The Hofstra Chronicle December 11, 2018

The Hofstra

HEMPSTEAD, NY Volume 84 Issue 10

Chronicle

Tuesday

DECEMBER 11, 2018

Keeping the Hofstra community informed since 1935

Annual Town Hall brings pressing concerns to light

By Leo Brine STAFF W R I T E R

Students raised questions regarding important issues on campus such as diversity, support systems for students and the need for digitally accessible services during the annual Town Hall hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA) on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

Participants had the opportunity to voice their concerns to Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz and top Hofstra administrators at the event.

Carissa Ramirez, a senior public policy and public service and political science major, coordinated and hosted the Town Hall as the rules chair of SGA. The event began with an address from Rabinowitz acknowledging the importance of the event and addressing changes the University has made in the last year. Rabinowitz explained how the University dropped the $30 counseling service fee, which was a main topic of discussion at last year’s Town Hall.

Rabinowitz also used the venue to announce the appointment of the new Dean of Students Gabrielle St. Leger. For Rabinowitz, the purpose of the event was to “try to hear [the students’] point of view and to answer questions to the best that we can.”

Online services for Title IX, the Resident Safety Program, trauma support and the method for filing complaints against faculty were also topics of discussion. The Chronicle reported earlier this semester on the new complaints.resolution@hofstra. edu email address created by the Office of the Provost. Not all students are happy with this email, saying it is an ineffective tool.

Jean Peden Christodoulou, associate vice president for Student Affairs, wants to work with students to change the complaint filing process. “We are trying to look at the process to see where adjustments can be made, how centralizing can help, what challenges there might be,” she said.

“That is certainly an important

part of what we’ll take into account as we continue to look at it.”

The Resident Safety Representatives (RSR) program was

criticized by an anonymous RSR. The complaint said the program is “disorganized, inefficient and lacks accountability.”

Continued On A2

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle The Town Hall, normally hosted during the spring semester, was held on Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center and was moderated by Carissa Ramirez.

Hofstra appoints Uniondale native as new dean of students

By Taylor Clarke N EWS ED ITO R

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra University Gabrielle St. Leger will begin her career at Hofstra on Monday, Jan. 14, bringing 17 years of experience to the University.

Gabrielle St. Leger has been appointed Hofstra’s new dean of students and assistant vice president for Student Affairs, effective Monday, Jan. 14.

Prior to taking on this new role, St. Leger served as dean of students at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) in Old Westbury, New York. Aside from her most recent position, St. Leger brings 17 years of experience in student affairs to Hofstra from NYIT, West Virginia University and Ohio State University.

A graduate of Uniondale High School, St. Leger has been

familiar with the Hofstra community for many years. “I have watched Hofstra blossom right before my eyes,” St. Leger said.

Following her high school graduation, St. Leger earned a bachelor’s degree in English from West Virginia University. St. Leger continued her education there, later earning a master’s degree in secondary education/language arts and a doctorate in educational leadership studies and higher education administration.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gaby St. Leger to Hofstra.

She is an experienced dean of Continued On A5

Inside this issue: Changes made to Student Health and Counseling Center

A2•DECEMBER 11, 2018

NEWS

The Chronicle

RA requests better support following trauma Continued FROM A1 According to the complaint, RSR’s frequently have their hours and shifts changed without much warning.

The lack of communication “has led to high turnover rate and inability to fully-staff all booths at various times during the semester,” the complaint said. “We feel like we are not heard and the job causes significant emotional trauma for some.”

The anonymous RSR suggested a digital system for scheduling that would greatly improve the program. In response, Director of Public Safety Karen O’Callaghan said that scheduling is a very complex operation and filling the 16 booths at all times is difficult, especially during holidays and breaks.

“We are taking a look at finding a way to make it easier for students to sign-up for shifts from a digital perspective,” O’Callaghan said. “It is something we are working on.”

O’Callaghan plans to reach out to Resident Safety Shift Coordinators to form a committee and address the problems mentioned.

The Title IX Office updated their “Student Policy Prohibiting Discriminatory Harassment, Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct” for the 2018-19 school year, bringing amendments to the reporting policy and extending its statute of limitation from six to 12 months.

However, according to a poll of 2,500 undergraduate students conducted by SGA during Student Appreciation Week, 86 percent of students said that Title IX needs an online filing process.

“Having an online option to start that process would be great. I wasn’t afforded that process when I was assaulted and ... it is still very traumatic,” one student said.

Also mentioned was the lack of support for male victims of trauma.

“Last year I pulled somebody from a window when they were trying to jump out and end their life because they didn’t feel they had the support necessary to get

over the trauma they were experiencing,” a resident assistant (RA) in attendance said. The school never checked back to see how they were after assisting in the crisis, the RA continued on to say. “I have seen so many terrible things that nobody the age of 18 to 22 should have to,” they said. “I think there needs to be a huge revisit as to what the mission should be to help prepare these students.

If we could just devote a little more time to those things, that’d be great, thanks.”

“I want to talk for a minute about the online reporting,” Christodoulou said. “We are hearing you that there is an interest in some ease of reporting, especially in traumatic situations.” Christodoulou said that conversations about online reporting are ongoing.

In regard to supporting residence life staff members, Title IX Officer for Student Issues Allison Vernace said she would be willing to work with anyone who had ideas. She suggested working with the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHACC) on a self-care clinic.

Vernace also explained that the University is taking steps to support male survivors. “It’s On Us has been doing a lot of work planning for next semester around supporting male survivors. Talking about masculinity, specifically toxic masculinity

and how men can be active allies, as well as how men can create safe spaces on campus for them to talk about their own experiences,” Vernace said.

Additionally, students mentioned changing the way appointments are made at SHACC, suggesting an online option. Dr. John Guthman, the director of SHACC, said that students have been able to schedule appointments online for the medical side of SHACC, but scheduling counseling appointments is still only done by calling or walking in for confidentiality purposes.

During the Town Hall, students were also curious about what the goals of Hofstra’s new chief and diversity inclusion officer will be, as it is currently a new and unfilled position. “[The role is] to address how we approach our diversity and inclusion efforts,” said Denise Cunningham, chief human resources officer. Cunningham said that the short term goals of the new position are to assess the University, layout a plan and “hopefully” execute that plan.

Intellectual diversity was also mentioned, specifically the intellectual diversity of speakers the University brings to campus.

Students believe that Hofstra Votes brought more speakers from the left side of the political aisle than the right.

Students who wanted to bring other speakers to campus did not

feel their efforts were financially supported by the University.

“We have an open process, we have a grants process. I know I’ve stopped by student tables and encouraged them to apply,” said Vice President of University Relations Melissa Connolly.

Speakers at Hofstra Votes were selected out of availability because the event was organized in two months. “We take informal [suggestions] as long as they’re not that expensive.

It’s an imperfect process but we’re always trying to make it as balanced as we can,” Connolly said.

Normally held during spring semester, Ramirez and the University Senate decided to move the Town Hall event to the fall so students could check in with the University during the rest of the academic year. “[Last year’s Town Hall] went well, but a lot of the questions were not directly answered,” Ramirez said.

For Ramirez, this year’s event was different. “There were a few times when groups of people asked follow up questions and didn’t back down when they felt administrators did not give specific enough answers,” Ramirez said. “I was very proud of the students who spoke up ... to advocate for the rest of campus.

I was cheering them on from behind the podium.”

The Hofstra

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Editor-in-Chief Joe Fay Managing Editor Katie Krahulik Business Manager Alexus Rogers News Editors Taylor Clarke Jill Leavey Assistant News Editor Melanie Haid A&E Editors Joseph Coffey-Slattery Samantha Storms A&E Assistant Editors Victoria Bell Allison Foster Sports Editors Felipe Fontes Alexandra Licata Assistant Sports Editor Christopher Detwiler @Hofstra Editor Emily Barnes @Hofstra Assistant Editor Drashti Mehta Op-Ed Editors James Factora Daniel Nguyen Assistant Op-Ed Editor Amanda Romeo Copy Chief Erin Hickey Assistant Copy Chiefs Mia Thompson Gabby Varano Multimedia Editors Robert Kinnaird Peter Soucy Social Media Manager Brian Sommer 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.

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle Student Government Association hosted its annual Town Hall event where students had the opportunity to express concerns and ideas to the University administration.

NEWS

The Chronicle

DECEMBER 11, 2018 A3

Fee removal marks first step in mental health care improvements

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle Following a multitude of student complaints, the University stopped charging students a $30 copay for appointments at the Student Health and Counseling Center.

By Robert Kinnaird & Rory Rucker M ULTIME D I A E D I TO R / SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E

As of July 2018, Hofstra University stopped charging students a $30 copay for appointments at the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHACC).

The maximum number of free appointments also increased from three appointments to 10.

After 10 sessions, students must seek off-campus counseling.

Following a multitude of complaints across campus, several student activist groups worked feverishly to make these changes, including the Student Government Association (SGA), the Hofstra Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and the Democrats of Hofstra.

“Although there have been some positive steps taken in bettering this campus’ mental health services, such as eliminating the $30 copay, there are still leaps and bounds to be made,” said Brynne Levine, a sophomore public relations major and president of the Democrats of Hofstra. “The now twoto-three week waiting period for appointments must be addressed as well as the lack of accessible long-term care now that there is a 10-session limit.”

“When we said we wanted free counseling, we meant free, long-term counseling with mental health professionals that actually have degrees and can help us more than just a few free appointments,” said Sky Dellesala, junior film major. “I moved to off-campus counseling, but not many people are as fortunate to have that privilege.

I have a car and health insurance and a therapist I trust. That’s pretty rare,” Dellesala said.

Another complaint among students is the lack of diversity among employees at SHACC. “The fee was never the primary complaint. For the school to change it and then act as if they’ve solved the problem is disingenuous,” said Charles Timm, a sophomore political science, history and philosophy major. Timm also served as the former secretary of the Hofstra YDSA. “We deserve a more diverse range of counselors that more accurately reflect the diversity in the student body.”

The Hofstra YDSA is now an inactive club, yet its members still strive to participate in campus activism and keep the ideals of the club alive.

“Students have to call or go in person to make an appointment with the counseling center, which is one of the main

reason[s] why I stopped going,” said Sophia Smith, a junior psychology major. “It made me anxious to have to make a call.”

Smith also suggested giving students the opportunity to make appointments online through the Hofstra Portal. Currently, the portal allows students to make other types of appointments with Student Health Services on the application, Medicat, which works for immunizations

knowledges that mental health is a very pertinent issue, especially on college campuses. “Mental health, especially anxiety, is relevant nationally, across all types of people,” Guthman said.

“Students end up falling into that group.”

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in four young adults aged 18 to 24 have a diagnosed mental illness.

More than 25 percent of college

“Although there have been some positive steps taken in bettering this campus’ mental health services, such as eliminating the $30 copay, there are still leaps and bounds to be made ...”

or sickness, but not for mental health care.

Smith further recommended starting an online chat where students can talk to professionals in a situation that causes less anxiety.

The Executive Director of Student Health and Counseling Services John Guthman ac-

students have been treated for a mental health concern and more than 80 percent of college students felt overwhelmed on campus at some point in the school year.

Guthman explained that following the allotted 10 sessions, SHACC works to support students and find long-term therapy

options in local communities outside of campus.

“Attempts are made to identify providers who are most suitable to address the clinical concerns identified,” Guthman said. “In most cases students are provided with several referral options to review or asked to obtain a list of local providers from their health insurance program that can be reviewed in consultation with SHACC counselors.”

On-call counselor Michael Accardo runs many group therapy sessions where students who have similar mental health concerns can come together to discuss these issues with peers and a professional in a welcoming and non-judgmental environment. These group therapy sessions are available to all students. The next session takes place on Friday, Dec. 14. Accardo’s sessions are free to all Hofstra students. There are also recovery groups, grief management groups and emotion management groups available for students.

