The Hofstra Chronicle September 24, 2024

HEMPSTEAD, NY

THE HOFSTRA CHRONICLE

KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935

Donald Trump promises to “save New York” at campaign

rally NEWS

By Grace Luty, Donald Proctor, Lily Spinda and Veronica Wakefield

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE, STAFF WRITER, NEWS EDITOR AND SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

On Wednesday, Sept. 18, former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump hosted a campaign rally at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum just 48 days from the election. Hofstra students, faculty and public safety officers anticipated heavy traffic on the Hempstead Turnpike, and for a massive crowd to attend the rally. On Monday, Sept. 16, Hofstra announced that all classes after 1 p.m. on Wednesday would be held virtually, and anyone entering the campus would be required to show proof of Hofstra ID to a public safety officer to prevent rally-goers from parking in Hofstra’s lots.

Still, students were tense, as many students were on campus for their in-person morning classes. Many commuters were concerned about their safety and increased commute times, and although there was heightened security both on and off campus, many students believed that classes should have been taught online for the entire day.

After a second assassination attempt was made on the former president on Sunday Sept. 15 at the Trump International Golf Club, many were questioning whether there should be a rally so close to Hofstra’s campus.

“I’m very concerned about my safety because I think it was two days ago or a day ago there was another assassination attempt on Trump,” said Nia Ojuro, a senior health science major. Ojuro is the secretary for Hofstra’s Black Student Union and events coordinator of Strictly Steppin’.

Public Safety released a statement regarding security measures that would be taken to maintain a safe and orderly environment.

“Public Safety has been in communication with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and security of the campus during former President Trump’s upcoming rally. In addition to steps taken by Hofstra’s administration to limit in-person activities, Public Safety will have an increased presence on Wednesday, and those driving on campus should be prepared to show Hofstra identification.”

To solidify this statement, all

gates around campus that are not regularly monitored were closed and locked so the Hofstra campus would be secure during the rally.

Security was a major concern, but many Hofstra students begroaned the impacts the rally would make on their commute to and from the university.

“It’s going to be hell commuting to campus because people are going to be at the stadium at like 4 a.m. in the morning, waiting outside for hours … I feel like all classes should go virtual just for the time being until this whole event is over,” said commuter student Hailey Falta a freshman double majoring in drama and communications. Falta is from Seaford in Nassau County.

Falta’s assumptions were correct. The rally, set to begin at 7 p.m., allowed attendees to enter the Coliseum at 3 p.m., but many attempted to camp outside of the Coliseum the night before, as early as 10 p.m. And while the venue’s seats only hold 16,000 people, supporters of Trump flooded the Coliseum grounds to secure a position in line that would allow for an inperson seating experience.

Merchandise vendors lined the road and inside the gates to the venue. Hats, flags, shirts

and posters with “Trump 2024,” “Trump Vance 2024” and “M.A.G.A.,” were sported by majority of the attendees, in passionate support of the former president.

The queue to enter the venue zig-zagged throughout the entire Coliseum parking lot, with many of the lines merging. This led to heated arguments between attendees, as some supporters accused others of cutting lines.

However, the majority of attendees remained positive. Many were filled with joy and pride that the former president was visiting Uniondale. Singers with boomboxes serenaded those standing in line. Throughout the entire afternoon, chants of “Go America, Go” and “U-S-A, U-S-A” were common, breaking out in the line to enter the venue.

At one entrance to the Coliseum, a pro-Haitian immigration protest showed out in support. This follows former President Trump’s claim during the ABC Presidential Debate earlier this September that Haitian immigrants in Ohio and Colorado were eating cats and dogs. “No More Hate, No More Hate” was a common chant from the protesters.

Starting as early as 1 p.m., students walked in groups down

Hempstead Turnpike, from the north side of campus to the Coliseum. Some students wore Trump merchandise, including hats, shirts, jackets and flags tied around their necks.

Junior communications major Peter Mudge attended and was satisfied with Trump’s rally. “[Trump] was really aggressive because this is obviously an important state, and no Republican has won since [1984],” Mudge said. “He was trying to swing the vote and he made some good points … it was a neat experience no matter what party you’re a part of.”

Other students attended the rally out of curiosity and interest. One student who preferred to remain anonymous does not support Trump, but went to the rally because of its proximity to the university. “It’s right down the street, I might as well just go and see it and actually see Trump supporters in person … It’s easy to see why he has such a large following like this out here. He’s kind of charismatic,” the student said. As a Long Island native, he thinks that Trump selected the Coliseum due to its smaller stadium size, mainly to create the illusion of a bigger crowd rather than a larger stadium with fewer attendees.

Photo courtesy of Veronica Wakefield / The Hofstra Chronicle

The crowd waits in anticipation for Trump to enter the stage.

Donald Trump promises to “save New York” at campaign rally cont.

This speculation comes after Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris compared Trump’s rally sizes to that of her own. In a New York Times article comparing the two candidates’ crowd sizes, it was found that Harris had 3,500 more attendees at recent events than Trump.

The article also claimed that “event organizers may strategically choose venues with a small capacity like college campus buildings where only a few hundred can attend.”

Christian Rosario, a junior political science major and student public safety officer, thought it was odd for a Trump rally to take place at the Coliseum. “What I can tell you is this: I find it quite odd that he’s gonna do a rally here, considering that New York is not a swing state,” Rosario said, who registers as a Republican and is a member of the College Republicans here at Hofstra. “It’s guaranteed that Kamala Harris is gonna win New York.”

Lea Forstedinell, a senior management major, is an international student from Sweden. “I was just curious to see what type of people I’d see here,” Forstedinell said. As a senior, she is unsure if she will continue to live in New York if Trump is elected president. “I’m a young woman: everything involving reproductive rights, and as an international student, it could become a lot harder for us to stay here after we graduate.”

Around 7 p.m., Trump walked out on to a long, redcarpeted stage, and immediately began speaking on the prominent issues discussed during this election season. He placed a heavy emphasis on immigration, inflation and crime. While primarily attacking Harris’ role as “border czar,” he also referenced policy stances that she took in 2020, including defunding the police and a fracking ban.

The former president employed broad language, claiming that “the middle class has

been eviscerated” by the Democrats and that America has become a “third-world nation.”

He spoke harshly about his home state, describing New York as a place that is “under failed Democrat rule.”

Among the initiatives he proposed, Trump said he would reinstate S.A.L.T. deductions, which allowed taxpayers to be reimbursed for some state and local taxes on their federal tax return.

record on crime.

Trump touted endorsements from the Teamsters and New York City Fire Union Local 94, citing how the Teamsters have been long-standing supporters of Democrats. The Teamsters Union declined to endorse Trump or Harris, and it is unknown if Union Local 94 has endorsed Trump. Trump invigorated the crowd by repeating his strict plans for deportation and a radical overhaul of the immigration system. He claimed that homeless veterans are being neglected in favor of illegal immigrants.

He also laid out promises of “the greatest economy in the history of our world, … country and New York state,” contrasting that with rhetoric about immigrants originating “from prisons and jails, mental institutions and insane asylums…”

The former president elaborated, saying his border policies were crucial to his first victory while claiming it has gotten “25 times” worse during the Biden administration. He made note of Springfield, Ohio, but avoided any mention of Haitian immigrants. Instead, he focused on Spanish-speaking children with interpreters and other nuances he believed to be results of immigration. He also discussed the criminal organization MS-13 in length, graphically describing murders they committed to highlight his

He also took time to berate Harris’ tax plan, especially her proposal of an unrealized capital gains tax (which only applies to capital gains exceeding $100 million). He repeatedly mocked Harris, saying “Vote for me, I’ll raise your taxes” several times.

The former president doubled down on language originally directed toward a predominantly African-American audience. He referenced his famous “What do you have to lose?” quote from years ago, and the blowback he received from advisors. However, on Wednesday, he echoed those very sentiments and claimed to have seen unprecedented support from the Black and Hispanic communities.

Political science professor Rosanna Perotti, the organizer behind Hofstra Votes Live, explained why there is such a focus on immigration within the Trump campaign, and referenced a bipartisan border security bill that was rejected earlier this year. “The immigration issue is a game changer for suburban districts, and that’s why solving the immigration problem would’ve been problematic for the Republicans,” Perotti said.

Trump concluded the rally by urging the voters to turn out, in a style that perhaps only he could. His final words to the average Joe: “Harry, get your fat ass out of the couch and vote for Trump.”

Photo courtesy of Grace Luty / The Hofstra Chronicle

Trump addresses the audience during his rally at the Coliseum.

A sea of M.A.G.A. hats is seen outside the Coliseum before the rally began.

Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin / The Hofstra Chronicle

Pro-Haitian immigrant protesters chant outside of the Nassau Coliseum.

Photo courtesy of Lily Spinda / The Hofstra Chronicle

Nassau County Police are seen stationed outside of the Coliseum.

Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin / The Hofstra Chronicle

A Trump supporter is seen wearing a jersey with “right wing” stitched on the back as a Trump 2024 flag waves in the background.

Hofstra students discuss Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris

By Giovanni Salsa NEWS EDITOR

Ahead of the upcoming presidential election, pop star Taylor Swift publicly announced that she will be voting for Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Minnesota Govenor Tim Walz.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Swift made her political stance clear after the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Harris. Based on

Swift’s extreme influence on society and her massive following, many people understand the pros and cons of her endorsement.

“I think, in terms of celebrities talking about politics or endorsing certain politicians, I see both perspectives,” said Grace Curtis, a senior anthropology major. “I see how it can be dangerous, [based on] potential biases. But I also think, given our climate, we need everyone to get out and vote.”

Gabriela Padin, a junior anthropology major, shared a similar sentiment on Swift’s influence.

“I think celebrities like Taylor Swift can have such a huge

impact on big, influential events, and that’s not a bad thing,” Padin said. “I just think people like her should use their voices to empower other groups and movements as well.”

JJ Vogt, a senior criminology and film studies and production major, does not think that “the issue is with celebrities.” Voters themselves need to sway from believing public figures and conduct their own research.

“I think celebrities are just as entitled to an opinion as any of us,” Vogt said. “I think the problem comes with so many Americans being uninformed about politics that they’ll just happily go along with whatever a celebrity says.”

The extent to celebrity influence has been a common topic of debate amongst the public, specifically regarding how much of a mixed impact it can have. It’s a common topic of discus-

sion in educational realms as well. Dr. Alan J. Singer, professor of education at Hofstra University, thinks Swift’s decision to endorse the Harris-Walz ticket will not have too much of an impact on this year’s election.

“I would say that normally it has very little impact,” Singer said. “People are going to vote for who they’re going to vote for. This, however, is a very unusual election because a lot of people perceive Donald Trump as a threat to the future of our country.”

“Over Taylor Swift, her following is kind of unusual,” Singer said. “On one hand, her following is mainstream America, so she may have some influence on swing states. But on the other hand, a lot of her following are pre-teen girls who don’t vote.”

In addition, Singer also thinks that “there are so many other

issues that people are concerned about” where the political views of a celebrity is not the “key question.”

Swift’s impact may not lie in swaying voters in a particular direction, but her endorsement did drive a record 405,000 people to voter registration websites, according to Reuters.

Regarding this controversial election, the voting population has become more aware of the importance of voting and encouraging others to do the same. With an election this close in polling, every vote counts.

“I think just because [Swift] endorses [Harris] doesn’t mean it’s necessarily meant to be an influential thing on her fans,” Curtis said. “It’s more ‘get out and vote,’ which I think, given the current circumstances, it’s important to get out and vote this year.”

Hofstra community comes together for 9/11 remembrance

By Camryn Bowden

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Twenty-three years after the tragedies of 9/11, the Hofstra University community came together to remember the alumni and students who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attack. 9/11 serves as a day to remember and reflect, and at C.V. Starr, that was the exact ambiance.

