The Hofstra
HEMPSTEAD, NY Volume 85 Issue 3
Chronicle
Tuesday
September 24, 2019
Keeping the Hofstra community informed since 1935 News
Sports
Northwell CEO talks business in NYC Kuzmich confident in net By Zevin Shuster STA FF WRITER
Photo courtesy of Hofstra University Michael Dowling meets Hofstra’s Zarb School of Business at TheTimesCenter in New York City to discuss the business of healthcare.
SEE A2
News
Ending ‘forever wars’ in Middle East By Elizabeth Turley STAFF W R I T E R
Anti-war activist and International Scene lecturer Daniel Sjursen is not just horrified by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on principle – he has lived them. Sjursen served in the U.S. Army as a strategist for 18 years, where he attained the rank of major, wrote a memoir titled “Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge” and taught history at West Point before his recent retirement. “On paper, I was the Army’s golden boy. I went to West Point, I was high in my class, I had a slew of glowing evaluations,” Sjursen told members of the Hofstra community gathered in the Cultural Center Theater on Thursday, Sept. 19. “I even have evaluations back when I was a captain that say I’m a
future general. They don’t think that anymore.” Sjursen, who grew up on Staten Island, had just completed basic training when the Twin Towers fell during the 9/11 attacks. “I wanted revenge,” he admitted. “My biggest fear as 17-year-old Danny was that the war would end before I could get into it. I’m embarrassed of that today.” In his lecture, Sjursen talked about his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the soldiers he lost to enemy weapons and to suicide; the trauma he and his fellow veterans have to deal with every day; and how he kickstarted his own political education from the middle of the desert by reading Camus and other French existentialist philosophers. continued on A3
It isn’t often that a true freshman comes in and takes arguably the most important position on the field, but that is exactly what Abington, Massachusetts, native Skylar Kuzmich did. “Wherever I was placed, if it was right for the team, I was going to accept that. [My expectation] was that I was just going to work my butt off for the team, and that’s all I really wanted,” Kuzmich said. Beating out sophomores Grace Watson-Carr and Gabriella Naletilic and senior Sabrina Painter, Kuzmich has been Hofstra’s starting goalie each and every game so far this season, playing to a level beyond her years. Kuzmich’s play and “do-whatever-it-takes” attitude earned her the trust of her head
coach, who has put her out there since kickoff of the opening game of the season. “Initially, there was obviously a physical size,” said head coach Simon Riddiough said. “She’s 5-(feet)-11. She’s a big, strong kid. She covers a lot of goal ... that was the first thing that I noticed.” But it wasn’t just gaining the trust of her coach that was paramount. Forming tight bonds and gaining trust with her teammates, most of whom step on the field with her each and every day, is vital to team unity and success. Kuzmich has a whole team counting on her to do her job; a group that needs to trust her in order for both her and the team to be at their best. And to gain the trust of her team, she had to earn it. Continued ON A18
Multimedia
Mark Melchin / The Hofstra Chronicle Students and workers around New York attend the New York City Climate Strike to protest the level of environmental action being taken by world governments and corporations. More in the center spread.
SEE A10-11
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A2•September 24, 2019
203 Student Center hofstrachronicle@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief Taylor Rose Clarke Managing Editor Jillian Leavey Business Manager Robert Kinnaird News Editor Melanie Haid Assistant News Editors Annemarie LePard Robert Traverso A&E Editors Victoria Bell Eleni Kothesakis A&E Assistant Editor Jacob Huller Sports Editors Christopher Detwiler Felipe Fontes Assistant Sports Editors David Lazar Anthony Roberts Features Editors Rachel Bowman Drashti Mehta Assistant Features Editors Betty Araya Audra Nemirow Op-Ed Editors James Factora Amanda Romeo Assistant Op-Ed Editors Sarah Emily Baum Visvajit Sriramrajan Copy Chiefs Mia Thompson Gab Varano Assistant Copy Chief Odessa Stork
Dowling educates future leaders in healthcare and business
By Alanna Boland S TAF F WRI T E R
President and CEO of Northwell Health Michael Dowling addressed a crowd of students and young professionals at TheTimesCenter in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Dowling discussed the issues he sees in today’s health care industry and where he thinks the industry is headed in the future, and offered advice to the packed audience. Dowling began by relaying how his experience as an Irish immigrant coming from a family of “modest means” motivated him to work hard and strive for professional success. He said he grew up “milking cows” and worked several odd jobs in various industries including steel, construction and plumbing before he landed a job in the health care industry and worked his way up to becoming a CEO. Dowling then spoke about what he believes are problems with the health care industry today, such as increased government regulations and the fact that care providers do not receive compensation for performing services covered by insurance companies. Dowling also said that while many politicians may be critical of the health care industry, he believes there has never been a better time to be in health care and he has an “optimistic” view of the industry’s future. Due to innovations in medicine and technology, “lots of
great things are happening – people are living longer than ever before,” Dowling said. This event was organized by the Frank G. Zarb School of Business and was part of the annual Zarb Leadership Series, which, every year, invites a high-level executive to talk about their position, how they achieved their success and offer advice to those in the audience – many of whom are Hofstra business students preparing to launch their careers. This event attracted many students looking to go into the healthcare field as well – likely because, as Dowling mentioned in his speech, Northwell Health is the largest health care provider and private employer in New York state. The audience also included Hofstra alumni, professors, Northwell employees and professionals in the fields of
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra University Northwell CEO Michael Dowling furthers the conversation offstage with eager students.
and running a company. Adnan Adib, a freshman marketing major interested in the music industry, said that although he is not majoring in the business or health care fields, he
“You need to create new ideas – new innovative ideas to really succeed in any business, whether that’s the music industry or health care.” business and health care who may not have have any connection with Hofstra or Northwell, but admired Dowling’s accomplishments and wanted to hear his perspectives on health care
Multimedia Editor Robert Kinnaird
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Social Media Manager Eddie Fitz Social Media Assistant Jack Brown The Chronicle is published every Tuesday during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by calling (516) 463-6921. The Chronicle reserves the right to reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous or offensive to the University community, The Chronicle or its advertisers may be refused. The products and opinions expressed within advertisement are not endorsed by The Chronicle or its staff.
The Chronicle
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra University Dowing inspires a full theater in Manhattan.
still felt that much of the advice Dowling gave in his speech could apply to him. “[Dowling] said, ‘You need to create new ideas – new, innovative ideas to really succeed in any business’ – whether that’s the music industry or health care,” Adib said. Randy Niego, a freshman finance major, said he came to the event because he thought it would be interesting to hear a speech from the CEO of such a well-known company. “Sometimes you just see [CEOs] of those random companies and – you know it’s a big company, you know he has money, but it doesn’t really relate to you,” Niego said. Niego also commented on a common theme of Dowling’s speech: never giving up, even when faced with adversity. “[Dowling] didn’t really doubt himself – even though the percentages by business
analysts showed that he didn’t have a great chance of starting up this business and making it, he ... kept going with it and didn’t really listen,” Niego said. “[Dowling] said, ‘You have to find something that no one is doing and start at it yourself and that’s how you become the most successful’ – I think that’s really good advice.” The event started off with a cocktail reception prior to Dowling’s speech, where people mingled and students had the opportunity to network with business and healthcare professionals. Janet Lenaghan, the dean of the Zarb School and Herman Berliner, the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, were both at the event and gave brief introductions before Dowling’s speech. Lenaghan said that inviting Dowling to be the speaker for this year’s Leadership Series event made sense since Hofstra is so closely affiliated with Northwell. As a professor of management and entrepreneurship, she also said that his views on how to be a leader could be useful to any professors in the audience. “Of course, being the incredible leader that he is, having him give some insights about leadership was also critically important for us as [we are] educating future leaders.”
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The Chronicle
Fresh Check Day brings awareness to mental health stigmas By Melanie Haid and Yashu Pericherla NEW S E D I TO R / S P E C I A L TO T HE C HR ONI C L E
Fresh Check Day hosted its fourth annual event to combat the stigma around mental health and increase awareness about personal health and wellness. Tables lined up in the Student Center atrium on Wednesday, Sept. 18, focused on various activities promoting mental health, with booths providing access to resources and information on how to help, along with coloring, therapy dogs and aromatherapy. Kathleen Lieblich, assistant director of Student Advocacy and Prevention Awareness, also gave some insight on her work on the project. “Fresh Check Day is a large-scale mental health and wellness event ... focused on reducing stigma, connecting students to resources both on campus and in the community and checking in with you and checking in with you on how to check in with each other, giving you tools and resources to be the best students you can be and the best peers you can be and all of that,” Lieblich said. “[It] is a great opportunity to talk about all facets of mental health.” The tables consisted of student- and volunteer-run booths. The Long Island Crisis Center’s Pride for Youth, dedicated to the LGBTQ community and its allies, had a tabling presence led by Matthew Palmer, the youth health advocate coordinator. “We just want to let people know we’re close by, and we are here for the community, the allies and to bring people together,” Palmer said. “Maybe you’re feeling scared that you’re in college, and that you [either aren’t] out yet or you don’t know anyone who identifies the same way you do. You can meet them here at Hofstra, or with us at Pride for Youth.” Ettiman Kaur, a freshman biology major, described her experience at Fresh Check Day. “I went to a Catholic school, where it was all, ‘We’re not going to really talk about it.’ But here, it’s a lot more, ‘Let me teach
you guys this.’ It makes me feel better [to know] that I can make a difference or change,” she said. “The first table they had [offered] coloring sheets for whenever I feel stressed and they have positive messages on them, so I want to put it on the mirror in the dorms.” Outside of the therapy dog room was the aromatherapy table, headed by Russ Smith, the associate director of Residence Life. “[We] were just talking about some of the healing properties of various essential oils,” Smith said, explaining the properties of the five oils he had on display. Smith also mentioned various ways residents on campus can use the oils – since diffusers aren’t allowed in the residence halls – including putting them on cotton balls around their rooms or in their cars. “[Fresh Check Day has] grown every year and I just think that [it’s nice] having one day set aside to talk about health
always happens.’ It’s nice to hear that that’s how the students are recognizing [the event] and the students are seeing it as a program that happens every year and that they remember it.” Among all the tables – each tasked with discussing different parts of mental health including anxiety, mood disorders and insecurities – Lieblich singled out her favorite as the 100 Ways to Help. “Suicide is the second-leading [cause of] death in teens,” Lieblich said somberly. “So, this booth it’s a tree, and we’re all connected: right from our roots, all the way up to our leaves. I think it’s sort of an abstract version of a family, and a community ... Our goal is to get a hundred different ways that you can help a friend. [We just need to] have [these] conversations and not feel uncomfortable or stigmatized, because everybody is going through things and the goal is to combat suicidality and improve the lives of our
Melanie Haid / The Hofstra Chronicle Fresh Check Day decorated the Atrium in an effort to create a positive atmosphere around an uncomfortable topic.
and wellness ... for students to see and engage in all the ways they can be well,” Smith said. Lieblich also remarked that it was the four-year anniversary of the event, as well as her time with the University. “It came with me,” she said. “I came into the office four years ago and this was the first event that I brought to campus. And I’m happy to say a whole generation of students later, it’s now tradition! It’s cool to hear students say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s the traditional program ... that’s what
students.” Ethan Martin, a senior math major, commended the usefulness of Fresh Check Day and Lieblich’s mission. “It makes me feel better about myself and about other people around me,” Martin said. “[It’s nice] knowing that there are people out here who care enough to set up a full line of booths, just to let people know they’re not alone – because feeling alone sucks.”