Many schools in the New York metropolitan area also offer free mental health care.

Columbia University, New York University (NYU), Pace University and Barnard College in New York City all provide free professional or peer services to students.

The lack of free services has even driven some students to transfer colleges.

“When I withdrew, for ‘reasons leaving’ I told [Hofstra] to offer better mental health services,” said Rachel Weisler, who transferred from Hofstra to Northeastern University in Boston at the end of the 2017-18 academic year.

“Counseling services at Northeastern are free. If you need something outside of therapy, like ... a neuropsych exam, you can get insurance through Northeastern which [helps to cover] costs or, if you have insurance, they send you to places close to you [that are] covered by the insurance you have,” Weisler said.

“The removal of the copay fee is a great first step,” Timm said.

“But it is just that – a first step.”

A4•DECEMBER 11, 2018

NEWS

Catch up on credits during

January Session 2019!

Earn up to three credits in just two or three weeks.* • Fulfill distribution requirements • Choose from a variety of on-campus courses • Take an online course and learn from the comfort of your own home, on your own time

THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER! Go to hofstra.edu/january for details.

*Courses meet for two weeks (January 2-15) or three weeks (January 2-23). On campus job opportunities are available.

Residence and dining halls are open.

The Chronicle

NEWS

The Chronicle

DECEMBER 11, 2018 A5

St. Leger outlines plan to tackle diversity and student needs Continued from A1 students who will support and advocate for our students,” said W. Houston Dougharty, vice president for Student Affairs.

“As a native of Hempstead, Gaby will enrich our connections to our community as well.”

While St. Leger officially begins her career at Hofstra in January, she is currently preparing for the role and outlining important goals. “I want to start off with some listening sessions,” St. Leger said. “You get more from listening than speaking.”

Another important short-term goal for St. Leger is addressing what the University does to accommodate veterans. “I want to dig a little deeper and understand what we are doing for this population,” she said.

St. Leger is excited to join the experienced team in Student

Affairs, including Dougharty and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Jean Peden Christodoulou.

St. Leger is eager to hear what students have to say and to work

for all the changes students have been demanding,” said Zain Farooqui, a junior biomedical engineering major.

When leading a team, St. Leger stressed that it is impor-

foundationally,” she said. “I am hoping there’s some data, both qualitative and quantitative.”

“A few things I hope we can start working on really soon are some mental health and counsel-

“I’m really excited for when the new dean of students joins us so we can start the semester off with advances in advocating for all the changes students have been demanding ...”

on addressing issues on campus.

She expressed the importance of understanding student needs early on in her time at Hofstra.

“I’m really excited for when the new dean of students joins us so we can start the semester off with advances in advocating

tant to also understand what the team members need in order to accomplish goals.

When tackling the issue of diversity on campus, St. Leger emphasized the significance this issue has on her agenda. “[Diversity] is important to me

ing initiatives and addressing and hopefully implementing the policies the Jefferson Has Gotta Go! (JGG) campaign has been advocating for,” Farooqui said.

St. Leger is looking forward to partnering with the chief diversity and inclusion officer,

which is a new position on campus and has not yet been appointed.

“There has got to be a game plan [to] make sure everybody has a place,” St. Leger said.

St. Leger’s hiring follows an extensive national search after the resignation of Sofia Pertuz, the former dean of students and associate vice president for Student Affairs.

Pertuz recently began the next chapter of her career as senior advisor at the Jed Foundation (JED), which is a non-profit organization that aims to protect emotional health and prevent suicide in teens and young adults.

St. Leger recognizes and admires the many milestones that Hofstra has accomplished and is looking forward to watching the University grow even more in the next few years. “I feel honored,” St. Leger said. “Hofstra is doing great things.”

Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Melanie Haid

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle

On Dec. 5 at 3 p.m., a female non-student used a $20 bill to purchase food in the bookstore.

Shortly after, the individual returned with a counterfeit $10 bill and was denied.

The female then went to the Student Center cafeteria with a counterfeit $20 to get change and was denied again. The individual fled campus after others began to notice these suspicious actions.

A search was conducted which proved negative.

NCPD was notified and responded. Further investigation is being conducted into this matter.

On Dec. 6, a Hofstra custodian reported to PS that he had left his jacket in the cafeteria at 1 a.m. and when he returned at

2 a.m., he discovered that his jacket was missing.

A search was conducted of the area which proved negative. NCPD assistance was declined at the time of report. .

On Dec. 7, a Hofstra administrator reported to PS that she parked her vehicle in Parking Lot Five at 9 a.m.

Upon returning at 5 p.m. she discovered dents and scratches on the passenger side door. No witnesses were present and NCPD assistance was declined at the time of report.

On Dec. 8 at 5 p.m., three students in the Hofstra Fitness Center reported to PS that they had left their belongings on the right side of the far basketball court at 4:30 p.m. When they returned, they discovered

that their wallets had been taken from inside their jackets. At 7 p.m., two of the wallets were recovered in a trash can along Colonial Drive. IDs were recovered, but all of the money was missing. NCPD assistance was declined.

Key NCPD – Nassau County Police Department PS – Public Safety

A6 • DECEMBER 11, 2018

@Hofstra

The Chronicle

Overheard @ Hofstra In the Student Center:

In Vander Poel:

On the Unispan:

“I’m sorry I’m a disappointment, it’s my job.”

“You have the cheekbones of Jeff Sessions.”

“Saying you’re a journalist immediately justifies Insta stalking.”

In Davison Hall:

In Brower Hall:

In the NewsHub:

“Can you believe that all of Vietnam happened in one night?”

“I’d love to meet a guy passionate about buttholes but not in a sexual way.”

“She doesn’t believe in evolution, and I don’t know that’s just not my vibe.”

In LHSC:

In Suffolk Hall:

In LHSC:

“My dying wish is to yeet my body elsewhere.”

“This cookie is like my life: falling apart.”

“Can this class just do cartwheels and take a nap.”

Senior send-off: Our responsibility as writers

By Emily Barnes FEATURES EDITOR

Well, here we are. My final piece for The Hofstra Chronicle and I’m not quite sure where to start. As my dad says, “It’s not where you start, it’s how you finish.” So I guess let’s go from the beginning.

I have always found comfort in writing down my words.

When I was younger, instead of Heelys or a Nintendo DS, I asked my parents for new journals and pens as birthday presents, which I would then fill up with each and every stream-of-consciousness thought that popped into my mind. Unknowingly, writing became my creative outlet. In high school, I visited the Newseum in Washington D.C. for the first time and found my niche for journalistic-style writing.

After I walked each floor, I remember one particular exhibit that stood out to me about black journalists who used the power of words to insightfully document and report on the social upheaval during the civil rights movement. They were purveyors of truth. Ever since then I’ve

felt an overwhelming sense of urgency to transcend this hobby of mine into a tool for social responsibility.

“Well, isn’t print kind of dying?” is a common response I have received over the last three-anda-half years when asked about my major.

Feel free to call out my bias, but I do not believe that print is dying; print is merely adapting to the digital age.

Whether printed or online, words are still words and they hold weight when disseminated. This is something I have heard all of my professors in the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication say at least once, and I firmly stand by this belief.

Over the course of my college career and throughout my time as a staff writer and editor at The Chronicle, I gradually

came to understand and appreciate the impact of written words in their ability to craft profound stories. Every article was a learning opportunity for me, as I spoke with a diverse range of

students and faculty who offered their unique perspectives on life and, in turn, helped mold who I am as a writer today.

I believe that as writers and creative thinkers we have the obligation to amplify voices that would otherwise go unheard as

representation in all mediums creates a stronger, more unified society.

I am eternally grateful for my Chronicle family, whom I spent many layout nights with under the horrible fluorescent lights in room 203 – home to an unsettling amount of rolly chairs.

The work we were able to produce as an editorial team continues to inspire my passion for writing, as I am certain we can all agree we are sure as hell not in it for the money.

A special thank you to my assistant, Drash, for keeping me sane throughout my final semester while I was practically running back from my internship in the city every Monday night to make it to layout and budget meetings.

You are one of a kind and the features section is more than lucky to have you and Rachel as a team next semester.

Thank you to all the writers who pitched stories and wrote not only for our section but

any section of The Chronicle.

Whether it was one time or 12 times, it means the world that you showed interest in being a part of our family. Please continue to dig deep and uncover those stories that are worth sharing.

Lastly, Dr. Jernigan, my professor turned internship advisor turned independent study faculty member and back to professor, I will never be able to thank you enough for your unwavering mentorship. Whether we were discussing the history of the black press, film photography or the best vegetarian restaurants in Harlem, you have made me more confident in knowing that my work matters and deserves a platform.

If there’s one thing I am certain of as I prepare to walk across the graduation stage next week and enter the professional world, it is that as storytellers, what we write does in fact matter and, for this reason, we must write with as much integrity and conviction as possible, now more than ever. Here’s to the next chapter.

@Hofstra

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 •A7

Surviving finals week:

Remaining calm during my first finals season

By Audra Nemirow

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

There are hardly any days left in the semester, but somehow, I’m still under the illusion that I have an infinite amount of time to study for finals, I can put off studying for a few days and I can catch up on sleep instead.

It’s strange.

Even though I’m a freshman about to experience college finals for the first time, I don’t feel the panic of it – at least not yet.

I’m not sure how I should feel at the moment, but I’m hoping to find a productive state of mind between nervous breakdown and blithe serenity.

I’ve taken difficult tests before – AP exams and my high school finals were no walk in the park – but I am so nervous that college finals will be an entirely different game. I did

well in high school and always tried my best, but I avoided making grades the focus of my whole life.

I compartmentalized, restrict-

life from the other facets of my life, I retained some degree of happiness.

If I thought about school all the time I might have gone

time; there is no “home” to go to at night where my mom, dad and I can have a nice family dinner and chat about our day.

School is my life now, a terrifying statement in itself, and I have to learn to accept that rather than block it out of my mind. If I tried to forget about school now, while I’m here, I would probably wake up one morning and forget where I am – not that this hasn’t happened already. I need to find another way to deal with my newfound scholarly stress.

At the moment, I’ve devised my own method of getting through finals slog, a revolutionary idea (at least for me): not procrastinating.

“I’ve taken difficult tests before – AP exams and my high school finals were no walk in the park – but I am so nervous that college finals will be an entirely different game.”

ing my thoughts of school to when I was physically in school or when I had assignments to work on.

By separating my school

insane.

But the thing about college is that since I live in a dorm, it is harder to separate school from everything else. I am here all the

I have to spread all of my work out over a period of days so that it doesn’t all pile up and become some suffocating burden.

Hopefully I can muster the motivation to not procrastinate, and if I can manage that, I’ll be able to get through finals intact and without any violent bouts of anxiety.

I have no clue what I’m doing, but I’m improvising my way to an A. Maybe I’m naive for thinking that I can study for finals and simultaneously find some ways to savor life, but there’s something to this balancing act idea.

If I just manage my time well and study like hell, maybe finals will be all right. Maybe I’ll zip through them like a shooting star. Or maybe I’ll procrastinate and crash and burn.

Drawing finals confidence from past experiences

By Laurie Toledo

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Whenever finals would approach, I would figure out what grade I needed in order to maintain my GPA. In high school, I spent my time working on numerous assessments and giving countless oral presentations.

All that work and preparation was leading up to my International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

I was part of the IB program all four years of high school.

From the start of freshman year, my teachers told me that the IB exams would be the most important thing that I would ever do in my high school career.

That was a lot of pressure to place on a 15-year-old, but it pushed me to excel in my classes.

I recall those two weeks of exams being the worst thing that I could have possibly endured.

I didn’t enjoy taking the SAT

or ACT; however, the IB exams made those seem like nothing in comparison.

I had to take them in another location and be transported from the school to the testing site. My backpack was taken, and my phone was placed in a box and stored in another room.

Proctors would walk through the rows of desks constantly checking on you. This went on day after day for two weeks.

Once it was over, it was all a matter of time before we got our results. I figured that we would get them immediately just like any other standardized test, but we did not.

It was not until months after I graduated that I found out whether I passed or not. Can you imagine going through

all of that stress and pressure of taking these exams and not even knowing your results right away?

My teachers couldn’t even tell us what we got because they were not the ones who graded them. My exams went to graders from various states and coun-

I look around and see people frantically going to the library and talking about how many finals they are taking while eating in the Student Center.

Since I’ve been through IB exams, the fear of finals doesn’t apply to me.

To put it into perspective,

“I’m a little bit nervous about my finals, but I’m not afraid, and that is all because of the IB program.”

tries and all they knew about me was my identification number.

Going into college, I figured that finals would not scare me as much as my IB exams did. I’m a first-year here at Hofstra and finals are just around the corner.

IB exams are like O-levels and A-levels, which are exams that many students from the United Kingdom take.

While this will be the first time that I take finals in college, I know that all the hard work

and assessments that I went through in high school have already prepared me for them.

I’m a little bit nervous about my finals, but I’m not afraid, and that is all because of the IB program. Without it, I would be just like most of the students at Hofstra worrying about whether they will pass.

I did not necessarily understand my high school teachers when they said that, “Once you enter college, you’ll thank the IB program for everything it taught you.”

I used to spend countless nights studying and sleep for a few hours before the cycle started all over again.

Now that I’m in college, some things have changed but I can now see what my teachers were saying. I didn’t like being part of the IB program – nobody did – but now I’m glad that I was part of it. Without it, I wouldn’t be the student that I am today.

A8 • DECEMBER 11, 2018

@Hofstra

The Chronicle

Man on the Unispan

What are you most looking forward to over the winter break?

By Alanna B ol a nd

SPEC IAL TO THE C H R O N I C L E

“Definitely going back home because I live in Florida–you know, the ‘state of sunshine,’ so I miss the warm weather. And my parents, I miss them a lot.”

– Nadine Khalaf, sophomore

“Mostly I want to go back home, but I kind of like it out here. The city is like [40] minutes away and that big shopping mall, Roosevelt Field Mall is what, 15, at most? So I guess I’m looking forward to more shopping.”

“Getting to sleep late. Oh, and definitely homecooked meals.”

– Braelin Neikam, freshman

– Akash Jha, junior Audra Nemirow / The Hofstra Choronicle

Club Spotlight: SOAR-ing toward animal rights

By Rob Traverso STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra Student Organization for Animal Rights (SOAR) is a club dedicated to educating the student body about animal exploitation and fostering a community of vegan and vegetarian students at Hofstra. Although SOAR has been active since 2016, the group ramped up its activism this past semester.

The president of SOAR, Katya Freitas, a junior film major with a Spanish minor, went vegan nearly two years ago.

“I’m an empathetic and compassionate person, and I should really extend my compassion toward animals,” Freitas said. She stressed that going vegan was not just a dietary decision, but a lifestyle choice that allowed

her to connect her beliefs to her daily actions.

“The purpose of the club is to do outreach and educate other people,” Freitas said.

“Personally, I think some of the best work the club does is the sampling. It lets people try vegan food, and a lot of them are surprised by how much they like it,” said Nathalie Rincon, a member of SOAR This fall, SOAR has been giving away plant-based food, such as vegan “BLT” sandwiches, in the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center to diminish the stigma surrounding veganism. Before Thanksgiving break, SOAR hosted a tofurky roast, or a “kind of a mock-turkey roast,” Freitas said, and distributed vegan macaroni and cheese. On Wednesday, Decem-

ber 5, the group held a vegan eggnog giveaway in the Student Center. “[There are vegan] alternatives to everything, and I don’t think people realize that,” Freitas said.

SOAR and peta2, the youthled offshoot of PETA, the leading animal rights organization in the United States, have teamed up in the past and continue to work together. Peta2 came to Hofstra this fall during a countrywide university tour to host an “I, Calf” virtual reality (VR) experience, which allowed students to witness the life of a baby calf through a VR headset.

In October, SOAR held a screening of the documentary “Earthlings,” known for its display of the gruesome treatment of animals.

“My transition to veganism was heavily influenced when I discovered the horrors of factory farming in the dairy and egg industry,” said Rachael Ferro, a senior religion major and member of SOAR’s executive board.

Although some students left early due to the grisly nature of the film, many in attendance “were willing to sit through it and watch the truth of the food industry. The conversations we had with people after the screening were heartfelt and personal,” Ferro said.

Freitas, who educated herself about the meat and dairy industries, said that going vegan can be hard for many due to a feeling of loneliness and a lack of information.

“Some people are interested, but they just don’t know what

to do,” Freitas said. SOAR has allowed like-minded people concerned about not only animal exploitation but also the environmental impact of animal agriculture and more, to establish a community at Hofstra.

“I just really felt at home with the club,” Rincon said.

“There’s a lot of shared interests and beliefs and it’s generally just a really friendly and positive place to be.”

Next semester, SOAR will hold weekly meetings on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in room 141 of the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center.

You can learn more about the club from their Instagram handle, @hofstraanimalrights.

@Hofstra

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 •A9

Humans of Hofstra

By Qainat Anwar & Betty Araya STAF F W R I T E R S

“I grew up in Colorado ... The reason I came to Hofstra is because I got an email from the school, and they offered me a really good [financial] aid package.

I know that tuition in New York is a lot more expensive and I did want to go to school in New York, so when I got the email it was [kind of] like fate. I was just really happy. My major is industrial engineering. I really wanted to double major in mechanical engineering and business but then they told me I was [going to] end up being here for six years, which is a big no. I talked to one of my counselors and she said that industrial engineering is basically both of those things but in one. I eventually want to be the CEO of my own company and just to help other people. My main goal is to help homeless people and homeless veterans. I want to build homes and shelters for them so that they can get back on their feet, have a job and be able to take care of themselves. It’s my first semester, so I’m not involved in anything. I didn’t [want to] get overwhelmed. I tried, and it just didn’t work out. It’s been a rough semester; I had some financial aid issues ... I was really nervous about having to leave the school. I like it better here than Colorado.

Even though I haven’t been around much, the people here are nice but also rude.

It’s a good balance I guess.”

Genesis Miller Courtesy of Qainat Anwar

“When I was 3 years old, I was adopted from Kazakhstan and brought back to Malden, Massachusetts, to spend my life with my forever family. Growing up I was a normal kid. I hung out with friends, attended school and somehow made it to college. Where I grew up, I was surrounded by an abundance of diversity – my high school is one of three of the most diverse schools in New England. My mother and aunt who adopted me are Irish, while I’m obviously not, so fitting in was sometimes hard – especially around the holidays. With Christmas coming up I am excited for all of my family’s traditions, but I wonder sometimes what it would be like back in my country. Now that I am in college, I’m old enough to understand that I can learn and practice some of my own traditions, and I’m sure my parents would love to do the same. Coming to Hofstra has taught me more about myself than I ever knew. Embracing who I am and where I come from is very important because at the end of the day, I can’t change my past. I am grateful to attend college where cultural diversity is celebrated and encouraged. This year, I plan on introducing a new family tradition that comes from Kazakhstan, and I cannot wait to continue to learn and try new things in the future. It is never too late to learn about where you have come from, because after all where I’m from is part of who I am and always will be.”

Aigula Fitzgerald Courtesy of Raymond Brown

[happy=holidays=from] [the=hofstra=chronicle]

Photos by Robert Kinnaird / Spread by Robert Kinnaird and Peter Soucy

Arts and Entertainment

VOL 84 ISSUE 10

Senior send-off:

Speak your truth B2

The Chronicle A&E Senior send-off: Speak your truth

B2•December 11, 2018

By Joseph Coffey-Slattery ARTS & E N T E RTA I N M E NT E DI TOR

College is a strange place.

As I near the end of my career here at Hofstra, I realize how singularly curious it is to write so many essays, complete so many tests and draft homework assignments that will soon fall victim to the blue recycling bins recently placed around campus.

Sure, you have the important takeaway of completing the assignment in the first place, but there is no lingering sense of accomplishment. Our time at university is largely defined by constructing pieces that will be simply tossed in a few months’ time.

We get to carry on a letter grade we’re (maybe) proud of, and our grade point average responds accordingly.

For some people this is a rewarding enterprise, but for others, finding fulfillment in receiving one of five letters from the alphabet is maddening. Thus, the singular joy of having one’s work published.

My time at The Chronicle has been enjoyable for many

reasons, but chief among them The staff is much less elitist lar. You will have to answer for that my work has the ability to than some members of the stuyour opinion, of course, but we linger and be perceived by some dent body might try to insinuate. will let you get it out. greater audience.

Conservative and liberal opinLife is funny in that very few Even as semesters have come ions are both welcome, despite people truly care about your and gone, ideas. You the work have your stays – a family, lasting refriends flection of and sigmy ideas nificant at a given other, of moment course, in time. but othPerhaps ers are such a often too notion is preoccua bit too pied with sappy for their own the more lives to casual care about readers yours. among Startling?

Courtesy of Joseph Coffey-Slattery you, but Yes. Thus, I think places this point An Ariana Grande background (how fitting). like The can’t be overstated. claims that an idea of the former Chronicle continue to be of imMembership to The Chronicle occupation will result in a negamense importance. affords one the ability to speak tive response.

In a public sphere where their truth, whether about the The Chronicle is in fact one of people continue to attack the news, entertainment, views on the only places where you can truth, an entity that helps you get the school or opinions on the be unapologetically yourself, yours out can be rare. state of things in general. even if your opinion is unpopuTo be sure, this might read as

the romanticizing of a school paper, but I challenge one to think of another time in life where a publication will take your work “just ’cause.”

While my involvement with the paper’s e-board only started last spring, I will move on with fond memories of this place.

The stacks of old prints, the often-rickety chairs and the budget meetings where we all not-so-subtly continue to work on our layouts (many apologies for not paying attention).

Keep on keeping on, Chronicle. And congratulations to anyone who stayed awake through this piece. Many thanks.

Cover: Sey McLean of the Hofstra Dutchmen

New Christmas releases spark holiday spirit

By Erin Hickey COPY C H I E F

Music lovers and holiday enthusiasts alike have been given the gift of new Christmas albums this season. From singer-songwriter and jazz to classic rock and a cappella, a wide variety of genres are covered.

Singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, known for hits like “Girls Chase Boys” and “Be OK,” released “Songs for the Season,” a 12-track album featuring 11 holiday classics and one original song. Michaelson is vocal about her love for Christmas and has been putting on an annual Holiday Hop concert in Manhattan every year for the past 12 years in celebration of her favorite holiday.

From Christina Perri to “America’s Got Talent” winner Grace VanderWaal, the album includes many features. The best of these is “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” sung with Leslie Odom, Jr. of “Hamilton.”

Michaelson describes herself as loving songs that are happy and sad at the same time.

Though very different from the Mariah Carey original, this version brings a slower, sadder sound to the song that Michaelson loves.

Her original song on the album, which she has performed in Holiday Hops of the past, is “Happy, Happy Christmas.” This follows her pattern of sad songs, with lyrics such as, “It’s always so dark out / And you’re never here,” and the chorus, “Happy, happy Christmas / Love the ones who love you too.” Though it may not fully get you in the Christmas spirit like her “White Christmas” might, it is nonetheless a beautiful, well-written song.

Next up on the list of new Christmas releases is John Legend’s “A Legendary Christmas.”

This is a soulful album that kicks off with a bang with a feature from Stevie Wonder on Wonder’s own popular Christmas

hit “What Christmas Means to Me.” The album maintains this jazzy Legend feel from start to end, with other highlights being “Silver Bells” and “Christmas Time is Here.”

“Wrap Me Up in Your Love,” one of the originals on the album, continues the soul feel with a very Legend-esque song that fans of the artist are sure to enjoy.

A different kind of legend, Eric Clapton, also released a Christmas album this year.

“Happy Xmas” features a bluesy take on a variety of holiday hits, from traditionals like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Silent Night” to lesser known tracks like “Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday” and his original song “For Love on Christmas Day.” His take on “Jingle Bells” is dedicated to Avicii and is perfect for EDM lovers. If, however, classic Clapton is what you’re looking for, this is definitely not the song.

This year, Pentatonix released Flowers.” Though this isn’t as their third Christmas album. successful as the first cover from “Christmas is Here!” is a great “The Nutcracker Suite,” fans addition to the previous two of both the music from “The holiday albums the group has Nutcracker” and fans of a capreleased. pella should be excited by this From classic carols like version.

“Greensleeves” to a cover of Whether you’re looking for a The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater soundtrack for a holiday party, Weather,” Pentatonix has every a casual gathering with friends aspect of Christmas and the win- or calm music to listen to during ter season covered in this album. finals week, these albums have One of the stand-outs on the all the options to get you in the album is “Grown-Up Christmas Christmas spirit.

List,” which features Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson has previously recorded and released this song, and it was nice to hear the song a cappella.

However, it is Clarkson with Pentatonix backing her, so this may be a disappointing track for fans looking for only Pentatonix.

The first Christmas album Pentatonix released included their version of “Dance of Courtesy of Columbia Records the Sugar Plum Fairy,” and this album follows suit with John Legend, Eric Clapton and more artists have all released new Christmas a cover of “Waltz of the albums this season.

December 11, 2018•B3 A&E Going on holiday hiatus in a ‘Good Place’

The Chronicle

By Jacob Huller STAFF WRITER

NBC’s “The Good Place,” created by Michael Schur of “Parks and Recreation” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” continued its third season on Thursday, Dec. 6. The episode “Janet(s)” features the excellent comedy, heavy emotions and intriguing world-building that the show has become known for. The series focuses on the idea that in the afterlife, there is a Good Place and a Bad Place, and when people die, their pointtotals of good and bad actions determine where they are sent.

Main characters Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil) and Jason (Manny Jacinto) are all dead at the start of the series and are led to believe they have made it into the titular Good Place.

However, Michael (Ted Danson) is revealed to be a demon, and all four of them were really in the Bad Place all along. By the end of the second season, Michael, having a change of heart, convinces the afterlife to give

By Allison Foster & Rory Rucker ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANT EDITOR/STAFF WRITER

“Just how many stars will I need to hang around me to finally call it heaven?”

Mitski’s chilling vocals entranced a crowd of fans who hung on to every word of “Remember My Name,” a song from the indie superstar’s recent album, “Be The Cowboy.” Mitski, born Mitski Miyawaki, brought her stunning lyricism and performative expression to Brooklyn Steel for four sold-out shows, playing a setlist stacked with favorites from her five studio albums.

Mitski’s musical journey began six years ago at the State University of New York at Purchase (SUNY Purchase), where she became attuned to her passion to create and released her first two albums, “Lush” and “Retired from Sad, New Career in Business.”

Her critical acclaim came with her third project, the traditional heart-wrenching effort “Bury Me At Makeout Creek,” released on the label Double Double Whammy

the four a second chance and actor and character excellently – of Michael’s “reboots.” Chidi, returns them to Earth. Michael the blunt trashiness of Eleanor, having no memory of this, dons and his omniscient assistant Janet the neurotic worry of Chidi, the his moral-philosophy-professor (D’Arcy Carden) join the group uptight snootiness of Tahani and hat once again and argues that as guides. the innocent idiocy of Jason. the Chidi that fell in love with In the previous episode, the It may be too soon to say, but Eleanor wasn’t really him, but gang was confronted by the vilCarden definitely deserves some just another version of him. lainous head of the Bad Place, sort of award for her work in this Eleanor accuses Chidi of “barfShawn (Marc Evan Jackson) and episode, if not an Emmy. ing Wikipedia” as a cover for his his team of demons, who true feelings, which turns want to prevent the four out to be correct as Eleanor humans from making it to the begins losing her sense of Good Place at all costs. In self, causing her to rapidly the final scene, Janet suggests change appearances (and that she take them into her actors) and Janet’s void to “boundless void” for safety. collapse.

That was where the characChidi reminds Eleanor ters found themselves at the who she is, culminating start of “Janet(s),” the midin the two kissing, in a season finale, inside a blank, spectacular transition from Courtesy of NBC Carden kissing herself, white void of nothingness.

However, there’s a unique The Good Place has been renewed by NBC for a to Carden kissing Bell, to fourth season. twist to this episode. As a side finally Harper kissing Bell, effect of being humans inside While Michael and Janet thereby stabilizing the void.

Janet’s void, all four of them head to the accounting departWhile the four humans wait end up resembling Janet. For the ment of the afterlife to investiin Janet’s void, Michael and majority of the episode, they all gate unjust methods of judging Janet head to the accounting are played by Carden. Carden humans, Eleanor, calling back department of the afterlife, deserves an enormous amount to two episodes earlier, asks where the good/bad points are of praise for this episode. She Chidi about when they fell in calculated and humans’ fates are captures the vocal quirks of each love in the afterlife, during one determined. Michael strongly

Mitski mystifies in Brooklyn

in 2014. “Puberty 2,” her fourth album, was praised for nuanced emotional depth and heightened lyrical skills. In late August 2018, the Japanese-American songwriter released “Be The Cowboy” on independent record label Dead Oceans and could never have predicted where it would take her.

Last week, album of the year lists gave “Be The Cowboy” stellar reviews: it received a coveted No. 2 from The New York Times and NPR. “This feels surreal,” she tweeted. “Thank you!!!”

On the “Be The Cowboy” tour, which consisted of 24 sold-out U.S. shows across the country, Mitski brought along Overcoats, SASAMI and Downtown Boys, the latter two of whom opened her string of Brooklyn Steel shows.

Headed by women of color, the tone of both bands was political and energetic, embracing the importance of representation in music and politics. The punchy, in-your-face acts exited, and the crowd began chattering in excitement for the main act. Crowding fans donned cowboy hats and merchandise, AirDropping Mitski memes to anyone who would ac-

cept them.

Conversations stopped and turned into cheers as Mitski sauntered onto stage, wearing a corset and dressed in all black. The stage was kept mostly dark, with the exception of three blank screens fixed behind her.

Projected on the screens were black and white optical illusions and fluttering rose petals as Mitski danced in perfect synchrony with her heartbreaking lyrics. “I want a kiss like my heart is hitting the ground / I’m holding my breath with a baseball bat,” she sang on “Townie.” Fans echoed the lyrics through their tears, but not for long. The snappy intro cymbals of “Nobody” sent concertgoers into a frenzy – the popular track has racked up over 7 million plays on Spotify and 2 million views on YouTube. The song’s disco influence made for a danceable few minutes as fans sang along. “I don’t want your pity / I just want somebody near me,” Mitski and her self-proclaimed lonely fans sang.

The prolific setlist boasted 25 songs from all of Mitski’s albums except “Lush,” and even included

believes that the Bad Place has been tampering with the point system, upon discovering that Doug Forcett (Michael McKean), the ideal good person, would be sent to the Bad Place. The head accountant, played by Stephen Merchant, informs him that this is impossible, but drops the bombshell that no one has actually made it to the Good Place in 521 years. With accounting being zero help, Janet tells Michael that he must be the one to change the afterlife, instead of searching for someone else to have the answers.

Toward the end, Janet can no longer hold the four humans in her void and barfs them up. The group then flees up a suction tube leading to the real Good Place, whisking them away to their goal for the past three seasons. Upon arriving, Eleanor sums up their euphoria in the final words of the episode, “Holy forking shirtballs, we’re in the Good Place!”

The Golden Globe-nominated series returns Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019 on NBC.

two solo performances of “A wearing their new “Be The CowBurning Hill” and “My Body’s boy” merchandise and humming Made of Crushed Little Stars.” their favorite Mitski tunes.

Mitski’s songwriting distinMitski told Pitchfork in July, guishes her from the rest of her “Even if it sometimes hurts, [the indie counterparts. Earlier this stress] doesn’t matter as long year Iggy Pop called her “the most as I get to be a musician.” This advanced American songwriter.” sentiment of dedication seeps Victoria Ruiz, the lead singer of into her performance’s live vocals Downtown Boys, gave Mitski’s and sensual, timely dance moves. songwriting similar praise during From reaching for her own hands her band’s opening set. to reaching out to the audience, Ending on “Goodbye, My Mitski is an expert at creating Danish Sweetheart,” one of the beauty from heartbreak. songs she wrote while attending SUNY Purchase, Mitski had her audience clinging on to every last word. “Cause there’s nobody better than you,” she sang, as fans proclaimed their love for her. Waving as she exited the stage, audience members were left amazed and forever changed.

After opening acts SASAMI and Downtown Boys hosted a Courtesy of Dead Oceans meet and greet with audience members, fans The New York City native has released five departed into the rain albums and one EP so far.

The Chronicle A&E Ariana, the nostalgic pop star of the moment

B4•December 11, 2018

By Joseph Coffey-Slattery

A RTS & EN T E RTA I N M E N T EDI TOR

Ariana Grande’s smash hit, “thank u, next,” initially felt as though it was an overstep. One of the most powerful pop stars of the moment coming for an ex whose credentials were less than stellar could be seen as an abuse of the pulpit from which Grande croons.

A re-evaluation of the source material, however, frames the chart-topping track as a wonderful testament to self-love and overcoming adversity. Instead of vague lyrical clues and fan speculation over who the song was about, Grande’s blatant name-drops lend a substantial bit of heft to an expertly crafted and languidly produced pop song. It should stand to reason, then, that the video would be just as clever – and the songstress and company didn’t disappoint.

What started as seemingly random references to 2000s romantic comedies on social media came to manifest themselves as a fully-

fledged music video built upon audience nostalgia. The classic movies “Mean Girls,” “Bring It On,” “13 Going on 30” and “Legally Blonde” were parodied in the video and likely later plucked by fans from the vast abyss that is their Netflix watch list.

Music videos have a propensity to be rather predictable displays of wealth, fashion and finesse, thus this narrative space – film nostalgia – was the perfect lens through which to view a powerful song.

Breakups in popular culture are often framed as either emotionally heart-wrenching, as evidenced by Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble,” or grandstanding claims of “I Don’t Fuck With You” in really any verse by the namedropped Big Sean. The notion that such events could instead be a positive, “who cares” exchange is a welcome reprieve from the established status quo.

It’s clear that the creatives behind this effort have an eye on the times. Five years ago, this

video may have resulted in various range and attentiveness to bubbly Minaj once vocalized on the pair’s look-alikes popping up and being production, but the artist behind “Side to Side”: “I’m the queen of pushed away by Grande as she the mic continues to mature. This rap, Ariana run pop.” recited the names of their famous is to be expected, of course, but Was this statement tied to the counterparts. Such a measure such a transition is seldom done song, or rather a premonition? As would’ve shifted the focus from with such grace. of now, it’s both. Haters – if there the potency of the artist to a series Grande’s “thank u, next” video are any left – should take note: of mental repetitions of, “Hey, that unequivocally places her as the Dethroning a queen is damn near guy looks like so-and-so.” definitive pop star of 2018, if impossible, and why, really, would A video promoting self-love Billboard’s “Woman of the Year” you want to try? Thank u, next. and moving on from past romantic designation didn’t state this entanglements should only have already. “Chun-Li” rapper Nicki one protagonist – a mentality Grande auspiciously recognizes.

While some fans were less pleased with her August-released “Sweetener” than “Dangerous Woman,” the album that preceded it, it is impossible to ignore the artist’s immense growth from the days of “The Way.” We’re Courtesy of Republic Records still being given the The video broke the YouTube record for most views in 24 hours, with a total of 55.4 signature sweeping million. This record was previously held by BTS for their track “Idol,” at 45.9 million.

“Christmas Prince” sequel has very little to rave about

The Netflix film holds a respectable 75 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

By Eleni Kothesakis STAFF WRITER

The holiday season is called the most wonderful time of the year for a reason. It’s the time of gathering, gift-giving, hot chocolate, sugar cookies and, most importantly, cheesy movies about love and family.

For the longest time, the Hallmark Channel was the go-to place for cliché Christmas movies about family and unexpected love,

but Netflix has quickly established itself as a major contender in the competition of which platform has the “best” cheesy Christmas movies.

They secured this spot after releasing the movie “A Christmas Prince” in November 2017, which quickly gained popularity and a following by many Netflix subscribers.

“A Christmas Prince” follows journalist Amber Moore as she visits fictional Aldovia to

Courtesy of Netflix

report on its prince, who may or may not be abdicating the throne after his father’s death.

She goes undercover as a tutor for the princess, and thus her relationship with the royal family, specifically Prince Richard, begins. Eventually they fall in love and Prince Richard proposes to her after spending a week together, in typical cheesy movie fashion.

The reasons behind this movie’s wild popularity after its release

may seem confusing, but “A Christmas Prince” gives cliché movie lovers a storyline that isn’t totally predictable, something that Hallmark has yet to figure out.

Naturally, fans of the movie were quick to hound Netflix for a sequel. On Friday, Nov. 30, fans were granted their wish and “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding” was released.

The sequel follows much more than a glamorous wedding between an American and a prince, like the one we saw earlier this year. It follows Richard and Amber trying to balance his demanding schedule, wedding preparations and an economic crisis in Aldovia.

The movie, by Hallmark standards, is a success – it shows us enough cute moments between the couple to make us root for them, but gives us enough conflict that we don’t get bored.

However, this isn’t Hallmark, so Netflix subscribers expect better.

The movie is not terrible, but as a sequel it pales in comparison to the first. Most of the movie shows Amber being completely passive and the plot is so scattered that it is hard to tell the movie’s purpose.

Despite being titled “The Royal Wedding,” the movie

only briefly covered the actual wedding and instead focused on the planning. Amber, along with her two friends and the villain from the first movie, Simon, try to uncover why there is an economic crisis happening without any explanation.

Simon, who people love to hate, redeemed himself in the sequel. It seemed like he is trying to conduct some shady business at first, but then it is revealed that he was just trying to save the country.

Other than seeing Simon turn from villain to semi-decent guy, the movie leaves little for fans to rave about. While “A Christmas Prince” was a perfect balance between cringeworthy cuteness and interesting plot, the sequel is filled with lackluster acting and dialogue, stereotyping and too much conflict.

It became distracting for fans who were hoping to catch more than a glimpse of the actual royal wedding. It’s hard to expect much from a movie that is inherently bad, but for now, it is probably better to forget this movie exists and live in ignorant bliss pretending that Amber and Prince Richard’s story ended at their engagement and they lived happily ever after.

A 12 • December 11, 2018

By Davus

op-ed

The Chronicle

An open letter to progressive Jews

Let’s get something out of the way here ...

If you immediately pinned this piece as “anti-Israel” the moment you read the title or byline, then I can probably take a few guesses as to your political leaning. The same can be said for those of you who have so far pinned this as too “pro-Israel.” Please know that, right off the bat, this article probably isn’t for you. I still encourage you to read on, but you don’t have to.

For those of you who may have some tiny amount of sympathy for my words, or who maybe even agree with me, keep reading. I want to talk to you. I don’t know what you’ve been told about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I don’t know how you’ve been raised or what kind of friends you have. However, I’m pretty sure I know this: You don’t feel right.

I don’t feel right either. In fact, I’m pretty mad.

For goodness sake, I’m a Jew; I can’t help but feel wrong when others are being wronged.

Sympathy is, dare I say it, so Jewish of me! Whenever I turn on the TV and see suffering in Israel or Palestine, despair sets in. I keep witnessing a pattern of unending conflict repeating itself over and over again. It’s torture just to watch it happen, and I can’t imagine what it’s like to live it.

I’m not alone. I know there are other Jews that think like I do. The problem is that I’m not hearing them. If you’re a Jew who feels the same way as I do, you probably also know what it’s like to be ridiculed by your right-leaning peers, but you can’t help but feel pain when you see this kind of conflict.

So I’m just going to say it: I hate the occupation.

Yes, that’s right; I just called Israel’s military presence in

the Palestinian territories an “occupation.” No, just because I call it that doesn’t mean I want to burn Tel Aviv to the ground. Just because I believe Palestinians should be treated with dignity and respect doesn’t mean I suddenly want Israel to stop existing. Just because I want to advocate for policies that prioritize peace over military action doesn’t mean I’m a self-hating Jew. Just because I think settlements are more of a problem than a solution doesn’t mean I spit on Israeli soldiers and walk all over the Star of David.

If you honestly think any of that is true, then let me tell you something that’ll knock your socks off: I love Israel.

I love that there is a recognized state for Jews to call a home. I love my connection with the ancient land that my ancestors could only dream of seeing again. I love the people, the culture, the history and so

much more. I love the holy atmosphere of Jerusalem in contrast with the fun-loving vibe of Tel Aviv. I love Israel.

Full stop.

I love the land of the Jewish people enough to hold it to high standards. The problem is that those high standards are being met with dismal results.

I love Israel, and I hate the occupation. F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “The test of a firstrate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”

I connect with that quote on a very personal level. I bet you do, too.

So I’m asking you, the progressive Jew, to do me a favor: start talking. In fact, start shouting. Not enough of you have been heard these past few years – heck, these past few decades – and you need to start speaking up now. Israel has exhibited a disturbing lack

of self-awareness ever since Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ariel Sharon, for that matter, began bending the country’s political will to the right.

Yes, I’m intentionally politicizing this issue. This issue is inherently partisan.

A lot of people have made justifiable criticisms of Israel’s defense strategies over the last few years without ever knowing who’s actually running the country. Meanwhile, I can tell you right away who’s running the country: the wrong people.

We need progressive Jews to speak up. We can’t let Israel, and human decency, fail.

This article is a follow-up to “The Donald Trump of Israel.”

The author has chosen to change their name.

A suggestion to student activists: Be inescapable

By Joseph Coffey-Slattery

As an outgoing senior, the Hofstra-related efforts that once gripped me with such angst no longer possess the same emotional potency.

A crusade against Compass Group seems to lack the importance it once did, especially after their contract was renewed.

Additionally, seeking additional mental health care services for students on campus seemed to result in a financial dead-end, as administrators informed us that our suggestions were not palatable.

Still, it is always the responsibility of citizens, whether in the “real world” or at a university, to frequently critique and monitor the institutions responsible for them.

While such activism invites the ire of people in high places, First Amendment freedoms should never be cast aside, no matter how small or ill-fated a cause may appear.

Thus, in conclusion of my

four years at Hofstra, I thought that it might be prudent to offer suggestions as to how students might go about accomplishing their institutional reforms.

First, whatever campaign you are mounting must be loud. The more noise you create the more likely you are to elicit a formal response.

Regardless of one’s personal opinions concerning the Jefferson Has Gotta Go! (JGG) campaign, one cannot fault their immense organizational capacity.

They left Hofstra with no choice but to reply by bringing the conversation onto all social media platforms, drafting spirted op-eds and calling upon the administration so fervently.

Their actions also led to substantial news coverage and spotlighted Hofstra as an educational institution with students who deeply care about their experience and, by extension, rights on campus.

While the activists have been dissatisfied with Hofstra’s ultimate decision, they have not allowed such a measure

to silence their efforts. Other groups looking to mount a position against Hofstra’s status quo would do well to reference the efforts of JGG. Secondly, it is important to become familiar with who is in charge. Stuart Rabinowitz, while president and face of the University, has to answer to a perhaps a more powerful board of trustees. All relevant decisions are arguably made by this group of persons, and therefore it is them, not Rabinowitz, who are ultimately addressing complaints.

Sure, he will draft the campus-wide email, but he is not the sole proprietor of all things Hofstra. A complaint about housing, for instance, would be better directed to Physical Plant services or the Office of Residence Life.

Another point to bear in mind is the necessity of first contacting the entity with which you are dissatisfied. This can be rather daunting, especially if you are emotionally conflicted by how a department has previously treated you.

I am not suggesting you voice sensitive matters to an entity that has mistreated you, as those matters should instead be taken to their relevant places, such as the Title IX office.

I am referring to complaints about such topics as room and board, which can surely be addressed to the respective people in charge of the matter.

If their response proves ineffective it makes more than enough sense to write about it in an op-ed, but this cannot be the first step.

Lastly, choose your battles.

Van Jones, a CNN political commentator, referenced in his book, “Beyond the Messy Truth,” how trivial his college crusades against the cafeteria food were in retrospect. Such matters are largely out of our control and have more to do with the budget and administrative gamesmanship than anything else.

Students don’t have the final say in these matters, nor should they. Hofstra will ultimately choose what is best for them in the long term, which

occasionally means leaving a statue or maintaining the status quo. This does not mean that such matters should be ignored, but rather the stakes acknowledged.

A quote sometimes attributed to the Dalai Lama, reads, “Know the rules, so that you may break them effectively.”

In this case, be cognizant of the odds you face so that you can seek out reforms on an effective basis.

Bargaining is often about receiving less than you may like. Subsequently, it requires an astute activist to set a bottom line and opening bid.

Preparation, perseverance and organization will be your two best friends, capable of supporting an ultimate road to success.

Joseph Coffey-Slattery is a senior majoring in film studies and production with a minor in political science.

op-ed

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 A 13

Complaint.Resolution@hofstra.edu is lip service

By Ja’Loni Owens

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Jefferson Has Gotta Go! campaign team sat down with Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Internationalization Neil Donahue, Associate Director for Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion Gillian Atkinson and then-Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President Sofia Pertuz.

At this meeting, the campaign team once again outlined our platform. We reiterated the necessity of an accessible, centralized digital reporting system and complaint receipts in enforcing the University’s policy prohibiting bias, discrimination and harassment and holding violators of those policies accountable. Though none of the parties present had any pull in regard to the relocation of the statue of Thomas Jefferson, I did reiterate that its placement has grown even more problematic and painful for me given that it is the first thing I must see after glancing at the mural for the “No Hate at Hofstra” initiative.

It was at this time that the campaign team shifted the conversation to Senior Presidential Fellow Edward Rollins. In an email sent to Provost Gail Simmons on Monday, Oct. 8, Chief Human Resources Officer Denise Cunningham, Title IX Officer for Student Issues Allison Vernace and Diretor of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency Meena Bose, I expressed the desire of myself and 90 other Hofstra University undergraduate students to file a formal complaint against Rollins after his heinous comments about Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination and the death toll and disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

I informed Donahue, Pertuz and Atkinson that the only response I received from these parties was from Bose, telling me that she was informed that I would be meeting with the dean of students on Tuesday, Oct. 23, and should use that meeting to discuss this matter.

So I explained to the dean

of students and to the vice provost that I still would like this complaint, which 90 undergraduate students had signed, to be investigated as a formal complaint.

It was at this time that Donahue informed the campaign team of the creation of Complaint.Resolution@ hofstra.edu, which at the time of our meeting had only existed for two weeks. According to Donahue, each complaint would receive an automated response from the Provost’s Office informing the complainant that they would receive a response within seven to 10 days. We were told that the response that would come within seven to 10 days would contain next steps, if relevant, or a resolution to the complaint from the Provost’s Office.

Soon after this meeting I sent an email to every student who had signed the complaint against Rollins, informing them that if they still wished to take action that they should send their complaints to this email address. Some informed me that they were too fearful of

retaliation to pursue the matter individually, citing the article they read in The Chronicle about my tweets about a Hofstra professor last semester as evidence.

Several students utilized Complaint.Resolution@hofstra. edu to file complaints about Rollins. Below is the response several students received from the Provost.

Students waited seven-10 days for a response from Simmons that referred to our complaints as merely “thoughts and feelings,” that merely contains the Academic Freedom Policy pasted into the body of this email rather than an explanation for how Rollins’ comments do not qualify as rape apology or xenomisia and does not mention that students can appeal decisions made by the provost or how to do so.

At the Town Hall this past Wednesday, Dec. 5, which was sponsored by the University Senate Student Affairs Committee, Student Government Association and University Senate Planning & Budget Committee, Provost

Simmons said that this email would promote accountability and improve transparency in the reporting process.

If 90 students cannot inspire disciplinary action to be taken against an individual who is not even a tenured faculty member at this university, how can the provost state that it will promote accountability and transparency to any extent?

Even students whose complaints have resulted in meetings with deans and department chairs have yet to inspire any real action from administrators.

Complaint.Resolution@ hofstra.edu is just more lip service and just another strategy to buy the administration more time before the next protest.

Ja’Loni Owens is the lead organizer of the Jefferson Has Gotta Go! campaign.

Amanda Romeo / The Hofstra Chronicle

A 14 • December 11, 2018

op-ed

The Chronicle

It’s time for climate change believers

By Rachel Wilson

On Friday, Nov. 23, the White House released the findings of a 1,656-page climate report.

The report thoroughly laid out dire predictions for our planet, health and even the economy as a result of climate change and the continuation of refusals to make significant changes.

The report was produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, a program made up of 13 federal agencies, citing proven scientific facts from 1,000 people, including 300 leading scientists.

About half of these scientists were not from within the government. Despite the devastating warnings backed by research, President Donald Trump and his administration disputed its findings.

The Trump Administration released the report on Black Friday. This was seen by critics as an attempt to “bury” or hide the report, since many people would be busy shopping or spending time with family and loved ones, and therefore were less likely to read its findings.

Before the report’s release, there was concern that the White House would attempt to alter or omit information.

Instead, they denied the work of 1,000 experts, with Trump saying he did not believe what was stated in the report.

White House secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also released a statement saying the report was “not based on facts.”

Trump elaborated on his claim during an oval office interview with The Washington Post, stating that people like him are very intelligent but just “aren’t such believers.”

He cited that air and water are at a record level of cleanliness and reiterated a claim popular among climate change deniers – the statement that in the 1970s, scientists were warning about global cooling, despite the fact that scientists have known since the 19th century that releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere raises the Earth’s temperatures.

Trump likely learned of this claim from a fake Time magazine cover he was

shown early in his presidency, featuring an alleged article about global cooling.

The administration has said the report is based on “extreme” scenarios and lacks transparency. Allies of the administration claimed that climate scientists are “getting rich” from the report. These claims have been proven false and the researchers involved were not compensated for their work on the report.

The Trump administration has dedicated itself to denying climate change since Trump’s campaign, promising more support for the coal and oil industries and rolling back many Obama-era climate

fossil fuel industries. Since the 1990 election cycle, more than two-thirds of the oil and fuel industries campaign contributions have gone to Republican candidates and conservative groups. Funding Republican and conservative campaigns benefits the companies too. According to Oil Change International, oil, natural gas and coal companies such as Valero and ExxonMobil that fund political candidates receive an 11,900 percent return on every dollar spent on Congress.

This keeps Republican and conservative candidates and fossil fuel companies locked in a dangerous cycle of benefiting

“Only time will tell if the predictions in the climate change report will manifest, but why take any chances?” change regulations.

Trump has held fast to the idea that climate change is a “hoax.” Just after Thanksgiving, Trump tweeted, “Whatever happened to global warming?” in response to the Northeast facing one of the coldest Thanksgiving weeks in history, with some areas experiencing near-record lows.

However, globally, temperatures were about 1.2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures, according to climate researcher Zeke Hausfather, who tweeted about this finding. Trump has also promised to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, an endeavor in which President Barack Obama was a prominent broker.

Climate change denial has become a part of Republican and conservative ideologies.

The significant question is why. The most likely reason is money. Many climate change deniers have stakes in the

one another, potentially at the expense of the habitability of our planet.

Another reason for the right to deny climate change is the fact that admitting that human activity has a significant, negative impact on the climate would mean government regulation to limit how much waste or greenhouse-gas emissions companies can produce. This goes directly against the right’s belief that the government should have as little involvement as possible in how companies are run.

There may be hope, though, as more Republicans are coming out against Trump’s climate change denial. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina supports the report’s findings and is against Trump’s refusal to accept climate change.

Bob Inglis, a former Republican congressman who is the executive director of republicEn, which works to get conservatives to act on climate

policy, said that Trump is “clearly becoming the climate disputer in chief and looking like a pretty silly caricature …”

He believes Sen. Tillis is acting like a “responsible lawmaker” and is listening to the scientists and taking the data they release seriously.

The potential silver lining of the Trump administration’s climate change denial, and this report specifically, is that the more this administration denies the facts laid out in it and the more they deny the science behind climate change, the more attention it gets in the media.

More news outlets report on the denial and provide scientific facts affirming climate change and its potential consequences.

Attractive, searchable headlines abound with an administration that is adamant about denying science. This provides reporters with the opportunity to ensure the public is thoroughly informed with scientifically accurate information.

There is no place for climate change denial in our highest levels of government. Only time will tell if the predictions in the climate change report will manifest, but why take any chances?

Even if climate change and its potential impacts on human life were not significant, maintaining the health of our planet should be important to everyone who calls Earth home.

This planet is not ours to abuse and destroy. It provides us with everything we need to thrive and is home to a variety of other species also trying to thrive.

Respecting our planet and working to ensure that it will be inhabitable for generations to come is our responsibility, especially considering the damage humans have inflicted throughout centuries. It’s time for responsible, climate change believers to lead us.

Rachel Wilson is a graduate student studying journalism.

Quick Hits

Qatar announced that it will withdraw from oil cartel OPEC in January.

Marriott revealed last Friday, Dec. 7, that it had lost the personal data of 500 million guests in a data breach.

Chief of Staff John Kelly is leaving the White House toward the end of the year, according to President Donald Trump.

“Yellow Vests” protests have racked Paris in the past month, representing blue-collar workers discontent against the government.

SPORTS

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 A 15

Wright-Foreman’s pivotal jumper lifts Pride over Monmouth

By Max Underhill STAFF WRITER

Fina l Hofstra

75

Monmouth

73

In a battle that went down to the wire, Hofstra outlasted Monmouth University 75-73 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

Down 73-72 with under one minute to play, Justin WrightForeman took the game into his own hands.

Notoriously dangerous off the dribble, Wright-Foreman pulled up for a long jumper on the left wing.

He was fouled mid-shot, but still managed to knock down his shot and convert the free throw to put the Pride up 75-73 with

16 seconds to play.

“The poise and composure that [Wright-Foreman] had to drive it hard, pull up, take the foul, the strength that he has to still make that shot ... when we had to make a play we did,” said Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich.

Off of a Hofstra timeout, Monmouth got the ball into the hands of redshirt sophomore Ray Salnave.

The play-making guard, who finished with a team-leading 22 points, was bottled up by the Hofstra defense when he tried to drive to the rim and had to pass the ball out.

Junior guard Louie Pillari ended up releasing a quality three-point shot in the final seconds from the top of the key, but the shot just fell short.

The win moves Hofstra to 6-3 on the season, while Monmouth falls to 0-10.

“That was one heck of a

win,” Mihalich said. “We were terrible. We did so many things wrong. We’re not machines; we’re gonna have clunkers.”

Despite Monmouth’s record, the squad hung with the Pride all night long.

“You gotta give credit to those kids,” Mihalich said. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and I think those guys can get it together.”

Wright-Foreman notched 30 points on the night for his third 30-point game of the season thus far.

He extended his streak of scoring in double-figures to 62 games, which is the secondlongest streak in the nation.

He also added seven rebounds and four assists, but uncharacteristically shot 6-for10 at the free-throw line.

“I had to be more of a vocal leader tonight as well as put points on the board,” WrightForeman said.

The first half was a backand-forth contest that saw six ties and 14 lead changes. Both teams shot lights-out from the perimeter in the first half, with Hofstra going 9-for-18 from the three-point line and Monmouth 6-for-13. At the half, Hofstra edged Monmouth 45-43.

The Pride maintained a small lead for most of the second half, but were challenged by Monmouth’s runs.

Hofstra held off the Hawks by making big plays at pivotal moments. Desure Buie knocked down a three-point shot to extend Hofstra’s lead to five with under six minutes remaining.

Wright-Foreman blocked a three-point shot attempt, pushed the ball in transition and was fouled.

Another big-time Buie threepoint shot found the Pride up 72-71 with 2:15 remaining.

Junior guard Eli Pemberton

and Wright-Foreman found much success all night long driving the basketball and getting to the free-throw line.

“You get to the line, that’s where you get your confidence back,” Wright-Foreman said. “I told [Pemberton] to keep going to the basket and he told me the same way.”

Pemberton finished with 14 points and shot 7-for-8 at the free-throw stripe.

For the Monmouth Hawks, besides Salnave’s 22 points and seven assists, the squad was also led by guard Deion Hammond, who made some key threepoint shots and finished with 14 points.

Big man Diago Quinn finished with 13 points and led the Hawks with six rebounds.

Up next, the Pride had a home matchup versus Rider University on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m.

Hernandez Gil’s career night not enough in comeback

By Nolan Foxx STAFF WRITER

Fina l Holy Cross

72

Hofstra

66

The Hofstra women’s basketball team’s comeback hopes were squashed as the College of the Holy Cross defeated the Pride 72-66 in an overtime thriller on Wednesday, Dec. 5, in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Junior guard Ana Hernandez Gil led the Pride with a careerhigh 24 points. All of Hernandez Gil’s points came from behind the arc, hitting eight threepointers, including the gametying shot with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation.

“She is that type of kid. She can knock it,” said Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey.

“You know, utilizing her – she is really good. She even got some stops defensively down there.

She knows how to play within her limitations. She is smart.”

Hofstra found itself down early in the matchup after Holy Cross built a 24-17 lead to open the game. A 6-0 Hofstra run brought the team within one point in the second quarter, but the Crusaders held onto a threepoint lead at the end of the first half.

The Pride trailed by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, once at the 5:12 mark and again with only 3:46 remaining. Sica Cuzic hit a pivotal three-pointer that began an 11-1 run for the Pride to finish the fourth. It was Cuzic’s layup and Hernandez Gil’s three-pointer that led the teams to overtime after tying the game at 62 apiece.

Hofstra used the momentum from Hernandez Gil to gain an early three-point lead in overtime, after a layup and free throw by Marianne Kalin made it 65-62. However, that was not enough to hold off Holy Cross. The Crusaders out-scored Hofstra 10-1 in the remainder of overtime.

“We had an opportunity,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “[Hernandez Gil] made a big

shot to put us into overtime. We went up in overtime, had little stretches of poor execution in that piece. They played hard.”

Hofstra falls to 3-6 on the season, while the Crusaders are now 6-2. The Pride has lost four of their last five, with only three games remaining until they enter conference play.

Senior guard Boogie Brozoski also had a solid game on the offensive end of the floor.

Brozoski had 22 points on 39 percent shooting from the floor – a total that matched her season-high set just two games previously in a win against Stetson University.

Cuzic also recorded doubledigit points for the Pride with 11. She and junior E’Lexus Davis contributed four assists each on the night.

Junior forward Lauren Manis led Holy Cross in both points and rebounds, totaling 26 and 18, respectively.

Rebounds and free throws were the deciding factors in this matchup. Hofstra was beaten on the boards 56-32 and 19-10 on offensive rebounds. Holy Cross was also 13-of-16 from

the charity stripe, while Hofstra only converted three of its 11 chances from the line.

“We were 3-for-11 from the free throw line, so that was uncontrollable,” KilburnSteveskey said. “We got crushed

on the boards.”

Hofstra women’s basketball returned to the court for a non-conference game against the University of Maryland – Baltimore County on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Ana Hernandez Gil scored a career-high 24 points in Wednesday’s loss..

A 16• December 11, 2018

The Chronicle

SPORTS

Men’s basketball pulls away late in victory over Rider

By David Lazar STAFF WRITER

Fina l Hofstra

89

Rider

73

In a hard-fought game in which every possession counted, the Hofstra men’s basketball team defeated Rider University 89-73 on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

Senior Justin Wright-Foreman again led the way for the Pride, following up on his 30-point performance against Rider last season with 24 points and six assists in the game. WrightForeman scored in double figures in his 63rd consecutive game, good for No. 2 in the nation.

With Saturday’s victory over Rider, Hofstra has now won four consecutive games, including wins over Siena College, Kennesaw State University and Monmouth University.

“That was a great win,” said Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich. “We beat a very good team. That team is going to win the league, and they are a top-50

team in the country.”

The Pride continued their dominance at home, improving to 7-3 on the season and securing their ninth straight victory in Hempstead dating back to last season. This is Hofstra’s second-longest home court win streak since the Pride joined the Colonial Athletic Association.

“Our crowd was into it today,” Wright-Foreman said. “We always talk about defending the home court, and to be unbeaten at home, that is tough. You can’t come play here and play an easy game.”

Tareq Coburn opened up the scoring for the Pride with an impressive layup in which he drove past the entire Rider defense. Coburn emerged as one of the team’s best players in his first start of the season, notching 19 points and two timely threepointers.

“I was nervous starting,” Coburn said. “I have not started in two or three years. I just had to come out strong and show everybody what I could do.”

With 11 minutes left in the game, Coburn put his body on the line, diving for a rebound and landing hard; it was this level of effort that allowed the Pride to emerge victorious.

“I landed on my back. I thought I would need a day off.

It was a tough fall, but I had to get up and keep fighting,” Coburn said.

Jalen Ray gave the Pride a 44-39 halftime lead with a buzzer beating three-pointer that excited the Hofstra crowd.

After Rider took an offensive foul with seven seconds left in the first half, the Pride made them pay, increasing the lead to five and carrying important momentum over to the second half.

“We put five guards on the floor and I think it surprised them a little bit,” Mihalich said. “Shots like that are so important. It was a three-point shot, but it felt like a six-point shot.”

The second half was backand-forth, with fouls slowing down a dominant offensive performance by both teams.

The officiating was a source of conflict throughout the game, as Mihalich was frequently questioning calls from the bench. Both Jacquil Taylor and Dan Dwyer tallied three fouls early into the second half – Dwyer eventually fouled out – limiting Mihalich’s frontcourt options.

However, the Pride overcame

this by dominating the boards, securing 18 more rebounds than Rider.

“The centers have been good – 14 points and 13 rebounds between the two of them,” Mihalich said. “It is really good stuff.”

Behind gutsy second-half play from all players, the Pride pulled away late. To the delight of the fans, Taylor and Coburn ended the game with an emphatic slam dunk each.

Rider’s inability to convert at the line also helped out the Pride’s cause. Rider missed 11 free throws, allowing Hofstra to

match 12-3.

In the 133-pound match between Trent Olson of Hofstra and Sean Cannon of Northern Colorado, neither wrestler could gain an edge over the other. In the end, Cannon won 2-1 due to an escape and penalty call earlier in the match.

In the 165-pound match of Ricky Stamm vs. Macoy Flanagan, the wrestlers were an equal match for each other.

Whatever one wrestler would try, the other would counter, preventing the other from scoring. The match headed into overtime. Flanagan grabbed Stamm’s exposed leg, driving him to the mat to win 3-1.

Entering the 285-pound match, Hofstra was down 18-13 and needed a pin from Omar Haddad to win the match. Any

other result meant a loss for Hofstra. Haddad and Robert Winters engaged in a back and forth affair. Then in the final 30 seconds, Winters used a single leg shot to take down Haddad and win the match 3-1. The result also secured the 21-13 win for Northern Colorado.

In the second dual meet of the day, the Pride came out with vengeance after their earlier loss to defeat the VMI Keydets 28-15.

Ryder came out of the gate firing against Clifton Conway by sending Conway to the ground over and over again with single and double leg takedowns which resulted in a 15-0 technical fall win for Ryder.

In the 133-pound match, Olson jumped out to any early 6-0 lead, but Hunter Starner was

able to claw his way back into the match. Starner reversed a shot from Olson and started to score riding points. Those points helped Starner tie the match, and late in the third period, he reversed another shot from Olson and won 15-8.

In the 149-pound match with Lambert and the 157-pound match with Mauriello, the Pride dominated. Each wrestler was able to build a big lead from the start and add to it to win the match. Each match was also a technical fall since both wrestlers won by over 15 points.

In the 174-pound match, Heller would get pinned quickly

by Neal Richards and left due to medical concerns. He was seen grabbing his left hip after getting up from the mat and moving to the medical bench.

maintain a small lead throughout most of the game.

On the bright side for the Broncs, Stevie Jordan played a very strong game, tallying 17 points on 7-10 shooting to go along with two assists.

Rider falls to 2-3 on the season and has yet to win a game this year when trailing at halftime.

The Pride’s next challenge will take place on Monday, Dec. 10, against Manhattan College at Draddy Gymnasium, where they will look to make it five wins in a row.

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Tareq Coburn recorded a former career-best 19 points on Saturday.

Hofstra wrestling splits weekend contest at home

By Max Sacco S TA F F W R I T E R

On a cold Sunday afternoon, Hofstra wrestling alumni were honored as the Hofstra wrestling team split a doubleheader against University of Northern Colorado and Virginia Military Institute (VMI) at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. They beat VMI 28-15 but fell to Northern Colorado 21-13. Before the match against Northern Colorado, the banner honoring alumni Nick Gallo, Hofstra’s only nation champion, was unveiled.

In the 125-pound match, Dylan Ryder flustered Northern Colorado’s Rico Montoya by constantly pinning Montoya to the mat as he tried to escape from his grip. Ryder scored eight back points and won the

The 184-pound, 197-pound and 285-pound matches with Rogers and the Haddad brothers, respectively, were all close contests with all three wrestlers winning off a late penalty point or last-minute escape in the third period.

After the two meets, Hofstra head coach Dennis Papadatos said that he thought the team could have won both duals. “[We] lost some opportunites to do that. The forfeits played into it.”

The Pride return to action on Friday, Jan. 4, when they travel to Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. The Pride will return home on Saturday, Jan. 26, to face Rider University and Bucknell University.

SPORTS

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 A 17

Hofstra outlasts UMBC in back and forth battle

By Jason Siegel STAFF W R I T E R

Fina l Hofstra

45

UMBC

42

The Hofstra women’s basketball team erased a sevenpoint fourth-quarter deficit and held off a last-second rally to snap a two-game losing skid and knock off the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers, 45-42, at the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9. “[I’m] just happy that we got the win heading into finals,” said Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey as her players now get ready for the final weeks of the semester.

“Just something for them so they can focus and feel pretty good about getting that fourth win and knowing where we want to be by our next contest.”

The two teams were tied at 22 at the end of two quarters.

They continued trading baskets

early in the third period until the Retrievers (6-5) closed the frame on a 9-2 run capped off by a pair of driving layups from Te’yJah Oliver. Oliver did a little bit of everything on Sunday for UMBC, scoring a game-high 16 points on 7-12 shooting as well as pulling down five rebounds and dishing out two assists.

Hofstra (4-6) responded with a 9-2 spurt of their own to open the fourth quarter. The Pride dominated the final frame, outscoring the Retrievers 18-8 over the last 10 minutes of play.

Boogie Brozoski keyed Hofstra’s fourth-quarter comeback, scoring nine of her team-high 10 points in the fourth period.

A Brozoski jumper cut Hofstra’s deficit to 34-33 with 7:32 remaining in the contest, and she pulled the Pride even at 34 on Hofstra’s next possession with a free throw.

From there, a back-and-forth affair began, as players like UMBC’s Janee’a Summers and Hofstra’s Vanerlie Valcourt each contributed for their teams when it mattered most.

Summers finished the

game with 10 points and nine rebounds, while Valcourt dropped eight for the Pride.

As she had all game, Oliver hit a three-pointer with 6:05 remaining to put UMBC in front 39-36, which was then answered

by Marianne Kalin, who made a layup 11 seconds later off a pass from E’Lexus Davis to cut Hofstra’s deficit to 39-38.

Kalin finished the game with a match-high 13 rebounds to go along with her eight points.

After UMBC came up empty on the next possession, Brozoski knocked down a triple off a pass from Davis, putting the Pride ahead 41-39 with 5:19 remaining.

Davis and Jaylen Hines (4 points, 8 boards) each made a pair of free throws, providing Hofstra a 44-39 lead with 2:06 remaining.

The Pride made just 10 of their 22 shots from the charity stripe on Sunday, but they made their free throws when it counted most, knocking down four of their final six free throws of the contest.

Although UMBC threatened with a Tyler Moore threepointer with 1:37 remaining that

cut the Pride lead to three at 4542, Hofstra defended the rest of the way, shutting down the last Retriever possession with seven seconds left to secure the win.

“If you look at the practice book, we’ve been spending 80 percent plus on the defensive end,” Kilburn-Steveskey said.

“We still let a few slip by on a crucial moment when we knew who they were going to be going to; but the last four minutes we buckled down and just had a

good showing defensively.”

Neither team led by more than six points in the opening half. Hofstra opened up a 17-11 advantage with 5:10 remaining in the second quarter, but UMBC battled back with a 9-3 run to pull even with the Pride at halftime.

The Pride will look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season when they travel to Siena on Friday, Dec. 21, for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Boogie Brozoski had 10 points and four rebounds for the Pride on Sunday.

Coburn leads men’s basketball to fifth straight victory

By DJ Lopes STAFF WR I T E R

Fina l Hofstra

80

Manhattan

50

The Hofstra men’s basketball team entered a new chapter in one of their oldest rivalries with Manhattan College, beating the Jaspers 80-50, on Monday, Dec. 10. “[Manhattan] plays really hard,” Justin Wright-Foreman said.

“You just have to keep your composure and that’s what we did tonight.”

The Pride earned their first win over the Jaspers since the 2010-11 season, though they still trail the all-time series, 42-

23. The Pride were led by Tareq Coburn, who had a career-high 22 points. “[Coburn] brings energy,” said Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich.

“Some people work hard, some people play hard and we’ve got a team full of guys that do both.”

The Jaspers were led by Ebube Ebube and Warren Williams, who both had 10 points.

The Pride (8-3) have continued their hot streak, with their first five-game winning streak since the 2016 season.

They are also owners of a two-game win streak on the road, after dropping their first three road contests. The Jaspers (2-7) have now lost their fourth game in a row.

The Pride took control of the game early and never looked

back, only facing one deficit in the entire game, when they were down 2-1 with 19:21 left in the first half.

After first getting the lead to double digits, they never let the lead get below nine. They led by as many as 39 in the second half.

The biggest key for the Pride in this game was the variety of scoring.

Four members of the Pride reached double digits, and all seven of their major rotation members recorded at least one field goal.

They received season highs in scoring from Jalen Ray, who had 13 off the bench, Desuire Buie, who had 18, and Coburn.

Despite being the first game this season in which WrightForeman did not score 20 points and didn’t lead the team in scoring, his 14 points pushed his

streak of games with doubledigit scoring to 64 – the second longest among active players.

“People were talking about Justin [Wright-Foreman],” Mihalich said. “It’s hard to guard the rest of us.”

Coburn continued to play well in his second start of the season.

In addition to his second career double-double (22 points and 10 rebounds) he added an assist and a steal, along with shooting 70 percent from the field.

Despite the Jaspers playing very aggressive defense for much of the game, the Pride was able to dissect it with great passing throughout.

When the Jaspers put on a press, the Pride made the right pass and found the correct driving lanes, rarely turning the ball over on presses and drawing fouls on the Jaspers.

In the half court, they used

effective off-ball movement to get good shots, especially for Wright-Foreman, who was doubled for much of the game.

The team combined for 15 assists, led by Buie, who had six.

The Pride also played one of their best games defensively, stifling the Jaspers with a zone and effectively contesting jump shots.

The Jaspers only shot 33.3 percent, including 33.3 percent from the three-point line.

The Pride now have a lengthy gap between games due to a break for finals week.

They will look to extend their winning streak to six on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Stony Brook University.

A 18• December 11, 2018

The Chronicle

SPORTS

Tierney family leaving a legacy in Hofstra lacrosse

By Alexandra Licata SPORTS EDITOR

In many ways, Hofstra University runs in the Tierney family blood – or at least in men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney’s immediate family.

Now entering his 13th season, Seth Tierney has been joined by not one, but two, more Tierneys in his son, Ryan, and daughter, Erin.

Seth Tierney came to Hofstra for the first time as an assistant coach in 1995. He stayed in that position until 2000 before leaving to hold the same position at Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1991.

He played for the Blue Jays from 1988 to 1991, served as team captain in his senior season and helped lead the team to four NCAA Tournaments including the NCAA title game in 1989.

As a senior, he was given the Hopkins’ Turnbull-Reynolds Award for exemplifying leadership and sportsmanship.

Under Tierney’s coaching during his six-year tenure, the Blue Jays finished No. 2 in the nation in scoring margin, No. 6 in scoring offense and No. 16 in man-up offense during the team’s 2005 NCAA title run.

Despite serving his final two years as associate head coach for the Blue Jays, Tierney still found his way back to Hofstra in August 2006, only this time as the program’s fifth head coach in history.

After being joined by his children Ryan Tierney and Erin Tierney, Hofstra lacrosse has become a place of family for him.

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to say it was pushed on them, but they received lacrosse sticks at a very young age,” Seth Tierney said.

“Lacrosse has been part of my life, my family and my uncle who’s out in Denver now. So it was only natural to introduce it to them.”

His uncle William Tierney, better known as Bill, played lacrosse at Cortland State University from 1970 to 1973. After his first coaching

position at Rochester Institute of Technology, he found his way to Princeton University, where he quickly turned an underdeveloped program around and led the Tigers to six NCAA championships. Along with many other honors, including United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Coach of the Year award in 1992, Bill Tierney coached Team USA to a Gold Medal in a 15-14 overtime win in the 1998 World Lacrosse Championships.

He is now the head coach at the University of Denver. “[My uncle] influenced me,” Seth Tierney said. “He took my baseball glove away from me, handed me a lacrosse stick and said, ‘Good luck.’ Maybe it wasn’t as cold as that ...

Lacrosse is a sport and it’s an addictive sport. You can do a lot of things on your own, and so that’s how it started back in the mid-to-late ‘70s.”

Bill Tierney and his sons Trevor and Brendan became the first father-son combination to win the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship together in 1998 and 2001. His daughter Brianne Tierney played at Loyola University Maryland

time dancing. Her first dance teacher was Nicole Gate, the wife of Gary Gate, who is one of the best lacrosse players to play the game.

“Nicole [Gate] took [Erin Tierney] under her wing and really got her addicted to the dance thing,” Seth Tierney said.

“At that point in time, [my wife and I] were just letting them find their own passions. Just because lacrosse is big in my life doesn’t mean it has to be big in their life, but naturally it came across with Ryan and then eventually it came across with Erin.”

Erin Tierney tried out for her middle school lacrosse team and when she was moved up to varsity, she had a choice to make: continue dance or continue lacrosse.

“I had to pick one because of practice and dance after school,” she said. “I [decided] that dance was way too much drama, so I chose lacrosse and I don’t regret it whatsoever.”

Erin Tierney is now in the very beginnings of her career with Hofstra, but she’s no stranger to the program or to women’s lacrosse head coach Shannon Smith.

“It’s funny how I’ve gotten to

Photo Courtesy of the Tierney family The Tierney family resides in Massapequa, New York.

sometimes thinks two plays ahead of you before you as a coach announce what you want to do,” Smith said after the first few weeks of practice. “She’s super-fast and athletic and brings a whole other dimension to our defense.”

“She’s really starting to pick up and understand the level of intensity and the footwork needed on defense,” Smith said.

“Our defensive unit has really grown into one and they’ve put a lot of work in the past couple of weeks on their individual work, so I think it’s been really fun and exciting to watch that development.”

“It’s been a great help to work as a defensive unit ... and slowly helping the little things to make spring better,” Erin Tierney said.

“From the beginning of fall till now my confidence has grown and I’m slowly getting to where I need to be.”

But Erin Tierney wasn’t always set on going to Hofstra, and as he did with her brother, Seth Tierney made sure that whatever college his children both chose was where they truly wanted to go – not because it was where he was coaching.

“Honestly, I wanted to go away for the longest time, but it just came to the point where my family is very family-oriented and very close,” Erin Tierney said. “To have my mom, my dad and my brother all watch me play – for me to go to [Ryan’s] games and him to come to my games, for my parents to be able

“To have my mom, my dad and my brother all watch me play ... it makes a difference.

That’s the reason I came here.” and Colgate University. She is currently the head coach at Kent State University, and her husband Dylan Sheridan is the men’s lacrosse head coach at Cleveland State University.

To say lacrosse runs in the Tierney family would be an understatement, but not all of the Tierneys found their passion right away.

While Ryan Tierney has been playing lacrosse since he could hold a stick – he came home from the hospital with a mini lacrosse stick in his car seat – his sister Erin Tierney took a little longer to find her love for the sport. Even though she began playing lacrosse in the backyard with her dad and brother, she spent most of her

first know Erin [Tierney] with lacrosse when I was hired here in August 2012,” Smith said.

“I remember walking into her dad’s office, and he’s been such a huge mentor toward me. I feel [like] a part of their family.”

After a conversation with Seth Tierney about Smith’s club lacrosse team, Erin Tierney tried out for the team along with one of her best friends, Jackie Gatti, who is also a freshman on Hofstra’s team this year. Smith has been coaching Erin Tierney ever since.

“For us, I think she has a very high IQ of the game. You can kind of see that she’s a coach’s daughter and really understands everything on the field – always asking the right questions and

to make both games – it makes a difference, so that’s the reason I came here.”

Seth Tierney recalled his daughter opening the front door, nearly causing him to fall off a ladder as he was changing a lightbulb, and telling him that she was going to Hofstra. Before she did, though, he needed to know her reasons.

Some of the things she said were that she and her brother needed to see each other play.

“When we were away last year, when she was still in high school, it was hard to get to some of her games, which sucked because I love watching her play,” Ryan Tierney said.

“Now that she’s here, she’s going to be playing out on this field right here. It’s awesome being able to watch her play and help her out in any way she needs.”

Family is extremely valued by the Tierneys, and the ability to have this unique opportunity was one they couldn’t pass up.

“Certainly the happiest person was my wife ... We were all going to be wearing the same colors and be in the same stands for most of the games,” Seth Tierney said.

As Erin Tierney looks forward to her Hofstra in-season debut in February, it will be another lacrosse memory for the Tierney family that they’ll be passing down for generations to come.

As she takes the field for her first official collegiate home game, one thing’s for certain – it’ll be a Tierney family affair.

SPORTS

The Chronicle

December 11, 2018 A 19

Dan Dwyer debuts at Hofstra as comeback kid

By Nolan Foxx STAFF WRITER

Dan Dwyer is more than just a basketball player; he is a fighter. After three years of limited playing time at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Dwyer had one more year of eligibility. He was ready to make his impact felt on the court. However, the world had other plans.

Dwyer’s senior season at UPenn was ended early by a rare condition called Meckel’s diverticulum – a congenital bulge in the lower part of the small intestine.

“It was really just out of nowhere, and I just started to [feel] sick,” Dwyer said.

The illness took away the remainder of his senior year, ending his college career, until his coach told him about something that would change his fortune.

“Right after my surgery, the doctors told me I wouldn’t play again. The idea of a medical redshirt never crossed my mind.

I was really just taking in the information they were giving to me. It wasn’t until a few weeks

later that my coach said I was still eligible for this fifth year and I jumped right on it.”

Dwyer began to look for schools he could transfer to.

One of his assistant coaches at UPenn had a connection to Hofstra and began to talk to both Dwyer and Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich about the possibility of him playing here.

“Coach Mihalich’s son, Joe Jr., is an assistant at Penn,” Dwyer said. “[Joe] Mihalich [Sr.] is also good friends with our head coach at Penn, Steve Donahue, so there is a strong connection there. I got to talking with them throughout the spring and they came and watched the practice and then I came up [to Hofstra] for a workout. I really like the coaching staff here. I thought it would be a good fit.”

Dwyer was right; he has been a perfect fit off the bench for the Pride.

Although he may not fill up the stat sheet in points, Dwyer plays a major role for the team.

He is No. 4 on the team in rebounds and assists this season, and he is No. 2 on the

team in blocks.

Dwyer also plays around 20 minutes a game, splitting time with fellow graduate transfer Jacquil Taylor.

“I talked to Coach Mihalich before the season,” Dwyer said.

“He clearly explained the role. They had four guys coming back. Coming off the bench is something I take pride in ... just being able to come off and bring energy.”

“I think he gave us what we need today,” Mihalich said after Saturday’s win against Rider.

“I think [Dwyer and Taylor] have both really given us what we needed in the middle. Today is a perfect example, 14 points and 13 rebounds between the two of them. So, if we can get that out of those two guys, that is really good stuff.”

Dwyer began his final year of eligibility with Hofstra by traveling back to UPenn to scrimmage his old team.

This was a rare opportunity that Dwyer took advantage of, scoring eight points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the scrimmage.

“That was a lot of fun,” Dwyer said.

“That was probably one of the coolest experiences I have had playing, even though it was only a scrimmage. I thought it was pretty surreal being on the other side. It was just a ton of fun seeing the coaches again, seeing all the guys and being able to play against them like I did the last few years.”

Dwyer does have one personal goal for this season and he admits that it is a little selfish.

While he had to miss the remainder of his final season at UPenn, the team went on to win the Ivy League and earn a spot in March Madness. They lost to Kansas, 76-60.

“I think [going back to March Madness] would be an amazing experience,” Dwyer said.

“I wasn’t able to play last year, so obviously I would like to be able to play on that

Cam Keough / The Hofstra Chronicle Dan Dwyer transferred to Hofstra after his UPenn run was cut short.

stage and share that experience with guys on this team. I know how much they love it and how much they want to get there.

It is just a really unforgettable experience. These guys work so hard and I think everyone will be ready if we get back there.”

Although still some ways

claiming an undefeated 6-0 record at home while currently boasting the Colonial Athletic Association’s (CAA) best record at 7-3.

As a conference title earns a team an automatic bid into the tournament, the Pride will look to maintain this dominance

“ ... I came up [to Hofstra] for a workout. I really like the coaching staff here. I thought it would be a good fit.”

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Dan Dwyer has 37 points and seven assists with the Pride this season.

away from a potential NCAA Tournament entry, having not even started conference play yet, the Pride have gotten off to their best start in recent years,

through CAA play and the CAA Tournament to let Dwyer revisit the madness in 2019 with his new set of teammates.

Back Cover: Tareq Coburn records career-high in points

The Hofstra Chronicle

Sp

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December 11, 2018

Feel the ‘Burn’ Tareq Coburn records a career-high 22 points to help lead men’s basketball past Manhattan College Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics