “He showed me more things that I probably would’ve never learned.” Early on, Orellana relied on her mom to pick her up from Hofstra’s campus after her shift was over. “My mom would drop me off and pick me up at 2:30 a.m.,” Orellana said. “She hated that, she would be asleep and I would call her to pick me up at 2:30 a.m. ... That’s why she got me a car; she said she got sick and tired of picking me up.” When she first began working at Hofstra, many students couldn’t believe that she was in high school. “They wouldn’t believe that I was 16 years old. They would ask ‘isn’t it past your bedtime?’” Today, Orellana still projects a disposition of uncanny maturity. Of all the students who go into HofUSA on a weekly basis, most don’t know that she’s in their age group. When students see her supervising employees, and maintaining the cash register, most assume that Orellana is their senior rather than their peer. On her peer group Orellana said, “I actually have a couple friends here who go to Hofstra.
They come here all the time; they’re freshman. They’re a couple of my old high school friends who go here. But most of them went to Nassau because it’s local and it’s cheaper.” Now 19 years old, Orellana is studying to be a mortician at nearby Nassau Community College (NCC). While working full-time as a HofUSA supervisor, Orellana simultaneously tries to balance her part-time studies as a second semester freshman at NCC. On her work and study balance, Orellana said, “It’s pretty hard, leaving here and then having to go to morning classes. I get out of here at 2:30 a.m. and then go to a class at 8 in the morning. You would have to at least wake up two hours earlier. To be honest sometimes I fall asleep in class. I try not to, but it tends to happen. But as long as I get it done, it’s fine.” Luckily, Orellana has experience balancing work and study from high school. Her interest in mortuary science was established early. “I already knew what I wanted to do when I was in high school. As soon as I hit junior year, that’s what I decided. I was going to commit to it,” Orellana said. “I looked at it because it’s a job that you’re never going to run out of – everybody dies,” she said. “And it doesn’t scare me, and I didn’t find anything else more appealing to my personality. I just wanted to do something outside the box, something nobody would do.” “I feel like I’m mentally prepared for it,” Orellana said. “Because most people would break down; I feel like I wouldn’t break down.” On her parent’s reaction to her career choice, Orellana said, “My parents find it weird, but as long as it prepares [me] for the future and I have a good career going ahead for myself, that’s what they want. As long as I’m doing better than them when I grow up, they’re fine with it.” Orellana’s parents are immigrants from El Salvador who met on Long Island in the 70s. She has three siblings: an older brother who runs a cleaning
Photo courtesy of Karen Orellana
Karen Orellana has worked at Hofstra since she was 16.
company for offices and two younger sisters, one in elementary school and one about to graduate high school. Her father owns a construction company and her mother works as a custodian at Uniondale High School, Orellana’s alma mater. Orellana also has family working at Hofstra. Her aunt works at Sbarro on campus and her uncle works here as a custodian. While talking about her family, Orellana proudly emphasizes the progress she’s observed in her family since her childhood. Her father, discontent with the construction companies he had worked for, ventured out on his own. “I’ve seen my parents’ progress. I remember when I was little, I used to live in an apartment. It’s like a blur, but I still kind of remember. I see my dad now – he owns two houses, one here and now he has a summer house in Florida. He has all these trucks for his company and all these people working for him instead of him working for somebody,” Orellana said.
“I’ve just seen him go from the struggle that we went through to where we are now. He could have stayed where he wanted to, but he wanted to do something else.” In regard to her future plans, Orellana said, “I hope to get a degree, help them out. Give them the things that they gave us, me and my siblings, to put them in even a better place than they put us.” Orellana intends to spend two years at NCC before continuing her degree at a four-year institution. “For now, I’ll probably stay here. But I haven’t looked for anything. I’m so used to the job and I’m so used to the people. I’m the type of person who doesn’t like starting things. So I’d just rather stay here. It depends on the four-year school I want to go to; if it’s here or if it’s somewhere else. If not, I’ll probably stay here and continue to serve you guys.”
@Hofstra
A 8 • April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Man on the Unispan What political party do you identify with and why?
B y Av a Ma n del STAF F W R I T E R
“I’m an Independent because I find I don’t really like either party.” - Ben Lichy Sophomore
Photos by Claudia Steel
“I’ve never really thought about it. I’d like to consider myself a moderate, if not a leaning Republican on some issues. As far as why ... I just came to a realization on what I thought was important to me. That brought me to it.” - Paul Dower Sophomore
“The Democratic Party just because I identify with what they believe in.” - Nirvana Narayan Sophomore
Peter Soucy / Hofstra Chronicle
Dorm Room Dish: Oreo Pudding Crumble By Allison Eichler ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Your favorite dessert just got 10 times better. With this easy no-bake recipe, you’ll have a delicious Oreo treat in just three hours. You will need: 1 package of Oreos 1/2 stick of butter One 8 ounce package of cream cheese (room temperature) 1 package of vanilla instant pudding (do not make pudding separately) One 8 ounce container of Cool Whip 3 cups of milk 1 cup of sugar 1 9-by-13-inch dish
To make: 1. Crush 25 Oreos and line the bottom of your dish. 2. Melt the butter and pour over the crushed Oreos. 3. In a mixer combine pudding powder, sugar, cream cheese and milk. Remember, don’t make the pudding. Just add the powder to this mixture. Mix until thick. 4. Fold Cool Whip into mixture. 5. Pour over Oreos. 6. Crush remaining Oreos and sprinkle on top. 7. Chill dish in refrigerator for a minimum of three hours before serving.
Allison Eichler / Hofstra Chronicle The longer you leave this scrumptious dessert in the fridge, the thicker (and more delicious) the cream filling will become.
A 9 • April 11, 2017
@Hofstra
The Chronicle
Humans of Hofstra By Emily Hulbert STAF F WR I T E R
Juan Fuentes
Imani Brown
Jonathan Cordero
“I came here when I was young, with my mom. We were from Colombia and I started rock climbing ever since I got to Hofstra. It became one of my favorite things to do here. I would climb trees out of instinct. I wanted to have fun, so when I saw that there was a rock climbing club I was like, ‘yes, this is for me!’ During orientation, I had a lot of time to do my schedule. My advising appointment was at 2 p.m. I woke up at like 8 a.m., so I just kind of started walking around campus. I went to the gym and saw that there was like a closed section for all of the clubs. I saw club soccer; joined that. Then I saw rock climbing and was like, ‘I’m doing that. That sounds interesting.’ Ever since then I would just look out for it. We go rock climbing on the weekends a lot in the city like Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island City. There is a gym that recently opened up in Melville that we have been trying to go to. We wanted to do a camping trip, but sadly it didn’t work out. We might sometimes go climbing in Central Park. I haven’t even gotten to do outdoor climbing yet. I keep missing it. It’s a little bit more dangerous. But hopefully I’ll get to go one of these days.”
“I work at Public Safety. I help everyone register their cars. It’s pretty cool I guess; I get to meet everyone. People sometimes call me ‘The Car Registering Girl’ because I guess I am very well-known there. Other than that, I am in a whole bunch of accounting clubs like Tax Society and Beta Alpha Psi. So in Tax Society, what we recently have been doing is volunteering to help people with their taxes. I have mostly been doing it on Sundays at Valley Stream. It’s pretty educational. I am getting to learn how to actually do income taxes even though I am not actually working anywhere yet, so it is a good experience. Basically, one of my initiatives is to restart the National Association of Black Accountants on campus. My mom was an accountant for a very long time. I originally wanted to be an artist. Junior year of high school my mom was like, ‘You need to come up with what you want to do, where you want to go to college and you can’t be an artist.’ So there went my dreams. I was like, I might as well be an accountant like she was. Lucky for me it worked out; I actually love it. For accounting, I got into the dual degree program. I came in with like 42 credits, so I got pushed up so most of my credits are finished besides the accounting part.”
“I find technology very interesting. That is why I got into this field. I like to be hands-on, very involved. Mechanical engineering is a lot of moving parts and it intrigues me, especially the science behind it. I guess it comes down to when I was younger. I used to build things with my hands. I was a very hands-on person. I like to figure out how things work. I already have a job lined up. I am going to be working for an engineering consultant company in the city. I do plan on pursuing a master’s, but it is not necessary, especially in my field. In terms of getting a master’s, I have no idea if I want to keep pursuing engineering or go into business. But it is something to hear at this point. I actually wanted to start working with NASA because I found space exploration very interesting. However, it wasn’t necessarily for me in terms of trying to design stuff for that. I could care less about that. I just think it would be fun to work for them.”
