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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CVIII, Issue 4
FREE
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Senate Meeting Debrief: New Members and a New Agenda Angelina Persaud News Editor
Students and Alum Gather for Yankees Game Manhattan College was honored by New York Yankees for their 100th anniversary. JOSEPH KENNEDY/COURTESY
Parisa Saboori Awarded 2023 Outstanding Student Section Advisor Award By ASME Adrianne Hutto Parisa Saboori, Ph.D., the chairperson of the department of mechanical engineering and a professor at Manhattan College, has been awarded the 2023 Outstanding Student Section Advisor Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This prestigious award acknowledges Saboori’s exceptional leadership and dedicated
service as an ASME Student Section Advisor. To qualify for this honor, she has served in this role for a minimum of three academic years, providing invaluable guidance to student sections, promoting interest in engineering and fostering a strong sense of professional commitment among student members of ASME. The award, established in 1990, specifically celebrates advisors who encourage student section officers to actively engage in ASME training, conferences and competitions
IN NEWS:
IN FEATURES:
Production Editor
Senate Meeting Debrief: Riverdale Rises: El GorNew Members and a New do Smash and Chop Agenda on pg. 6
on pg. 1
while serving as a bridge between ASME and its student members. Saboori is the professor behind the creation of the ASME chapter at Manhattan College. The purpose of ASME is to help mechanical engineers to grow and develop the skills in different areas of their field. “We’ve been very successful by establishing this relationship,” Saboori said. “This helps the students to take advantage __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
The first senate meeting for the fall 2023 semester introduced news ideas to improve campus life and infrastructure while also focusing on the current trends and demographics of Manhattan College. The new members of the current senate included some familiar and new faces from the previous committee. Computer science professor Kashifuddin Qazi, Ph.D., is the new head speaker for the current committee and kicked off the meeting. He’s joined by other new members such as first deputy speaker Jason Malone and second deputy speaker and dean of the School of Liberal Arts Cory Blad, Ph.D. Rani Roy, interim provost, highlighted two key ideas from the educational affairs committee (EAC) wherein they’re discussing changes to the current academic calendar as well as the limitations on retaking classes in the Kakos School of Science. Currently, students cannot retake a class more than two times after failing that class. “If a student took that twice and didn’t withdraw either time they wouldn’t be able to take it a third time without significant approvals,” Roy said. “So it was briefly introduced at the EAC meeting and it will be up for more more information.” John Bennett, assistant vice president of student life, also provided several updates on changes and statistics to campus life. He noted that the college currently houses 1,114 resident students and a 70 per-
cent commuter population. Bennett also highlighted the new club sports on campus that students must pay for in order to participate in. Along with these club sports comes more support for student athletes with the possibility of a student-athlete specific career fair in the works. “For the first time this year on April 9 for the spring semester, we’re going to have a student athlete specific [fair] as well.” Bennett also noted that the office of student engagement will be shifting its location to overtake most of the space previously occupied by the Multicultural Center. “Michael Steele, who is currently the Assistant Director of student engagement is going to physically move [to the Multicultural center] and become the assistant director within the Multicultural Center,” Bennett said. “Hayden is moving on.” The meeting concluded with some remarks from MC’s newly appointed president, Milo Riverso, Ph.D. Riverso highlighted some of the key changes and target areas of the school that he’s looking to improve upon during his current term. Safety, enrollment strategies, financial aspects and improving the college’s mission statement were at the top of his list. In terms of safety, Riverso is looking to update worn-down facilities, such as classrooms and labs, in some of the older buildings on campus like Hayden Hall and the Research and Learning Center (RLC) in __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN A&E:
IN SPORTS:
Orchestra Left Without Coaches, Instruments Due to Budget Cuts
Jasper Track and Field Welcomes New Members
on pg. 8
on pg. 10
News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Volume CVIII, Issue 2
SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
The Editorial Board
Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor
Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor
Angelina Persaud News Editor
Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor
Angelina Perez Asst. Features Editor
Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor
Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor
Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editors
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor Zoe DeFazio Angelina Perez Web Editors
Ivy Jaep Maisey Swift Asst. Production Editors Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor
About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization 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 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.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad
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LETTER from the EDITOR Hello and welcome to Issue 4! In light of this weekends events and the divide that stood on 238th that afternoon (more on that on page 4) I wanted to remind readers of the Lasallian values which Manhattan College was built on. Specifically “concern for the poor and social justice.” Regardless of where you stand on policies regarding immigration and migrant housing, please remember that as Jaspers “We stand in solidarity with the poor and advocate for those suffering from social injustices. Rather than just giving charity, we strive to create lasting social change by working to fix the root causes of poverty and injustice.” These very values of rising to the occasion and helping those who are suffering from injustices is something we can all agree on. We - as journalists especially - will always do our part as public servants to provide honest and unbiased coverage for our community. On a much different note, I hope members of the Jasper community enjoyed their time at the Yankees game last Friday night. Check out photos from the event in this weeks’ Features section. I hope you’re enjoying the Jasper Jist! Our next issue of this newsletter will come out later this week. If you haven’t subscribed just yet, you can do so with the links on our social media (@mcquad) or on our website (mcquad.org). Enjoy issue 4 and have a great week!
Jocelyn Visnov
Sincerely,
Editor-in-Chief
News
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THE QUADRANGLE
Senate Meeting Debrief: New Members and a New Agenda
__________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the coming year. He also plans to implement a higher education matching program that will incorporate student and faculty cooperation into these renovation projects and allow hands-on involvement for students to see the construction unfold. “Many of our facilities need serious upgrades and over the summer, we have been working with deans and faculty members in the planning for higher education capital matching grants,” Riverso said. “For projects in Leo, RLC, Hayden, Higgins and Alumni Hall we will also work with deans to plan the classrooms with the latest technology and more effective classroom layout model. Three will need to continue fundraising efforts to move forward with these projects.” As for enrollment, Riverso highlighted the recent up-
grades to Chrysostom Hall and the current search for a new vice president of enrollment management. He also laid out the current campus census, which includes, “690 new undergraduates, 150 transfer students and 250 graduate students” currently enrolled. He talked about the possibility of summer camps for the college to further integrate students into campus life and attract a wider audience. “We are looking to develop and introduce new programs to modify programs that need updating and to introduce new modes of delivery,” Riverso said. “These may include academically focused summer camps, microcredentials and professional certificates and programs that target alumni, non-completers and those who may have gone directly to work after high school.” Riverso also noted that the financial efforts of the college are an ongoing challenge. He
recently appointed Jim Perino as MC’s new chief financial officer in hope of creating better cost-saving strategies longterm. Lastly, the college’s mission statement is up for discussion and revision to include a broader perspective of service to the community and the Lasallian values. “Campus ministry and social action and the office of mission have been restructured with a focus in centralizing our efforts around community and service, led by brother Dan Garner,” Riverso said. He is also planning to initiate focus groups for students and faculty to help reshape the current statement of the college. “We have not reviewed our current mission statement… we will be seeking input and clearly defining our core values,” Riverso said. “They have defined us for the past 170 years and will guide us into the
future. I invite our faculty to to engage with us to determine serve on these focus groups. this mission.” We need both a long term 30 year vision and a short term, five year vision of where we want to go and I call upon all you who are visionary in their academic fields and industries
Parisa Saboori Awarded 2023 Outstanding Student Section Advisor Award By ASME __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of leadership skills, get advantage of getting into the workshop or into the conferences, even doing the research and publication.” Throughout her dedicated involvement with ASME, Saboori has embraced the role of a mentor. “For me, the most rewarding experience out of my involvement with ASME was basically to be able to use those skills and pass it to my students,” Saboori said. Vincent LaGrotta, president of ASME, explained that Saboori has been very helpful as a club advisor, including helping the club members attend important conferences. “She’s a very good person and an excellent resource to go to if you have any questions or need help about anything, because she’s also the department chair,” LaGrotta said. Members of the ASME chapter at Manhattan College speak highly of Saboori’s assistance as a professor and club advisor, highlighting just how fitting this award is for her. “It is very exciting because it has all the components that I love and I’m passionate about,” Saboori said. “It is student lead-
ership and to be recognized for the leadership you do for the students, for me, that was a real moment that I was truly appreciated for what I do.” Vice President, Danila Timofeev, explains that the club offers a bountiful network of alumni to speak with, with the CEO of ASME being an MC alum. “I will say it’s a networking club,” Timofeev said. “You’ll learn a lot about what it’s like for experienced alumni of the members and get a better idea. That’s one of the main things that it gives you, the inside of the professional world.” For students interested in mechanical engineering, LaGrotta and Timofeev encourage students to keep an eye out for events happening on campus and get involved as soon as possible. Upcoming events for the club include dodgeball, Jeopardy night and their Black Box competition, where winners will receive a prize for their hard work. For more information about ASME see their instagram @mc_asme.
Dr. Saboori is the professor behind the creation of the ASME chapter at Manhattan College. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY
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News
THE QUADRANGLE
Community Protest Outside Overlook Manor Draws Divided Crowd Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief
A community rally-turned-protest ensued outside Overlook Manor on Sunday, Sept. 24., following the controversial sale of the building. Two groups took to 238 St. on Sunday, leading to a double-sided protest surrounded by New York Police Department officers where they expressed their contrasting views of the future of the property and its implications on the surrounding community. The sale of Overlook Manor to Stagg Housing, an affordable housing developer, sparked controversy among locals when public documents indicated that Stagg had applied to turn the building into a migrant housing facility after indicating the property would be used otherwise. The application has not yet been verified. The rally had originally been organized against the college’s initial decision to sell the building to Stagg Housing. A counter protest gathered on the opposite side of the street outside Goodfellas Pizza in support of the property being used to support migrants. Posters advertising the rally were first seen across Waldo Ave. and surrounding streets earlier in the week. “Come join us in a bi-partizan community rally led by Curtis Sliwa regarding the selling of the Manhattan College dorm and the lack of transparency,” the poster read. “We will not be lied to any longer and our voices will be heard!” Curtis Sliwa, founder of an advocacy group called the Guardian Angels, was arrested just last month during a protest opposing migrant housing on Staten Island, according to an
article by The New York Post. At today’s protest, Sliwa stood with a megaphone on the sidewalk outside of Overlook, surrounded by his supporters and residents of the nearby community in opposition to migrant housing. “You know what it looks like, communism and socialism,” Sliwa said, kicking off the event. “And you are sure not interested in having that here.” Members of the group held signs which read “Permanent affordable housing… YES! Migrants… NO!” Kathy Scott, a local resident who stood with the group opposing migrant housing, shared her concerns with The Quadrangle. “I’m here because I’m concerned about this building becoming a migrant center… we don’t know who they are, where they came from,” Scott said. “We already have a housing shortage for citizens. So the fact that people can come here illegally and get housing…it just takes away from those people who live here that are looking for housing, employment, contributing to the economy as opposed to us paying for them.” Scott said many of those in attendance were disappointed with the college for the lack of transparency throughout the process of selling the property. “I think Manhattan College should have been more transparent with the community,” Scott said. “You know, they [the college] are not always very good neighbors. I’ve lived here a long time. Again, not asking the community, there’s no input from us. It seems to be a done deal, and I’m upset about that. The fact that our leaders are just allowing this to happen, this is clearly unpopular, not only across New York but the country.” Other attendees who joined the rally in opposition of mi-
Members of The Guardian Angels stood outside Overlook Manor. JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE grant housing declined to comment on the event. The group of counter protesters who lined the sidewalk opposite Overlook Manor told The Quadrangle they came to the rally in support of migrant housing. The counter protest was organized by New York Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ). Naomi Sharlin, a Riverdale resident and member of JFREJ, helped organize the counter protest when she noticed the posters on Waldo Ave. “There wasn’t any explicit anti-migrant rhetoric on it [the posters] but I knew that there was a plan to use this building as temporary housing for migrants,” Sharlin said. “And so I knew that we had to have a counter protest.” Sharlin explained that she and the counter-protesters attended the event to stand in solidarity with immigrants and show that they are welcome in Riverdale and in New York City. “We are here to say that migrants are welcome in our community,” Sharlin said. “As Jews especially, we know what it is to be scapegoated, and that’s what’s happening here. And leadership in our city are failing to meet the moment, to help integrate migrants into
Protesters stood on opposing sides of 238th street, lining the sidewalks outside Overlook Manor and Goodfellas Pizza. JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE
our city. We can do it, it’s a challenge, but we’re in New York City, a city of immigrants.” Bridget McElroy, an educator and MC alum, attended the event in support of migrant housing. “This is a sanctuary city, migrants need somewhere to go and if the space is available, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available for migrants and their families,” McElroy said. When asked about the opposers of migrant housing, McElroy made the following statement. “I think they’re very misguided,” she said. “I think it’s driven by a lot of racism, a lot of anti- immigrant sentiment. And I really think it’s pretty disgusting to be honest.” The counter-protesters led by JFREJ lead several chants to show their support, such as “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!”, “Hey hey! Ho ho! Discrimination has got to go!” and “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” At one point during the event, both sides yelled “U-S-A! U-S-A!” back and forth at one another.
Several days prior to the rally, the college released a statement on manhattan.edu regarding the implications of the building. “The College adhered to all applicable laws and policies, regarding the future use of the property,” according to manhattan.edu. “We are aware of reports that the new owners may be engaged with the City of New York regarding the leasing of the property. However, Manhattan College no longer owns the off-campus property, does not control the property nor is a party to any leasing agreement.” Several Manhattan College students stood outside their off-campus apartments, watching the event unfold from a distance. One Riverdale resident stated that the issue comes down to city property policies. “Maybe we need to make a law at the state level that to sell a building, even to another notfor-profit, that there needs to be an overview of that. I’m concerned about the process of the sale, and what needs to be done in the future to remedy this sort of thing happening again.”
Attendees stood with umbrellas and water-proof signs to endure the rainy conditions. JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE
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Features
THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan College Honored by New York Yankees Through the Jasper Lens
On Sept. 23, Manhattan College was honored by the New York Yankees, for their 100th anniversary of being located in the Bronx. With special tickets, families and friends of students and alumni of the college were able to receive special Yankees hats, with a green NY logo and an engraved MC logo on the side of the hat. There was an announcement pregame along with a video that was displayed before the first pitch honoring the college. This was a great opportunity for many Jaspers to show their pride for both MC and the Yankees. Behind great pitching and a historic three-home run night for Yankees captain Aaron Judge, the Yankees were able to put one in the win column as they topped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-1.
Words by Isaiah Rosario, Sports Editor Photos by Isaiah Rosario, Sports Editor and Joseph Kennedy, Contributor
Features
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New Creative Writing Concentration Announced by English Department
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Lauren Raziano Multimedia editor The English Department has announced its first concentration within the department. The English major degree with a creative writing concentration provides students an opportunity to earn a 33-credit English Bachelor of Arts degree with a writing focus on creativity. Chair of the English Department, Dr. Adam Kohler, worked with other faculty members to establish the first English concentration to give students opportunities to produce writing in new genres. Kohler spoke with The Quadrangle about the process. “I worked with a committee of faculty from the English Department last academic year to put together a concentration for English majors that focused on creative writing,” Kohler said. “So, students who are interested in writing poetry, creative nonfiction and fiction would have a robust, sustained opportunity to produce in those genres, practice in those genres and all the while, coupling it with intensity. Hopefully it gears students up for not just careers in the arts, but I think any career that is least arts adjacent.”
The English department offers students the opportunity to have a distributed course load, allowing them to build their interests. “The program builds on the English department’s literary offerings,” the English creative writing page wrote on manhattan.edu. “It also provides a structure for creative work in a supportive community. With the creative writing major, students experience the powerful ways literary reading and writing inter-animate each other and set students up for success as writers, editors, agents and vital members of publishing and writing communities.” Sophomore English major Aaron Schoepf wrote to The Quadrangle about why this concentration aligns with his goals. “I chose to participate because I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember,” Schoepf wrote. “Creative writing, specifically in fiction, is why I wanted to go to college. With this concentration, I can really hone in on the skills needed to write creatively.” Two required courses are Introduction to Creative Writing and Introduction to Literary Studies. “I have only been able to take one so far: Introduction to Creative Writing with Dr.
English 110 Publication Celebration from 2023. MANHATTAN COLLEGE/COURTESY Wrozynski.” Schoepf wrote. “The readings and writing exercises we do make it really fun and easy to get started with writing!” Nine credits must be taken in a major creative writing coursework including; studies in creative writing poetry, fic-
A new creative writing english concentration has been established in the English Department. LAUREN RAZIANO/THE QUADRANGLE
tion, non-fiction and a course called ‘The Little Magazine: Contemporary Literary Publishing.’ Additionally, there are nine credits that are taken in literature at the major level. Options for these courses can be Pre-18th Century Literature, a writing and editorial course and others 300-level English elective classes. “Within the English distribution model, we are offering so many creative writing courses, so it made sense for us to kind of package them all up so that students could take the majority of their English credits through creative writing courses,” Kohler said. “And then by the time they graduate, they have a portfolio of materials that they will send to graduate school if they want to pursue an MFA. They could send out to employers who wanted to go into publishing agenting fires lots of sort of ways in which that portfolio kind of positions them on the marketplace.” Additionally, the English department has the major author reading series, which encourages students to ask questions to established authors, such as Pulitzer Prize winners and National Book Award winners. “One other cool thing about the concentration is the major
author reading series where we bring award winning writers to campus to do public readings with the campus community,” Kohler said. “And one of the things that I think is very exciting is figuring out what that relationship is going to be like between the writers that come on campus you know, these are Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award winners. And if we have creative writing concentrators in the department, it would make sense for us to give them the opportunity to ask questions from these writers to see what the profession looks like and talk to them about craft.” Kohler is excited to see how the creative writing concentration is going to develop to support students to produce creative pieces. “I think the next step for the creativity concentration is to figure out how best to organize this relationship to the major author reading series to Manhattan magazine, because there’s a lot of pieces kind of floating around and once you put them all together, it’s gonna make for I think, a really great creative community on campus.”
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Riverdale Rises: El Gordo Smash and Chop Features
Angelina Perez
Asst. Features Editor/Web Editor
Located on the corner of Broadway and Manhattan College Parkway, El Gordo Smash and Chop is a unique establishment in the Riverdale area that always keeps its doors open. Described as an ‘authentic American restaurant’, the vibrant atmosphere and the sound of Spanish music can be heard up and down the block, making it an inviting spot for the MC community. Cashier Lourdes Moncayo-Luna has been working at El Gordo as a cashier for a little over a month now following their grand opening in May of this year. “One of the owner’s, his name is Yemen and he helped decide on this place.” Moncayo-Luna said. “The name el gordo actually comes from the nickname he has which means fatty in Spanish! He made the entire menu and it took them a long time to open the store.” Moncayo-Luna reassured The Quadrangle that this is probably not the first time a MC student has tried the owner’s food, if students are Riverdale foodies. “They have several businesses around the area, but they decided to open up this one because it is an attractive place on a fairly busy corner,” said Moncayo-Luna. Moncayo-Luna explained how she had tried most items on the menu, but her favorites will always lie with burgers and fries, both bursting with a mix of seasonings only the cooks can know. “I would recommend almost everything,” Moncayo-Luna said with a laugh. “But my favorite is definitely the double smash burger.” The double smash burger is described on El Gordo’s menu as 100% angus beef with lettuce mayo and tomatoes, however burgers are not the only menu items available. Customers have the ability to
THE QUADRANGLE
also indulge in breakfast and homemade slushie flavors such as pina colada and strawberry all throughout the day.
Edward Mendoza, a senior electrical engineering major, went with his roommates to checkout El Gordo upon their arrival back to campus earlier this month. “They had a sign outside that said pancake sandwich, and we thought it would be funny to go in and try to order it,” said Mendoza. “My roommate ordered it and they didn’t even give him that. They just kind of gave him pancakes and then the stuff that was supposed to be inside the sandwich on the side. So, that was a bit weird.” Mendoza explained how one of their most advertised menu items did not satisfy what he was looking for that day. “I got a chopped cheese, and it was a little bit on the greasy side,” Mendoza explained. “I only ate like half of it. Personally, I couldn’t finish it, so I put the other half in the fridge.”
El Gordo Smash and Chop always has their doors opened for MC students to pass by and stop inside. ANGELINA PEREZ/THE QUADRANGLE
Junior Elisa Ortiz, a psychology and environmental studies major, had a different experience than Mendoza and actually praised the menu’s diversity and connection to her Puerto Rican roots. “I think that turnoff for other people is probably the fact that the servings aren’t what you would traditionally think they’re going to be.” Ortiz explained.“When I went there with a few of my friends the lady was super responsive and the [breakfast] taco was good. I can see if you’re thinking you’re gonna get something that’s not what you ordered, but the experience is what you make of it.” Ortiz explained to The Quadrangle how excited she is to see El Gordo get the recognition it finally deserves from students here at MC. According to their website, El Gordo Smash and Chop is open Monday through Sunday and can be ordered on UberEats, Doordash and Postmates.
Photo of the double smash burger and fries in front of the El Gordo logo seen outside in the front as well. ANGELINA PEREZ/THE QUADRANGLE
Features
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Greek Life Gears Up for the Year Ahead with Fall Rush Week
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Brooke DellaRocco Staff Writer Manhattan College’s Greek life is back with another recruitment season for the fall 2023 semester. This past week, all four organizations, Alpha Pi Delta, Alpha Pi Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Sigma Delta Tau, celebrated their Rush week, where potential new members get the run-down on what being a sorority sister and fraternity brother is all about. For the fall semester, most greek life can only accept second semester freshmen and above, as a GPA is needed to be admitted. The Quadrangle spoke to members of each organization to gauge the groups’ turnouts. Sigma Delta Tau (SDT), one of the two sororities, gained another 12 girls to make their total of engagement 105 girls. Sofia Bernabei, marketing chair for SDT, shared the schedule for their events explaining that the main focus is to get better acquainted within the sisterhood. “We had night one and two of recruitment,” Bernabei wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Night one being sisterhood, we did bracelet making and had all of our PNMs (potential new members) meet the actives. We also did an introduction for each executive board member and general board member. With an organization as large as ours, we have tons of girls in leadership positions doing all sorts of different stuff.” After learning about the group, the recruitment process is about learning who gets along best and building the organization. “It’s so important to have a community of people to empower you and support you and to work together to better your community,” said Vice President of SDT Samantha Keating. Not only is there an emphasis on the sisterhood the sororities promote, but they also get regularly involved in community affairs. One of SDT’s
main organizations they raise money for is Preventing Child Abuse America (PCAA), as well as taking part in an Alzheimers walk and additional activities. They tend to throw different events to raise money for these organizations, usually working some kind of fun into the mix. For example, Sigma Delta Tau currently have a Chipotle Night in the next week or so to raise some proceeds. Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE), one of the two fraternities on campus, shared his rush week experience and the importance of building relationships among the guys. “Rush this semester went great,” Joey Talenti, President of DKE, wrote in a message to The Quadrangle. “We had some info sessions in Kelly, and some fun events like a BBQ and Thursday Night Football. It was great meeting some of the new guys and seeing some familiar faces at the events. Rush is a fun time for everyone, but it’s really important because these young guys are gonna be in charge of the fraternity one day. Even though this semester’s rush is finishing up, we can’t wait to continue getting to know these guys better and soon enough we’ll get to call them brothers.” Alpha Phi Delta (APD) fraternity is constantly looking forward to rush and trying to consistently make it better. “I’m happy to say that this year’s rush unfolded pretty well; the brothers met a bunch of willing potentials,” Jordan Gaylord, president of APD said. “We value every potential new member who shows interest in our fraternity, and we are constantly thinking about how each semester we can make a more inclusive and engaging rush process in the future. We are confident that the bonds formed during these weeks will continue to strengthen our fraternity for years to come. It’s always an incredible experience meeting potentials, and I can’t wait to welcome the new members into our close-knit brotherhood.”
Alpha Pi Phi girls at rush week. ANGELICA NIEDERMEYER/ THE QUADRANGLE
Alpha Pi Phi (APP) sorority accepted eight new members, making their total number of sisters 21. APP believes in love, loyalty and friendship and couldn’t agree more about the importance of Greek life at MC. Currently, the sorority is providing themselves with their own budget because Student Engagement’s says that a club must be standing for at least two years on its own, in order to get financial support from them in the future. APP was founded in 2022. Senior Madison Rapuano, one of the main founders of the Mu chapter and New Member Support Officer (NMSO), is excited to see more money allo-
cated to philanthropy and their cause The Alzheimer’s Association in the coming years. “It has been unfortunate to not have that extra funding, but I’m excited that at least next year, you’ll get to experience at least some money,” Rapuano said to her fellow sorority sister and External Programming Officer (EPO) junior Siena Demarco. Both sorority sisters agree that not only has this organization helped them form a support system, but it also helps them prepare themselves and others for their future. Getting involved in leadership chairs was one of the main ways to truly prepare.
“I think that we encourage leadership and encourage having those [chair] positions taking on those responsibilities,” Demarco said. “I think that you actually do learn a lot and get a lot of exposure to the world.” With fun events approaching for the organization, like Karaoke Night in October, the women hope to see some new friendly faces at the next rush week in the spring. No matter the sorority or fraternity, the organizations attested to the main goal of this year focused around helping build up the college community.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Arts & Entertainment
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Orchestra Left Without Coaches, Instruments Due to Budget Cuts Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
Manhattan College’s numerous budget cuts have left the orchestra ensemble facing new struggles for the semester. Unable to rehire string instrument coaches or fill their sections with players, the ensemble is looking toward new ways to reinvent themselves to stay afloat on campus. Students and staff involved with the orchestra and performing arts department alike are frustrated with the situation at hand. “I think it’s [the budget cuts] misguided from the part of the administration because things like orchestra are not just social, they’re also learning-based,” said Gwendolyn Toth, director of orchestra. “They help the brain, they help if you’ve had a tough day at classes. Orchestra is often the thing that kind of clears your head and revives you to go home and do some more homework.” Miriam Duncan, senior, secretary of the ensemble board and performing arts scholar, explained to The Quadrangle how these new limitations have changed the ensemble’s day to day rehearsals. “It’s been awful, we don’t have the budget to do anything really,” said Duncan. “We used to have instructors come in once a week at rehearsals to help us all improve a little bit. They’re professionals we hired and they can’t come anymore at all. They used to give private lessons, that was part of what you got for taking orchestra as a class. You got three private lessons, overall, your four years. They just cut that off completely because we can’t afford them anymore.” The inability to hire string coaches is what has hit the orchestra the hardest in terms of budget cut restraints for the semester. Toth explained the impact the lack of coaches has had both on everyday rehearsals and on the ensemble members’ musical development. “It’s been terrible for us because we’ve always had a violin coach and a cello coach who work specifically with the string players,” Toth said. “I mean, in years past we even had a wind coach, but the violin coach puts the bowings in the players’ parts. This is a very specific thing that you need
to be a real player to do. In rehearsal, she’ll give them fingerings. If there’s a tough passage, she’ll say, ‘you want to shift to this place’ for really specific technical stuff.” Director of performing arts Andy Bauer explained that utilizing string coaches has been an integral part of classical music training for generations. “We have always had professional coaches in the orchestra that have played alongside of our students, and this reflects the classical music education that has been successfully mentoring musicians for centuries,” said Bauer. “Whereby you learn from a master and you play for them and you emulate them, and you’re tutored by them and instructed in the fine arts. And so having the coaches not available has created a great challenge for me and our orchestra director Gwen.” Bauer explained that personally, he has volunteered with the orchestra to help alleviate some of the deficits caused by the lack of coaches in terms of musical skill. He says he is willing to help out in any way he can, as the performing arts department faces budget cuts as a whole, not just in a singular ensemble. Sophomore Kevin Cullen, a cello player and performing arts scholar, said that while the changes have been noticeable and will continue to be in the future, he believes that the ensemble will push through. “It’s been noticeable,” said Cullen. “I’d say we’re still striving without it. We’re still going on. Whatever it is, we’ll manage. We are thinking about how exactly to get money for the orchestra so perhaps we can hire someone but I don’t know entirely.” Cullen explained that while not having string coaches was a major issue, the effect of the budget cuts goes beyond having less independent instruction. “It’s not just the tutors as well,” Cullen said. “The tutors were the biggest thing but there were also other people who were hired for the concert specifically. We don’t have any bass players in our orchestra and we would hire a professional bass player to come in for that and I’m assuming that’s not going to happen with the budget cuts.” Another major struggle the orchestra is facing this
Manhattan College Orchestra playing at last year’s Lessons and Carols event. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY year is a lack of violists [viola players]. Where normally there is at least one coach to help fill in the viola section, there are now only empty seats. In addition to the orchestra’s already small numbers, this deficit has resulted in the ensemble being unable to perform symphonies or any classical repertoire. “In our case, we have the violins, there’s more than one in a part, and we do have several, and we have a number of cellos, but we have no viola players,” said Toth. “So what our violin coach would do is play viola in the rehearsal so that we would have all the parts. So we’re actually missing a giant chunk of the music now. I tried to select music that we could do without viola, but basically, that means we can’t do any symphonies.” While luckily, the orchestra will still be able to put on their concerts and other performances as they do each year, audiences can expect them to look, and sound, a little bit different. “All of our events can happen, but they will be categorically different than they have been in the past,” said Bauer. “There will be [differences] when you have to change the repertoire that you do, to do maybe somewhat less advanced collegiate repertoire. That’s going to be an effect and our goal is to return to those [more advanced] practices in the future.” As with many of the other clubs and organizations fac-
ing budget cuts this year, the orchestra plans to launch a fundraising campaign to help offset some of the deficits they face. “All the ensembles are now going to embark on fundraising campaigns to mitigate some of the loss that we have from the student government budget,” said Bauer. “This whole idea of fundraising is maybe something we should have been doing all along, because I have found that it creates a great deal of community collaboration, and it draws us closer together to achieve a goal: to get more money.” Bauer wants to make it clear to the Manhattan College community that he does not blame the administration or the school for the performing arts’ lack of budget this year. “The pool of money that’s available to us has shrunk due to circumstances far beyond our control,” said Bauer. “So we can only look at this objectively and fairly. I have every confidence that the school is supporting us as much as they possibly can. I have no criticism or even suggestions for anything different for the administrators that have decided this, it’s not their fault. It’s just the pool of money that we all have to share has diminished, and there’s nothing anyone can do about that.” Bauer noted that while he understands the shortterm struggle the school
faces, in the long term he is ready to help the administration increase enrollment by bringing in as many prospective students who are attracted to the performing arts as possible in order to keep both the school and performing arts department afloat and thriving. Toth concluded with a plea to the college to recognize that performing arts are a valuable part of the institution and of student’s experience on campus. “I could really beg the people in admissions to realize that people who play instruments on a high level are often the kind of people you want in your school,” Toth said. “Those are the kinds of people who are outstanding students. I mean, we’ve had a lot of people in the orchestra who were valedictorians or honor society members of each of their classes. I think if you look that up, you’d find that that was true…They’re often on a sports team and in the orchestra, and a straight A student. That’s who we are and if the admissions could really keep an ear out for those applications, and if there’s two equal people in one place, the oboe, please God, send them to us, you know?”
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Jasper Jams: Mack Picks Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment
I got some songs stuck in my head. Some of them have been stuck up there since high school and I can not get them out. So instead of finding a solution to my problem, I decided to share nine of these bangers with you. Without further ado here are nine songs that are stuck in my head for better or for worse.
Runnin’ Down A Dream- Tom Petty I don’t remember how I found this song, I think it might have been suggested by my sister. Overall it is a great song, it’s upbeat, has a great rhythm, and great guitar riffs. Listening to this song will instantly make you wanna just get outside and run. So next time you’re outside, find your runner’s high and run down your dream. Cum on Feel the Noize- Quiet Riot
Come on, I had to add Quiet Riot to the playlist. I probably listen to Quiet Riot once a week and every time I do I raise my volume to the max, to ensure I get the full experience. After listening to this you will instantly feel more alive than you did before, so give it a shot. Come on Feel the Noize has to be the catchiest song they got. Animals- Nickelback When I listened to Animals by Nickelback I got this feeling in my veins, I use this word to describe a lot of my favorite songs but Animals is truly a “banger” I love everything about it. I think it has to be Nickelback's best, it just has this rock energy that’s unbeatable. Won’t Get Fooled Again- The Who I love this song, I found it by accident on Spotify one day over the summer and it has been on my personal playlist ever since. There’s something about rhythm and lyrics that makes you want to listen to it over and over again. It’s a lengthy eight-minute song but it’s so good you won’t even realize the time going by. This song kind of gives the idea that you need to go out and stand up for what you believe in whatever that might be. Sympathy For The Devil- Rolling Stones Please allow me to introduce this song, as it’s one of the best that the Stones have to offer. You probably have at least heard of this before. This recently came back to being stuck in my head because it was in a trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie that came out over the summer. The song is just a chill song, with a steady beat. I would say it’s nice to have in the background while you’re studying or doing laundry. This took me a while to realize but this song is one of the few where the title doesn’t appear throughout the lyrics, I think that alone deserves a reason to throw on Sympathy For The Devil. Juke Box Hero- Foreigner Ironically I was standing in the rain (just like the song’s first lyrics) when I got this hit stuck in my head. I don’t have much to say about it, the instrumentals are the best part, but the song itself is kind of mediocre. I kind of can’t stand the line “With stars in his eyes”, and I don’t know why it’s just personal. Time- Pink- Floyd This is one of my favorites from high school. Especially walking home from a tough day at school, I needed to kick around on a piece of ground in my hometown. This song got me through the torture 50-mile walk home. Okay, it was more like a mile but still, it would take me around 30 minutes. Pink Floyd is a perfect mellow rock band that’s just nice to hear when you need to. As Tears Go By- Rolling Stones I have a personal story with this one. I used to work at a KeyFood and this song would constantly play while I was cleaning the aisles. It got to the point where I knew every word, but tragedy struck when I left the job and couldn’t remember a single lyric. All I could remember was the melody. Luckily my sister was listening to it one day and I finally learned the title. As Tears Go By is a sad song but also a relatable song. Almost everyone could put themselves in a situation where the song’s lyrics match up with something from their past. When a song can get you thinking about your life I think it becomes stronger and more understandable. Manic Mechanic- ZZ Top This song alone is the reason why I wanted to make a Jasper Jams. I grew up on this song and have a lot of amazing memories singing to it. My dad would play this every day for me when he picked me up from preschool and he would change the line, “I’ll get back to you Jack”, to “I’ll get back to you Mack”, and I just thought it was the funniest song in the world. Everything about this ZZ Top song is kind of ridiculous but it has an amazing sound and that’s got to be the most important part of a song.
Scan here to listen to The Quadrangle’s Playlist!
Sports
September 26, 2023
Jasper Track and Field Welcomes New Members
Karen Flores
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The Manhattan College Track and Field Team welcomed six recruits to the upcoming 2023-2024 indoor and outdoor season. Amongst the six recruits are Christopher Purchia, Thomas Dubnov-Raz and Matthew Coyle. Purchia, an engineering major, participates in the jump and sprint events, specializing in long jumps. He said that the dynamic in college athletics is very different from the one he had experienced in high school. “It’s definitely bigger than my high school team, and it’s more intensity and focus going into the sport than in high school,” Purchia said. “In high school, I feel like there’s more room to pull back and relax whenever, but college track is more event-focused and overall focused on getting
better.” Dubnov-Raz, a management major, expresses similar sentiments about the change in dynamics. He competed on multiple Israeli national teams in the U23 division and completed three years of military service. He compared his past experience to his current one at MC. “Before, I had to combine [military and track],” Dubnov-Raz said. “My team at home was also a lot smaller. But the track in America is totally different, for example, we don’t have indoor seasons in Israel since it’s too hot and muggy, and everything looks more professional here in America. It’s very different.” Purchia also added that one of the first and most important things being a student-athlete has taught him is time management. “I would definitely say as an athlete in general, really just managing your time, making sure that you have time for everything is hard-
MC T&F welcomes six new recruits. GO JASPERS/COURTESY
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New recruits will be involved in jumps events for the team COURTESY/GOJASPERS er than when I was in high school. I think all athletes that are coming in, especially freshmen, are gonna have to go through the learning curve and find their balance between athletics and academics,” said Purchia.
Coyle, a mechanical engineering major, said that he has gotten a hang of his scheduling, making sure that he keeps up with athletic and academic expectations. “The team kind of forces us to learn time management as quickly as possible because if you aren’t managing your time you kind of get lost right from the beginning,” Coyle said. “I’ve been scheduling pretty much everything and making sure that I get all my work done before I go to practice. Someone said to me, ‘You are a student-athlete, not an athlete student’. I was aware that this distinction was a big part of what I was coming into.” Dubnov-Raz found that many of the faculty members and coaches were very understanding about his scheduling in regard to his religion and being a student-athlete. “I found that a lot of the coaches and professors are understanding from the coaches about all the schedules conflicting with the quizzes
and assignments,” Dubnov-Raz said. “They are also very understanding about some religious stuff that could overlap with the training schedule and they do not mind changing the times according to those specific needs. But overall, everyone knows that studies first.” Purchia is looking forward to the new season and hopes that they will produce good results. “I feel like everybody is here to support one another because, at the end of the day, we all have the same goal,” Purchia said. “That goal is to perform to succeed and to do the best we can consistently and I feel like if we all have that same goal, we got the drive, then we could grow together and produce the best we can as a group,” expressed Purchia.
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Freshmen XC Runners Excel In First Meets of Season Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
Only three meets into the year, the Jasper XC team has
already displayed freshmen standouts at both Fordham Fiasco and the Jasper XC Invitational. With a women’s win at Fordham Fiasco and numerous individual placements from both meets, the team and their recruits are off to a strong start for their season. Bailee Christofis, a freshman from Arizona, showed impressive times in both meets, placing sixth in her 5k race at Fordham Fiasco, the team’s second meet of the season. “Honestly, [it was] kind of surprising because I haven’t had the most consistent training coming in so far,” Christofis said. “It’s just kind of been building blocks from here and it’s been nice to know that in trusting Coach’s training, I’ve been setting myself up for success as well.” Adam Guzman, a freshman from Riverdale, NY, was a standout at both the Fordham Fiasco and the Jasper XC Invitational. At Fiasco, Guzman placed tenth in his 8k race, and showed improvement only a week later at the Jasper Invitational, shaving almost two minutes off of his time. “It was a nice feeling, knowing I came in tenth, but I like to look at Fordham Fiasco as a learning experience,” Guzman wrote in an email to The Quad-
rangle. “Although I placed tenth, I’m not happy with how I did. I know I’m a freshman and it was only my second race, but I always expect myself to do better.” Both freshmen runners have found inspiration, not intimidation, in working with the many successful upperclassmen on the team. “I would definitely say [it’s] inspiring, especially because I’ve been able to practice so close with them,” Christofis said. “I’ve been able to see what techniques they use and their little tips and tricks, I guess you could say, that just helped them excel to the level that they’re at now.” Guzman explained in his email that successful runners have surrounded him since he first started his cross-country journey. It’s amazing to run alongside older teammates who have had so much success,” Guzman wrote. “I grew up here in the Bronx and have trained in Van Cortlandt all four years of high school, so I would always see them [ MC Cross Country] training, so the motivation was always there just by watching and sharing the same track with them as they did their workout and I’d be doing mine..” Kerri Inman, director of XC at Manhattan College, explained that the upperclassmen on the team understand their responsibility to acclimate the recruits, starting not from commitment, but from their very first campus visit. “I think [the upperclass-
The men’s cross country team raced to the finish line at Fordham Fiasco. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
men] have been great,” said Inman. “We try to make sure that our upperclassmen understand they’re just as much part of the recruiting process because these are their future teammates. A lot of these men and women started building relationships with these recruits right in their visit, and as soon as they commit, it’s a matter of they’re a teammate, they’re not just a freshman.” Christofis noted a unique set of challenges she’s faced through running on terrain she’s never experienced before. “The courses here are insanely different from the courses in Arizona so I just have to get used to the rolling hills and running in the trails,” said Christofis. “The first time we went into the trails, I genuinely thought I was in the wrong place. It’s been [about] getting a grip of where I am racing instead of racing on a golf course.” Even without the challenge of conquering new terrain, Guzman has also faced his own set of difficulties so far this season. “At the Jasper invite, someone tripped at around 70 meters into the race and I fell over him, causing me to drop from the top 30 all the way to the 100s,” Guzman wrote. “This forced me to catch up from the back and attempt to put myself back into the race.” While the team has demonstrated successful finishes thus far, both the athletes and coaches agree that there is still
Bailee Christofis racing to her sixth place win in the women’s 5k at Fordham Fiasco. COURTESY / GOJASPERS room for improvement. “I’d say my preparation for each meet has been pretty good with what I’ve been eating,” Christofis said. “Sometimes you eat something wrong, it’ll kind of upset your stomach. I will say the one thing that I need to start doing better is to keep my eye on the next teammate in front of me and just hang on for dear life.” Inman agreed that while the team has made noticeable improvements, they have a long way to go before they achieve their goals. “The conference is good,” Inman said. “We’re getting better, we’ve gotten better, it’s nice seeing that but at the same time, so has the conference. At the Jasper Invitational, we got a pretty rude awakening of where we sit in the conference. I don’t think our goals have changed but understanding what it’s going to take to realize those goals became much more real. At the very least, we want to be top five in the conference, but the top three is really what we’re shooting for.” Looking to their futures, both freshmen are excited for the new experiences that lie ahead. Christofis is excited to start on the indoor track team in the spring semester. In terms of her time on the XC team, she is eager to continue being a team player and learn from those above her. “I am definitely most excited for indoor track,” Christofis
said. “I’ve never done indoor track before. From what I’ve heard, the feeling is just electric when you’re racing and there’s music playing and all of the people are around you. Looking to [the future on XC] just growing however I can, filling whatever role I need to on the team, which right now is just kind of sitting back and learning from the upperclassmen.” Guzman is ready to keep learning from those around him and is prepared to put the work in to push his expectations of himself to the limit. “I’m excited to keep getting fitter and racing even better than I could expect from myself,” Guzman wrote. “I don’t see myself as being a leader anytime soon, but I’m always gonna be learning week by week and I’ll get to the point where I’m helping to lead us
all.”
Inman is looking forward to the rest of the season and plans to continue to push her athletes to be the best they can be. “We’re always in process,” Inman said. “Anytime we can find improvement, that’s really always a goal of mine on any given day, whether it be today, which is just a run day, or tomorrow, which will be a workout day, or a couple of weeks from now when we’re back on the course competing.”
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Seniors Men’s Soccer Jaspers Honored at Battle of the Bronx Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor
Manhattan College’s men’s soccer senior day was spoiled as the Fordham Rams were able to shut out the Jaspers in a 2-0 result. Ronan O’Brien, Henry Hamilton and Daniel Alleyne all received yellow cards. Due to a Jasper foul, the Fordham free kick resulted in a top-left box goal during the 36th minute. The Rams scored an additional goal during the 63rd minute. The goals from Fordham were from Daniel D’Ippoltio and Timo Hummrich. The seniors that were honored were Sebastiano Musu, Vladimir Lee, Ensa Sanneh, Mason Chetti, Anthony Denis and goalkeeper Danny DiMarco. Senior Sebastiano Musu, from Santa Giusta, Italy was named the
Metro Atlantic Athletic Association (MAAC) Offensive Player of the Week. This honor was the first for the Jasper team this season. Musu’s honor comes from when the striker kicked off a 4-0 scoring spree against Canisius. He scored goals against Canisius in the 19th and 30th minute. Continuing with the seniors honored, joining the Jaspers in 2020 and marketing major, Vladimir Lee, from Queens, was accompanied by his family. He has played in 25 games and started in 16 games. Defensive player Ensa Sanneh, a senior from Gambia, an organizational leadership major and has been a member of the Jasper team for two years. “It was a great day out here today to see your family and friends come out to support the team,” Sanneh said in an interview with the
Senior Anthony Denis on Men’s Soccer Senior Night COURTESY/@JASPERSOCCER
Quadrangle after the game. “Everyone came by and gave it their all, especially the young guys. I think they really stepped up. They came out here and they showed their support. The next next thing for us is to look for Mount St. Mary’s game.” Senior midfielder Mason Chetti is from Ronkonkoma, New York. As a four-year member of the team, Chetti has played 13 games and a total of 224 playing minutes. Senior Anthony Denis from France, has been a member of the team for two years. He was accompanied to the field by his friend, sophomore defense player Nassim Akki, and his girlfriend and family. While pursuing a degree in organizational leadership and being a four-year member of the Jasper team, Danny DiMarco was named all-MAAC honoree. With his family in the stands, DiMarco’s family watched him have four saves during the Fordham game. Forward Gunnar Studenhoff talked with the Quadrangle after the game. During the Fordham matchup, the Jaspers cleared the field and put on new players, focusing on giving time to reserved players. “My thought tonight was really we didn’t get the win, but you know, we want to give some of the players some time today,” Studenhoff said. “We want to enjoy the seniors’ last game.” Studenhofft was named to the MAAC preseason team and earned Second Team All-MAAC accolades last season. “Personally, I would have liked to win but today was about giving everyone some time to play before we go into the conference because we’re focused on winning the MAAC,” Studenhoff said. “Keep-
Senior Danny Demarco on Men’s Soccer Senior Night. COURTESY/@JASPERSOCCER
ing our players healthy and coming back strong for months and years as a focus as long as we build from here and keep on going positively that’s what we want.” Head coach Jorden Scott has been focused on building the team since the pandemic and is focused on the development of his players. “We are two full seasons beyond the pandemic and each year we have made significant and positive steps in our development as a team and players to get back to competing at the top of the conference,” said head coach Jorden Scott in a GoJaspers article. “We will be leaning on our returning players to set the benchmarks on and off the field for our newcomers, and we as a staff will be ready to listen, adjust, and support in our quest for a MAAC Championship.” Manhattan men’s soccer has been picked to finish third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic
Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll. “We believe in building a schedule filled with elite competition that prepares us for conference play and allows our players to be ready for the challenges ahead tactically, physically, and with rotations,” Scott said in a GoJaspers article. “This will be an interesting year for everyone in the MAAC as we adjust to the new format and the scheduling of non-conference opposition.” The MAAC season is in full effect as the next game is scheduled for Sept. 30th at Marist.