The small yet powerful ceremony started around 11 a.m., welcoming in students, administrators and families of those impacted during the 9/11 attacks. Around 100 atendees made for a day of sincere remembrance.

Among the many acts of remembrance in this memorial, members of the administration and the local community placed the names of those in the Hofstra community who were killed on red roses on a blue and white themed wreath with the words “In Remembrance Of September 11th, 2001.”

Jewels Joyel, the Student Government Association (SGA) vice president and a sophomore forensic science major, was the master of ceremonies

at the event and she expressed how important this day was for the community in and around Hofstra.

“I was, in specific, not born but I think it’s important to recognize the communities and the people who are affected who were born, and still affecting them today,” she said. “Taking this time to remember those events and remember and honor those people really unites the community, and I think that’s what is important about remembrance.”

Among the attendees was Hofstra President Susan Poser. “Today is 23 years since that awful day, a September day that looked a lot like today. A day that is seared into our individual and collective memory.”

Poser also referenced a memorial that is in front of C.V. Starr to commemorate those who died. “On this anniversary, we mourn them, along with the others lost. We continue to honor them with the 9/11 memorial here at Hofstra,” she said. “Where their names are inscribed on this sculpture right

behind me, representing a phoenix, the mythological bird that is the symbol of rebirth.”

Lincoln Anniballi, SGA president and a senior history and political science major, said that this ceremony is a very important way to honor those in the Hofstra community who perished.

“I think every community is strengthened when tragedy strikes, and to have these families attend this event today, it shows you that even though maybe their loved ones are the ones who are directly a part of the community, this is still their home here,” he said.

Anniballi joined retired Lieutenant Colonel Paul Flora from the class of 1968 to read the names of those who died.

“I’ve been doing this ceremony for close to 20 years; I keep coming back,” Flora said. “I’ve met several of the families and as you talk to them, they are very grateful for what Hofstra is doing because it’s keeping alive the memory of their loved ones who perished on that day.”

Flora expressed that 9/11, and

its remembrance, are of the utmost importance.

“For me, and I believe many of the people on campus, it’s the remembrance of the most terrible day in our history, in America,” Flora said. “All those people that lost their lives for just being in the building. Nothing to do with anything in the world, but just being in the building.”

Multiple speakers reminisced on their personal experiences with 9/11. In his invocation, Rabbi Dave Siegel remembered his friend and said, “As I acknowledged last year, I don’t post much on social media, but I do today. One word: Zuck. The name of a childhood friend who was last seen running into his office to help get his coworkers out of tower two.”

Father John Crozier recalled his experience. “I overheard the news reporting that hi-

jacked planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. And I remember asking my dad: what does ‘hijack’ mean,” he said. “From that moment on, a sense of innocence had been lost but also a sense of what a hero looks like.”

Joyel explained remembrance means “finding support that you need to look back on these events and promise that we, as a community, will support each other in the future, and say these things will not be allowed to continue.”

Taylor Swift during one of her ‘Eras Tour’ performances.

Hofstra University administrators and community members placed red roses on the 9/11 Remembrance memorial wreath.

Photo courtesy of Gregor Fisher / Rolling Stone

Photo courtesy of Hofstra University / Instagram

Hofstra prepares for the Presidential Symposium

nominee Kamala Harris, starting by highlighting the fact that Trump has sat down for interviews and hosted more rallies than his opponent.

“It’s really a great case study for us,” Morosoff said. “I’m preparing simply by observing and taking notes.”

Journalism professor Scott Brinton said that he’s working on a panel regarding offshore wind and the politics around windmills. “We’re going to be looking at offshore wind and the politics around offshore wind here on Long Island.”

While ordinarily, it might sound like a journalism professor might elect to talk about press freedoms, the interest stems from the debate regarding climate change between the two nominees earlier in September.

gotten into it, I guess,” he said. “In terms of our politics and presidential stuff, I see the divide between adults, and I just think it’s ridiculous, so I’ve always stayed away from it.”

The goal, at least for professors like Morosoff and Brinton, is to showcase their research to students from all disciplines and to educate as many as possible.

“This is an opportunity that students should not miss, this is an election year for the president of the United States, it only comes once every four years. There’s going to be a lot of great discussion about what we’re seeing, what to expect, what we might not know is going to happen, so it really is an opportunity for students to learn,” Morosoff said.

“I think the important part is that you’re going to get good, factual information if you come to these panels,” Brinton said.

By Michelle Rabinovich STAFF WRITER

Coming off of the heels of former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign rally in the Nassau Veterans MemorialColiseum last week, Hofstra University will host four days of lecture as part of the Presidential Symposium from Monday, Sept. 23 to Thursday, Sept. 26, addressing the broad topic of “Higher Education in an Election Year.” A variety of faculty and department perspectives are expected to speak and provide analysis for their research throughout the fourday series.

Some students, like senior music business major Abbie Herring, are using this as an opportunity to learn, given the gravity of the upcoming election.

“I think that it is a great idea to hear about topics from leaders and experts, [and] for voices of our community to be heard and to be further educated on issues that pertain to us,” Herring said. “I think there are a lot of subjects, especially pertaining to education that are highly politicized in election years and espe-

More information regarding these events can be found on Hofstra’s website.

“This is an opportunity that students should not miss, this is an election year for the president of the United States, it only comes once every four years.”

Some of the topics will include free speech and First Amendment rights, news coverage of elections, policy debates on hot-ticket issues, public resources for colleges and universities, the role of higher education in the 21st century and civic engagement.

Public relations professor Jeffrey Morosoff said that on the panel he’s participating in, he’s doing a deep dive into the perception that the two candidates provide to the public. His goal is to draw attention to the different campaign styles between Trump and Vice President and Democratic

cially this election being one of great concerns for not only our community here at Hofstra, but of concern for the entire nation. I think it’s always good to hear the thoughts and the ideas of experts and leaders in our community and it’s something we should pay attention to.”

There’s also the other end of the student-interest sliding scale such as junior psychology major Alexander Kropp, who said he has “pretty much no interest [in] attending the symposium.”

“I understand why politics are in place and why [this election] is so important, but I just never have

President Poser’s State of the University Address poster in the Student Center.

Photo courtesy of Camryn Bowden / The Hofstra Chronicle

Jones Beach cleanup: bringing boots on the ground and trash off the sand

By Donald Proctor STAFF WRITER

On Sunday, Sept. 15, over 70 students and faculty from Hofstra University members gathered at Jones Beach for community engagement as part of the university’s “Days of Service” series.

The Pride returned to their local beach as part of the many

schools participating in the International Coastal Cleanup program, which the university initially joined four years ago.

As of 2023, Hofstra students have cleared hundreds of pounds of trash off the vast sands that comprise New York’s most visited state park.

The cleanup required careful collaboration between the Office

of Commuting Students and Community Outreach, Hofstra Hillel and external organizations with the New York State Marine Education Association, the New Jersey Lattorial Society and the New York State Parks Department.

A section of the beach typically in the Pride’s crosshairs was closed throughout the summer, leading to a shocking contrast from previous years.

“There was no garbage; everything was clean,” said Rabbi Dave Siegel, leader of the cleanup effort, Executive Director of Hofstra Hillel and the university Chaplain. “It just goes to show how much we affect the beach with our day-today presence … [the New York State Parks Department] wanted to make sure we knew that there were other areas that needed our help.”

Under sunny skies, the Pride whisked down to Jones Beach

On April 8, at 4 a.m., the RSR working in Bill of Rights Hall reported to PS that two HU students and a non-student failed to comply with Hofstra guest policy and verbally harassed the RSR. The non-student was banned from campus, and the two students were issued referrals to CS for their actions.

Field 4 and left no stone unturned. In groups of three, students gloved up and kept their eyes down to fill dozens of large bags with a vast array of trash.

Volunteers enjoyed making new friends, soaking up the sun and creating a tangible impact on a coveted area of nature.

“People throw garbage all around here … cleaning this up could make people a little more careful,” said Muhammad Vasali, a freshman computer science major. “I said ‘Why not?’ I’d love to do something for the community.”

Rabbi Siegel and his father, Lou Siegel, representing the New York Marine Education Association, introduced additional context to the crew, connecting Vasali’s love for community involvement in nature to values of faith.

Rabbi Siegel explained that the concept of radical amazement in the Jewish religion is a

lens that requires people to think deeply and find amazement in the world around them. Even if an individual has visited the beach numerous times, the lens of radical amazement would procure someone to appreciate it as if they had never been. The crowd thoroughly embraced this concept.

“I tend to get stuck in the whirlwind of college, and I feel this is a nice way to disconnect from that and reunite with the rest of the world,” said Mohini Haque, a junior biology major.

The event will return next year as students readily volunteer to help clean up Jones Beach. The New York State Parks Department is credited with the care and disposal of the collected garbage.

Hofstra Hall. Photos were taken of the graffiti, and an investigation is being conducted into this matter. The plant department was notified for cleanup.

Public Safety Briefs

Compiled by Moriah Sukhlal

been identified, and an accident report has been prepared.

On April 8, at 11:14 p.m., the RA in Utrecht House reported to PS that, while conducting rounds, there were loud noises coming from a room. PS responded and discovered open bottles of alc

On Friday, Sept. 13, at 12:27 p.m., the fire alarm in Bill of Rights sounded due to hair care products. Seventy-five people were evacuated within nine minutes without incident. PS, Plant and UFD responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center sounded due to a false alarm. Two people were evacuated from the building without incident. PS, Plant and UFD responded. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On April 8, at 4 a.m., the RSR working in Bill of Rights Hall reported to PS that two HU students and a non-student failed to comply with Hofstra guest policy and verbally harassed the RSR. The non-student was banned from campus, and the two students were issued referrals to CS for their actions.

On April 8, at 11:14 p.m., the RA in Utrecht House reported to PS that, while conducting rounds, there were loud noises coming from a room. PS responded and discovered open bottles of alcohol. Six students were issued referrals to CS.

On Thursday, Sept. 12, at 10:45 a.m., an HU employee called PS to report a code blue emergency call box and poll were knocked to the ground. Upon reviewing the video, a tractor-trailer was observed backing into the pole and exiting the area. The driver has

On Friday, Sept. 13, at 4:01 p.m., the fire alarm in the Graduate Residence Hall sounded. Fifty people were evacuated within one minute without incident. PS, Plant and UFD responded. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On April 11, at 10:20 a.m., an HU plant employee reported to PS that he accidentally damaged a vehicle owned by another Hofstra employee on Holland Road while working on the main campus. The owner of the vehicle was notified about the damage and responded to PS.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:55 p.m., the fire alarm in

On Monday, Sept. 16, at 2:20 a.m., PS discovered an electric scooter charging in the Netherlands core. The RSR team member stated that the scooter was already there when they started their shift and did not know who it belonged to. The scooter was removed from the area and vouchered at the Hofstra Information Center.

vehicle in the afternoon, there were several scratches on the driver’s side. A review of the cameras did not observe anyone making contact with the car.

was requested.

On April 12, at 9:50 p.m., the fire alarm in Estabrook Hall was activated due to hair care products. The alarm sounded, and the building was evacuated. PS, the plant department and the Uniondale Fire Department responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 2:44 a.m., the fire alarm in Calkins Hall sounded due to dust from painters in the room. Two people were evacuated within one minute without incident. PS and Plant responded. The building was placed in trouble mode at this time, and the fire alarm needed to be removed.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 1:05 p.m., the fire alarm in the Graduate Residence Hall sounded for an unknown reason. Sixty-five people were evacuated within one minute. PS, Plant and UFD responded. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On April 14, at 5:25 p.m., the fire alarm in Hampton House was activated due to burnt food in the kitchen. The alarm sounded, and the building was evacuated. PS, the plant department and the Uniondale Fire Department responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On April 15, at 10:19 a.m., the fire alarm in New York House was activated due to burnt food in the kitchen. The alarm sounded, and the building was evacuated. PS, the plant department and the Uniondale Fire Department responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On Monday, Sept. 16, at 5:47 p.m., an HU student reported that they left their car in parking field 2A in the morning, and when they returned to their

On April 11, at 2:18 p.m., it was reported to PS that an unknown person wrote messages in chalk on the sidewalk on the south side of

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 8:45 a.m., vehicle one, driven by an HU student reported grazing the front bumper of another vehicle identified as vehicle two. The owner of vehicle two, an HU student, was not present at the time. No police assistance

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 6:45 p.m., the fire alarm in Barnard Hall sounded for an unknown reason. Fifty-five people were evacuated within five minutes with no incident. PS, Plant and UFD responded. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset.

On April 15, at 6:53 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that they lost their wallet containing their driver’s license, Hofstra ID, debit card and cash. The wallet was lost in a location off campus. The NCPD responded and took a report.

On April 16, at 9:44 a.m., an HU student reported to PS that some of their laundry was missing from the laundry room in Alliance Hall. The student requested a police response.

On April 16, at 10:26 p.m., an HU student was issued a referral to CS

Students gather at Jones Beach for a day of cleanup.

Photo Courtesy of Donald Proctor / The Hofstra Chronicle

FEATURES

Chron Critiques: Starbucks fall drink menu

By Hannah Mudry

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

As the crisp autumn air settles in and the leaves begin to change, Starbucks’ fall menu makes its annual debut, inviting coffee lovers to indulge in the season’s favorite flavors.

It’s no secret that Starbucks’ coffee menu is a fall staple for many. First debuting in 2003, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is the drink that started it all. As of 2024, Starbucks has three more fallthemed coffees on their seasonal menu: two with pumpkin – the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew – and two with apple crisp – the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is the embodiment of fall: sitting on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket, reading a good book with a crisp autumn breeze in the air. The handcrafted beverage combines espresso and steamed milk with flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. It is finished off with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. It can be made hot, iced or blended. Its popularity is well-de-

served; the pumpkin seasoning adds a delicate taste that doesn’t overpower the rest of the drink. The espresso in the latte is hidden under the oat milk and pumpkin.

For those getting the hot version of the latte, it’s best to keep the lid on. The syrups mix with the milk, creating an unsettling appearance similar to oil separating from water. But luckily, this issue does not seem prevalent with the iced version of the latte.

The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is another fan favorite. It features cold brew mixed with vanilla syrup and is topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and pumpkin spice topping. The drink is best enjoyed as originally crafted because any additional cream can make it very milk heavy as the cold foam sets over time. Sipping this coffee during a long day may also be a risky choice as the cold foam thickens over time, which may affect taste and appearance. Despite this, the coffee can be the perfect fall drink for anyone looking to have the full autumn experience. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew has just enough pumpkin so it’s not overwhelming, making it an ideal choice for the transitioning weather from summer to fall.

To enhance the pumpkin flavor, pair it with a pumpkin cream cheese muffin – a pumpkin spiced muffin with a cream cheese filling and spiced pepitas on top.

The Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato offers a distinct taste. It can be a winner for macchiato lovers, but for those who prefer less milk in their coffee, another option may be better for the walk to class. The beverage features espresso over oat milk with flavors of apple, cinnamon and brown sugar and is topped with a spiced apple drizzle, giving it a strong taste reminiscent of caramel apple oatmeal.

It can be enjoyed either hot or iced. The coffee has a rich smell of apple brown sugar syrup, which makes it easy to pinpoint on the Starbucks counter. The flavors stand out from the first sip and lingers through the aftertaste. Like the macchiato, the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is made from espresso with flavors of apple, cinnamon and brown sugar and topped with oat milk. Unlike the macchiato, this beverage isn’t as creamy, allowing the espresso flavors to shine through. The coffee carries the bitter notes typical of a shaken espresso; however, the apple brown sugar

syrup adds sweetness, balancing out the flavors for a tasty combination. For those who prefer Starbucks’ apple brown sugar syrup, this coffee is a satisfying choice.

The Starbucks’ fall menu also features the new Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai and the returning Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai. This seasonal menu has something for every type of coffee lover, even for those who don’t enjoy coffee.

Each beverage is handcrafted with fall feelings in mind and is available for just under three months. This year, the company released the menu on Aug. 22, the earliest it has ever been available to customers. With the menu being out for almost a month, there isn’t much more time to savor the fall flavors before winter selections arrive, so be sure to enjoy all the autumn vibes while you can.

Chron Critiques: Vincent’s Clam Bar

By Peter Massarrone

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Vincent’s Clam Bar, a classic Italian, family-style restaurant, is not even a 10 minute drive from Hofstra University. The restaurant offers a bustling, welcoming and intimate environment to any patron who enters.

This week, after hearing good reviews and overwhelmingly positive comments from other students at Hofstra, I visited Vincent’s Clam Bar for the first time. Since I had not previously dined there despite living on Long Island and being at Hofstra for more than two years, I had to find out if they were right or wrong for making such a claim.

Upon entering Vincent’s Clam Bar, it feels like you’re stepping into a different world. I was taken aback going from the quiet,

gray colored plaza to the bustling and warm mahogany entrance.

As I waited to be seated, I found myself thinking, “How come I never knew about this place before? There’s so much going on here!” Families, college students (specifically with Hofstra merchandise on) and patrons of all ages crowded the halls of Vincent’s from the front to the back. It felt like this was the perfect place to be having dinner on a Sunday night.

My party and I were sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant, close to the neighboring tables, when a waiter immediately came and greeted us. The menu was filled with a wide variety of classic Italian options: pasta, brick oven pizza, salad, soup, shrimp, calamari, chicken parmigiana, chicken marsala and more. Our table was presented with

large loafs of warm Italian bread to share amongst ourselves.

We ordered miniature meatballs as an appetizer, which came out very quickly and provided a great start to our meals. The marinara sauce tasted savory and rich, while the meatballs were perfectly delicate and packed with flavor. I would heavily recommend them.

I ordered the penne alla vodka with grilled chicken as my main course. Similar to our appetizers, the food came out before I could even wonder, “When’s our food going to get here? I’m hungry.”

My meal had a rich, bright tasting vodka sauce that covered the pasta as well as the grilled chicken throughout my bowl. The abundance of chicken throughout my dish gave a variety of flavors to such a simple, classic Italian meal.

The biggest takeaway I noticed when our meals arrived was the portion size. You could easily make two full meals out of what you’re given, even three if you are already full after eating the delicious appetizers. I took the other half of my meal home for another night. For a not-so-pricey meal, I felt I got bang for my buck.

As we ate our main courses, the sounds of the restaurant and the sense of community came to life. People were laughing, families were celebrating and conversations were alive. To say the place was full of people would be an understatement.

“It’s the best Italian food that you can eat on Long Island,” said Jack Carella, a food runner at Vincent’s who currently attends Hofstra, when asked about his thoughts on the restaurant. “Vin-

cent’s has an exciting, bustling, intimate atmosphere that makes you genuinely feel like you are in Little Italy.”

Vincent’s feels like a community staple of Long Island. Any Hofstra student should take the short drive to experience a sense of community that doesn’t exist anywhere else on the Island, especially with family weekend coming up so soon. I will most definitely be returning there when I get the chance – after I finish my leftovers, of course.

Vincent’s Clam Bar is located at 179 Old Country Road, Carle Place, N.Y., 11514.

Photo courtesy of Hannah Mudry

By Timothy Daly ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

The bird sanctuary is possibly the prettiest part of campus. It is a picturesque, tranquil little location featuring trees and plants, a waterfall and gazebo. In a campus that can often feel a bit suffocating in its bustling nature, filled with heavy amounts of traffic, paved walkways and modern buildings, the bird sanctuary is a serene escape – if you can get in, that is.

I attempted to enter the bird sanctuary to review the location, and it was closed (as it often is). I couldn’t find any information online about the sanctuary’s open hours, and I tried to call the phone number on the sign at the entrance and nobody answered. Considering that I revisited it multiple times during the week, it seems to be closed completely for the time being. The entrance gate is locked, making it inaccessible if you aren’t daring or athletic enough to hop the black fence that encases its perimeter. While I was unwilling to blatantly trespass for the sake of this review, I did walk the perimeter of the fence, hoping to see an open entrance, to no avail. On my walk, it became apparent to

By Zoe Casselman FEATURES EDITOR

Picture the red, red skin

Creeping up my arm and over the Crest of my shoulders, Ribbon rivulets pulling off my chest –Damn these midwest summers

I pick the skin

Like treebark, or old wooden floorboards, or Half-plastic-playhouses

Peel Peel Peel

Ouch, Help me with my splinter

Root through Mom’s cardamom cosmetics

Grab her squeaky creaky tweezers –

FEATURES

A review of a closed bird sanctuary

me that the sanctuary would not be open anytime soon due to its neglected state. There was overgrown brush, a stack of planter boxes knocked onto the ground, a bench that had long pieces of scrap metal sitting on it and the place was littered with trash. Along with it being closed so often, the sanctuary resides in a sort of hidden location on North campus right next to the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, which is completely out of the way of the path that most campus residents would take to class. The area is boxed in by tall trees and is unassuming until you walk up to it. Due to its closed status and hidden location, the bird sanctuary is somewhat unknown to the student population and is very infrequently visited, which is a shame because the sanctuary itself is incredible. Despite the state that the bird sanctuary is currently in, I still remember how beautiful it was to visit two years ago when I was a freshman. My Culture and Expression professor took my class to read nature poems, and the experience was truly magical. I returned several times that year, using the sanctuary as a place to seek solitude. There were some nice man-made additions to it too

that made the experience more comfortable without detracting from the nature-feel such as wooden walkways, stars, a gazebo and wooden benches. The pond and waterfall add to the view and create some very pleasant white noise that improves the whole sensory experience.

While the bird sanctuary is quite lovely, I will concede that some of its magic comes from the scarcity of true nature spots close by. While there is nature on campus, it exists in the form of plants and trees that are only accents, and the residential side of campus is especially sparse. While the plants and trees are pretty, they don’t give the feeling of being in nature, as they are surrounded by all of the man-made structures on campus, but the bird sanctuary feels truly secluded.

For those of us from other parts of the country, the adjustment to the strip-mall and highway-heavy Hempstead area is especially difficult without any nature spots that are conveniently and safely accessible from campus. Even with a car, the options close by aren’t plentiful. The scarce woods and trails nearby, such as the Hempstead Lake Loop, are

so overrun with joggers and dog walkers that your experience is completely stunted, and you will leave agitated by the lack of peace and quiet that nature typically promises. It is quite ironic that the bird sanctuary is the best nature spot nearby considering that the idea of a bird sanctuary isn’t all that natural itself. While I do understand why the school would neglect an expensive hidden nature spot that doesn’t directly make them money, I think it is absolutely worth it to have, as it would improve the quality of life here to have more pretty and secluded spots on campus. If there is money in the budget, it is worth it to direct some fixing and maintaining the bird sanctuary to keep it open.

Poem: Sunburn

Get it out! I can’t look!

Sit me on the couch

Kiss my finger better and Lean in but

Careful! Gentle, gentle so Our lava skin doesn’t touch

Let’s lay together

And let our laughter linger and Echo through every corner and Crevice of this small entry room to remind me that, somehow, I have always known love.

Timothy Daly / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo courtesy of Hudson Roseboom / Unsplash

M AN ON THE U NISPAN

What is your guilty pleasure?

By Zoe Casselman and Lily Anzalone FEATURES EDITOR AND ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

“Honestly, I think mukbang ASMR.”

- Emily Cohen, freshman

O verheard @ h O fstra

“His cunty little tan suit? That is a gay man.”

“Can we all please lock in for ‘The Voice’ next week?”

“What’s the ruple of 30?”

“Chipotle.”

- Genesis Carrillo, freshman

“I’ll say ‘Stardew Valley.’”

- Kay Lukeski, senior

“Any time a straight person helps me its them being an ally.”

“I wouldn’t say I abuse alcohol, it’s more like a domestic dispute.”

“First of all, ironing my slacks is very manly. It’s what men do.”

“My hole is the same size as your hole pal.”

“R. Kelly is definitely in the mix somewhere.”

“The wolf howls but the hawk tuahs.”

“There should be an episode where Doc McStuffins gives a fatty Ozempic.”

Spread by Audra Nemirow

Zoe Casselman / The Hofstra Chronicle

FEATURES

Icebreakers: Which character do you best relate to?

By Makenzie Hurt EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One of my fondest childhood memories was going to Blockbuster with my mom on Fridays, before it was totally swept out by Netflix, of course. We’d usually rent something for a Friday movie night and one tv show that I could watch throughout the week.

We went back and forth between my weekly choice of a Scooby Doo or Barbie movies and my mom’s childhood favorites like “The Never Ending Story,” “Harry and the Hendersons” and most importantly, “Gumby.”

If you don’t know who Gumby is, first of all, educate yourself, but I’ll give you a brief synopsis and then explain to you why Gumby is actually in all of us. Ha.

Gumby is a green, clay little man (seven inches tall) who works as a city planner in Gumbtasia, naturally. He has a pet horse – or sidekick horse, I’m not really sure on the logistics

here – named Pokey.

What makes Gumby unique and relatable, other than being a seven-inch-tall clay architect, is his and Pokey’s shape shifting abilities.

As college students, we have an unspoken skill that we don’t put on our resumes after we graduate. Some of us have the benefit of forgetting this skill, and some are able to take advantage of it and embrace it. If you haven’t noticed, we are extremely talented shapeshifters.

The transition from being a senior in high school, having a group of friends and an identity that most of us have been building and maintaining since kindergarten, and then being thrown into a pond of big fish when you’re just a minnow requires some serious self-realization and shapeshifting.

You do visual and invisible shapeshifting every single day. I didn’t like who I was in high school so I shapeshifted in college. And then a few months into my sophomore year I didn’t like that person either. I changed

By Paige Sanacora

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Whether you are new or old to the Hofstra community, you might not know all the places you can visit outside of campus. Roosevelt Field Mall is one of the many destinations at your disposal, and here’s everything you need to know about it. Most of the time, if you are going to a mall, you’re looking to buy something. So, what are your options? With three floors and over 200 stores and services to explore, you are sure to find anything you’re looking for. There are many big-name brands if you’re seeking something familiar, such as Macy’s, JCPenney, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, whose stores extended through all three floors of the mall.

There are also plenty of trendi-

to become someone that I didn’t relate to anymore, and at that point I was appeasing people that I no longer wanted to appease. So I decided to change again. Now I’m a senior and I’ve certainly continued to shift. You do the same thing in class. You surely don’t speak to your professors in the same way you speak to the girl you met in the bar bathroom last weekend. In certain groups of friends, there are jokes you will and won’t make and music you do and don’t put on in the car – and that’s okay.

There’s this notion of being “fake” if you aren’t the same with all the people around you. Yet when Gumby shapeshifts to defeat the Blockheads from whatever it is they do, he isn’t “fake,” he’s just adapting in order to survive.

I’ve also always taken issue with people considering someone as “fake” when they’re friendly to someone they don’t necessarily love. I think it’s fair to attempt to be kind even when it’s inconvenient. I wouldn’t go

up to someone I don’t like and slap them in the face, but I would certainly say hello and be on my way. Is that a form of shapeshifting? I don’t know.

My friend Nicole is not a shapeshifter. She’s a kind and giving person, but she is also incredibly self-assured and knows who she does and doesn’t need in her life. She’s authentically herself and I’ve always admired that. I don’t think she has the need to shapeshift, though.

So the other day when my professor asked which television or movie character we best relate to, I said Lorelai Gilmore but I really should’ve said Gumby. Truly, everyone should’ve said Gumby.

I’m torn on whether shapeshifting is a skill I (and everyone) should lose. Because on the one hand, it keeps the peace. But if we were all more authentic, more ourselves and shameless, we’d all be more individually happy, I think. To be more transparent, we, as a society, would have to learn to be more tolerant and accepting.

Get to know Roosevelt Field

er options available, like Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Garage, Aerie and more. If you’re looking for sportier stores, Dick’s Sporting Goods also occupies all three floors with both clothing and equipment for school activities or leisure.

In addition to clothing, Roosevelt Field offers a variety of stores that sell shoes, jewelry and watches, home decor, bath and beauty products, electronics and hobby goods.

The mall has both Apple and Samsung stores if you are having difficulties with your computers, phones and other devices. Bath & Body Works offers great “buy x get x” deals for their products year-round. If you’re looking to get back in touch with your inner child, Roosevelt Field has a LEGO Store and a Build-A-Bear Workshop that you and your friends can pop in and visit.

If you’re looking to grab some apparel or room decor that sports your favorite musician, show, comic or anime, Newbury Comics has any fandom item you could dream up. What happens if you’re feeling hungry? Where do you go? Don’t worry! There are over 50 eateries located throughout the mall with a multitude of food and drink options to satisfy your stomach. Roosevelt Field’s food court is located on the second floor of the mall, right next to Dick’s Sporting Goods. There, dining options such as Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A and Charleys Cheesesteaks can be found, in addition to many other cuisines and dietary options. Throughout the mall you’ll find not one, not two, but three Auntie Anne’s Pretzels where you can snack on their pretzel bites or grab a lemonade. If you’re looking for a nicer meal, the outskirts

The skill of shapeshifting can certainly carry over into your life outside of college and be beneficial, like in job interviews or networking opportunities. But rejecting the social normalcy of shapeshifting can also be greatly beneficial.

I saw a guy doing pirouettes down Hempstead turnpike the other day, and I bet he’s not a shapeshifter. He is probably one of the happiest people around because he doesn’t alter himself to appease other people or to make people think he’s something he’s not. And you know what? Good for him.

Even if I stop shapeshifting it’s unlikely that everyone else will too. And maybe that’s a part of being unabashedly yourself. You just have to accept that the Blockheads will sometimes win but as long as you’ve got your Pokey, in my case my friend Nicole, you’ll be alright.

of the western side of the mall have multiple options for exactly that. The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Small Batch and Havana Central all offer a step up from food court meals to enjoy for special occasions.

The mall also offers special forms of entertainment. Roosevelt Field hosts AMC Theaters on the mall’s western facade, with each of the theaters holding spacious, reclining seats. You can purchase tickets, food and drinks either online, over the phone or in person. AMC also offers a 25% discount on matinee tickets every day before 4 p.m.

Glowgolf Mini Golf is located in the lower level of the mall. Open after 4 p.m. on weekdays, with longer weekend hours, Glowgolf offers a unique, glowin-the-dark mini-golf experience.

For $13 you can play all 54 of their eye-catching holes, special-

ly designed to glow in the dark. They also offer a laser maze challenge, with prices varying depending on the number of games you chose to play. As a fun tip, I recommend wearing white or neon clothing so that you can match the ambiance! If you were wondering how to get to and from the mall, don’t worry! Hofstra’s free transportation services offer a bus that stops at the mall on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, check the Hofstra University website under “transportation.”

Roosevelt Field is packed to the brim with great shopping, food and fun, and is a great way to get off campus with some friends, whether you are shopping with a purpose or not.

Hofstra and Trump Meet (Again)

After eight years since his presidential debate with Hillary Clinton in the David S. Mack Arena, former president Donald Trump returned to the Hofstra area on September 18, 2024. It was an unexpected moment for Hofstra students when Donal Trump announced he would be hosting a rally at Nassau Coliseium. Hofstra students were able to experience this historical occasion and capture moments from this rally next door, from a presidential candidate.

Spread by Annie MacKeigan, Alex Ferreira and Charlotte Mysliwiec

Annie MacKeigan / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo courtesy of Joe Orovitz

Annie MacKeigan / The Hofstra Chronicle

Annie MacKeigan / The Hofstra Chronicle

Alex Ferreira / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo Courtesy of David O’Connor

Annie MacKeigan / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo Courtesy of David O’Connor

Photo courtesy of Kumba Jagne

Background courtesy of Ethan Albin / The Hofstra Chronicle

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt

Photo

Recap: The Primetime Emmy Awards 2024

By Frankie DiCalogero MANAGING EDITOR

Television’s biggest night took place on Sunday, Sept. 15, and was hosted by father-son duo, Eugene and Daniel Levy. The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were highlighted by “The Bear” once again picking up most of the comedy series awards, “Shōgun” dominating the drama scene and “Baby Reindeer” running away in the Limited or Anthology Series categories. Despite the criticisms for the show being categorized as a comedy and not as a drama, “The Bear” took home Outstanding Lead Actor for Jeremy Allen White, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Liza Colón-Zayas. Overall, “The Bear” finished with 11 awards out of 23 nominations throughout the weeklong festivities. Last year, the FX series received 10 awards out of 13 nominations, giving “The Bear” a total of 21 Emmys for its first and second seasons. “Shōgun” led the night with

the most awards and nominations of any series. The historical drama television series won an impressive 18 Emmys off 25 nods. “Shogun” swept nominations in both Lead Actor and Lead Actress, as well as winning Outstanding Drama Series. With its 18 Emmy wins, “Shōgun” also broke a record by becoming the most awarded series in its first season alone.

Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada each scored their firstever Emmy win, while also becoming the first Japanese man and woman to win in their respective categories. Sanada also became the second Asian man to win Lead Actor, with the first coming in 2022 when Lee Jung-jae won for “Squid Game.”

The black comedy-drama thriller, “Baby Reindeer,” had a stellar night, notably winning Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in Richard Gadd and Supporting Actress for Jessica Gunning.

Gadd received well-deserved flowers for portraying an emo-

tional story that was based on a true story about his life. It was dark, twisted and just what Gadd had intended. Gadd ultimately won for Outstanding Writing in a Limited or Anthology Series as well.

In disappointing news, the mockumentary sitcom series “Abbott Elementary,” brought home zero wins from seven nominations. Another popular comedy series, “Only Murders in the Building,” also landed zero wins from six nominations.

In a surprising turn of events, “Hacks” got the biggest comedy win of the night, winning for Outstanding Comedy Series for its third season. It was the first time “Hacks” won this major award, though the series has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for each of its seasons.

“Hacks” also received a nod in the Lead Actress field, where Jean Smart won her third Emmy in that category, beating out notable candidates such as Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)

and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building). Smart had previously won the award in 2021 and 2022.

Other notable winners included Lamorne Morris, who won his first Emmy for his portrayal of State Trooper Whitley Farr in the anthology series, “Fargo.” The Outstanding Reality Competition Program Emmy went to “The Traitors” for its star-studded Season 2. Host and producer Alan Cumming accepted and spoke on behalf of the series.

The award was previously given to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” which won the award five times out of the last six years.

The Primetime Emmy Awards were a massive success. There were some upset victories, shows getting their justified appreciation and some history in the making to top it off. Not to mention, the hosts did a fantastic job to no one’s surprise. A recipe for a great show.

The show garnered 6.87 million viewers in ratings.

Beabadoobee: ‘A Night to Remember’ in Central Park

By Matt Fisher ASSISTANT ARTS AND

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

On Wednesday, Sept. 11 and Thursday, Sept. 12, British popindie artist Beabadoobee played two shows at SummerStage in Central Park.

