The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Issue 3, Volume 90

SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 • VOLUME 90 • ISSUE 3

The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929

OPINION: LGBT WORKFORCE P. 4

SPORTS: WESTWARD EXPANSION P. 10

ARTS & LIFE: PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS P. 6

Taking the good with the bad

Quinnipiac falls 45 spots in Wall Street Journal ranking, rises to national stage in US News ranking Associate News Editor

Two annual college rankings were released last week, setting up dueling perspectives for the direction Quinnipiac is headed.

Quinnipiac University tumbled down 45 spots in the 2020 Wall Street Journal (WSJ) College Rankings.

In the fourth installment of the annual rankings, Quinnipiac fell to an all-time low of No. 261. The rankings rate over 800 schools.

In the 2020 US News College Rankings, Quinnipiac is now considered a national university and was ranked No. 153.

“Rankings can provide valuable feedback on select outcomes and on the perceptions of various market segments,” said John Morgan, associate vice president for public relations. “The rankings assess a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative metrics, and they are helpful input to university administrators in targeting strengths and opportunities for improvement.”

Morgan said that the school was gratified that US News now considers Quinnipiac a national university, as well as appearing in the top 100 value schools. He also said that the school would examine the takeaways from the WSJ ranking.

US News and the WSJ take vastly different paths towards ranking universities.

Forbes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and several others

have criticized the US News rankings for a wide variety of reasons.

Former Missouri State University president Michael T. Nietzel pointed out in a piece published in a Forbes article on Monday some of the issues.

He writes that universities can easily manipulate the numbers in many ways. Schools can delay admission of students who score lower on standardized tests to the spring as a way to appear more selective. Faculty salary accounts for 7% of the score despite even though there is no way to tell if the highest paid faculty are teaching undergraduate students or if lower-paid faculty are as engaged as their better-compensated colleagues.

Nietzel also details how 20% of the score is from academic reputation.

“This is an entirely subjective measure at best and a bogus one at worst,” Nietzel wrote. “US News claims it measures reputation through a survey it sends to more than 4,000 college presidents, provosts, admission officers. (Thankfully, the survey of high school counselors used in the past as another measure of reputation was dropped this year.) Hundreds of colleges are included in the survey. How does any president or provost even pretend to know the academic quality of so many institutions, let alone make quantitative distinctions among them?

No wonder some college presidents have admitted they delegate a staffer in their office

Wall Street Journal College Ranking 300.00

225.25

Ranking

By STEPHEN MACLEOD

150.50

75.75

1.00

2017

2018

Year

2019

2020 Quinnipiac University

University of Connecticut

**LOWER NUMBER BETTER RANKING** GRAPHIC JANNA MARNELL

Quinnipiac University ranking compared to peer institutions.

See RANKING Page 2

CAS opens a new set of doors for advising New advising center located in CAS1 follows a 360-degree advising model

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The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has a new addition that faculty is excited to share with students.

Located on the second floor of CAS1, the old advising studio transformed over the summer into a revolutionary Advising Commons, focused on getting students comfortable with their majors and future careers.

Rick Delvecchio, the director of career development for CAS, was hired by Dean Robert Smart who had a specific goal in mind when he took over as dean. This goal eventually led to the current advising center.

“This is something that we have been working on for about five years but it started with the change in philosophy to integrate academic and career advising together,” Delvecchio said. “As we developed that philosophy, the first thing to grow out of it was the website that we have. This is now the physical space to support that [the website].”

Every faculty member that has been hired under Dean Smart has been equipped with this philosophy and expected to carry it through their teaching Delvecchio said.

The new Advising Commons is based on the 360-degree advising model, designed by Quinnipiac faculty. It is a program that starts freshman year when students have a rough idea of their major. Instead of ending when students graduate, the concept suggests that alumni can return, if they hit a roadblock.

“We use the term 360 to describe our philosophy that it’s a never ending process,” Delvecchio said. “We view it as a lifelong thing, not just when you’re here.”

When a student enters the Advising Commons, there is a small kiosk to the right where students can check-in with their name for a walk-in or scheduled appointment. Beyond that, there are two offices for advisers and a large high-top table in the center of the room. Toward the back of the suite is a bright yellow room with glass doors. This was built with unique intentions.

“The biggest thing about it is that students can come in at any time,” Delvecchio said. “We have the ability for students to make private appointments with us, but the space is available to walk in at any time with a question. We hope that level of accessibility is helpful. The other thing we’ve

Staff Meetings on Tuesdays at 9:15 p.m. in SB123

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AUTUMN DRISCOLL

The Advising Commons is open to students long after graduation. added to that–to offer a service, but reduce the pressure–is what we call our advising studio hours.”

These “studio hours” are designed for students that are actively looking for a place to work on scheduling, resumes or other technical chores. Faculty will be present if students have questions, or need help along the way, but they don’t have to feel the pressure of an appointment.

According to Jonathan Lee, the director of student advising at CAS, the suite has al-

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ready been getting a steady flow of traffic.

“On the most basic level–it doesn’t look like it now–but it gets really crowded during class change times,” Lee said. “There’s a lot of chairs and benches out there so people show up thirty minutes before class. I really like that it’s so visible and, hopefully, it’s an inviting space where even if people aren’t planning to come in, they see it.”

The College of Arts and Sciences has a See ADVISING Page 2

@quchronicle

INDEX

Staff Writer

CONNECT

By GARRET REICH

Opinion: 4

Arts and Life: 6

Sports: 10

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

2| News

Blue lights are fading

MEET THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bryan Murphy MANAGING EDITOR Alexis Guerra CREATIVE DIRECTOR Janna Marnell NEWS EDITOR Emily DiSalvo ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Stephen MacLeod OPINION EDITOR Toyloy Brown III ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Jessica Simms ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Ryan Miller SPORTS EDITORS Brendan O’Sullivan Jared Penna DESIGN EDITOR Ilana Sherman

Rave Guardian app is supposed to replace blue lights, but few students use it

By EMILY DISALVO AND ALYSSA NAUMANN

When you toured Quinnipiac, you may remember a tour guide telling you about the “Blue Light System.” If you were to find yourself in a dangerous situation, there would always be a blue light within your sight.

“I don’t know where they are on campus and I cannot always see them,” Vera Helein, freshman media studies major said.

If you stand in the middle of the Quad, you won’t see a blue light.

If you stand in the Hogan Lot, you won’t see a blue light.

If you stand in the parking lot of the Theater Arts Building on Sherman Avenue, you won’t see a blue light.

“I definitely think there should be more on campus,” Megan Fonseca, sophomore communications undeclared major said. “I know that there is one going up to CAS but other than that I feel like there’s definitely not enough of them.”

Veteran Public Safety officers believe that new technology means blue lights come second to more advanced technology when faced with danger.

“Those blue lights that you see now have been here for years,” Sgt. Jim Moniello, a long-time Public Safety officer said. “Where would you put one into the Quad? You can’t put these things every couple of feet. If everyone has that phone it’s so much easier, so much safer than trying to get to it.”

Moniello and Training Officer Brad Bopp said that students won’t need the blue light system anymore because of the “Rave Guardian App” they advertise to the students at orientation.

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September 11, 2019

EMILY DISALVO/ CHRONICLE

This light located in the hilltop lot on main campus appears to be nonfunctional.

EMILY DISALVO/ CHRONICLE

The York Hill campus has over twice as many blue lights as the main campus.

Rave Guardian is what Bopp describes as a “blue light in your hand.” It’s an app for your phone that allows you to set a timer when you are walking from place to place on campus. You push the button when you get there. If you do not push the button, your emergency contacts will be notified. Bopp suggests you make the university one of your emergency contacts.

“Maybe that blue light could be a quarter of a mile away or so–running to that light may be difficult,” Bopp said. “With that phone in your hand, you can get that information to us right away.”

When the app is activated, Public Safety will be notified on a designated laptop in the Public Safety office. Officers will be able to see your location and will be dispatched to the area.

Bopp said the app currently only has 279 active users from Quinnipiac. This means the rest of the student body is relying on the blue light system or 911.

“It’s like a global blue light,” Bopp said.

“We have this out there, we just need people to want to be part of it.”

The Chronicle conducted an informal survey in the class Facebook groups which received 126 responses. When asked “Do you know what the Rave Guardian app is?” just 26.2% of respondents said “yes.” Only 5.6% of respondents reported using the app.

Keith Woodward, associate vice president of facilities operations, said that going forward, the university will not be adding new blue lights to the Theater Arts Building or Hogan Lot because they are not used anymore.

“With the advances in communications technology, the majority of our community members, including students, visitors and employees have mobile phones, with access to emergency apps (in our case Rave Guard-

ian), and the emergency blue light phones aren’t used as frequently as they once were,” Woodward said in a statement. “Are they accessible around the three campuses? Yes, but based on the Public Safety data in terms of their usage the blue lights haven’t been used in over a year. Our community is more likely to reach emergency services quicker by using their phone and dialing 911 or using Rave Guardian.”

Of survey respondents, 2% agreed that Rave Guardian is a suitable replacement for blue lights and 53.2% said that “maybe” it was a good replacement.

Bopp pointed out that the app is free and easy to install, unlike blue lights.

“There’s a lot of components logistically to putting one up,” Bopp said. “It’s not just Public Safety involved– it’s facilities, it’s telecommunications. Is it feasible? It’s something you have to figure out how to get power to it. Dig a trench 100 yards to get to it, but with this technology, newer technology, they’re thinking this is the way to go with Rave Guardian.”

Currently there are 11 blue lights on main campus. 88% of survey respondents answered “no” when asked if there are a sufficient number of blue lights on campus.

Moniello said they encourage orientation leaders to spread the word about Rave Guardian because oftentimes students are more likely to participate in something when someone their own age tells them about it.

“When you’re sitting out there on the grass throwing around a beach ball have everyone take out their phones and sign up for Rave Guardian,” Moniello said.

Download Rave Guardian and become a Guardian on your campus 1. Download the free Rave Guardian app

Rave Guardian is one of the best ways to not only improve your personal safety but also the safety of your fellow Guardians within your own private safety network. This application provides rapid and proactive communications with friends, family, co-workers, your college or university, and even with a 9-1-1 call center in the event of an emergency.

2. Use Rave Guardian to protect yourself and others Set a safety timer:

Notify people you trust to check in on you if you are alone or in an unfamiliar place.

Manage and message your Guardians: Invite family, friends or others to be your Guardian, and communicate with them within the app as needed.

Easy emergency communication:

Call safety officials directly for help if you are in trouble and send text tips – including photos – if you see something suspicious.

Rave Guardian is like a mobile “blue light” with timer mode and panic call features. You can set the timer mode to advise campus security of your departure time and anticipated arrival time for any campus area walk. If you don’t check in by the designated arrival time, an alert is sent to campus security. The panic call feature opens an immediate communication line with the Department of Public Safety. Both features provide Public Safety with the sender’s profile and location information.

See more about Rave Guardian at the QU Mobile page in MyQ.

POSTER CONTRIBUTED BY PUBLIC SAFETY

Call 911 Public Safety distributed posters around in an emergency. campus explaining how to set up a Rave Guardian account.

Delvecchio: ‘Students can come at any time’ ADVISING from cover 99.3% success with incorporating students in employment or graduate programs, according to QU.edu. This statistic is held in high regard in both the academic and national realm. According to the CT Post, Quinnipiac is the best university to attend for getting a job.

The faculty at the advising center is looking for ways to conquer the fear that many parents and students share–will the student get a job after graduation?

“With arts and sciences, the process we want them to engage in is to not dive in right away, in terms of career,” Delvecchio said.

“We want them to explore academically first and be able to make their choices based on that.

If we know that there is a positive outcome, if

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AUTUMN DRISCOLL

The Advising Commons helps students to understand the requirements of their major.

we’re prepared, then we can take some time to figure ourselves out along the way.”

Lee said in his experience, students have issues understanding the technicalities of their program and the requirements of their major.

“I meet with a lot of students who don’t

have a firm framework of how to understand their curricular requirements,” Lee said. “One thing I would hope is that by being so visible is that we can help people be a little bit more independent so they can feel more confident and comfortable with those requirements.”

The advising center’s faculty have been thinking plenty about the remodel, especially in the last two years. Part of the vision was creating a space visually open to students entering CAS and would be a welcoming environment to anyone with a question.

“We want students, now that we’ve got this great resource for them, to engage with it and use it,” Delvecchio said. “We’ve got a number of different programs we’ve put in place, for this semester and this year, to hopefully get them involved with the different training and workshops we’ve got planned.”

September 11, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

News |3

FEATURED EVENTS WANT YOUR EVENT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE CHRONICLE? Email tips@quchronicle.com

Wednesday, Sept. 11 Computer Information Systems BBQ The Computer Information Systems Society will be hosting its annual barbecue sponsored

by Deloitte on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 12 p.m in SC120. Students attending the barbecue can network with Deloitte professionals, recruits and interns while enjoying free food.

Thursday, Sept. 12

Hurricane Dorian left devastation in the Bahamas, an island one Quinnipiac student calls home.

Hitting home

SGA Meet and Greet Students will have the opportunity to meet the executive board leaders of the student government association (SGA) outside the Carl Hansen Student Center from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The purpose of the meet and greet is to allow the student body to ask SGA any questions or discuss concerns about their student experience.

Hurricane Dorian battering the Bahamas and the Southeast U.S. strikes home for some college students

By EMILY FLAMME Contributing Writer

Quinnipiac Tonight Q30 TV’s live performance entertainment show, Quinnipiac Tonight, will be hosting its first show on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 9:30 p.m. in the Piazza. From live comedic skits to prerecorded segments, Quinnipiac Tonight is QU’s Saturday Night Live.

Friday, Sept. 30 Lunar Mood Festival This cultural festival, hosted by the Asian Student Alliance (ASA), will have free food, lantern crafts and Chinese calligraphy while allowing students to learn about the significance of the lunar moon in eastern Asian culture. The festival will be held in the Piazza from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Scoops and Scattagories Students can enjoy spending time with their friends while playing scattergories and eating ice cream at this SPB event. Scoops and Scattergories will be hosted at 10 p.m. in Burt Kahn Court.

Saturday, Sept. 14 Dance Company Fall Auditions Dance Company will be hosting its fall semester auditions open to all members of the undergraduate QU community in AC 207A at 9 a.m.

The executive board will select only some of the people who audition to join our team as a permanent member.

Insomnia Fest Students will be able to relax and enjoy warm cookies and milk from Insomnia Cookies in New Haven, as well as listen to music and play games. The Student Programming Board’s (SPB) event will be held in the Piazza from 10 p.m. to midnight.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 Trivia Tuesdays on the Hill Join SPB for Trivia Tuesdays on the Hill.

Bring your friends up to Rocky Top on York Hill at 9:30 p.m. for the chance to test your trivia knowledge and win some great prizes.

Snacks will also be provided.

ADAM STANTON/US COAST GUARD

Some Quinnipiac students have only heard of the historic hurricane battering the south, but other college students are living through Hurricane Dorian and its aftermath — one of them being Quinnipiac’s very own.

“The most devastating thing to hear was that the hospital was flooded with over five feet of water,” Maddie Kennedy, a freshman film, television and media studies major, said. “That was insane to hear because they had to evacuate. People that are sick had to leave with all that water. I just couldn’t even imagine that situation.”

Kennedy’s father lives in the Bahamas and Kennedy herself grew up there. She has spent the week attending classes and awaiting news from home.

Hurricane Dorian first caught the attention of meteorologists on Aug. 19. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) identified a tropical wave in western Africa. On Aug. 24, the NHC classified it as a tropical depression. Overnight, it developed an eye that was 12 miles wide, earning the classification of tropical storm. Over the next several days the storm continued intensifying, crawling across the Atlantic. It reached Category 5 status as it collided with the northwest region of the Bahamas.

Hurricane Dorian is the most powerful hurricane to hit the Bahamas. Forty-three people were killed due to the storm. The airports were destroyed, and there was property damage estimated to be $7 billion, according to the New York Post.

Kennedy’s father was on the island when the storm hit and experienced all of its dramatic impact.

“My dad had to go out because a shutter flew off, and he was worried the window would break so he had to run outside and try to fix it during the storm,” Kennedy said.

She also shared how other people were affected on the island “I do know people who had houses that were completely engulfed in water, with storm surges of over 20 feet, and I know people had to go on their roofs to wait to be rescued,” Kennedy said.

The historic hurricane did not affect Florida as much anticipated, but there were still prepara-

tions across the state.

Aspen Dagostino is a freshman at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. She said her university made a hurricane action plan.

“Last week, on Wednesday or Thursday, we got an email saying that classes would be cancelled from Friday at 6:00 to the next Friday. They emailed us way in advance so we would have time to leave and evacuate,” Dagostino said.

If they did not evacuate, Dagostino said they would be relocated to sheltered areas on campus.

“We would all end up in the cafeteria, and we would have to be spending a few days there,” Dagostino said. “Dorms aren’t safe for us so they would have had us all crammed into one room.

And we wouldn’t have been able to leave unless we had to shower or use the bathroom, but that’s about it.”

“It was very difficult knowing – well really not knowing – what was going on ...”

– MADDIE KENNEDY

FRESHMAN FILM, TELEVISION AND MEDIA STUDIES MAJOR

Emily Burrus, a freshman at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, had a different experience. They were required to evacuate, and if they chose not to, they were bused away from the area.

“We were required to evacuate, and if you didn’t have a place to go like with a relative or a way to get back to wherever you were from, they gave you buses and transportation to local shelters in the area,” Burrus said. “ I know a lot of the international students who couldn’t make it back home, had to go to the shelters.”

Burrus said she personally didn’t go to the

shuttles, but those who did were provided with basic survival resources.

“From my understanding, food was provided, but no clothes or anything like that,” Burrus said. “I wasn’t there so I didn’t see for myself, but from what I heard, you were provided with food, flashlights if the power went out and the basics like that.”

Though all the experiences of the girls were different, one thing that they had in common was the emotional effect of Hurricane Dorian. Dagostino and Burrus both said that since the storm occurred so early in the year, it interrupted the adjustment period college requires.

“It was my first week of college, and all of a sudden we had to leave,” Dagostino said.“I was like ‘we just got here, and now I have to figure out how to leave.’ It wasn’t easy. I wasn’t sure if I was going to fly home or what to do. My classes had just started – I had only had three days of classes before we had to leave, so I really haven’t had time to adjust.”

Kennedy was affected more by the impact the storm had on her loved ones.

“It was very difficult knowing – well really not knowing – what was going on,” Kennedy said. “While it was occuring all you can really do is watch news channels. One thing that was hard, I wasn’t able to get in contact with my father during the storm, and even days later, still not hearing updates from friends who hadn’t been able to get service.”

While Kennedy was eventually able to contact everyone she needed, the waiting period also made for a tense first few weeks of college.

“There’s still a lot of people missing, fortunately no one I know, but there are lots of reports of missing people,” Kennedy said.

Hurricane experts at NASA are attributing the hurricane’s severity to climate change.

Most hurricanes weaken when it reaches the north Atlantic, but in this case the water was warm enough to strengthen the storm. This is the reason Hurricane Dorian was so unusually powerful.

“I think this storm affected me because I wasn’t there to help out, and see how my family is doing directly,” Kennedy said. “This storm is also the most powerful storm to hit Grand Bahama, and it was definitely the most devastating.”

Nietzel: ‘This is an entirely subjective measure at its best and an entirely bogus one at worst’ RANKING from cover to fill out the survey. Or worse, they confess that they downgrade the ratings of peer institutions to make their own college look better by comparison.”

The WSJ’s ranking differs in the way it calculates its score. The score is derived from four main areas.

The largest section of the score is derived from student outcomes. This score is calculated from a wide variety of factors including graduation rate, value added to graduate salary and debt after graduation.

The next 30% of the score is calculated from academic resources. Weighted areas include finance per student, faculty per student and research papers per faculty.

The WSJ ranking polls students rather than presidents. The poll accounts for 20% of the score and weighs how effectively universities engage with their students. It measures student engagement, if students recommend the university, interaction with teachers and students and number of accredited programs.

The final 10% of the score is from the university environment. This number is calculated from staff diversity, student diver-

sity, student inclusion and proportion of international students.

While Quinnipiac ranked higher in outcomes (176) and resources (358), it ranked much lower in engagement (401-500) and environment (501-600).

The lists also differed on their opinion of Quinnipiac’s value. US News ranked Quinnipiac as the 94th Best Value School while the WSJ did not rank Quinnipiac. To be on the WSJ Best Value list, you must achieve a top 250 ranking.

This is the first time Quinnipiac has fallen outside the top 250 in the WSJ rankings.

4| O p i n i o n

September 11, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Opinion

QUCHRONICLE.COM/OPINION OPINION@QUCHRONICLE.COM @QUCHRONICLE

Making homophobic America great again Trump proposes to discriminate against LGBT community in the workplace

By JANNA MARNELL Creative Director

History is supposed to prevent us from repeating the appalling acts of humanity and the legal system.

On Aug. 23, President Donald Trump and his administration urged the justice system to revoke title VII to discriminate against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the workplace.

Since his election in 2016, he has already turned back the clock for the LGBT rights we have come so far to acquire.

In the current presidential race, Trump is being endorsed by the Republican party, because of his and Pence’s vile and inhuman beliefs about the LGBT community.

“Today (Aug. 23), the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced a notice of proposed federal rulemaking that lays out OFCCP intention not to enforce nondiscrimination requirements if a contactor claims that it is acting in accord with religious tenets which will negatively impact LGBTQ people, women and religious minorities,” www.glaad.org reported.

“The proposal cherry picks federal court decisions, relies upon language not contained in the majority opinions, and blatantly changes the context and meaning of case law to protections for LGBTQ Americans.”

With most of the recent picks of Supreme Court Justices’ leaning right and the current case being brought up to the court, this can be a glimpse into the future that the proposal will pass.

“Such a ruling would be disastrous, relegating LGBTQ people around the country to a second-class citizen status,’’ reported The Times. “The LGBTQ community has fought too long and too hard to go back now, and we are counting on the justices not to reverse that hard-won progress.”

In April of 1952, the American Psychiatric Assiociation (APA) diagnosed homosexuality as a sociopathic personality disturbance.

In 1952, sociopathic personality disturbance that began in childhood or early adolescence. This “disorder” was shown to have a lack of restraint and remorseless behavior, according to the DSM-I (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Today’s definition of homosexuality would have been described as an Antisocial Personality Disorder, which is a mental condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting or violating the rights of others without any remorse. This behavior may cause problems in relationships or at work and is often criminal.

How far will we go back in time with Trump’s push to change the interpretation of Title VII to discriminate against the LGBT community? Will it soon become illegal for them to be true to themselves and their lifestyle?

According to www.glaad.org, February 2017–2019, Trump and his administration has planned a “license to discriminate” be implemented to begin refusing rights to the LGBT. People’s mentality toward the LGBT community have evolved both negatively and positivily and we are still trying to battle discrimination.

PHOTO FROM FLICKR

Donald Trump speaks out against Title VII allowing it to discrimanate against the LGBT community.

Conversion therapy and shock therapy, has been popular for converting LGBT to “normal” for a long time in the psychology field. Conversion therapy has divided psychatrists and researches for decades, proving if it works or not.

Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual using psychological or spiritual interventions.

McKrae Game, who was the founder to the nation’s largest conversion therapy program, publically came out as gay in early June, and has apologized for his role in this therapy practice. Of course, shortly thereafter was removed as a trustee by this practice.

If someone this big has come out as gay, then why do we have to hide this lifestyle for so long?

“When the federal government and the nation’s lawyers come out against you and say that your rights don’t exist, it hurts the most vulnerable members of our community ...”

– Robin Maril

ASSOCIATE LEGAL DIRECTOR AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN Beginning to discriminate again, what will come next?

“Since taking office, the Trump administration has sought to reverse healthcare protections for trans people, moved to ban trans people from serving in the military, eliminated rules protecting trans students and pushed to allow businesses to turn away gay and trans customers if they seek a religious exemption.” reported by www.thegaurdian.com.

We are reversing history when in 2017, former President Barack Obama, allowed transgender to join the military, and removed former President Bill Clinton’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

“When the federal government and the nation’s lawyers come out against you and say that your rights don’t exist, it hurts the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Robin Maril, the associate legal director at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Harper Jean Tobin, the policy director at the National Center for Transgender Equality, expressed to www.theguardian.com, “that even if the supreme court does affirm LGBT people’s rights, it’s likely the administration would pursue other avenues to legalize discrimination.”

If this discrimitation against LGBT is legalized, what will stop this administration from discriminating against other minorities – immigrants, women and other races.

Hate crimes have been on the rise globally. TV shows like “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU),” have had a few episodes on cases about how the court can discriminate against minorities for what “seemed” like hate crimes.

“Hate crimes against LGBTQ people have been on a slight rise over the past three years, according to FBI data,” reported by www.USAtoday.com. “While most hate crimes in the U.S. are motivated by bias toward race and religion, the number of crimes based on sexual orientation rose each year from 2014 to 2017, when 1,130 incidents were reported. Of those crimes, a majority targeted gay men.”

USAtoday also reported that this past Pride Month, in June, had an increase in violent anti-LGBT crimes. Currently a major target of hate crimes are trans women of color, primarily in Texas. The victim in May, was videotaped being attacked and assaulted which went viral, and then she was fatally shot.

06/07/2019 The Trump Administration denies all U.S. Embassy buildings from flying the historic LGBT Pride Flag on embassy flagpoles in honor of June being National LGBT Pride Month.

06/28/2019 President Donald Trump used a press conference at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan to provide praise for Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, an anti-LGBT politician who has targeted LGBT people in his nation since the day he took office.

07/08/19 The Trump Administration’s State Department creates a “Commission on Unalienable Rights” aimed at providing “an informed review of the role of human rights in American foreign policy.”

However, seven of the appointees have disturbing anti-LGBT records, putting acceptance for the global LGBT community at risk The Trump Administration revealed they plan to grant federal contractors the ability to use “religious exemptions” as an excuse to discriminate against LGBT Americans at the workplace.

08/14/2019 The Trump Administration urged the Equal Employment Oppportunity Commission (EEOC) to reverse their Obama-era policy of providing workplace protections for LGBT Americans. The request comes weeks before oral arguments begin at the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8.

08/16/2019 The Trump Administration files a court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the nation's highest court to block transgender Americans from having nationwide workplace protections.

GRAPHIC BY JANNA MARNELL

Trump’s timeline of negative events towards the LGBT community.

In May, a black trans-woman was videotaped being attacked and sexually assaulted that went viral, after being fatally shot.

News outlets have been trying to get a legitimate answer from President Trump, however he has not been answering the question, only trying to hide his true intentions.

“I’ve done very well with that (LGBT) community,” the President said last week to the Times. “Some of my biggest supporters are of that community.”

Using the government as his shield, Trump has attacked the rights of the LGBT community, using healthcare, employment and housing as ammunition.

September 11, 2019

Opinion|5

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

What San Francisco teaches us about ‘Red Flag’ laws Who decides what constitutes a red flag?

By STEPHAN KAPUSTKA Staff Writer

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) and President Donald Trump are in talks about gun reforms in the aftermath of several recent mass shootings, according to Politico. One proposal in particular that has been getting attention are “red flag” laws.

The premise of this policy is that many of these shooters signal, in some way, before their actions become a danger to themselves or others. Therefore, if such things could be reported, their actions could be prevented. A person who has a gun can be reported to authorities, and, after a process determines the claim has merit, their guns can be removed.

All in all, it seems like common sense, doesn’t it? On paper, yes. In practice, the question is what exactly is the line that must be crossed before it is justified to remove somebody’s legally owned firearms. And that is where we run into problems.

On Sept. 3, the San Francisco city government voted unanimously to declare the National Rifle Association (NRA), as a domestic terrorist organisation. Why? After all, the definition of terrorism is “the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective”, according to the Encycolopedia Brittanica.

The NRA is an advocacy group that supports a wide view of gun rights and the Second Amendment. They do not use or advocate violence to further their political ends. So how is this justified? Because San Francisco defines any action in which an individual “[intends] to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals” as with a gun as “terrorist activity.”

This is ridiculous on its face. People use all kinds of tools to commit wrong and illegal actions, including but not limited to

computers, ropes, cars, knives, bottles, crowbars, etc. No serious person would attempt to conflate supporting the ownership of any or all of those items for support of illegal activity. And it is not just limited to the NRA either. As Henry Olsen of the Washington Post writes: “While it states that the leadership ‘promotes extremist positions, in defiance of the views of a majority of its membership,’ it also states that ‘any individual or member of an organization’ commits a terrorist act by giving support to a group that this person ‘reasonably should know’ gives ‘material support’ to any ‘individual [who] has committed or plans to commit a terrorist act.’ It closes the noose around NRA members’ necks by stating that the NRA ‘promote[s] gun ownership and incite[s] gun owners to acts of violence.’ Congratulations, average NRA member: Your $30 one-year membership makes you a terrorist.”

With that in mind, ask yourself, if a red flag law is good for anything, wouldn’t it be good for removing guns from a domestic terrorist? And here, we have a city government that is responsible for governing millions of people is contending that supporting a wide view of gun rights makes one a domestic terrorist. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see where this goes: anyone who the powers-that-be dislike will be defined as a domestic terrorist, and disarmed. Sure, the San Francisco local government does not have the power to do such a thing. But should we expect progressive Democrats in Congress or those running for president, to disavow this resolution? It is hard to imagine they would.

Does this make the case against all types of red flag laws?

Probably not. It does mean that President Trump and Congressional Republicans should be exceedingly careful. San Francisco’s resolution has no weight of law at the federal level, but that is be-

cause of a lack of power, not will. It is not farcical to imagine a future Democratic president with Democratic congressional majorities taking a similar step. Republicans interested in passing a red flag bill need to take that possibility into account when writing it.

PHOTO FROM WIKICOMMONS

The NRA has been a supporter of gun laws and the Second Amendment.

Out of Luck

An end of an era in Indianapolis

By MICHAEL SICOLI Contributing Writer

The unthinkable happened at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Indianapolis Colts’ preseason Week 3, 27-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Star NFL quarterback Andrew Luck set the sports world on fire by announcing his retirement at the age of 29.

The news broke during the game, and as Luck headed towards the locker room, he was showered with boos from the fans who used to worship the ground he walked upon. Season ticket holders wanted refunds. Gamblers stared blankly at their seemingly wasted Super Bowl pick. Fantasy owners spiked their phones into the ground.

A feeling of confusion and indignation filled the football community as Luck took the podium in the post game press conference. Luck cited injuries and rehabs as the cause for this shocking decision.

“I’m in pain; I’m still in pain,” Luck said. “It’s been four years of this pain, rehab cycle.”

He definitely was not wrong. Luck battled a wide variety of injuries since he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.

In the span of just six years, he tore cartilage in two of his ribs, partially tore his abdomen, lacerated his kidney, suffered at least one concussion, faced a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and to this day is still battling a combination of a calf strain and an ankle issue. His availability for Week 1 was already in question, and Luck decided to get out of the game before irreversible harm was done.

I remember standing on line at Toad’s Place when my friend showed me a report stating that Andrew Luck — the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback who was so good the franchise famously “sucked for Luck” in 2011 — was hanging up his cleats and retiring. I then proceeded to spike my phone into the sidewalk as one of the fantasy owners who drafted Luck a week prior.

Fantasy football aside, I could not forgive him for doing this to his team only two weeks before the start of a new season. The 2019 Colts had promising 12-1 odds of bringing the Lombardi trophy to Indianapolis. Those odds have since plummeted to 80-1 via vegasinsider.com.

But now, several weeks removed from that announcement, I’m not sure I feel the same way.

It’s easy to forget the beating this guy took. While that list of injuries is damning enough, I have to bring everyone back to the revolving door that was the Colts offensive line in 2016, with extreme emphasis on “offensive.” Andrew Luck was sacked 41 times, which was tied for the fifth most in the league with Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Andy Dalton. As a result of this beating, Luck tore his labrum in his throwing shoulder. Colts owner Jim Irsay continued to promise fans that the injury was not a big deal.

News flash — it was.

It cost him a full year of football, the 2017 season, but Luck

came back and acted as the player we all knew and loved. He led the Colts to a 10-6 record after a 1-5 start and a Wild Card berth in 2018. Luck threw for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns, finishing fifth and second respectively in each category league wide. He then bested the Colts’ divisional rivals, the Houston Texans, and went to the Divisional round of the playoffs where they were defeated by MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Andy Reid-coached Kansas City Chiefs. Luck won 2019 Comeback Player of the Year, and the Colts entered the 2019 season as one of favorites to win the Super Bowl, as previously mentioned. This is what Luck meant to this team.

Andrew Luck was a gift that we all should have taken more time to appreciate and less time taking for granted.

He was described as a generational talent by many, and when he was on the field he certainly performed like one. When he played for at least eight games, half the season, he always threw

Andrew Luck retires at the age of 29.

PHOTO FROM WIKICOMMONS

for over 3,800 yards. Considering only half of the league hit this mark in 2018, that is an incredible benchmark to hit with consistency. Luck made the playoffs in four of his five years as a pro when he played at least half of the season. He has had a winning record as a starter every year of his career that he has played outside of 2015, when Luck only played seven games. His career winning percentage is .616 and places him among elite players like Aaron Rodgers (.639) and fellow 2012 draft pick Russell Wilson (.677), according to profootballreference.com.

I don’t mean to overwhelm you with these stats. It’s just important to remember how great this man was.

He now joins an exclusive club of NFL stars who retired too early in the eyes of the fans. This club includes stars and Hall of Fame caliber players like Barry Sanders, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson and Jim Brown.

Even though the Colts may have lost Luck, they are not hopeless. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is mostly unproven but should serve as a capable NFL starter. His one season as a full-time starter in 2017 featured one of the worst offensive lines that year. He was sacked a league - high 52 times, the most in a single season for the franchise since 1991, per profootballreference.com.

With the offensive line and the team much improved since 2017, Brissett has the chance to take the Colts where they want to be. He completed a promising 21 of 27 passing attempts for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. His ability to maintain drives and avoid turnovers should help the Colts remain above water. While a Super Bowl may be out of reach barring an unexpected jump by Brissett, the Colts are still armed with the most cap room in the NFL and enough young talent to achieve great levels of success.

At the end of the day, Luck gave up millions of dollars to make “the hardest decision” of his life, as he stated in his retirement speech. Colts owner Jim Irsay estimated that Luck was “leaving 450 million dollars on the table,” and while Irsay is known for making outlandish quotes he probably is not too far off.

Jared Goff was just given $134 million through a four year extension with $110 million guaranteed per Adam Schefter at ESPN, and Luck would be hitting the market three years from now with the market constantly being reset with every new deal. Luck gave up all of this for his body and his health. Ultimately, we all may just be more angry that we may never see this talented quarterback play again.

His legacy as the man who pulled the Colts out of the gutter and pushed them towards Super Bowl contention should not be tainted by the timing of his retirement. Remember him as the man who changed a 2-14 team in 2011 to an 11-5 team in 2012. He fought tooth and nail year after year to carry a franchise that for too many years failed to protect him.

It may be “unLucky” for us as fans to see him go, but be grateful you were able to see him throw to begin with.

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

6|Arts & Life

September 11, 2019

Arts & Life

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THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN E! People’s Choice Awards released its nominations for the 2019 award show

By GABBY BRAILOVSKY Contributing Writer

The nominations for the 2019 E! People’s Choice Awards were released this past week and fans cannot stop raving with excitement. The award show features the best and brightest in the industry, giving fans the ultimate choices. This year there are 43 different categories. Some of which include, The Movie of 2019, Song of 2019 and Show of 2019.

There were so many exceptional films released this past year that narrowing it down to only a few choices must have been an impossible task. The choices for the Movie of 2019 award include, “Avengers: Endgame,” “Toy Story 4,” “Captain Marvel,” “Hobbs & Shaw,” “The Lion King,” “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum,” “Us” and “Spider-Man: Far from Home.” Each film brought in extraordinary amounts of money through box office ticket sales. “Avengers: Endgame” dominated with $2.796 billion in ticket sales, whereas “Spider-Man: Far from Home” earned $370.97 million. “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum,” ticket sales were lower than the other two, at approximately $321.6 million. Although ticket sales do not necessarily show how fans will vote in these next two months, it is still looking relatively well for “Avengers: Endgame.”

The Male Artist of 2019 award is a fan favorite and the choices this year make it very difficult to choose only one. The nominees include Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Travis Scott, Khalid, Lil Nas X and Bad Bunny.

Mendes has been all over the headlines recently due to his newly sparked romance with Camilla Cabello. Many believe it could be a publicity stunt to gain attention towards their new song together, “Senorita.” Post Malone just released his new album “Hollywood's Bleeding,” which is gaining him a lot of amazing attention. The album has features on it that include Travis Scott, Ozzy Osbourne, Future, SZA and Young Thug. With a story behind every song and a message fans can get behind, the odds seem to be in Malone’s favor. Lil Nas X also had a killer year as his song, “Old Town Road (Remix)”

stayed in the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 Singles Chart for 17 weeks straight. Lil Nas X is breaking records and possibly gaining the awards he worked years for.

The Song of 2019 nominations features all the tunes that easily got stuck in our heads throughout the year. The songs this year include Jonas Brothers’, “Sucker,” Ariana Grande’s, “7 Rings,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus’, “Old Town Road (Remix),” Khalid’s, “Talk,” Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber’s, “I Don’t Care,” Sam Smith and Normani’s, “Dancing with a Stranger,” Billie Eilish's, “Bad Guy” and Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s, “Señorita.”

The Jonas Brothers’ reunion this past year sparked worldwide attention and just like the first time around, they did not disappoint. “Sucker” dominated charts by earning its way to the top of the Hot 100 list. The song also received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video. Simply put, the Jonas Brothers are headed one way and that is up.

Grande went through a whirlwind these past two years.

She released two new albums that both did impeccably well.

Fans can easily relate to Grande’s honest and raw lyrics that encourage each and everyone to do one thing: thrive. Her song “7 Rings” happened very spontaneously after she bought her six friends rings after a brunch date. It won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction and showed that Grande is nowhere near finished releasing hits.

Last but certainly not least for these several categories, is The Album of 2019. The nominees include Grande’s, “Thank U, Next,” Khalid’s, “Free Spirit,” Eilish’s, “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?,” Lizzo’s, “Cuz I Love You,” Jonas Brothers', “Happiness Begins,” Sheeran’s, “No.6 Collaborations Project”, Juice Wrld’s, “Death Race for Love and Taylor Swift’s, “Lover.”

Lizzo has been killing the game with her non-apologetic and real songs. Her song “Truth Hurts” was initially released in 2017, but just recently gained attention all around the world. It earned her the number one spot on the Billboard Hot

PHOTO FROM REPUBLIC RECORDS

Ariana Grande's hit song, '7 Rings' was nominated for the PCA for The Song of 2019.

100 and gave her the attention she deserved.

Swift’s seventh album, “Lover,” just topped the US album charts earning its spot at No.1. The album features songs that empower all those that listen and encourage them to trust in love. Nothing less to be expected from the queen herself.

All in all, there are many things fans can be excited about regarding the 2019 People’s Choice Awards. With so many amazing categories and nominations, it is bound to be a night no one will forget.

THEY KNEW YOU'D READ THIS The psychic fair comes to QU and students are blown away

By RHEA GHOSH Staff Writer

The psychic fair was hosted by the Student Programming Board (SPB) on Wednesday, Sept. 4, including a variety of psychics from tarot card readers to palm readers, ribbon readers and stone readers. SPB also had fun activities in between readings such as a way for students to make their own bamboo plants, eat free snacks and enjoy a photo booth.

“A lot of planning went into this event,” Shannon Flaherty, the sophomore media studies major who's the Tradition and Community chair for SPB said. “We contacted an outside party people company that helps with tradition events and they helped bring in different psychics as well as a magician and a photo booth.”

Flaherty is a member of SPB who organized this annual event and the activities that she included, besides the psychics, kept students entertained between readings.

Flaherty said the event has been very successful in the past as it has been a traditional event held at QU. Samantha Tran, a junior CIS major, said this was her second time attending this event.

"I did a tarot card reading here last year and it was the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me,” Tran said about her experience and why she came back to the psychic fair for a second time. “Everything she said was true and really resonated with me and what was happening in my life at that

ALEXIS GUERRA/ CHRONICLE

Students got to make bamboo plants in between getting their future told by a psychic.

time so I thought why not come another time? So, I was the first in line and I did a tarot card reading again and she hit everything spot on, I cried!"

Everyone has different experiences with different card readers. For example, Frank Scott and Erica Pajonas both went in for a ribbon reading at the same time and had very different experiences.

"This is my first time at a psychic and I came because I do tarot card readings myself and wanted to see how people who are professionals do readings," Pajonas said. “Frank and I both saw the ribbon reader together and had no idea what to expect because we've never heard of it before and it was so weird because we had talked about some things in an earlier conversation of ours and she hit it spot on in the reading.”

On the other hand, Scott felt differently about the ribbon reading.

"She read Erica like a book and got some things right for me but was a little off,” Scott said about his experience with the ribbon reader. “But I was still impressed to the point where I think there's some ground to the things that she's doing.”

Most people have mixed feelings about psychics about whether or not what they discuss during their readers are true or made up.

"I myself was very skeptical about this and I think a lot of people are but to see everyone here is really nice, “ Tran said, discussing her own skeptics about the psychics.

However, despite those who doubt psychics, the event seemed to be successful, which is why SPB keeps holding it annually.

“Seeing everyone being so inviting, excited and involved in this event is really cool," Tran said.

Look out for many more fun and exciting events held by SPB in the upcoming weeks.

September 11, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Arts & Life|7

WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR A THIRD SEASON? The latest season of ‘13 Reasons Why’ creates even more controversy than the last

By ASHLEY PELLETIER Contributing Writer

The third season for the controversial teen drama “13 Reasons Why” dropped on Netflix on Aug. 23. This season centers around the murder of serial rapist Bryce Walker and how every central character had a reason to want him dead.

Season three begins approximately eight months after the end of season two. It opens with a narration from a character that is new to Liberty High School, Ani Achola. Ani was not in Evergreen for any of the events of the previous seasons, a fact that ends up causing conflict throughout the plot of this season.

The writers convey the plot in a way that is convoluted and unnecessarily confusing. The story is being told by Ani after the events of the season unfold through two different types of flashbacks. The first being before Bryce’s death, is incredibly colorful and vibrant. Flashbacks that take place after Bryce’s death are washed out and colorless, while shots of Ani narrating are completely greyscale. These jumps between time frames are often abrupt and, if the viewer is not completely paying attention, unnoticeable. This, of course, goes along with the fact that Ani is a completely unreliable narrator who lies to the police to push the group’s agenda.

Ani’s mother works for the Walker family, which means she lives under the same roof as Bryce. We see Bryce through her eyes as she watches him try to become a better person, often failing as he reverts to violence on several occasions.

Despite that, this season is relentless in attempting to get viewers to feel bad for Bryce, showing sweet scenes with his mother and his attempts to change and become a new person.

While everyone is capable of change to some degree, the writers made the wrong decision to use valuable screen time painting Bryce in a better light.

“We wanted everyone to question the path to making amends … how much humanity was actually lying underneath in Bryce,” said Justin Prentice, who portrays Bryce on the show, in an interview with GQ. However, he makes it a point to reinforce that Bryce’s actions are still very much a part of him. “Bryce has done monstrous things and that can’t be changed.”

Rather than focusing on redeeming a serial rapist, writers could have put more focus on the numerous hot topics that this season handled. Topics such as surviving sexual assault, abortion, drug-use and deportation are all discussed throughout the season, but such little screen-time

'13 Reasons Why' season three is all about the murder of football star, Bryce Walker. is dedicated to them that it appears to be a cheap shot on the writers’ part. For instance, a group of young women, led by Jessica Davis, dedicated to speaking out about their sexual assaults, are written as flat characters whose only purpose is to “topple the patriarchy.” These characters, only one of which is named, deserved to be written as actual characters rather than simply a representation of what could only be assumed as the #MeToo movement.

The most glaring problem with this season is the police.

With Bryce being a rich, powerful, white male, the police are eager to jump to conclusions without exploring every angle.

The sheriff pegs Clay Jensen as a suspect almost instantly despite everyone in Evergreen having some sort of motive to want Bryce Walker dead. However, in the final episode, Ani lies to the police about who actually killed Bryce and, even though the evidence does not lead to this conclusion, the police believe her and close the case due to spoiler-y circumstances.

Despite poor writing and lack of source material, the

PHOTO BY BETH DUBBER/NETFLIX

actors, specifically Prentice, who plays Bryce, give great performances. Prentice is a very dynamic actor who can play the sweet son of Mrs. Walker, but also the vile and despicable antagonist of Liberty High School.

Another actor who gives a great performance in this season is Christian Navarro in the role of Tony Padilla.

Navarro evokes emotion from even the toughest viewers as his character discovers that his family has been deported back to Mexico.

Regardless of a fourth season in the works, “13 Reasons Why” is a tired show that has served its course that it is clinging to whatever remaining relevancy it can grasp onto.

The show's original message of starting conversations about topics that actually happen to teenagers has been lost as the same ten kids deal with all the problems that they could possibly attempt to handle. The writers were so intent on covering every topic they could that the importance of each topic was lost.

QUINNIPIAC JUMPS ON THE ACAI TREND

Here's a look at QU Dining's new food station

By DANIELA BRANCHIELLI Contributing Writer

At the start of this fall semester Quinnipiac students were pleased to be informed that QU Dining had made a highly requested and delicious addition to the dining hall on the Mt. Carmel Campus.

Quinnipiac was proud to announce that they had added Sambazon Acai Products-Certified Organic acai bowls as a new healthy option for students after numerous requests for the trendy treat.

Acai has become an extremely coveted, highly advertised and trendy power food in the past few years due to its numerous health benefits. The plus is that it is really enjoyable and quite picturesque.

The acai berry is harvested from acai palm trees and is known for its high antioxidant content and numerous health benefits such as promoting heart health, although high in sugar. It is known for its rich, bright purple color. Many people have incorporated acai into their diets due to the benefits it offers and have used the acai berry in various ways such as adding it to smoothies or pureeing it. You can frequently see pictures of acai berry bowls with carefully placed toppings on social media.

Now students can visit Café Q at any time of day to enjoy an acai berry bowl on campus. QU opted for a premade acai in a sort of sorbet texture from Sambazon as it would be easier for students to serve themselves this way. The acai berry puree comes frozen and can be scooped with ice cream scoopers. Although a little difficult to scoop at times, as it is frozen, once the acai puree melts down a bit, it really is tasty and comparable to a lot of other good acai bowls I have had around town.

There is also a choice of toppings to go along with the bowls, such as dried fruit like kiwi and cranberries and fresh fruit, the most essential acai bowl topping, granola and more. I

JESSICA SIMMS/CHRONICLE

The acai bowl station in the cafeteria has a variety of toppings.

and chopped banana as an option. It’s a great quick snack for after practice or on the go.”

Other than the input about the choices of toppings, students do enjoy the acai bowl station.

“I’m obsessed with the acai bowls on campus,” said Amanda Carlson, a junior health studies major. “They are my go-to snack, especially after working out. They’re healthy, vegan and organic which is even better! Definitely a must try.”

Now, you can frequently see students and even faculty walking around campus with an acai bowl in hand. I think the acai bowl station may be exceeding the greek yogurt station in popularity.

Introducing acai bowls to the Quinnipiac dining hall as an addition to the existing food options was a great idea as students can enjoy it for breakfast, a quick after workout snack, or just a healthy treat in place of ice cream. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the new acai bowls in the dining hall, I would definitely stop by and give it a try.

really like the granola. I think there should definitely be some more fresh fruit options and possibly some honey or peanut butter but other than that, there are a lot of great toppings available to play around with.

So far, the new acai berry bowls seem to be a hit with the students. Students are very pleased with this new addition to Café Q as they would frequently have to leave campus to find an acai berry bowl, myself included. After trying the Sambazon acai bowls myself I asked some other Quinnipiac students for their input and opinion, and here’s what they had to say.

“I think the acai bowls are really good, but the toppings definitely need a little work,” said Shaelyn Pacheco, a junior management major. “I think we should have fresh strawberries GRAPHIC BY ILANA SHERMAN

8|Arts & Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

September 11, 2019

AN ALBUM WORTH ‘ROOTING FOR’ Alessia Cara takes another step closer toward musical maturation

By RYAN MILLER

Associate Arts & Life Editor

How does a performer who’s already won a Grammy for Best New Artist continue to find a way to be innovative and exciting?

With the release of her latest EP, “This Summer,” Alessia Cara accomplishes just that and more. The short but defining six-song track release was flawlessly executed and leaves no room for “filler” songs.

Cara burst onto the scene in 2015 with her single “Here” and has since raised the bar with each project she’s released.

Cara has a history of singing about her age and transitional phases of life, and “This Summer” is no exception.

On her debut album, “Know-It-All,” Cara was still young and naïve, wishing she could go back in time and stay 17 forever. Looking for a challenge at the age of 22, Cara decided it was time to start facing the reality of getting older on her album “Growing Pains.” “This Summer” continues the trend, as Cara tackles new issues of young adulthood and what it feels like when you get to a point in your growth where you can’t go back.

Setting the tone with the opening song “Ready,” Cara begins telling the story reflecting on her own maturation and who she has left behind in the process. As a young adult, Cara does not have time for the waiting game. The song’s vexing repetition of “are you ready for me” puts a love interest on the spot to make a decision. It’s either time for them to mature and claim their place next to her or get left in the dust because Cara effortlessly melodizes “I won’t be waiting for you to come around.”

Following up the opening number is “What’s on Your Mind?” which is essentially a last chance for her love interest to change their mind. Chanting “speak now or forever hold your tongue,” Cara puts a spin on the traditional ultimatum for wedding attendees “speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Cara may be making a comparison to marriage here to show that she’s old enough for commitment whether it’s with her

PHOTO FROM ALESSIA CARA PRESS PHOTOS

'This Summer' received a rating of 66 out of 100 by Album of the Year.

lover or to her new opportunistic self.

Sure, Cara is proud to be almost all grown up, but she still remains humble about it. “Like You” tackles the bumps in the road along the way and how it’s no easy task making big changes in your life. While she may have “almost forgot who I am for a minute,” by the end of the song Cara is sure everyone knows she hasn’t. “You said I’ve never ever met a girl like you, and boy you never will.” Cara hammers home the fact that she’s a woman now and defiantly shuts down

being treated like a kid.

“Okay Okay” sounds exactly like a response someone would have after being told yet again that they’re missing out on “This Summer,” but it’s also the name of the EP’s catchiest song. I would even argue that it’s the best song of the sextet, especially considering the reference to Cara’s previous album. “Turn pain into a paycheck” refers to “Growing Pains” and the success and sales of the album. Cara also displays her confidence on this track talking about “faking it until (she) makes it” and being a “million trick pony” who has gained adaptability and is ready for whatever life throws at her next.

If you’ve wanted the old Alessia Cara back from a stylistic standpoint, “Rooting for You” brings her back to her R&B roots. The penultimate song on the EP references people in her life who are still struggling to mature. “Now I see you havin’ so much fun with everyone you had so much fun makin’ fun of” is just one example of Cara talking about high school level fakeness that she’s more than happy to have gotten away from by now.

Finally, as Cara’s “summer” concludes, we find ourselves in “October” the final song on the EP. Cara once more shines through her main track singing and doing her own backing vocals just like the rest of the album. There are no features on the album, almost to prove that Cara doesn’t need help and she’s completely independent now. Cara also sings about the end of summer, “I’m gonna miss it when it’s over” and the sweet spot she finds herself in before the beginning of more constraining aspects of adulthood set in.

As each one of us needs to do, Cara is letting go of childhood for good but reminds us that she's not worried assuring “we’re okay, we’ll live this way till it’s done.” In “This Summer,” Alessia Cara goes full “girl who can do both” proving that even as we grow up and take on all the grueling responsibilities of adult life, the summer always will serve as a warm reminder of being a carefree kid.

WILL ‘THE PEANUT BUT TER FALCON’ FLY HIGH? Shia LaBeouf's latest film tells an inspirational story

By MAXFIELD MASCARIN Staff Writer

Indie production studio Bona Fide productions presents their newest inspiring, small scale film, “The Peanut Butter Falcon.”

The film follows Zak, a young-adult with down-syndrome escaping the retirement home he was housed in Florida, in order to become a professional wrestler. Along the way, Zak meets a vagrant fisherman named Tyler, played by Shia LaBeouf, and he soon joins him on his journey.

Besides LaBeouf, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” boasts an impressive cast including Dakota Johnson, Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden-Church, John Hawkes and Jon Bernthal. The protagonist Zak is played by breakout star, Zack Gottsagen, and he shines as a gleeful individual unafraid of the world stopping him from following his dream. Throughout the film, Zak and Tyler are being tracked by Johnson’s character, Eleanor, a young caretaker at the retirement home, who deeply cares for Zak’s safety.

“The Peanut Butter Falcon” is set mostly in the outer banks in North Carolina, and takes queues from southern adventure stories. The most notable example being Mark Twain’s American classic “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” as it follows two outlaws escaping to freedom in the vast southern wilderness. All this is accompanied by a pleasant, twangy guitar score that feels akin to something like “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz prove themselves quite capable as first-time feature-length directors as the film is well shot with several unique and captivating sequences set to the backdrop of the open wilderness and the bayou.

The greatest strength in “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is its excellent writing. Writing a script whose main character has down-syndrome without looking at him with pity or drowning the story in sympathy is no easy task, and Nilson and Schwartz excel at this. The role of Zak was written for Gottsagen, with both filmmakers meeting him beforehand and he envisioning a starring role for him.

Along the journey, Zak and Tyler encounter plenty of interesting characters and events that keep the narrative afloat. Although the two are complete strangers at first, Zak and Tyler learn to work together and their friendship soon blooms, becoming the center focus.

However, this focus on friendship becomes the film’s biggest flaw. While Tyler opening up to Zak is heartwarming and well earned, the film consistently cuts to sequences of friendship that feel like they’re taking time from other

PHOTO BY SETH JOHNSON/ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS AND ARMORY FILMS

Zack Gottasgen and Shia LaBeouf starred in 'The Peanut Butter Falcon.' important subplots within the film, as it slows down and cuts the edge of tension that was built earlier on. As much as I enjoyed the multiple friendship montages between Zak and Tyler, I could have done with more sightseeing or concern about their voyage.

At an hour and 37 minutes, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” never feels rushed or dragged out. While watching, I was both enjoying the journey and hoping it would stay exciting, and luckily it did. The film’s third act manages to deliver new scenarios for the characters to deal with and everything they’ve learned comes to play.

“The Peanut Butter Falcon” deals with some heavy ideals and themes, such as disabilities and prejudice but the film does not let these aspects overtake the light hearted adventure that unfolds. While nothing in this film is overly complex or thought-provoking, it’s truly inspirational story makes up for it.

I think casting a lead with down syndrome and just going head first into the narrative, without dwindling on the lead for that reason, is the definitive way to go about it. By doing this, the audience does not feel alienated from the main character despite their differences, as the story just rolls with it.

In today’s current push for Hollywood representation, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” feels like a much needed breath of fresh air for representing its main character in a normal fashion.

The film has received a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes while also garnering acclaim by the general public, and it very well could be on it’s way to a successful awards season, which is rare for first-time directors like Nilson and Schwartz.

Although it’s no masterpiece, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” feels both fresh and familiar, making strides for accurate representation and all the while having a good time.

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Westward expansion

RUNDOWN MEN’S SOCCER QU 2, Sacred Heart 1 - Friday Jared Mazzola: 5 saves, 1 GA Eamon Whelan: 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 SOG Oriac Vila Rotxes: 1 goal, 1 SOG Vermont 1, QU 0 - Monday Mazzola: 3 saves, 1 GA Magnus Reistad: 1 shot, 1 SOG Whelan: 1 shot, 1 SOG WOMEN’S SOCCER Harvard 3, QU 0 - Wednesday Meaghan Phillips: 6 saves, 3 GA Mackenzie Tibball: 1 shot, 1 SOG Lauren Wendland: 1 shot, 1 SOG QU 2, Hartford 0 - Sunday Phillips: 4 saves, 0 GA Kylie Lance: 1 goal, 3 shots, 3 SOG Gretchen Kron: 1 goal, 1 shot, 1 SOG VOLLEYBALL QU 3, NJIT 2 - Friday Kaleigh Oates: 16 kills, 3 block-assists Maggie Baker: 9 kills, 1 block-assist Gabby Horman: 7 kills, 1 block QU 3, Fairleigh 0 - Saturday Oates: 15 kills, 3 block-assists Olga Zampati: 7 kills, 1 block-assist Alejandra Rodriguez: 26 digs QU 3, Morgan State 0 - Saturday Oates:14 kills, 1 block, 3 block-assists Zampati: 18 digs, 8 kills Rodriguez: 18 digs

GAMES TO WATCH MEN’S SOCCER QU at Albany - Sunday, 4 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER QU vs. UMass Lowell - Wednesday, 4 p.m.

QU vs. Dartmouth - Sunday, 1 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL QU at Colgate - Friday, 6 p.m.

QU vs. Rutgers - Saturday, 10 a.m.

QU vs. New Hampshire - Saturday, 3 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY QU vs. Sacred Heart - Saturday, 12 p.m.

QU at Hofstra - Monday, 3 p.m.

RUGBY QU at Army West Point - Saturday, 1 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Quinnipiac Invitational - Friday-Sunday

@QUChronSports

September 11, 2019

California trip highlights west coast field hockey

By BRENDAN O’SULLIVAN Sports Editor

The Quinnipiac field hockey team began last season at home with a loss against Boston College. The Bobcats went on to finish 7-10, their best record since joining the Big East in 2016. This year, Quinnipiac started differently.

It wasn’t the outcome of the games that changed, nor was it a massive roster change. Instead, the Bobcats decided to begin their season out west in California. Quinnipiac booked an extended stay in California from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

The team faced off against three high-level programs in University of California Berkeley, UC Davis and No. 21 University of Stanford.

Quinnipiac left without a win, but head coach Becca Main used the experience to grow as a team against good competition.

“I think the most important thing for us going there was to have a high level of competition and we had the opportunity to play some really good-level hockey,” Main said. “I think we obviously didn’t leave with the wincolumn win, but we had two very good games that we’re pretty proud of.”

Those three games proved to be meaningful to more than just Quinnipiac. Main talked about the lack of exposure western field hockey teams get because they’re much farther away from competition. Main felt it was Quinnipiac’s duty to highlight the talents on the west coast.

The process to finalize these games began last year at the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) convention. The convention pushed for teams in the northeast to travel out west, south or up to Maine to give the field hockey teams more exposure.

Main committed to traveling to California, and despite being separated by nearly 3,000 miles, the process to set up three games was simple, according to Main. Quinnipiac had hosted California Berkeley in 2017 and promised to return for a game in California in the future.

“It’s just kind of a lady’s handshake when you’re saying, ‘I came out here to play you, and now will you come out to play with me,’” Main said. “And most people don’t actually go back and reciprocate. So for us, it was almost a little bit about ethical and principle.”

Quinnipiac’s trip to California was its first since 2001 when Main’s team lost to Berkeley in the NCAA Tournament play-in game. Going back was surreal for Main, 19 years since her first NCAA Tournament appearance. The team stayed at the same hotel this time around but the difference was the extended stay. The Bobcats stayed five days this year compared to the three in 2001. They were able to take a breath and explore the west coast before re-

Graduate student midfielder Bianka Strubbe winds up a shot on goal. turning to Hamden.

“I remember walking and thinking, ‘Well, how long are we going to last?’ And now you’re going in firing with all guns blazing going after somebody,” Main said. “So the level of hockey for us has changed immensely. The style of hockey has changed in 20 years. Also, the commitment to our program here and what they’ve done has enabled us to bring in better recruits and also to develop better players.”

The field hockey style changed in 19 years, so Main came back with some newfound knowledge of western hockey. The style has a touch of creativeness, less rigor and a more laid-back feel to it. However, the big difference was in the weather. Humidity often drags Main and the Bobcats down in Hamden, but it wasn’t an issue in California.

That said, Main doesn’t plan on bringing the style back to Hamden. She believes her game plan suits the team the best, and that California only helped the team find its best playstyle. Quinnipiac’s playstyle benefits senior midfielder Inès Ruiz Martinez. She’s been with the team for four years, most recently winning NCAA Statistical Champion for defensive saves. She cherished the experience of playing and bonding with the team in a new place.

“It was really amazing like to have the opportunity to travel with the whole team,” Martinez said. “It was really nice and we got the opportunity to practice all together. Also on three different fields and against three really good teams.”

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Senior midfielder Inès Ruiz Martinez brings the ball up the field.

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Main looks to Martinez for leadership as the veteran team enters its fourth season in the Big East. Martinez, along with graduate student Bianka Strubbe, are seen as the leaders despite their vastly different leadership styles.

Martinez, Spain, and Strubbe, Poland, have held a field hockey stick for longer than most players in the United States. Both began playing around the age of five, and Main believes that experience plays a role in their current leadership positions.

“Both of them have totally different leadership styles, totally different ways of how they incorporate others into what they’re doing,” Main said of Martinez and Strubbe. “And I think it’s really good for the team. Probably over this weekend was the first time I thought about what life will be without them, and that was something that I’m not interested in even thinking about yet.

“But the two of them, you know, they run the middle of the field for us and they are vital, more vital to me in a practice and more vital to me in a film session than anything because of the contributions that they make and the thoughts that they make.”

Martinez’s and Strubbe’s leadership will have to transition the team from California to the goal of winning a Big East Championship.

Quinnipiac hosts the Big East Championships this year and could potentially win in Main’s 25th year as the head coach of the Bobcats.

Main expects the championships to be similar to the California trip, as the team and university will be highlighted on a larger scale.

Prospective students and recruits will witness the team and university first hand, regardless of Quinnipiac’s finish.

However, the championship is months away and Main is more focused on day-to-day tasks like making each practice count. Though Martinez and Strubbe are seen as the leaders of the team, Main sees the freshmen leading in their own right.

“I think that our motto right now is everyone should be playing like a freshman,” Main said. “Everyone should be trying to impress, everyone should be giving their all in every step and every sprint.”

That mentality will push the Bobcats throughout the season. The team’s next game is at home on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 12 p.m. against Sacred Heart. It will be Main’s first regular-season game at home during her 25th season.

“We’ve got to have chemistry,” Main said. “You’ve got to be ignited by the person next to you. And we did find out that we are able to do that.

September 11, 2019 RUN from Page 12 shape correct, and the tactics more than the athleticism,” Mazzola said. “So, just plugging in different players, trying new things and just trying to excel and see what works and what doesn’t. You definitely see changes from this year to last year, just in how we play.

Last year, we had the force of having Rashawn [Dally], so it was really good for us to be able to look for him as an outlet, where this year it’s not as convenient.”

Despite the lack of convenience, the team isn’t concerned about where it’s at. It’s early in the season, and there’s still plenty of time for coaches and players to figure out what kind of team they’ll be this season.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that everybody believes they’ll figure it out. Coaches and players alike have found motivation both together and on their own, and with such a deep, burning desire to succeed, it’s difficult to imagine that this team won’t.

“When you’re a goal short and a point short, I hope most of the players in our program are self-motivated and they can see that and understand what we’re working towards,”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle Da Costa said. “And our message is constant every day, we don’t really reflect too much on the past, we’re looking at this new group, they need to write their own chapter in our history, and we have a pretty solid history, and this is their opportunity to see how far they can go.”

Mazzola added a more intimate view into the team and its locker room environment this season, explaining the perspective of some players, including himself, and what pushes them to succeed this season.

“I think, when I look at a bunch of these players, I see where they come from and they’re just done taking shit,” Mazzola said.

“Like, everyone just wants to win for each other. When I see someone go down, or I see someone not playing good, it’s my job to get them back in the game. And, a lot of teams have that, but I really feel like that could be one of our strongest points.”

The team is certainly beginning to find its identity off the field, which will help accelerate progress on the field. Still, there’s more than just identity that goes into a championship team. Players need not understand just the schemes, the coaches and each other. They need to understand themselves, and two lead-

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Junior goalkeeper Jared Mazzola clears the ball from Quinnipiac’s defensive half in 2018.

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Sophomore midfielder Dejan Duric sends the ball upfield against Rider in 2018. ers on the team seem to have done just that. spring, entering summer. But that’s why we’re “I’m a firm believer in everything happens here, grinding throughout the entire offseason for a reason,” Mazzola said. “And, if you go to be in a similar spot this year, and hopefully back to Jared Mazzola as a sophomore, coming get a better bounce this time.” into Quinnipiac, I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready As everything continues to fall into place, to win a MAAC title. It would’ve just showed this team looks more and more like a contendme that everything I did leading up to it – the er each week. It has all but one critical aspect diet, the training, everything – I felt that I didn’t of a championship team, and that one ingredido everything I could. So, that taught me what ent missing is support from its fans.

I needed in order to succeed. In order to creWinning a championship isn’t an accomate a winning mentality. That’s training fucking plishment just for the team, it’s an accomtwice a day, getting after it, fucking bleeding for plishment for the community. All Quinnipiac everyone on this fucking team.” students and faculty are Bobcats, not just the Whelan has also started to embrace his athletes. A championship for men’s soccer leadership role on the team. When somebody wouldn’t be a success just for the team, but for has the physical and intellectual gifts that he the entire school. does, teammates are drawn to that person.

Mazzola wants this season to be a big part They immediately become somebody for oth- of all Bobcats’ lives, not just his and his teamers to look up to, and Whelan is starting to find mates’. It’s important that all Bobcats work that role more comfortable this season. together to bring the championship home, and “It was tough,” Whelan said of the result that includes the fans. in the MAAC final. “A lot of heavy faces, but “I want to tell everyone to come out and supI mean, we win as a team, we lose as a team. port,” Mazzola said. “I know [the rainy, cold The older guys, I would like to say myself game against Sacred Heart] was a tough one for included, we gotta pick the younger guys up. the fans, but I really feel like we can change a It was tough, the offseason was tough, but it lot of people’s minds. That would be awesome.” was always in the back of our minds entering

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The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team is off to a hot start. The team won its fourth game and is sitting on a 4-0-1 record. This is the team’s best start since 2012.

Volleyball senior middle blocker Kaleigh Oates led the Bobcats to a three wins in the Knights Fall Classic. She totaled 45 kills in the three games.

In a Friday matchup with Sacred Heart, the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team won after senior forward Eamon Whalen scored the gamewinning goal in the 89th minute.

Clara Lemal-Brown

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In a hard-fought battle against Penn State rugby, sophomore wing Clara Lemal-Brown scored the game-winning try with 17 minutes remaining in the second half.

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September 11, 2019

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Run it back turbo

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Quinnipiac’s men’s soccer team gears up for a new season in hopes of finishing stronger than last year

By JARED PENNA Sports Editor

Last year’s MAAC championship loss to Rider – a loss that came at the end of the most spectacular season for Quinnipiac’s men’s soccer team in recent memory – still haunts junior goalkeeper Jared Mazzola to this day.

“You can come over to my room,” Mazzola said. “I got the Rider poster printed out.”

That roster still sits on his wall, reminding him every single day how last season ended.

After finishing second in the MAAC, Quinnipiac earned home-field advantage through the first two rounds of the conference tournament.

With a little bit of luck, Quinnipiac faced lower-seeded Rider in the championship game, meaning the team would play at home again. The team had the opportunity to both claim the conference championship and gain eligibility for the NCAA tournament all in one game, all in front of its own fans.

But not all stories have happy endings.

Quinnipiac lost to Rider by a score of 1-0 in the MAAC final, the lone goal not coming until 10 minutes into the second half. De-

spite the Bobcats’ best efforts, which included outshooting Rider by nine and putting six more shots on goal than their opponent, they couldn’t recover.

“That’s a tough question,” Mazzola said when asked about the locker room following the loss last season. “To like think back to that, because obviously after the game I was gutted, man. It was a tough goal to concede, especially coming so late, and ... it was hard. So when we got back in there it was ... you could hear a pin drop. It was really tough.”

Despite the magical season that had unfolded before their eyes over the past few months, players and coaches were unhappy.

Quinnipiac went 8-1-1 against MAAC opponents, its best mark since 2014, but it wasn’t enough. Senior forward Eamon Whelan led the conference in points and goals, and former teammate Rashawn Dally finished fourth in points himself, but it still wasn’t enough.

At the end of it all, the Bobcats walked away from last season with a sour taste in their mouths and regret in their hearts, questioning what more they could have done. It was, and

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The Quinnipiac men’s soccer team huddles before the 2018 MAAC championship.

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Senior forward Eamon Whelan puts a shot on net in the 2018 MAAC final. still is, understandable to be so upset with the The returners have certainly done their final outcome of last season. part early in the season. Through the first “I can’t speak for everyone else, but for four games of the young 2019 season, Quinme it bothers me to this day,” Mazzola said. nipiac has scored four goals, all courtesy of “Especially with the talent we had last year, returning players. Whelan has already netted and the guys really accepted me when I got two through the first four games, including a there. It was something that I wanted to give to game winner in the final two minutes against them, especially the seniors, they were so nice. Sacred Heart.

I really wanted to fucking, just grind it out for “We’re not going to approach it any difthem, and it still bothers me to this day.” ferent this year, because we think we have the Every single day, that poster reminds Maz- talent,” Whelan said. “We have the mindset to zola of what happened last year. It motivates do it. We just gotta believe in ourselves and him each morning to push himself even hard- keep grinding.” er, to invest even more into his team. Because Even with all the efforts to adjust, the team this year, things will be different, and he’s not has struggled at times to find an identity early on the only one who thinks so. this season. With so many newcomers – eight to “It’s a new season, we spoke about it last be exact – it can be difficult to adjust. Some playyear and we worked from January until May ers might not get the same touches, some might to put ourselves in a position to get back into not even be playing the same position. But indicontention this year,” Quinnipiac head coach vidual success and comfortability aren’t a point Eric Da Costa said. “We’ve worked hard, in of emphasis this year. It’s all about the team. terms of recruitment, to bring players in that “This year, we have a very young team, we can help put us back in that position again. so we’re really focusing on trying to get the I think we’ve done our job, the returners have See RUN Page 11 done their job.”