September 24, 2019 A3
Anti-war activist talks bringing troops home Continued from A1 He spoke about his realization that the United States’ occupation of Iraq was what had effectively “shattered” the Middle Eastern country, and how he began writing anti-war articles in 2007 after realizing he could no longer tell families what their loved ones had died fighting for. But what he really wanted to stress were the effects – or lack thereof – that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have on everyday Americans. “We have to talk about the fact that this is the longest war in American history,” Sjursen said. “A man or a woman born after 9/11 is going to join the military and one of them is going to die in Afghanistan. They’re going to die in a war that started based on a justification that they weren’t even alive for.” Sjursen offered suggestions as to why the wars are still going on, including the military-industrial complex, which makes a profit as long as wars continue, as well as the idea that foreign influences and lobbyists that control American foreign policy and the corporate mainstream media would rather make money by entertaining the public instead of informing them about the realities of war in the Middle East. But the largest reason he offered to explain why we are still at war was public apathy. “I used to hate civilians,” Sjursen said. “But then I got empathy, and I realized, well, why are people not really engaged in these wars? Well, it’s because most Americans live paycheck to paycheck. It’s because the vast majority of Americans don’t have $400 in the bank to deal with a health or an automobile crisis. They’re just trying to survive.” Sjursen also attributed Americans’ increased distance from their military to the current lack of a draft, pointing out that the
families of high school seniors and college students during the Vietnam War had no choice but to pay attention to what was going on. “That’s why they were burning draft cards on college campuses, that’s why they were occupying buildings,” Sjursen said. “Does that happen today? Is anybody taking over buildings to say, ‘End the Afghan war?’” Those in attendance were inspired by Sjursen’s speech and the way he spoke about striving for peace. “I can’t remember the last time that I’ve been [that] inspired ... he really spoke to me today,” said Matthew Jagrooph, a sophomore finance major. “It just kind of hit home because I have a lot of military family, and I’m also leaving for the military – the Navy – after college, but just hearing the way that he spoke about [the war], it’s changed my outlook on so many things.” Sophomore engineering major Omar Aljonubi, who is of both Afghan and Saudi heritage, called the lecture one of the best he had ever heard. “I’m a Muslim myself and I feel like [Sjursen] is the best example I can think of [of] what the prophet taught, even though he’s probably never even read the Quran.” Ultimately, Sjursen’s solution for ending wars comes down to grassroots citizen activism. A self-admitted pessimist, he pointed out that none of the three branches of the U.S. government are actively doing anything to end the war. “We’ve been failed by every institution the Constitution gave us, and so if we care about ending war, then get in the streets,” Sjursen said. “The best way to support veterans is ... [to] create fewer of us. And bring us home.”
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NEWS
No Earth without ‘art’ By Mike Senatore SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Beginning on Thursday, Sept. 19, the Hofstra University Museum of Art hosted an Environmental Impact exhibition, showcasing pieces of artwork that address the negative impact humans have on nature. Works from nine artists, both local and international, were displayed in an effort to bring awareness to the issue that has ravaged our environment for years. “There is a variety of issues that are included in this exhibit, whether it’s debris that has washed up from the ocean onto beaches, or the effects of industrial development that’s changed the landscape,” said Karen Albert, the acting director and chief curator for the museum. That issue of debris washing up on beaches was directly addressed by a piece from British artist Steve McPherson on display at the exhibit. McPherson’s assemblage work, titled “Matter No. 1,” is made entirely from debris that he collected along the northern coasts of the United Kingdom.
“An exhibition is like a thesis paper; you have a statement, but instead of having facts, you have artwork to support your statement,” Albert said. “For this exhibition, I focused on how human intrusion in the natural environment – [how] what we have done – has made changes.” Long Island resident Janet Culbertson had two works included in the exhibition, “BUY,” and “HELP,” both of which depicted decrepit billboards standing tall above wastelandesque landscapes, each featuring the word they are titled for. “[Billboards] pollute our country, and they also have a message,” Culbertson said. The consequences of human impact on nature has been an issue of interest for Culbertson since her childhood in Pennsylvania. “I think I was 9 or 10 when we would go canoeing in a river, and this clear turquoise water started to get yellow, then orange, and then it had rocks floating in it from the nearby mine tailings,” she said. “The pollution was not controlled. It
was distressing to see, and when I got into art, I thought, ‘I have to have a message.’ So, it’s a balance of making an interesting picture with texture and craftsmanship, and also getting across an idea.” Some other works included in the exhibition included Daniel Beltrá’s “SPILL” series, depicting the effects of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, images from Edward Burtynsky showing aerial views of a fish farm off the Chinese coast and the effects of oil theft and paintings from Diane Burko exploring the potential demise of coral reefs. “The artists are also very much activists,” she continued. “A lot of them are doing this with the intention to show that not only do people need to know that this is happening, but what can we do to make it better.” The exhibition will be available to view at the Emily Lowe Gallery behind Lowe Hall until Friday, Dec. 13, and a roundtable discussion titled, “Art into Action,” is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the gallery.
Expert commemorates Constitution Day
By Matthew Buzard
SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Exactly 232 years after Monday, Sept. 17, 1787, Hofstra’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law celebrated the day when state delegates signed the Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The School of Law hosted a conversation with Michael Dreeben, the former U.S. deputy solicitor general in charge of the Department of Justice’s criminal docket. Dreeben represented the U.S. in over 100 cases before the Supreme Court. The Dean of Hofstra Law, Judge Gail Prudenti, set the stage by emphasizing the importance of Constitution Day to the law community. “We are excited and honored to welcome Mr. Dreeben to Hofstra Law,” Prudenti said. “He is said to know more about criminal law than anyone else on Earth.” The largest room in the law school was packed with students and faculty intently listening to Dreeben’s insights.
Criminal law and criminal procedure professor Alafair Burke facilitated the conversation, beginning by asking Dreeben questions about his experience in front of the Supreme Court and working in the Solicitor General’s office for 30 years. “The lawyers of the [Solicitor General’s office] are committed to the rule of law,” Dreeben said. While the Solicitor General’s office is a wing of the Department of Justice, and therefore under the supervision of the President, Dreeben expressed his dedication to independently serving the interests of the U.S. While not a completely independent office, Dreeben emphasized, the office was not “purely political.” “It was an insightful conversation,” said Nick Martin, a second-year law student. “[Dreeben’s] stories and experiences were great, and it was really cool [that] he came here.” One story Dreeben shared
came from the 1989 case of U.S. v. Halper, his first argument in front of the Court. Dreeben described how nervous he was before the Justices entered. Looking over to opposing counsel, Dreeben saw a similarly distressed young law clerk preparing himself. The petrified law clerk opposite Dreeben was the future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts. “It was great to hear about his stories and experiences arguing in front of the Supreme Court,” said Claudia Ratner, a secondyear law student. Answering questions from the students, Dreeben expressed his views on moral conundrums that many lawyers face in their professional careers. Dreeben advised the audience to strongly consider the morality of their actions as attorneys. “All of you will confront issues that give you pause – you must look inside yourself to know what’s right.”
The Chronicle
‘Unheard Voices’ come to life slaves; they were people who
By Annemarie LePard and Hannah Merwin A SSISTA NT N EW S ED ITO R / SPECIA L TO TH E C H R O N IC LE
were enslaved.” Students, faculty and members of the community who attended were touched by the stories presented. “The monologues were very relevant,” said Imani Thompson, a junior public policy and public advocacy major. “What made it so moving is that the struggles that my ancestors dealt with still resonate now.” None of the performers used microphones during the performances. According to Judy Tate, creator of “Unheard Voices,”
“The American Slavery Project: Unheard Voices,” presented by Hofstra University and the African Slavery Writers’ Collective, was a theatrical response written and based on different burials at the African Burial Ground in New York City, which was open from 1690-1790. Between 10,000 and 30,000 freed and enslaved African Americans were forced to bury their dead at the site. Only 419 bodies were uncovered, all of them nameless. The American Slavery Project tells their story through monologues, singing and drumming, and was presentHannah Merwin / The Hofstra Chronicle ed on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the The actors and writers gathered on stage to discuss John Cranford being part of The American Slavery Project. Adams Playthe reason behind this choice is house. “It’s one of those things where because the stories “came from a time without microphones,” you just have to get out of your and Tate wanted to keep the own way and just write whatproject as historically accurate ever’s in your heart,” explained Dennis Allen II, one of the main as possible. “It’s an interesting way to writers for the project. “I do look back on important historiremember thinking, and trycal moments,” said Emily Hart, ing to imagine, the lives ... and thinking about how black bodies a senior history major. “[There are] so many lost stories in hiswere used.” The American Slavery Project tory, and it’s human nature to want to put stories to things.” uses its voice to make connecThis performance marks the tions between history and the present day and create a conver- 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to sation in the community. “It is a series of programming designed North America. “Our country to reflect the journeys of African was founded on slavery, so I Americans through the four cen- think it’s important that we’re educated about it,” Hart said. turies,” said Executive Director The founders of the project of the Hofstra Cultural Center shared this idea, explaining Athelene Collins. exactly why “Unheard Voices” “I hope to be a vessel in is so important. identifying what it is to be a huTate was very passionate man being who is going through about the project, encouraging the things that this person went the audience to feel the connecthrough, and not looking at tion she did. “Don’t think of this them as different or somehow as a piece you observe, but a separate from me because they ceremony you are a part of. This were enslaved,” said Lynnette is a rumination of the journeys Freeman, a Jamaican African past and present Africans have American actress who works on gone through; and through this the project. “It is important to project, we reclaim our past so not see them as just slaves, but we can move forward.” as full people. They were not
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The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 A5
Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Elizabeth Turley
sdfjs;dlfjk;sldkfj;aldfjk On Sept. 13 at 7:15 p.m., two Hofstra students in Constitution Hall were harassed by a non-student. While the non-student verbally harassed one of the students, an argument ensued, and the non-student punched the Hofstra student in the face. PS responded to the location and apprehended the non-student, who was identified as a guest of another student residing in Constitution Hall, though that student was not present during the dispute. The student who was punched declined medical assistance and counseling. The non-student was taken into the Hofstra Information Center and banned from campus. The student who signed the nonstudent into the residence hall was issued a referral to OCS for actions of guest.
individuals who had fled the scene. PS conducted a search of campus and apprehended three non-students who were involved in the altercation. The non-students were escorted into the Hofstra Information Center, banned from campus and released. The Hofstra student who was assaulted was treated for injury and declined
On Sept. 15 at 10:30 p.m., a Hofstra student reported to PS that she had been receiving threatening text messages from her ex-boyfriend, who was previously banned from campus. Police assistance was declined at this time. An investigation is being conducted into this matter.
order was filed. At 8 p.m., she reported to PS that her ID had been used illegally at Dutch Treats to purchase food. An investigation was conducted and a Hofstra student was identified using the stolen ID card at 8:34 p.m. in Dutch Treats. The student was interviewed and returned the keys and ID card. The student
Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle
further medical assistance. He also declined to file a police report, and was escorted back to his room. No further action is being taken at this time.
Key RSR – Resident Safety Representative OCS – Office of Community Standards PS – Public Safety RA – Resident Assistant
On Sept. 17 at 4 p.m., a Hofstra faculty member reported to PS that sometime between Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. and Sept. 17 at 4 p.m., two textbooks, valued at $100 each, were removed from his office in Roosevelt Hall. Police assistance was declined at this time. On Sept. 17 at 10:40 p.m., an RA doing rounds in Estabrook Hall reported to PS that there was an odor of marijuana coming from a room in the building. PS responded to the location and knocked on the door, where they were met by the resident of the room. When PS entered the room, there was no smell of marijuana inside. When questioned, the occupant stated that he had been using an electronic vape cigarette. The student was issued a referral to OCS for violation of university regulations.
