The Statesman 11-25-19 by The Statesman

Volume LXIII, Issue 13

sbstatesman.com

Monday, November 25, 2019

Former swim coach sues SBU for discrimination By Brianne Ledda News Editor

“It’s already enough that one organization, who has already put a lot of effort and time into identifying areas, says this area is important — we should probably listen,” Gownaris said, who is also an assistant professor of marine ecology at Gettysburg College. “But especially when you have a consensus among several different organizations, many of which have very different purposes and scope. If they’re agreeing on an area, then we should really pay attention.”

Former Stony Brook University Swimming and Diving Head Coach Janelle Atkinson is suing Stony Brook University for gender and race discrimination. In a lawsuit filed on Nov. 19, Atkinson claims she did not receive the “same institutional support as male coaches of men’s teams,” and that she was “micromanaged” in a way that “male and/or white coaches and coaches of men’s teams are not.” Atkinson — an Olympic swimmer from Jamaica who also coached swim teams at Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut — was allegedly fired from Stony Brook last year shortly after she was publicly accused of mentally abusing swimmers on the team. Atkinson’s position at Stony Brook was terminated in January 2018, less than a year after she was hired. The number of swimmers on the team dropped from 13 that fall semester to six by the time she left. Former swim captain and alumna, Tess Stepakoff, published an op-ed in The Statesman last year detailing what she describes as mental abuse at the hands of Atkinson. “We were told that we were weak, that we were not enough and we were not trying,” wrote Stepakoff, who was a Managing Editor for The Statesman at the time. “We were cursed at and screamed at during every practice for months. As our physical and mental health declined, we were told to get over it. If we had to miss practice for injuries or illnesses, our spots on the team were threatened.” Another former swimmer on Atkinson’s team, Arianna Rodriguez, spoke out in an article on the popular swimming site SwimSwam.com. She claimed that illnesses and physical injuries were ignored, and that Atkinson regularly told team members that they were not good enough and threatened to take away their scholarships and spots on the team. Stepakoff declined to comment and Rodriguez could not immediately be reached for comment. Atkinson’s lawsuit denies all allegations of abuse made against her.

Continued on page 4

EMMA HARRIS / THE STATESMAN

Senior defensive back Gavin Heslop and junior defensive back TJ Morrison hugging after playing their last game together. The Seawolves lost (31-26) against the University at Albany Great Danes on Saturday, Nov. 23.

SBU to form a 2020 Census Complete Count Committee By Cindy Mizaku

Assistant Opinions Editor

As the 2020 census approaches on April 1, Stony Brook University is forming a 2020 Census Complete Count Committee. With Nassau and Suffolk being the hardest-to-count counties in New York State, Stony Brook University was invited to take part in Nassau and Suffolk County Complete Count Committees that aim to safeguard an accurate count for the Long Island region. Lawmakers utilize census data to determine which regions need fed-

eral funding for schools, health care, housing and infrastructure, among other things. These numbers, which provide community demographics, are also used by businesses as they plan to introduce products in different locations. Community Relations Director, Joan Dickinson, who is a leading organizer of the 12-person committee, is seeking students, faculty and staff from the Stony Brook community interested in the plan to inform Stony Brook students and faculty about the impacts of census information and encourage participation.

“I would like to see are people from different areas of the campus who are willing to go back to their respective departments and areas and share information [about the 2020 Census],” Dickinson said. “Make sure people understand what’s at stake. Without an accurate count, we’re losing funding. We’re losing money.” A committee member’s role would be to reach out to students and faculty, explaining why completing the census is important and why it’s important for the future of the community. In the 2010 census, Dickinson said New York State lost two seats

in Congress “because the numbers didn’t correlate to having as many as we had. So it’s really important for our representation in Albany and in Washington that we get as complete count as possible.” Aside from allocating funds within communities, the size of a state’s congressional delegation determines the size of its representation in the U.S. Electoral College. New York’s congressional representation could drop from 27 to 25 seats if the population is undercounted even by 0.6%.

Continued on page 4

Map study reveals where to place marine protected areas

By Erika Peters Contributing Writer

A study published last month and conducted by a team including researchers from Stony Brook University has revealed that a large portion of the world’s most important marine areas remain unprotected. The team included Ellen Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS); Christine Santora, SoMAS Assistant Director for Policy and Outreach; and Natasha Gownaris, a Ph.D. graduate from Stony Brook.

The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science on Oct. 25, is the first of its kind, compiling and examining 10 diverse and internationally recognized maps that outline marine priority areas across the globe. While there are many initiatives to map globally important marine areas by the United Nations (U.N.) and other non-governmental organizations, the team was the first to overlay this wide range of mapping initiatives. “We wanted to see how much these maps agree on specific areas, and what the level of consensus was on certain areas,” Santora said. “And in addition,

we wanted not just to look at the areas of the highest importance, but we wanted to see, are these really important areas protected, or not?” The criteria used for different maps vary by initiative. For example, some may identify areas because of their high biodiversity, while others may be based on threatened or vulnerable species, or relatively natural state. This results in differences in areas that are identified as important. But by overlaying the maps, the team was able to measure agreement on areas that are significant and conduct analyses of gaps at the global scale.

News

Arts & Culture

The committee aims to gather an accurate count.

The app needs fixing. It's not as good as Netflix.

SBU joins 2020 census committee.

MORE ON PAGE 8

Volleyball ends season in A.E. Semis. MORE ON PAGE 12

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SBU committee will educate communities Lawsuit denies allegations Continued from page 1 Community organizations, such as the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), also use census data to pave the way for social mobility programs and community action projects by looking into populations that are being disenfranchised. HWCLI is a nonprofit umbrella organization for health and human service suppliers. Through advocacy, research and coalition building, HWCLI serves Long Island’s socially and economically-deprived by collaborating with government, nonprofit and corporate organizations to address their needs. When addressing hunger and malnutrition on Long Island, for example, HWCLI called the Anti-Hunger Task Force — a New York State organization focused on combating hunger — to share information on community eligibility for school meal programs as well as the effect of federal cuts on food pantries. President and Chief Executive Officer of HWCLI, Rebecca Sanin, said she is determined to create a sustainable future for all of Long Island’s communities. “One of the ways in which we influence government is to under-

stand what the budget cycle looks like, and be able to help address needs that we have in our region in tandem with legislation that’s being created,” she said. “We are helping folks who are in elected positions really understand the health of human services needs in our region and giving them what they need to effectively represent all families.” The significance of census data, according to Sanin, is that it provides numbers for budget projections and perspectives on population trends. Census data impacts funding for health care, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance. Sanin said that the challenges in having effective counts in the census stem from the federal government not investing enough in outreach efforts, Long Island’s weak affordable housing stock — people living in unregistered or substandard housing — and the fear of facing scrutiny from getting access to health and human services. Twenty-eight percent of Long Island’s population lives in hard-to-count communities, including 56% of the Hispanic population, about 63% of the African American population and nearly half of all foreign-born Long Islanders.

“The goal of the complete town committee is to effectively work on those hard-to-count populations and communities and do everything we can to explain that this is the single best thing a parent can do to secure the child’s future,” she said. “A single most important thing you can use to secure the sustainability of your region that we need you and we need people to count in addition to the city.” Director of Student Community Development at Stony Brook, Emily R. Snyder, is also working with Dickinson to spread resources and information about the census committee within the Stony Brook community. Synder said that her department focuses its efforts on community engagement, especially with students living off-campus. Commuter students are among the most undercounted populations, “so we’re here to support however way we can to make sure that our students who are living off campus understand that it’s important that they complete the census as well, that they’re not being necessarily accounted for by their parents at home, but that they’re actually responding locally,” she said.

Continued from page 1

A satellite image of Long Island. Stony Brook University is forming its own 2020 Census Committee to educate Long Islanders about the importance of the census.

Atkinson recruited 13 women for the team by September 2017, just five months after she was hired. The lawsuit notes that coaches typically have a year to build a team when they’re starting a program from scratch. According to the suit, several women quit for reasons that were beyond Atkinson’s control. Despite these setbacks, the suit claims that Stony Brook’s Athletic Director assured Atkinson that this would not impact her employment at the university. “Throughout her tenure at SBU [Stony Brook University], Coach Atkinson was repeatedly told by Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron that SBU understood Coach Atkinson would need time to build the program; that most of the current roster of swimmers were not of the caliber necessary to make the program competitive; and that Coach Atkinson would not be held to high-performance standards for at least the first 3-5 years while she built the program from scratch,” the suit reads. After Atkinson expressed her frustrations with the team’s performance to Heilbron and Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, Stephen Clacherty, they allegedly told her that she “had done all she could do, and that she just needed to get through the year until she recruits higher-level swimmers.” The suit goes on to claim that Heilbron denied Atkinson’s request to meet with the team to demonstrate his support for her and show her swimmers that she was not the only person who expected them to “attend practices, communicate, push themselves to perform at their highest level, etc.” The suit also outlines the difficulties Atkinson faced in dealing with one swimmer who is referred to as student A. After consistently underperforming through the season Student A abruptly quit the team in January, according to the suit.

“We have a lot of critical threats to the ocean right now,” Santora said. “Marine protected areas have been shown to be one of the most effective tools we can implement in the ocean. And while in some cases it’s important to study things further, this map is the first step in showing that we don’t need to wait for perfect information. A lot of these maps agree that certain areas of the ocean are very valuable.” The team’s analysis of the maps may help guide policymakers on where to expand and establish new marine protected areas (MPAs), according to Gownaris and Santora. It may also help serve as a roadmap for reaching the U.N.’s goal to create 10% of the ocean as MPAs by 2020. The study showed that this goal could be met solely through the actions of coastal

“Studies of this type bring together various forms of information and help set realistic, tangible goals for marine conservation,” Robert DiGiovanni, Jr., founder and chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, said. “The importance of our marine environment needs to be at the forefront of our concerns. Our oceans are an integral part of our survival.” The comprehensive mapping effort showed that much of the protection of already established MPAs was not ecologically representative, meaning they do a poor job of matching up with the size and shape of the important marine areas identified by scientists and protect just a portion of a vital ecosystem or range of vulnerable species. This suggests the

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“The next day, Student A sent an email to AD [Athletic Director] Heilbron, AAD [Assistant Athletic Director] Clacherty, SBU President Samuel Stanley, the coaching staff, and others accusing Coach Atkinson of abusive behavior, ignoring or downplaying the mental health concerns of student-athletes, and ignoring or downplaying student-athlete injuries,” the lawsuit states. Soon after, Heilbron allegedly told Atkinson that they would be launching an investigation and asked her to compile documentation for President Stanley. On Jan. 20, 2018, Atkinson learned that another student, referred to as Student B, sent an email to university administration also accusing her of abusive behavior. A volunteer coach also informed her that he had been interviewed by an investigator. Although, according to the lawsuit, the volunteer coach tried to defend Atkinson in the interview, the investigator asked him to sign a statement that “grossly mischaracterized” their conversation. Assistant coach Jordan Bowen’s scheduled interview for Jan. 26, 2018 was abruptly canceled, according to the suit. That day, Heilbron informed Atkinson that her employment had been terminated, even though neither Atkinson nor Bowen had been interviewed, the suit read. Atkinson claims in her lawsuit that all the allegations against her were false and that the university’s investigation was flawed. “The allegations were the result of gender stereotypes affecting female coaches, and especially female coaches of color,” the lawsuit read. “In particular, the allegations accused Coach Atkinson of abusive behavior even though Coach Atkinson’s behavior was always well within acceptable and standard coaching behavior.” University Media Relations officer, Lauren Sheprow, declined to comment. “Stony Brook University has not seen any legal papers related to this matter and therefore is unable to comment on the referenced lawsuit,” she wrote in an email.

Study reveals a large portion of marine areas remain unprotected Continued from page 1 The study’s analysis found that 55% of the ocean has been identified as important by at least one mapping initiative. Within that, 58% is within national jurisdiction — in an area under the legal authority of a certain nation — and 42% is in the high seas, meaning open ocean, not within any country’s jurisdiction. More than 14% of the ocean was identified as important by two to four maps, which was considered a “moderate consensus.” However, a gap analysis showed that nearly 90% of this area is currently unprotected. The largest of these important but unprotected areas were located in the Caribbean Sea, Madagascar and the southern tip of Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and the Coral Triangle region.

states; if all of the unprotected ocean areas identified as important by two or more initiatives were to be protected by 2020, an additional 9.34% of the ocean would be added to the global MPA network. “This study can help guide placement of future MPAs to meet agreed objectives for the quantity, quality and representativeness of the global network of marine protected areas,” Pikitch said in a press release. “Local studies and expertise will also be necessary to implement this process.” In addition, more than 76 million km² of areas beyond national jurisdictions were identified as important and unprotected, a fact which may be helpful for informing ongoing discussions about the protection of the high seas.

need for improvement in creating an ecologically representative global MPA network. “We have to move forward on these main protected areas just to ensure that the biodiversity in the world’s oceans is intact and functioning,” Kevin McAllister, founder and President of Defend H2O, a Sag Harbor-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting Long Island’s various bodies of water, said. “I think that’s going to be critically important as we start to really feel the ramifications of climate change in the next few decades.” “The approach taken in this study is that we all agree we should protect our oceans and that we need to do more,” DiGiovanni said. “It also lays out that if we work with coastal communities, our goals are obtainable.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Disney Plus app is getting in the way of the Disney Plus hype By Isabelle Panza

“Disney Plus offers nearly every Disney movie and show, as well as every season of 'The Simpons' ... ”

Staff Writer

In 2018, Disney started to pull popular shows off streaming networks like Netflix to form their own streaming service, Disney Plus. On Nov. 12, Disney Plus became available in the U.S., and people all over were excited to dig into the new content. Popular shows like “The Punisher” were moved from Netflix to Disney Plus, forcing some die-hard fans to get the new streaming service to watch their favorite shows. However, the number of streaming services available can be overwhelming. Hulu and Netflix have always been competitors, but now with Disney Plus in the mix, people are torn as to what streaming services they should invest in. One of the reasons Netflix and Hulu are so great is because of their interface designs. When you go onto Netflix or Hulu, you can see what movies and TV shows you have watched and are currently watching. Disney Plus doesn’t keep track of any of those things; if a consumer is in the middle of a movie on Disney Plus, they have to use the search function to find and resume the movie. There have also been quite a lot of complaints about Disney Plus.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

The Disney Plus website. Disney Plus became available in the U.S. on Nov. 12. The App is also available in a bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus for $12.99. Paying customers had issues not only logging into their accounts but also accessing shows. “The Simpsons” also had problems on the streaming service, with the show being cropped on television, frustrating consumers who could not see the full picture. Having a streaming service can be pricey, but having three is outright expensive. Netflix costs $13 per month for the standard plan, which means annually, it’s around

$156. A subscription to either Hulu or Disney Plus costs $7 per month, which annually is $84 dollars. However, consumers can get a bundle which consists of Disney Plus, Hulu with commercials and ESPN Plus, for the same monthly cost as Netflix: $13. The most valuable option money-wise would forgo Netflix for the bundle. As for content, it’s really up to personal consumer preferences as to which is most valuable. In

the amount of content, Netflix wins, having almost five times the number of shows and movies as Disney Plus. Disney Plus offers nearly every Disney movie and show, as well as every season of “The Simpsons,” and the newest Marvel movies, such as the critically acclaimed “Avengers: Endgame.” However, Netflix has earned a cult following with its famous originals such as “Stranger Things” and “Peaky Blinders.”

Since the competition with Disney Plus pairing up with Hulu is going to put a toll on Netflix, Netflix announced that it was going to team up with Nickelodeon to form “a new, multi-year output deal to produce original animated feature films and television series.” Disney Plus, Netflix and Hulu are all excellent streaming services, but only time will tell which consumers think is the most valuable. Disney Plus being introduced is just the beginning of a surplus of new streaming services; Peacock, HBO Max and Quibi are all coming out in 2020. That’s when consumers are going to have to figure out what streaming services to keep and which to forgo.

“Pokémon Sword and Shield” recaptures magic in series' newest release By Alexander Bakirdan

Assistant Arts and Culture Editor

“Pokémon Sword and Shield” have recaptured the classic magic of “Pokémon Red and Blue,” the very first installments in the franchise. This review will be spoiler-free for anyone looking to play the games without spoiling the story. I will also be addressing why the cutting of some pokémon — better known to fans as “#Dexit” — is actually good for the franchise. The games have been so streamlined and fine-tuned that the monotony of previous installments is nothing more than a distant memory. Forgoing the tutorials is finally an option and the player can almost immediately jump into gameplay free of the hand-holding that bogged down “Pokémon Sun and Moon.” Everything about playing this game was immensely fun; the new pokémon were creatively-designed delights, the battling feels quick and responsive and the exploration of this game feels more free and open than it has ever been. The graphics have improved astronomically. From the black and white pixel art that “Pokémon” started with over 20 years ago and the 240p visuals of Nintendo 3DS games, it’s clear to see how far the series has come. There was some controversy regarding the appearance of this game before its release, but the towns, routes, cutscenes and Dynamaxed

PUBLIC DOMAIN

The covers of the "Pokémon Sword and Shield" video games. The games were released on Nov. 15. pokémon all look so good that anyone playing this game will be hard-pressed to find fault with these visuals. Plenty of the battle animations also look gorgeous. Some, like the animation for double kick, leave something to be desired; however, there are others, such as the starters’ signature moves, look so good that my jaw actually dropped a little bit. The new pokémon designs are refreshing additions to the franchise. While I won’t go into much detail here to avoid spoiling it, suffice to say, some of these designs have quickly climbed into the ranks of my all time favorites. Fairly early on, I was thrown into the Wild Area, the game’s

open-world area that the player is free to explore, and I was impressed. While the graphics in this area sometimes lacked, the gameplay is phenomenal. Wild pokémon abound, and the area gives a real sensation of being free to run around in nature without any roadblocks or fences slowing the player’s progress. Max Raid Battles in the Wild Area are a new feature that I hope never ever goes away. They are so much fun; I’ve already spent a lot of time joining up with friends online to take down powerful Dynamax and Gigantamax raids, and I plan on spending plenty more. The focus is on the Wild Area and the Dynamaxing of pokémon

— a gimmick unique to the Galar region — for much of the game, but it works very well. Dynamaxing pokémon in gym battles makes great use of the stadium setting; combined with an intense musical score, every gym battle feels like a tense sporting event where everything is on the line. The music has always been an important part of “Pokémon” games, with an iconic backing score setting the scene for every route. Themes for gym leaders and rivals have always been designed to elicit excitement for the battle. This time, however, the musical score elevates the entire game beyond just basic enhancement. Every single track in this game is fantastic, but in particular, both the gym battle theme and an important battle theme that comes toward the end of the story built such an intense and palpable tension that I was amped up just listening to it. This is easily the best score that a “Pokémon” game has ever produced. The story is also fantastic, filled with the perfect balance of heartwarming moments and serious turns that kept me engaged and enjoying myself the whole way through. Unlike “Sun and Moon,” whose cutscenes were absolutely unbearable to sit through, I never felt like the cutscenes in this game dragged on or wasted my time. It is clear to see how much Game Freak has improved both in their writing, but also in their ability to pace

a story properly just in the short time between “Sun and Moon” and “Sword and Shield.” The main reason why there was so much controversy surrounding the release of these games was what is now known to fans as “#Dexit.” Game Freak announced at the E3 games expo that not all of the pokémon in the franchise would be obtainable in the eighth generation installments and this culling of pokémon made some fans very, very angry. After playing the games, I can definitively say that Game Freak made the right decision. Including the pokémon added in this game, the franchise now includes over 900 pokémon; including alternate forms and models for pokémon, the number is easily over 1000. That crazy high number of pokémon has oversaturated the series and continued to hurt the franchise, which started off with just 151 pokémon. This return to a more reasonable number has improved the game by allowing for a different variety of pokémon to be used in playthroughs and competitive play. Even with reduced numbers, the variety of pokémon available on every route and area still feels like more than enough. The latest installment in the franchise provided me with more fun and joy than a Pokémon game has in years, and I plan to keep playing it for a long time to come. This may be one of — if not the best — installment that the franchise has ever had.

Arts & Culture

The Statesman

Monday, November 25, 2019

K-pop supergroup SuperM electrifies Madison Square Garden

The concert setlist comprised powerful group performances intermixed with solos from each member and duets as well. Each performance delivered a different element of what makes SuperM a “supergroup,” ranging from powerhouse EDM dance songs to passionate self-composed rap. Chemistry flowed between the members during the group and duo performances despite the short amount of time the team has been together.

The septet opened with “I Can’t Stand The Rain,” a fast-paced pop song laced with Eastern instruments and ended with their fiery title song “Jopping.” Both songs represent SM Entertainment’s SM Music Performance (SMP) style, a company-created music genre that describes itself as needing to be seen at a live event, not just heard. An experienced solo performer that fans are well acquainted with, Taemin took the first solo stage of the night. Taemin, who debuted with

SHINee in 2008 at age 14, stunned fans with his songs “Danger” and “Goodbye,” as well as his famous fluid dance style and live singing. NCT 127’s Taeyong and Mark performed their own self-composed rap songs. Taeyong’s performance of “GTA” made use of the two extended stage pieces, starting with him rapping in a bedazzled mask, later evolving to a dance solo that ended with him being dragged off stage on his back by back-up dancers. Mark, the youngest member

of SuperM, commanded the enormous stage by himself with a goosebump-inducing performance of his song “Talk About.” WayV’s Ten, another gifted dancer in the group with a background in acrobatics and modern dance, performed “Dream in a Dream” and “New Heroes.” His stunning agility and emotion-laced singing tone stunned fans. Later, he performed “Baby Don’t Stop” with Taeyong, an evident favorite of the night as shown by the fans chanting the lyrics “Stop! Baby don’t stop!” EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai served up two flirty solos. Baekhyun’s showcased his impressive vocal register and charming personality during “UN Village” and “Betcha.” Kai made a devastatingly steamy part-dance, part-vocal show of “Confession.” WayV’s Lucas, the member with the least amount of stage experience, brought on a more relaxed yet playful vibe with his performance. “Bass Go Boom” stars Lucas’s goofy and beloved on-and-off-stage personality, with a comical montage of himself playing on the screen behind him. SuperM showcased two unreleased songs, “Dangerous Woman” and “With You.” The new songs tease SuperM’s potential as a group and possible upcoming albums. The energy in the arena remained high from start to finish, and fans felt like they were running a marathon aided by blaring EDM pop music and blinding lights. The only thing SuperM fans wished they had seen? “More,” said concert attendee Evie Laclair. “It was short!”

latter. Naturally, when players were promised a single-player experience by game development powerhouse, Respawn Entertainment, the first questions to many were: What’s the catch — Are there expensive downloadable content? Are there any microtransactions? Is there a disconnection from the franchise? It turns out there was no catch. “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” delivers on its promise of being a fully fleshed out, story-driven experience. The game feels like, from start to end, pure “Star Wars.” The game follows a former Jedi Padawan, Cal Kestis, who narrowly escaped the Jedi Purge seen in “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” and who has been in hiding from the galactic empire on a remote junk planet in the years afterward. One day, the deadly Jedi-hunting Inquisitors find Kestis when he exposes himself by using the Force to save his friend, and his escape leads to a journey to try to reinstitute the fallen Jedi Order. The key characters are memorable and charming, all displaying unique personalities and character arcs that feel like they belong in the “Star Wars” universe. Kestis is portrayed via motion capture by actor Cameron Monaghan, who gives a top-notch performance as the protagonist. The game’s plot allows Monaghan to portray multiple key emotional beats that fuels Kestis’s emotional arc, particularly as a witness of the Jedi Purge at a young age. The key supporting cast includes Debra Wilson as former Jedi and Kestis’s mentor Cere Junda; Daniel Roebuck as captain of the Mantis,

Greez Dritus; and Elizabeth Grullon as the fallen Jedi and Inquisitor, the Second Sister. Junda and the Second Sister’s relationship, without getting into too many spoilers, gives way to two of the most emotional performances in any “Star Wars” media. Out of all these characters, the most memorable is the charming droid companion BD-1, whose cute actions and loyal companionship are similar to that of a man’s best friend. BD-1 not only serves as the source of some of the best comedic relief and heartfelt moments, but also holograms the Jedi researcher Eno Cordova, portrayed by Tony Amendola, who provides a lot of the lore that the game has to offer. BD-1 makes you want a real life droid pet; when you realize you can’t have one, you want a new puppy with as much energy and charm as BD-1. The game bleeds immersion. The realistic graphics make the game look and feel like a cinematic event. All six planets are unique in their own way, each providing a specific atmosphere and scope with creatures that all fit into the world’s environment. The score adds elements of excitement and wonder to the gameplay and cinematic moments alike; it brings a new but familiar feel reminiscent of John Williams’s classic “Star Wars” compositions. Although the game looks beautiful, even on a high-power gaming laptop, the game still seems to have framerate drops during large-scale moments; fortunately, lowering settings seems to have a small effect on the game’s graphic quality and highly improves the game’s framerate, which is im-

portant for the intricate and reactive combat system. The gameplay is a hybrid of adventure games such as “Uncharted” and “Metroid,” while mixing in the combat elements of series such as “Dark Souls.” Exploration is a key part of the game, all of the planets that can be visited by the Mantis have secrets and areas that can be revisited as Kestis improves his skills throughout the main story. It’s satisfying to find the secrets to grant Kestis a small health or force upgrade, or customization options and tidbits of information inconsequential to the main story. The game gave “Star Wars” nerds such as myself the opportunity to dive deep into the lore of the galaxy I have so many questions about. The gameplay has four difficulty settings; even playing on the second to lowest setting the game has to offer, its combat system still poses a unique challenge that rewards patience and ingenuity when fighting even the most basic of enemies. The lightsaber, the weapon of the Jedi, forces the gameplay into a close quarters combat system; whether it's getting up close to ranged enemies or defeating them from afar with deflections, all elements of the combat are fulfilling. The enemies and especially bosses, although unique in their own way, don’t pose much of a challenge when their attack patterns are recognized and the player is able to adapt. The difficulty of much of the game comes with swarms of enemies whose mix in attacks throw the player for a loop. Kestis has three elements of energy: his health; force energy, which controls how many abilities he can

use; and defense stamina, which will stagger you if you block multiple consecutive attacks. Kestis can receive several upgrades throughout the game through experience points by defeating enemies; each level obtained is put towards a skill tree that grants special upgrades and skills such as special attacks, increased forces skills, health, etc. You are able to access your skill tree through mediation points that also act as respawn, save and healing centers; these points also respawn any defeated enemies, so progress means not only defeating enemies once, but getting through a whole area without fully replenishing your health and force. Thankfully, BD-1 grants you a limited number of health boosts; these are also replenished at the mediation points. The game took me around 19 hours to complete, including the time to immerse myself in the world and discover new lore and items by backtracking and exploring different planets multiple times, while also dying a fair number of times. Although the game has a few rare bugs that take the player out of the experience, these are few and far between and expected of any video game. I recommend “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” to any casual video game fan that enjoys a fulfilling story, as well as a moderate gameplay challenge. However, the target audience is definitely any “Star Wars” fan, to which I strongly recommend this game; it feels like a love letter to the franchise and the LucasArts games of yore.

By Niki Nassiri Contributing Writer

SuperM made their mark in New York with a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19, making them the third K-pop act to ever headline the iconic arena. Described as the “Avengers of K-pop” by South Korean media executive Lee Soo-man, SHINee’s Taemin, EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, NCT 127’s Mark and Taeyong and WayV’s Ten and Lucas define what it is to be a K-pop supergroup. The group debuted on Oct. 5 in Los Angeles with their five-song self-titled EP album. Although online fan communities had mixed reactions to SuperM’s formation, the album reached number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. SuperM embarked on their 10-date North American debut tour, “We Are The Future,” on Nov. 11. Fans flocked from the tri-state area and beyond to see the tour. They waved flags from Puerto Rico and Brazil. People conversed in English, Korean, Spanish and Chinese outside the venue. Alexandra Angelo and Rebecca Alexander, two freshmen from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, attended the concert. “I bought the ticket as soon as it dropped,” Alexander, a K-pop fan since 2017, said. “I was in the car on the way to my cousin’s wedding buying the ticket.” “I just know when they walk out on stage, I’m going to cry,” Angelo said. “I can’t believe I’m here right now.”

NIKI NASSIRI / THE STATESMAN

The K-pop group SuperM performing at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19. They were the third K-pop act to ever headline at the arena.

“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”: a story-driven experience fans will love By Alek Lewis Staff Writer

With the conclusive episode in the “Star Wars” franchise, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” to be released in under a month and the recent premiere of the first Star Wars live action television show, “The Mandalorian,” the newest “Star Wars” single-player video game “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” dropped. The release happened in the middle of the wave of “Star Wars” content on Friday to deliver a fulfilling story filled with memorable characters and top notch action-adventure gameplay. When Disney bought Lucasfilm Ltd. the “Star Wars” production company, from owner and creator George Lucas in October 2012, it was announced that we were getting more movies and content from the “Galaxy Far, Far Away.” Many, including myself, felt optimistic about the future of the “Star Wars” franchise. However, when the LucasArts division, who was responsible for the development of the franchise's beloved video games, was dissolved in 2013 and Electronic Arts (EA) was announced as the new publisher of “Star Wars” games, some were skeptical that the video game license’s integrity might be compromised by greed. Skeptics were proven right. Before the release of the new video game, EA’s two biggest titles with the “Star Wars” franchise: “Star Wars: Battlefront” and its sequel “Star Wars: Battlefront II,” were riddled with controversy due to expensive downloadable content for the former and various pay-to-win microtransactions for the

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Contact us: Phone: 631-632-6479 Fax: 631-632-9128 Web: www.sbstatesman.com To contact the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editors about organizational comments, questions, suggestions, corrections or photo permission, email editors@sbstatesman.com. To reach a specific section editor: News Editor.....................................news@sbstatesman.com Arts & Entertainment Editor.............arts@sbstatesman.com Sports Editor..................................sports@sbstatesman.com Opinions Editor..........................opinions@sbstatesman.com Multimedia Editor..................multimedia@sbstatesman.com Copy Chief.......................................copy@sbstatesman.com The Statesman is a student-run, student-written incorporated publication at Stony Brook University in New York. The paper was founded as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the original site of Stony Brook University. In 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its editorial board, writers and multimedia staff are all student volunteers. New stories are published online every day Monday through Thursday. A print issue is published every Monday during the academic year and is distributed to many on-campus locations, the Stony Brook University Hospital and over 70 off-campus locations. The Statesman and its editors have won several awards for student journalism and several past editors have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the field of journalism. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @ sbstatesman. Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or in the Letters and Opinions section are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Statesman. The Statesman promptly corrects all errors of substance published in the paper. If you have a question or comment about the accuracy or fairness of an article please send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com. First issue free; additional issues cost $1.

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"Far Beyond" signage in the Academic Mall. Stony Brook University requires a course for new freshmen for the purpose of advancing diversity and inclusion.

When universities become echo chambers

By Andrew Infantino Contributing Writer

Andrew Infantino is a senior physics major and a member of College Republicans. Colleges have educated students by teaching them to think critically and evaluate alternating viewpoints. More recently, they have also promoted diversity and inclusion for that purpose and to foster social mobility. Universities that neglect conservative perspectives, however, ultimately fail on both ends. Educational institutions are prone to groupthink, a process by which members of a group strive for consensus by suppressing dissent. Dissenters may face retaliation or remain silent while external input is ignored. When faculty and students withhold or unfairly dismiss conservative outlooks, campus administrators — among whom only 6% identify as conservative — insist on teaching about concepts such as microaggressions and privilege, or alleged social advantages conferred at the expense of marginalized communities. Stony Brook University requires freshmen to attend orientation lectures, seminars and, as of this semester, a Stony Brook Curriculum course on those subjects for the purpose of advancing diversity and inclusion. While such goals are respectable, colleges undermine them by emphasizing the concepts of privilege and microaggression. They tend to rely on scientifically flawed evidence or stigmatize groups of people that they would otherwise protect, including people with mental illnesses and socio-economic disadvantage. After reviewing scientific research on microaggressions for “Perspectives on Psychological Science,” Emory psychologist Scott O. Lilienfeld found negligible support for suppositions that they are well-defined, implicitly prejudicial, offensive to minorities or adversely impactful on their mental health. Concurring with Lilienfeld’s analysis, NYU psychologist Jonathan Haidt delivered a harsher critique of the concept, arguing that it teach-

Corrections

es students to perceive themselves unjustly as victims and treat dissent as offensive. “It is the end of the open environment we prize in the academy,” he wrote, “where students feel free to speak up and challenge each other, their professors, and orthodox ideas.” Meanwhile, people with social anxiety and autism spectrum disorders may find themselves subject to committing supposed microaggressions by making subtle blunders in communication, such as avoiding eye contact and overlooking social tension. Equating such slips to “everyday racism,” as Oxford University once did, only makes it harder for autistic people to fit into society. People with social anxiety are already too afraid of accidentally offending people. Colgate University Psychologist Erin Cooley conducted a study for the “Journal of Experimental Psychology,” finding that lessons on white privilege do not raise sympathy for poor black people. “Instead,” she wrote in an op-ed for Vice, “these lessons decreased liberals’ sympathy for poor white people, which led them to blame white people for their own poverty.” Participants in the study read about a poor man who was raised by a single mother, faced a lifetime of poverty and depended on public welfare assistance. Cooley describes in her article that those with socially liberal views who received lessons on white privilege — relative to those who did not — expressed less sympathy for that man if he was white. “They seemed to think that if a person is poor despite all the privileges of being white, there must really be something wrong with them,” Cooley wrote in her op-ed. I’ve personally observed people citing the concept to dismiss poor employment prospects and rising mortality rates among the white working class. “They should’ve gone to college,” I hear, “they just can’t do the work.” Collegiate insistence on teaching the concept of white privilege backfires on the underlying motive of social justice by using race to mar-

ginalize the poor. As Cooley’s study demonstrates, it doesn’t uplift black people in poverty — it only degrades white people in poverty. Universities are deviating from their educational mission by teaching students to accept progressive narratives dogmatically rather than analyze them critically. Opposition, in turn, becomes unthinkable. The College Republicans, for example, had to field accusations of fascism and white supremacy for bringing Ben Shapiro — a conservative activist known for his criticism of identity politics — to the Charles B. Wang Center in 2016. Befitting my previous explanation for groupthink, students were unaccustomed to criticism of their progressive-influenced worldviews and reacted to it with hostility. Members of the general American public are losing confidence in higher learning, which a Gallup poll found to have declined from 57% in 2015 to 48% in 2018. Respondents to the poll — many of whom are Republicans — perceived that colleges promote a liberal political agenda rather than a balanced and unbiased educational environment. “To students who are in their first semester at school, I urge you not to accept unthinkingly what your campus administrators are telling you,” political scientist Samuel J. Abrams wrote in a New York Times article. “Their ideological imbalance, coupled with their agenda-setting power, threatens free speech and open exchange of ideas, which is precisely what we need to protect in higher education in these politically polarized times.” Universities play a crucial role in public life and cannot survive without public support. It is important that educational institutions reaffirm their role in fostering the mutual, intellectual discourse that makes an education and can be used to illuminate what makes a just society, if such can be done. Discourse, in turn, requires more than one participant.

No corrections were made to the last issue (Volume LXIII, Issue 12) of the paper. Readers can send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com regarding any errors made in articles.

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, November 25, 2019

Decriminalizing sex work empowers and protects workers' human rights By Fanni Frankl Staff Writer

Fanni Frankl is a sophomore journalism major and political science minor. In a society where sex workers often get discriminated against, the question of decriminalization of sex work should be highly considered. Sex workers often face violence in their field including physical, sexual and psychological violence. They have also been denied Airbnb accounts, got suspended from their PayPal accounts and even got banned from advertising their work. The Mann Act of 1910, the law that criminalized sex trafficking as well as consensual sex work, makes it difficult to regulate the number of people who have acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS). AIDS (caused by the sexually transmitted disease [STD], human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) weakens the body’s cellular immunity and can be terminal. Sex workers are also less inclined to go to clinics to treat STDs where sex work is illegal for fear of punishment and shame. AIDS has the chance to be significantly reduced once admitting sex work becomes legal and more acceptable. In essence, by decriminalizing sex work, the government has the opportunity to save lives by increasing medical attention to sex workers. According to a case in Rhode Island where sex work was legalized between 2003 and 2009,

MSMORNINGTON/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS VIA SA

Protestors at the Sex Workers Rights March in London in 2011. In the United States, the Mann Act of 1910 criminalized sex trafficking as well as consensual sex work. the number of rapes reported to police declined by a third. Additionally, the number of women infected with gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD), also declined by 39%. Women, Gender, and Sexualities Studies professor at Stony Brook University (SBU), Nancy Hiemstra, commented on the potential effects that decriminalizing has on sex workers. “It makes it much easier to go to clinics for the people that

feel comfortable coming forward for assistance,” Hiemstra said. “Sometimes these people are targeted if they are trying to get contraception or treatment for things like STDs. They don’t really have resources so they fear going out and getting them. Decriminalizing makes that help much more available.” The stigma behind sex work is a critical issue that can also limit sex workers from feeling confident and asking for help.

Lecturer in the Women, Gender, and Sexualities Studies Department at SBU, Cristina Khan, specializes in sex work research and voiced her belief that criminalizing sex work makes these workers “less inclined to come forward” because of the belief among the public that prostitution goes “against their morals.” Once it is decriminalized, sex workers can then “feel more empowered and be able to advocate for themselves.”

Social perception of sex work includes the thought that prostitution is a mark of disgrace and that it is against moral values. Sex workers have been often construed as “undesirable” and “disposable victims.” Newspapers, like The Age and The Herald Sun, identified Tracy Connelly, a murdered sex worker, as a prostitute in their headlines. Both articles spoke about the inherent danger of her work, including her understanding of this danger and her preference not to work in sex work. These social perceptions against sex work need to be addressed in order to create a more compassionate society that are concerned with the health and safety of sex workers instead of being among the causes of sex workers not coming out for help. Decriminalizing sex work would be the first step in addressing the discrimination that sex workers go through in society. Sex workers would then be less afraid to report crimes committed against them to the police, more comfortable going to see a health professional to treat sexually transmitted infections and diseases and be less likely to be denied purchase of goods or services for personal use, such as insurance. However, just decriminalizing sex work is not the only hurdle we have to overcome. Addressing the social stigma is also imperative to protect sex workers and make them feel more accepted in a society that has labeled them as “less than human.”

Dealing with Instagram's poor customer service was a nightmare By Anya Marquardt Staff Writer

Anya Marquardt is a freshman journalism major who has had her Instagram account hacked multiple times. Instagram is easily one of the most popular social media apps of this decade. As of June 2018, Instagram has 1 billion monthly users, compared to 130 million monthly users in June 2013. It is the second most-used app after Facebook, which bought Instagram in 2014. So you’d think since Instagram is serving quite a large population, you’d easily be able to get in contact with their customer service team. Unfortunately, it is quite the opposite. Two weeks ago, I had a very poor experience with Instagram’s customer service. I had to deal with their incorrigible service five times in just one week. Each time I reported a problem with my account, I was just sent an email to reset my password after verifying my account with my phone number. This nightmare only got worse this past Tuesday when my account refused my request to make a new password. It turns out that my email had also been hacked and, although I had my cell phone number listed as a verification, Instagram would not allow me to verify anything on my account. Instead, they only sent me a notification that stated there was a problem with my email when I tried to log in.

The app then redirected me to a page giving possible solutions to my problem, but none of them had anything to do with my situation. The closest solution it gave me was to reset my email password in order to establish a “secure connection” to the Instagram server. However, Instagram refused to recognize my account, and I was abruptly locked out of my account. I looked up Instagram’s customer service number, and when I called it, I came across an automated message stating that Instagram and Facebook no longer offered customer service. After hours of trying to fix my account, I was able to get back in after using an email from another Instagram account I have because the accounts were linked — which was something I had accidentally done months ago. But, what would have happened to people who weren’t as lucky? I thought that maybe I was one of the only people to experience this hacking problem; but after looking up some solutions online (which didn’t work), I saw that many others also have struggled with hacking issues — especially influencers. There was nobody to help them get into their account; for the number of users that both Facebook and Instagram serve, this is unacceptable. Online influencers have taken a major hit from these increasing Instagram hacks. Some hackers pose as businesses offering to sponsor a post for the influencer, in turn,

receiving the password of the influencer’s account. Sometimes, the hackers would just delete the account after receiving payment for “sponsoring” the influencer. Influencers, who use platforms like Instagram to promote themselves and gain revenue, often turn to secondary resources in order to get their accounts back, including other hackers. Some influencers have shelled out thousands of dollars to these “experts” to get their accounts back. Instagram’s “help” page lists only one solution for this problem: make a new account. For many influencers who make most of their money off their large number of followers, this isn’t much of an option if they want to continue their careers in the way that they originally started them.

Instagram also lists a support email, but responses are rare and scarce, with the few responses coming 24 hours to two months or more after the concern was sent in. They do not respond on any of their other social media accounts, which leads to no actual human interaction for support. A hacker algorithm discovered by Instagram in September 2019 was confirmed to be able to hack over 1,000 Instagram accounts per day. In light of this, Instagram still did nothing about their customer service problems, and hacking is still a continuous problem. As a long-time user of Instagram, I was understandably upset at the multiple hackings of my account, and being shut out of my account. I was concerned about losing personal information

or having photos posted without my knowledge. My frustration only grew when I realized that I had no way of receiving any help from the company, and was instead left with a link to a “Q&A” page. This is completely ridiculous, especially since the large increase in the number of Instagram users over the past few years has led to rising creativity levels in hackers. They have created everything from new algorithms and fake login emails to databases filled with usernames and passwords of unsuspecting Instagram users. Instagram needs to have an actual customer service line available to its users because their “help” pages don’t always provide the answers to account problems, which I unfortunately discovered.

SCREENSHOT OF HELP.INSTAGRAM.COM

Instagram’s help center for Privacy and Safety. The app is the second most-used after Facebook, which bought Instagram in 2014.

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, November 25, 2019

It’s time to give it up for Cyber Monday — and give up on Black Friday

By James Bowen Contributing Writer

James Bowen is a junior journalism major and Cyber Monday shopper. The glass doors are the ring, the customers are the bull and the employees pointing to the 50% off signs are the bullfighters waving their red flags. But instead of getting impaled by horns — it’s the heels of a stampede of customers that will deliver the killer blow — literally. Yet without fail, people will inexplicably be waiting outside of stores, like Walmart and BestBuy, every Black Friday to land a deal on the latest products. The “last one standing” mentality is a survival tactic which shoppers will use to get their hands on a limited supply of electronics, jewelry and other heavily-discounted items. The high demand for these items will most likely cause hysteria among shoppers, leading to physical confrontations, vandalism, shoplifting and the worst-case scenario — death. There have been 12 casualties and 117 injuries and counting associated with Black Friday since 2008. One of these instances included when a Long Island Walmart employee was trampled by 2,000 shoppers waiting outside the doors. While several deaths are attributable to parking lot brawls and vehicular manslaughter, shoppers have even used pepper spray. In 2011, a California woman maced people in an act of “competitive shopping” to get her son an Xbox. “This was consumer-versus-customer ‘shopping ACROSS 1. Water breather 5. Chooses 9. Possession 14. Feeling of the sore or sick 15. Winter wear 16. Rocky 17. Plans to stop other plans 20. Explosive 21. Score 22. An early version, abv. 23. Faded 24. Lounge or do nothing 26. Starter for many Mexican cities 27. One of three nations in 1984 31. Formal agreements 33. Big blubber bearers. 36. Name in jeans 37. “Brave __ World” 38. Relax 42. Mussolini, Stalin e.g. 47. “To __ own self be true…” -Hamlet 49. Yucked or guffawed 50. Garden tool 51. Prophetic warning 54. Sneaky 55. Times 57. Admiration 59. Aflame 62. Take from the rich, give to the poor! 65. Stream 66. Great lake can give you the chills 67. Info 68. Bono or Rollins’ first name 69. Common figures at BBQ's 70. The “O” in B.O DOWN 1. Objective object 2. Thing found on a phone screen 3. Close 4. It usually lays around a farm 5. One of three nations in 1984

rage,” Abel Parga, an LAPD officer, said. A study led by a group of Harvard and Uppsala researchers went into depth about how severe Black Friday injuries can become. They calculated the likelihood of surviving a stampede in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. “Even with the best intentions, people packed shoulder-to-shoulder don’t have full control of how they move. Random unexpected collisions between neighbors add up to serious collective effects” Jesse Silverberg, Ph.D. in physics, said. When people see the item, say an Xbox, at the end of the aisle, they lose control of their cognitive functions. Like a lab rat running through a maze, customers are programmed to do one thing, and one thing only — get their item. This mentality, multiplied by several hundred people in a crowded area, would make anyone claustrophobic. Only the bravest souls can shop on Black Friday, where everyone is an extroverted warrior. But on Cyber Monday, everyone can shop in peace. It’s quick, convenient and less redundant. Reading “out of stock” is much less heart wrenching than physically fighting for the item. While the supply is equally finite but abides by the “first come, first served” motto makes online shopping straightforward and “fair” for all. Invented in 2005, Cyber Monday has become more popular since the digitalization of shopping. In 2000, only 22% of

6. Harbor town 7. South Indian language 8. Court transcriber, abv. 9. Donkey, for one 10. The cool guy 11. Most regretting after the gym 12. Bowel cleansers 13. Fighter Mike 18. Rubbish 19. Open 23. An elk 25. American Aviation org. 27. Snakelike fish 28. Suffix for glob or mod 29. Give some gas 30. Frozen princess 32. Mass producing people? 34. __-Aviv city in Israel 35. Quaff 39. Feel sick and queasy 40. Mailing request (acronym) 41. Cease 43. Lennon’s love Yoko 44. Entice 45. Papers commonly found at college 46. Plastic shoelace ending 47. Bullfighter in Spain 48. Possible direction to face your problems 50. Some thyme and sage, e.g. 52. Messed up 53. Nigerian dollar 56. Pen or ten suffix 58. “Same as above”, in footnotes 59. Weight 60. Having enthusiasm for 61. Russian emperor, before WWI 63. Mr. Blue __ - ELO 64. Couple’s words at the altar

IAN MUTTO/FLICKR VIA CC BY 2.0

People walking outside of shops. There have been 12 casualties and 117 injuries that are associated with Black Friday shopping since 2008. Americans shopped online. In 2016, it increased to 79%. Now, in 2019, shoppers prefer to purchase their items on Cyber Monday, “as consumers shifted their purchasing channels online,” Ted Donath, vice president of Honey — an online coupon browser extension — told Business Insider. Cyber Monday had a 21% increase in shoppers, while Black Friday sales dropped to 18.5%. A survey found that 68% of BlackFriday.com users said they’ll be shopping online this year. But while Cyber Monday sales are on the rise, the demise of Black Friday is also falling into fruition. Black Friday shopping has declined by 7% from 2017 By Owen Lewars

to 2018. “It’s losing a lot of its emotional intensity,” Dr. Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University School of Law in California, said. “Blah Friday,” according to Yarrow, is expected to be overtaken by Cyber Monday in the next decade. But for people sitting on the fence, the question they should ask themselves is: Where can I spend my money and not get hurt in the process? The solution has been hiding in plain sight all along — on your phone, computer or anything with access to the internet. The chaos that ensues on Black Friday might not dis-

courage “bargain shoppers” who are aware of the risk that entails saving big on cameras, flat-screen TVs and other items. But for millions of digital age shoppers, the best alternative is to enjoy the remainder of their Thanksgiving weekend and save their shopping for the following Monday. By waiting until Monday to purchase their Christmas gifts, shoppers are protecting themselves from severe physical harm and burglaries. Whether a discount is 30% off the latest flat-screen television or $200 off a Jared necklace, no bargain is worth enduring bodily harm — whether it be with someone’s purse, mace or words.

The answer key will be shared next week.