Photos by Gabbie Downs
Jesse Saunders / Hofstra Chronicle
Hofstra Lacrosse hot shots Spring 2017 Spread by Jesse Saunders and Peter Soucy / Photos by Cam Keough
Arts and Entertainment
VOL 82 ISSUE 17 Adam Palasciano/The Chronicle
Photo courtesy of Declan Quinlan
B 2 •April 11, 2017
A&E
The Chronicle
Mane Records signs Hofstra alumnus IzzeYe By Rachel Bowman STAFF WRITER
Hofstra’s student-run record label, Mane Records, recently announced the signing of its first recording artist. For this landmark step, the record label signed rising rap artist and Hofstra alumnus IzzeYe. Hailing from Chester, Pennsylvania, Rashaan Perkins, who now goes by his stage name IzzeYe, aims to produce “groovy
rap” music. “It’s definitely a rollercoaster,” IzzeYe said of his sound. “I feel like I make the kind of music where people can feel like they are escaping, and they can just take a ride with me.” IzzeYe began moving around as a young teenager, and the various places he has lived influence his lyrics. Moving around and seeing how different people exist has allowed him to create music people can relate to.
Courtesy of IzzeYe IzzeYe, class of 2016, is the first artist signed to Mane Records.
“I get influenced by people’s day-to-day things,” IzzeYe said. “I embrace flaws within my life and within society.” Mane Records decided on developing IzzeYe’s sound because students who run the label felt it helps them reach their target audience. “Our prime demographic is college students, and hip hop is so big with our generation and him being a Hofstra alumnus, it is super valuable [in] reaching them,” said Mane Records publicist, sophomore Brian Sommer. Pursuing his music career while being a student was difficult, IzzeYe explained. He released a few singles starting in 2013, but took a break two years later. “In 2015, I kind of fell off the Earth on purpose because I didn’t want to give the identity I was giving. I felt like I was a whole new person,” IzzeYe said. Then, in January 2016, he
dropped a single titled “Highs & Lows.” “It has a green cover,” IzzeYe said of the single. “In life, I feel like everything is a balance, like highs and lows. That’s what I feel like the song embraced, so I went with green because if you look at the color wheel, green embraces the mood.” IzzeYe agreed to sign with Mane Records because “their approach was a mutual thing; they were like ‘we can build together.’ They’re new and I’m still new, and we can all do what we love to do,” he said. “We had a couple different final options, and they were all very different stylistically,” said Mane Records artist manager, senior Ryan Maher. “In the end, we felt IzzeYe’s music had so much potential … everyone at the label gets along, and IzzeYe meshes very well with us.” Fashion plays an important role in understanding IzzeYe’s brand. “His visual aesthetic is
important to his brand, and can help people identify with him,” Sommer said. IzzeYe uses his fashion as a way to feel his best. “My niche is my fashion, and it kind of incorporates into my personality. It identifies me,” IzzeYe said. “I don’t get dressed for people, I get dressed for myself.” Fans can expect a lot to come from IzzeYe now that he is working with Mane Records. “They’ve already helped me grow, I just did like six songs in two days, and I’ve never done that before,” IzzeYe said. “They believed in me more than I believed in me, and they’ve been teaching me a lot about believing in myself.’ Mane Records says listeners can expect an EP and a music video to be released shortly. “It’s been a grind,” Maher said of the process. “But, the label came together and you can expect Mane Records and IzzeYe to just be everywhere.”
NAACP brings conversation of rape kits to campus By Brianna Holcomb
ARTS AND E N T E RTA I N M E N T EDITOR
There is something mesmerizing about listening to a rhyme scheme while a paintbrush hits canvas. Truths were spoken through syntax and souls were left on stage naked for the world to bare witness to; this was Art Fusion. Poets graced the stage of the Cultural Center Theater on Friday night to participate in NAACP’s Art Fusion event. This event brought together artists, and poets – who are artists in their own right – to create an event that not only helped raise awareness about sexual assault, but to also showcase a wide range of creativity. The event began with a few words from Natasha Alexenko, the founder of Natasha’s Justice Project (NJP). Alexenko started NJP after being raped at gunpoint while she was in college. After her horrifying experience, she had to wait nine years for her rape kit to
be tested when she learned that thousands of rape kits were left to collect dust on shelves each year. “It needs to be a more transparent thing to process rape kits. We work hard [at NJP] to pass legislation and process rape kits,” Alexenko told the crowd after explaining her story. All of the ticket sales from the event were donated to NJP to help support the organization’s efforts. Besides asking for donations, NAACP decided to create an event around NJP in the hopes of raising more money and awareness. “We wanted to create our own benefit show that will continue after we graduate and we feel as though the issue with rape kits is often overlooked,” said Raven Cordice, the NAACP President. NAACP community service chair Genesis Rivera found and contacted Alexenko hoping to start a partnership between them and NAACP. She added, “It’s a personal passion of mine and a
pressing epidemic nationwide that is always neglected. I’ve never seen any philanthropy similar to this on campus.” The show began with poet Natasha Rowley and artist Amber Cardinale painting on a canvas. Natasha’s poem was a letter to herself about self-love. As she spoke the words to her poem, Cardinale painted away creating an image that corresponded with it. The night included several other student performers and artists such as the duo of Joy Jones and Elizabeth Veloz. Jones’ poem reflected on the need for a new start and the lack of new ideas that are created by people or art. When the duo finished, Veloz’s piece was revealed. This flow continued for the rest of the night with viewers captivated by spoken word as painters created their corresponding images. NAACP also had special guest poet and author Jasmine Mans perform.
Her piece critiquing Kanye West, called “Footnotes for Kanye,” is arguably her most famous work. Moved by the strong emotion in the poem, viewers actually thought Mans was West’s ex-girlfriend and even began calling her piece “Kanye’s ex-girlfriend.” When Mans approached the stage, the audience knew that they were getting something more than a show. She started with a poem addressing rape culture. “She will never call it rape because you bought her dinner first, if she calls it anything at all,” Mans recited. In her poem, Mans outlines similar scenarios that many women experience when it comes to rape. She also spoke about why many men do not feel that what they did was rape, and then most importantly noted that because of these scenarios, many women never come forward. The night ended with Mans reciting more of her personal work and giving words of
encouragement to the crowd, including a story about the first time she stated she was a gay woman of color on stage. “I am a gay woman of color and this girl came up to me and told me how important it was for me to say that, so I made a promise to this girl to say it so I said it twice on stage that night,” Mans said. As she ended her set, the crowd gave a standing ovation. NAACP also raffled off all of the artwork created that night. NAACP’s Art Fusion night was one to remember, helping NJP raise over $400. They brought an issue to light that has been widely overlooked and did so in a creative atmosphere. By combining art, poetry and activism, NAACP has opened up a conversation that is long overdue. Cover: Mane Records artist IzzeYe
The Chronicle
A&E
April 11, 2017•
B3
“Prison Break” reboot loses its touch By Wesley Orser STAFF WRITER
When “Prison Break” initially made its television debut back in 2005, creator Paul Scheuring had envisioned an intricate breakout story that was only meant to last for a short two-season run. First season: the characters break out of prison. Second season: they’re on the run. Simple and straightforward enough, right? In these first two seasons, the series’ most suspenseful moments echoed the peak of other contemporary actions thrillers such as “24.” A suspension of disbelief was obviously required to buy into the many ridiculous scenarios and Rube Goldberg-like schemes of Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), but these situations were well-executed and structured enough to warrant their actual silliness. So what happened after the show became an unexpected hit? Fox wanted more seasons, of course, with Scheuring ousted in the process. After deciding to put the characters back in
Photo Courtesy of Fox
NY Times calls Prison Break “..somewhat muddled, not at all credible yarn.”
a Panama prison with another subsequent breakout – only less intricately layered – in its third season, “Prison Break” began to struggle more with allowing its entertainment value to mask its glaring flaws. First, it repeated itself with a less interesting escape and then had no idea what type of show it wanted to be in its fourth season. Even after seeing a gradual decline into complete absurdity in its original run, it’s hard to believe that the series has ever
set the bar as low as this new revival season. The reboot premiere completely dismisses the notion that Scofield was killed off in the original series finale, revealing that he’s instead been imprisoned in Yemen in the eight years that his family believed he was gone. Yes, a prison breakout is happening for a third time. One of the series’ main antagonists, Theodore Bagwell (Robert Knepper), is also released from the fictional Fox State
Penitentiary despite having a series of murders, cases of abuse and prison breakouts on his record. No explanation for this release is given whatsoever, and the viewer is just left to accept that he’s a free man again. It doesn’t necessarily matter how ridiculous these premises are since the show has run on that staple since its heyday. It does matter, however, if the outlandishness is executed in an entertaining manner that justifies an emotional investment. In this case, any sense of thoughtfulness or passion put into the original series feels completely lost in this new run. Predictable twists, cliché dialogue, lack of memorable new characters and shallow political statements toward the Islamic State group all seem to elicit more anger than any sense of intrigue towards building mystery. A sequence toward the end of the episode involving a prosthetic robot arm takes everything a step way too far, which is saying something for a show like “Prison Break.” Perhaps
the biggest sin is the lack of the original breakout character, Agent Alex Mahone (William Fichtner). Mahone is the closest the series ever came to developing a character with a perfectly defined story arc, and his exclusion contributes to the little excitement found in the premiere. The “Prison Break” reboot offers little reason to stay tuned in even for a brief nine-episode run, and certainly does more to bring light to the show’s worst tendencies than whatever strengths it ever had. The only element that gives the new season any hope is to see how the actual breakout unfolds, since Scofield’s current predicament does not get much screen time in the first episode. Even then, the way events unfold in the premiere seem evident enough to suggest the show is too deep to break out of its worst habits.
Relive your teenage angst with “13 Reasons Why” uncover what happened to his fellow classmate and crush, Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford). Baker leaves him and 12 others a set of 13 tapes, with one dedicated to each of the 13 reasons why she killed herself. The series has a “Pretty Little Liars” type feel, meaning everyone is impeccably dressed, has a cool room and the popular kids have parents you never see. It’s a world where even the high school dance in the gym looks fun and the athletes are the Photo courtesy of Netflix cream of the crop. Although it’s the artificial type of Hollywood “13 Reasons Why” is based off of the popular Jay Asher novel. high school we have grown accustomed to seeing, the troubled young woman has been By Marialena Rago emotions are real. turned into a Netflix series, and it STAFF WR I TE R The show captures what it is going to leave you in a puddle There’s a good chance you is like to be in high school of tears. came across the book “13 today, complete with the petty For those who don’t like talk of Reasons Why” at some point backstabbing and social media suicide or rape, this series will be while looking through your fueled rumors. It also takes a hard to watch – especially the last high school’s library. It was the deep look at how one girl can two episodes. essential “teen angst” book. have her reputation squashed The series follows Clay Jensen Now, Jay Asher’s novel about a because of a misinterpreted (Dylan Minnette) as he tries to
group texted photo. The great thing about this series is that it is relatable. Everyone has been the butt of a joke or has been hurt by someone they thought was a friend. It is a cathartic TV show for the modern teenager and even for college students. The main character, Jensen, is likable to a fault. He is naive and innocent. You don’t know if you want to shake him and yell, “Listen to all the tapes already!” or allow him time to take everything in. Baker is the cool girl who tries not to be cool. She is reminiscent of a John Green character before everyone was writing John Green-like characters. Baker is smart, funny and old school (hence the leaving of tapes). The cast as a whole is enjoyable to watch. There are new faces, like the main characters, and old vets, like Brian d’Arcy James and Kate Walsh.
Though the novel came out 10 years ago, the series follows the book pretty closely. There are some added aspects that allow the possibility of a second season, although another season would ruin the emotional impact of the show. If the producers show the effects of suicide on family and friends after Baker’s death a bit more, then maybe a second season would be justified. But the final scene leaves everything up to interpretation. Angst and high school clichés aside, the show is pretty good. It is hard to watch at times, but it gives you the full effect on the life of the American teenager. “13 Reasons Why” is now streaming on Netflix.
The Chronicle A&E “And We All Enjoyed” the Billy Joel concert
B 4 •April 11, 2017
“The Piano Man” has a residency west of Long Island at Madison Square Garden, but Joel had to be the man to open the arena, where he has now played 33 shows – a first for the venue. Most concerts are filled with the hits, an encore or two and then a “goodnight.” While a concert can be fun regardless of how special it is, there was no denying that this was an Photo courtesy of Billy Joel Official important one for Joel and the Billy Joel opened the newly renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. thousands of people that sang true experience. Talk to a Long By Josh Ringler along with him. Islander and they’ll tell you there STAFF WRITER Long Island is Billy Joel; Billy is one man you must see – Billy Joel is Long Island. It is a match A rock concert on its own is Joel. made in musical heaven, and one a special experience, but there Perhaps that is why Joel was that was on full display when he is nothing quite like seeing a chosen to close the Nassau opened the renovated arena. legend in his hometown. Talk Coliseum and then open the Diving right into the hits and to any Bruce Springsteen fan newly renovated Nassau Veterans fitting for a show in 2017, “Miami and they will tell you that you Memorial Coliseum presented 2017” was the show opener. Some have to see “The Boss” in his by New York Community Bank. rarities made an appearance, like home state of New Jersey for the
“No Man’s Land,” which Joel said he wrote about the Island. Veterans walked out to sing “Goodnight Saigon” with the band and were met with a standing ovation from the entire audience. It should be noted that this crowd was unusually reserved and most of the upper sections did not stand for a majority of the show, but Long Island’s finest had a “U.S.A.” chant echo throughout the new grounds. “This is the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, you know,” Joel said. “This place sounds a lot better than the old Coliseum,” Joel said. The sound was great, which was nothing short of what was expected from the band. Before “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” Joel talked about all the bars and places he used to play by the Coliseum and talked about Hofstra
too. Kevin James and Leah Remini “interpreted” “She’s Got a Way,” and Joan Jett, a Long Island native herself, surprised the crowd to join the Piano Man for two songs. Joel’s fans were also performers themselves, as the show became one massive sing-along. After a stunning version of “Piano Man,” Joel waved to the crowd – but was not done yet, as he performed an encore of hits and closed the show with his hit song “You May Be Right.” A native Long Islander was the perfect fit to ring in the newly renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, as Joel has been playing the venue for nearly as long as it has been a staple to Long Island for the past 40 years.
“Legend of Zelda” takes your ‘Breath’ away By Rob Dolen
ASSISTANT ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Simply elegant, somehow minimalistic, but at the same time wonderfully complex – that’s the best way to describe “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Fans of the “Zelda” series will be familiar with the themes and premise of “Breath of the Wild,” but that’s only a fraction of the experience. It’s an intricate adventure full of complexities that piques player curiosity while perfectly balancing non-linear gameplay and pacing. Many of the familiar features from previous “Zelda” games have changed significantly, both fundamentally and mechanically. Per the usual “Zelda” lore, the young swordsman Link needs to defeat the evil Calamity Ganon and rescue Princess Zelda. Other than that, the journey is very different from the series’ past. Link awakens after a century-long slumber to the world of Hyrule ravaged by Ganon’s oppression. “Breath of the Wild” immediately introduces the player to the basic mechanics of traversal, combat and survival in the game with minimum detail. To tra-
verse the open-world, stamina is introduced to gauge how far Link can run, jump and climb across different structures and landscapes. The player is also given a hang glider, which is perfect for covering long distances from large heights. Link also finds a “Sheikah Slate,” an ancient tablet that can perform things such as mapping the surrounding area, scanning and interacting with objects, pinpointing locations and performing special abilities. Four main abilities are introduced to the player in the tutorial: Cryonis (the ability to create pillars of ice on any surface of water), Magnesis (the ability to grab and manipulate metallic objects), Stasis (the ability to stop time on a specific object and send it toward something at high veloc-
ity) and Remote Bombs that come in two sizes for varied explosive situations. These abilities all have their individual uses for a variety of scenarios, but as previously mentioned, “Breath of the Wild” is all about minimalism. The player is shown how to perform these abilities, but it’s left up to them to learn how to use them appropriately, encouraging creativity and critical thinking in almost every puzzle. Link’s equipment falls in that similar vein of minimalism paired with the new survival aspects of “Zelda” in “Breath of the Wild.” In the past, Link is awarded a sword and other equipment after performing certain tasks that are used for the majority of the game. This time, in “Breath of the
Photo courtesy of Nintendo
“Breath of the Wild” is the most critically acclaimed game of the year.
Wild,” armor and weapons of all types (swords, axes, spears, bows, shields, etc.) are scavenged across the game world either from enemies, treasures or the environment. Each weapon has its own individual durability, so no piece of equipment is permanent aside from the Sheikah Slate and armor. Armor functions similar to various other RPGs; they can be found in or purchased from certain areas and each set contains special stat or ability bonuses. Though the durability mechanic is an interesting survival aspect, weapon durability can be unreasonably abysmal in the beginning, which raises the difficulty early in a way that’s hard to justify and forces some grinding before you can get reliable gear. After exploring the tutorial section of the world, the player is immediately given the ability to explore the vast space of Hyrule at their discretion. The aforementioned survival elements are further expanded upon throughout the rest of the world: the player needs to keep track of the time of day, the unique weather effects for each region, body temperature in hot and cold regions, cooking and eating food to increase Link’s health and the player’s sound
when sneaking. “Breath of the Wild” is the kind of game where you talk to anybody who’s played it, and you’ll never hear the same story twice. Unlike the plague of open-world checklists found in most modern games, “Breath of the Wild” has a world full of substance. It’s hard to articulate every little detail in the game because of how massive the world is. Shrines littered across Hyrule present puzzles that reward Link with Spirit Orbs to increase strength and stamina. Many characters give side quests of varying commitments that reward currency or better equipment. Monsters and other enemies have outposts all over Hyrule that vary in size and structure, and each encounter can be approached and result in different outcomes. All of this is paired with the main story of defeating Ganon and saving Hyrule. “Breath of the Wild” has already become one of the most criticallyacclaimed games this year, and for good reason. The world of Hyrule is so easy to get engrossed in, and despite very minimal flaws, “Breath of the Wild” is an amazing game worthy of throwing hours upon hours into.
Editorial
A 12 • april 11, 2017
The Chronicle
The The views and opinions expressed in the Editorial section are those of the authors of the articles. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.
Letter to the Editor: Acceptance of international students starts with peers
By Sarah Gerwins
A month ago, The Chronicle published an op-ed titled “International students left to fend for themselves at Hofstra University.” I am an international student here at Hofstra, and I would like to disagree. The problems outlined in the article are real and need to be addressed, but they are not the university’s fault. Would it be nice to have more programs, more tutors, more global mentors and advisors? Sure. But more services don’t help if people don’t utilize the ones that already exist. And at Hofstra, services and programs for international students are abundant. As a global mentor who welcomes incoming foreign students to Hofstra, and an international student myself, I have benefitted from the countless programs organized by the International Student Affairs (ISA) office. Apart
from international orientation and the sometimes tedious, but mandatory, visa workshops mentioned in the article, the office organizes events for students to learn more about the U.S. as well as foreign cultures, to play sports together and make friends. Beyond that, the international students club, H*INT, puts on weekly club meetings and events, and the Saltzman Center has organized an international student support group. Additionally, English tutors, the Writing Center and the supportive staff at the ISA office are all here to help international students succeed at Hofstra. So why do students like the author of the op-ed still feel alienated? Maybe, because on paper we are aliens not citizens, we are foreigners not nationals. Because, no matter how well we do in class and how hard we work on our English, we will be granted with the unprompted
assurance not to worry, we speak well “for a non-native speaker.” And students, such as some of my mentees, who are still struggling with their English, are often faced with impatience and even ignorance when trying to reach out to others. Maybe because often, the first thing we are asked once someone hears our accent is “where are you from?” as if that is more important than what we were actually going to say. Because we have to bring along our national identity for show-and-tell, are expected to be defensive, diplomatic and apologetic at once about whatever our home country has done. And maybe, because on the 8th of November 2016, my friends and I sat in silence in front of our TV, and we had never felt as foreign as then. These issues and attitudes that international students encounter make life at Hofstra and in the U.S. more difficult.
a fading memory of a life left behind in my quiet town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and my undergraduate studies began at a school hundreds of miles away. Despite this, I still feel the sting brought about by the nationwide response to the school’s decision to proactively protect its reputation from the incredibly damaging potential of fraternity and sorority behavior to negatively affect an educational institution of Penn State’s caliber. The protests are a disheartening reminder of the reality of Greek life as it transcends a message of community and family into one polluted by toxic misunderstanding and misled values. Brothers have taken to the streets in protest against the school’s Greek life crackdown, but the backlash on their part is both unnecessary and incredibly juvenile. A school’s first priority is to
its students – protecting the student body and the university’s reputation goes hand in hand. New restrictions including the strict prohibition of underage drinking, no day-longs or kegs and putting a limit on the allowed social events with alcohol per semester are not unreasonable. The student experience is not diluted. In light of the recent death of Penn State’s very own Timothy Piazza, in fact, the protesting of such restrictions serves as a disrespectful and unnerving testament to the future of the university’s reputation if the state of the student body’s growing unrest continues on its current path. A university is only as strong as its students. It is only as noble as its students. The students of Penn State University should not only reevaluate their personal values, but remember what it was that made them choose the school in the first place.
However, this is not because Hofstra does not care for or about students like me. And this does not negate the wonderful memories we make, the things we learn nor the lifelong friendships we form while studying and living abroad. This is not on Hofstra. This is on us, as individuals. On the students – international and domestic alike – the professors and the administrators. We don’t need more services to be created, we need to attend more of the ones that already exist. We need to be curious about each other, but not presumptuous. We need to remind ourselves that foreign students have different needs and opportunities – we, for example, can’t work off-campus, but we also have different talents. Hofstra has over a thousand international students; we are a resource. So engage with us. Talk to us. Be patient with our accents and our questions,
our confusion when ordering in the Student Center and our excitement about the size of Walmart and Target (they are like mini malls, seriously). We will also be patient and we will be brave. Sometimes, crossing the classroom to ask the professor or another student a question is harder than crossing the Atlantic or Pacific was for us when we came, but we will keep doing so. And we will share our story by consent, but not on demand. Because in times when difference is disapproved of, diversity needs to be celebrated. What better place to start than right here, on our campus? This letter was written in repsonse to the op-ed “International students left to fend for themselves at Hofstra University,” originally published by The Hofstra Chronicle on March 7, 2017.
Fraternity protests are damaging Penn State’s reputation
By Samantha Storms STAFF W R I T E R
Three years ago, a younger, more wide-eyed version of myself sat in a high school English class, weighing my options for where I would be attending college the next year. The highest ranked school in my eyes, Penn State University, was an image of quality scholarship and undergraduate experience that excited me and made me push through the final months of my last year of secondary education. An opened acceptance letter to the University Park campus sat on my kitchen table, enrollment fees were paid and I chatted with my future roommate with an excitement that rocked the household. A few weeks later, Hofstra University declared my acceptance and swept me off my feet, and my dreams of becoming a Nittany Lion were quickly put to the side as I withdrew my intent to enroll. Penn State became
And you thought you had enough the first time?