On Sept. 15 at 2:10 a.m., PS responded to an active fire alarm in Enterprise Hall. While conducting a search of the building, PS found that a Hofstra student had failed to evacuate the building. The student was evacuated and then issued a referral to OCS for failure to comply. On Sept. 15 at 2:30 a.m., an RSR in Estabrook Hall reported to PS that there were several people involved in a dispute in front of the residence hall. PS responded and found a Hofstra student in front of the building who said he was assaulted by three
rules, damaging Hofstra property and causing a fire hazard.
On Sept. 16 at 2:45 p.m., a Hofstra staff member reported to PS that sometime between Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. and Sept. 3 at 9 a.m., two engineering textbooks, valued at $200 each, were removed from a room in Roosevelt Hall. Police assistance was declined at the time of report. On Sept. 16 at 5 p.m., a Hofstra student stated to PS that her student ID and room key had been left on a bench outside Roosevelt Hall. The complainant requested a lock change and a work
was then issued a referral to OCS for larceny theft. On Sept. 16 at 6:45 p.m., PS responded to a room in Salem House in Colonial Square and discovered that there was a hookah inside the room. The hookah was found in plain view in the common area of the suite, and there was a sock covering the smoke detector. The hookah was confiscated and taken to the Hofstra Information Center, and the two students in the room were issued referrals to OCS for violation of university
On Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m., a Hofstra student reported to PS that sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., her wristlet was stolen from a locker in the fitness center. The wristlet contained the student’s ID, driver’s license, room keys and debit card. Upon questioning, the student revealed that she left her property in the locker unsecured. There were no witnesses. Police assistance was declined.
The Chronicle features Welcoming international students INTO Hofstra
A6 • September 24, 2019
By Betty Araya
ASSISTA N T F E AT U R E S EDI TOR
According to Pearsons.com, the world’s leading service devoted to furthering education beyond high school, “Hofstra currently enrolls more than 1,000 international students who come from 81 countries.” The diversity these students bring to the campus adds an invaluable amount of culture and color, making all of our experiences here richer. Hofstra University recently opened the new INTO Center, a facility of international study specialists. According to Frank Gaughan, the academic director of the center, INTO is designed “to improve learning outcomes for international students.” Gaughan ensures the academic integrity of the INTO Center by managing the 34 pathway programs as well as the Academic English program, which is non-credit bearing. Before the INTO Center, Hofstra had the English Language Program, which essentially did the same thing. However, INTO also provides more cultural support for students, as well as credit-earning English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for international students. Gaughan explained that the ESL curriculum is more comprehensive than its predecessor. It not only covers reading and writing, but speaking and listening as well. The classes available to these students vary depending on their level of English proficiency, ensuring that each student gets what they need. The center also provides advising to students on what courses to take alongside the ESL classes. Less language intensive subjects, such as math and art, give these students an opportunity to gain English proficiency while simultaneously working toward their degrees. Students who are at the lowest level of English proficiency, operating with less than 500 words or memorized phrases in their vocabulary, will not be taking any courses. Instead, the INTO Center offers support while the student takes up to 20 hours a week of ESL. This process may take a semester or up to
two years, depending on where the student is on their language journey. The services the center offers eliminate the language barrier impeding the educational trek of international students. Once their proficiency improves, Gaughan explained, they will begin taking courses. “Once you get to the point where you’re taking some courses, your proficiency is very high,” he said. “You’re able to speak and have exchanges with other English speakers; you can speak in paragraphs. You may still make mistakes, but we all make mistakes in speaking and in writing. You’re able to interact
The creation of the INTO Center is meant to subdue cultural barriers that impact students who come to the U.S. in pursuit of a higher degree. Though professors are at liberty to grade written work as they please, the INTO Center does provide advice to faculty, taking into consideration the language hurdles international students have to overcome. “We provide support for faculty in developing rubrics, thinking through their rubrics, thinking critically about those rubrics to see what it is they want to assess and how they want to assess it,” Gaughan said.
campus. We provide field trips, conversation partners, game night, workshops about how to navigate both U.S. culture and U.S. academic culture,” he said. He went on to explain how “it’s sort of two different worlds for them,” which is the main struggle that can initially affect the education and overall well-being of international students. However, after that, the problems they face are very similar to the ones that domestic students face, such as making friends. International students have specific markers they need to achieve in order to reach
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra University Located on the second floor of the Axinn Library, the INTO Center is a new resource for international students.
with others in the class and then we provide support and guidance in terms of both continuing language development and the courses.” The INTO Center not only operates at Hofstra, but at 11 other universities, creating a network of facilities dedicated to success of international students. Gaughan explained how the centers have significantly improved the outcomes for these students, noting that “their success rates are 80% higher, meaning that students who are on a pathway program taking ESL courses alongside other courses move to degree seeking status at rates of 80% or better.”
College is a trying experience for any young adult, but international students have the added trial of a brutal culture shock. Gaughan explained, “Sometimes students are 18, sometimes 20 years old, [and] they’re on the other side of the world. Their language proficiency in English is limited, although growing.” He described how the center offers emotional support to combat this challenge. “That’s where we provide support for them in terms of socialization. We provide housing support for them so that they can live here; many of the students, especially the undergraduates, live here on
degree-hitting status. They not only need to adapt to the homeostatic upset that comes with being immersed in a new environment, but must quickly learn how to interact in diverse environments successfully, where language is not even a common ground. The INTO Center also has a director of student experience, dedicated to working with students on the basket of issues that will inevitably come up as the center continues to grow. The INTO Center also has a peer teacher program. There are currently four peer teachers assigned to over 100 students enrolled in the program. Gaughan explained that the
center is essentially running a leadership series. He said, “It’s sort of a project-based learning model where these students come in and identify issues here at Hofstra or in their program, and work to identity solutions.” The peer teachers help facilitate small groups in efforts to guide international students toward articulating their problems correctly and identifying solutions. Then, at the end of the day, they present that information. Gaughan’s hope for the INTO Center is that international students will grow to feel more comfortable here at Hofstra, which is a task that the center cannot accomplish on its own. “I’d like, number one, for the whole Hofstra community [to] move toward a more welcoming and diverse environment, where international students feel they have a second home here,” he said. “And I think that if we are able to do that, then many of the other goals that fall underneath that will be made a lot easier.” “If students feel welcome and at home, then they socialize and their language skills will improve, and then their learning outcomes will improve. And on the other hand, if they feel that they are isolated and/or that they have nothing to do, then their language skill stagnates, and then probably their learning outcomes are not what they could be either.” The INTO Center is Hofstra’s attempt at offering all students the same chance at success, but it is clear that the work goes beyond the walls of the facility located on the second floor of the Axinn Library. The colorful campus we enjoy demands that we make efforts toward embracing international students. It demands that domestic students interact with those working toward improving their English and build relationships despite apparent cultural barriers. The difficulties college students face extend far beyond school. Deliberate efforts toward inclusion are the only way Hofstra can become an environment where students, despite their background, can truly succeed.
features
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 •A7
Humans of Hofstra By Daniel Cody & Vanessa Chouest S P E C I A L TO THE CHRONI CL E
Stella Rose White Photo Courtesy of Daniel Cody
“
I have a very hard time focusing on myself and the things I’m facing when our world is so fucked up. That’s part of why I want to become an attorney; we need more regulation of business and people need to be held more accountable for their actions. We just live in this polarized world where people are like, ‘If I don’t agree with you, I’m just going to turn away,’ and I feel like disagreeing with someone should be the beginning of the conversation, not the end. People don’t know how to have productive conversations anymore, because we all just decide to disagree and not talk about it. I’ve always had a sense of justice, and I just want equality. Long story short, I have three moms and a dad, and three of them are gay – you know, it’s not a conventional upbringing. I’m from Oregon and it’s different on the West Coast, but the way I was treated varied. Kids would say, ‘Why does she have two moms? I want two moms!’ and [conversely], ‘That’s a sin, you’re the spawn of the devil.’ People are crazy, and they are going to think what they’re going to think, but I’ve always wanted a more scientific and equal world [in that regard]. I want to go make people do what I think they should do. I’m very good at explaining why people are wrong, and why they should think the other way. A lot of people [in college] don’t realize that the world doesn’t owe you a fucking thing. The minute you realize that, life is a whole lot more fun. As long as my actions aren’t going to impact anyone in a negative way, then there’s no reason for me not to do what I enjoy. So, like, I enjoy reading out in the garden, dressing up in flowery clothes and decorating my car however I want. I think that’s a huge flaw in our generation; we are scared of the outside world. I’ve talked to college event planners, and they have a hard time planning events on campuses because people would rather sit in their rooms on their phones. I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot and I think that it really benefitted me. I’ve been to 33 states and out of the country a few times, and that influenced my outlook and why I think the world needs to change. I’m a pretty quiet person. I am much more of a listener than a speaker. I’m most focused on how I can use these first years as best as I can. We can’t control our first responses, but we can absolutely change our second one.
”
“
There’s a certain type of vulnerability you allow yourself to experience when you decide to travel and see more of the world. In all three phases – before, during and after the trip – you experience an emotional rollercoaster. I love to immerse myself in different cultures to widen my perspective and nurture new ideas and learn. My most interesting experiences have come from my trips to Asia. These events left me confused and at a crossover road. I remember vividly feeling such a euphoria that I couldn’t fully wrap my head around whenever I went out by myself or with my sister and interacted with the locals. The vacation itself was such a necessary endeavor for me because the semester before winter break had challenged me in ways I could’ve never thought of. The excitement, [warmth] of the respective cultures and people mixed with the keen sense of exploration had led me to feel safe, so I never once thought of my race at the center of my life, as it always is when I’m in the U.S. or at Hofstra. The first of many ‘gazes’ started at the airport in Mumbai. After I got through immigration, I wanted to change money. Before I could take out my U.S. dollars to change to Indian rupees, the agent at the bureau was so excited to ask me about Kenya and how my flight with Kenya Airways was. I was confused and angry because this man had automatically assumed that because I was black, I was Kenyan and [had] flown in with Kenya Airways, because he thinks all black people would come from Kenya. I corrected him and told him I’m visiting from the U.S. and flew with Etihad via Abu Dhabi, and that I am of Nigerian and Sierra Leonean descent, with no heritage or connection to Kenya whatsoever. This man dismissed my corrections and went on to tell his colleague that I wanted to change local Kenyan money. The pièce de résistance of these awkward events was during spring break when I visited Dubai and Cambodia. While touring the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, a group of Chinese tourists took it upon themselves to make a line to take pictures with me. I was so astounded by their blatant ignorance and racism that I didn’t react. That experience brought me back to my hotel room to reflect on how the black skin is so damn political and polarizing ... I just had to smirk and almost rejoice in the fact that my mere existence as a black man can create so much commotion and conversation. I felt all the emotions and it was in that moment a realization dawned on me. My melanin is my greatest blessing, and my desire to be intentionally and unapologetically black and West African are what should and will propel me to fulfillment.
”
Gab Varano / The Hofstra Chronicle
Muneer Kaikai Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Chouest
A8 • September 24, 2019
features
M a n o n t h e U n i s pa n
What are you most looking forward to this fall?
The Chronicle
Overheard @ Hofstra
B y Leah DeHaem e r
In Hofstra USA:
S P E C I A L TO THE C HR ONIC L E
“What the fuck! You’re from New York and you’ve never had cream cheese?” In the Student Center: “I guess I’ll never have this problem because I don’t have boobs.” In Bits n’ Bytes:
“It’s my dad’s birthday in October, so I go home and me and my family, we go apple picking and pumpkin picking, and then we paint the pumpkins.” – Colleen Strowbridge, freshman
*Screams* “I dont want to go the fucking LIBRARY.” In Colonial Square: “Twerk that thing like Rihanna.” In Dunkin: “Why does my coffee taste like a bad bonfire?” On the Unispan: “It’s my first fall in New York, and so I’m excited to see the difference between East Coast fall versus West Coast fall.” – Elisabeth Kac, freshman
“Who needs the gym when you’re a multimedia journalist?” In Constitution Hall: “I don’t need no MAN’s help!” In Memorial Hall: “Taylor Swift? Who? I only know Swiffer, like the mop.” In Vander Poel: “I was coughing but I had to leave the room because my roommate is afraid of throw up.”
“[I just moved here from Abu Dhabi, so] I’m excited to see the leaves change colors for the first time in seven years.” – Hunter Pelecky, freshman
In LHSC: “Running is the devil.”
Photo Courtesy of Leah DeHaemer
Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle
features
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 •A9
Professor Spotlight: Juliette Gorson A Brief Bio
By Audra Nemiro w
A S S I S TANT FEATUR ES ED I TO R
Juliette Gorson, assistant professor of biology and a new addition to the University’s department, feels lucky to be at Hofstra for her first faculty position. “Getting a position in academia is very difficult after you finish your Ph.D., especially staying in the same area,” Gorson said. “A lot of people will get their Ph.D. in, say, California, and will apply for jobs all over the country, and then have to move to Maine because that’s the only place they’re able to get a job.” Gorson has been in New York since she received her master’s in biology at Hofstra. Despite having only recently started here as a professor, Gorson already has roots in the biology department and infectious enthusiasm for the upcoming semester. “I knew, of course, all of the faculty members here, I knew the type of research that was going on in the biology department and I kind of wanted to add to all the great things that were already here,” Gorson said. The experiences Gorson had
By Gab Varano
at Hofstra were instrumental in her formative research experiences; she credits Peter Daniel, her advisor for her master’s and the current chair of the biology department, with giving her the opportunity to explore her interests. “I actually got a grant to go collecting snails in Hawaii, and I brought the snails back to Hofstra,” she said. “That’s kind of what started my entire love of research. And that would have never been possible without Dr. Daniel kind of giving me that flexibility to say, ‘I don’t think you’ll really be able to get snails, but if you can get them, sure you can do research on them.’ And I was like, ‘Challenge accepted.’ And now I still do research on venomous snails.” As a new faculty member, Gorson will be teaching introductory biology classes. But eventually, as she gets to create her own classes, she hopes to start teaching bioinformatics. “Bioinformatics is my specialty,” she said. “It’s essentially computer science meets biology. That’s exactly how I got into this field.” Meanwhile, she is most look-
ing forward to a freshman biology class that allows students to create their own hypothesis and research study. This is an opportunity that is not usually offered until students are much more experienced, perhaps not until they are in graduate school. Gorson sees this as an opportunity for the students to connect with biology on a personal level. “They’re going to be doing research on copepods, which are tiny little animals that float around in the ocean. It’s a really neat way to get students doing actual science, being actual scientists for a semester. They’re really, really tiny animals; you can barely see them with the naked eye, you can really only see them under a microscope, so I know students are going to be super pissed off about using these animals, but I think it will actually be great,” Gorson said. “Students will get to see that scientists fail. Sometimes you kill an animal. Right? And when your study fails, you have to figure out what to do next. So not only will this be cool because the students are going to be scientists and they’re going to be creating their own hypotheses, but I think it will also be really
good for them to learn that you can fail and you can move on from that failure, all in a biology lab.” Gorson recognizes failure as an essential part of both science and life. At a recent ice cream social for freshmen, Gorson was able to connect to her new students through this concept. She told a group of biology students about getting a B-minus in her freshman biology class. She did not really fall in love with biology until later in college, and this
inspired her to work hard and earn her Ph.D. “It’s OK if you don’t do well in your first semester. It doesn’t mean you can’t continue on as a biologist. It’s an important life lesson, school lesson, scientist lesson ... failure’s OK,” Gorson said. “You can always learn from failure. There’s only one place you can go from failure and that’s up.”
Photo Courtesy of Juliette Gorson Juliette Gorson is an assistant professor in the department of biology.
@GabGrabsGrub: Broccoli and cheese quiche
C OP Y C HIEF
Ingredients:
Instructions:
One 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (frozen is good)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2 cups shredded sharp cheese – any variety 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped broccoli florets (frozen microwaveable bag is perfect) 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped 2 eggs, beaten Gab Varano / The Hofstra Chronicle
Things that are difficult to eat: vegetables. Vegetables that are difficult to eat: broccoli. Things that make eating broccoli a little bit easier: cheese. Need I say more?
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup evaporated milk *If you want to prepare an option with meat, substitute the broccoli with the same quantity of chopped ham or bacon
2. Steam broccoli in microwave and chop. Let cool. 3. In a large mixing bowl, toss the shredded cheese, chopped onion and cooled broccoli. 4. Spoon the broccoli mixture into the pie crust shell. 5. Whisk together the remaining ingredients (2 eggs, mayonnaise and evaporated milk) until well blended. 6. Pour egg, mayonnaise and milk mixture over the broccoli, cheese and onion mixture. 7. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. 8. Can be eaten right out of the oven or at room temperature. Follow Gab Varano on Instagram @gabgrabsgrub
New York City Climate Strike Friday, Sept. 20, 2019
A protestor holds a sign in the street during the NYC Youth Climate Strike’s march from Foley Square to Battery Park.
Kids holding a sign in Battery Park, in reference to the satirical Area 51 raid which was also set to happen that day.
Native American tribal leaders start off the Foley Square Rally with a traditional song, honoring the first protectors of the Earth and land.
Chivona Newsome, Black Lives Matter New York co-founder and congressional candidate, holds up a power fist at the NYC Youth Climate Strike.
Protesters parade through the streets of Manhattan carrying posters, signs and a large handmade banner.
A student protestor at the Foley Square protest holds a sign bearing the Extinction Rebellion logo.
A sign showing support for Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish activist who launched the Climate Strikes.
Photos and Captions by Sarah Emily Baum
Indigenous youth hold a banner at the NYC Youth Climate Strike.
Calvin Yang, right, and a fellow activist hold a banner at the front of 300,000 marchers who make their way through NYC.
Teenagers, still in their backpacks, who left school for the protest.
Spread by Robert Kinnaird, Adam Flash and Talha Saddiqui
VOL. 85 ISSUE 3
For an Emmy recap, check out our Quick Hits on B2
Courtesy of People
B2•September 24, 2019
A&E
The Chronicle
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ has most dramatic season yet
By Annemarie LePard ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
It wouldn’t be a proper end to the summer without new love, heartbreak and Chris Harrison filling up our regularly-scheduled television programs. On Tuesday, Sept. 17, “Bachelor in Paradise,” a spinoff of “The Bachelor(ette)” franchise came to a “dramatic and shocking” end. This season of “Paradise” brought firsts and fists to the beach in Sayulita, Mexico. Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty’s relationship marked the first out LGBTQ couple in franchise history, while Jordan Kimball and Christian Estrada’s epic tumble over a piñata got them both kicked off the show for violence. But the main lesson from this season: What happens at Stagecoach doesn’t stay at Stagecoach. The focus of the season finale should have been on the fate of the final four couples: Dylan Barbour and Hannah Godwin, Clay Harbor and Nicole Lopez-
By Robert Kinnaird
Alvar, Katie Morton and Chris the festival and Miller-Keyes the Bukowski and Burnett and Hagnext night. gerty. Instead, Blake Horstmann When Miller-Keyes arrived in was put on the “hot seat” to Mexico, she claimed Horstmann discuss the drama from this seademanded that she remain “quiet son, ultimately stealing airtime about their relationship and lie from Harbor and Lopez-Alvar, to anyone who asks about their who broke up on that last day in involvement.” She felt like a Mexico. “fucking From day dirty secret,” one, “Parawhereas dise” was a Horstmann rollercoaster insisted of emotions, Miller-Keyes starting exaggerwhen former ated their beauty queen encounter at Courtesy of Marie Claire Caelynn Stagecoach ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ premiered in 2014 Miller-Keyes and just wrapped its sixth season. and that he walked down “wasn’t the the stairs to Mexico only to find one who pursued her at the heartthrob Horstmann already festival.” there. The drama, however, truly Earlier this year, before filmunfolded when the season was ing began, Horstmann attended airing and Horstmann released the Stagecoach Festival and private text messages between ran into Miller-Keyes and other himself and Miller-Keyes to the contestants, including Tayshia internet. Adams and Kristina Schulman. “The reason I released them The drama unraveled when is because of the allegations you Horstmann admitted to sleeping said [about me] were not true,” with Schulman one evening of Horstmann explained to Har-
rison during the reunion. “If I were to sit on this stage and say I didn’t sweet talk her, [that] she came onto me, I would’ve been laughed off of this stage. No one would have believed me.” “Your whole point was to discredit me and you’ve done far more than that. You discredited me in every aspect of my life,” said Miller-Keyes. In the end, Horstmann refused to apologize to Miller-Keyes. The events of this season are unique to the franchise, and they could have been avoided all together if cast members didn’t have conversations with each other before filming “Bachelor in Paradise.” After all the drama and heartbreak, “Bachelor in Paradise” wasn’t all bad. Three couples are engaged and two are happily dating. Stay tuned for the new season of “The Bachelor” starring Peter Weber, even though it should be fan favorite Mike Johnson.
Quick Hits:
Emmy Edition
Courtesy of Time
Despite its controversial final season, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” took home the Emmy for Best Drama.
Courtesy of Pop Sugar
Billy Porter, for his performance in “Pose,” won the Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first openly gay man to win the category.
Cover: Emmy Awards
Netflix’s ‘Tall Girl’ falls short
what it’s like to be raised by abusive parents. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR “Tall Girl” isn’t a movie about The 2019 Netflix film “Tall oppression or social justice; it’s Girl” was met with harsh critione about a girl who has been cism on Twitter before it even treated like a freak by her parents came out, for making a movie for her entire life. The movie that seemed to equate being a highlights some of the bullying tall, conventionally attractive she experiences in school, but is woman with being an oppressed also quick to show how her loyal minority. The movie is a cute friends stick by her. Regardless, romantic comedy, though it is, Jodi’s self-esteem, damaged due to put it kindly, not good. The to her parents’ abuses, prevents film stars Ava Michelle as Jodi, her from simply shrugging off the titular Tall Girl, and despite the bullying. this movie’s faults, it also gives In a scene that is treated as a us a look into a common story throwaway joke about how tall in American culture, as well as Jodi was growing up, her father (Steve Zahn) takes Jodi to the doctor and asks if there’s a medication they can use to slow her growth. He suggests medication that he’s heard of, but the doctor responds that although it would likely work, there’s a risk that it would prevent Jodi from having children. Her father then turns to his daughter, who is three at this point, and asks, “Honey, this may be too soon to talk about, but do you Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly even want kids?” This man’s disregard for his Since its release on Sept. 13, ‘Tall Girl’ has reached 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. young daughter’s reproductive
rights in the name of making sure she looks “normal” sets the tone for his behavior throughout the movie. He constantly makes his daughter feel like a freak for her height, bringing up the health complications tall people face over breakfast and telling his daughter about tall women who die young because of heightrelated heart conditions. When Jodi opens up to her parents about how she stopped playing piano because she doesn’t want to give people another reason to look at her, her mother (Angela Kinsey) responds, “You just have to be strong in the face of adversity,” implying that her height is a problem to conquer, while also ignoring the negative role she and her husband play in Jodi’s life. Jodi’s parents consistently make her life harder and make her feel more and more unaccepted by society. It peaks when Jodi comes home to find that her parents have invited a tall persons’ club known as the “Tip Toppers” over to their home to have one of their weekly meetings. Their intention is to try and give Jodi a sense of belonging,
but they miss the mark, showing how little they really care about their daughter and her feelings. This does little more than exhibit just how different Jodi is in her parents’ eyes and once again leaves her feeling ostracized, freakish and unwanted. The worst parts of Jodi’s life aren’t the occasional bullying or weird glances she gets at school, it’s that even at home she is treated this way. At school, she has friends, a weird admirer and for the most part is a normal girl, but at home, her parents constantly discuss her health and threaten her sense of belonging. “Tall Girl” was a bad movie in plenty of ways, but the way it fails to acknowledge her parents’ faults in scenes that are supposed to feel like jokes is its greatest failing. The movie had the chance to say something powerful about what it means to be made to be a freak in your own home, but it passes that opportunity up to focus on an underdeveloped love triangle and bullying that feels like it was ripped from a Disney Channel Original Movie from the early 2000s.
Courtesy of Esquire
Jharrel Jerome became the first Afro-Latino to win an Emmy in the category of Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role in “When They See Us.”
Courtesy of NDTV Gadget
Netflix’s interactive film, “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” won Best TV Movie, despite being a streaming service exclusive.
Courtesy of HBO
HBO’s “Chernobyl” miniseries won three Emmys, including Best Limited Series.
A&E
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019•B3
White people talk white privilege in Netflix film By Victoria Bell ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
It’s sad, but true, that race has always been a dividing factor among Americans since the beginning of the country’s history. As people look toward the future, they can’t help but delve into their pasts, uncovering the roots of issues that we face in today’s society. In the Netflix documentary, “Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea,” American comedian and white woman Chelsea Handler took it upon herself to explore a rather controversial topic in modern-day America: white privilege. Beginning her career in stand-up, Handler now stands up for those oppressed within the black community. The documentary forms its narrative so as to not to be onesided. It makes sure to show both sides of the argument – those who believe in white privilege and those who don’t. Collecting takes from those who strongly advocate for the existence of white privilege as well as those who are ignorant of the matter, Handler travels across the country to chat with professionals
and pedestrians alike regarding the heavy topic. It’s important to note that while the concept of white privilege is not new in its creation, the term itself has been created in more recent times as a way to define those who truly experience what it’s like to have full freedom. The film journeys back to Handler’s childhood to disclose some rather personal moments in her life. Audience members can look forward to better understanding the successful comedian on more than a surface level. Handler connects her newfound awareness of white privilege to various instances from her past as a way to unfold thoughts on certain issues she had potentially never considered before. A key point Handler consistently conveys in her work is the fact that white privilege is not an issue that should have to be solved by black people. In other words, the black community should not have to or feel obligated to deal with the issues within the white community. With this in mind, Handler questioned multiple white people firsthand about their opinions on
the controversial concept. Those asked were not able to come to a consensus, as many different people provided commentary that spanned both sides of the spectrum. In addition to people of her own race, Handler took time to hear out those being oppressed by the subject matter itself: black people. Handler speaks with several black people, from college students to members of the Black Lives Matter movement, about their feelings toward white privilege. Successful black comedians Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish also make an appearance within the film to share their takes on the touchy subject. As one could expect, this adventure wasn’t all peaches and cream for the curious comedian. Handler faced her fair share of backlash, some even arguing that a white person doing a documentary about white privilege is a privilege unto itself. Many questioned the celebrity’s motives, as well as what this documentary was really going to do for the issue, several believing that it would ultimately not solve anything. Nonetheless, the fear-
less celebrity admitted to actually appreciating the criticism, as she knew it in her heart that this was a concern she wanted to further explore. “Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea” further investigates a concern that has persisted since the beginning of American histo-
ry. Regardless of where someone stands on the subject matter, this movie was made for all to feel as though their opinions were heard. Furthermore, the hour-long film made it clear to the comedian that the issue of white privilege is no laughing matter.
Courtesy of GQ In the wake of the film’s release, Chelsea Handler went on to call President Trump ‘the perfect example of white privilege.’
‘Sell/Buy/Date’: More than a show, a movement
By Crystal Bermudez SPECIAL TO THE CHRONCILE
Every woman is heard and embraced in Sarah Jones’ solo play “Sell/Buy/Date.” In this reenactment of a futuristic classroom, Jones presents a series of stories, delivered in monologues based on real-life women today. The play explores the darkest depths of victims, all while revealing the truth of the sex “industry” and toying around with the meaning of “choice.” The classroom takes place on a vivid white panel, nothing but a podium and a file cabinet. Serene Campbell, a British professor lectures the “classroom” (the audience), through files that were stored for learning about the 21st century. The students are exposed to a variety of concepts through different backgrounds, while traveling through the years and even reaching 2030 (or as they say in the play, the “dirty ‘30s”).
The first character presented these characters to life. The mes- fought for feminism, a Nigerian was a relatively older woman – sage here was sold – audience woman trying to make ends meet one who saw sex as an for her children act of intimacy shared back home and a between two people who married man who love each other. As she fell into despair is first introduced to the after years of world of internet pornogpaying prostitutes raphy, she had come to in exchange for realize “there is no love pleasure. in any of this,” elaboratThe play deliving that “[there are] so ers a sequence of many people, I don’t stories through know whose part belongs different angles of to who.” the sex industry. The audience felt it To the classroom, all; laughter, indignait was absurd and tion and disillusionment. hard to believe, Jones brings a variety of but for the rest of impressions with quick the audience, like transitions and very Charlotte Murray minimal props. – who currently Courtesy of Playbill The diverse women supports a nonSince its debut, the one-woman show has received critical and men Jones played profit organization acclaim by both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. throughout the show that helps women spanned from African restore their lives American and Latino to Rusmembers were able to believe – the play symbolized something sian, Indian and Caribbean. Her Jones was an old Jewish woman, more. distinguished accents brought a young college student who “These are real life, social
issues that women seem to be trapped in. Society has begun to legitimize these acts, leading women to the verge of even committing suicide,” Murray said. “If these women aren’t getting the help they deserve or at least given the outlets for it, we are basically saying this is acceptable.” In just 90 minutes, Jones tackles and appoints these rising issues, all while letting the crowd experience the absence of humanity. Without a doubt, Jones brings to this small stage an embodiment of struggling women throughout all of America, primarily based on her own extensive research and interviews with victims. “Sell/Buy/Date” held its last show in New York’s Live Art Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 21. The show, however, will be playing at Pomona College in California on Monday, Sept. 30, for its final showing.
The Chronicle A&E ‘Tootsie’: A humorous, modern-day musical
B4•September 24, 2019
By Madeline Armstrong SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Fans of Robert Horn’s book and its movie adaptation are delighted as “Tootsie,” a humorous tale, finds its new home on the Broadway stage. The show opened on Tuesday, April 23, at the Marquis Theatre and has already made a name for itself, taking stage at the most recent Tony Awards with 11 nominations and two wins. Leading actor Santino Fontana, known for his performance in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” came home from the award show with one of the top titles: a Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. “Tootsie” tells the story of a 40-year-old actor, Michael Dorsey, who can’t seem to keep a job because of his unwarranted opinions and conflicting interests with the director. One day, as he’s rehearsing lines with his ex-girlfriend Sandy Lester (played by Sarah Stiles), he realizes he is a good actor. At least, he’s a good actor when he’s playing a woman. Overcome with this new
revelation, in “Spring he decides Awakening” to become and lives Dorothy up to all Michaels, a expectations phenomenal in her performiddle-aged mance of the woman with determined no experiand compasence, an sionate Julie exceptional Nichols. talent with Although innovative the sets, ideas. With lighting and a dress, a cast are all wig and stunning, some makewhat really up, he’s got makes this Courtesy of Theatermania the part. show bril‘Tootsie’ is based off of the book written by Robert Horn. However, liant is the All the actors and actresses do things stop storyline and an incredible job of incorporating looking so bright when Michael the underlying themes. Underhumor into their very relatable falls for the lead actress, Julie neath the humor and lights, this characters. Santino Fontana is a Nichols (played by Lilli Cooper). musical is centered around gender phenomenal Michael Dorsey/Dor- equality. At one point, Michael’s He is conflicted with what his othy Michaels. He sings and acts heart is telling him and all the roommate, Jeff Slater (played by both parts well, constantly having Andy Grotelueschen), asks him success he is gaining by being to switch between the lower Dorothy Michaels. When everyif he is okay with being paid less and upper registers of his voice. thing falls apart around Michael, and treated as less just to get the Cooper, who plays Michael’s love job. In fact, when Michael, or he might just find everything he interest, is well known for her role “Dorothy,” goes to work, he is was looking for.
immediately criticized by the misogynistic director (played by Reg Rogers) for not being the “ideal woman.” However, Michael’s ideas for the play are welcomed more as a woman than they ever were as a man. Michael learns a lot from being a woman. “Look, you don’t know me from Adam, but I was a better man with you as a woman than I ever was with a woman as a man. Know what I mean?” Michael says to Julie. “Tootsie” is a phenomenal success and is sure to run for a long time. It kept the audience laughing and entertained while warming their hearts with the conflict resolution that these quirky characters were able to find. The musical hit upon major gender equality struggles this generation is dealing with, blowing all traditional gender roles and stereotypes out of the water. Say goodbye to the old ideals of musicals and welcome a new era, where productions like “Tootsie” tell the world exactly what it needs to hear.
Breaking into the business: The teens leading Broadway
By Micaela Erickson STAFF WRITER
Several teens are currently dominating the Great White Way, as the last couple of years have shown a notable increase in young performers landing lead roles on Broadway. These roles are incredibly demanding, but actors like 19-year-old Reneé Rapp, 18-year-old Sophia Anne Caruso and 17-year-old Andrew Barth Feldman clearly have the skills to wow audiences eight times a week. Two of the three young Broadway stars have something in common: Their careers were jump-started by the Jimmy Awards, more formally known as “The National High School Theatre Awards.” These awards highlight exceptional musical theatre performances by high school students throughout the country. Rapp and Feldman both won the Jimmy Awards in 2018, and now Rapp is portraying Regina George in “Mean Girls,” and Feldman is playing the titular role of Evan Hansen in “Dear Evan Hansen.” Sophia Anne Caruso is no stranger to the Broadway stage.
Caruso has had an active career in and working to craft their skills, Hansen and Regina George both professional theater since 2013, countless hours of rehearsals and have some of the most difficult making her Broadway debut back performing in eight shows a week vocal parts in musical theater in 2016 in “Blackbird.” Three is no joke. The ever-changing and today. Vocal and physical health years later, she’s helping lead competitive nature of the theater are essential components of giving “Beetlejuice” as strong, consistent Lydia Deetz. All performances each three of these night. With the young actors have goal of prioritizproven that age ing his health and doesn’t determine setting him up talent or capafor “long term bility. Caruso, success,” “Dear Feldman and Evan Hansen” Rapp are all vocal creatives opted powerhouses who to have Feldman have left audiperform only five ence members in shows a week at awe. Critics have the beginning of given high praise his Broadway run. to both Caruso and This allowed him Feldman’s acting. to build his stamina Since Rapp’s Courtesy of Broadway Shows and ease his way official debut was into his newfound just this past week, Teenager Andrew Barth Feldman is the only lead in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Broadway stardom. to match the age of his character. there is little inforThere was some mation on her overall portrayal industry leads to the question of brief discussion among theater of the iconic “Mean Girls” queen whether or not throwing young fans on social media concernbee. adults into challenging roles is ing Sophia Anne Caruso’s health Broadway performers have one sustainable. as a video of her performing at of the most demanding jobs in the Contemporary musical theater “Broadway in Bryant Park” circuentertainment industry. For young composers have made their music lated on Instagram. In this specific people who are still developing far from simple. The roles of Evan video, her voice is not nearly as
strong as it proves to be in other recordings. Caruso has a very distinct singing voice and in her portrayal of Lydia, she invokes indie and rock stylization. Though fans are certainly not the most qualified to distinguish what is considered to be healthy technique, there was worry that this style could be damaging to her vocal chords. Caruso has called out of very few performances of “Beetlejuice” – if her well-being was truly at risk, the creatives would certainly favor her health over potentially cutting her career short. For decades, it has been typical to see people in their mid-tolate 20s portraying teenagers on both stage and screen. The roles that Rapp and Feldman are currently playing were originated by Broadway legends well out of their teen years. Young actors rising to the top of the industry before even hitting 20 was almost unheard of until recently. Maybe this trend of teens leading Broadway’s hit shows is the beginning of a new normal and will open doors for other young actors, too.
A 12 •September 24, 2019
op-ed
The Chronicle
The The views and opinions expressed in the Editorial section are those of the authors of the articles. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors. The Chronicle reserves the right to not publish any piece that does not meet our editorial standards.
By Elliot Colloton On the last day of December of this year, Long Island’s minimum wage will go up to $13 per hour, as part of a plan to eventually bring the minimum wage across New York up to $15. So why are Hofstra students still making as low as $9 an hour? It’s more expensive than ever to live at Hofstra, and living in the surrounding area isn’t cheap either. My rent is $750 every month with five roommates, and among my friends, I pay less than anyone I know. In order to afford that, my electric bill and enough food for a month, I need to work about 27 hours per week at my summer wage of $9. Between class, homework, club and organization obligations and sleeping, I barely have time
Work It Out: The case for $15 for anything else, even without adding that much work into the mix. Of course, there are plenty of students that manage it, and props to them for it! But we shouldn’t have to. The concept of a living wage is essentially that a person working full time on this wage would be able to afford basic expenses such as housing, food, bills, etc. The Living Wage Calculator, created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Dr. Amy Glasmeier, estimates that a living wage to support one adult in Nassau County clocks in at $15.53, which is just about on par with New York’s eventual minimum wage goal. Student workers might not be full time, and they shouldn’t need to be in order to afford
to keep going to school, but a living wage is just as important to us. Fifty-five percent of the Hofstra student body commutes, and a huge chunk of us live in the neighborhoods surrounding campus by renting out houses with a bunch of roommates. Of everyone I know who rents, I have the least on my plate every month – some of my friends pay $800 for rent, others pay for gas and water as well as electricity. Even commuters that don’t rent have expenses, paying for gas to drive to campus and back every day, the ever-increasing LIRR fare and even a monthly bus pass. Everyone, even students that live on campus, knows how expensive it can be to pay for things like food, textbooks and whatever portions of tuition financial aid doesn’t cover.
Nobody should be forced to work 30 hours every week on top of going to class. Raising the student minimum wage to Long Island’s $15 to match a livable wage is necessary. If you stepped five feet off campus, it would be illegal to get paid only $9 an hour. So why is it fine for students to get paid so little? Things like the Pride Pantry, located in the Health and Wellness Center room 105, open Wednesdays during Common Hour and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., and the studentrun GoFeedMe Facebook group fill in necessary gaps where Hofstra’s food prices leave those unable to afford to eat on campus struggling to get full meals. I’m glad they exist, but the reality is they’re not enough. No student should be left to
It is worthwhile noting that while the Trump Administration can propose the HARPA blueprint, Congress has the authority to create – or not create – such an agency. The Post reported on a proposal, in an effort to curb gun violence, from Wright and the HARPA advocates. It will be titled SAFEHOME, Stopping Aberrant Fatal Events by Helping Overcome Mental Extremes, which calls for exploring whether technology including phones and smartwatches can be used to detect when mentally ill people are about to turn violent. “The violence detection plan has alarmed experts studying violence prevention, technology, psychology and mental health,” wrote the Post. OK, now this is a problem. Not only is the policy proposal misguided, but also fundamentally flawed. Misguided because, according to MentalHealth.gov, “the vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness[es] are not violent and
only 3%-5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.” The SAFEHOME project would seek to research volunteer subjects to determine whether you can detect a future violent episode from their personal devices. Since the subjects are volunteers, they will waive their reasonable expectation of privacy, and therefore their constitutional rights will not be violated. But the door to governmental surveillance is not a door any of us should jump to open. SAFEHOME could theoretically provide a foundation for future policy proposals advocating for targeted governmental surveillance of mentally ill Americans. But could the government actually impose technological surveillance of mentally ill Americans in an effort to curb gun violence? Short answer: probably not. Any future proposal attempt-
ing to surveil Americans for gun violence prevention would have issues around making an arrest before any criminal act has been committed. Beyond that, the Fourth Amendment provides, among other things, a right of privacy and protects individuals from warrantless searches. The Supreme Court in Katz v. U.S. determined that governmental surveillance, specifically through a recording device, was indeed a search protected by the Fourth Amendment. Thus, since individuals maintain a reasonable expectation of privacy, the government must obtain a warrant before conducting a wiretap-like surveillance operation. Do we maintain a reasonable expectation of privacy in our phones and smartwatches? It would likely depend on the user’s knowing exposure. Essentially, you give up your reasonable expectation of privacy when exposing information to potential “public inspection.” See California v. Greenwood. Postings on social media, for example, would seemingly fall under the category of infor-
worry if they’ll be able to afford rent while balancing homework, sleep and leisure time. No student should work themselves half to death to be able to afford to go to school or pay their bills. A livable wage is not only what student workers at Hofstra need, it’s what we deserve. Without us RSRs, office aides, tech lab staff, AV and so much more, the university would grind to a halt. It’s about time that Hofstra at least pay us minimum wage. Work It Out is a labor rights column written by Elliot Colloton, a sophomore sociology major. This column aims to examine the life and rights of student workers on Hofstra’s campus.
The misguided and extremely flawed SAFEHOME policy By Matthew Buzard
The Trump administration is considering a proposal which would create the Health Advanced Research Projects Agency (HARPA), a research agency dedicated to “out-ofthe-box” solutions to health problems. The leading advocate for HARPA is former NBC chairman and longtime friend of President Trump Bob Wright. At the outset, I don’t see a fundamental problem with a federal research agency dedicated to innovation and improvements in health care. Regardless of how I feel about the head executive, the idea behind the agency itself doesn’t seem inherently wrong. After all, it was Nixon’s administration that proposed the Environmental Protection Agency as a way to combat pollution. So there may be disagreements surrounding how HARPA should be run, but the creation of the agency itself doesn’t appear unsound. According to the Washington Post, former Vice President Joe Biden also supports the creation of HARPA.
mation available for public inspection. What level of knowledge constitutes knowing exposure? Pictures saved through the cloud, private messages through social media apps, my Google search history? I might have an expectation of privacy around these, but I also know Google and other social media companies are tracking and selling my personal data to other corporations. Does my knowledge of this shatter any reasonable expectation of privacy? The rapid changes in technology and social media have unknown effects on our privacy rights. The SAFEHOME policy rests on a mistaken belief about mentally ill Americans, and pushes the boundaries protecting our privacy rights. This may seem like only taking an inch, but giving an inch inevitably leads to taking a mile. Matthew Buzard has a Bachelor of Science in legal studies from Stevenson University and is a current law student at Hofstra.
op-ed
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 A 13
What’s the T: Your microaggressions aren’t cute
By Serena Payne
Microaggressions. A term that most young adults who spend any amount of time on Tumblr or Twitter would be able to recognize and drop into class discussions to illustrate how “woke” they are on social justice issues. For the uninitiated, a microaggression is “a statement, action or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. With a little bit of training and simply paying attention, a lot of microaggressions are actually pretty easy to spot, for example; a straight person telling a gay person that they “don’t seem/ look gay.” However, a newer microaggression that I have ex-
perienced more and more, both on and off of Hofstra’s campus, is using “wokeness” as a veil to either a) just be a bigot, or b) inflate one’s own ego. I have countless examples, the latest of which is being in classrooms where professors and students would refer to me with they/them pronouns even after I’ve clarified that I am a woman and I use she/her pronouns. The disregard for my identity in exchange for sounding “woke” and gender-neutral is just plain old transmisogyny, only nowadays, they strip me of my identity entirely instead of just calling me a man. Another prime example is the people who call me “sir” no matter what I do, say or wear. While this sounds like just regular old transphobia, when pressed on the issue, these people will ar-
gue that they didn’t want to assume my gender and that “men can wear skirts/dresses too!” Now of course this is not what they actually believe; it is simply a defense tool. If they actually just didn’t want to “assume my gender” then they’d stop calling me “sir” as soon as I said I was a woman. These people just say that so that if I try and challenge them on this after months of being called a man, they can let the crocodile tears flow and complain to other cisgender people about how hard they were trying to be inclusive and how aggressive the transgender community is to anyone who “makes a mistake.” This guise of “wokeness” is not a genuine attempt to be kind or anything like that. It is simply a trap used so that a transphobic person can practically say
whatever they want, but as long as they use the correct wording, so-called “allies” to the trans community will defend them over me. Then again, many of the people who would label themselves transgender allies are just doing so because they like to use the transgender community to prop themselves up for how “progressive” they are and inflate their egos. These are the people who will stop me as I’m walking to class because they just had to tell me how “brave” I am. These are the people who will shout, “Yes, queen! You better walk! Wig!” as I walk past them, as if I was cast in their own personal Hofstra drag race. These are the girls who will say to me, “Oh gosh, you’re even prettier than me and I was born a girl!” These “compli-
and I also fail to see how Gillis thinks he is in any way “pushing boundaries.” His anti-Asian comments in particular have a clear lineage; one example of this that I can call to mind is the character of the Japanese landlord Yunioshi in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” as played by the Scottish Mickey Rooney. In other words, Gillis’ “comedy” (which doesn’t come off as comedy so much as genuine bigotry excused with humor) operates off tired stereotypes, and, above all else, displays a total lack of originality. If you think you can’t be funny without punching down, you’re probably not as funny as you think you are. Many also seem to be missing a crucial component of “free speech” when they bemoan its supposed downfall: It goes both ways. You have the right to say whatever you want, and people have the equal right to criticize you, even call for your firing. “SNL,” as a private employer, had every
right to fire Gillis – no one is entitled to any particular job, especially not one as highly coveted and easily replaceable as a cast member on “SNL.” It’s not as if Gillis’ livelihood is in danger. If anything, I’m positive that his “cancellation” will only lead to further engagements, if Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. are any indication. And we all know that we’ll be seeing the “Shane Gillis Comeback Special: RAW, UNFILTERED and UNCENSORED” on streaming platforms in approximately six months anyway. There are valid critiques to make of movements like #MeToo and other cancel culture-affiliated entities. Generally, I believe in restorative rather than punitive measures when it comes to dealing with instances of harm. But considering that it took “SNL” nearly half a century to cast an Asian person and considering that Gillis seems not to have learned anything, I believe
ments” are not even actually for me. They’re so that Becky can go back to her sorority sisters and tell them all about how nice she was to the transgender community, they’re so that Becky can tweet out, “Trans rights are human rights!!!” without actually having to defend or stand up for trans rights. So to all the “Becky’s” I’ll just say this: I’m not brave for walking to class in my clothes, I’m tired. I’m not someone for you to test out all the gay slang you know on. And yes, of course I’m prettier than you. What’s the T is a column from the perspective of Serena Payne, a senior psychology major and transgender woman. She is also a member of the dean of students’ diversity advisory board.
