HEMPSTEAD, NY Volume 82 Issue 12
The Hofstra
Chronicle
Tuesday February 14, 2017
Keeping the hofstra Community informed since 1935
Hofstra educators weigh in on Betsy DeVos By Gabriella Ciuffetelli EDITOR I A L E D I TO R
The Senate confirmed Betsy DeVos as education secretary on Feb. 27, in what was one of the most contentious confirmation processes in modern political history. DeVos, one of Trump’s most controversial cabinet picks, was confirmed with an unprecedented 51-50 vote; Vice President Mike Pence intervened to break the Senate tie. Educators expressed their concern over DeVos before, during and after her confirmation hearing, citing, among other things, her lack of experience in the field as a red flag. “Betsy DeVos is singularly unqualified for the position, having never attended public school, taught in one, served as an administrator in one, or sent
a child to one. In essence, everything she knows about public education could be learned by driving by a school, or flying over one,” said Bruce Torff, a professor and doctoral program director at Hofstra. “Her performance at the Senate confirmation hearing was an embarrassment that revealed her total lack of knowledge and skill relevant to the position. She’s no more qualified to be Secretary of Education than she is to be an astronaut.” While DeVos has never personally served as a school administrator or educator, she has had significant political involvement in education reform. She previously served as chairwoman for the board of Alliance for School Choice, was a board member of Advocates for School Choice, the American
Education Reform Council and the Education Freedom Fund, and served as a chair for both Choices for Children and the Great Lakes Education Project. In each of these roles, DeVos championed the importance of school choice. She served as an advocate for school vouchers, defined by the National Conference of State Legislators as “state-funded scholarships that pay for students to attend private school,” promoted charter schools and endorsed scholarship tax credit programs that permit businesses to allocate portions of their tax dollars to providing scholarships to students attending private schools. DeVos’s involvement, however, is seen by some as affront to public school systems. “Her past experience and
commentary indicate that she is committed to weakening – nay, tearing down – public education,” said Professor Andrea S. Libresco, the director of the minor in civic engagement program.
“She has funneled millions of dollars into ‘choice’ and charter policies in Michigan that have resulted in a decline in test scores. She tried to shut
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Photo courtesy of The White House DeVos was confirmed as education secretary on Feb. 7 by a slim margin.
Ringling Bros. set final show in Nassau Coliseum By Ava Mandel STAFF W R I T E R
The 146-year-old run of the Ringling Bros. Circus will come to an end on May 12. Although the show is formally dubbed “Out of This World,”
no spaceship will be needed to see it, as the final performance will be held in Hempstead’s own Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. According to a company press release, the decision to end the circus tours was made as a result
Photo courtesy of Ringling Bros. The Ringling Bros. will host their final show on May 12 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
of high costs coupled with a decline in ticket sales, making the circus an unsustainable business for the company. Following the transition of the elephants out of the circus, the company saw a decline in ticket sales greater than anticipated. “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey was the original property on which we built Feld Entertainment into a global producer of live entertainment over the past 50 years,” said Kenneth Feld, the chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment. “We are grateful to the hundreds of millions of fans who have experienced Ringling Bros. over the years. Between now and May, we will give them one last chance to experience the joy and wonder of Ringling Bros.” The famous show that earned the title of “The Greatest Show on Earth,” will end their century-long career with a bang:
an intergalactic adventure. The purpose of the show – an odyssey through space – is to portray the battle of good versus evil while the performers voyage from planet to planet on their spaceship. Once a beloved pastime, the circus has become an afterthought in American culture. When asked about their interest in the circus, their feelings about the ending of the Ringling Bros. and the forthcoming “Out of This World Show,” many students were strongly against the institution. Matt Siano, a senior psychology major, said he felt “indifferent” about the Ringling Bros. He has no interest in seeing the “Out of This World” Show. Victoria Griffin, a junior finance major, said, “They were really popular, but they were cruel to animals, so I don’t really care [that they’re closing].”
Jordan Stanford, a freshman drama and finance major, had a different perspective towards the curtain call. She said, “It’s kind of upsetting because people grew up with it.” As for the “Out of This World” show, Stanford said, “It reminds me of Cirque du Soleil because they do a lot of out-of-the-box stuff, so I think it’s nice that the Ringling Bros. are stepping up their game.” Juliette Feld, Feld Entertainment’s COO said in a press release,“This was a difficult business decision to make, but by ending the circus tours, we will be able to concentrate on the other lines of business within the Feld Entertainment portfolio. Now that we have made this decision, as a company, and as a family, we will strive to support our circus performers and crew in making the transition to new opportunities.”
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Sessions sworn in as Attorney General By Nicole Boucher STAFF W R I T E R
Former Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions was sworn in as the 84th Attorney General of the United States on Thursday, Feb. 9. He was confirmed by the Senate with a 52-47 vote – split primarily along party lines – the day before. In the early stages of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Sessions attended rallies for Trump and was even considered a potential running mate, prior to Mike Pence being chosen. Sessions worked as part of
Trump’s inner circle of advisors throughout the campaign and transition, and it was considered likely that he would be nominated for a position in Trump’s cabinet after he was not chosen as the vice presidential candidate. “He was the early and only supporter of Trump,” said Dr. Leslie Feldman, a political science professor at Hofstra. “Trump values loyalty.” Prior to two decades as a junior senator for Alabama, Sessions spent two years as the Attorney General for Alabama and five years prior to that as the
Photo Courtesy of The White House
Jeff Sessions was confirmed as Attorney General of the United States.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. Throughout his career in the Senate, Sessions has shown a tendency to take traditionally conservative stances on nearly all topics ranging from fiscal to social issues. Sessions was considered a controversial nominee due to his strong anti-immigration stances and allegations of racism from his past. In 1986, testimony from Sessions’ colleagues about racially offensive remarks led the Senate Judiciary Committee to deny a recommendation to nominate him to be a federal district court judge in Alabama. He would later go on to be a part of the Senate Judiciary Committee after being elected to office. During debate over Sessions’ confirmation, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Tom Udall read parts of a letter by Coretta King Scott that expressed her opposition to Sessions’ potential confirmation as a federal judge in 1986. Warren was removed from the Senate floor for “impugning the character” of a fellow senator, which violates
Senate rules. “Sessions correctly stated that he would – in most instances – enforce laws that he didn’t necessarily agree with, and showed some courage in suggesting that he would oppose three Trump initiatives: torture, Muslim ban and Muslim registry,” said William Schaefer, an adjunct professor of political science. Sessions’ confirmation comes after two acting attorneys general held the position within a 20 day period. Sally Yates, who assumed the office after Loretta Lynch left, was removed by President Trump because of her open opposition to his travel ban. She was replaced by Dana Boente. The vote on Sessions’ confirmation was delayed due to the extended time it took to confirm Betsy DeVos as the United States secretary of education. Like some of Trump’s other choices for his cabinet, Sessions did not win favor for his nomination or his confirmation by an overwhelming number of votes. Democrats predominantly opposed him and Republicans predominantly supported him.
Trump’s education secretary confirmed Continued FROM A1 down the troubled Detroit public schools and replace them with charter, private (including discredited online schools) and religious schools, regardless of performance. She supports for-profit charter schools, the use of public money for religious education and, while she supports accountability for public schools, she opposes it for publicly funded, privately run schools (earning the opposition of even those in the charter school movement),” Libresco wrote in an emailed response. This also brings to light another concern held by those in the education sector: the separation of church and state in the education system. In addition to championing school choice programs, DeVos has called education reform a way to “advance God’s kingdom” and that public schools have “displaced” churches.
“In her statements, she not only fails to honor the separation of church and state, she seeks to override it,” said Professor Jacqueline Grennon Brooks, the director of the Institute for the Development of Education in the Advanced Sciences. DeVos has also pledged to further these agendas during her tenure as education secretary – promising to remain an advocate for school choice programs, while also diminishing the federal government’s role in education. This too has caused concerns within the education community as it may further threaten public schools. “Her approval by Republicans in the United States Senate is an embarrassment. But the bigger issue of concern is the Republican/Trump plan to privatize public education in the United States through outsourcing, vouchers and tax credits, and to make them profitable by breaking teacher unions,”
said Professor Alan Singer, the director of secondary education social studies teaching, learning and technology. However, some educators have seen potential to DeVos’ proposals, particularly in the flexibility it may afford schools in innovating new teaching methods and curriculums. “On the face of it, the federal government’s commitment to public education seems in jeopardy, and so too our democracy. But one can, perhaps, welcome the withdrawal of federal mandates, especially with respect to curriculum and teaching,” said Eduardo Duarte, professor of teaching, learning and technology. “Less federal oversight would allow states, counties, cities and towns to become more creative and perhaps innovative with respect to the public education of our children and young adults. Here, then, is where we might find the sliver lining in an otherwise ever darkening cloud
arising over the White House: grass-roots community based and globally oriented education.” Future teachers, however, have been less optimistic about both their career prospects and their work environments in the wake of DeVos. “As a future teacher, I do believe this can impact my future,” said senior English education major Victoria Dempsey. “I would tell DeVos to go to public schools across the U.S. and talk to some of the teachers there. Ask them why they wanted to become teachers and what they get out of being a teacher. I would tell DeVos to think about the three million public school teachers that have worked so hard to learn and teach and inspire the youth of America. I would tell DeVos to think about all of the children that attend public schools and what you would be doing to their education.”
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 Editors Allison Eichler Mack Caldwell Editorial Editor Gabriella Ciuffetelli Assistant Editorial Editor Kirnendra Sidhu 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
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The Chronicle
February 14, 2017 •A 3
Students learn how to employ activism By Maria Zaldivar STAFF W R I T E R
The Hofstra University Honors College organized a Friday Forum focusing on activism. College campuses are no strangers to the idea of it. Several protests, marches and counter protests have developed since Nov. 8 around New York and many students have gotten involved, or want to. Still, the event served as an introduction to the world of activism for many. “I wanted to understand more about what being an activist is because I am knowledgably ignorant,” said Billy Schimmel, an Honors College student. “I feel like everyone to a degree can’t know everything so I want to increase my perspective, and I see a lot of validity in what they have to say.” Professor Andrea Libresco organized the event and invited student speakers such as Natasha Rappazzo, a senior history and a political science major, Emily Beck a junior global studies and geography major,
and Fatimah Mozzarella, a sophomore pre-med major. “A lot of students want to do something but they are not sure what …” Libresco said. “What came out of this, I think, was about joining organizations, going to hear information that people didn’t know before.” Students expressed their con-
information as the foundation for genuine activism, “If you acquire the information then you need not be nervous. You can go to any organization, be on TV, be on the radio and explain the information you have and say why you are doing what you are doing, and why it matters, and that’s activism.” The discussion highlighted how objective information helps people reach their own informed conclusions and helps lead them away from conversations based on political bias. “I am very interested in political lectures because increasing the number of voices [you hear] increases your ability to correctly judge, the more voices the more you can determine if it’s fact or fiction, or just different perspectives,” Schimmel said. Libresco agreed, saying “I think the first step, in activism, is acquiring reliable information. That is the most important thing in a democracy, and then when you have that information you can act on it.” Issues from the environment, to reproductive rights, to
“You can go to any organization, be on TV, be on the radio and explain the information you have and say why you are doing what you are doing, and why it matters, and that’s activism. ” cerns. Most were centered on the media, bias in sources and where to find reliable information. With the constant exposure to information, some were not only overwhelmed but worried about the trustworthiness of several sources. Libresco described reliable
intersectionality were touched upon. “It was really interesting to learn what students are prioritizing and what they want to be involved in in the future,” Beck said. Rappazzo talked of her experience in activism and how her interest in a small issue was still important for her to carry through. “I was in a protest this summer at Raytheon, a weapon and military electronics manufacturer, and it was just four people including myself. At the time I was very embarrassed thinking how it was just the four of us and people were looking at us.” Rappazzo realized with her relatively small protest she
incited an idea. She said that because of her action, “someone actually thought about Raytheon building bombs and killing people every day, and how they probably shouldn’t.” Libresco urged students to contribute to activism in little tasks such as the five-minute test. “The five-minute test means at the end of the day you check in with yourself on what you did to make the world a better place … You have to make yourself do it until it becomes part of your life, and it’s a great part of your life and it doesn’t take that long.”
Maria Zaldivar / The Hofstra Chronicle
Students gathered to discuss how to practice safe and effective activism.
Long Island campaign calls for cleaner water By Angelina Mah STAFF W R I T E R
Local non-profits and community organizations have recently launched the “I Love Long Island” Water Conservation Initiative, a campaign with a mission to protect ground and surface water on Long Island. The initiative aims to bring awareness to the dangers of lawn pollutants by seeking to restrain the usage of pesticides and high nitrogen fertilizers, and encouraging the community to change these habits. By taking action, the “I Love Long Island” community hopes to resolve the negative impact the pollutants have taken on the quality of the water supply. “Anything we put into our lawn, whether it’s pesticides or lawn pollutants, gets absorbed into the ground and can go into our drinking water or our creeks
and ponds,” said Marshall Brown, president of Save the Great South Bay. The campaign has encouraged many Long Island occupants to participate by signing a pledge on ilovelongisland. org. Here, supporters pledge against the purchase and use of pesticides on their property. The website offers information on local landscapers who can provide natural lawn care services as well as advice on how to harmlessly tend to your home.
Doug Wood, founder of Grassroots Environmental Education, said “It’s ironic that even though our community knows
tures should be taking into their own hands. “But since no action has been made here, it’s time for the people of Long Island to make change. Anybody who has a lawn here can be part of the solution, rather than the problem.” The call for change isn’t solely directed toward homeowners of Long Island. This call for action is also directed toward students to make change by raising awareness via social media and by participating on campus to make sure that environment-
“ Anything we put into our lawn, whether it’s pesticides or lawn pollutants, gets absorbed into the ground and can go into our drinking water or our creeks and ponds. ”
we have a serious nitrogen problem, they still go to the stores in the spring and buy bulks of high nitrogen fertilizers.” Wood explained he feels this is a serious topic that legisla-
friendly fertilizer is used in place of high nitrogen fertilizers. On campus, the Sustainability Club also works to keep Hofstra pollutant-free from high-nitrogen fertilizers. They do so by tending to an organic garden on campus where no pesticides or high-nitrogen fertilizers are used. “The measures we take in order to act against the use of nitrogen fertilizers as a sustainability club are to try and get these facts out to the Hofstra community for people to know and understand,” said Vice President Amit Nath of the Sustainability Club. “Once people become more aware of the dangers of nitrogen, they would act to stop the pollution of nitrogen. The use of high nitrogen fertilizer effects our water quality greatly.”
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A 4 • February 14, 2017
The Chronicle
Ethics bowl promotes progressive understanding By Daniel Nguyen STAFF W R I T E R
Syosset High School took home the top title at the high school Ethics Bowl hosted at Hofstra in the Student Center Multipurpose Room on Saturday, Feb. 11. The event provided high school students with an outlet to speak and debate on a wide variety of ethical and moral issues topical to the political climate. Participants included students from over 15 high schools within New York, with Syosset High School’s team claiming first place in the final round. “The High School Ethics Bowl grew out of the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, a national event in which over 150 colleges and universities participate,” said Roberta Israeloff, the organizer of the event and director of The Squire Family Foundation, which fosters the advancement of philosophical education. An Ethics Bowl is similar to debate but more nuanced in that
teams are not required to take adversarial positions but rather explore timeless and timely ethical dilemmas they have had the chance to study and analyze before the event. The competition is designed to spark spirited discussion but within the context of civil dialogue; that is, students can disagree but need to do so respectfully. Although it is competitive, Ethics Bowl is about collaborating in an attempt to advance understanding; to seek not necessarily the “right” answer but more accurate questions. “We’re delighted to have it hosted by Hofstra; the school
is a gracious and generous supporter of the Bowl. Hofstra philosophy students serve as moderators, and two students served this year as Ethics Bowl Interns. As well, many faculty serve as judges. One of the goals of Ethics Bowl is to bring high school students to college campuses, and to knit the ties between secondary and higher education,” Israeloff said. Students were asked to defend their stance on a wide variety of cases involving ethical dilemmas. The competitors received scores from a panel of five judges. Teams also engaged in critically evaluating each other’s arguments in timed sec-
tions. Terry Godlove, a professor of philosophy at Hofstra and one of the judges for the competition, said, “They give me hope for civilization – that would not be an overstatement. I think they performed very well. These were very hard questions and very thoughtful students. They did their homework and they think well on their feet, and it’s just great to have civilized conversation modeled especially in our society today.” The Department of Philosophy helped prepare the high school students and faculty in advance of the event with preliminary videos on the ethical cases handled in the competition. Jonah Wu, a member of the Syosset High School winning team, said, “we appreciated the coordination that the judges gave. The valuable input that they gave us is really beneficial for a philosophical education.” Hofstra students Abigail Reid and Francine Chirico helped or-
ganize and run the event as part of an internship program. “Before we mostly answered emails and help with coordinating everything,” said Reid, a sophomore philosophy and English major. “We took different parts but in the end we kind of saw how it came together and on the day we just made sure that the schedule went right, picked up the scores, mostly tidying up but it was really nice I liked being in Hofstra Hall.” Syosset High School’s team will move onto compete further. The National Ethics Bowl is in its fifth year and will hold its national finals on April 7, 2017. On the performance of the competitors, Chirico, a senior philosophy major, said, “The kids had really great insights and they were very prepared and they were just really bright, intelligent kids. Much smarter than I was in high school.” Pictured: National High School Ethics Bowl Logo
Cyberwar challeges students to protect servers By Daniel Nguyen STAFF W R I T E R
Hofstra students participated in a cyberwar competition last semester which was hosted by the Department of Computer Science in partnership with the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science. Both graduate and undergraduate students competed in a virtual game of capture of the flag which was an educational program that was designed to simulate world cybersecurity issues. “The contest framework inherits from a real-world international capture the flag contest. It reflects the common vulnerabilities of modern operating systems and security threats that large organizations are facing every day,” Associate Professor of Computer Science Xiang Fu said. Held in the Big Data Lab, the event challenged students to improve their skills in preparation for professional careers in the cybersecurity field.
“By encouraging our students to think in both ways – as an ethical hacker and as a system administrator, the contest exposes them to the real world challenge and assesses the learning outcomes of our academic programs,” Fu said. “We plan to make this contest annual, and in the future, we will invite computer science and engineering students from other universities in the region.” A total of 24 students participated in the event where they were assigned separate servers and competed against opposing teams. The goal of the game is to develop and defend your server while trying to exploit the opposing server. This is done by maximizing your points while
simultaneously minimizing your opponents’, and there are a variety of ways in which players can do so. Winners included undergraduate Mazharul Onim, as well as graduates Michael Cheng and Nicholas Kumia. “The capture the flag com-
applications. Similarly, to attack the other servers, you must exploit the vulnerabilities that exist on their servers,” Kumia said. “It should be noted that everyone starts off with the same exact configuration with all of the same vulnerabilities. So as you find and fix problems with your server, you also find and create methods to exploit vulnerabilities on other servers.” Kumia explained that a grading server keeps track of each team’s combined attack and defense score. Defense points are earned by defending your teams’ applications by maintaining that they are up and running in full working condition. Attack points are earned by submitting “flags”
“ We plan to make this contest annual, and in the future, we will invite computer science and engineering students from other universities in the region.”
petition is a competition where you own a server and are tasked with defending your own server, while attacking the servers of other competitors. In order to defend your server, you must patch security flaws and data leaks that exist in the server’s
obtained from enemy servers to a grading server. “The flags change every 10 seconds or so. As a result, you obtain one defense point every 10 seconds if the grading server detects your system is working correctly and one attack point for each enemy server flag that you submit (once every 10 seconds, duplicate flags do not count),” Kumia said. “Being able to think about solutions to these problems while actively applying the right ones at the right time is key. In actuality, this is no different from what you have to do in the realworld.” Zachary Vampola, a senior computer science major who won the Creative Hacker Award at the competition, said, “I kind of pushed the rules as far as I could and by doing so I reinvented the challenge compared to previous years. It was a fun learning experience that actually taught me some stuff to use in my career.” Plans for a 2017 Cyberwar competition are still underway.
NEWS
The Chronicle
February 14, 2017 •A 5
Campus sees spike in vehicle break-ins
By Christopher Hoffman SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
An email sent out by the Department of Public Safety on Feb. 8 alerted students of the recent surge in vehicle break-in thefts on Hofstra’s campus and in Nassau County. A number of students have recently filed reports with Public Safety regarding break-ins and thefts from their vehicles parked on campus. Public Safety says that personal belongings taken include money, as well as GPS devices. They’re working closely with Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) to resolve the issue, according to Public Safety, but students who
have been victims of the crimes remain unsatisfied with what is being done to remedy the situation. “My parents and I have spent the last couple of weeks working with Public Safety to try and figure out how to make this right, but so far nothing’s happened,” says one student who chose to remain anonymous while the investigation is ongoing. “It just kind of sucks that they keep telling us that there’s nothing they can do about it.” While according to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report there was only one reported autovehicle theft on Hofstra’s campus last year, students un-
derstand that these incidents can happen anywhere. “I’ve always felt pretty safe on this campus,” said a junior residential student who said they were a victim of a similar theft. The student additionally requested to not be identified by name. “I have friends back home who’ve had their cars broken into and their things taken. This school’s no different.” The same student also talked about the role of responsibility of a car owner. “If you’re smart with your car, you shouldn’t have any issues. I didn’t lock my car one night and the next morning I found that someone had rifled through my glove
compartment. That’s on me.” Marin Varney, a senior engineering major, agrees that it comes down to personal responsibility. “I already am cautious, always locking all my doors and making sure valuables aren’t in sight,” Varney said. “The biggest ‘change’ – if you can even call it that – is making sure I bring in everything with me that could be a potential valuable to anyone else. But these occurrences don’t have me acting or thinking any differently when it comes to my car.” Public Safety has advised students that locking your vehicle is the best way to prevent thefts.
They also advised students in the same email to “not leave valuables in your vehicle” and to “keep items such as GPS devices, loose change, power cords or chargers out of plain sight.” Public Safety suggested that you park in “highly visible, well-lit areas. Avoid parking near shrubbery or structures that will conceal your car.” Any student with information on thefts or break-ins is encouraged to call Public Safety at 516-463-6606. For more information or additional tips to protect against break-ins or thefts, students can call the information desk at 516-463-7878.
Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Brianna O’Keefe
On Feb. 3, a student reported to PS that someone had entered her unlocked vehicle in the Netherlands South parking lot. She discovered several things were thrown from the console. Nothing appeared stolen and a police report was declined. On Feb. 4, while on the 11th floor of Alliance Hall, a PS officer smelled marijuana from one of the rooms. They entered the room and found the window had been opened and there was an air freshener. No marijuana was recovered, and both students were issued referrals to the OCS. On Feb. 4, PS on patrol in Colonial Square observed a non-student in possession of a Hofstra ID card belonging to a resident attempting to enter through the gate. The Hofstra student admitted to loaning the non-student the card for the purpose of visiting him. The student was issued a referral to the OCS for violation of the Hofstra ID policy. On Feb. 4, PS received a report of an odor of marijuana in Suffolk Hall. PS responded, entered the room and found four students inside. There was a strong odor but no marijuana was recovered. The four students were issued referrals to the OCS. On Feb. 4, a student told PS that at some time between Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. and Feb. 4 at 9 a.m., her vehicle in parking lot seven
sustained damage to the front side bumper. There were no witnesses and a police report was declined. On Feb. 4, a student reported that when she returned to her vehicle in the Netherlands South parking lot, she discovered someone had entered her vehicle and removed $70 from the car. The money had been in plain view on the console. There were no witnesses and police assistance was declined. On Feb. 5 at 1:55 a.m., PS received a report that a male and female were arguing in Tilburg House. PS responded to the location and found the male and female outside in the hallway. The female student became agitated and distraught. Crisis counselors were notified and responded to the location. The female student was eventually calmed down. They were both issued referrals to the OCSfor dating violence and verbal abuse. On Feb. 5 at 2:00 a.m., PS responded to a report of a disturbance at Dutch Treats. The officer met with the manager, who stated that a Hofstra student was identified pushing things around in the store and refused to leave when requested. The manager said he was verbally abused by the student and several of the student’s friends, who had already left the area. The accused student was issued a referral to the OCS.
On Feb. 6, while conducting an inspection of a room in Estabrook Hall, a Hofstra administrator discovered trace amounts of marijuana on a desk in the room. PS responded, confiscated the marijuana and the resident was issued a referral to the OCS. On Feb. 6, a student reported to PS that when she returned to her vehicle in the Netherlands North parking lot, she discovered that her GPS was removed from the glove compartment. There was no damage to the vehicle and police assistance was declined. On Feb. 7 at 5:50 p.m., while on South Campus, a special patrol officer observed a vehicle crash through the emergency gate near the New Academic Building. He observed the vehicle turn and head south towards Breslin Hall. He radioed the dispatcher with the plate number and PS observed the vehicle traveling east-bound on the Hempstead Turnpike. The vehicle was stopped and the driver admitted to crashing through the gate after an argument with his girlfriend, who was in the car. NCPD responded to the location. The officers conducted a field sobriety test and the driver – who was non student – was arrested for driving while intoxicated. The vehicle was impounded, and both an accident report and a work order to have the fence fixed were filed. On Feb. 8, while conduct-
ing a fire inspection of a room in Constitution Hall, a Hofstra administrator discovered drug paraphernalia in open view. PS confiscated the drug paraphernalia and the occupant of the room was issued a referral to the OCS. On Feb. 8, a student reported that at some time between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., he left his wallet unattended in the Calkins Hall men’s basement bathroom. A professor found it and when it was returned to him he discovered that between $300 and $400 had been taken. There were no witnesses to the theft and police assistance was declined. On Feb. 9 at 12:10 a.m., while on patrol, a PS officer observed a white pick-up truck with a temporary Texas license plate drive into the Belmont Place parking lot and begin to drive in a reckless manner, spinning the wheel and driving in reverse. The officers approached the vehicle when it came to a stop and two men exited the vehicle and ran toward east campus. While exiting the vehicle, they dropped cases of beer into the parking lot. PS pursued the individuals and they were apprehended. They were identified as a Hofstra student and a non-student. Both individuals were belligerent and verbally assaulted the officers. NCPD was notified and when they arrived both individuals calmed down. The non-student was banned
from campus and the Hofstra student was issued a referral to the OCS. On Feb. 9 at 10:50 p.m., an RSR reported to PS that a student who was banned from the Netherlands was observed entering Bruekelen House. PS responded to the location and observed the student descending the stairs. They escorted the student and the person she was visiting to the information center where they were both issued referrals to the OCS. On Feb. 9, PS responded to a report that there was a strong odor of marijuana in Nassau Hall. PS knocked and the resident opened the door. When questioned, the student admitted to smoking marijuana in the room. No marijuana was recovered and the resident was issued a referral to the OCS.
Key PS – Public Safety RA – Resident Assistant OCS – Office of Community Standards NCPD – Nassau County Police Department
@Hofstra
A 6 • February 14, 2017
The Chronicle
Overheard @ Hofstra In Colonial Square:
On the Unispan:
Come to the liberal side, we have memes.
In the Netherlands:
You know, I’m really excited to be your seventh wife.
In LH Comm:
In Bits and Bytes:
I’m nothing without my mascara.
It’s exactly like “Spy Kids,” have you ever seen it? It’s just not as romantic.
Anything with the words “Saint” in it is expensive as f*ck.
If it’s a virgin it’s expensive as f*ck.
In Hofstra USA:
In the Student Center:
In Breslin:
If I had a stripper song it would be the national anthem.
I know Jesus was born in September because he was definitely a Virgo.
Do I have pants on in that picture?
Dorm Room Dish: Cracking down with pizza By Austin Woolman STAFF WRITER
As college students we all find ourselves scraping and crawling our way through the semesters just to get by. However, sometimes these trials and tribulations offer more obstructions than mere all-nighters and final exams. Working a job and attending school for most students is unrealistic, which leaves us strapped for cash. There are also only so many dining options on campus, which leaves students tired of the same thing everyday. Luckily, this edition of dorm room dish provides Hofstra students with an easy way to keep both their stomachs and wallets filled: pizza crackers.
Step One: The Crackers Making pizza crackers only requires three easy steps. The first step, and arguably the most important, is deciding which crackers you want to use. The safest option would be saltine crackers. Saltine crackers are a good option for a novice who is indulging in pizza crackers for the first time. However, if you
were feeling adventurous, the best option would be to use Ritz crackers. While they are slightly higher in sodium, sugar and calories, they provide the snack with an extra kick of sweetness. Once you have decided on your crackers, line as many as you want on a microwavable plate.
Step Two: The Ketchup The second step for pizza crackers requires the chef to squirt ketchup onto the crackers. There really is no discussion of what brand of ketchup you should be using for pizza crackers. Heinz ketchup is the only way to go for this easy snack. Of course, there are alternatives for people who don’t want to be bound by simplicity of ketchup. A combination of ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together results in a tangy twist for your taste buds. Also, on more than one occasion, buffalo sauce has been placed on the cracker for a blazing burst that certainly isn’t for the faint hearted.
Step Three: The Cheese The third and final step to creating pizza crackers is sprinkling
cheese on top of the crackers and your choice of sauce. Whatever you do, do not use sliced cheese. Sliced cheese is egregiously thin for this snack and using it would completely throw off the entire ketchup to cheese ratio. You’ll basically be eating a cracker with ketchup on it. The two best selections for cheese are either mozzarella cheese or actual pizza cheese. Cheddar is an acceptable decision, however too much of it will drown out the sharp ketchup taste that is essential for pizza crackers.
Step Four: Microwave and Eat! After all your hard work and imperative decisions on assembling the snack, all you have to do is microwave for a minute and 30 seconds. It probably is best to stick with the microwave and not the oven, as the entire purpose of this snack is its ability to be assembled quickly. The quality of taste also doesn’t differ much from either the oven or the microwave. Once you think it’s hot enough to eat, then snack away!
Photo courtesy of Allrecipies.com Make pizza crackers by adding ketchup and cheese to Ritz crackers.
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A 7 • February 14, 2017
The Chronicle
At her service
Man’s best friend transcends role of the pet By Laurel O’Keefe NEWS EDITOR
If you’ve been on campus any time this semester, you’ve probably seen Hofstra’s latest cutest couple: graduate student Juliana Brisco and her new assistance dog. Maybe you’ve seen Brisco and her hard working pupper walking through the student center and had to mentally restrain yourself from petting him as proper service dog etiquette or you’ve watched him sit quietly and attentively under Brisco’s chair in class. If so, I dare you to name a more iconic duo. Their friendship started less than a year ago, when Canine Companions for Independence – a national non-profit organization that provides highly trained assistance dogs for children, adults and disabled veterans – officially matched Brisco with Rowdy, a two-year-old Labrador and Golden Retriever mix who has been trained to respond to over 40 commands. “He’ll pick up objects off
the floor. I have a lot of balance issues when I’m walking so if I fall I can use his back to get up. He can also tug open doors or he might help me do my laundry with me and tug over a basket or something. He can push the handicap plates for doors,” Brisco said. Rowdy, like all Canine Companion dogs, was bred in Santa Rosa, California. Once he reached eight weeks old, Rowdy went to volunteers who raise the puppies. Anyone around the U.S. can volunteer, from families to schools. Puppies are trained with the basic commands such as sit or stay for about a year before they go to advanced training – where they learn special skills, which acts as a “puppy college.” “Rowdy was actually raised at the University of Delaware. They had a program and as puppy raisers you raise them there. I’m trying to get it started here,” Brisco said. After Rowdy trained fully for 2 years he went through team training where he met Brisco.
Team training is a twoweek process where owners and dogs find their perfect match. “They pair you based on your personality and your lifestyle … with me, I wanted a dog that would help me be more active but also wouldn’t mind sitting on the couch with me for a while. He always wants to please but he also doesn’t mind chilling once in a while. He likes to work, he likes to go places but he also doesn’t mind just watching a movie with me or something.” When that jacket comes off, Rowdy is a regular dog, jumping through snow and chasing toys or cuddling up on the couch. But when Rowdy is working he is focused and serious, which is why service dog etiquette is to ask
Photo courtesy of John Bentzinger Juliana Brisco when she was matched with Rowdy, a service dog form the Canine Companions for Independence a year ago.
Photo courtesy of John Bentzinger Juliana Brisco and her Canine Companion dog, Rowdy.
before you approach or attempt to pet an on-duty dog. It can be distracting, especially to service pets that have to constantly be conscious of their work – such as dogs that alert owners before they are about to have a seizure. Watching him perform commands, like picking up Brisco’s keys, you can tell how attentive and eager to please he is. He listens, ears perked for his next task. At one point, Brisco was listing orders Rowdy can perform while he lay on the floor below. As she said, “Rowdy help!” he jumped up from the floor and instantly came to her side, putting his head in her lap, brown eyes glowing, waiting to learn how he could help further. “It’s just nice to have him. He can bark and get help. There were times … when it would snow a lot where I would fall and nobody would be around. I’d have to find a
way to get up somehow or wait for someone to come,” Brisco said, referring to her undergraduate years at SUNY Cortland. “With him it’s really nice because I’m used to being independent and trying to find my own way to do whatever I can on my own. But one day I was leaving for class and I forgot something so I left him by the front door and went back for it and tripped over a backpack. So I was trying to get up and I thought, ‘wait, I’m not alone.’ I called him to help and he came running. So it’s nice to know that he’ll always be there and in a sense that I’m always safe and if I’m ever in trouble I have him.”
A 8 • February 14, 2017
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The Chronicle
Man on the Unispan
Peter Soucy/The Chronicle
Do you believe Betsy DeVos is fit to be Secretary of Education? Why or Why Not? B y Av a M a n d el STA F F WR I T E R
“I don’t believe she is fit for [secretary of] education. I don’t approve of anyone that Trump picks. She hasn’t gone to public school and she hasn’t sent her kids to public school, so she really doesn’t know much about public school. Public education needs a lot of reform that I believe she doesn’t know how to do.” - Natasha Rappazzo, Senior
Photos by Claudia Steel
By Yenny Sanchez
“I honestly don’t think so. I don’t agree with anyone that Trump appoints.” - Anan Zahid, Sophomore
“I don’t think she’s fit for secretary of education because she has no experience in public education. She has never been to public school, she has never sent her kids to public school and she really doesn’t have experience with public school. I think all of that is criteria for secretary of education, which she doesn’t have.” - Noah Rood Goldman, Senior
Yenny’s View: Being single on Valentine’s Day
STAFF WRITER
It’s that time of the year where you see store aisles filled with 99 cent chocolate boxes, abnormally gigantic “I Love You” plush toys lined up and picture frames that have the words “Love Forever” across the glass. Let’s face it, it’s irritating when you’re single because all you want to do is either throw the finger at all of it or cry about it – whatever works for you. However, this holiday was originally created for all of the people that you love, so consider yourself spared from the cheesiness of Valentine’s Day. Here’s a
few ways to spend the day when first. ing hilarious romantic movies you’re single. If being selfish is not what or tell the boys to hang out and If you’re halfway through you had in mind for the 14th, have a wing night. Don’t forget midterms you’re probably spoil your parents or your best you should also consider your swamped with work, so parents on this special use Valentine’s Day as a day – they’re the ones “me, myself and I” day. Go who will love you until “You’re probably swamped shopping and buy that cute the end of time. If you dress you always wanted or and your parents love with work, so use Valentine’s lay down and get a masmusic, treat them to a Day as a ‘me, myself and I’ sage, because college life karaoke night, because day.” is already stressful as it is. what is funnier than If you’re a guy and cupid watching your parents missed you, buy a girl a sing horrible high notes? flower to make her day or go friend. Showering your loved Worshipping your friends treat yourself with a video game. ones with awesome presents is and family is an awesome way Sometimes it’s not all about a great feeling. Tell your girlto thank them for loving you. the lovey-dovey cheesy scenarifriends to come over and clink From hysterically laughing with os; it never hurts to put yourself wine glasses while you’re watch- your best friends to purposely
embarrassing yourself with your parents, Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to do all those kinds of things. Whether you remain single or find a partner for next year’s Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to show the love for the special people in your life.
Need advice? Let us know! Email chroniclefeatures@gmail. com or vote in our next poll on Twitter @HUChronicle.
A 9 • February 14, 2017
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The Chronicle
The Humans of Hofstra By Emily Hulbert STAF F WR I T E R
Akylah Langley
Virginia Donalds
Veronica Toone
“I really like Forensic Files. I watch it every night. I think chemistry and forensics are very interesting. I took a lot of classes in both subjects. I went to law school over the summer at Stanford. The program was called Intensive Law and Trial CSI. I really started to get involved with it around middle school. I really wanted to come to Hofstra because of its forensic science program, and I knew I could reach big opportunities doing forensic science in New York. I’m from Georgia and there’s not a lot of buses so basically I have to do whatever is near. Other TV shows I like are Criminal Minds, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and CSI.”
“I am pretty involved in this school. I’m in Danceworks, Transcendance and Black Student Union. I talk to everyone; I’m pretty friendly I guess. I also work at event management. I decided to become a finance major and a dance minor because I want to open up my own dance studio one day. I feel like people like a financial background when it comes to opening new businesses. I want to have that finance background but also have that dance education as well, so I can have a successful studio. I’m from Brooklyn. I love living in Brooklyn. It’s just a very rich culture, I believe. It’s like a melting pot for so many different cultures. You can live in Brooklyn for 10 years and be a whole different person.”
“I am a musician. I have an album out right now. I play the guitar, piano, flute and I sing. The album is just me. I also play the ukulele and I play that on one of my songs too. Music has always been a huge part of my life. Both of my parents are actors, and my dad performed in musicals. I have performed a couple of séances. I talk to ghosts. I’ve been studying the cult for several years. The women in my family all have the ability to do prophetic dreaming. It runs in my family. We have a very strong connection with the other side. We are very superstitious. There was a time when I was like, “None of this is real,” but it’s actually kind of messed up. I had a near-death experience. It changed me a lot and eventually I got to the point where I was like there has to be something else out there. I am currently taking a demonology class here at Hofstra, which I really enjoy.”
Photos by Gabbie Downs
Jesse Saunders/The Chronicle
The Hofbeats Outstanding Arrangement:
Connor Martin
2017 ICCA
at College of Staten Island
Sigma’cappella 2nd Place Overall Outstanding Soloist:
Caroline McFee Photo by Susan Martin
All Sigma photos by Peter Soucy / The Chronicle
Makin’ Treble Photo by Bryan Ferguson
Photo by Bryan Ferguson
All Treble photos by Peter Soucy / The Chronicle Spread by Jesse Saunders and Peter Soucy
A&E VOL 82 ISSUE 12
Adam Palasciano/The Chronicle Peter Soucy/The Chronicle
B 2 •february 14, 2017
A&E
The Chronicle
Hofstra String Quartet Plays a Musical Story By Samantha Storms STAFF W R I T E R
With lively eyes and lightningfast fingers, the Hofstra String Quartet took to the stage of the Helene Fortunoff Theater on Sunday night with a performance that enthralled every member of the audience with the loveliest of sounds. The quartet brought to
life Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, highlighting the many incredible elements of classical music that too often go overlooked. Comprised of violinists Alexander Sharpe and Matthew Lehmann, violist Todd Low and cellist Benjamin Wolff, the Hofstra String Quartet demonstrated in their one hour-long
performance the complexity of Beethoven’s compositions and the musical themes entangled within the lines of the pieces’ staves. Prior to beginning the piece for the night, Wolff took a moment to illustrate the ability of Beethoven’s music to transform simple musical ideas into intricate phrases of elaborate
Peter Soucy/The Chronicle
fingerings and bowings that are all capable of encompassing a common theme. Comparing classical music to painters of the 20th century, Wolff emphasized the abstract ability of music to produce a story through notes on a page, not unlike an artist paints his story with color. The cellist alluded to NASA’s creation of the Golden Record, a collection of earthly sounds and music that would be sent out into interstellar space as a documentation of humanity. Wolff explained the awe he felt for the selection of the record’s final two musical tracks: Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night” and Beethoven’s “Opus 130,” which was the one and only piece the Quartet played that evening. Wolff believed that Beethoven’s deafness served as a separation of himself from others – the audience, musicians and other composers – and allowed him to live within himself, answering to no one and nothing but his own thoughts and imagination. As the piece reached its end, these four respected members of the music department capped
off the evening with the score’s powerful conclusion, filling the theater with the heavenly notes that reverberated out from their instruments. The piece’s finale was the perfect punctuation mark to Wolff’s description of music as a layering of moods and emotions as told by the great Ludwig van Beethoven. The Hofstra String Quartet captured a magnificence specific to the intimacy of chamber music within the walls of the Helene Fortunoff Theater. Every synchronized breath and movement the men portrayed allowed Beethoven’s musical storytelling to consume the audience and permitted every listener a glance at just how powerful the sense of sound can truly be. Cover: Wesley Reed during the ICCA Mid Atlantic Quarter Finals
Remembering Professor Stone By Brianna Ciniglio
A RTS AND E N T E RTA I N M E NT E DI TO R
The friends, family and former students of the late Professor Rick Stone packed into Monroe Lecture Center on Friday, Feb. 10, to remember the beloved professor through a memorial concert. Professor David Lalama hosted the event – which included performances by Hofstra music professors, students and alumni – and kept the mood light while sharing fond memories of his colleague and friend, who passed away in July 2016. Although Stone was a jazz musician, the concert featured a variety of sounds, from the gentle rendition of “If Our Heart” performed by Professors Francesca Cassio and Blanche Abram, to the solo Renaissance lute performance by Professor Christopher Morrongiello. “Rick had an appreciation for all types of music,” Lalama
informed the audience. The performers also played some of Stone’s own music, including “Ennazus” and “Key Lime Pie.” “Just looking at all the performers that paid tribute to him shows you how loved he was by so many different people,” said senior music business major Ryan Maher, who played the guitar in “Django’s Tiger,” the opening number of the concert. Stone’s influence on the crowd – both in music and in life – was made clear through every performance. “Rick was the nicest guy I think I have ever met,” said Steven Baker, a Hofstra alumnus, before his performance of Stone’s “Blues Enough.” Even students in non-musicrelated majors had kind words to share about Stone’s impact on their musical experiences. “At first I only wanted to do rock guitar, but he showed me how jazz guitar is the founda-
tion of many kinds of music,” said senior health science major Michael Anagnostopoulous. “He inspired me to do more recording. I was really fortunate to meet him.” Lalama had the audience clapping along to the second to last number, Stone’s “Blue’s for Nobody.” Every performer, whether they were a soprano singer or a lute player, had a chance to be a part of this number, which was packed with the heart and soul of each musician. The final number, Stone’s “In Loving Memory,” was played on the piano by Lalama, who states he had to fight for this
last number, as many of the other musicians wished to perform this piece. This final number had a beautiful, warm melody that perfectly concluded the Rick Stone Memorial Concert. “He had such an impact of
everyone he played with and taught,” Maher said. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to perform in his memorial concert. [It] was truly a special way to honor him.”
Photo Courtesy of Rick Stone Facebook
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february 14, 2017• B 3
Sigma’cappella Sings on to ICCA Semifinals By Brianna Holcomb
ARTS AND E N T E RTA I N M E N T ED ITOR
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, ICCA, is a competition right out of “Pitch Perfect” or “Glee.” A cappella groups from schools across the Mid Atlantic come to one stage to compete in the Mid Atlantic quarterfinals with the hopes of moving on to the semifinals. Hofstra’s very own Sigma’cappella, Makin’ Treble and The Hofbeats competed Saturday night at the College of Staten Island Center for the Arts. Sigma’cappella won second place, allowing them to secure a spot in the semifinals. They fell 20 points short of the The Melismatic from Lehigh
University. Hofstra junior Carolina McFee also received best soloist for her performance during their rendition of “At All.” While Makin’ Treble and The Hofbeats did not place, junior Connor Martin of Hofbeats walked away with Outstanding Arrangement for his rendition of “In the Air Tonight.” Ten a cappella groups participated in the competition. Aside from Hofstra, they came from the University of Richmond, Adelphi University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Stockton University. In order to make it to the quarterfinals, each group was required to submit a video in October. Varsity Vocals, the producers of the ICCA, then chose groups out of the all of the applicants from the U.S.
and the U.K. to compete. Every set was required to be under 12 minutes and maintain a “family-friendly” repertoire of music. Preparing for this event seems as though it would take a lot of time, but with Hofstra’s late start to the spring semester, the groups only had two weeks to prepare for the competition. Christopher Hoffman, president of Sigma’cappella, recalls when they were going into the quarterfinals. “We didn’t really know what to expect. This is our third year competing and every year is just so different from the others … all we knew was that we loved our set and how we sound[ed] together. This year’s set felt very authentic and very ‘us.’” Even though they didn’t
have much time to prepare it was evident that their skills were strong enough
to have them continue on to the semifinals. Hoffman credited their “connection
Peter Soucy/The Chronicle
with the audience” for the second place win.
‘Legion’ Is Not Your Typical Marvel TV Show By Wesley Orser
SPEC IAL TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Although it may join the onslaught of today’s many superhero adaptations, don’t be fooled by the association with the immensely popular Marvel franchise; the new FX drama “Legion” quickly establishes its own identity and style apart from the company’s huge cinematic universe. If anything, the show’s genre has less in common with anything put out by Marvel and more with creator Noah Hawley’s dark and unconventional series, “Fargo.” The protagonist should not even be called a superhero by any means, and the psychological problems brought on by his powers only lead society to grow fearful of his instability. Unlike the straightforward plots seen in Marvel’s big-budget blockbusters, “Legion” creates a much more disjointed path and invites viewers to have fun figuring out what on earth is going on. The show’s pilot introduces its main characters at a breakneck pace. The episode begins with a one-minute music montage that
documents David Haller’s (Dan Stevens) life, from his carefree childhood up to his diagnosed schizophrenia ruining his adult life. A suicide attempt lands him in what’s likely a psychiatric facility, where he befriends a drug-addicted patient named Lenny (Aubrey Plaza). Lenny’s own abnormal qualities are a perfect fit for the actress, as they are reminiscent of her former role as April on “Parks and Recreation.” David also begins a romantic relationship with another patient named Sydney Barrett (Rachel Keller). She agrees to be his girlfriend on one peculiar condition: he is not allowed to touch her under any circumstances. Pretty odd, right? Things only get more confusing after the opening act: body switch-
ing, multilayered and incoherent memories, an upbeat French percussive musical number and several other twists further complicate the story and bend Haller’s perception of reality. It’s clear early on that you can’t necessarily trust what you see on screen. Even putting aside the mysteries of the show’s story, “Legion” is an absolute visual spectacle from beginning to end. No sequence feels wasted when it comes to the framing of com-
positions, which us both bright and dark colors for effects. A particularly memorable scene halfway through the episode involves Haller using his powers to experiment with kitchen supplies after another mental breakdown. Sequences like these rely more on practical effects instead of the CGI that would normally be used in such a scene. The show’s look also makes it impossible to pinpoint what time period it takes place in, almost as if it’s set in a different world. Even with
Photo Courtesy of FX.com
the many modern-day aspects, it is riddled with homages to the turbulent 1960s. Just look at the counterculture fashion of the costumes, the choice in songs including “The Who,” “Stones” and Jeff Russo’s synthesizerdriven score. Even Barrett’s name is a blatant reference to Pink Floyd’s equally troubled psychedelic icon. So much of the show’s eccentric tone is driven by style, and its gorgeous look can keep viewers interested, even if the convoluted story isn’t always up to par. “Chapter 1” of “Legion” may not immediately peak your interest, as it presents many questions that are not guaranteed to get definitive answers, but the potential for a great show is absolutely there. Whether or not it becomes the next science fiction hit after HBO’s “Westworld” is up to question. Still, considering the strengths of the pilot alone and Hawley’s track record, it could be. One can only guess what bizarre directions the show will take next.
The Chronicle A&E 59th Grammy Award ‘Resident Evil 7’ Breaks the Mold Show Recap
B 4 •february 14, 2017
By Nandee Mignon
people, we the people, we the people, we the people.” Beyoncé took home wins such as Best As the Grammy’s entered its 59th year, Music Video for “Formation” and Best it brought out performances that caused a Urban Contemporary album for “Lemonwave of emotions, social media response ade.” Surprisingly, during Adele’s accepand nostalgia for past years. Emotions tance speech for Best Album of the Year, ran high as tributes blazed the night: A she expressed how much “Lemonade” determined Adele stopped her tribute meant to her and that Beyoncé should performance to George Michael to start have taken home this award. again because she wanted to “do it right.” But before this, Ms. Carter graced the The British singer took home some big stage with stage generated images of awards for the night, including Song of herself, Tina Lawson and Blue Ivy before the Year, Record of the Year and Album physically appearing on stage. With of the Year. She won in categories against “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles,” she artists like Beyoncé, Drake and Lukas chose the songs that moved the album Graham. from the “accusation” stage, to “reconBruno Mars paid homage to ciliation.” Prince after his performance However, through all of these show of his hit “What I Like” off stopping performances, it was the of his album 24K Magic. unsigned rapper from south-side Dipped in purple Chicago that stole the night and and sequins, the stage our hearts. gained a foggy haze as Chance The Rapper has Mars had every audimade history as the first ence member singing artist to ever be nomialong to a medley of nated for a Grammy “Jungle Love/The Bird” without any physical into “Let’s Go Crazy.” album or record sales Not to forget the white and to be unsigned to any electric guitar that added record label. He has an extra “Prince-ness” now become the only the performance artist in Grammy needed to go history to win beyond most under these people’s expeccircumstanctations. es. Chance Katy Perry Photo Courtesy of Grammy.com took home Best took the stage with Skip New Artist, Best Rap Marley, grandson of reggae Album and Best Rap Performance against superstar Bob Marley, and performed established rappers such as Kanye West “Chained to the Rhythm.” The lyrics of and Drake. “Are we crazy? Living our lives through a Tears filled the eyes of some as Chance lens. Trapped in our white picket fence.” brought out his cousin Nicole (who also filled the Staples Center as Perry circled vocals on his mixtape “Coloring Book”) around a mobile stage with a half built who opened with “How Great.” The house with a pure white picket fence. song is filled with lyrics that reference The gutted part of the house eventueverything from Harry Potter, a small ally revealed Marley as they ended the slave rebellion in Georgia and the debate song hand in hand, with a light overlay of between Judaism and Christianity. the preamble of the U.S. Constitution on He then segwayed into “All We Got” them. and brought out an entire gospel choir, For most of the night, political stateand gospel recording artists Kirk Frankments and positions were only hinted at; lin and Tamela Mann. Chance found a until a Tribe Called Quest came to the middle ground between creative lyrics, stage. The dynamic rap group was joined traditional black gospel and rap as we by Consequence, Busta Rhymes and know it, something that has not be acAnderson .Paak: also nominated for Best complished too many times before. New Artist. Society is unintentionally in a new era They performed “We The People” a for the 59-year-old music awards, and song that blatantly protested the current there is no doubt that it is only going to political climate. Busta Rhymes stated “I get better from here. want to thank President Agent Orange for your unsuccessful attempt of the Muslim ban. When we come together, we the STAFF WRITER
By Rob Dolen
A SSISTA N T A RTS A N D EN TERTA IN M EN T ED I TO R
Fans of the “Resident Evil” series have been waiting a long time for a true return to form. After taking inspiration from the pioneers of modern survival horror, “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” simultaneously shifts perspective and improves while capturing what made the origins of the series so great. “Resident Evil 7” brings players to a dilapidated colonial plantation in rural Louisiana, as the main character, Ethan Winters, searches for his long lost wife, Mia. His struggle devolves into survival instincts when the cannibalistic Baker family tortures Ethan and Mia as they attempt to escape this madhouse. Though performances can be trite at times, the insanity of the Baker family incites fear by relying more on atmosphere instead of jump scares. The father, Jack, the mother, Marguerite, and the son, Lucas, each represent three archetypes of the incitement of fear: Jack portrays violent, in-your-face terror, Marguerite creeps inconspicuously until she catches the player off guard and Lucas creates clever puzzles and traps to test the player’s intuition. This unpredictable trinity of horror sets a precedent of anxiety that is pervasive throughout the entire playthrough. Eventually, the story spirals further into the “Resident Evil” lore that fans know so well. Avoiding any major spoilers, the ending of “Resident Evil 7” ties into the series’ overarching narrative in a peculiar, but interesting way. Despite this, the atmosphere of “Resident Evil 7” is vastly different in comparison to the previous entries in the series. “Resident Evil 7” is the first in the series to develop the game entirely in the firstperson perspective, a feature that is both divisive and revolutionary. This directly fixes some of the issues associated with earlier third-person aiming systems in the series.
Aiming from the first-person perspective is always easier to perform for the player, and this extends beyond enemy encounters. The way the character interacts with weapons and objects strikes an interesting balance of vulnerability without seeming clunky or unnatural. Reloading guns, using melee weapons, opening doors, picking up items and interacting with the environment are all realistic animations that aren’t too fast or too slow. Overall, the player doesn’t feel overpowered, but at the same time, isn’t helpless. The player can be nervous of an unexpected attack, but will not feel hopeless in fighting back. The majority of gameplay takes place in close quarters among dark shadows, narrow hallways, dingy basements and mysterious facilities. Much of this gameplay is exploration and fighting, but there are some puzzle elements while exploring the plantation, albeit they are a bit weak. None of the puzzles are overtly complex and are generally self-explanatory, but they don’t detract from the overall meat of the experience. Some hardcore fans may not enjoy it, but first-person perspective accentuates the atmosphere of tight-spaced claustrophobia and anxiety to the point where it would be near impossible in third-person perspective. The visuals themselves also contribute to the dark atmosphere of the game, with the desaturation of colors and the lack of lighting throughout most, if not all of the environments. There’s never a single room without at least one dark corner. The derelict Louisiana plantation is a broken mess that feels labyrinthine even with area maps. “Resident Evil 7” changes the series a lot with its shift in perspective, but reinvigorates its true vision since the beginning: to create the quintessential survival horror experience without sacrificing action at the expense of horror or vice versa.
Photo Courtesy of capon.com
A 12 • February 14, 2017
Editorial
The Chronicle
The views and opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section are those of the authors of the articles. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.
Expert Analysis : Betsy DeVos – uniquely unqualified
By Susan Goetz Zwirn, Ed. D.
DIR EC TO R A N D P R O F E S SOR OF FINE ART S T E A C H I N G L EARNI NG AND TE C H N O L O G Y
The role of public education in America has been one of our country’s most enduring legacies. It has not only enabled our children to have equal opportunities for their individual futures but it has also provided opportunities for our country to develop citizens who can contribute to its overall growth and development. With regard to the funding of education, it is imperative that
we make sure that the public schools in this country continue to receive the kind of unbiased economic support that nurtures children regardless of their family’s social, political or religious affiliations. By failing to support the division between church and state, the new secretary, with her preferences for private schools, either charter or religious, puts our public education institutions at risk. With limited resources for funding public schools and programs, already impacted negatively by the property value differences among the states and local governments, the stage is
set for greater inequality among our citizens. This is incredibly dangerous at a time when we need to support an increasingly diverse population. Instead of funneling tax dollars to private charter and religious schools and fracturing our citizenry, we need work even harder to foster a common identity and support the talents of all children. Betsy DeVos is absolutely the wrong person for the important job of secretary of education. She not only has no experience or understanding of the public school system, she opposes its basic mission. Her ignorance
of those current and significant issues impacting public education is quite dangerous, and her appointment sends such a cynical message to our young people: qualifications don’t matter; money does. As wealthy investors have hopped on the “for-profit” wagon, attempting get rich off our children, we have witnessed many failed educational experiments. The data show that outcomes for private and charter schools in no way demonstrate any significant gains in educational progress. What does this appointment
mean for our children? Who will be left in a gutted educational system? Public education is and has always been a challenging work in progress. Now more than ever, teachers will be called on to continue the fine work of their predecessors and make a difference in their students’ lives. I strongly believe in teaching as a profession and urge my own students – the future teachers of America – to embrace a career that that offers personal satisfaction and an opportunity to invest in the future of our country. We need them more than ever.
we are taught that knowledge, through studying and experience, is the metric by which individuals are measured for their deservingness of a job or a responsibility. We teach students that they must be qualified, experienced and adept in an area to be rewarded with the honor of a job or career. Thus, a student cannot become a doctor simply because they believe people should be healthy. They need expert level know-how regarding the workings of the body. Students cannot simply become a lawyer because they think the law is a good institution in society. Students cannot become the leader of an organization simply
because they have opinions. And yet, the organization that is responsible for teaching our children this important lesson – that the privilege of a career is earned through work, knowledge and experiential learning – is now headed by someone who has not herself fulfilled this educational value. DeVos is not qualified to be our secretary of education. Sure, she has opinions on education, but that does not make her suitable – just as no person is qualified to be a doctor simply because they have opinions on sickness and health. DeVos has no experience in public education; she has never been a teacher or administrator in a
school or university, public or private. In fact, she has never even attended a public school, and neither have her kids. This would be like having a doctor who not only has never attended medical school, but who also has never visited a physician, and has never sent her kids to one either. Instead, this hypothetical doctor (even though she has no experience, knowledge or even basic exposure to medicine) was given her position because she has strong opinions and thoughts on medicine, health and nutrition. Awarding DeVos with a leadership role in public education, despite her having no experience in the field, is a
betrayal of the basic tenants of government. In our democracy, we believe people should be judged by their experience, knowledge, expertise and qualifications – not their opinions. Awarding DeVos with the honorable position of secretary of education is a betrayal of education itself, which holds that experiential knowledge is required for the privilege of serving in one’s chosen field. When Mike Pence historically broke the Senate tie on Feb. 7, America confirmed its first ever secretary of uneducation.
DeVos confirmation is an affront to U.S. education values
By Julian Donahue C ONTRI B U TO R
The goal of education, beyond bettering one’s self, is the accruement of knowledge and expertise in order to perform a job or pursue a career. In school, students are required to study and gather knowledge to prepare for assignments. Our society prescribes this pursuit of knowledge so that students may be introduced to many worlds of interest and passion, but also to build skilled, knowledgeable technocrats who can accomplish tasks necessary for a functioning society. But throughout our education we learn things beyond school subjects. Most importantly,
Julian Donahue is a member of the Hofstra Democrats
Pulling the trigger (warning) on intellectual growth
By Samantha Storms STAFF WR I T E R
For decades, the American system of higher education has been prided on the free flow of information – producing generations of strong, united, critical thinkers that would go on to serve the country as its political, military and civil leaders. Dependent on debate and productive conversation, the pre-professional world of academia cannot hope to prosper in its duty of educating an empowered, thoughtful American
youth if the system continues to allow students an escape from political discussion and from the free exchange of opinions and concerns, especially during this time of ever-ripening dissent, dispute and discontent. Is this a message, then, devoid of any empathy? Is it devoid of any compassion? Absolutely not! The importance of a thorough and complete understanding of the vulnerability of college-aged students to the detrimental effects of emotional instability and mental illness goes without saying. At the same time, however,
we’re living as history is being made. To ignore the decisions and events that will be brought about by the Trump administration over the course of the next four (or dare we say eight) years and the controversies that will no doubt stem from those choices would be a disservice to our youth as well as the future of our nation. We cannot allow the implementation of political trigger warnings into our post-secondary institutions, as they further weaken an already struggling demographic. The issue of political trigger warnings goes much further
than the perceived desire of the right-wing to produce a generation of hardened, unfeeling young people indifferent to the battle for political correctness and minority empathy. We’ve moved into a time where, for better or worse, political correctness has engrained itself within the inner workings of the very democracy our nation thrives on. It would be futile to think otherwise. This country, then, must take into account the notion that a trigger warning for a class session centered around Trump’s presidency (whether
it’s regarding his executive order to enforce a travel ban, or the infamous volatile rhetoric of border wall supporters) will hinder our ability to destroy such governmental intrusions on an American life of liberty that encompasses all colors, religions and orientations. By attempting to perfect a flawed system, we are compromising the integrity of the very values we’ve instilled within the core of education itself. Let us nurture our students in an unrestricted environment of equality, compassion and most importantly, intellect.
The Chronicle By Natasha Rowley SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Black History Month is a federally recognized, monthlong celebration of the African diaspora. Created by Carter G. Woodson in 1926, it originally began as Negro History Week. It then became a month long celebration in 1976. Black History Month is a time to honor and acknowledge the contributions made by black people. It happens too often that the advancements black people have made for this country go unnoticed. This month will always be relevant. It is not something to to be left in the past because black people make history every day. Even in 2017, black people are still reaching achievements where the public hears about the “first black man or woman” to accomplish something. There
op-ed
February 14, 2017•A 13
Black history is American history
are always new heights to be obtained, despite all the adversities. As someone who identifies as an African-American, not seeing yourself in the history you are taught is very problematic. Growing up, AfricanAmerican history was simply taught through a brief overview of slavery or through the civil rights movement. From kindergarten to 12th grade, that section of the curriculum was very limited; even when learning about the civil rights movement the bulk of what I was taught was only about Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks. Yes, these are two very important figures to the movement, but there are so many other prominent leaders that get erased from the conversation. There was so much informa-
tion I was missing out on in the classroom, and I had a hard time trying to fully engage myself in history courses because I could not relate. Even in my school system, I learned more about European history than I did about the history of the African diaspora here in America. While talking about this with friends and peers, I realized I am not the only person that has experienced this. History curriculums have continued to erase the contributions that were made by black people. African-American history is American history, and rightfully deserves to be taught in the classroom. The only time I really got close to having my history actively integrated in the school curriculum was when I took an African history elective during my senior year of high
sation to be centered on black voices. We will not see change unless it is addressed head on, as opposed to being brushed under the rug. This month is a time where having pride in one’s blackness cannot go unseen, and until this history is taught equally there will always be a need for it. Black History Month is an invitation for everyone to learn more about history. So for this month, dive deep into black history and culture. There is so much out there. Research, read books and attend this special month’s events that are happening on campus. Engage yourself in this history, so that when the month is over, you can continue to honor the black people that impact our society – whether they are from the past, present or future.
for men and women. Franchises like UFC and WWE have always been perceived as “a man’s world,” given the fact that events are usually male-dominated. However, the uprising of female stars within contemporary combat sports can be traced back to Ronda Rousey’s meteoric rise in UFC. Noting Rousey’s dominance in the octagon, UFC capitalized on her toughness and quickly made her into an overnight sensation. Rousey began drawing in millions of dollars and viewers for the top MMA promotion in the world, and essentially became the leader in highlighting female efforts within this facet of entertainment. Rousey’s marketability allowed for WWE to usher in their own “Women’s Revolution” in the summer of 2015. The arrival of tremendous female wrestlers like Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley gave fans new hope that women’s wrestling would no longer be a laughingstock in the eyes of wrestling fans. No longer overly sexualized and underutilized, women for this was a new era in WWE were finally allowed to shine in the ring. To prove the rising promi-
nence of women in this arena, at 2015’s WrestleMania 31, there was only one women’s match, which lasted a grand total of six minutes and 42 seconds. Fast-forward to 2016’s WrestleMania 32, where the Women’s Championship match was placed near the main event and lasted nearly 20 minutes. The aggregate amount of matches being so low is forgivable still, given that there are far more male competitors than female – but the real value lies within the fact that the women went from five minute matches to producing a high quality main-event caliber match on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Five years ago, such an idea would have never seemed possible. For too long, women have been marginalized within this realm of entertainment, but no longer is that the case. Man or woman, the act of stepping into an octagon, ring or mat is a testament to the willpower and toughness of these individuals in and of itself. I can proudly say that the future looks bright with men and women being portrayed as equals, and if the realm of combat sports can achieve gender equality, then I’m sure that we as a society ultimately can as well.
Combat sports stride toward equality
By Andy Sadaheo STA FF WRITER
“Why worry about that bachelor’s degree when there are bears, instead?”
school. Other than that, I had to learn about my history on my own. I am thankful enough to have parents that have instilled knowledge and pride in me through their teachings. Through the use of discussions, films and literature, learning about black history and culture became very important in my household. I found a sense of confidence in being a black woman. Unfortunately, not everyone is privileged enough to have this access to history, and that is where the problem lies. The history of the African diaspora needs to be pushed to the forefront of school curriculums. In today’s society, Black History Month is relevant more than ever. With the racial inequality and injustices going on, there is a need for the conver-
With the reign of President Trump finally upon us, we have bore witness to mass rallies and protests from minority groups all across the country – be it the Muslim protestors at JFK International Airport, or the prominent Women’s March in Washington D.C. However, minority groups have all experienced marginalization at the hands of society long before the rise of President Trump. It is only in recent memory that these resistances truly began to attract national attention. These empowering social movements have begun to transcend the realm of politics and have made their way into our everyday lives. Take, for example, the introduction of a women’s division in UFC and the uprising of female superstars in WWE. With the advent of social revolution intermingling with pop culture, the issues of marginalization are now exposed to those who may have previously turned a blind eye to these issues. With prevalent organizations like UFC and WWE taking aim at the gender disparity in combat sports, it serves to show that our world is continually progressing towards equality
A14• February 14, 2017
sports
The Chronicle
Baseball ready to leave recent struggles behind By Brennan Erlandsen STAFF W R I T E R
With new faces in 2017, along with some key veterans, the Hofstra Pride baseball team is looking to put their 2016 season behind and start fresh. The Pride has not been in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament since 2012, finishing with a 15-37 (5-18 CAA) record last season. With that, Hofstra is projected to finish last in the CAA in 2017. “We got off to a really rough start … we never got going in any direction,” said head coach John Russo, in an interview done by WRHU Sports. “I believe that going into every weekend, you should think you’re going to win … and moving forward we believe that’s how we should’ve played and obviously, we didn’t,” said David Leiderman, a fifth-year senior. There are many new faces at Hofstra, including 11 freshmen from six different states and Canada. There are also five transfers added to the roster: Austin Pollack and Gjon Ljucovic from Westchester CC, Michael James from Lee University, Jorge Marrero from Florida Atlantic University and Mikey Riesner from College of San Mateo. As far as offense goes, the Pride hit .250 and had a .338 on-base percentage, both last in the CAA. The Pride must improve without outfielder Mat Annunziata, who led the team in batting
average, doubles and slugging percentage and was second in home runs. One player they will rely on is third baseman Leiderman. Leiderman was named as an honorable mention on the preseason All-CAA team. He led the Pride in hits last season with a .271 batting average, seven home runs and 35 runs batted in, including a walk off two-run home run in extra innings against the College of Charleston on April 15. Leiderman is expected to be one of the leaders of this younger Pride team. “We want to win as many games as we can, play as hard as we can each game. And at the end of the day be happy with the way you performed,” Leiderman said. “When it comes to our outfield, I feel we are five deep, meaning each one of our outfielders can cover ground when we need it,” Russo said. Speedy centerfielder Steven Foster, a preseason all-CAA team selection, will be in the starting lineup this season for the Pride. Foster had nine stolen bases and hit .278 with a .407 on-base percentage last season while also not registering an error. Teddy Cillis, a pitcher and position player for the Pride, will likely see action in the outfield after hitting nine home runs and 20 RBI last season, which led the team. Cillis logged three wins in 15 appearances to go along with a
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Hofstra ended the 2016 season 15-37 overall and 5-18 in the Colonial Athletic Association, finishing last.
5.59 earned run average and 40 strikeouts in 37 innings. Other outfield options include freshmen Sean Rausch of Middle Island, New York and Vinnie Costello from Pompano Beach, Florida. Rausch is also taking reps at catcher. Behind the plate will be sophomore catcher Vito Friscia. Friscia started 47 games in his rookie campaign last season, showing glimpses of raw power with two home runs and six doubles and good plate discipline with 42 walks and a .415 on-base percentage. One of the new faces Hofstra will have in the starting lineup is junior college transfer Mikey Riesner at shortstop. “[Riesner] fits offensively. He fits us defensively and he’s super solid, reminds me of Dalton
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Hofstra infielder Brad Witkowski looks for signs from third base during a home game last season.
Rouleau back in the day,” Russo said. Second base will see junior Brad Witkowski, who led the Pride with a .289 batting average, adding 54 hits, 12 doubles and 29 runs batted in. With the departure of Ryan Karl, first base is fair game. Nick Bottari, who had his 2016 season shortened due to injury, is a likely option as he played eight games at first, smashing six home runs and eight doubles. The Pride’s pitching was a weakness last season, having a 6.32 ERA as a team. Hofstra looks to improve on it, but must do it without Bowie Matteson, Alec Eisenberg and Brendan Mulligan, among others. Coach Russo is still undecided how the bullpen roles will shape out, but he knows who will take the mound on the weekends. Sophomore left-hander John Rooney will take over the Friday starting duties this season. Rooney stands at 6 feet 5 inches and 225 pounds, and has a fastball that sits at 92-93 mph with a plus curveball and a developing changeup. Although having a 5.02 ERA in 18 appearances last season, he did pitch a complete game against College of Charleston in April, only giving up one run. He also compiled 77 strikeouts in 77.1 innings. When discussing the offseason, Rooney said he was “more focused and paid more attention
to detail.” Rooney has worked a lot with second-year pitching coach John Habyan on his off-speed pitches, saying that they are “better than last year” and he is going to throw them with “more confidence.” “He has great talent … but now he has great knowledge … he is as good a talent as Hofstra has ever had,” Russo said. Hofstra’s Saturday starter will be Chris Weiss, a junior righthander who became a full-time pitcher last season. In 15 appearances and 10 starts, Weiss had a 6.75 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 60 innings. The end goal of making it to and winning the CAA tournament never changes. “We got to get back to the formula in 2012. We got to find ways to win on the road and can’t depend on the Sunday game,” Russo said. Hofstra’s first game of the season will be Feb. 17 against Murray State in Louisiana - the first of seven games on their opening road trip. The Pride’s Louisiana road trip is highlighted by games against University of Louisiana Lafayette on Feb. 19 and sixtime national champion Louisiana State University on Feb. 22. Hofstra’s home opener is March 8 against New York Institute of Technology. The Pride begins conference play March 24 at home against the College of Charleston.
Sports
The Chronicle
February 14, 2017•A15
Softball looks to rebound after rough ‘16 season
By Anders Jorstad STAFF W R I T E R
The Hofstra Pride softball team has a lot to prove in 2017. Head coach Larissa Anderson – now in her third year at the helm – will be the first to tell you. “Overall, last year was really a disappointment,” Anderson said. “It really made me look in the mirror and evaluate to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” The frustration was due to the fact that the Pride, a program generally carried on the back of a strong pitching staff, threw just a 4.66 ERA last year. The only team in the Colonial Athletic Association with a higher number of runs allowed was Drexel University. This year, things are different. The Pride brings back senior starter Jessica Peslak along with freshmen standouts Alyssa Irons and Sarah Cornell. The two of them will slot into the rotation immediately. “We’re expecting great things out of them. They’re very talented,” Anderson said. “Cornell moves the ball east and west, can move the ball up in the zone and has an off-speed pitch. Irons moves the ball at four different planes. That’s very rare to see in a pitcher, to throw at four different planes as well as she does. She’s going to be very interesting and she has a dynamic off-speed pitch. She’s going to be a lot of fun to coach.” There’s still a lot of uncer-
tainty when it comes to the pitching staff. Peslak earned just a 4.48 ERA in her first full season last year, while the freshmen have yet to throw a pitch with the Pride. “The upside potential is better than we’ve had in the past,” Anderson said. “Having the three with the potential to play at a very high level. But again, they’re inexperienced. So we have to expect that we’ll have some bumps and bruises along the way, but the hope is that they’ll get better the more experience they get and that they learn from every outing that they have.” Courtney Scarpato, who threw some innings in relief last year, will compete for a starting spot in either the outfield or at second base. The coaching staff does not anticipate using her as a pitcher, except in emergency. This year’s Pride also features a balanced and deep lineup. But if you ask Anderson which hitter she’s most excited for this season, her first inclination is to mention a freshman. “Kristin Hallam is probably the most impressive first-year player,” Anderson said. “She’s a freshman and she’s going to be starting at shortstop. She plays like an experienced player. I’ve never coached a freshman at shortstop.” Even though the Pride returns four players who hit .300 or higher last season, Anderson cannot stop talking about Hallam. The Hamilton, New Jersey,
Cam Keough/The Chronicle The Hofstra softball team looks to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season.
native broke her high school record by hitting .591 for her senior season. She also earned Area Player of the Year honors for her performance. She could fill the leadoff role for the Pride this season, a role most recently held by Chloe Fitzgerald, who graduated in 2016. Beyond Hallam, the team also returns a number of major contributors to the offense. Michaela Transue, Brittany Allocca, Brielle Pietrafesa, Lacey Clark and Nikki Michalowski are all coming off strong offensive seasons. Transue led all hitters with a .364 batting average, .504 on-base percentage and .682 slugging percentage Allocca had a breakout performance last year after moving back to her natural position of
catcher. The sophomore hit .336 with nine home runs after hitting just .228 in her freshman season. “You take a catcher and move them to a new position and then they have a lot more to think about,” Anderson said. “But also freshmen have to understand that the second they take one swing, there’s a scouting report on them. Everybody is going to know exactly what their strengths and weaknesses are, and sometimes with freshmen it takes a little bit longer. To be able to make that adjustment, she made it as a sophomore and now she’s able to counteract how pitchers are throwing to her.” Brielle Pietrafesa returns after a successful 2016 season, totaling 42 hits, including 17 for extra bases. Lacey Clark saw a dip in batting average last year, but an increase in extra base hits despite playing in less games. Junior Nikki Michalowski became a formidable part of the lineup in 2016, hitting .305 with eight home runs. A trio of transfers joins the mix this year as well. The Pride adds catcher Kaitlyne Musa (Florida International University), infielder Sarah Edwards (University at Buffalo) and outfielder Kirsten Kelley (Saint Peter’s University).
The three will compete for immediate playing time. Despite the high number of new faces on the roster, the team is much closer than it has been in years past. “Their chemistry is phenomenal,” Anderson said. “We didn’t have any chemistry last year. It was 18 individuals that really struggled and they never meshed as a team. From the very beginning that was probably what the upperclassmen understood after last year’s experience. They never had the chemistry so it was very hard for them to compete on the field with one another.” The Pride is gunning for onfield success as well. Hofstra was picked to finish third in the CAA in the league’s preseason polls behind James Madison University and Towson University. Despite that, the coaching staff believes the team is ready to compete right away. “We’ve got to get back to the top of the conference,” Anderson said. “JMU is at a Top 10 in the country. We have the potential to be there, it’s just a matter of getting ourselves in a position to be there. We’re in the hunt. If we’re in the hunt, on any given day we have the opportunity to win, but we’ve got to make sure we get there first.”
Check Out Our Website: Cam Keough/The Chronicle Hofstra catcher Brittany Allocca made a big splash last year as a sophomore, hitting .336 with nine home runs.
http://thehofstrachronicle.com/category/sports
A16• February 14, 2017
sports
The Chronicle
Empty bleachers, quiet fans: Hofstra athletics’ spirit problem By Kyle Kandetzki M ANAG I N G E D I TO R
On Feb. 4, 2,819 fans turned out to the Mack Sports Complex to watch the Hofstra men’s basketball team mount a furious comeback to top the Drexel University Dragons 79-77. The attendance numbers were the best at a home game during the 2016-17 campaign, and the highest since over 3,000 came out to the final two home matchups last season, which featured the clinching of a CAA regular season title. A raucous environment, possibly inspired by the reinvigoration of a new semester as well as a free Hofstra jersey giveaway, was definitely a relief to Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich, who has been clamoring for students and fans alike to come out to games all season long. “One thing we talk about is energy,” Mihalich said following a home loss to Towson University on Jan. 19. “It’s tough to get energy in this building … let’s call it like it is.” The feeling is understandable for Mihalich, who turned a program flailing out of control into a two-time 20-game winner in the matter of a few years. If back-to-back years of sustained success wouldn’t put fans in the stands, what would? This season, that success has taken a bit of a detour at times, as the team currently sits at 5-9 in-conference, good for 7th in the CAA.
Despite this, flashes of success have shined through: Hofstra finished non-conference play sitting at 8-5, and have now won three of its last four. Some games stand out as particularly frustrating for homecourt advantage. On Dec. 6, the Pride hosted a crowd of 2,112 for its matchup against upstate New York’s St. Bonaventure University. Not bad numbers, except for the fact that a large Bonnies fan contingent took over the ambiance of the arena for much of the night. Then a month later, two of the first three home CAA games were unimpressive draws: a season-low 1,059 versus James Madison University, followed by a slight improvement of 1,331 against Towson. The frustration has come through players as well, namely junior center Rokas Gustys following the Pride’s matchup against powerhouse University of Kentucky at the Barclays Center back in December. The game was attended by over 7,000 fans, but Gustys sounded off when asked about how it felt to hear “roars” from the crowd on his dunks. “I don’t know what it [feels like] because we didn’t have [many] fans in the crowd,” Gustys said. “I couldn’t even hear them to be honest with you.” The issue of bringing fans to games is not unique to this season. Hofstra sits 6th in CAA at-
Chris Detwiler/The Chronicle Hofstra basketball warms up right before gametime in front of a lackluster turnout at the Mack Sports Complex.
tendance this season, two spots better than last season, but a handful of fans on average lower than 2015-16. Hofstra has been in the bottom half of the conference in turnout every year since after 2010-11, Charles Jenkins’ senior season, who is the last Hofstra player to be drafted to the NBA. Mid-major attendance doesn’t garner impressive numbers nationwide. Local conferences like the NEC and the Patriot League only average 1,100-1,300 fans per game, meanwhile the CAA comes in 16th of all 32 conferences, averaging 2,358 fans last season. But those numbers are thanks in part to some of the schools in the CAA that Mihalich longs to have his arena resemble. University of North Carolina at Wilmington averages over 4,600 fans per game, and fields a stacked, CAA-favorite lineup
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich has repeatedly talked about the importance of fan support at games.
at the Trask Coliseum. College of Charleston brings in around 3,700 fans. Elon University sits second-to-last in attendance at more than 1,200 fans per game, but the Phoenix play in the tiny, 1,600-seat Alumni Gym, so a modest crowd packs the house. “5,000 fans there [at UNCW], over 1,000 students, it’s what college basketball should be like,” Mihalich said in an interview on WRHU in early January. “There’s a great atmosphere there and quite frankly we need that, we don’t have it.” The issue is not unique to the men’s team either, as the longing for better fan support extends to the women’s basketball team as well. The women’s 700 plus fan average is actually good enough for 4th best in the CAA, but in a 5,000 seat arena, the empty seats loom large. Just like the men’s team, the women’s have struggled this season to a 3-9 CAA mark, but last season was one that should have seen better numbers. The glaring example fell on March 22. Hofstra had a perfect storm of excitement. The Pride beat two teams to advance to the “Sweet 16” of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, it faced a nationally recognized opponent in Virginia and, most of all, got the chance to host the game. The result: an exciting 8-point win to advance to the quarterfinals. The numbers: just 344 fans in the stands. The reasons for poor atten-
dance have been oft-discussed and attempts to combat it have only temporarily seen improvements. The largest hump for Hofstra to overcome is its environment as a “commuter school,” with only 46 percent of undergrads living on campus, according to collegeboard.org. Along with giveaways and debatably effective marketing campaigns, Hofstra also hired Michael Neely, a Hofstra graduate, to assume the role of Director of Ticket Sales late last year. The lack of support hits home mostly for those that actually do come out and attend games frequently. Hofstra athletics PA announcer, Siddique Farooqi has had a front row seat to some of the lackluster crowds of recent seasons, and longs for the peak years on energy at the Mack. “I’ve been on campus since 2005-06 as a grad student, and I remember back then there were students selling tickets in the parking lot, it was that packed, you couldn’t get a seat,” Farooqi said. “My message to the fans: You’re here at Hofstra, it’s a great arena, it’s a great experience, take advantage of it while you’re here.” Coming off of the best fan turnout of the season, Hofstra fans have two final chances this coming week to prove they can show energy and persistence. Trial number one: Thursday night against the College of Charleston at 7 p.m. Going up against a second place team and a stout defense,
Sports
The Chronicle
February 14, 2017•A17
CAA Basketball Season Standings
Team
Men’s Basketball - CAA Overall Wins
Losses
Win %
1. UNCW
11
3
.786
2. Charleston
10
4
3. Towson
9
7. Hofstra
5
Women’s Basketball - CAA Overall
Team
Wins
Losses
Win %
1. Elon
11
2
.846
.714
1. James Madison
11
2
.846
5
.643
3. Drexel
9
4
.692
9
.357
10. Hofstra
3
10
.231
HOFSTRA ATHLETIC CALENDAR Away
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Home
2/14
2/15
2/16
2/17
2/18
2/19
Wrestling Men’s
Basketball Women’s Basketball
Harvard - 7 p.m.
College of Charleston - 7 p.m.
UNC Wilmington - 4 p.m.
UNC Wilmington - 12 p.m.
Elon - 7 p.m.
Baseball
Murray State - 1 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana - 6 p.m.
UL Lafayette - 5 p.m.
Softball
Oklahoma State - 4 p.m. St. Joseph’s - 6:15 p.m.
Binghamton - 11 a.m. South Florida - 4 p.m.
Wisconsin - 9:30 a.m.
Men’s Lacrosse
Monmouth - 1 p.m.
Women’s Lacrosse
Bucknell - 3 p.m.
sports
A18• February 14, 2017
The Chronicle
Women’s basketball falls short against Blue Hens By Joe Barone STAFF W R I T E R
Despite its record and struggles, there is one thing certain about the Hofstra Pride women’s basketball team: it never quits. Although it has been a season to forget for Coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey’s bunch, another thrilling comeback bid fell short Sunday – this time to the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens, 56-45 in Newark. “It’s very frustrating,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “It always seems like this in the second game of a quick turnaround. It is what it is, this time of the season. Everybody is on the same playing field. We just didn’t get enough lift from [our players]” For the eighth time in 10 games, the Pride dropped a heartbreaker. It now has 10 conference losses in 13 games, the Pride’s worst record since it went 8-10 against conference foes in 2008-09. “We have to regroup. Coach
[Faisal] Khan talked to the players about what’s ahead,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “We’re going to have to steal some wins here. We’re at the point where we have to steal one from somebody at the top [to grab the sixth seed].” Despite Ashunae Durant leading the Pride with her 15th double-double of the season (20 points, 12 rebounds), Hofstra could not complete the comeback. At one point, Delaware led by 16 early in the second quarter. The Pride trimmed it to seven in the final frame, but poor shooting proved to be the downfall as it’s been all season. Hofstra was outshot and outscored in the first quarter on Sunday for the 17th time in 24 games. “It’s just disappointing when we know we can perform better and our shooting percentage is at 13 in the first quarter,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “You shake your head. It’s just frustrating and we need to be able to find a way.”
The Fightin’ Blue Hens flew out of the gate due to Nicole Enabosi, Makeda Nicholas and Erika Brown. Those three Blue Hens finished in double-figures. Enabosi compiled 21 points and 11 rebounds, Nicholas added 13 points and six assists and Brown went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe to finish with 10 points. After Delaware put together a 31-15 advantage in the second quarter, the Pride fought back. Durant converted on several foul shots and turnover opportunities to chip away and Aleana Leon and Krystal Luciano were locks from the free throw line to cut the deficit to 35-21 at halftime. The Pride’s Olivia Askin opened up the fresh half with a three-pointer that sparked the bench. A comeback was surely in order. But, the Blue Hens put their foot on the gas pedal and pulled away. “It’s gotten old,” KilburnSteveskey said about her team’s numerous comeback attempts. “It took a lot to [comeback several times] but you deserve to
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Ashunae Durant led the Pride on Saturday with 20 points and 12 boards.
be right there and we just didn’t handle it.” Hofstra outscored the Blue Hens 11-9 in the third quarter to keep things interesting. It was 44-32 at the start of the fourth frame and the Pride smelled blood. Askin drained her second three-ball of the game to make it 49-40 game when KilburnSteveskey called a timeout to
compose her team. The Pride was alive. An 8-0 run and a scoreless spell for Delaware had things looking up for Hofstra. But the Blue Hens’ Brown and Enabosi put the nail in Hofstra’s coffin with buckets of their own to seal the win. The blue and gold continue its three-game road trip on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Elon.
Pride erases huge deficit to beat Charleston By Felipe Fontes STAFF W R I T E R
The comeback was completed. The Hofstra women’s basketball team rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second quarter to tally its 10th win of the season in a 85-81 victory coming against a College of Charleston team trying to pull out its third consecutive win. Three highly efficient quarters
from the Cougars were suddenly forgotten after an unexpected, high intensity rally from the Pride. Following three lethargic quarters, Hofstra turned up its ferocity, grabbing 12 rebounds and shooting 17 free throws compared to the 13 the Pride shot in the first three quarters combined. With 3:53 left in the game the
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Aleana Leon looks to dish out one of her six assists in Friday night’s win.
Pride was finally able to grasp the lead on a jumper by Krystal Luciano. Following four ties and four lead changes, Hofstra maintained the lead at the end to hold on for the win. The explosive opening by the Cougars was at its hottest at the start of the second quarter, as the team hit three of its first four shots from long range to stretch the lead to eight. This offensive burst occurred on the homecoming of Charleston guard Shiclasia Brown. With her whole family in the stands to watch her, she was the catalyst in the offense that flew high throughout most of the game, notching a season-high 25 points. As she lead the Cougars to a 12-point lead at the end of the half, Brown had 18 points connecting on four of her five three pointers. Making matters worse for the Pride was its 10 turnovers at the half, giving ammo to the Cougar’s highly efficient 49 percent
shooting attack from the field. Add that to the fact that Hofstra was shooting 39 percent, and there wasn’t much to fuel any type of attack on the Pride’s side of the ball. Despite the sloppy first half by Hofstra, Luciano kept the chemistry of the offense from falling apart as she was able to find her open teammates on several passes, including some impressive no-look passes allowing her to dish out five assists by the half. Luciano finished the game with 10 assists to accompany her 20 points en route to a double-double. Though Hofstra cut into the lead at the end of each quarter since once trailing by 16, the Pride was never fully able to get a grasp of the game until the fourth quarter. Through Ashunae Durant’s ability to get back on track by getting to the foul line and making three of four shots from the field, the Pride followed her lead as the team corralled and
inched closer every minute of the final quarter. “If I miss my first couple of shots I try not to get down, knowing that they’re going to fall sooner or later. The fourth quarter was the time for us to actually come back, and if we just kept attacking and getting to the line it would’ve been better so we just kept attacking and hoped for the best,” Durant said. Head coach Krista KilburnSteveskey added to her statement asserting that Durant’s effectiveness was also a result of the game plan. “We went to her several times too. Krystal did a good job of trying to find her, and she responded so that was really good.” Durant finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds. The double-doubles attained by Luciano and Durant coupled with the 17 point, six assist night by Aleana Leon pushed the Pride over the hump and collect its second win in the past three games.
Sports
The Chronicle
February 14, 2017•A19
Wright-Foreman revamps role for the Pride
By Zack Penn STAFF W R I T E R
One year ago, Justin WrightForeman was a little-known freshman bench player who couldn’t crack head coach Joe Mihalich’s rotation. Now, he’s Hofstra’s brightest young basketball star. On Feb. 4, Hofstra found themselves down by 10 points against Drexel with under a minute left to play. The Pride closed the last minute out with an improbable 12-0 run to stun Drexel, capped by a stellar shot from Wright-Foreman. The sophomore guard caught the ball just beyond the right corner three point line, faked a drive with a nifty dribble move that sent his defender flying to the floor and then calmly stepping back, sinking the game winning three. Just like that, a star was born. “I want to say I’ve hit at least three or four game winners in my life, but that was probably the biggest shot I’ve hit so far,” Wright-Foreman said. Wright-Foreman has gone from seldom-used benchwarmer to the focal point of the Pride offensive attack in under a year, due to his silky-smooth three
point-shot, crafty handle and a deft ability to make difficult layups seem easy. He’s gone from averaging 1.6 points in four minutes per game last year to being Hofstra’s leading scorer, putting up 16.7 points in 26 minutes per contest. His averages should only increase as he’s on a recent offensive tear, having scored 20 or more in the past seven games. Although Wright-Foreman’s offensive numbers stand out, it’s his defense that he really takes pride in. “One of my goals is to become the CAA [Colonial Athletic Association] Defensive Player of the Year,” he said. “That’s something I still have to get better at, obviously.” Wright-Foreman’s confidence in his game is apparent at this point, but it wasn’t always so easy for the 6-foot guard from Queens. “Towards the beginning of the season, I guess you could say I had the jitters. I was kind of nervous and I didn’t let the game come to me, but now everything is starting to come to fruition.” Wright-Foreman says he lost
his confidence along the way, but with the help of his teammate and friend Desure Buie – also a native of New York City – Wright-Foreman got the swagger back in his game that has lead to his recent scoring spree. “Me and my roommate Desure, we had a conversation about confidence and letting the game come to me and he really helped me to get that confidence back.” Hofstra needed someone to step up this season and take control of the offense after four seniors graduated last year. Senior Brian Bernardi and junior Rokas Gustys were the obvious candidates to fill the scoring void left by graduates such as Ameen Tanksley and Juan’ya Green. But it’s been WrightForeman who has stepped into the limelight. “Justin probably should have played more last year,” Mihalich told GoHofstra.com. “But honestly that lineup was tough to crack and we were winning almost every game.” Though Justin Wright-Foreman is on track to be the next great Hofstra basketball player, he hasn’t let it go to his head
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Justin Wright-Foreman was named CAA Player of the Week on Feb. 13.
and still maintains a humble demeanor that he credits to his upbringing and his foundation in basketball. “My grandfather and my mother really pushed me to play basketball because when I was younger I was fat. They just wanted me to be active,” he said. Wright-Foreman played basketball at the High School for Construction in South Ozone Park, Queens and says that his family and friends often show up to his games. “It feels good to play so close to home. Having the support from my parents and friends and having them coming to games
to see me doing what I’m doing now is just a blessing.” Wright-Foreman’s family, friends, teammates and coaches all supported him when he was getting hardly any playing time. That solid foundation of dependable people who believe in him instilled what is now an unwavering aura of swagger that permeates throughout his team every time he steps on the court. “I want to be CAA player of the year. I want to be first team All-CAA, but that will all come with the hard work that I put in,” he said. “I would say I’m pretty close.”
Hot shooting leads Pride past Northeastern By Nico Bermudez STAFF W R I T E R
This season, outstanding performances have become the norm – sophomore Justin Wright-Foreman had two monster slam dunks. He ended the game with 25 points, five rebounds and two assists as he led the Pride to a 74-64 win
over the Northeastern Huskies in Boston on Saturday night. Wright-Foreman has now scored 20 or more points in his last seven games. This win gives Hofstra a season sweep over the Huskies. To begin, the game was off to a very slow start; both teams struggled to score early on. Hofstra began the game with a
Cam Keough/The Chronicle Standout rebounder Rokas Gustys returned from injury in Saturday’s win.
score of 1-9 from the field. After Eli Pemberton hit a three to bring the Pride within one at 1110, the lead kept changing back and forth as there were no major runs throughout the game. Of course, that only lasted until the very last two minutes, when Hofstra pulled away to ultimately win by 10. What sparked this run to end the game was a major one-handed dunk by Wright-Foreman, followed by, in the ensuing Pride possession, a three-pointer from Pemberton. This gave them the comfortable lead of 68-60. Another bright spot for the Pride during this game was the return of center Rokas Gustys, who had missed play-time since Jan. 26 due to injury. Gustys, who is nearly averaging a double-double for the season (8.5 points per game and 12 rebounds), ended the night with
only two points, but grabbed 12 rebounds in 24 minutes of play. Brian Bernardi, who led the team with 40 minutes of play, was second in scoring in the match with 17 points. Deron Powers, who only scored eight points, had a fairly quiet game, but he made six of seven free throws – some of which came in clutch late in the second half helping his team to ice the game. Hofstra led Northeastern in nearly every statistic: field goal percentage, free throw percentage, rebounds and assists, amongst others. Perhaps the most notable stat of the game was the three-point field goal percentages scored by both teams. Hofstra ended with a superb 53 percent of three-point attempts made, whereas Northeastern ended with only 22 percent made.
With this win over the Huskies, the Pride is now 1314 overall and 5-9 within the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) . After ending their road trip with a loss at Towson and a win at Northeastern, Hofstra heads back home to the Mack for two tough matchups. On Feb. 16, Hofstra will host the College of Charleston, the number two team in the CAA and Feb. 18 they will host the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the number one team in the conference.
Back Cover: A sea of empty seats has become the norm for Hofstra men’s and women’s basketball.
T h e H of s t r a C h r on i c l e
Sports
February 14, 2017
Where are you? Hofstra basketball coaches and players take note of empty bleachers
Chris Detwiler/The Chronicle