op-ed
The Chronicle
april 11, 2017•A 13
Gorsuch confirmation: a win for the right, and for America
By Gabriella Cuiffetelli EDITOR I A L E D I TO R
Monday’s confirmation of Associate Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch represents one of the highest points of the Trump presidency to date. Justice Gorsuch’s nomination, and subsequent confirmation, was marked with opposition, culmintating in Senate Republicans’ historic decision to trigger the “nuclear option,” overriding Democrats with a simple majority, as opposed to the 60-vote supermajority previously needed. By fulfilling his promise to nominate and confirm a conservative judge to the Supreme Court, Trump and the Republican Party were able to rally their base after a failed effort to finally repeal and replace Obamacare left their constituents feeling deflated. However, this is a victory not only for the GOP, but for Americans on all sides of the political spectrum. A judge who follows an originalist interpretation of the Constitution (rather than basing
By Sarah Kocher C OPY C H I E F
A week ago from today, another atrocious war crime was committed in Syria as warplanes dropped bombs containing potential nerve agents or other chemicals in the village of Khan Sheikhoun in the rebel-held Idlib province and approximately 80 people were murdered as a result; humanitarian groups have reports that this number may even be upwards of 100. This bombing is one of the deadliest chemical attacks that have plagued the civil war for the past six years. President Bashar al-Assad has been systematically targeting and senselessly slaughtering his own civilians, even children. Less than 72 hours after this horrendous attack, President Trump ordered 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike the Al Shayrat airfield, the origin of
their decisions off of partisan or personal views) should be an affront to no one. Because the judiciary is reponsible for interpreting our laws, we should welcome judges who base their decisions on the most fundamental document of this great nation into our highest court. Of course, Gorsuch was frequently criticised by the left for not giving enough definitive answers in his confirmation hearings. However, it is unfair to expect any judge to preemptively rule on hypothetical cases solely to please political players. In fact, this has been dubbed the “RBG tactic” after the left’s favorite liberal justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Which brings us to perhaps the most jarring part of this nomination battle: the blatant hypocracy from both sides. When Republicans blocked Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, Democrats were (rightfully) appalled. However, for these same Democrats to then support Senator Chuck
Schumer’s calls for obstruction is absurd. Their claim that Gorsuch is filling a “stolen seat” is brought about not by some sense of duty, but is a result of the party’s collectively hurt pride. Aside from the simple fact that that seat would have never been open had a justice not died, let us not forget that Vice President Joe Biden’s infamous 1992 stance against lame duck nominations set the stage for Republicans’ central argument. Regardless, supporting the obstruciton of a constitutional duty just becasue it agrees with your political agenda is unnacceptable, no matter which party did it first. It was wrong when Republicans did it in 2016, and it was just as wrong when the Democrats tried to do it as well. Democrats also insist that the Republicans’ tactics were unprecedented, when that is categorically untrue. Was it historical? Of course. But it certainly wasn’t the first time this has happened. The nuclear option has been weighed as a tactic
since the early 20th century, and was used quite extensively in 2013 to confirm 20 Obamaappointed judges to U.S. District Courts. Of course, the Supreme Court and district courts are very diffferent (both in their nature and in their status), but for Democrats to call the use of the nuclear option unprecedented simply because they find it unfavorable is as innaccurate as it is hypocritical. Politically speaking, it makes little sense for Democrats to have engaged in this endevaour at all. Of course, calling Gorsuch a moderate is a stretch, but it is foolish for Democrats to assume that Trump’s next pick would’ve been less conservative. As Democrats must have learned by now, the short term gain of a temporarily rallied base surely does not make up for their long term political miscalculation. Politics aside, Gorsuch deserves to be given, above all else, a chance.
Democrats can, and should, take comfort in the fact that he (albeit privately) spoke out against Trump – despite having been nominated by him – for his attacks on U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, calling the president’s attacks “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” They should take comfort in the fact that he accepts Roe v. Wade (one of the most contentious Supreme Court rulings in modern political discourse) as “the law of the land” and shows no indication of overturning it. And they should take comfort in the fact that Gorsuch routinely sided with the “little guy” and has remained quite moderate on both immigration and discrimination cases – even if he has a conservative record elsewhere. In fact, once you sift through all the partisan bickering and abstention, it is easy to see why Gorsuch will be a great addition to the Supreme Court, and how his respect for both legal precedant and the constitution is a service to all Americans.
the chemical attack. The Assad regime, Iran and Russia have all condemned the strike. Here in the United States, however, Trump is facing mixed reviews from the American people, as well as politicians from both sides of the aisle. As someone who believes the 2003 invasion of Iraq was an utter disaster and who is not at all a fan of President Trump, my stance on this missile strike may be shocking. This strike needed to happen, and it should have happened sooner. The Assad regime has been committing war crimes for years, we all know it and the entire international community knows it; yet we have struggled to effectively achieve any means of stopping these atrocities. The United States has been attempting to solve the Syrian crisis through the United Nations for years, and to no avail. The alliance between Syria and
Russia has been the biggest road block through the U.N., as Russia simply vetoes any security resolution that is put on the table. It saddens me to see the United States get involved in yet another Middle Eastern country, however this military intervention was much more warranted than the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The main reasoning for the U.S. invasion of Iraq was the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) held by Saddam Hussein; however, as time has moved forward, it was soon learned that the existence of those WMDs was questionable at best. In the age of rising internet and social media use, there is no denying the Assad regime has been using chemical weapons on its own people. The international community has, unfortunately, seen men, women and children gasp-
ing for breath, foaming at the mouth and suffering through their last few moments. Tuesday’s attack reminisced that of the August 21, 2013, attack on suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus by the Assad regime. President Assad sent 1,429 people – including over 400 children – to their graves after a cocktail of chemical agents, notably including sarin, was dropped on the area. After this massacre, Assad agreed to destroy his regime’s stockpile of chemical weapons and to even join an international treaty banning chemical weapons. It is safe to assume that agreement was not fully satisfied after assessing Tuesday’s bombing. As the most recent bombing is still being investigated, it is not confirmed that the agents used included sarin. However, it has been discerned that it was highly unlikely that the attack
used chlorine gas, another chemical agent that has been plaguing the civil war. Something had to be done to send President Assad the message that he cannot keep committing what can easily be described as war crimes. What the Trump administration has to do moving forward is not to simplify or neglect the Syrian conflict. This is immensely more complicated than the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Syria’s alliances with Iran and Russia make this situation entirely different. The proper intelligence must be gathered and the administration must think through every move again and again, and then again once more. The United States cannot afford another disaster like Iraq, so the utmost caution must be taken to avoid years of fruitless involvement in yet another Middle Eastern country.
Trump must tread lightly in Syria
Have an opinion? We want to hear it. Email us at HofstraChronicleEditorials@gmail.com
sports
A14• April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Softball drops series finale after winning first two games
By Anders Jorstad STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra softball team let the last contest of a three-game series against the University of Delaware slip away with a 6-4 loss to the Blue Hens Sunday.
Freshman starter Sarah Cornell was not quite as fortunate on the mound as she was Saturday, when she spun a complete game shutout against Delaware in five innings of work. On Sunday, Cornell gave up two runs in the first inning, one
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle In Sunday’s loss, Brielle Pietrafesa picked up two hits and her 17th RBI.
on a solo shot by catcher Anna Steinmetz. Cornell settled in afterwards, pitching scoreless innings through the third. With one out in the fourth, Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson replaced Cornell with fellow freshman Alyssa Irons. “Cornell didn’t have great stuff this morning,” Anderson said after the game. “I saw it right away. As soon as we went through the lineup the second time, I knew I wanted to make a change right away,” Anderson said. “She wasn’t getting swings and misses like she normally gets. She was squeezing the ball a little bit which tells me she was a little fatigued.” Irons promptly gave up three runs in the inning, giving Delaware a 5-3 lead. Hofstra scored one more in the bottom of the fourth inning
but wasn’t able to close the gap. The Blue Hens plated the final run in the top of the seventh. The Pride struggled defensively in the final game of the series. Infield and throwing errors plagued the team as balls took unpredictable bounces on the dry dirt in Bill Edwards Stadium. “Our defense let us down,” Anderson said. “I mean, that’s the foundation of our program. We always consistently play solid defense and today we didn’t. We were passive; we sat back on our heels. When you sit back on your heels, the balls will eat you up every time. That was the reason why we had five errors.” A few Pride hitters continued their hot stretches at the plate. Megan Patierno homered in the third inning. It was her third long ball of the weekend against
Delaware starter Jordan Cargile. Patierno was able to read Cargile’s changeup all weekend and drove it with consistency. In the end, the offense could not string together enough hits to defeat the Blue Hens in the series finale. The Pride fell to 14-16 overall and 4-4 in Colonial Athletic Association play with the loss. Hofstra will try to rebound against Seton Hall University Tuesday and Long Island University Brooklyn Wednesday. The Pride is hoping the bats come alive in those games as well. “We were very successful yesterday because we had a plan at the plate,” Anderson said. “Today we got ahead of ourselves. We went away from our plan and chased the ball out of the zone. It doesn’t matter who you’re facing on the mound, you have to stick to your plan.”
Alderman’s revamped season major factor for men’s lax By Zack Penn STAFF WRITER
Hofstra men’s lacrosse is 10-0 with top five rankings in nearly every major National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) poll, and the quiet leadership of Dylan Alderman is a huge reason why. The junior midfielder from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is a regular member of the Dean’s List and was selected to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-Rookie Team as a freshman. Now, he is one of the best players on one of the nation’s best teams. After having a bit of a down season as a sophomore, fighting through injuries and putting up only nine points (compared to the 18 in his freshman year), Alderman is experiencing a breakout season this year as a junior. Alderman has asserted himself as a key cog in the Pride lineup and has scored a goal in each of the last seven games, giving him 10 on the season to go with 13 assists, which places him third on the team in total points, with 23. He doesn’t receive the hype that Tewaaraton Watch List
selection Josh Byrne or secondteam All-American goalie Jack Concannon get, but Alderman is an invaluable leader for the Pride. “I consider myself a quiet leader for this team,” Alderman said. “I like to show it on the field; I don’t really talk as much as some of the other guys.” Although he is not a vocal leader, Alderman is exactly the type of unsung hero that every team needs. He is a calm, collected guy who does his job and makes big plays when called upon. This could not be exemplified any more than in Hofstra’s early season upset over the defending national champions at the University of North Carolina. Alderman had the game of his life by dominating against one of the nation’s elite teams, tallying three goals and adding three assists in an 11-9 win. “That game was a lot of fun,” Alderman said. “I was just trying to hit the net, honestly, but my teammates were really helping me out, getting me open and drawing a lot of attention that really just left me open shots at the net.” Alderman is the first to defer credit of his accomplishments
to his teammates and does not pay attention to stats. He simply tries to work on his game as much as he can and is beginning to see the fruits of his labor.
“I consider myself a quiet leader for this team...I like to show it on the field...” He says that his teammates do not worry about who scores, they simply try to get off the best shot possible. This is apparent upon viewing any of Hofstra’s games this season as the offense whips the ball around and breaks down opposing defenses. Whenever they catch a defender off balance or confused of his assignment, they pounce on the opportunity. “We’re a really unselfish group,” he said. “We like to pass the ball around and whoever scores, we’re happy for.” Accompanying the junior’s rise to become Hofstra’s most productive midfielder is his team’s meteoric rise to the top of the NCAA standings. At 100, Alderman’s squad has shattered the record for the best start
in Hofstra’s history. Despite the undefeated record, however, he says the team is simply taking a “one game at a time” approach. “It’s really hard to tell how long we can stay undefeated,” Alderman said. “We just want to be 1-0 after the next game, so we don’t put much pressure on the whole record right now. We don’t look at rankings or records, we just want to win the next game.” Heading into the heart of conference play in the CAA, Hofstra will have tough task of taking on multiple nationallyranked opponents who are sure to leave everything on the field.
It will be extremely tough to get through conference play with the Pride’s undefeated record still intact. Though the Pride is trying to simply focus on what is ahead, hoping that the team’s efforts pay off in the form of glory, it is hard to not think about the big picture for this season. Alderman admitted that he has his sights set on a potential run at a national title. “We want to keep this undefeated streak going,” Alderman said. “The national title is pretty far down the line right now, but after [the] CAA’s, I think we can win it all.”
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Midfielder Dylan Alderman has 10 goals and 14 assists so far this season.
Sports
The Chronicle
April 11, 2017•A15
Women’s lacrosse overrun by Delaware, now 0-2 in CAA By Regina Volpe STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team was not able to top the University of Delaware Blue Hens and fell 17-9 this past Sunday. Hofstra is now at 0-2 in CAA play, and 6-5 overall. A small lead early in the first half gave the Blue Hens a lead that the Pride could not overcome. The teams were knotted at four early in the first half, but that was the last time the Pride matched the Blue Hens’ score. Hofstra remained close behind Delaware for most of the first half, staying within three goals of the Blue Hens. A slim two-point deficit (8-6) seemed attainable to close coming back from the second half, but the Blue Hens maintained
their momentum from the first. Delaware outscored Hofstra 9-3 in the second half. Early in the second half things looked promising for the Pride. A pair of goals from Becky Conto and Drew Shapiro put the Pride within one goal of Delaware. The Blue Hens were quick to respond though, and scored three consecutive times just two minutes after Shapiro’s goal. The Pride could not manage to score again in the second half until Conto scored on a free-position shot with just two seconds left to play. On the other hand, the Blue Hens continued to rack up goals. Delaware held a 13-8 lead halfway through the second period, but the team did not let the cushion make it comfortable.
Freshman Alyssa Parrella led Hofstra in goals, adding three more to total 34 so far in her debut season. Conto trailed behind, tallying two goals this match. Shapiro, Carlee Ancona, Morgan Knox and Lexi Lenaghan rounded out the rest of the score with one goal apiece. The Blue Hens’ defense aided in the victory on Sunday. Delaware was quick to snag possession from ground ball pickups and the defense was able to successfully clear the field to score on multiple occasions. On the other hand, the Pride struggled to maintain possession throughout the contest. Hofstra goalie Maddie Fields struggled to keep up with the shots from Delaware. Twentythree of the Blue Hens’ shots were on goal and Fields only
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle After the second straight loss, women’s lacrosse is now 6-5 this season overall.
managed to make four saves. Parrella led the Pride in assists as well as goals, totaling two this match. Ancona, Conto, Knox and Tessa Sinatro each added an assist as well.
Hofstra returns to Hempstead to take the field against James Madison University on Friday, April 14. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Becky Conto’s consistency keeps Hofstra’s hopes alive By Austin Woolman STAFF WRITER
At this point last season, Hofstra’s women’s lacrosse team was dwelling at the bottom of the standings. The team only had two wins and went on to collect just one more before finishing the season 3-13. However, the Pride has turned things around in 2017, currently sitting at 6-4 while winning four of its last five games heading into the weekend. This recent revitalization of
the program is due in large part to senior Becky Conto. The fifth-year player has scored 18 goals in the last five games, including four hat tricks. “I think I’m finally getting in my groove,” Conto said. “I just got cleared at the beginning of the season from my ACL injury last year, so I wasn’t 100 percent confident in my dodging and my slowing down off different moves. But I think now I’m finally getting in my groove and feeling good.” While Conto has been surging
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Senior Becky Conto is second in points this season for the Pride with 31.
as of late, success hasn’t been unfamiliar to her this season. The New York native has tallied 24 goals in the first 10 games of the season, which already surpasses her career high for a single season. Conto believes she was able to match her career high in goals because she has actually been on the field. During her career at Hofstra, Conto has suffered a plethora of injuries that have kept her on the sidelines for chunks of previous seasons. For Conto, being injured on the bench was hard to cope with. “It’s extremely difficult to watch from the sidelines, especially with something that you’re so passionate about,” Conto said. “Everybody wants to do what they can to help the team win. So being on the sideline, you have to cheer on your teammates. But then when you get the opportunity to be on the field, you have to cherish that moment and work hard for your teammates and for everyone who is watching you on the sideline who’s also injured.” Aside from being healthy, Conto also cites her teammates
as responsible for her blazinghot play this season. “I think it’s a combination of my teammates being able to move the ball well, looking for me on the inside and being able to create space,” Conto said. While Conto’s senior leadership has righted the Pride’s course this season, the team has enjoyed a rejuvenating boost from its younger players. Conto discussed how impressed she was with the team’s overall play this season, particularly the freshmen class. “The freshman class that came in this year, they’re just athletes,” Conto said. “I think going forward the team can only get better if we keep having classes like this class and they can come in and make an impact like these freshman have.” Conto also talked about how the team has been able to spread the wealth over the course of the season. Last year, the Pride’s main source of offense came from Lindsay Scott and not much else. This year, the team has six players who have double-digit point totals. “This year we have seven threats on the attacking end and
people who are coming off the bench. We have a deep offensive bench, and I feel like everyone can take the ball to the net and everyone can look up and make the feeds,” Conto said. Last season, a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title was a distant desire for the women’s lacrosse team. However, the Pride finds itself in the midst of a competitive conference this season, and began CAA play last week. Conto believes it’s important to keep the momentum going. “It’s extremely important,” Conto said. “Anything can really alter how people are going to go into each game. If we come out with two big wins going into the rest of the CAA [schedule] I think that’s going to have a huge effect on how we play for the rest of the season.” Winning a CAA championship remains the ultimate goal for the team, and Conto firmly believes the team can achieve its dream. “We have a really great conference with three teams in the top 20, and it’s not going to be easy, but I think if we play well and we keep getting better like we have been, it definitely could be a possibility.”
sports
A16• April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Third time’s the charm: transfer Riesner leading Hofstra baseball
By Joe Barone STAFF WRITER
In baseball, consistency is key for players to establish success. In life, sometimes consistency is difficult to achieve because a 12-6 curveball is thrown your way. When that happens, you have to learn how to adjust – choke up on the bat, move up in the box or show some patience. Mikey Riesner has mastered this not only on the field – ranked second on the Hofstra Pride baseball team in hitting – but off the field as a student, teammate and friend. The shortstop for the Pride has had to adjust to quite a few curveballs in his life and not just at the plate. Consistency on the field was never an issue for Riesner. He was always considered a defensive asset and clutch hitter, which piqued head coach John Russo’s interest during the recruitment process. Off the field, however, that’s another story. Riesner was born in Westchester, New York. When he was 2-years-old, he moved to Illinois. After spending many years there, his family moved southeast to Tennessee for a year. They returned to Illinois, and were there until recently, when he and his family picked up and settled in South Florida. He has lived in several differ-
ent states and played baseball, soccer and football in many cities, yet he doesn’t have one complaint. That’s just the type of person Riesner is: all business with a smile on his face. “It’s been like this forever,” the 21-year-old said. “I just think it’s a tough process. You’re making teammates over and over again. You grow so close with some of these guys, but every place I’ve been, they always welcome me.” On Riesner’s college tour, baseball stops at Bradley University and College of San Mateo were made. He has had his share of success, making NCAA regionals in 2015, and some misfortune – an injury shortened his season in 2016. That is baseball. There will be ups and downs, but only the strong players manage to find that consistency. “No kid ever wants to transfer,” Riesner admitted. “Honestly, I had a great baseball experience at Bradley. I was treated really well and it was a tough decision leaving. At San Mateo, I didn’t know what to think going into junior college but I had such a positive experience there [as well].” At some point it is not the experience that makes the person, it is the person that makes the experience worthwhile.
“I made friends I talk to every single day,” Riesner said. “Now being here, it feels like home because I have aunts and uncles around here – which is nice – and the guys treat me really well.” Riesner has finally found a home at Hofstra. After moving around the country with his family, he now has the chance to focus solely on baseball and his academics. “Baseball would be a dream to play forever, but the chances of that are tough. I take school pretty seriously,” Riesner said. Hofstra’s shortstop has an unparalleled work ethic. According to his coach, Riesner fields more groundballs than anyone in practice and is always in the batting cage looking for more repetitions. He takes pride in his defense and wears his heart on his sleeve on and off the field. If an error is made, he picks himself up and reminds himself to find that consistency. “It’s frustrating but you have to have a short memory,” Riesner said. “Coach Russo gives me a pat on the back and says he believes in me so I think that always helps getting that from the coach.” You can’t get too high or too low in baseball, it is a mental game. It is extremely important to stay levelheaded.
“Honestly, if I am 0-for-4 or 0-for-5 I want another at-bat. If you don’t, you’re playing the wrong sport,” Riesner said. That is exactly what Riesner did in Hofstra’s first conference matchup of the season against the College of Charleston. After committing an error in the bottom of the fourth inning to allow the Cougars to tie the game at one, Riesner stepped into the batter’s box in the ninth. With Nick Bottari and David Leiderman at first and second base, Riesner sought redemption, lacing an opposite field single to the right side to score Leiderman, giving the Pride the lead and the eventual win. He showed toughness, moxie and consistency in the clutch. “This is his first time he’s dealing with the daily grind of
the mental aspect of baseball,” Russo said. “We have confidence in him.” Despite the team struggling this year to string together wins, Riesner remains confident. “I still feel like I’ll never give up on these guys. I know nobody on this field will give up on anybody,” Riesner said. “I never step on this field and think we’re going to get beat. I don’t feel like anybody thinks they’re better than anyone here. It is always good to have chemistry like that.” Hofstra is riddled with strong character players in the dugout and Riesner is one of them. He is a team-first, friend-first and family-first guy. That is all the consistency he needs. No curveball will surprise Riesner here.
2-4 in conference play. “That was the most excited I’ve seen our team. They were outside the dugout like it was a walk-off grand slam or something,” said Hofstra head coach John Russo after the win. Sophomore Tom Archer was perhaps the biggest run producer of the day, accomplishing so much with quality base
running. In fact, the highlight of the game was his acrobatic slide into home plate. The throw beat him and his slide came up short, so he popped up, jumped over the catcher’s tag, landed a bit further than the plate and reached back to touch it before the catcher could apply the tag. Archer had a standout performance that could be seen as a breakout, as he went 3-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. “Tommy wasn’t in the first lineup I wrote today, and he wasn’t happy about it,” Russo said. “But then Bottari has been showing some concussion symptoms, and so I went to Tommy and said ‘Hey, the stars aligned; you got a break here – you need to go on the field and produce.’” Coming into this game, Russo
wanted a strong performance out of his ace, sophomore John Rooney. Early on, Rooney struggled as he gave up three runs within the first two innings. His effectiveness turned around completely once the third inning came around. “It just seemed like he went to another spot in that third inning and got angry and pitched with a little fire,” Russo said. Rooney began pitching at a quick pace to the point of frustrating the Towson batters. Many of them would call for time or step out of the box to try and throw him off, but nothing seemed to phase Rooney. He ended the game with a stat line of six innings, five runs (four earned), three walks and eight strikeouts, all while throwing an astounding 134 pitches.
Following Rooney on the mound was freshman John Ryan, who pitched an outstanding three innings in relief, giving up no runs and allowing just two hits. Sophomore Vito Friscia started the scoring for the Pride as he hit a two-run moonshot out to left center in the bottom of the first. Friscia would lead the Pride on the day with three RBI. Junior Steven Foster had two of his own while seniors Brad Witkowski, Chris Hardardt and David Leiderman, along with freshman Vinnie Costello and Archer each recorded one. After an energetic game, the Pride looks to carry the momentum into Tuesday’s matchup against Fairfield University.
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Mikey Riesner leads all Hofstra hitters with 19 runs batted in this season.
Baseball avoids sweep with boosted offensive day By Nico Bermudez STAFF WRITER
After what had been a rough weekend for the Hofstra baseball team, the Pride was able to turn it around on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at University Field by beating the Towson University Tigers 11-5, ultimately pushing both teams to
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle
Freshman Vinnie Costello logged two hits and one RBI in Sunday’s win.
Sports
The Chronicle
April 11, 2017•A17
HOFSTRA ATHLETIC CALENDAR Away
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Home
4/11
4/12
4/13
4/14
4/15
4/16
Baseball
Fairfield University - 3:30 p.m.
University of Delaware - 3 p.m.
University of Delaware - 1 p .m .
University of Delaware - 1 p.m.
Softball
Seton Hall University - 4 p.m.
UNC Wilmington - 1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
UNC
2-4 CAA (9th)
4-5 CAA (5th)
Men’s
LIU-Brooklyn - 6 p.m.
Wilmington - 1 p.m.
Drexel University - 7 p .m .
Lacrosse
10-0 Overall (1st)
Women’s Lacrosse
James Madison University - 7 p.m.
6-5 Overall (4th)
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Towson University - 1 p.m.
sports
A18• April 11, 2017
The Chronicle
Softball trying to get on track amidst conference play
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Hofstra softball has an overall record of 14-16 this season and is 4-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
By Felipe Fontes STAFF WRITER
As the warmer weather is starting to kick in, so has the conference play of softball season, which after eight games has the Pride sitting with a 4-4 record. After a disappointing 2016 season in which the Pride finished in seventh place with an 8-10 conference record, Hofstra looks to improve on last year’s mark and land a spot in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament, which it failed to do last year. Overall, the team carries a 14-16 record, a number due in large part to a young core of talent that has been thrown into the fire for this ball club. Add youth and inexperience to the fact that the Pride has missed a total of six games due to cancellations for weather, and it is clear to see why the squad has yet to find a groove as conference play heats up. “The weather and our field haven’t been cooperating so it’s really tough to establish a routine,” Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson said. Aside from this, the infield for the Pride is full of new faces. After moving Nikki Michalowski to the outfield, Lacey Clark remains as the only infielder with experience at her position. “Megan Patierno’s in her first year at third base. I have a
freshman at shortstop and I have Kaitlyne Musa, a first year player, behind the plate,” Anderson said. “Lacey Clark is the only veteran in the infield right now so it’s great to see that she’s anchoring and stepping up her level of play, but she just needs some support around her.” With so much inexperience on the dirt for the Pride, the importance of a veteran within the group is amplified. Clark has undoubtedly been the one to count on when it comes to the leadership and experience that a veteran player brings within a young core of players. Offensively, hitting .322, Clark is also one of the team leaders in RBI. Clark has driven in 17 runs so far this season, second only to Patierno’s 21. The power to go along with her efficiency has been on display as well, blasting four home runs to stand right behind Patierno and Brielle Pietrafesa for the team lead. Pietrafesa has five and Patierno has six this season. On the other side of the senior leadership from Clark is the emergence of a young pitcher on the mound for Hofstra. Freshman Sarah Cornell has been called upon to handle a majority of the duties from the circle, quickly displaying the poise and confidence that it takes to have success at the collegiate level. “The team knows that every time Cornell is on the mound
that they have an opportunity to win the game,” Anderson said. “She’s very competitive, she competes, she has the ability to single handedly get batters out.” Cornell is currently fourth in the CAA in strikeouts with 76 and holds a 11-7 record in the circle for the Pride. As her experience has grown game by game, Cornell has not come short in developing her game. “She came in and she really only threw a fastball, so she’s able to throw all four different quadrants. She has an off-speed pitch now, so it’s made her very competitive. She can throw a screw ball in, a curve ball out, a rise ball up and her off-speed.
So she has a lot of tools that she’s able to throw,” Anderson said. Along with Cornell, Kristin Hallam has been another freshman who is playing bigger than her class standing. “Kristin Hallam really is a pleasant surprise. We’ve never had a freshman start in the middle infield in this program. So her being our leadoff hitter, and also starting at shortstop is a huge attribute to her – her ability and the level she’s able to play at,” Anderson said. Joining Hallam and Cornell as freshmen for this Pride team are Sam Tomasetti and Alyssa Irons, who when put together are half of the first year players on this emerging squad. Although the youth of this team is evident, Hofstra has some core veterans to go along with Clark that have returned to continue contributing for the Pride. Juniors Pietrafesa and Michalowski both have played well thus far. Pietrafesa is second for in home runs with five to add 17 RBI and Michalowski has been the Pride’s anchor in the field, leading the way with 123 putouts and a .984 fielding percentage. Patierno, Brittany Allocca and Musa are three other upperclassmen who are key instruments in Hofstra’s quest for success. To go along with production, some upperclassmen for the
Pride are bringing with them the experience of a CAA championship victory in 2015. “It’s those returners that have experience of a championship trying to instill it into the younger players. The younger players have never experienced winning a championship, so you have the veterans that continually try to instill the standard, the level of play and the expectations that they need in order to reach that ring,” Anderson said. In the meantime, the Pride is at .500 in CAA play, and currently holds the fifth spot in the conference, which would propel the team into the tournament as of right now. “We’ve got to take it one step at a time. We’ve got to put ourselves in the situation that were going back to the conference tournament. We have the ability to win the conference. But we need to play a lot better than we are right now. We need our leadership to step up and they need to find ways to win,” Anderson said. As the Pride closed out a double header sweep of the University of Delaware on Saturday, the team will try to take away the positives from a great game and hope to begin a streak as conference games become more frequent and more crucial. If all goes right for the Hofstra softball team, it’ll find itself competing for a CAA trophy in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the second week of May.
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Second baseman Lacey Clark leads Hofstra softball with a .322 batting average with four home runs and 17 RBI.
Sports
The Chronicle
April 11, 2017•A19
Men’s lacrosse ranked No. 2 after win over Delaware By Rob Pelaez STAFF WRITER
On Saturday, the red-hot Hofstra men’s lacrosse team won its 10th game – a university record – to start off its season, propelling the Pride to a 10-0 record after an 11-9 victory over CAA rival University of Delaware. Star senior Josh Byrne took control of the game, tacking on four goals to aid in the Pride’s victory. Byrne brought his goal total to 29 on the year, which is good for second in the conference. “We knew it was going to be a battle with those guys”, said Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney after the game. “[Delaware] lost their first game in the CAA so we knew we were playing a desperate group, but we showed at the end what we are made of. We’ll be sure to enjoy this win and go onto Drexel.” Coach Tierney and his squad are well aware of where they
stand amongst a stacked group of teams in the entire nation, but are even more aware that they have plenty of unfinished business to take care of for the rest of the season. Hofstra was up 5-2 at the end of the first period after goals from Byrne, Ryan Tierney and a pair from Jimmy Yanes. But it was the fierce play of the Blue Hens – a team that handed Rutgers University its first loss earlier in the season – that kept Hofstra on its toes for the remainder of the game. After goals from Byrne and Alex Moeser in the second and third periods (respectively), Delaware finished the game on a 7-4 run to give Hofstra a scare before the final whistle was blown. When asked to evaluate the team’s well-balanced scoring attack, Coach Tierney said, “We’re really trying to just focus on what the next team [we face] is going to do to us. Jimmy and a couple of other
guys had a really great game, so I’m very proud of them and how we fought in a tough CAA battle.” Both team’s offensive statistics were virtually identical, with Hofstra taking only one more shot then the Blue Hens. One of the biggest differences in the game was the turnover battle, which Hofstra won by a 13-9 margin. Ryan Tierney continued his stellar first-year campaign with another well-rounded game, scoring once and assisting on two of Byrne’s goals to seal the deal for the Pride. Hofstra will have a two-game homestand in which the team will take on Drexel University, and then the University of Massachusetts the following week, before the Pride wraps up its regular season against Towson University. Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Josh Byrne was named CAA Player of the Week after four goals Saturday.
Despite bright spots, baseball not where it wants to be By Nico Bermudez STAFF WRITER
With last season not going as well as they would have liked (going 15-37), head coach John Russo and the Pride baseball team came into the 2017 season looking to bounce back. A number of new incoming players gave the team the feeling it could improve from last year.
Hofstra is currently standing at 8-21, but the Pride’s record may be deceiving. Five of the team’s 21 losses have been decided by just one run, while two defeats have been decided by two runs. “You know the overall record could be better, but it’s not as bad as it looks,” Russo said. Twenty-two of the Pride’s 29
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle Over 29 games, the baseball team has a 5.25 ERA and a .253 batting average.
games thus far have been played away from University Field at Hofstra; however, of the seven games played at home, three ended with a victory. Keeping the games close, a few players for the Pride have stood out so far this season, including outfielder Steven Foster. “Steven’s been a big catalyst for us at the top of the order and that’s what he’s done throughout his career – he’s been somebody we can count on to start us off. He’s had big hits – he had a big two-run homer [on March 21] to win a game for us against [NYIT],” Russo said. Usually the leadoff man for the Pride, Foster has lived up to the high expectations this season. He leads the team in batting average (.324), hits (36) and doubles (8). Shortstop Mikey Riesner is in his first year with the Pride, transferring from College of San Mateo in California. Riesner has had no problem adjusting, leading Hofstra in RBI with 19. “Mikey has been a good hidden surprise for us – leading in RBI and really driving in some
big runs. He had the game-winner against Charleston,” Russo said. On the defensive side, the pitching staff’s earned run average is currently sitting at 5.25. John Ryan, in 21 innings, has posted a 1-2 record with a 4.29 ERA, which leads. “Right now I think the pitching is the one thing we can count on. We’re getting quality starts from our starters,” Russo said. Andrew Mundy this season pitched 8.1 innings with a 2.16 ERA. He will miss the remainder of the season after injuring his elbow. “We took a big hit with losing Andrew [Mundy], maybe our top reliever, to Tommy John surgery,” Russo said. Of course, there is always room for development. Based on this season, Russo first praised his defense’s improvement. “The one thing I’m happy about is our defense, [it has] has gotten a lot better than it was early in the season, and our starting pitching is strong. We
could use another reliever to show they can hold down games late so we can have another guy or two to count on,” he said. With a hot start from the pitching staff, a unit that had the second lowest ERA in the Colonial Athletic Association at one point this season, it was the cold beginning on the offensive end that has the team under .500. “We need to score a few more runs,” Russo said. The Hofstra baseball team has certainly improved upon last year’s performance, but there is still some room to pick up more wins. As the Pride is at the midway point of the season, all eyes will be on the offensive production.
Back Cover: Megan patierno launched softball to take caa series vs. Delaware
T h e H of s t r a C h r on i c l e
Sports
April 11, 2017
Hofstra, we have l i f t o f f Megan Patierno blasts three home runs to help snag two games this weekend vs. Delaware
Cam Keough / Hofstra Chronicle