Popularized on TikTok in 2020 by her hit song “Coffee,” Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus, better known by fans as Beabadoobee, is a top artist in the multigenre indie music scene. She is currently on a world tour, performing her old classics and new hits from her most recent album, “This Is How Tomorrow Moves.”

Before Beabadoobee came on to perform at the latter of the shows around 8:35 p.m., the Texas-based band Hovvdy opened the show. Their country sound was comical to hear to my Georgia ears while standing in the middle of Manhattan. Seeing as they have a more country sound, I was confused as to why

they were chosen to open for Beabadoobee, but I enjoyed the contrast. However, toward the end of their set, you could tell everyone in the audience was ready for Beabadoobee.

As soon as the lights dimmed, the audience screamed, eager to see the indie-music icon make her way to the stage. People were chanting “Bea” in anticipation of the concert starting. As soon as she stepped on stage, screams erupted from the audience, and a wave of cellphones appeared.

Beabadoobee began the show with her new song “California” from her most recent album. From the moment she began singing, the audience was instantly entranced, singing along to every word. After “California,” Beabadoobee played some of her other fan favorites, like “Talk,” “10:36” and “Charlie Brown.”

An interesting aspect of the show was how often Beabadoobie was handed a new

guitar. Between every song, or even during, a crew member would bring on a new guitar, and Beabadoobee would shred.

Bebadoobee’s emotional performance of “Glue Song” left everyone watching embracing their loved ones, and there wasn’t a single dry eye in the audience. The song’s poignant lyrics and Beebadoobee’s soulful delivery created a powerful and intimate atmosphere.

Similarly, “Girl Song” from her latest album tackles themes of self-doubt and insecurity. When playing it, Beabadoobee’s voice, accompanied by soft piano brought the concert down to earth, resonating with much of the audience.

The last song of her set was “Cologne,” or so the audience thought. After delivering an intense rendition of the song with flashing red visuals, Beebaboobee and her band left the stage. However, in traditional concert-encore fashion, the audi-

Quick Hits

Marvel

ence wasn’t left waiting long before Beebadoobee returned to the stage without her band to deliver three more songs. Her final songs of the night were “Coming Home,” “the way things go” and “See you Soon.” Before singing “Coming Home,” Beabadoobee opened up about how the song resonated with how she’d been feeling on tour as she’s so far away from her home in the United Kingdom. The singer also jokingly told the audience that the song reminded her of how much she missed her cat.

The concert was an artistic masterpiece and a true testament to Beabadoobee’s brilliance. It was truly “A Night to Remember.”

John Mulaney welcomed his second child with wife, Olivia Munn.

Janet Jackson is under fire for making comments about Kamala Harris’ race, saying she is “not black.”

released the trailer for their upcoming film “Thunderbolts.”

Courtesy of Forbes

Courtesy of Forbes

Courtesy of @johnmulaney on Instagram

Courtesy of Getty Images on Deadline

Popular sitcom “Friends” turned 30 on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on charges including sex trafficking.

Courtesy of IMDb

‘143’ is the final nail in Katy Perry’s career coffin

By Aidan Judge ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

To say Katy Perry has lost the spark of her star status in the last few years would be a massive understatement. Katy Perry has failed the test of time in more ways than one, turning her kooky, no-filter persona into one that is grating and out of touch, while also producing some of the worst music in the pop scene. After two underperforming albums with “Witness” and “Smile,” fans across the globe felt that Katy Perry had one last chance to redeem herself before officially moving herself into “flop status” for the remainder of her career. I wish I could say we have recaptured the magic of early 2010s Katy Perry with her newest release, “143,” but, unsurprisingly, this is Katy Perry’s worst pop venture yet. “143” is the toxic kiss of death that officially ends Katy Perry’s career as a mainstream pop artist and moves her firmly into legacy-act status. Gone are the days of polished, bubblegum pop; she has moved into an era of dated, grating anti-earworms that make listeners long for the

days of cotton candy beaches and campy blue wigs. In short, it’s bad; it’s terrible, even. The album opens with an unfortunate attack on the ears of the listener, “WOMAN’S WORLD.” Produced by sexual assailant Dr. Luke, the track regurgitates every stereotypical, unlikable aspect of faux feminism that irritates those who are actually fighting for the rights of women in America. “You better celebrate / ‘cause baby we ain’t goin’ away,” Katy Perry sings. Perhaps it’s time for Katy Perry to go away.

between Katy Perry and rapper 21 Savage, a forgettable, lyrically weak track placed on top of a generic beat that sounds similar

spots on the record. Even though Katy Perry falls flat on her verses, the song is salvaged by Doechii’s catchy flow and willingness to try on the song.

Following the track is the set of “CRUSH,” “LIFETIMES” and “ALL THE LOVE,” three dance tracks that essentially blend into each other, becoming hard to distinguish between the three.

decides to jump head-first into the mindset of “why not just make every single track the exact same?” “WONDER” is particularly grating, ending the album on an irritating note.

By Jenny Dove

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Do you have TikTok? How about Instagram Reels or even YouTube Shorts? If so, you are probably familiar with audio dubbing over a video. It’s a great way to spice up content without dialogue and entice the audience with a catchy verse or two. However, many who have come across this form of content are guilty of only knowing a verse or two from the added song.

No matter your age, trendy songs from the 1960s to the 2010s are all the rage, and there’s a certain familiarity that comes with listening to music from the older generations that can be refreshing to listen to. Taking a step further, there is a deeper meaning behind many of the popular songs from these decades. In particular, the 1960s was a very trying time with a lot happening in the world. So, these

After taking a moment to recover, listeners will find the second track, “GIMME GIMME,” a collaboration

to one generated from Apple’s “GarageBand” feature. Following is “GORGEOUS” featuring Kim Petras, a rip-off of 2022’s “Unholy,” followed by “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE” featuring Doechii. Sampling the iconic ‘90s house anthem “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless),” the track is one of the few brighter

“NIRVANA” also blends in, particularly with “ALL THE LOVE.” On an initial listen, I did not even realize the two were different songs, a statement you could say about 90% of this record, quite honestly.

Rounding out the 34-minute auditory torture session are tracks “ARTIFICIAL (featuring JID)”, “TRUTH” and “WONDER,” where Katy Perry

A lookback at forgotten 1960s hits

songs often reflect significant historical and cultural events. With this six-part series, we will highlight the top songs from each generation found on these apps to help you understand the history behind them. This segment dives into six hits from the 1960s:

He sought to inspire a sense of togetherness through his music.

1. Starting off with arguably one of the most influential artists of his time, Bob Dylan’s 1964 “The Times They Are A-Changin’” challenges the decade’s widely accepted beliefs of racism, sexism and injustice.

2. We all know the verse, “Hello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again,” but what does it represent? Paul Simon’s “The Sound of Silence” reflects the feeling of loneliness during the Vietnam War, highlighting the isolation

All in all, “143” leaves listeners longing for the past and feeling like they will never get back those precious 34 minutes of their lives that they spent listening to the soulless project Katy Perry has produced. Why did they sign off on this? What has overtaken Katy Perry’s brain to make her think this is something we wanted? Why is the title of this album a reference that the target audience for this record would not even understand? The world may never know. All they do know is that Katy Perry has taken a blow to her contemporary career path that will surely never allow her to return to her past popularity, but, at the very least, we will always have “Teenage Dream.”

felt by many at the time.

3. Next up is “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. This simple yet profound song appreciates the beauty of life even during difficult times. Armstrong celebrates the small, precious moments that can still bring wonder, no matter how rocky the circumstances.

4. One of the most recognized Beatles songs is “Hey Jude” and for good reason. John Lennon’s melancholy tone perfectly

captures the emotion of empathy towards an individual, much like how he dedicated this song to his son while his parents underwent a divorce. The prevailing message of the song is that in the end, everything will be okay.

5. The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” may seem like a typical rock song, but the true meaning addresses the harsh reality of war, particularly the Vietnam War. The lyric, “Just a shot away” refers to the constant threat of death.

6. Phil Ochs, writer of the wellknown song “The War is Over,” was a staunch opponent of war. This anti-war anthem reflects his feelings on the tragedies of war, especially the Vietnam War, and the civil rights struggles. Ochs used his music to protest violence and advocate for peace.

The biggest hit of the 1960s was “The Twist” by Chubby Checker.

Photo courtesy of The Rolling Stones

Perry’s new album was projected to pull in 37 to 47 thousand sales in the first week in the U.S..

Photo courtesy of The Los Angeles Times

By Alyssa Inserra STAFF WRITER

Remembering a legend: James Earl Jones

“Field of Dreams,” “The Lion King,” “Star Wars” and CNN – what do these four pieces of media have in common? If you said the voice and acting of James Earl Jones, you would be correct.

On Monday, Sept. 9, the world bid farewell to this beloved performer and voice actor. Jones died at the age of 93-years-old “surrounded by his loved ones,” said his agent.

At an early age, Jones was not the talkative or theatrical type. Born in Mississippi in 1931, Jones’ family moved to Michigan when he was 5-years-old. Due to this monumental change in his life, Jones developed a stutter that affected his communication and confidence.

“I went mute from the age of 8 to 14,” he explained in an interview with CNN. Luckily, one of his high school teachers discovered that Jones liked to write poetry and encouraged Jones to present his work aloud to his classmates. Jones remarked that, while he was reading out his

poem, he didn’t stutter. From then on, his words would captivate audiences for decades.

After studying drama at the University of Michigan, Jones moved to New York in 1957 and fell in love with the stage. Some of his notable performances included “The Great White Hope” in 1967 and “Fences” in 1987 – both of which earned him Tony awards. To some, Jones is best known as Mufasa – the loving and protective father to Simba in Disney’s 1994 animated film “The Lion King.” Others need only say the phrase “Star Wars” to evoke his

famous line that is collectively held in the memory of millions: “No, I am your father!” Jones’

work with Disney was so beloved that he was also the voice of Mufasa in the 2019 live-action remake of “The Lion King.”

Before his cinematic success, Jones made it big on stage as a Broadway actor.

Once Jones switched gears to television and film, he starred

in an adaptation of “The Great White Hope” in 1970. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination, making him the second African American man, after Sidney Poitier, to be nominated. Jones’s first role on the screen, however, was reflective of an earlier time in his life.

Before making it to Broadway, Jones was an army ranger. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Jones received military training in the summer of 1953 in Fort Benning, Georgia. It is ironic that his film debut saw Jones playing a U.S. Air Force

bomber in the 1964 film “Dr. Strangelove.” Since his debut, Jones’ presence in film and television was steady and prosperous. Among others, his appearances in “Coming to America,” “The Sandlot” and “Field of Dreams” remain memorable even today. Kevin Costner, the director of “Field of Dreams” remarked on Instagram that the film “wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in [Jones’] role,” noting his exemplary presence on screen.

By the end of Jones’ career, he was highly awarded, with honors including three Tonys, two Emmys, a Grammy and a Golden Globe. Despite a diagnosis of diabetes back in 2016, Jones continued to act until 2022. According to IMDb, he voiced Darth Vader for the final time in the Disney+ mini-series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” The world of performance and film will never forget Jones’ legacy.

By Paige Sanacora

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The rise of “BookTok” has completely altered the world of books and publishing, and if you walk into a Barnes & Noble, you are guaranteed to see at least one table displaying “BookTok sensations.” BookTok is a determining factor in what books dominate the charts and which authors you are going to return to for their new releases again and again.

As such, romance readers are likely acquainted with the authors such as Emily Henry or Ana Huang, fantasy readers have bought a box set of Sarah J. Maas’s acclaimed “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, and we have all been told to read Jennette McCurdy’s moving memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died” at one point or another. For thriller readers, the author most worthy of TikTok fame is Freida McFadden.

How did McFadden manage to become the most recommended thriller author online?

There are a few reasons for this, some more obvious than others. Every single one of McFadden’s books is included as part of Amazon’s reading subscription service, Kindle Unlimited. This makes her books widely accessible to already dedicated readers who have access to this digital library.

The majority of her books are less than 400 pages, with chapters that tend to be fewer than 10 pages each, making her novels quick and easy to get

through. Other than her famous “The Housemaid” trilogy and the “Dr. Jane McGill” duology, all of McFadden’s books are standalone, so there is no specific order that her books are suggested to be read in.

And of course, all of her books have multiple jaw-dropping twists to keep them interesting till the very last page. I have read

14 of McFadden’s novels and can confidently say that I was shocked during each one.

However, just because a book is quick and accessible, that doesn’t automatically mean it is good.

Since March 2020, McFadden has published 18 primary works, in addition to multiple novellas, with her newest novel

“The Boyfriend” scheduled to release on Oct. 1, 2024. This means that McFadden releases a whopping four to five books each year.

Like all authors, McFadden has stronger and weaker novels in her backlist, all utilizing different creepy settings and thriller tropes to create unique, twisted stories. However, the area that McFadden always falls short in is her prose. Even if you can’t guess the “whodunit,” you will not be able to overlook the redundancy in her narration. McFadden will always prioritize the ambiguity of the plot over how she delivers it to the reader. Many of her books read similarly to those in the young adult demographic, as opposed to the adult demographic she writes for.

With books that are gripping, quick and taking “BookTok” by a storm, it only makes sense that McFadden has become a sensation. If you are new to the thriller genre and have come across her work through word of mouth, McFadden is one of the best places to start.

McFadden’s “The Housmaid” sold more than two million copies.

Photo courtesy of NBC News

Reading the ‘BookTok’ algorithm

Jones is one of many actors to have obtained an EGOT.

Photo courtesy of Bookouture

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. They are not an endorsement of the views of the Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

Robotic umpires would ruin baseball

By Shannon Bickert

America’s pastime of watching baseball is rumored to have a momentous change in future seasons that could potentially flip the game upside down. Robotic umpires are threatening to take over the MLB. If this happens, human home plate umpires will be replaced by an automatic ball-strike system (ABS).

An automated umpire system has already been implemented at the Triple-A level of the Minor Leagues. Batters are given the opportunity to appeal a called strike if they believe the pitch was a ball. Similarly, pitchers and catchers can appeal balls that they believe should have been called strikes. Once a pitch has been appealed, the automated system will examine the pitch and have the final say in whether it’s deemed a ball or a strike.

Another form of ABS exists, calling each pitch behind home plate and relays information to the umpire. It remains the umpire’s duty to call a pitch a ball or a strike, however, they have a robot feeding the “correct” call to them. While this may seem like a revolutionary idea, it ruins the human element of baseball and can entirely change the sport forever. Robot umpires will completely change the dynamic of the game, especially the role of the catcher. A catcher’s career is built on their ability to “frame” pitches. Framing a pitch occurs when a catcher catches a borderline pitch in a way that presents it as a strike, even if it narrowly missed the strike zone. The implementation of an automated umpire system would render the skill of “framing” as obsolete. Framing has recently become a more valued defensive statistic.

According to Baseball

Savant, the top three framing catchers this season, as of Monday, Sept. 9, are Patrick Bailey (San Francisco Giants), Cal Raleigh (Seattle Mariners) and Austin Wells (New York Yankees). They each have 15, 11 and 10 framing runs, respectively. Robotic umpires would diminish catcher’s careers by making their role in the game smaller. This would force catchers, arguably the most valuable position on the diamond, to adapt to a new and completely different role.

Pitchers are also at a huge disadvantage if robotic umpires take over. A major part of pitching is deception. If a pitcher starts the game painting the corners of the strike zone and getting favorable calls, they can slowly begin to move their pitches outside of the strike zone and subsequently widen an umpire’s strike zone. Pitchers can use techniques like these to make calls go their

way and control the game. With robotic umpires, pitchers can’t play this essential mind game.

Additionally, strike calls favoring a pitcher helps them get out of innings quicker, resulting in lower pitch counts. If robotic umpires are overly critical of each pitch, it will increase pitch counts, causing pitchers to either face injury or exit the game earlier than usual. In the case of starting pitchers, exiting a game earlier turns the game over to the bullpen faster. This puts more strain on the team’s bullpen, which could cause more injuries.

Many fans fuss over poor calls by the umpire and their impact on games, however, borderline calls going one way or another is just a part of baseball. With recent advancements in statistics, it’s easy to see how a particular umpire tends to call a game, and it is easy to see what the opposing pitcher has in his arsenal. In pregame

In defense of Hofstra University

shows, commentators have even begun showing “umpire scouting reports” that declare if an umpire is historically known for being more pitcher or hitter-friendly. Teams can now see if an umpire typically gives leeway to pitches just off the plate, high or low. With this knowledge, pitchers and hitters should each plan accordingly and use this to their advantage. With an automated umpire system, this tactical part of the game would simply fall to the wayside.

Although umpires miss calls here and there, it brings the human element of nuance into the game. Robotic umpires would destroy the dynamic of baseball we know today, consequently changing the game we’ve grown to love.

Shannon Bickert is a first-year journalism major with a concentration in sports media.

By Craig Mannino

Give students a beautiful campus, a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and free access to the games of 17 Division I sports teams, and they will hate it… apparently. We at Hofstra University love to call our school a disaster. Sure, even though we have distinguished and well-recognized faculty, people love to complain about our expensive tuition. Hofstra generously gives the Student Government Association (SGA) over $200,000 to allocate to student-run clubs each year, yet we hear all too often how student living spaces are leaky and dated.

When you think about transportation, we have a convenient night shuttle, colloquially referred to as the “drunk bus” that runs between between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., but we don’t have enough parking on South campus. Does it sound like

the cons outweigh the pros?

Because I don’t think they do. We often present our university as terrible, awful and apathetic to our needs when that is just not true.

To start, our academics are great. Hofstra consistently ranks among the top 200 schools in the nation. This becomes more impressive when considering there are around 4,000 universities in the country. This puts Hofstra somewhere in the 95th percentile of American universities.

Hofstra’s dedication to career readiness is also a huge plus.

From partnering with The Washington Center to get students internships in Washington D.C. to co-ops for engineering and computer science students, Hofstra does plenty to give us career-relevant experience before we graduate. Not to mention our career center, whose resources far exceed those of other universities. Seriously, ask your friends from other

schools if their career center comes close – if they even have one.

Beyond academics and career readiness, just walking around Hofstra’s campus is a blast. If you are like me, you often forget how gorgeous our campus is. Seeing something every day certainly makes it mundane, but Hofstra is a clear exception. Our quads are beautifully groomed; there are plants and trees all over and who can forget the tulips? Making a green paradise on Hempstead Turnpike is not easy, and even though it feels like this point has been Pride-Guided to death, we did not gain our arboretum status for no reason.

Another claim made is that nothing ever happens on Hofstra’s campus, but I disagree. Administration, the Office of Student Leadership & Engagement, SGA, the Office of Residence Life and so many other organizations host hundreds of events each semester.

Granted, you cannot be blamed for missing some of them as our advertising can use some work, but, when you figure out where to find them, the quality and abundance of events we get is outstanding. Sure, sometimes an event is as underwhelming as watching a movie with your Resident Assistant, but sometimes they are as extravagant as the late-night breakfast we get during finals week. Our programming is certainly not rare, and it is definitely not bad; it is just hard to keep track of. Even services outside of the classroom are nothing short of extraordinary. Do you need tutoring for a class? Check out the Center for Academic Excellence. Do you need mental health services? Go to Student Counseling Services, TimelyCare or even Dean Christy. Hell, we even have a campus dietitian whose job is to ensure campus dining – however flawed it may be – works better for you and your dietary

restrictions. If you need help, Hofstra is here for you, and, although some services are better than others, you would be hard-pressed to say so about other universities. This is not to say that Hofstra is perfect, and it is definitely not to say that you should stop complaining. If we stopped complaining, nothing would change and nothing would get better. Every time a “fixed” leak in your dorm was not fixed or a faculty member ghosted your emails is a time when you did not receive what you were promised. At this price, you should stand up for yourself and your peers when that happens. I do not want you to stop asking what more Hofstra can do for you, but I would like you to hesitate the next time you call this school awful because, honestly, it is not.

Craig Mannino is a junior English and writing studies double major. You can also find him @craigarg on Instagram.

OPINION

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. They are not an endorsement of the views of the Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

Chron Crossword 9/24

Across

3. This leather jacket donning band from Forest Hills Queens is sometimes cited as the first punk rock band.

4. Sabrina Carpenter's most recent album.

5. Medication that prevents motion sickness.

6. Rare disorder that involves the repeated and intentional urge to set fires.

8. Jeremy Allen-White’s character in “The Bear.”

9. Thai pygmy hippo that’s become an online sensation.

10. A psychological phenomenon where a group collectively misremembers facts is named after this South African president.

Down

1. Chopped salsa directly translates to “rooster’s beak” in Spanish.

2. The Yankees play in this New York City borough.

6. Spice that translates to “pepper” from Hungarian to English.

7. Belonging or relating to Scandinavian medieval times, associated with mythology.

9. This satirical humor magazine is represented by fictitious freckled mascot Alfred E. Neumann.

Graphic by Ethan Albin and Tim Daly / The Hofstra Chronicle

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. They are not an endorsement of the views of the Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

Journalism should focus on being objective, not neutral

By Ryan Monke and Tim Daly

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris took to the big stage to debate which candidate would better lead the nation for the next four years. Predictably, discussion surrounding opposing policy spiraled into personal attacks and blatant misinformation, some of which was met with live fact checking by ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis.

The live fact checking of the recent debate came in contrast to CNN moderators choosing not to live fact check the June 2024 presidential debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, instead opting to publish an online fact check of the debate after its conclusion.

During September’s debate, moderators’ fact checked Trump on several occasions. They corrected his blatantly false assertions about immigrants stealing and eating pets in Ohio,

about Democrats being in favor of killing babies after birth and his continued lie about the 2020 election being “stolen.”

Alternatively, ABC moderators did not fact check Harris once during the debate. This outraged conservatives, who quickly took to social media to voice their anger over the moderators being “biased.”

Tom Cotton, a Republican senator from Arkansas, went so far as to say the media was showing blatant favoritism to the Democratic party.

“This goes beyond bias – it’s a media company effectively joining the Harris campaign,” he posted on X. It’s true that moderators did miss an opportunity to fact check Harris on her claim that no United States troops are currently in combat zones. This sole falsehood stated by Harris went uncorrected until after the debate’s conclusion.

The outrage over the media’s supposed bias ignores the massive discrepancy in falsehoods stated by Harris and Trump. In the fact check of the debate,

CNN found that former President Trump lied over 30 times, while Vice President Harris lied just once. Given this, it should be no surprise moderators corrected one candidate more than the other: it’s fitting. ABC’s broadcast was perceived as being left leaning even though the broadcast accurately reflected the disparity in truth communicated by each candidate. This highlights a larger issue plaguing journalism right now.

As bias is an incredibly important issue in today’s media landscape, journalists sometimes neglect their duty to be objective in order to appear impartial.

The responsibility to tell both sides of a story disappears when one of the sides is objectively wrong. When one politician in a debate, political party or side of a political issue is spewing blatant misinformation, it’s the role of a journalist to objectively report the truth. Failing to do so, out of fear of not appearing impartial, is doing a disservice to the public.

For example, with climate

change issues, we’re in today’s situation because of flawed coverage. Regardless of any individual opinions on how to tackle climate change and energy and transportation policies, there is a clear and objective truth in the fact that the climate is changing due to emissions from human activity. Climate change is real, but looking back to the coverage of this issue in the 1990s and 2000s, when most Americans first became privy to the importance of the climate issue, there is a clear discrepancy in how attempting to appear balanced distorted the truth.

Shown in a 2004 study published by Science Direct, most news articles by prestigious American newspapers released from 1988 to 2002 gave as much attention to the minority of climate deniers as they did to the majority scientific view. For years, the denial of this objective truth by our politicians was framed by the media as a difference of opinion rather than a denial of facts. This gave a platform to the lie that climate

change is not real, and thus contributed to a widespread apathy surrounding climate change in a shocking number of Americans.

The utopian idea that journalists float above political issues with wings of impartiality is unrealistic. In reality, many of the issues journalists report on do not have equal sides that should be given equal attention and treated with equal validity. Efforts from journalists to remain completely unbiased, although admirable, can be harmful. Polluting the news cycle with misinformation to tell both sides of a story can give a platform to dangerous rhetoric and ideas. Maintaining an educated democracy takes objectivity, not neutrality from our journalists. Journalists should feel secure in their responsibility to report the truth, even when it seems to take one side of a partisan divide.

Ryan Monke is a junior mass media studies major and Tim Daly is a junior journalism major.

Screens in cars: A distraction in disguise

By Lee Cusack

Those of us who drive have all shared this experience: we’re in traffic, or on the highway, and some car next to us drifts out of their lane, or almost hits a car in front of them. It’s like they weren’t paying attention. But when I look over at the offending car, I don’t see people staring at their cell phones, I see them staring at the screen on their dashboard. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that digital dashboards, though potentially helpful, end up causing a lot of distractions on the road.

My car of choice is a 2015 Toyota Corolla LE, which is a car that has a screen in it. Now, this all may sound a bit hypocritical, but it was made when car screens were just being figured out and can only be used for Bluetooth and

backup cameras. Everything else in my car is controlled via buttons and knobs. Not to mention, there’s a few buttons on the wheel for answering phone calls. So, I don’t have to take my attention away from the road when my phone rings. While the screens in newer cars can be seen as useful, when it comes to the balance between screen and buttons, new cars fall short.

Car screens certainly have some use, I rely on the backup camera when parallel parking or backing out of a tight space. However, there are only so many features that are worth turning attention away from the road for. My “ideal screen” in a car would do three things while I’m driving: Bluetooth, backup camera and GPS. I wouldn’t want temperature or fan controls on a touch screen like the BMW X5 and the Tesla Model

Y have.

In a car with physical controls, you can memorize and feel around for buttons and knobs without looking away from the road, but a touch screen requires visual attention. To change fan speed or temperature, you have to look away from the road, find the correct menu and set it to your desired temperature or speed. Having to pay attention to the road while also using a screen creates a situation where drivers are more apt to make mistakes in their adjustments. To fix whatever mistake you made in the menus, you need to spend more time looking at a screen and not at the road.

This problem does not exist in a car with control knobs and buttons, where the different knobs will have different tactile feel. It’s easy to learn which knob does what with a

simple touch, without taking your eyes off the road. If you turn the wrong knob, you’ll get a physical response and be able to make the correct adjustments without having to look away from the road.

Vi Bilägare, a Swedish car magazine, ran a test in Jan. 2023, comparing the time it took to do simple tasks in various cars, such as changing the fan speed and air conditioning.

Of the cars that competed, the winner was a 2005 Volvo v70, which completed the task in 10 seconds, while traveling 0.19 miles. The car that took the longest was an MG Marvel R (2021-2024), which took 44.9 seconds and drove 0.85 miles. The dashboard of the Volvo was made up entirely of buttons, while the MG had one big screen.

Screens in cars became more common because they were

seen as a luxury feature, justifying a more expensive price. But in reality, it’s cheaper to make a screen with software that controls certain adjustments than it is to engineer and manufacture individual buttons and knobs. With everything controlled by a screen, once costly manufacturing errors become simple software updates. The rise of screens in cars isn’t something we can do anything about, they’re overwhelmingly popular, and have been federally mandated in new cars since 2018 due to a backup camera mandate. Can the issue wait? If it can’t, pull over to deal with it. You may have a tempting device to your right, but remember: your eyes on the road can save lives, including your own.

Lee Cusack is a sophomore audio/radio studies major.

Monmouth ends No. 12 Hofstra’s unbeaten run

By Arcangelo Iurato STAFF WRITER

The No. 12 Hofstra University men’s soccer team suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Monmouth University, 2-1, in West Long Branch, New Jersey, on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The Pride’s six-game winning streak was snapped as they dropped to 6-1-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Hofstra initially fell behind 33 minutes into the first half as Monmouth defender Bastian Hatcher found the bottom left of the net on a pass from forward Victor Andersson. The Hawks

came out aggressively in the second half and doubled their advantage seven minutes into the restart as midfielder Sean Cadigan found the top left corner of the net.

The Pride got one back in the final minute of the game as forward Teddy Baker slotted it into the bottom right of the net to halve the deficit. Baker recorded his first goal of the season after missing the first four games due to an injury. However, it was too little, too late for the visiting team.

The reigning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) champions outshot their opponents 14-13 but fell 6-4 in shots-on-goal.

Goalkeeper Filippo Dadone, who entered the night with five shutouts in seven appearances, made four saves. Monmouth goalkeeper Eryk Dymora made three saves. Hofstra was called offside twice and had one less corner opportunity than the Hawks.

The Pride showed an uncharacteristic lack of

discipline on Saturday, being assessed three yellow cards, including one assessed to team captain Roc Carles in the second half for unsportsmanlike conduct, his team-leading third booking this season. Amidst an eventful final minute, Lennon Gill also picked up a yellow for the same reason. The Pride committed 15 fouls, one shy of their season high against American University, allowing the Hawks more set-pieces.

Forward Jacob Woznicki and midfielder Laurie Goddard led the team with four shots each, though neither contributed to the scoresheet. Woznicki leads the team with five goals but was held scoreless for a second consecutive match. Meanwhile, Goddard didn’t add to his goal tally despite leading the team with 30 shot attempts and 13 shots-on-goal for the season.

Senior midfielder Eoin Farrell didn’t play on Saturday as graduate Mylo Hall appeared in the starting 11, his first appearance in two weeks. Sean

O’Donnell, who made his third appearance of the season against Monmouth, played for a season high 33 minutes.

With the victory, the Hawks improved to 4-0-4, remaining undefeated and snatching their first conference win. They also avenged last year’s overtime defeat to the Pride in the CAA Championship game.

The Pride are now only one point ahead of Monmouth in the conference standings and trail

front-runner Elon University by just three. It makes the Pride’s head-to-head clash with the Phoenix on Saturday, Sept. 28, even more crucial. Before that, however, the road trip will continue as Hofstra visits Loyola University Maryland on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Kickoff from Baltimore is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Royce Dickinson-Child Hofstra’s No. 12 ranking is the highest in program history.

Pride bests Stony Brook in game two, earns first CAA win

By Aaron Diaz STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra University volleyball team had their first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) win of the season in a 3-1 victory over Stony Brook University on Saturday, Sept. 21.

“It’s really nice to win against a good Stony Brook team,” said Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur. “Especially after the night before, but the team responded really well. We made some lineup changes and everyone who went in stepped

up and wanted to make it happen, and they did.”

With the win, Hofstra moves to 5-6 on the season and a 1-1 CAA record. The Seawolves also remain 1-1 in the CAA while moving to an 8-3 overall record.

Clara Bal continued her impressive stretch of games for the Pride. Bal had 14 kills in the match while Constanza Perez Sain led the team with 17.

“We won having them play,” Mansur said. “Playing at the level that they did, it was good because Izadora [Stedile] has been carrying us this season, so having those two stepping up had made a big difference.”

Freshman Ellie Pamatat also continued to impress with 45 assists in the match.

“I love [Pamatat],” Mansur said. “She just works super hard and is a nice stable player, and she goes all out.”

As far as sets go, Hofstra came from behind the eight ball

quickly in the first set, losing a tight set 25-18 as a six-point rally for Stony Brook made the difference.

From that point forward, Hofstra dominated the court for the next three sets.

In set two, Hofstra had a seven-point rally that separated them from the Seawolves in a 25-21 set win. That set proved to be the turning point as sets three and four played out the same way with Hofstra winning 25-17 and 25-14.

Except for some injuries so far this season, the Pride has been handling itself well to start off the year.

“We are missing some pieces, but they believed they could win and we did, so that was cool to see,” Mansur said.

Hofstra will now head back to Hempstead for their second CAA matchup against Hampton University starting on Friday, Sept. 27. The match starts at 6 p.m.

“We just got to look at

what we did well, maintain and sustain that and continue to make our bad moments look better,” Mansur said. “We are going to achieve what we want.”

Pride falls to Delaware in first CAA loss

By George Hatzadony STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra University women’s soccer team fell 2-1 against the University of Delaware on Sunday, Sept. 22. The loss is the Pride’s first in conference play this season.

The result moves Hofstra to 1-1 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, while Delaware is now 1-0.

The match was tightly contested throughout. The Fightin’ Blue Hens took the lead on a goal from Ava Sallee. The defender’s strike from 30 yards

out was too powerful for Hofstra goalkeeper Mackenzie Sullivan.

The Pride quickly responded as Mathilde Braithwaite leveled things in the first half. Her shot beat Delaware keeper Kyla Burns to find the top left corner. Defender Gabriella Marte was awarded the assist, the first of her career.

The two sides went into the break tied at one a piece.

Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough made a change in net for the fourth consecutive game. Freshman Synne Danielsen played the final 45 minutes for the Pride.

The second half was much livelier than the first. Both sides combined for 10 shots, including five on target. Hofstra forced Burns into four saves in the final 45 minutes. Despite having more chances, the Blue Hens found the winner in the 81st minute. Forward Maggie Groh netted the winner following a nice bit of skill before she fired the ball into the

roof of the net. Groh recorded three shots in her 30-minute cameo.

Following the goal, the Pride went on the offensive. Aimee Hodgson and Louise Hayden had efforts on goal in the final few minutes of the game. The Blue Hens stood tall, however, to preserve the victory 2-1.

Delaware’s winner marked the third consecutive game in which the Pride conceded in the final 10 minutes of the match; two of which led to losses. Hofstra has only kept a clean sheet in two of their matches this season.

For the Pride, five players had shots during the game, all were on target. Additionally, Hofstra had four freshman featured during the match. Defender Ava Pickard made her debut coming on for Thea Bergsten and played for 13 minutes.

For the Blue Hens, Groh, Willa Pratt and Morgan Tilley all had multi-shot afternoons. Burns notched five saves on the day to propel her team to victory.

Finally, four cautions were dealt during the match.

Hofstra midfielder Millie Davies received one of three yellow cards for the Pride. For Delaware, both Tilley and Ava Agresti were given cards late in the match as the Blue Hens held onto their lead.

The Pride return home for another CAA match against

Towson University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Photo courtesy of Amelia Bashy

This was Hofstra’s first win over Stony Brook since 2022.

Photo courtesy of Royce Dickson-Child

Hofstra’s four draws this season ties a 2022 program record.

By Anthony Hidalgo

STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra University field hockey team was shut out for a second straight match after losing 4-0 to Wagner College on Sunday, Sept. 22. The Pride fell to 2-5 for the season and 8-4 alltime against Wagner, while the Seahawks improved to 4-3.

The Pride looked to get out on the attack early, making the first three shot attempts of the game.

Pilar Peñaloza got a chance just a minute into the action, but Seahawks’ keeper Saar van Dalen was there for the save.

SPORTS

Wagner shut out Pride

Hofstra’s defense held Wagner without a shot throughout the first 11 minutes of the first quarter, but a flurry of attacks flipped the momentum toward the Seahawks. Wagner got four shots off in the final four minutes but saves from Hofstra keeper Pieke Roos and midfielder Tara McNally kept a scoreless tie going into the second quarter.

Both sides struggled to create chances in the second quarter, with just one shot between them after 10 minutes. Wagner finally broke through with a goal from Evie de Baar, her first of the season. The Pride tried to equalize with a pair of penalty corners in the final two minutes, but McNally’s shot was blocked to keep the 1-0 score going into halftime.

Roos was quickly tested out of the half, making back-toback saves, but Wagner’s third attempt sneaked past the Pride keeper. The goal came from Charlotte Müller, her third of

the season, as Hofstra faced a 2-0 deficit. De Baar scored again towards the end of the frame, making the score 3-0 and closing out a quarter where Hofstra was outshot 5-0.

Müller grabbed her second goal of the day off an assist from teammate Emma Lofstedt just two minutes into the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

Wagner outshot Hofstra 11-3 in the second half, with all three shots coming in rapid succession midway through the fourth quarter. However, two blocks and a save from van Dalen shut down the Hofstra attack as the Pride went quiet the rest of the way.

McNally finished with a teamhigh three shots to accompany the defensive save.

The Pride were outshot 19-8 in the game, with a 15-3 margin in shots on goal. McNally and Peñaloza each had a shot on goal, with Isabella Tassara picking up the other one off the bench. Roos finished the day with a game-high of nine saves.

Wagner will look to build off their second straight win when they host Long Island University in their next match. The Pride turn their attention back to Coastal Athletic Association play, traveling to take on the University of Delaware on Friday, Sept. 27,

with the action starting at 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Joe Orovitz

Hofstra has been outscored 11-0 in their last two games.

Full circle: Margaret Peterson’s return to the pitch

By George Hatzadony STAFF WRITER

Since joining the Hofstra University women’s soccer team in 2022, Margaret Peterson has endured an up-and-down career.

At the beginning of the 2023 season, Peterson earned a starting role as a forward and had sky-high expectations for her sophomore season.

“Last season, I was starting, so I expected to be playing 70 minutes and up a game, but that didn’t happen,” Peterson said.

In an early season matchup against Farleigh Dickinson University (FDU). Peterson went down with a torn ACL and meniscus, bringing her season to an early and unexpected end.

“I felt it initially that something weird, like, unstable happened,” Peterson said. “But when I was on the ground, I didn’t feel any pain. It was more just the shock of it that made me start crying.”

Peterson’s initial surprise and lack of pain had her feeling fine before she got the news that her season was over.

“The doctor came over and then my trainer, and the doctor knew right away that it was torn,” Peterson said.

With the news of her injury, Peterson knew that she had a long road ahead of her.

“I just got the starting spot, and you just know that you have a whole year ahead of you and a lot of hard work to do,” Peterson said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”

With such a devastating injury, Peterson’s day-to-day life and workout routine changed

drastically.

“Probably the biggest thing that has changed my life for many years to come is that before, I didn’t really like to lift,” Peterson said. “I couldn’t run for a while because I also tore my meniscus. I was on crutches for six weeks. I couldn’t walk for six weeks. So, the only thing I could do really to work out was to lift upper body. And I guess I’ve really learned to love doing that.”

Additionally, Peterson learned what it was like to be a typical college student.

“You get to experience not having the pressure of failing at practice or the mental part of it,” Peterson said.

Despite such a devastating

to ramp up and return to game speed, which Peterson is still working through.

“I think I still have my speed,” Peterson said. “It’s just my endurance that I’m still working on. It’s not there yet. So, if I make a run at a 100% speed in the game, it just takes me a lot longer to recover and keep going.”

Peterson suffered the injury on Aug. 31, 2023, but she was not cleared to play until the second week of the 2024 preseason, nearly a full year after the incident. Because of this, she recognizes that she has yet to reach her prior form.

“I think it takes a lot of time,” Peterson said. “Preseason already started, and I didn’t get

adrenaline,” Peterson said “You spend so much time, week after week in [physical therapy], sitting on the sideline five days a week at practice and not being able to do anything. The second you get the opportunity to go in,

“‘That felt like the moment where I knew I had made it through it, and I was on the next step.’”

not being used to the amount of work that you’re doing,” Peterson said. “So right now, it’s probably, first, taking care of those so that I can work on my fitness, so I can increase my minutes. And then hopefully, rack up some goals and assists and get a ring as well.”

Peterson is also excited to show the best of herself on the field.

“For me as a player, my favorite thing to do is just to drive within and cross it,” Peterson said. “I think I’m strong on the ball, holding it up, and the physical battle.”

Hofstra opened CAA play on Thursday, Sept. 19, and was picked second in the preseason poll. Peterson believes that this team can win another conference championship.

injury, Peterson was confident in her ability to return to the pitch.

“I’ve torn my other knee before, so I went through the whole process once,” Peterson said.

With a long-term injury, it’s normal for players to take time

cleared. And I went straight into two-a-days. But it was a lot to go from not doing anything for a whole year, to going right into the start of the season and then playing.”

During her time injured, her teammate, Thea Bergsten also suffered a year-long injury.

The two formed a tight bond through their time out.

“We did everything together,” Peterson said. “We swam for cardio because we couldn’t run. We went to the gym. We biked. We pushed each other, and I think she was a big part of getting me through my injury.”

At the beginning of this season, Peterson was ready to come back from her year-long injury. She made her return in Hamden, Connecticut against Quinnipiac University. “It was just a lot of

you’re not really nervous.”

Then finally, against FDU –the same team she was playing against when she tore her ACL over a year ago – Peterson found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal.

“I mean, it was kind of funny though because the days leading up to that game, I kept saying how funny would it be if I score my first goal against them; that would be a crazy full circle moment,” Peterson said. “And when I scored, I mean, you could probably see from the video, everyone was really happy for me. That felt like the moment where I knew I had made it through it, and I was on the next step.”

Now that she is past the recovery process, Peterson is focused on the season ahead.

“Right now, I’m dealing with a little bit of the ‘return to play side,’ injuries from your body

“I think this team is really determined,” Peterson said. “Every single game that we’ve played, even if it’s not our best game, every single person on the field is putting in 110%, and everyone on the sideline is also putting in everything into the team. So, I think we’re going to make it far this year.”

Photo courtesy of Royce Dickinson-Child Peterson scored her first goal for Hofstra on Sept. 12, vs. FDU.

Photo courtesy of Royce Dickinson-Child Peterson has made 23 starts during her Hofstra career.

Introducing Coach Fitts: Her unique journey to Hofstra

By Conner Keough STAFF WRITER

Hillary Fitts’ journey to becoming the head coach for the Hofstra University field hockey team is a unique one. From taking up the game in high school, to being a college walk-on and finding herself drawn back to the game after graduation, Fitts’ journey is not the typical one. But that might be exactly what Hofstra’s field hockey team needs.

Fitts was hired on March 15, as the new head coach of the university’s field hockey program. After a fiveyear coaching tenure at the College of William & Mary, Fitts brought her talents to Hempstead, replacing former head coach Courtney Veinotte who left to pursue other career opportunities.

If it wasn’t for how the athletic seasons ran in Delaware high schools, Fitts might have never gotten into field hockey.

“I started [playing field hockey] in high school my freshman year,” Fitts said. “In Delaware, where I grew up, soccer was in the spring, so I thought to myself ‘what do I do? I need to do a sport,’ and that’s when I picked up field hockey.”

After taking up the game, Fitts had some make up work to do to get recruited for college field hockey.

“I pretty much was fully ready to go to college for soccer,”

Fitts said. “I probably would’ve said yes to some of the schools that offered me a scholarship, but then something about field hockey, I thought, well there’s so much more room for growth. And I’d love to play in college and see where this takes me.”

Fitts was accepted to the University of Fairfield in Connecticut as a student, but because she started the field hockey recruiting process so late, she had to try out as a walk-on.

“I didn’t want to play for Delaware,” Fitts said. “I had family around Fairfield, so I already knew the area. I contacted the head coach at the time, Jackie Kane, to let her know I would be attending the school and wanted to walk on. I did a camp over that summer, and at the end of it, she basically told me, ‘see you in August.’”

After her four years at Fairfield, Fitts graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing. The next year, in 2015, Fitts rejoined the Stags as an assistant coach.

In Fitts’ senior season with the Stags, she earned Second Team all-conference honors in the America East as midfield.

“I worked in finance for about two and a half years and did volunteer coaching on the side,” Fitts said. “I found myself asking [Kane] ‘can I help volunteer’ every day. I found myself there one day a

week, then two days, then three, then, all of the sudden, it was every day. Eventually by 2017, I became a full-time coach.”

As an assistant coach at Fairfield, the Stags celebrated some serious accomplishments. Fitts helped guide her alma mater to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships in 2015 and 2017. She also had numerous all-conference and all-region players under her tutelage.

In 2019, Fitts moved on from Fairfield and became an assistant coach at the College of William & Mary before being promoted to associate head coach in 2022.

The Tribe experienced a top 20 finish in the AP poll in 2019, and a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) conference championship in 2023. The change from assistant coach to associate head coach provided Fitts with the experience needed for a future position as head coach.

“[As the associate head coach], I became in charge of recruiting, travel logistics and alumni engagement,” Fitts said. With the departure of Veinotte last winter, the head coach position became available. Fitts knew that Hofstra would be a good fit for her.

“When you see [another] team in your conference, they [can be] very [like-minded],” Fitts said. “I have friends and family on Long Island, so I was very familiar with the area. There’s so much talent on the team. I think taking that talent and making it less individualistic and more team oriented is where they were at. I knew what this team could do, it was only a matter of time before we’d get it done.”

Fitts has now spent the better part of six months on Long Island. Her systems and style of play have been noticeably different from how the team operated in years past.

What makes Fitts different is her early affiliation with other sports. Having played basketball, soccer and field hockey all

at high levels, Fitts attacks problems differently due to her wide understanding of tactics and strategies from other sports and her ability to bring them into field hockey.

Fitts preaches versatility as a key factor in becoming a good athlete. After transitioning from soccer to field hockey, she was thrown another curveball while playing for Fairfield.

“Being adaptable is a big part [of coaching],” Fitts said. “I came in as a forward my freshman year. Then, one of our starting defenders was injured, so I ended up moving to the right half back position. My last two years, I played right midfield.”

Fitts’ experience and versatility seeps into the way she coaches. This season, the Pride has had to get comfortable playing uncomfortable positions. Full-time defender Teresa Karoff is excelling at playing midfield, and midfielder Tara McNally has returned to the backline, where she played her freshman and sophomore years.

Fitts’ mark on the team has been felt, even in her short tenure. Aside from who is playing at what position, the team also plays a different attacking style.

“I’m hoping to have a combo offense this year depending on where we gain possession of the ball,” Fitts said. “If we gain possession near the attacking half of the field, I want to play a controlled, possession-based attack that tries to gain lots of corners. If we get possession on our defensive half of the

field, I still want to be deadly in transition like we were last year.”

Fitts started her coaching career at Hofstra with a 3-0 loss to No. 18 Old Dominion University and two close losses to University of Maine and University of Central Michigan. Fitts’ first win with the Pride came on Friday, Sept. 13, when Hofstra defeated Sacred Heart University 2-1 in the shootout. The Pride then followed it up by defeating Long Island University 3-2, earning Fitts’ first win at Cindy Lewis Stadium.

The Pride are now 2-5 in the Hillary Fitts era but are aiming high to compete for a spot in the CAA conference tournament, a place Hofstra has failed to qualify for since 2015.

Photo courtesy of Joe Orovitz

Fitts was named the 13th head coach in Hofstra field hockey history.

Photo courtesy of Julia Boesch

Fitts joined the Pride after helping the College of William & Mary win its second-ever CAA championship.

September 24, 2024

Hofstra splits weekend series against Stony Brook

Photo courtesy of Amelia Bashy