Issue 3, Spring 2017 - The Quadrangle

THE Volume 95, Issue 3

Q

UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924

January 31, 2017

www.mcquad.org

Pipe Repairs Behind O’Malley Library Enter Fourth Month

TRUMP HALTS ENTRY INTO U.S. FROM SEVEN MUSLIM COUNTRIES Rose Brennan, Taylor Brethauer & Stephen Zubrycky

Asst. Editor, Editor & Editor-in-Chief

Repairs to leaking pipes behind O’Malley Library started in November. Stephen Zubrycky/ The Quadrangle.

Stephen Zubrycky Editor-in-Chief

Repairs to underground pipes behind O’Malley Library are getting closer to completion, following a burst steam pipe which caused disruptions to the library and to Hayden Hall.

The repairs, which were contracted out

by Manhattan College last November to plumbing company Mr. Rooter, will cost the institution roughly $100,000, according to Andrew Ryan, P.E., the college’s Vice President of Facilities, who oversees the physical plant.

“When the steam leak was identified, it requires excavation, which we don’t have the equipment for, so we brought a company in,” Ryan said about the college’s contract with Mr. Rooter.

The bulk of the repairs were done over the winter intercession, to minimize disruption caused to students and faculty.

Faculty and students in Hayden Hall over the intercession were affected by the repairs, including Constantine Theodosiou, Ph.D., dean of science.

“The classes and offices were cold,

some people could not stay, and some people went home,” Theodosiou said. “It was a very uncomfortable thing for many of the faculty.”

The leak was noticed by the staff of O’Malley Library last October and was reported to physical plant.

Susanne Markgren, the library’s assistant director for technical services, first noticed the problem in early October.

“In the very beginning, we noticed steam coming out of [the loading dock steps], and we were like, ‘that’s weird,’ so we called them, and they looked at it and then I’m not sure what happened, and then it continued,” Markgren said.

Eventually, the steam began to creep into the building, causing water damage to the technical services office and even making the walls warm to the touch.

“It did affect us quite a bit in the beginning, because […] it got quite hot, and the steam did go up the wall, and it provided damage in some of our offices,” Markgren said.

Markgren and other employees in technical services also noticed a strange smell to the steam, which Markgren described as similar to that of sulfur.

“The smell of it was pretty bad,” Markgren said.

Markgren said employees bothered by the smell were free to work in another part of the building if they felt they had to.

Peggy McKiernan, a library assistant who works in technical services, said she was made sick by the smell of the steam.

“I’m asthmatic so the smell was getting to me,” McKiernan said.

As the repairs have pressed on, conditions in the library have improved.

The physical plant department will repair any damage caused to the library by the steam leak when the repairs are finished.

“If there’s issues, we’ll take care of it,” Ryan said. “If there’s any collateral damage that happened as a result of it, that has to get fixed. But we’re not going to go in and scrape and paint walls and everything else, when I’ve got a twelve foot trench that’s still open next to the building.”

The contractors are still waiting on a fitting to repair a leaky water pipe which was discovered next to the steam line.

Continued on page 2

President Donald J. Trump capped a busy first week in office with an executive order barring entry into the United States from seven countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

The order, entitled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” will affect those attempting to enter the U.S. from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The order allows the Department of Homeland Security to admit religious minorities fleeing persecution from these majority-Muslim countries, including Christians. The ban will remain in effect for 90 days, while the U.S. Refugee Admissions program will be shuttered for 120.

“Congress and the President both have a decent amount of power to set immigration policy, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the courts,” Assistant Professor of Government Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., said over the phone. “I think there’s some significant basis for the lawyers believing that some of what he’s doing in this order is illegal, or they wouldn’t have gotten stays from four different judges [Saturday].”

Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., believes Islamophobia in America has been at an all-time high since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Afridi, who spoke to the Quadrangle over the phone, is an assistant professor of religious studies, and the director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College.

Afridi fears that rather than protecting Americans from radical Islamist terror, banning Muslims from entering the country may have the opposite effect.

“As a Muslim, I get news from all over the world, and this is a field day for ISIS,” she said.

Stiff backlash followed the order as protests erupted at airports across the U.S., including John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, where a number of Iraqi refugees had been detained.

Students Shahed Ahmed and Haris Ali are against the order. Ahmed is the president of the Muslim Student Association, and Ali is the vice president.

“When something so extreme happens, it’s always so surreal at first and you don’t understand it,” Ali said. “It doesn’t really get to you until it affects you personally.”

Ahmed is particularly worried that President Trump will extend the order to where some of his family is, in Bangladesh.

“I have relatives that are from Bangladesh, and they’re scared themselves because they have green cards, but now I know there has been an exception for green card holdContinued on page 4

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The

opinions & editorials

Quadrangle www.mcquad.org

Vol. 95 Issue 3 January 31, 2017

Stephen Zubrycky Editor-in-Chief Jack Melanson News Editor Haley Burnside Joseph Liggio Asst. News Editors Ally Hutzler Features Editor Managing Editor Megan Dreher Asst. Features Editor Taylor Brethauer Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor Rose Brennan Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor RikkiLynn Shields Sports Editor Charles Lippolis Asst. Sports Editor Tara Marin Social Media Editor Catherine Goodyear Asst. Social Media Editor Victoria Hernández Multimedia Editor Aaron Mayorga Photography Editor Anja Pollozzi Asst. Photography Editor Alyssa Velazquez Production Editor Abbi Kirollos Asst. Production Editor Daniel Molina August Kissel Web Editors Tom Callahan Faculty Adviser A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.

The staff of The Quadrangle meets every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in room 412 of the Student Commons.

Contact The Quadrangle at thequad@manhattan.edu The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

January 31, 2017

The Punch is Not the Problem Rose Brennan Asst. Editor

The following is a staff member’s opinion and does not reflect the views of the The Quadrangle’s Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

Due to the continually prevailing online narrative of current events, many Manhattan College students and professors alike have likely seen the video of white supremacist activist Richard B. Spencer getting punched in the face by an angry protester.

The video, titled “White nationalist Richard Spencer punched in the face camera while doing interview”, depicts Spencer getting interviewed and harassed by protesters. Toward the end of the video, someone runs up to him and punches him in the face, at which point many of the people in the video start cheering.

As of press time, the video had 2.4 million views and counting.

This incident was not an isolated one, either. Spencer was once again punched in the face on camera on Thursday.

The American “alt-right” movement is one that is associated with fascism and white supremacy, similar to Nazism, the political movement that swept to power in Germany in the 1930s. While Spencer himself has denied this label of ‘neo-Nazi’, many of his views are in direct accordance with Nazism, most notably his antiSemitism and call for a “peaceful ethnic cleanse.”

According to a report from the Associated Press, Spencer attended the Republican National Convention and attended an after-party at a nearby hotel where he “matter-of-factly called for removing Afri-

can-Americans, Hispanics and Jews from the United States.”

The video has sparked a widespread debate across the country: is it morally acceptable to punch a Nazi in the face?

Many people would say no, because punching people based on their beliefs, however deplorable they may be to almost everyone else, is immoral, not to mention illegal. Many others would say yes, because Nazism is an ideology that advocates genocide and is associated with racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia, most notably.

Now, while I am certainly not an advocate for violence, at some point the consequences of racism need to be made very explicit and very clear. People can agree that racism is wrong, but it took a video of someone punching a white supremacist in the face to get more attention called to it.

Maybe punching a Nazi in the face is not the ideal way to communicate the consequences of blatant racism, but it will certainly get people talking. Unfortunately, I think that we as a country are focusing on the wrong part of this entire situation.

We all need to stop asking if it is morally permissible to punch Nazis in the face, and instead call attention to the fact that this man, who has both considerable power and a considerable platform, is a Nazi.

More importantly, we have to relentlessly call attention to that fact.

While Richard B. Spencer, thankfully, does not actually have a position in the American federal government, many people with similar ideas and viewpoints do.

Most notable of these people is Stephen K. Bannon, President Donald J. Trump’s Chief Strategist and Senior Adviser, who had been the CEO of the far-right news outlet Breitbart News prior to his selection for President Trump’s Cabinet.

Breitbart News is a favorite among the alt-right movement, and has been known for its particularly offensive and incendiary headlines, among them “Would You Rather Your Child Have Feminism or Cancer?” and “Gay Rights Have Made Us Dumber, It’s Time to Get Back in the Closet.”

Furthermore, Bannon also allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks about sending his daughters to a certain school because too many Jewish children attended it. According to NBC News, Bannon’s ex-wife, Mary Louise Piccard, said, “He said that he doesn’t like Jews and that he doesn’t like the way they raise their kids to be ‘whiney [sic] brats’ and that he didn’t want the girls going to school with Jews.”

White supremacy and Nazism have no place in America.

Many of our grandfathers and greatgrandfathers actively fought against Nazis in World War II, so how have we gotten to a point where people with disturbingly similar views have acquired such power and influence in our own country?

While the American people do not have a direct say in who President Trump selected for his cabinet, we do have a say in what is and is not acceptable in this country.

Nazism is an ideology that should never be upheld as normal. The phrase “Nazism is bad” should be a given, but for some reason, that claim has now become contestable. Rejection of this deplorable ideology is one that should be spread across party lines, one that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike should wholeheartedly and resoundly speak out against.

Make your voice heard, and assert to this new administration that America cannot and will not become a place where white supremacy is even the least bit acceptable.

How to Combat Hopelessness Haley Burnside Asst. Editor

The following is a staff member’s opinion and does not reflect the views of the The Quadrangle’s Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

Growing up, I remember learning about historical human rights atrocities and thinking that I would have “done something” if I had been alive in that era. Now, I am in that position to “do something,” and I do not know what to do.

I am not Muslim. My parents are not Muslim. I am not an immigrant. My parents are not immigrants. I am as safe as one can be from President Donald J. Trump’s new executive order, which bars entry into the U.S. from seven majority Muslim countries in the Mid-East and North Africa.

I will probably never be personally restricted by this executive order.

Regardless of the fact that my life is not hindered by the ban, I still feel a pestering urge to act against it. I feel that it goes against the principles upon which this country was supposedly founded. I struggle with this feeling because I know that I do not possess the power to do much about the ban.

The only arena in which I hold power is within the Quadrangle, and even that is limited.

As I spent the weekend pondering my social responsibility to act and my relative inability to change the situation before me, I began to feel that familiar feeling of hopelessness that comes in waves since Trump was elected.

Then I scrolled through the trending tweets addressing the ban. I saw some images and quotes that changed my view.

The first image, tweeted by Wall Street Journal writer Danny Gold, was a group of lawyers sitting on the floor of an airport with laptops, papers, and coffee cups cluttered around them. The caption read, “Volunteer lawyers here on the ground in terminal 1 drafting habeas petitions to free detained Iranians and Yemenis.”

The tweet was followed by several similar images of legal professionals gathered in McDonald’s and on dirty airport floors to work tirelessly for those being detained.

These people were working voluntarily, not expecting reward or fame for their efforts.

Their only motivation was their determination to help the oppressed.

As I scrolled through these pictures I realized how right Michelle Obama was when she said, “Don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great.”

Our country has been riddled with hatred, contempt, misunderstanding and disrespect as of late.

In a time where it can be nauseating to turn on the news or skim a newspaper, I think it is important to call attention to

these wholesome, hopeful moments.

As a news writer, I want to be able to deliver information to the people. As an American who is dissatisfied with the actions of my government, I want to be involved in marches, protests and resistance efforts that can peacefully oppose these actions.

I started to understand that writing and reporting news is a valid and valuable way to contribute to this movement. By remaining vigilant and giving people the chance to confront the truth, I can participate in this hectic political world.

I doubt I am the only one experiencing feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness these days.

I would encourage those of you who feel an urge to be involved to contribute to the Quadrangle.

Writing to make your voice heard on a platform other than Facebook is a powerful way to makeyourself a part of history.

If writing is not your forte, attend a protest and take some photos. Observe, record and submit what you see. News sources have more responsibility and power in the current political climate than ever before, and participation is essential.

In summary, if you are staring at your screens wondering how you can “do something,” consider the Quadrangle. It is your way to have your name tied into a part of history.

News

Features and Funding for the Campus Master Plan

3

Joseph Liggio Asst. Editor

Manhattan College’s master plan is fully underway, witht he aim of drastically changing the campus landscape as students and staff know it.

According to Andrew Ryan, Vice President for Facilities, the plan consists of over a dozen projects. These will include classroom renovations to Hayden and De La Salle Halls, the installation of a full theatre in Smith Auditorium and the installation of offices in the now-residence building Chrysostom Hall among other upcoming changes.

“The campus Master Plan has many components that are planned to be developed over the next ten years,” said Ryan in an email statement.

Additional aspects of the project are set to arrive on the college’s south campus alone, namely the construction of a new eSCI (STEM) facility, renovations to the Leo Engineering Building and the addition of a quad-like green space just off of West 240th Street.

A new apartment-style residence hall will also be constructed on the current site of the Mahan Physical Plant Complex.

Andrew Weingarten, Director of Residence Life, confirmed that the project will also impact current student housing on the north campus as well.

“I know from the Campus Master Plan town hall meetings that the plan considers the needs of the older residence halls,” said Weingarten via email.

Some components of the plan have already been completed for some time, including the new Center for Student Success in Thomas Hall and Walsh Plaza in front of Draddy Gymnasium, yet many more are

The master plan will provide for renovations and extensions to Leo Hall. Joseph Liggio/ The Quadrangle installations. still in progress or slated to arrive over the operating budget.

At any rate, the college is optimistic next few years.

These three sources are anticipated to about the plans coming together, although These costly updates have left many cover the project fully, as the college has they are still subject to change. students wondering if their scholarships not reconsidered going ahead with any “Typically for each aspect, you would or future cost of attendance at the college components of the plan due to potential identify the need, a potential location for may be impacted by such renovations to funding issues at this time. a new building/renovation, a general scope the campus.

Projected costs for some of the devel[…] and then as the specific project starts According to Vice President for Fi- opments are still being finalized; for into develop, you drill down to the details nance and CFO Matthew McManness, stance “changes in the project scope” of and finalize location, scope, program, timsuch a scenario will not be the case. the upcoming residence hall has left the ing etc. as it meets the current and planned “We will accommodate this expense development without a final estimate as of in our existing budget through refinanc- late. Yet expenses for some components of future needs of the College at the time that you are developing that project” said ing existing debt,” said McManness via the plan are already being worked out. email.

“First phase for the [eSCI] project is Ryan.

“It is also normal in a master plan proThe school is currently funding the $70 million and includes several aspects cess for the timing or scope of some projmaster plan via three sources: donations of the project including parking a building ects to change as the college’s forecasted made to the institution through a fund- connector to Leo, a new atrium for Leo, inneeds change [...] nothing is final until you raising campaign, a bond issue, and funds frastructure improvements, etc.” said Mcturn the key in the door.” already set aside within the college’s Manness of the upcoming south campus

Pipe Repairs Behind O’Malley Library Enter Fourth Month Continued from page 1 “It’s a drip, I think, once every fourteen seconds,” Ryan said about the water pipe.

“That leak could’ve been going on for quite some time and we would never know about it because of the magnitude of it, and the fact that it’s down fourteen feet.”

Disruptions to the Thomas Hall driveway will continue until the fitting arrives and the water pipe is fixed.

Handicapped parking spaces behind the library are currently occupied by a pile of excavated soil and are rendered unusable.

McKiernan, who relies upon the parking, has had to find parking elsewhere.

“I park up at the gym. I go to the gym and I park and then I come through the gymnasium, and then Thomas Hall and down,” McKiernan said.

Full service to the O’Malley loading dock, back entrance and handicapped park-

ing area cannot be restored until the new part for the leaking water pipe arrives and is installed. Ryan could not comment on when that part will arrive.

The stairs from the driveway to the back door to the library, which had cracked under pressure from the steam, will likely also be replaced after the excavation is filled in.

Those affected by the leak are eager for a return to normalcy.

“It’s going back to normal now,” Theodosiou said. “Of course we understand, these are old buildings, old pipes, and things happen.”

For Ryan, tackling the steam pipe repair is just another day on the job.

“These things happen. It’s why you have a maintenance department,” Ryan said.

The trench behind O’Malley cannot be filled in until a new fitting arrives for the leaking water pipe. Stephen Zubrycky/ The Quadrangle

news Student Government Holds First Assembly Meeting of the Semester

4

January 31, 2017

WORLD WEEKLY Daniel Molina Editor

AJ Goodman speaking at the most recent Student Government meeting. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle The meeting rolled on to discuss some making the dorm halls a much cleaner athletics announcements. Allie Yamashiro place.

Jack Melanson is a student-athlete and also the vice presiEditor “I started the initiative to put hand dent for communication on Student Gov- sanitizers in the dorms,” said Siller. “With This past Wednesday, Jan. 25., Man- ernment. Because of this tie, she has began everyone getting sick, I think that this is a hattan College’s Student Government held to lead a charge that is focused on driving good idea.” their first Student Assembly Meeting of the Jasper attendance.

The last committee to speak was the Ideas on this topic included a possible Commuter Student Association. Micaela semester.

Top priorities of the meeting included hot dog stand at sporting events along with Bishop lead these conversations as she is changes to Gourmet Dining, Residence making more shirts and other apparel such the vice president for commuter affairs.

Life details, revamping athletic games and as sunglasses available to students.

Bishop discussed the recent event The Club Oversight Committee or the which took place in Bryant Park’s Winter commuter affairs.

“The meeting was good,” said Student “COC” was next on the list as they had Village where students were able to ice Body President, Dorian Persaud. “It was their turn duringthe meeting to discuss skate. Bishop went on to mention Domino important upcoming dates. Main points in- Fridays that will take place every Friday at short, but it went very well.”

The first couple of items on the agenda cluded that all new clubs must have their 1 p.m. at the Multicultural Center of Kelly were Gourmet Dining and Residence Life. paperwork turned in by Feb. 3., according Commons.

Gourmet Dining discussed bringing sushi to the meetings official agenda.

Bishop continued, adding that a large Allison Ready, Vice President for So- Commuter Appreciation Day will be someto the college that is now located in Kelly Commons, bringing back pasta as an ev- cial Life followed the COC. Ready empha- time in April, with more details to follow. eryday menu item and other things of that sized that student input is vital to making As the meeting concluded, the final her role on campus successful. nature. item was the American Student Govern“If you have any ideas, feel free to ment Association conference that members Brian Weinstein, Gourmet Dining Resident District Manager, added that he will shoot me an email,” said Ready. of student government will be attending on Ready also mentioned that the next Feb, 24. Last year the group attended the always be open to student suggestions in regards to making their dining experience Social Life meeting will be Feb. 8., in the same conference in Chicago, as this year Student Government Lounge. more enjoyable. the meetings will be held right here in New “We will be talking about Spring Fest,” York City.

AJ Goodman, Associate Director of Residence Life, provided updates about she said.

The fairly quick meeting adjourned as Olivia Siller holds the position of vice Persaud informed the crowd that their next the upcoming RA applications along with the leadership program that began last se- president for residential affairs on campus. meeting will be Feb. 8. in Kelly Commons mester. More details on these topics will be When it was her turn to inform the crowd 4B at 12 P.M. of her actions in office, she highlighted available at a later date.

Trump Halts Entry into U.S. from Seven Muslim Countries Continued from page 1

ers,” Ahmed said. “But they’re still frightened and they’ve been recommended by lawyers to come as soon as possible.”

Lois Harr, assistant vice president of campus ministry and social action, believes that Trump’s order is contrary to Catholic and Lasallian values.

“Look at what Pope Francis is saying.

This is not Christian. This is not what the Gospel says we should be doing,” Harr said over the phone. Harr sees helping refugees from war-torn parts of the Mid-East as a moral imperative, not a political one.

“The ramifications for us, I think, as Catholic Christians, is just - this is not the way to go. And it’s against everything that the Gospel says, it’s against the stuff that [Catholic Relief Services] is talking about,” Harr said.

“It comes off as a racist ban,” Afridi said. “If they have a really good argument that this is against terrorism, I’d love to hear it.” Although the order never explicitly used the words “Muslim” or “Islam,”, all seven of the affected countries are predominantly Muslim.

Freshman Andrew Gauzza supports the

executive order.

“I know a lot of people have concerns about it being, you know, racist or antiMuslim. I don’t see it as that way. I see it as a safety measure against possible terrorists coming into this country. I think that is a legitimate threat,” Gauzza said.

Gauzza is worried by acts of terror committed in European countries that admit refugees from the Mid-East.

“Seeing as what’s going on in Europe, in Germany and in Sweden and all of those countries that they’ve brought in a lot of refugees, and a lot of those people aren’t bad people,” Gauzza said. “[President Trump] just wants to keep our nation safe […] Banning immigration is a better way of doing it and it is more effective in that sense.”

The Muslim Student Association maintains that acts of terror are inconsistent with their beliefs.

“Islam and any mainstream religion is a religion of peace,” Ali said.

Ahmed said he has found an “extremely supportive” community on campus at Manhattan College.

Ali agreed, saying, “As a Muslim student group, we’ve never felt left out or

alienated in a Lasallian Catholic [college], we’ve felt quite at home here.”

Afridi also agreed, calling Manhattan College, “one of the most welcoming colleges [she has] ever been at.”

For non-Muslims against the ban, Ali had one very simple suggestion.

“The most effective tool, as corny and antiquated as it may be, is just love,” Ali said. Ahmed and Ali are heartened by the support and public displays of support following the institution of Trump’s order.

“The American people will have spoken through these protests, and nobody’s really standing for this, even Donald Trump’s own Republican Party. A lot of the senators have spoken against him,” Ahmed said.

Ali and Ahmed believe that the conceptions of Islam as a hostile religion are unfounded, and stress that they are similar to any other students on the college’s campus.

“We eat the same cereal you do, we ride the same ‘1’ train, we suffer through the same traffic,” Ali said. “At the core, we’re all the same people living the same everyday lives, facing the same everyday struggles.”

President Trump’s First Executive Orders United States Abandons TransPacific Partnership (TPP) On Monday Jan. 23., President Trump signed an executive order to abandon the TPP, a pact that included twelve countries that represented 40% of the world’s economic output. It was aimed at deepening economic ties between these nations, slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth.

Source: BBC News New Administration Revives Keystone and Dakota Pipelines Originally rejected by Obama after years of debate, President Trump resurrected the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access pipelines. They have become major debate points for Native Americans, who object to the construction less than a mile from their reservation, and environmentalists who claim that they will pose a significant threat to the environment.

Source: The New York Times President Trump Orders Wall at Mexican Border Following one of his main campaign proposals, Donald Trump issued an executive order to start building a wall along the 2,000 mile border between the United States and Mexico. The wall has an estimated cost of up to $12 billion. “A nation without borders is not a nation,” President Trump said. “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders.”

Source: The Wall Street Journal An Executive Order is Signed to Prevent “Radical Islamic Terrorists” from Entering the United States The Executive Order suspends entry into the U.S. to anyone coming from Muslim-majority countries for at least 90 days. These countries include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. As of Saturday, eleven people had been held at JFK Airport in NYC. Source: The Wall Street Journal Dow Jones Industrial Average Tops 20,000 Level for the First Time The Dow Jones, one of the most watched stock indexes in the world containing companies such as Coca-Cola, Exxon, and General Electric, closed on Wednesday above 20,000 for the first time after 120 years of its existence.

Source: The Washington Post Serena Williams Wins a Grand Slam Trophy for 23rd Time Serena Williams won the Australian Open for the seventh time, defeating her older sister Venus 6-4, 6-4, in Saturday’s final. In doing so, she displaced Steffi Graf for the most titles in the Open era.

Source: Chicago Tribune, CBS Sports World Weekly is a new column with two goals in mind: informing uninformed readers about what is happening in the world that we live in, and creating a historical piece of what happened during a week in the life at Manhattan College.

These 12 pages are important as an archive, and will act as a tiny piece of what happened in a big world.

features

5

Around the World and Back Again: Battocchio on Marine Corps at Manhattan Aaron Mayorga Editor

Kirsten Battocchio, a former United States Marine Corps Sergeant, stands at the podium before a packed crowd in Kelly 5A. Light filters into the room by way of the massive windows positioned behind Battocchio while she, speaking to a group of her peers, outlines this semester’s agenda for Veterans Academic Learning Opportunities Realized (VALOR)— the still-nascent student veterans organization for which the former Marine Sergeant now has the distinction of serving as its newest, and first female, president.

As with many things in her life, Battocchio viewed her election to serve as VALOR’s president at the end of the fall 2016 semester as a new challenge for her to take on and overcome —something for which she has an affinity and was the source of her motivation to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.

“I chose the military to serve — and for the adventure. But I chose the Marine Corps because I knew it would be the most challenging and it was,” Battocchio said.

However, for the Bethel, Conn., native, the military wasn’t always her first choice as she initially opted to study psychology at the similarly-named Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y. Although she excelled academically during her single year at Manhattanville, she had an epiphany, realizing that she felt as if she “was not moving forward… [and that] it didn’t feel like [she] was doing anything meaningful.”

In response to this sense of stagnation, she gave herself an ultimatum: either transfer to the University of Connecticut or enlist in the military — and make the final decision before her nineteenth birthday. Despite having already been accepted and having placed a down payment for her housing at UConn, Battocchio, now 26-years-old, eventually choose the latter, beginning her near six-year stint in the Marines.

The impetus for her decision? A rather vivid dream — one in which she envisioned herself as a student at UConn. Upon waking, she realized that her experience at the state university would not satisfy her desire for change. Looking back on the episode, Battocchio said, “Usually a dream like that would be a sign to go to UConn, but it was the opposite for me.”

After three months of boot camp at the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot in South Carolina, Battocchio was assigned the military occupation of Aviation Maintenance Administration Clerk and was shipped overseas to the Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan. Spending two years at Iwakuni, she was tasked with handling “all of the reports for all the maintenance of all of the squadrons on that base.”

She added, “That was all my shop.”

Towards the end of her deployment in Japan, she realized that it was extremely likely that she would be sent back stateside.

“I loved being overseas, and I knew that I wanted a different position,” Battocchio said.

Wanting to find a way to remain over-

Kristen Battachio, newest, and first female, president of VALOR speaking at the college. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle seas and seeking a new challenge, Battocchio decided to try something new. “I applied for Marine Security Guard duty, which is a secondary billet, so you have to apply and be vetted for it,” she said.

Upon being selected and thoroughly vetted, she subsequently underwent additional training at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, V.A. for about six weeks.

As part of her duties as a member of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG), Battocchio spent three years ensuring the security of the U.S. Embassies in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Kampala, Uganda as well as on the island nation of Barbados, serving approximately one year at each posting.

“It was great living in those places and not just visiting as a tourist. When you are a tourist, I think you only see what they want you to see, but living there is an entirely different experience. Instead we experienced these countries from an intimate first-hand perspective. Each country became a home for me,” Battocchio said about her service as part of the MCESG. Speaking at length about how she ended up at the countries that she did, the veteran said that “they try to give you one that’s not high threat and Sri Lanka and Uganda were considered tier 3 which is usually a third-world country and high-risk post. So Barbados was more like a ‘here you go, you did your time.’”

When asked whether she could say which foreign country was her favorite, she struggled to deliver a definitive answer, saying: “I loved everywhere I was.

It’s so hard picking a favorite country because they are all so different. Japan, I loved, because it was completely different from America, but Sri Lanka and Uganda were both amazing.”

After finishing her tenure at the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, Battocchio’s time in the Marine Corps had finally come to an end. Even so, she was already planning her next move.

“I got out of the military in May 2015… I started school in August [of the same year]. I actually applied to Manhat-

tan while I was still in Barbados and still on active duty. I was emailing Troy [Cogburn, the Director of Transfer Admissions and faculty advisor for VALOR] back and forth,” she said.

For all of the possible schools to attend, the question remained: why Manhattan?

Battocchio explained her choice to become a Jasper by saying that she “really wanted a school that was going to align [her] with a career afterwards, and [she] chose New York City just because [she] couldn’t imagine going back to Connecticut.”

“When you’re away that long, you never really feel home in any one place anymore,” she said, “so I wanted to be somewhere that was going to have everything I loved about being overseas, from Sri Lankan food to Ugandan food. People say getting out of the Marine Corps is a culture shock, and it is. But coming back to the States was a real shocking experience in itself.”

Having low expectations for the school and simply grateful for having her tuition expenses covered by the G.I. Bill, she didn’t know what the next three years would have in store for her. Fortunately, the transition from military life to life as a student at Manhattan was made easier by meeting fellow veterans on campus. “Once I got here, I started meeting the other veterans, so that’s when I started getting more involved,” Battocchio said.

Not only have her extracurricular endeavors been shaped by her military service, but so have her academic interests.

Now, three semesters after beginning classes at Manhattan, she has decided to double major in international studies and government. Despite her love for psychology, her experiences abroad “changed [her] and made [her] look at the entire world differently.”

In addition to this, Battocchio has opted to study Arabic as a foreign language, following the advice of a fellow veteran that she met her on her first day at the college. Although she says her Arabic class “has been great,” she does admit that “it’s definitely hard and definitely a struggle.”

As for her election to be president of VALOR, she says that it was simply the result of “voicing her opinion” which lead to the group “pulling [her] in more and more.”

With a laugh, she said, “And now I’m the president. Last semester, I was Secretary, and they saw what I was doing and I guess that’s why I got elected.”

Looking forward, Battocchio has extensive plans for the organization during her term. Chiefly, she wants VALOR to move away from the perception of being a club. On the subject, she said, “I don’t really like that it’s called a club. Everyone pretty much agrees we’re not a club, it’s not a hobby. It’s definitely something like a fraternity.”

Instead of a club, she’s hoping to rebrand the group as the Manhattan College chapter of the Student Veterans of America (SVA) — a nationally recognized organization. Also, she — with the assistance of her fellow student veterans — is working to ensure student veteran representation on the Student Government Executive Committee in order to give a voice to student veteran concerns on campus.

Outside of VALOR, Battocchio will be representing the United States of America on the U.N. Security Council at National Model United Nations New York 2017 this upcoming April. She has also applied to intern at the state department and has been offered a position to work in the U.S. Embassy in Oman on diplomatic security. If her internship is confirmed, she plans on using the opportunity to practice her Arabic.

After her graduation in May 2018, Battocchio says that she’s “keeping all of her options open.” However, for her, one thing is certain: her involvement with VALOR has made it all possible.

“I can’t even imagine what it would be like not having this organization here. The other veterans were the first people that I really got to know at Manhattan College.

It’s hard to fathom this transition without them and this organization. I am thankful for it.”

features

6

January 31, 2017

Manhattan College Student Lands Internship at NASA Lindsey Burns Senior Writer

For Cesar Tapia, ’08, ‘17, the sky isn’t the limit, outer space is. The Manhattan College alum recently landed a prestigious internship with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, otherwise known as NASA, and has since travelled down to the John F. Kennedy Space Center, located in Cape Canaveral, Fla., to begin his work.

As an undergraduate at Manhattan College, Tapia pursued a degree in electrical engineering, and then later returned to complete his master’s degree in solar technology.

“I actually just finished my master’s thesis research, paper and defense last semester,” Tapia said.

The complex and specialized nature of Tapia’s thesis topic is difficult for someone without an engineering background to understand — and even then, one would probably have to be focused in electrical engineering to fully grasp what he has written about.

“He had performed [an] advanced research study related to photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion systems,” Mahmoud Amin, Ph.D., said. Amin works as an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Manhattan College, and he served as Tapia’s major advisor while Tapia worked on his thesis.

“He had involved a comparative review study to determine whether the configuration of a photovoltaic array helps mitigate partial shading,” Amin said. “A 4x4 array was developed, simulated and tested with series, series-parallel and total cross tied configurations.”

After all testing had been completed, Tapia compiled all of the results into his thesis paper, and ultimately “the energy efficiency across [the] configurations” was compared, Amin said.

The dedication and hard work Tapia put into the success of his master’s thesis

certainly contributed to him receiving an internship offer from NASA, but he also credits his time working at Manhattan College’s ITS department.

“I am actually pursuing a career in cyber security,” he said. “While pursuing my master’s, I also was working for ITS at Manhattan College. This experience within IT for a little over two years coupled with my engineering degree is what I feel gave me the edge in getting the NASA internship.”

Richard Musal, associate director of client services and operations at Manhattan College’s ITS department, has been able to get to know Tapia throughout the years. He also believes it was Tapia’s experience at the ITS department that pushed him above and beyond his competitors for the position.

“He has a great problem solving background from his work with ITS,” he said.

While Manhattan College’s ITS department left Tapia with invaluable experience, Tapia also left his own mark on the department.

“Cesar was reliable and a problem solver. He helped our team develop policies, procedures and systems to improve how our service desk runs,” Musal said.

“He definitely left his ITS office better than when he found it. He helped lay the foundations for the next steps that we are taking for continual service improvement.”

Going above and beyond what is asked of him and his problem solving ability seem to be consistent parts of who Tapia is as a person.

“Cesar is someone who doesn’t just try to look at a problem in one way. He always goes beyond what I ask him to do,” Amin said. “He has successfully demonstrated leadership abilities as he took charge counseling new and prospective students at the undergraduate levels. His advice has been a great help to these students, many of whom have taken time to share their comments with me regarding his pleasant and encouraging attitude.”

Now that his time at NASA has begun,

John F. Kennedy Space Center, located in Cape Canaveral, Fla., to begin his work.

Tapia is hard at work at the reputable Kennedy Space Station.

“I will provide assistance with testing cyber security software and with development of IT security capabilities, used to protect the next launch control system at the KSC,” he said.

Tapia’s internship responsibilities may be tailored to his ITS experience at Manhattan College, but ultimately, he would be open to a job that utilizes either his electrical engineering background or his ITS knowledge.

“My dream job would be to work either for a power utility that is focusing on

renewable energy production projects or cyber security for federal agencies such as NASA, the NSA, the CIA or the FBI,” he said.

Tapia can’t stress about the future too much, as his career is already launching at the KSC with NASA. “The Kennedy Space Center is a place you go to as a kid and where your parents encourage you to reach for the stars,” Tapia said. “You’re never prepared for good news like this. After reality sets in all you can do is feel blessed and appreciative for such an opportunity. “

Manhattan College Alum earned his master’s degree in solar technology.

Cesar Tapia lands internship at NASA. Cesar Tapia/ Courtesy

features

7

Manhattan College Students Participate in Historic March for Life John Jackson Staff Writer

On Friday, January 27, a group of Manhattan College students embarked on a trip to Washington D.C. to participate in the 44th annual March for Life.

The event was coordinated by junior mechanical engineering student Ryan Quattromani, with help from government professor Margaret Roarke. Roarke also helped students coordinate a trip to the Women’s March the week prior.

“I came to the March for Life because my presidential candidate won and I think it’s a very hopeful time for this initiative,” said Quattromani. “So it was really important for me to get to D.C. for the March and join hundreds of thousands of other people in this initiative.”

The students who came on the trip met Quattromani in the parking lot outside of the Kelly Commons building at six in the morning. From there he drove them down to D.C. with a school van.

While the group itself was small, the passion was not. Each student had a reason for attending the event.

One of those students, senior and double major in psychology and philosophy, Andrea Lopilato wanted to promote a culture of life.

“I’m pro-life in all its forms,” said Lopilato. “Which means I’m against abortion and capital punishment and oppression.

Basically anything that promotes the culture of death that we kind of live in.”

Irving Weihs, a junior political science major, wanted to give a voice to those who have none.

“I think all life is important, said Weihs. “Especially the most innocent life we have; the life that begins at conception.”

Nick Pagan, a freshman who is undecided in the business school, wanted to join the massive amount of people who are likewise against abortion.

“I came for the March for Life,” stated Pagan. “Because as a Catholic I feel it’s my duty to join hundreds of thousands of other people to protest against abortion.

I’m completely pro-life.”

All the students who came on the trip made it to D.C. in time for the speeches.

Some of the speakers included Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Super Bowl Champion Benjamin Watson, Sen. Joni Ernst, and advisor to President Donald Trump Kellyanne Conway.

What made the event historic was the speech given by Vice President Mike Pence. He was the highest-ranking official to ever speak at the event since its origins.

Pence’s speech gave hope to the pro-life cause by pointing to Trump’s new pro-life administration.

“We’ve come to a historic moment in the cause for life,” Pence told the crowd in his speech. “And we must meet this moment with respect and compassion for every American.”

“Let this movement be known for love, not anger,” Pence emphasized in his address to the crowd.

Love was on full display during the march, which began on Constitution Av-

Demonstrators march up to the Capitol.

Demonstrators finish march in front of the Supreme Court. enue and ended in front of the Supreme Court. The protesters energetically chanted, held up signs, and marched. They paid little to no attention to those who came to protest against the pro-life stance. Some pro-life demonstrators peacefully stood next to pro-choice demonstrators in a civil manner.

After the march, Manhattan College students went back to the MetroPoints hotel in New Carrollton, Md., where they boarded overnight. The next day they attended the National Students for Life Conference.

The conference was held in the First Baptist Church of Glenarden which is located in Upper Marlboro, Md. Some of the speakers at the event included Josh Brahm of the Equal Rights Institute, Casey Mattox of the Alliance for Defending Freedom, Jason Jones producer of the movie Bella, and Kristan Hawkins who is the President of Students for Life.

The crowd listening to the speeches. John Jackson/ The Quadrangle

arts & entertainment

8

January 31, 2017

The Book Nook Title: The Complete Persepolis Author: Marjane Satrapi Genre: Graphic Novel/Memoir

Rose Brennan/The Quadrangle

Rose Brennan Asst. Editor

When Marjane “Marji” Satrapi was five years old, her home country of Iran was in the middle of a revolution in which the country’s government was vehemently opposed and eventually overthrown. In its place, a Muslim theocracy was established and arguably left the country worse off than before. Under this new theocracy, many new rules were implemented. Most notably, all female citizens were required to wear headscarves. On one occasion, Satrapi’s mother refused to do so and two guardians of the revolution haunted her on the street and threatened her with violence if she did not comply with their rules.

A few years later, Marji meets her uncle, Anoosh, who along with her grandmother has the most influence upon Marji’s future life. Anoosh was a political prisoner under the old regime, but was recaptured and executed by the new Iranian government.

This experience is particularly formative in her life, as it cultivates her rebellious spirit.

Not long after her uncle’s execution, Iran goes to war against Iraq, leading the government to produce pro-war propaganda and encourage the young men to become martyrs for the cause. During this time, Marji develops into a rebellious teenager and shows her opposition to the government by buying American music tapes and skipping her religion classes at school.

Satrapi’s vehement opposition to the Islamic regime makes waves in her school and her community, leading her parents to make the ultimate decision to send her to Austria to finish her education. The culture shock stuns Marji, and she finds herself stuck in the dichotomy of the trivial concerns of her European friends in conjunction with her war-torn country back home.

Following several misadventures in Europe, including a hospitalization and

near-death experience, Satrapi elects to return home. The war has ended, but Iran’s problems are far from over. The streets of Tehran are named after the war’s martyrs, making Marji feel like she is walking through a cemetery. To make matters worse, the Islamic theocracy is more overbearing than ever before, and Marji gets sanctioned for seemingly harmless practices such as holding her boyfriend’s hand in public and attending a party in which alcohol is served.

Marji attends university in Iran, and is still unafraid to stand up to the administration, saying that she finds it difficult to draw the female figure because the government mandates that all models be covered with headscarves and long skirts. She quips, “We looked from every direction and every angle but not a single part of her body was visible. We nevertheless learned to draw drapes.” Eventually, Marji’s parents come to the same conclusion that they did when she was 14: Iran is no place for a modern woman like Marji, and they urge her to go

back to Europe so she can be free from the oppression.

The Complete Persepolis is actually a two-part memoir, in which the former half focuses on Marji’s childhood up until her move to Austria and the latter half focuses on the events of her adolescence and early adulthood.

I found this story to be moving, and something more was added to the narrative with Satrapi’s stark black-and-white illustrations. It is one thing to read a firsthand account of someone’s life experiences, but to actually see it illustrated makes it more real and apparent to the audience. The dark realities of living in an oppressive theocracy are addressed honestly, yet she nevertheless adds countless quips and sarcastic comments. Though she may consider leaving Tehran’s upheaval twice as cowardly, I can only hope to one day be as brave of a woman as Marji Satrapi.

arts & entertainment

9

‘Legally Blonde’ Takes Center Stage as Spring Musical Samitheus Savinon Contributer Writer

Located on the fifth floor of Thomas Hall is a room painted in black, wall-towall, from the ceiling to the floor. The Black Box is home to the Manhattan College Players, a part of the Performing Arts department.

This spring semester, the Players will be putting this room to use during all available hours of the day for the spring musical, Legally Blonde. Although the performance isn’t until April, preparation is already underway for all elements of the production from onstage and behind the scenes. Before the end of the fall semester, the cast list was set and now rehearsals are underway.

Taking on a role isn’t like reading a book in front of a room of people. For most actors in a production, being assigned a character means that between the time in which the script is received to the close of the curtains after the final scene, you are that character.

“I’m excited to bring [my] character to life… [the role has] a lot of dancing throughout the show [and] I’ve been working out more to build up stamina for the performances. I also try to memorize my material as soon as possible because rehearsing off book early on can be beneficial, especially if you’re working with any props. Having an open mind is good too because you want to be open to whatever ideas the director has. The director has an overall vision for the show, and you want to make sure yourself as the character is contributing to this vision,” said Gabriella Herrera, who will be play Margot.

Another cast member, Bailey Shaw, wants to prepare for her role by doing a lot of research using the books, the movie, and past shows. She will be playing Paulette, the hair stylist Elle befriends while deciding whether or not to stay at Harvard.

“Paulette has gone through some hardships in life, including losing the thing she loved the most. That is definitely something I, as well as I’m sure most people, can relate to but aside from the troubles, Paulette is a very upbeat, outgoing person who is often written as the comedic relief which I find myself relating to,” said Shaw.

Relating to the characters is a common occurrence when it comes to acting. Perhaps the best evidence of this is senior Siobhan Connor who will be playing Miss. Legally Blonde herself, Elle Woods. Connor says she sees herself within the character, especially in her growth. As Elle Woods transfers from UCLA to Harvard, Connor comments on her blossoming into a fierce woman who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants.

The preparation for this popular musical has the Players excited, despite all of the hard work coming their way within the next few months. There are many requirements for the club such as tech days and many hours of rehearsals. But the overall vibe of the group is one of happiness and eagerness.

“I’m most excited for rehearsals in the later months when people really come into their own and make their characters the best that they can be. I am excited to see what my fellow students are able to accomplish,” said cast member Tara Ann Connor.

Although it has been achieved a numerous amount of times before, the Players continuously expand the horizons of the impact the performing arts has on their community. Legally Blonde will be no different, as the upbeat and catchy songs will have audience members singing them long after the musical has its run. The show is also much more dance oriented, something the Players haven’t focused on too much within past shows.

“I think that this musical will bring people together since it is a classic sto-

ry that I think everyone can relate to. It is comedic, serious, sad, but empowering.

Watching Legally Blonde can empower someone to never let go of his or her dreams or what they believe in. Something to know about this show would be that we all have Elle’s determination in some ways. We are told that we cannot do something but we must take initiative to achieve our goals.

When we are told no, we must take that as a ‘you can do better.’ Legally Blonde is a perfect show for college students to watch and relate to. I think it’ll be an amazing production that everyone should take advantage of and see,” said cast member, Isabel Quiñones.

Returning members, such as Herrera, are thrilled to see the Players expanding and doing more difficult and larger shows.

“During my freshman year, I was in the musical Company, which only had 14 people in it. I have seen this club grow and change over my years at Manhattan. As a board member, I remember we were hesitant to select Legally Blonde as our next show because of its size. It’s exciting that we are able to put on this large show for the Manhattan College community to enjoy.

Students and faculty should be prepared for an inspiring story performed by dedicated students,” said Herrera.

Putting it in the most Elle-Woods-way, Connor says, “the show holds more than [songs and dancing], it’s a story that’s empowering. Elle really proves that you can do anything you put your mind to. In just a two-hour time span, we watch her grow and become more than just her blonde hair.

I think it’s an important message for all people, especially to women right now.”

The show is coming at a good time in history, when women are standing up for themselves and what they believe in. But had it not been for someone proposing to do the musical last year, it might never had happened. The Players pick which musical suits them the best and draws in the most crowd through a process that goes from 20

to 25 prospective musicals (plus eight to ten plays for the fall) that the board members for Players narrows down to three.

Martin Marchitto, the director for the Players, then takes into consideration the productions that he feels they can do well and help the group grow.

“When they presented the three potential musicals, I personally felt that Legally Blonde was an excellent choice on many levels. One of the aspects that really excited me is that this will be one of the largest scale musicals Players has done in quite some time (certainly in my time here) with a cast of 25! It also was a show that I thought had a great story and a terrific script. Because of this, I knew I could be creative in how the show is produced,” Marchitto said.

As rehearsals for music, dancing and acting begin to take over the cast member’s schedule, key contributors will step in to make sure everything is running smoothly.

These include Andrew Bauer, who oversees the music aspects of the production.

Senior George Schlinck will serve as the student music director, who will be teaching the singers and conducting the orchestra. Sophomore Kirk Rotger will serve as student technical director. Players also works with outside of school people such as Dougie Robbins, a new choreographer this year. Kevin Downing, professional lighting and projection designer and Elizabeth Cipollina, professional costume designer, will be helping out with their respective talents. Marchitto also praises senior Andrea Lopilato on the coordination of all of these aspects. Lopilato serves as Players producer and student stage manager. As it seems, this show will not be one students will want to miss.

“We take pride in all of our works and are consciously and consistently trying to make this club the best it can be. I think that Legally Blonde is such a fun show to watch, that the community will get to enjoy it,” said Connor.

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arts & entertainment

10

January 31, 2017

The Art of Protest Sean Sonnemann Senior Writer

An estimated nearly 5 million people marched around the world on Jan. 21 as part of the Women’s March on Washington and sister marches held in major cities across the globe. Aside from just the sheer number of individuals participating, a striking component of most images from the day were the creative and colorful protest signs held aloft by the marchers.

While there is a tradition of demonstrators using visual aids to amplify their voices, the signs and banners seen in the Women’s Marches went far beyond the starker, text-heavy signage used historically such as in protests against the Vietnam War of the 60s and 70s or the Women’s Suffrage marches of the early 20th Century.

The art of protest is important not only in a historical sense, but can be a powerful tool in helping a group advance their cause and stick in the mind of the larger public.

“Those signs become the public face of the protest march in a lot of ways, along with all of these hundreds of thousands of people and their faces marching, but these signs are what perpetuate their message and causes very quickly,” Marisa Lerer, assistant professor of art history at Manhattan College and herself an attendee of the New York City Women’s March, said.

Part of the reason that the signs in the 2017 Women’s Marches were so vibrant and eye-catching was the involvement of

Caitlin Armstrong/Courtesy

the professional arts community.

“The visual artists were very much engaged with creating works,” Lerer said.

Artist Shepard Fairey has spent his career working in street art and producing politically charged images (he is most famous recently for his “Hope” poster of Barack Obama).

Fairey created a new series of posters as part of his “We the People” series and encouraged protestors of President Donald Trump and participants in the Women’s March to download the images for free from his website.

The mainly red-white-and-blue toned depictions of Muslim, Hispanic, and Native American women were a frequent sight at the marches.

Fairey was just one of many artists and creative people who utilized the Internet to disseminate images for use in protest. Social media proved a powerful tool not only in proliferating popular images from the Women’s March after the event, but also allowing marchers to share ideas for signs beforehand when preparing.

“The social media presence was extremely strong,” Lerer said. “Before the march, there was that openness in terms of proliferating the text and image and for people to share—that there’s not one person owning the sign.”

Some professional linguists even published guides with instructions on how to transform one’s message into a sign-ready slogan or catchy rhyme.

“So there kind of was this combination of visual aspects and linguistic aspects

that I think people were able to access more in 2017 than they were in previous marches,” Lerer said.

Still, many groups approached creating their artwork for the march by sharing the old-fashioned way: gathering together and borrowing markers, paint, and stencils to craft their signs.

Alannah Boyle, a resident advisor at Manhattan College, put together a floor program for students to make posters together for the Women’s Marches in New York City and Washington D.C. “Sometimes supplies can be expensive and also it’s just more fun when you are going to a big group event to do things with other people that are also going to the event,” Boyle said.

The floor program gave some residents who couldn’t attend the march an opportunity to be involved and feel that their voices were also heard at the protests.

Boyle, a junior peace studies and philosophy double major, herself carried a sign during the march bearing “Good Trouble,” a frequent slogan of civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis that supports non-violent acts of protest and civil disobedience when necessary.

“Signs are fun in a lot of senses.

They’re funny, they can make people laugh, they can show the people around you and sum up what you think is important, what issue is the most important to you,” Boyle said.

Boyle’s sister marched alongside her and carried a sign reading “Love is

Love, Black Lives Matter, Climate Change is Real, Immigrants Make America Great, Women’s Rights are Human Rights.”

Just some of the many reasons why people took to the streets during the Women’s Marches, this diversity in causes for marching contributed to the wide-ranging signs portrayed at the events.

“There’s also this American impulse for individuality that people are interested in creating their direct message within this larger umbrella of messages,” Lerer said.

Scheduled the day after Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, the Women’s Marches were as much a protest against Trump as they were a wider call for continued women’s rights and equality.

Back on Manhattan College’s campus, political signs and banners have been frequent sites in dorm room windows during this particularly divisive election year.

In many ways, the dorm room window can be seen as an extension of the suburban lawn sign, according to Lerer, whether bearing a “Make America Great Again” flag or a handmade sign with the phrase “Not My President” scrawled in black marker.

“I think people are more and more using the public sphere, or even that part of public space within their private space, to call for political action or to make their political interests known,” Lerer said.

Rose Brennan contributed on reporting.

Protest signs found at Women’s Marches in D.C., Washington and New York City Liam Moran/Courtesy

sports

11

Rich Williams Redshirted to End 2017 Season Charles Lippolis Asst. Editor

On Thursday January 19th, head coach Steve Masiello confirmed that senior guard Rich Williams will sit out the rest of the 2016-2017 season as a medical redshirt.

The announcement came following the 82-71 loss the Jaspers suffered on the road against Monmouth. With the team struggling this season, the loss of Williams for the season was tough for Masiello and the team.

“It was a difficult decision,” said Masiello, “he was a big part of our plans this year, and out best player” Rich was named a preseason second team All-MAAC player before the start of this season. Bouncing off a strong year, Rich figured to be a pillar of this team going forward.

As a junior, the 6’5” guard from the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn emerged as a top offensive option for Manhattan.

He averaged 14.8 points a game as well as 6 rebounds, averages that could have aided the Jasper offense this season which is 7th in the MAAC. Masiello understands the adversity that comes with losing a great player in Williams, but still has his sights set on winning this season with the team he has. The two-time MAAC champion coach did, however, look forward to William’s return next season.

Rich Williams sits out for rest of 2016-17 season. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle “It kind of reminds me of that second year when George Beamon was out,” said Masiello, “Now you’re looking at a guy who’s a ‘Player of the Year’ type of guy”.

Beamon’s 5th year was the iconic season which brought Manhattan back to the top of the MAAC conference. The Jaspers hadn’t won a championship in 10 years, and after beating Iona 71-68 in the championship game, Beamon was named the MVP of the conference tournament.

It was a long, and challenging road the

brought Rich Williams to his decision to sit out for the rest of the season. His family, coach Masiello, his teammates, and George Beamon were among some of the people Williams consulted during the process. In the end, he felt furthering his education and starting fresh next season would bode best for himself as an individual.

William’s road to recovery took longer than expected, and once he returned to the hardwood on January 2nd, his explosiveness was not yet there. With this invaluable

asset of his game lacking, and the Jaspers struggling this season, Williams decided that playing the entirety of next season while also earning his Master’s Degree was the right decision.

“10 years down the line, when the ball stops bouncing, I still want to be on top,” said Williams.

As for the rest of this season, Williams is set on being the best teammate possible.

He already learned a lot, and is hoping that knowledge he has absorbed from being on the sideline will translate into his game next season.

“My job is to be here, I’m just trying to be the best teammate I can be,” said Williams, “I’m learning a lot, it’s going to help me evolve” Looking ahead, the Jaspers do not lose much going into the 2017-2018 season.

Assuming all of the current players stay healthy and in Riverdale, the only two players who are leaving would be walk-on Sky Williams and senior Tyler Wilson.

Wilson, a four-year contributor on two MAAC championship teams, is the only player left on the roster who came in with Williams and a great friend, another component which made this decision tough.

“Tyler understands,” said Williams, “The whole team understands my position.”

Manhattan continues its fight back towards the top of the conference tonight as they take go to Fairfield to face off with the Stags.

Rugby Team Falls Through, as Intramurals Hold Strong John Jackson Staff Writer

Last semester a group of students at Manhattan College attempted to start a men’s rugby club team on campus. The idea was posed to John Bennett of Student Engagement and flyers were even made to garner interest. After a while, the students decided not to pursue the process any further.

“Right now the students that were leading the charge to start it have said they’ve stopped pursuing it as a Manhattan College team,” said Bennett.

Sports that Manhattan College do not currently offer are welcomed to be proposed to Student Engagement. The process of creating a club team begins by first making a one-day or weekend event.

This has happened in the past with sports such as ice hockey, golf, Equestrian, and even Quidditch (the sport played in Harry Potter). In years past there have been tournaments at the Ice Hutch in Mount Vernon for hockey. Last April there was also a golf tournament at Van Cortlandt hosted around the time of the Masters.

If there is enough interest with the one-

day or weekend event, Student Engagement would look at making the sport into an intramural. Then if there was enough interest with the sport as an intramural, creating a club team that plays outside schools would be the next and final step.

“So it’s a step process of really making sure A. there’s enough interest,” said Bennett. “But being that we’re providing the right equipment and avenues to be suc-

in the 2015-2016 school year were softball, 3-on-3 basketball, dodgeball, volleyball, flag football, and indoor soccer.

Some of these intramurals such as flag football and basketball are offered as Division I and Division II sports; the former being more competitive and the latter being more relaxed. There are female teams, male teams, and co-ed teams.

Students interested in playing on any

“Right now the students that were leading the charge to start it have said they’ve stopped pursuing it as a Manhattan College team,” cessful.”

After learning the process and knowing that a rugby club team would take a long time to create, the students decided to not pursue the team any further.

Currently there aren’t any club teams at Manhattan College. There are intramural sports, but no club teams that have went through the entire process.

The intramural sports that were offered

of these intramural teams must go to www. imleagues.com and create an account.

They can then sign up for a team with their account during its registration period.

Bennett encourages students to sign up as many people who have done so have enjoyed themselves immensely.

Senior Tom Polly is one of those students. He has had memorable times playing intramurals at Manhattan College in-

cluding a trip to MetLife Stadium.

“My favorite thing about intramurals was obviously the trip to MetLife stadium for the flag football championship,” wrote Polly via email. “That was an absolutely unreal experience and something I’ll remember forever.”

Senior Nicholas Weyland has participated in intramurals all four years of college. He’s played just about every sport Manhattan College has offered and has done so on Division I teams, Division II teams, co-ed teams, and men’s teams.

“Flag rugby would be nice,” wrote Weyland via email in regards to potential teams down the line. “I actually coach flag rugby to inner city youth kids in NYC, and I also play rugby outside of school so that would be fun. I’d like to see ultimate frisbee as well. We used to have that as a sport but I don’t think there was much interest.”

Although the rugby team has fallen through now, that or other teams can eventually become intramurals or club teams if students are interested in going through the process laid out by Bennett.

sports

12

January 31, 2017

What’s Up this week b-ball on the road; metro track championships

Frank Turner guards Wright during Canisius game on Saturday. Aaron Mayorga/ The Quadrangle

Rikkilynn Shields Editor

Last Sunday, the men’s basketball team fell to Siena in Draddy, with a final score of 81-68. Junior Zane Waterman scored

14 points, and his teammates followed in his footsteps– Calvin Crawford scored 12 points, followed by junior Samson Usilo with 11 points. After their loss against Siena, the Jaspers left Niagra with a win of 70-69, and head coach Steve Masiello with his 100th career win. After defeat-

ing Niagra, the teams hard work wasn’t enough to secure them a win after playing against Siena for the second time. Freshman Na’Quan Council scored a careerhigh of 14 points along with junior Ahmed Ismail achieving his first double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. However,

Rikkilynn Shields/ The Quadrangle

this wasn’t enough to secure them a win, ending the game with a score of 78-64. The men’s basketball team will be back on the court this Tuesday, 1/31 in Fairfield, Connecticut at 7:00 pm.

After a six game losing streak, the women’s basketball team scored a win against Saint Peters, with a final score of 69-65. Junior Kayla Grimme’s 24-point and 11-rebound double-double led three of her teammates towards the victory. Mikki Guiton scored 15 points, followed by Gabby Cajou scoring 10, and Julie Høier adding 9 points to the board. Although the Jaspers lost to Rider last Thursday following their victory against Saint Peters, Kayla Grimme became Manhattan College’s women’s basketball team’s all-time leader in blocks.

The women’s team will face Canisius this Thursday, 2/02 in Buffalo, New York at 7:00 p.m.

This past weekend after a few of Manhattan’s track and field members headed to Boston, a handful of runners achieved ECAC/IC4A qualifying times. Sophomore Erin Spadaccini finished 10th overall and 7th among collegians in the 1000-meter race, finishing with an ECAC qualifying time of 2:53.14. Junior Alexa Roda hit the 800-meter ECAC qualifying time exactly, finishing at 2:14.44. Along with the girls, junior John Dove ran an IC4A qualifying time of 4:08.39 in the mile, and sophomore Amir Khaghani qualifyied in the 3000-meter with a time of 8:23.15. The men and women will be racing in Staten Island on Friday, 2/03 at 12:00 pm at the Metropolitan Indoor Championships.