Me no love Shane Gillis long time
By James Factora
“Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) recently made history by hiring its first-ever Asian cast member, Bowen Yang, who previously wrote for the show and also happens to be a gay man. While this should have happened much sooner in the show’s 44-year history, it felt like a small victory for the Asian American community nonetheless. But this victory was sullied when the bigoted comments of fellow new “SNL” hire Shane Gillis went viral on social media. This was not an “unearthing” of bigotry, as many outlets have framed it – Gillis made such comments on his own highly-public podcast as recently as September 2018. In what was probably the most viral incident, he referred to Chinese people as “ch-nks” as he and his co-host discussed how “fucking nuts” Chinatown is and how disgusting they found Chinese food to be. His
co-host even invoked the good ol’ “MSG is a fake chemical poisoning our food” trope, an idea that has long been debunked as racist nonsense. This is, of course, only one instance of many slur-heavy public comments Gillis has made. After catching heat, Gillis defended his choices as those of a comedian who “pushes a lot of boundaries” in a classic Notes-app-screenshot statement. Even after getting fired from “SNL” a few days later, he refused to apologize for his comments, instead stating that he was “more of a Mad TV guy” anyway. Because we live in 2019, this meant that the entire Internet exploded, decrying “cancel culture,” the “woke mob” and the fact that you “can’t make jokes about anything anymore.” The last point may be true: These jokes have always existed in comedy, and it is becoming increasingly unacceptable to make them. I fail to see why this is a bad thing,
justice has been served. It is an unequivocal good that unapologetic racism, sexism, homophobia and other bigotries are no longer entirely consequence-free, and it is frankly unbelievable that this even needs to be said. The truth is that the outrage over cancel culture is really just anxiety over the destabilization of the social order. People who have lived their whole lives in positions of privilege are threatened by the very idea that marginalized voices might finally have some power, and by the idea that their words and actions may finally have consequences. To which I say: good. You should be afraid.
James Factora is a queer Asian who likes to make jokes on Twitter @james_factora. They are also the Op-Ed editor of The Chronicle.
Got hot takes? We want ’em. Email us huchronicle.op.ed@gmail.com
A 14 •September 24, 2019
op-ed
Not everything is anti-Semitism
By Alan Singer
In opinion columns; in her latest book, “How to Fight AntiSemitism;” and while promoting the book on The Brian Lehrer Show on the radio, New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss makes false equivalencies as she argues that waves of antiSemitism are sweeping through the United States and Western Europe. For Weiss, everything from neo-Nazi marches, to boycotts by opponents of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, to street crimes against religious Jews, to hurtful comments by college students are evidence that Jews are under attack. While a student at Columbia University in 2004, Weiss cofounded a group called Columbians for Academic Freedom that charged professors who were intimidating students in their classes who made proIsrael comments. The New York Civil Liberties Union investigated the charges and concluded that it was Weiss’ group, not university faculty members, that were the threat to academic freedom. In response to a Monday, Sept. 8, 2019, New York Times column “To Fight Anti-Semitism, Be a Proud Jew,” I submitted a response that the Times chose not to print: Like Bari Weiss, I consider
myself a proud Jew who recognizes the need to combat antiSemitism. However, I think she makes a serious mistake by conflating two different phenomena. Right-wing white nationalism abetted by the Trump administration is a grave threat to Jews and to democracy in the United States and must be vigorously challenged. Urban tensions in gentrifying communities where racial and ethnic minorities are being displaced by gentrification and in Brooklyn, New York, by an expanding orthodox religious group have led to anti-Semitic slurs and physical assaults on religious Jews, but they are not an attack on Judaism as a religion and on the Jewish people as a whole. This behavior can best be addressed by building an inclusive community. Hofstra University recently was embroiled in what is a national campaign by the AMCHA Initiative to identify colleges and universities it suspects of anti-Semitism because professors and student groups challenge the Israeli occupation or because of student complaints that other students expressed bias toward them because they are Jews. The website claims that it is monitoring 450 campuses where over 2,500 “incidents” have occurred since 2015.
A Hofstra entry was updated on Sept. 12, 2019 because of an opinion essay printed on the front page of The Hofstra Chronicle where a student who self-identified as an Orthodox Jew charged that “anti-Semitism is alive and more insidious than [she] had expected” on the Hofstra campus. The author cited a series of microaggressions by what she considered to be insensitive students and non-supportive faculty and administrators and called on the Hofstra community to “confront this issue now to curb the rise of anti-Semitism, before it’s too late.” I don’t dispute the student’s feelings, but I disagree with her accusations of anti-Semitism on the Hofstra campus. As a teacher, I distinguish between bias and racism or anti-Semitism. Everyone has biases. They are products of culture, what we are taught and our understanding of experiences. But everyone does not act on biases to restrict or hurt other people. Biases can be examined based on evidence and new experiences and be dismissed, or at least controlled. Racism and anti-Semitism belong in a separate category. Racism and anti-Semitism mean acting on biases and even promoting biases to justify discrimination against and exploitation
I don’t want to believe
of groups of people to achieve economic, political or social advantages. It can be a slippery slope from bias to racism when groups are pitted against each other for political power or scarce resources, but the transition is not inevitable. People can overcome bias and challenge racism and anti-Semitism. Examples are alliances that built the American labor movement in the 1930s, strong support by many whites for the abolition of slavery and the 1950s African American Civil Rights movement, as well as the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States. Distinguishing between bias and racism or antiSemitism makes it possible to have thoughtful and respectful discussions and societal debates on difficult issues without automatically putting people on the defensive. Microaggressions and insensitivity are hurtful, but everything does not rise to the level of racism and anti-Semitism. Everything is not the same.
Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs.
The Chronicle
Quick Hits
The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he was withdrawing from the Democratic race.
$350,000 worth of jewelry was allegedly stolen from residents of Trump Tower in Manhattan on Sunday.
A 58-year-old man was fatally struck by a car in Uniondale last Friday night.
Comic by Amanda Romeo
“Why are they running from us? Climate change will kill them before we do ...”
Orlando police officer Dennis Turner has been suspended after arresting a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old.
SPORTS
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 A15
Pride Performer of the Week:
BY THE NUMBERS
Matthew
Vowinkel
1 goal 1 assist
MEN'S SOCCER FORWARD
Porter and Taylor score to propel Pride over Penn
By Adam Flash
ASSISTA N T M U LT I M E D I A E DI TOR
Final Hofstra
2
Penn
1
The Pride women’s soccer team kept the ball rolling on Friday, Sept. 20, picking up their fourth win in a row and taking down the University of Pennsylvania Quakers, 2-1. The Pride moves to 6-3-0 and Penn drops to 4-2-1, seeing their threematch winning streak come to an end. All of the scoring for the Pride came in the first half as junior midfielder Lucy Porter put Hofstra on the board early in the ninth minute, chipping the ball into the goal off an assist from Miri Taylor. Porter leads
the Pride in scoring, already collecting nine goals this season. The goal also marks the first one scored on Penn in three matches, with the Quakers shutting out their last three opponents. Soon after, in the 22nd minute, Taylor extended the Pride’s lead to 2-0 thanks to a ball shot from the back line that made contact with Quaker goalkeeper Kitty Qu, but still went into the net. Hofstra saw six more chances at a goal throughout the first 45 minutes, but went into halftime still up 2-0. Going into the second half, Penn came back to score in the 57th minute off a penalty kick, cutting Hofstra’s lead to 2-1. However, the Quakers couldn’t find the back of the net again as both of their remaining shots on goal were defended by Pride goalkeeper Skylar Kuzmich. Junior midfielder Bella Rich-
ards saw a final opportunity to score for the Pride but couldn’t follow through as Hofstra defeated the Quakers 2-1 after the full 90. The 2-1 loss for the Quakers marks the first time since their season opener – six matches ago against No. 3 Stanford University – that they gave up more than one goal. Hofstra had 16 shots throughout the match, led by Sabrina Bryan who had six shots, including three on goal. Porter, Taylor and Lucy Shepherd each tallied three shots of their own. For Penn, the team collected 13 shots in total and Emily Sands and Katharine Larson both led the way with four. In goal, Qu collected six saves for the Quakers and Kuzmich had two for the Pride. Hofstra will take the field next as they open up conference play facing Drexel University on Thursday, Sept. 26, at home.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
Lucy Porter tallied her ninth goal of the season in Hofstra’s 2-1 win.
A16• September 24, 2019
The Chronicle
SPORTS
Volleyball falls short in sweep vs. No. 14 Oregon
By Mike Senatore STAFF W R I T E R
Fina l
Oregon
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The Hofstra volleyball team’s five-match win streak came to an end at the hands of the No. 14 University of Oregon Ducks on Friday, Sept. 20, in a 3-0 loss at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center. Set scores were 25-20, 25-21 and 25-19. “Definitely a tough day for us,” said head coach Emily Mansur following the defeat. “Some of our key players were not as aggressive or as good as they usually are for us. We knew that we had to play our A-game in order to have a chance to compete and sneak a win, and that just didn’t happen tonight.” The loss came in spite of an excellent night from junior Ana Martinovic, who tallied 13 kills
on 25 attempts, as well as four digs and a service ace with no errors to earn a .520 hitting percentage. Also playing well for the Pride were junior Luz Divina Nuñez Sierra, with nine kills and a block; senior Laura Masciullo with seven kills, two digs and two blocks and freshman Athina Dimitriadis, with six kills on 12 attempts, a dig and a block. Sophomore Maddie Appleton had just one kill on her only attempt, but completed two of the Pride’s three service aces and posted four digs. Helping in setting up her teammates was senior Luisa Sydlik, who made an impressive 27 assists through the three sets. Junior Juliana Vaz led all players in digs with 10. The Ducks were led by Ronika Stone, who had a match-best 17 kills and hitting percentage of .650. Kylie Robinson led both teams in assists with 32, and added seven digs and two service aces, both of which came in the third and final set.
The first set was tightly contested until Oregon pulled away to a 15-11 advantage before going up another seven points to a score of 22-15. Martinovic came close to pulling the Pride back into it, but Hofstra was unable to catch up and lost the set, 25-20. The Pride jumped out in front early in the following set, but the Ducks tied the match at 8-8. Neither team was able to earn a decisive advantage for much of the set, as the largest difference in points only reached three when the Ducks went up 21-18. From there, a 4-2 run earned them the win. With an early Hofstra lead being snuffed out once again in the third set, it was much of the same until the Ducks exploded to turn an 11-11 tie into a 17-11 advantage, powered by four kills from Stone. The Pride were unable to catch up, losing the final set 25-19. This match was only the second time in the program’s history that the Pride faced off
with Oregon. Their previous match occurred in 1985, which
also resulted in a loss for Hofstra.
Adam Flash / The Hofstra Chronicle Hofstra failed to maintain multiple leads in loss to No. 14 Oregon.
Record crowd not enough as Pride overpowered by Duke By DJ Lopes STAFF W R I T E R
Fina l
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The largest crowd in the history of the David S. Mack Physical Education Center witnessed the final match of the Hofstra Invitational between the Hofstra volleyball team and the Duke University Blue Devils on Saturday, Sept. 21. The Pride lost their second match of the invitational 3-1 (21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 21-25). Ana Martinovic led the way for the Pride with 15 kills, while sophomore Ade Owokoniran led the Blue Devils with 16 kills. The match was tightly contested from the first set, as neither team gained a convincing lead. However, Duke fought back whenever Hofstra started to gain momentum. On multiple occasions where the Pride either led or tied with Blue Devils,
Duke went on a 3-0 run to gain some separation. After their 3-0 run to go up 21-18 in the first set, Duke held on and took the set, 25-21. The second set proved to be the most competitive of the night, featuring 12 ties and eight lead changes throughout the set. Hofstra rebounded after Duke went up 5-2, going on a 6-1 run to take the lead early in the set. The competitiveness of the set was apparent often, as it featured some of the longest volleys of the two. With the score at 20-19 for Hofstra, Duke took a timeout that worked perfectly in their favor, as they came back to win the set 25-23. After going down two sets to none, Hofstra locked in and jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead. Even when Duke fought back to bring the score to 11-9, Hofstra kept putting the set out of reach. They went on a 6-2 run to give them a 17-11 lead. The Pride staved off one last push from Duke, never letting the lead get closer than three, and took their first set of the invitational, 25-19.
Hofstra continued to build on their momentum, taking another 5-1 lead in the fourth set. Unfortunately for the Pride, Duke continued to fight back, bringing the score within two at 16-14 and eventually tying the set at 18-18. From there, Duke took the lead and held onto it, taking the fourth and final set by a score of 25-21. Something that the Pride improved upon from their loss against the University of Oregon was a more balanced attack. They received doubledigit kills from two players and five players recorded at least six kills. “It’s great. It’s really important,” said Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur. “Again, we need to have that kind of approach and win the match. But it’s good to see different people being able to get kills and do different things for us.” Martinovic’s 15 kills built off of her impressive match against Oregon. She finished the invitational with 29 kills, the most on the team. “It’s something special, and
it’s something that we need,” Mansur said. “That was a very positive [takeaway] from the whole weekend.” Additionally, the Pride received a big boost off of the bench from Simge Korkmaz. Appearing in all four sets, she recorded six kills, nine digs and 19 total attacks. Her serves and energy boost helped keep the Pride in the match. “[It was] very important for
us to see that we had someone to take the spot of Laura Masciullo when she was having a tough game,” Mansur said. Masciullo recorded a careerlow two kills in the loss. This was the final match in the Pride’s non-conference schedule. They begin their quest for back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association championships on the road against Elon University on Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
Adam Flash / The Hofstra Chronicle The Pride went 0-2 at the Hofstra Invitational, falling to Oregon and Duke.
SPORTS
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 A17
Field hockey’s win streak ends at the hands of Brown By Mike Senatore STAFF W R I T E R
Fina l Brown
3
Hofstra
0
The Hofstra field hockey team was unable to extend their win streak to four games as they fell to the Brown University Bears by a score of 3-0 at the Goldberger Family Field on Sunday, Sept. 22. For the Pride, Djuna Slort was the most aggressive player on the field, taking two shots on goal. Cami Larsson, who scored the game-winning goal in Hofstra’s previous matchup versus Bryant University, also
took two shots, one of which was against the goalie. Also shooting were Madison Warfel, Valerie Vogels and Mercedes Currie. The depth of the Bears’ roster was a huge difference maker in the contest, as no substitutes for the Pride took any shots. Off the Bears’ bench, Anagha Nayak took the second-most shots of all players, one of which converted to Brown’s third and final goal. The Bears’ previous two goals were put in by Corinne Condie and Hannah Leckey. Another boost from the team’s bench came from Anya Nayak, who tallied the game’s lone assist when she set up her twin sister in the fourth quarter. In goal for Hofstra, Merlijn van der Vegt made five saves
against Brown’s eight shots on goal. Across the field, the Bears’ freshmen goalkeepers shined as Calista Manuzza made two saves in the first half and Jodie Brine took over goalkeeping duties for the last two quarters, continuing the shutout and tallying three saves of her own. The Pride were outshot by the Bears, 13-7, and beaten on shots on goal, 8-5. Hofstra was unable to fire off a single shot in the third frame. With the win, Brown snaps a five-game losing streak, improving to 2-5. The Pride now fall to a 3-5 record and looks to get back to their winning ways when they host Yale University on Sunday, Sept. 29.
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Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Atheltics Van der Vegt had five saves in eight shot attempts in Sunday’s loss.
HOFSTRA ATHLETIC CALENDAR HOME
T U E SD AY
W EDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATU R D AY
SU N D AY
AWAY
9/24
9/25
9/26
9/27
9 /2 8
9 /2 9
ME N’S S OC CE R W OM E N’S S OC CE R VOL L E YBALL FIE L D H OCKE Y
MARI ST – 7 P.M.
DREXEL
ELON
– 6 P.M.
– 1 2 P. M .
ELON – 8 P.M .
WILLIAM & M A RY – 1 P. M . YA L E – 1 2 P. M .
A18• September 24, 2019
The Chronicle
SPORTS
Kuzmich gaining confidence in net for the Pride CONTINUED FROM A1 “Honestly, I think just by making saves, the more we’ve practiced as a team [has helped],” Kuzmich said. “And I think team chemistry has a lot to do with it too. I’ve gotten really close with some of the upperclassmen on the team. I think that [helped] with trust on the field. Playing every day with them, especially preseason where we have two-a-days, I could really show them that I’m in it to win it and I will work hard for everyone.” As one might expect, the Pride have had a few bumps in the road, as has Kuzmich in particular, losing to Penn State 6-0, and falling to Rutgers 4-1. But bumps in the road are to be expected for someone so young and with such little
experience. Growth and improvement, especially before the start of conference play, are what’s most critical at this point in the season. “After the first four or five games, she’s started to garner
gotten better as we’ve gone on in the season,” Kuzmich said. “Me playing more on the collegiate level has gotten me better increasingly every game. We did allow a lot of goals in the first half of the season ...
it will definitely be so much better than the beginning of the season.” With her and the team’s improvement, Hofstra is now on a four-game winning streak, while giving up no more than
“Wherever I was placed ... I was just going to work my butt off for the team, and that’s all I really wanted.”
that confidence, that composure, that air that you need as a goalkeeper,” Riddiough said. “She’s developing tremendously on the mental side of things.” “I think my awareness has
a lot of those were due to my mistakes and mistakes from the team. But I think we’re all working and we’re all getting better as the season goes on. I think by [conference play],
one goal in each of the three games. The whole team’s play is continuing to improve. Additionally, while they did struggle in their two most highprofile games, the Pride have given up just .66 goals per game against unranked opponents. Against teams they should take care of, Hofstra is handling its business, led in part by their star freshman goalkeeper. Her team-first perspective isn’t just there when it comes to improvement. It’s also prevalent for her when it comes to success. She knows she is just a spoke on the wheel, just a cog in the machine and that the defense in front of her makes her job a lot easier. She must rely on them, just as they must rely on her. “The back four [are] blending [together] now,” Riddiough said after a recent win over Fairleigh Dickinson University. When told of her coaches’ assessment, Kuzmich said, “A lot of our defenders who have been playing this year are freshmen as well. So, I think that’s what he meant by blending ... that we’re all trying to get there too.” She said, “Right now, we have [two sophomores and
two freshmen] playing in the back, and even though we’re young, I think that even the upperclassmen telling us what to do is really helping us cohesively move together.” The back four, led in part by Annabel Hofmann, Anja Suttner, Marlene Fries and Lily Stavisky, have certainly helped make Kuzmich’s job much easier, and, along with the rest of the team, have also been a key reason for the Pride’s recent stretch of good play. They are also a huge reason why Kuzmich has two shutouts this season – tied for the most in the conference. Just like any athlete needs confidence to be successful, in order for Kuzmich to be able to continue her success and improve upon it, she knows she has to have a certain level of it. And just like her on-field performance, for the freshman goalkeeper, confidence is something that is improving each day as the season goes along. “In some games, I’ve let up a lot of goals,” Kuzmich said. “Obviously, that’s rough, but you just have to tell yourself that you can’t let up anymore. I had a coach tell me once to have a ‘goldfish mentality.’ A goldfish goes around a bowl and forgets the next thing by the time he comes around. So, I think what I do is kind of just forget. I keep it in the back of my mind, but I don’t dwell on it. By the next play, I try to be ready.” Ready is what Kuzmich and the Pride will need to be, because they open up their much-anticipated conference schedule Thursday, Sept. 26, at home against Drexel University. Ready or not, here they come.
Back Cover:
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Kuzmich has started all games for the Pride, allowing 16 goals on the season in 38 shot attempts.
Women’s soccer wins fourth straight against penn
SPORTS
The Chronicle
September 24, 2019 A19
Tausch’s work ethic propels him to leadership role
By Quentin Thorne
SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Luca Tausch is currently one of the most exciting athletes on the Hofstra men’s soccer team. The defensive-minded sophomore midfielder has shown that he is one of the hardest workers on the field, committed to bettering himself, as well as those around him. This is a mindset that Tausch has developed over several years of hard work and training, starting back in his days of club soccer with FC Basel in his native country of Germany. “I was one of the older guys [on the team],” said Tausch. “I learned how to lead and how to help other guys out, and that is also my position now.” Tausch is a natural leader on the Pride roster. FC Basel gave him experience with a lot of adversity, something he needed to make him the player for the Pride that he is now. “I was not one of the [starting] 11, I was more like number 14 or 15,” Tausch said. “I didn’t play every game. It really taught me how to work with setbacks, and how to work with frustration.” Competing in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) soccer compared to the game he played back in Germany has provided him with a challenge. Tausch
has met this challenge with tenacity and is keeping up with the intensive “American-style” play. “It’s a very erratic game,” Tausch said. “Usually in Europe, after 20 minutes the game settles down and goes from there. [In the U.S.,] it is always full speed and athletic.” Tausch thrived in this new style of play, competing against some of the best colleges in the nation; namely Harvard University last September, where he scored his very first collegiate goal. “It was pretty special, especially in my position,” Tausch said. “I don’t really score a lot of goals, I’m more of a defensive player. It felt really good to help the team.” Tausch is one of the hardest workers in the locker room, holding himself to a rigorous training schedule on a daily basis. “Training is really limited, so it is about what you do off the field,” Tausch said. “I like getting to practice early; I make sure I stretch a lot and go to ice baths after. You have to really focus on recovery. If you are at your best every game, results will come.” Tausch has been fortunate enough to have teammates to guide him and help him grow as
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Taush has played all 630 minutes this season for the Pride and is one of only three to do so for Hofstra.
an athlete. Among those teammates is fellow international midfielder Adam Savill. “He knows a lot about the game,” Tausch said. “Working with him every day at practice, he makes me better and I hope I make him better as well.” Tausch is wise well beyond his age, and that shows in his
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Taush’s lone goal of his career came on Sept. 9, 2018 in a 3-0 win against Harvard.
determined attitude towards everything he does. His mindset and his drive show daily with his “never give up” attitude. “Always keep going and think about what your goals are,” Tausch said. “Even if you have setbacks – and that happened a lot for me – you have to think about the joy that soccer provides.” He demonstrates this same tenacity in the classroom, constantly working at his studies, both while he is on campus and on the road. His academic effort has shown, as he was named to the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for both the fall and spring semesters of his freshman year. “I study on the bus often,” Tausch said. “At nights after practice, I like to do a study group with my teammates. I don’t like to cram, so it is important to get it out of the way when it is easy.” After a year of experience at Hofstra under his belt, Tausch is ready to make the next step as an athlete. Knowing what to expect and what he brings to the table is going to make him a serious force on this team.
“I know more about the game, what it feels like, what it looks like,” Tausch said. “I also have a better understanding of my teammates, as well as which opponents within the CAA to look out for.” As he understands his teammates, the sophomore is ready to step into a new role on and off the field. “I looked up to all the older players last year, and what they did,” Tausch said. “It has made me realize what I have to do this year, to help the new players.” The team as a whole has its sights set on yet another competitive year, and Tausch is going to be a large part of the team’s success. “I am convinced that we can win the CAA this year,” he said. “I think we can also compete in the NCAA tournament and win 12 games this season.”
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The Hofstra Chronicle
September 24, 2019
All They Do Is Win, Win, Win, Win Women’s soccer extends win streak to four with win over Penn
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics