Volume 94 Issue 7 by The Fordham Ram

Opinions PAGE 7

Culture PAGE 11

Sports PAGE 20

Frightening frequency of school shootings in the U.S.

Smoking on college campuses continues despite health risks.

Baseball goes 3-4 during spring break road trip.

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SERVING THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 90 YEARS

1918-2012

MARCH 21, 2012

VOLUME 94, ISSUE 7

Vigil and Rally Highlight Social Struggles on Campus OPINION: Police Dept. Profiling Muslim Students

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

In response to offensive vandalism found on campus, students gathered recently for a vigil and an off-campus rally.

By CONNOR RYAN & KELLY KULTYS NEWS EDITOR & ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

In solidarity with the quicklyformed group Collective of Concerned Students of Color and Antiracist Allies, dozens of students,

faculty and administrators gathered on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus last Thursday afternoon for a healing vigil. Later that day, many returned for the off-campus based “End the Silence Rally” to protest recent incidents of racism and homophobia at Fordham. “We have organized this vigil for

healing, not as a cure for racism , as some have unmindfully implied,” Anthony Gatti, FCRH ’14 and a member of Concerned Students, said at the beginning of the vigil. “Instead, this is a space where students, faculty and administrators have come together to provide a physical manifestation of support,

acceptance and love.” The vigil took place on the lawn near the McGinley Center. Green ribbons were distributed to those gathered on the lawn prior to the vigil. They displayed the ribbons to illustrate a “physical manifestation” of the thesis of the day: “end[ing] the silence” and promoting a hate-free campus. As Fr. Philip Florio, S.J., director of Campus Ministry, prepared to offer an opening prayer, he encouraged the community gathered to reflect and turn to the power of prayer. “I’m going to challenge this community in this moment of darkness,” Fr. Florio said. “We have to pray for those whose hearts continue to be hardened and to be darkened by hate and injustice and all of those qualities that make a Jesuit, Catholic university what it’s not supposed to be: dark and hateful.” Rachel Jones, FCRH ’12, was the first of several students to stand behind the microphone and deliver a personal testimony based on

ting more confidence at the plate.” Orchard was proven right in the next game, as Fordham took care of fellow Atlantic 10 member George Washington, winning 4-0. This time, the shutout came from freshman Michele Daubman, who also recorded her first collegiate win in the effort. After Daubman worked out of trouble in the first, Fordham gave the freshman an early lead, scoring one run on a grounder hit by sophomore Gabby Luety.

While the United States military diligently searches for terrorists in the rugged mountains separating Afghanistan and Pakistan, the New York Police Department is conducting its own search for potential terrorists in an only slightly less menacing location: colleges of the Northeast. The revelation that the NYPD has been infiltrating and spying on Muslim student groups at 16 colleges, including Yale, Rutgers and the University of Pennsylvania, is part of a long-running investigation by the Associated Press, which has reported widespread monitoring of Muslim businesses, mosques and Muslim students on college campuses. Since the Twin Towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001, the NYPD has swiftly emerged at the forefront of aggressive domestic intelligence agencies. The so-called “Demographics Unit,” a secret squad which deploys plainclothes officers (typically of Arab descent) into Muslim neighborhoods, has been used to compile a catalog of everywhere that Muslims meet, including restaurants, grocery stores, Internet cafes, travel agencies and mosques. The undercover officers spied within businesses and filed daily reports both on the ethnicities of the owners and clientele and on the conversations they “overheard.” Individuals, businesses and groups were not monitored on the basis of criminal activity, but merely because they were Muslim-affiliated. The Demographics Unit also sometimes operated outside of New York City limits, and thus outside of its jurisdiction. Muslim student organizations in colleges throughout the Northeast were infiltrated by the NYPD and Muslim student groups’ websites were the subject of scrutiny and documentation. Names of students with absolutely no ties or allegations to criminal wrongdoing were included in police files. The NYPD also kept files on Muslim New Yorkers who changed their names to sound more stereotypically American, as well as those who changed to new, more Arab names. Mosquegoers were subject to monitoring

SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 20, SPORTS

SEE NYPD ON PAGE 9, OPINIONS

SEE VIGIL ON PAGE 2 , NEWS

Stadium Opener Proves to Be Lucky for Rams

Senior pitcher Jen Mineau throws no-hitter in Rams’ 8-0 victory over St. John’s Red Storm at Bahoshy Park on Tuesday By MATT ROSENFELD ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham softball team made progress in getting back to .500, going 4-1 in the James Madison University Days Inn Invitational and defeating St. John’s at the opening of the newly-renovated Bahoshy Park on Tuesday, upping its overall record to 12-14. The park includes new dugouts, a new grandstand with a press box and a brand new infield. To celebrate the opening, free hot dogs and popcorn were given out. Former Fordham softball player Lisa Barczak Smith, FCRH ’89, was also on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. St. John’s was the opponent in the park’s first game. The last time St. John’s visited the Bronx, in 2010, Fordham won 3-0 in ten innings. In last year’s game, the Rams beat the Johnnies again by a score of 5-4. Tuesday proved to be another successful outing for the Rams against St. John’s. Senior pitcher Jen Mineau pitched a six-inning no-hitter, the eighth of her career, allowing only two base runners in the third in an 8-0 Fordham drubbing. Sophomore Gabby Luety led a Fordham power attack with two of the team’s four home runs. Other home runs came from senior Jaime Labovick and freshman Paige Ortiz. During the previous week, Fordham’s first day of competition in the JMU Days Inn Invitational was a day of pitching for the Rams. In the

team’s first game, Fordham faced off against the Pittsburgh University Panthers. Senior Jen Mineau took the mound for the Rams and threw two hitless innings while Fordham struggled offensively. In the third inning, Pitt led off with a solo home run, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead. That would be the only hit Mineau gave up all day. Offensively, Fordham continued to struggle. Although freshman infielder Paige Ortiz performed well for the Rams, with two of Fordham’s three hits, Fordham could not plate one across in any of the three instances with runners in scoring position. In the seventh, still down 1-0, Fordham threatened Pitt with a single followed by a Panthers’ error that landed runners on first and second with one out, but a subsequent fielder’s choice and fly out ended the game as Fordham took the 1-0 loss. “We didn’t hit too well in the first game,” Coach Bridget Orchard said. “We did have some hits right at people, and we put the ball in play, we just weren’t able to produce a run, which is unfortunate since Jen [Mineau] pitched so well.” The second game pitted Fordham against the host team James Madison University. Freshman Taylor Pirone was on the mound and pitched a shutout, as the Rams took the game 5-0. The Rams’ bats came alive in the second game. In the second inning, a sacrifice fly from junior infielder

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Pitcher Jen Mineau (center) high-fives teammates after a successful game.

Chelsea Palumbo gave the Rams a 1-0 lead. The game was broken open in the fourth when three walks loaded the bases to start the inning, allowing Palumbo to pick up her second RBI of the game. Sophomore infielder Elise Fortier doubled to clear the bases, giving Fordham a 5-0 lead that it would carry to the end of the game. “It was nice to get the bats going,” Orchard said. “I knew once we started hitting it would be contagious, and the girls would start get-

By CANTON WINER ASSISTANT OPINONS EDITOR

NEWS

PAGE 2 • THE RAM • MARCH 21, 2012

SECURITY

BRIEFS

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Fordham Community Ends Silence in Vigil

Feb. 26, Belmont 12:15 a.m.

On March 19, a student reported an altercation that happened on Feb. 26. The student attended an unknown off-campus party where a fight occurred. The fight spilled out onto Belmont street, and the student suffered a black eye. The health center treated his injury a few days later. No police report was filed, and security is currently investigating the incident.

PHOTO BY KATE DOHERTY/THE RAM

Students gather on Edward’s Parade as they prepare to march off-campus and show their support for the “End the Silence” rally on March 8.

March 7, Ziggy’s Bar 3:15 a.m.

A student at Ziggy’s Bar attempted to help his friend who was involved in an altercation. The student was pushed to the ground and suffered a laceration above his right eye. FUEMS responded, and no police report was filed.

March 8, Walsh Hall 5:30 p.m. Four students got stuck in the Walsh Hall elevator for approximately 30 minutes. The elevator company responded quickly and helped to free the students. The students suffered no injuries, and the elevator was repaired succesfully.

March 16, Third Ave Gate 12:10 a.m.

A security guard reported that a car drove up by the Third Avenue Gate security booth at a red light. The driver menaced the security guard with a weapon and drove away when the light turned green. NYPD responded, and the secuirty guard was not injured. A security alert was sent to students.

VIGIL, FROM PAGE 1

how the recent bias incidents have hurt. Some students recited letters, poems and quotations, while others chose to speak through a testimony. The focus of Jones’s statement was getting back to the roots of what it means to be a Jesuit institution that fosters "men and women for and with others." "I still believe in Fordham," Jones said. "I haven't let this, these acts of hate, taint my love for Fordham. I still believe in the Fordham [as an institution that I] can send my children to, and I need all of us to work towards that actively and to really carry out the tradition that Fordham was born out of." A few hours later, at 6 p.m., hundreds of students gathered on Edward's Parade for the "End the Silence” rally. The rally was held to speak for those who think they do not have a voice and respond to the University's reaction to the recent discriminatory acts portrayed on campus. The students aimed to fight racism, sexism, homophobia and all other types of discrimination, according to students present there. Chants of "we are the students, the mighty, mighty students, fighting for justice and to the end the silence" echoed as the group began its march from Eddie's to Fordham Plaza. The lively crowd made its voice heard with enthusiastic cries of "No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!" and

A student was stuck in the elevator for 20 minutes before being released by the elevator company’s technician. The elevator was repaired and put back in service.

— Compiled by Kelly Kultys, Assistant News Editor

"For four years of my life, from 2007 to 2011 and on to the present, that I've woken up every morning to strive to do better," Sterling said at the rally. "I am asking our administration to do better. Every student here wakes up and does better. We should require the administration to do the same." After Sterling spoke, many other students took turns at "mic checks" to address to the crowd and the media. Most spoke without identifying themselves. Some students called out for better relations with the Bronx community, asking Fordham students to improve their own attitudes before asking others to change. "When at our school a pejorative thing to say is that someone is a local, what message does that send?" a student asked at the rally. "How are we to call ourselves a part of the beautiful Bronx if we despise the people who live here?" "Fordham will never do better if the students do not stand united," another student said at the rally. "Keep this love going. We will stand together. We will help Fordham get stronger." "When I first told my friends about what happened, I was surprised to hear that they were not surprised," said another student to the crowd. "Everyone should be surprised when hatred is allowed to go unchecked. We should not allow this at our school or any school."

Popular Author Speaks About Experiences By EDDIE MIKUS

March 19, Campbell Hall 4:40 p.m.

"They tell us to ‘get back;' we say ‘fight back'!" The students made their way to Fordham Plaza where members of the media and more supporters joined the group. The group told the media that all of their voices were equal and that no one person was in charge. Patrice Edwards, FCRH ’12, listed many of the group's demands as she mentioned ways Fordham can combat and prevent discriminatory acts and words. The demands included more dialogue at New Student Orientation and in the classroom. They also included increasing recruitment not just abroad but domestically, especially in the Bronx community, expanding the Office of Multicultural Affairs, having a more diverse administration and sponsoring a diversity weekend. Several speakers came out to show their support for the students, including a representative from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who endorsed the Fordham movement and said that the NAACP is glad Fordham students are taking a stand against discrimination. Alumni also took part. Johanne Sterling, FCRH ’11, spoke out vehemently at the rally against the administration's handling of the recent incidents of racism and homophobia. She mentioned that she was attracted to Fordham because of its statement of "magis" or "doing better."

STAFF WRITER

Mary Higgins Clark, FCLC ’79, author of 31 suspense novels visited Professor Mary Bly’s “Genre Fiction: Theory and Practice” class as a guest lecturer for the students on March 7. She will soon be releasing her latest book, entitled The Lost Years (2012). The visit was part of a weekly program where authors of different genres host talks in Professor Bly’s class. The authors are generally chosen to reflect whatever genre Bly and her class are studying during a particular week.

According to an article published on Fordham’s website, Clark talked about her experiences as a writer. Specifically, she mentioned that storytelling was a natural ability for her, and was even quoted as saying, “I can’t sing or dance, but I can tell a story. It’s my one gift.” Clark also spoke about how her career had been affected by adversity. For example, the article stated that her first short story was only published after “six years and 40 rejection letters.” Clark discussed the topic where she gets inspiration for new stories. She told the students, “Go

to trials for wonderful observations.” Clark also mentioned how technology is changing the way people read. “There’ll always be books, but the Internet is nibbling at the way we read,” Clark said in the article. “I’m glad I was there in the heyday.” Fordham University president Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., Fordham College at Lincoln Center Dean Robert Grimes and Fordham Trustee John Kehoe escorted Clark to the assembly. Clark graduated summa cum laude from Fordham College at Lincoln Center in 1979.

Students also stated that they believe the administration thinks this movement will die off and is not taking the students seriously. "That means we need to make this love last,” a student said at the rally. “They're expecting it to go away over Spring Break. That won't happen." After the students spoke, they began their march back to Eddie's, this time through campus, where they reconvened to de-brief the rally and decide what to do next. "From here on out, every day after Spring Break, every day in our Fordham community, every day in our Bronx community, every day in this world, we will show love, and we will fight back to all those who hate," a student said at the rally. A similar vigil was held at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, also on Thursday.

THIS

week at FORDHAM Thurs., March 22 Call to Unity University Church 5:30 p.m. Thurs., March 22 Theatrical Outreach Program Aristophanes’ The Frogs Flom Auditorium 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Fri., March 23 Harry Potter SceneIt! C.S. A. Ramskellar, 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 24 Greek Night Fordham Hellenic Society McGinley Center Ballroom 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. Mon., March 26 Lenten Day of Reconciliation University Church 12 p.m.- 3 p.m. Our Lady’s Chapel 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Mon., March 26 Fordham’s Biggest Pong Tournament SAAC O’Keefe Commons 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tues., March 27 Murder Mystery Dinner C.S.A. McGinley Ballroom 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

NEWS

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MARCH 21 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 3

College Republicans, Democrats Square Off

PHOTO BY DAVID BIRKDALE/THE RAM

College Democrat, Eric Mullery (left), and College Republican, Vikram Bhatia (right), faced off in a heated political debate, which was moderated by Dr. Monika McDermott (middle).

By TAYLOR ENGDAHL COPY CHIEF

Anyone passing Flom Auditorium on Thursday, March 1, might have been concerned to hear shouts coming from behind its closed doors. Upon investigating, however, he or she would have realized that the commotion was only the semester’s first debate between the College Democrats and the College Republicans, which took place from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event was divided into four short installments, each consisting of an introductory statement, an open exchange between the two debaters, a question-and-answer period and a closing statement. Dr. Monika McDermott of the political science department moderated the debate. The proposed expansion to the Keystone Pipeline was the first issue on the table, debated by the newlyelected President of the College Democrats, D.J. Ryan, FCRH ’13, and College Republicans member Will Marcley, GSB ’13. The Pipeline runs from Canada to Texas, transporting oil to U.S. refin-

eries, and President Barack Obama recently urged the Senate to halt the line’s expansion. Marcley argued in favor of expanding the Pipeline, saying that it would stimulate the economy by creating jobs, while Ryan argued against it, pointing out that most of the oil is not intended for U.S. markets. The Buffett Rule, which would require millionaires to pay an income tax of 30 percent, was debated next by Eric Mullery, FCRH ’14, a member of the College Democrats, and Vikram Bhatia, FCRH ’14, treasurer of the College Republicans. In his opening statement, Bhatia called on the U.S. government to reform the tax code as a whole, rather than increasing the burden on the rich by modifying a single part of it. Mullery, on the other hand, proposed that those who have succeeded in the U.S. should rightfully give back to the country by paying more taxes. Bhatia commented on the importance of this particular issue in an interview with The Ram. “It’s about the Buffett rule, like I said, but I think it’s really about tax reform in general,” Bhatia said. “How do we want to tax people:

rich people, other people. I think that Washington folks like to have a looser tax code that doesn’t make any sense to anyone except them, so that they can manipulate it and help them win elections.” The next debate handled what was arguably the most controversial topic: contraception and the Catholic Church. This issue has been discussed at length on campus, due to Obama’s recent mandate requiring religious institutions to offer its employees health-care plans that cover birth control. Bryan Matis, GSB ’12, a member of the College Democrats, and Rebecca Downs, FCRH ’13, secretary of the College Republicans, debated the topic. While Downs labeled this mandate as unconstitutional, her opponent insisted otherwise, since the insurance companies, not the religious institutions, are paying for the birth control. The final debate of the night allowed the debaters a bit more creativity in their arguments, as they were asked to name the best president from the post-civil war era. D.J. Ryan again stepped up to debate for the College Democrats against the College Republicans’ Debate Chair-

man, T.W. Arrighi, GSB ’12. Ryan chose Franklin D. Roosevelt for his success in pulling the United States out of the Great Depression with numerous programs, known collectively as the “New Deal.” Arrighi, on the other hand, argued for “cool Calvin Coolidge,” who oversaw the economic boom of the roaring ’20s during his presidency. On the whole, the debaters remained quite civil, although there were a few heated moments; during his time at the podium, Arrighi made the comment that “to be a Republican is to think in numbers and to think in reality,” which prompted a great deal of grumbling from the gathered Democrats. Ryan, however, had good things to say about the relationship between the two clubs. “I’m living with a College Republican next year, so we actually have good bipartisan dialogues,” Ryan said in an interview. The College Democrats and Republicans try to hold two debates a semester, and hope to host a second debate later in the spring. Both clubs also bring political speakers to campus. “In a few weeks, we have Con-

gressman Joe Crowley coming to speak for us, and we have people from the Obama campaign coming, and from the Democratic Lawyers Counsel,” Ryan said. Bhatia listed some of the speakers hosted by the College Republicans in the past. “Last semester, we had John Stossel, and the semester before that we had Karl Rove,” Bhatia said. “We’ve had Newt Gingrich[…]we try to bring in a high profile person once a semester. This semester we weren’t able to do that because the budget committee didn’t have enough money, but we potentially could bring someone in anyway. I can’t talk about that because it hasn’t been approved by the University, but there could be a major speaker this semester by the College Republicans.” What else is on the horizon for the College Republicans? Perhaps a presidential campaign of their own. “I’m an economics major, so I’m hoping to translate that into something with business, but then I will be launching a campaign in 2028 to become the president of the United States,” Bhatia said. “You should vote for me.”

Record Number Gathered To March In New York Parade By CONNOR RYAN NEWS EDITOR

Fordham alumni, current students and faculty, along with friends and family members of the University community, formed a group of over 1,000 people early Saturday afternoon as they prepared to march behind Fordham’s banner in New York City’s 251st annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, according to the Office of Alumni Relations. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, led Fordham’s delegation alongside esteemed alumni: Mary Higgins Clark, FCLC ’79, who recently spoke to students at Lincoln Center (see page 2), and retired General John M. Keane, CBA ’66 and former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. Michael Trerotola, GSB ’10 and a Fordham alumni relations officer, noted in an e-mail that this was the “largest contingent of Fordham representation” the school has ever had at the parade.

Fordham Notes, a blog from Fordham’s news and media relations bureau, attributed the recordbreaking number of marchers, which filled two city blocks, to the day’s “accommodating” weather. The New York Post reported that temperatures on March 17 hit 64 degrees and as many as three million spectators gathered to fill the sidewalks, put on green and celebrate the holiday in New York City. This year’s parade was dedicated to America’s veterans. “It was an excellent opportunity for all to celebrate not only the Irish heritage in New York City, but for us to honor our Fordham veterans,” Trerotola said. Many veterans with ties to Fordham were invited to march at the front of the parade with other honorees. A wide variety of connections to Fordham was showcased on Saturday. Alumni from a balanced mix of graduation classes decided this would be the year to put on a maroon sash and represent their alma

COURTESY OF FORDHAM NOTES

Over 1,000 people came together on Saturday afternoon to represent Fordham in New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.

mater. Among the alumni gathered was Katie Moore, FCRH ’11, who said that the parade provided her with the greatest sense of unity since her graduation from Fordham last spring. “I felt a sense of pride marching up Fifth [Avenue] with Fordham,” Moore said via digital message. “It was a large and mixed group of alumni, students and families.”

Moore said that while it was the first time she marched in the parade with Fordham, she plans on continuing the tradition for years to come. Ann Pierret, FCRH ’14, who was watching the parade from the crowded sidelines, felt a similar sense of school spirit “The best part [of the parade] was definitely watching Fordham,” Pierret said via digital message.

“We went crazy; we were so excited. It seemed like everyone was happy to have our support.” Fordham was among many New York-based colleges represented in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. Various alumni societies of New York marched for schools housed outside of the Greater New York area, including the University of Notre Dame and Providence College.

NEWS

PAGE 4 • THE RAM • MARCH 21, 2012

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USG Works to Extend Hours McShane Speaks at By KELLY KULTYS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Over the past few months, Fordham’s United Student Government, under the leadership of President Caitlin Meyer, FCRH ’12, has been working in collaboration with other student organizations on campus to extend hours in two of the places students frequent the most — the library and the cafeteria. Currently, the Walsh Library is open from 8:30 a.m until 12 a.m Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. until 12 a.m. on Sunday. The library also keeps a select area open longer, until 2 a.m., as a late-night zone. “I met with Dr. McCabe, the current library director, about why the library hours are what they are and if there were plans to extend the operating hours,” Meyer said. “He said he had no current plans to extend the hours, so I brought that information to the Residence Halls Association, Campus Activities Board and Commuter Students Association. We formed a group of about 10 students for the library initiative team.” The library initiative team’s main goals include keeping the Walsh Library open later on Fridays nights, opening the library earlier on Sundays and having larger late-night zones. The library initiative team’s

first step was to collect peeraspirant data from other schools similar to Fordham, including Jesuit universities like Georgetown University and Boston College. “Out of all the schools we gathered information from, we found out that Walsh Library closes earlier on Friday and opens later on Sunday,” Meyer said. “We also discovered that our latenight zone currently seats approximately 150 students. Other schools keep entire floors open later.” Recently, the leaders of USG, CSA and RHA presented this information to Dr. McCabe, but since he is retiring, McCabe recommended that the leaders bring this information to the Office of the Provost in the hopes of persuading them to extend Fordham’s hours. “We contacted the Provost,” Meyer said. “The earliest available appointment was April 3, so we took that one.” The main problem with extending the library’s hours is that Fordham needs to have security in the library at all times, so keeping the library open longer will cost the school more money. “When we go to the Office of the Provost, we will be asking for at least extended hours on Friday, earlier hours on Sunday and an expanded late-night zone,” Meyer said. USG is also working in collaboration with other student groups to extend the cafeteria’s hours. Currently, the cafeteria is

open from 7:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. during the week and from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on the weekends. Students have often voiced their complaints about the limited hours, especially on the weekends, when some students would like to have breakfast before 11 a.m. The problem with extending the cafeteria hours is, again, the staffing and the money. Currently, the workers are under contract for shifts during the existing hours. Extending the cafeteria hours would require workers to restructure their contracts. Since Sodexo, an outside organization, controls the workers’ contracts, USG has had to work with them as well as with the University. “I recently met with Brian Poteat, the general manager of hospitality services, about extending the cafeteria and food retail hours,” Meyer said. “He was very excited to announce that there are plans in place to extend hours in the food places around campus.” These plans, especially the “when and where,” will be announced in a formal statement from the University by the end of the term. They are currently finalizing the last parts of the extension, which includes working on budgetary and staffing issues. “We’ve been working for awhile with RHA, student athletes and of course, SCC, the Student Culinary Council, so we’re really excited about these plans,” Meyer said.

First ACT Meeting

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, spoke on March 7 to gathered students, faculty and administrators at the first Fordham Achieving Conciousness Together (ACT) meeting. The group’s genesis came in response to offensive vandalism found on both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. McShane said that Fordham must be a community of “mutual respect bound by ties of real affection and love.”A message of empowerment and unity was communicated at the conclusion of McShane’s brief statement. — Connor Ryan, News Editor

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PAGE 7

American School Shootings Are Preventable By DECLAN MURPHY STAFF WRITER

The recent tragedy in Chardon, Ohio in which a high school student shot and killed three of his classmates highlights a seemingly recurring trend: School shootings appear to have become more and more frequent in our society. In light of the number of students killed recently, we should seriously question as a society why our nation leads the world in the number of school shootings. Some would instantly point to bullying and the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook, by teens in order to ostracize and humiliate their peers through the Internet. “We need more programs targeting bullying in schools, especially with the problems that arise in high school and the first years of college,” Michael Kavanagh, FCRH ’13, said. However, we must also remember that the Columbine shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were not motivated by seeking revenge for bullying. The pair planned the killings with great detail and hoped to accomplish an atrocity greater than the Oklahoma City bombing. The Columbine shooters had a terrorist or mass-murderer mentality, and their slaughter was aimed at students and teachers but was not motivated by resentment of these particular people. We have also ignored the warning signs of mentally-ill shooters whose violence on school campuses could have been avoided if necessary steps of precaution were taken. The Virginia Tech shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, exhibited many symptoms of mental illness that were ignored by

COURTESY OF INDEPENDENTMAIL.COM

Three students were killed during the shooting at Chardon High School in northeast Ohio on Feb. 27 of this year.

one teacher, who failed to report his strange, threatening behavior. Jared Loughner, who shot and critically injured Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, was also a person who displayed signs of his mental instability. Many of his friends knew all too well about his extreme views against the government and his obvious paranoia, and they feared that one day he would act on his beliefs. There should be greater installation and practice of drills and procedures in schools and universities in order to prepare for a shooting situation. This past week, the families of two victims of the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings received $4 million each in a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that Virginia Tech officials were negligent, taking too long to notify the campus that a gunman was on the loose. Due to recent

improvements in policies and drills meant to respond to such tragedies; however, the high school in Chardon was able to lock down the campus and protect many other students from harm. Another issue that needs to be addressed is the proliferation of extremely violent media in our society. This has been a concern for many who blame violent media content for terrible crimes such as the Columbine or Virginia Tech shootings. Recently, the content of some video games, such as Grand Theft Auto IV, has come under fire, and there has been public pressure by criminal prosecutors and parents to ban certain games, calling for stricter regulations. The argument behind this is that gory video games and movies can trigger angry, unstable people, or those already predisposed toward

violence, to commit heinous crimes. Some prosecutors have openly expressed their disapproval of violent video games. Seeing bloodshed performed so casually by our society’s role models in movies and television shows can also lead adolescents to think that it is perfectly acceptable behavior. Finally, in order to tackle the question of why America leads the world in school shootings, we must look at our laws regarding gun control and education. All other factors considered, it comes down to a student’s ability to possess a gun and use it to kill other classmates. If students could not bring guns to school, we would not have Columbine, Virginia Tech or Chardon, Ohio. The president of Washington Ceasefire, a gun prohibition organization, has been quoted saying that although school

shootings can happen anywhere, they are more likely to happen if there are guns in the home. Three of the four guns used by the Columbine killers were purchased at a gun show by a friend who was not subjected to a background check. The matter of stricter gun laws has been a heated debate in past years, but has recently subsided due to strong support for the Second Amendment and a recent Supreme Court case that upheld a person’s right to own a handgun for self-defense. Gun education is also paramount in the challenge of preventing school shootings. More awareness about guns and their dangers must be present in school-implemented programs that teach gun safety and awareness outside of the home. If students are taught early on that guns are not to be played with or used as a means for violence, peers and parents can help combat the school shooting problem head-on. Gun education would make school shootings a topic of open discussion, creating a new set of norms and values for teens, which would help discourage them from performing such violent actions. “If I were going to focus on education, it would be on parents and teachers. Parents and educators should know what to look for and be required to alert law enforcement. Not school administrators, social workers, or psychiatric professionals, but law enforcement,” Kerry Sweet, professor of sociology and head of the Legal Bureau of the NYPD, said. Declan Murphy, FCRH ’13, is a political science major from Parkland, Fla.

Liberalization of College Students Is a Fabrication By RORY MASTERSON OPINIONS EDITOR

There is a quote most often attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, but also possibly taken from another British prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli: “If you are young and not liberal, then you have no heart; but if you are old and not conservative, then you have no brain.” On Feb. 25, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum called President Barack Obama a “snob” for wanting everyone in America to go to college or to receive some form of higher education. Santorum went on to say that there are many decent, hardworking people in this country who did not acquire skills from colleges and universities, which he referred to as “indoctrination mills” for godless liberalism. While many professors of higher education do tend to lean left and take a practical reason approach over a strictly religious one, it is hard to say with any certainty that the act of simply going to college makes a person more liberal. “If a young adult’s political leanings are so easily swayed by a few professors, then they probably had not thought too much about their stance previously,” Ray McCreavy, FCRH ’12, said.

While it is the case that young people are impressionable, it is probably not the case that basic teachings can change the indoctrination of 18 previous years growing up away from college. “I think naturally going to college makes you more liberal, because you are in a culture of people who tend to be in a more experimental part of their lives,” Krissy Buongiorno, FCRH ’14, said. That much is true. College students experiment more than just about any other sector of the population, simply because they have the means to do so. Newfound exposure to the outside world may certainly increase the chances of changing a person’s way of thinking, but to completely erase an upbringing and replace it with a professor’s personal ethos concerning religion or politics seems wholly unreasonable. “College generally affords students an opportunity to experience things that are outside their traditional comfort zones,” Kevin Price, FCRH ’12, said. “It does encourage progressive thought, but it’s also true that some find the (college) experience negative and react in a conservative way.” The average college student today is generally open-minded about a lot

of things and willing to think in ways that may not have been possible previously, depending on his or her social situation at home. Not everyone reacts to such open-mindedness in the same way, however. It can scare students into regressing to what they felt was the correct mindset in high school.

In fact, a recent New York Times article detailing this very subject noted a study that showed a curious statistic: People who avoid higher education, whether two- or four-year colleges, are more likely to drop their religious affiliations. While statistics show that curriculums do tend to place a higher

emphasis on values associated with liberalism, it does not seem to be enough to change a person. Maybe that is just the heartless, mindless perspective of college graduates who thought before it was necessary. Rory Masterson, GSB ’14, is a business administration major from Fort Mill, SC.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Despite popular belief, studies have shown that going to college does not necessarily make students more liberal.

OPINIONS

PAGE 8 • THE RAM • MARCH 21, 2012

The Ram Serving campus and community since 1918. The Ram is the University journal of record. The mission of The Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of 12,000. The Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

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Editor-in-Chief Connie Kim Managing Editor Olivia Monaco Executive Editors Sarah Ramirez Emily Arata Business Editor Lindsay Lersner News Editor Connor Ryan Assistant News Editors Karen Hill Kelly Kultys Opinions Editor Rory Masterson Assistant Opinions Editors Ricky Bordelon Canton Winer Culture Editor Scharon Harding Assistant Culture Editor Devon Sheridan Sports Editors Chester Baker Dan Gartland Assistant Sports Editor Matt Rosenfeld Copy Chief Taylor Engdahl Copy Team Anisa Arsenault Jenn Boland Nikos Buse Isabella Fante Katrina Feldkamp Ava Gagliardi Deirdre Hynes Stephanie Kawalski Chris Kennedy Celeste Kmiotek Brian Kraker Cathy Landry Tom Merante Meghan Mulvehill Katie Nolan Anna Romagnoli Photo Editor Michael Rezin Design Editor Elizabeth Mallozzi Web Editor Anne Couture Assistant Web Editors Francesca Arturi Daley Quinn Faculty Advisor Dr. Beth Knobel Opinions Policy The Ram appreciates submissions that are typed and saved on a disk in *.rtf, *.txt or *.doc formats, or sent to the staff via e-mail at fordhamramletters@gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Ram and will not be returned. The Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

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From the Desk of Anne Couture, Web Editor Human beings are generally pretty easy to figure out. The things that make us happy are fairly predictable. For example, I am not above telling you I find contentment in eating raw cookie dough in just my underwear and bra (though you should probably keep that fact a secret from my roommates and my mom). The reason I can so freely open up to doing that is because you have done it too. Another one of my happiest moments involved an outing to Mugz’s. Following the visit, I woke up in my bed to the voices of those closest to me. They were contemplating what I had just done; I had thrown water, three times, on my best friend and roommate. She was concerned I was angry at her, but she was not angry at me. Once you can get to that level with a person, I believe you are golden. Needless to say, I was not mad at her, and she knew this because the moment I opened my eyes, I could not stop laughing. We all have a similar funny story here at Fordham. Of course, there are moments we think are private and hidden away

from prying eyes. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can feel the wind pass over me, leaving light kisses and the breeze is cool and light — right off of the ocean. I am sitting in California at my grandparents’, and the house is silent except for the wind chimes that ring in their own musical composition. It is a moment of complete solitude that you do not mind because you are finally alone and can choose to think of everything or nothing at all. My passion is music, and while that may be different from your passion, we both may notice intricate things about our chosen loves, or could talk for hours about them. Sometimes, I am sitting in my car, and it is raining. This drone whirls with the clicking of my turn signal, which creates the off-beat to my windshield wipers. Of course, this pattern creates dissonance with the car in front of me, and the whole notes are represented by the red light that never seems to change but commands my attention. Then, I tap my left foot in time with Taylor Swift’s

country twang, and I have made a melody no one else can quite understand. I am not alone in my borderline obsession to detail because you know you do it too. I feel I might not be connecting to those of you who are male. Here is food for thought: Remember that time you went to the gym and really should not have been bench pressing that weight, but you did anyway because everyone around you was twice your size or at least liable to beat you in an alley fight? Yeah, I have been there too. You probably have looked into one of the many mirrors that line the gym and have thought, “Man, I look like a little boy!” Yup, you probably do, but I do too, so it is okay. To those of you who are the big guys in the gym, I drink the same weight-gaining shake you do. You probably leave out the big cylinder container near your bed when you bring a girl home. I hide mine from my boyfriend, but I casually remind him of its existence. Yes, it is something of which you can be proud, but don’t get too caught up

in your own happiness because a 5-foot-5-inch half Asian girl knows your tricks. Here is something to mull over: Most of us are average. That is the very definition of average. In the bell curve of the human population, I am willing to bet that you land right in the center, which means most of us have done similar things to what you just did and are now freaking out about, and most of us appreciate the same bits of kindness and happiness that you do, even if you cannot seem to fathom it. So, go on, keep licking your spoon of cookie batter. I will join you just as soon as I finish writing this. P.S., I am not sitting at my desk. Take that as you will.

EDITORIAL: Campus Communication Is Key We grow up hearing that the key to any healthy relationship is communication. It is difficult not to notice a trend amongst the departments at our University that often seems to end in miscommunication. We understand that communication between departments is not the easiest thing, but we do hope they are making an effort to be on the same page with each other. Sometimes, miscommunications ends in inconveniences, like when Banner services go down around the time students are filling out online housing applications. In other instances, a lack of communication leads to stalemates. This is the case with the English department’s boycott of the campus bookstore. Without the support of other academic departments, no progress has been made. Students run into numerous issues navigating the Financial Aid, Student Employment and Payroll departments every billing period.

Unfortunately, however, some miscommunications will affect students’ quality of life at Fordham. This especially rings true, we believe, in the cases of international students, as well as others who travel great distances to attend school here in New York. We applaud the Office of Admissions for actively recruiting students from diverse backgrounds, whether these differences are geographic or ethnic. We believe this effort adds richness to our academic and student life at Fordham by fostering an environment for different viewpoints to be expressed. It is especially in agreement with our University’s goals, which aim to prepare students for today’s “multicultural and multinational society.” As the University moves away from its former identity as a “suitcase school,” diversity and acceptance are crucial to Fordham’s role as an educational institution in New York City. It is a disservice to students from

outside the tri-state area, who the University so actively pursues, to not have adequate resources once they arrive on campus. While these circumstances are slowly starting to change, thanks to the work of United Student Government and other oncampus organizations like International Community, there is always more to be done. As Admissions continues to rev up its recruiting, departments such as Residential Life and Academic Affairs need to be notified so that necessary changes can be made to better serve the changing student body. A reminder that these changes have failed to take place happens every time the residential halls close for break. The “breakstay” policy hurts those whose homes are not nearby, especially those from other countries. During shorter, weeklong breaks, it forces students to stay elsewhere. While there is the option to stay in some residential halls, it is unlikely most underclassmen know an upperclassman or off-campus

resident with whom they could stay. The breakstay policy even causes complications for many Universitysponsored activities, such as ¡GO! projects, since many groups depart or return to campus while residential halls are still closed, forcing participants to find a place to stay off-campus for a night. Aside from this inconvenience, a night in a New York City hotel room can cost students hundreds of dollars (usually on top of airfare). This is not to say that ResLife should shoulder the responsibility in this situation — the Office of Security and Hospitality Services would also need to be involved if something is to change. It does, however, illustrate how departments need to communicate and problem-solve for the sake of students. Editorial Policy The Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: I am writing regarding the article “National Security Advisor to Speak at Commencement” (v. 94, i. 6). The article made no mention of the substantial negative effects that his draconian policies and tactics have had on U.S. citizens’ civil liberties, more specifically for Muslims since 9/11. These include illegal wiretapping, extraordinary rendition, extrajudicial assassinations of U.S. citizens without charge and approving of drone attacks that have been responsible for killing civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen. As a returning student at Fordham’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (PCS), I am dismayed that I will have to boycott my upcoming graduation in May because one of the speakers, John Brennan, completely goes against my values as an American citizen and a Muslim. First of all, how can anyone forget Mr. Brennan’s Dec. 5, 2005 appearance on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, in which he “vehemently de-

fended the Bush administration’s use of rendition, one of the key tools to subject detainees to torture.” This was one of the darkest times of Bush’s administration, and Mr. Brennan condoned it. Next, Mr. Brennan is a staunch supporter of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows the U.S. to collect information through wiretapping and other methods. National Public Radio reported that “Brennan convinced then Sen. Obama to support reauthorizing the FISA bill in July 2008.” Many innocent MuslimAmericans have had their privacy eroded as a result. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind. Third, Mr. Brennan is part of a team that has caused the deaths of many Muslim civilians by use of drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Brennan has been quoted that “there hasn’t been a single collateral death because of the exceptional proficiency, precision of the capabilities that we’ve been able to develop…if there are terrorists who are within an area

where there are women and children or others, you know, we do not take such action that might put those innocent men, women and children in danger.” This is completely farcical given that the Obama administration later issued findings that definitively establish Brennan’s claim about civilian deaths as untrue. The ACLU also has reported that Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for information about drone attacks have been refused. Moreover, Mr. Brennan was on the team that called for the extra-judicial drone attack on U.S. citizen Shaikh Anwar Al-Awlaki in Yemen. Ron Paul has said that it is “sad if the American people accept this blindly and casually…Nobody knows if he ever killed anybody…They have never been specific about the crime.” Deputy legal director for the ACLU, Jameel Jafer, has stated that the “execution by their own government without judicial process, and on the basis of standards and evidence that are kept secret not just from the public but from the

courts” is unacceptable. Last, Mr. Brennan has said that the “War on Terror” isn’t a war on Islam. However, shortly after the Associated Press released reports of extensive NYPD spy operations on Muslims accross the northeast last year, Mr. Brennan called the NYPD’s actions “heroic.” These NYPD spies went to Muslim businesses, mosques and Muslim Student Associations to collect information on law-abiding Muslims. They even spied on religious leaders who have had good working relationships with law enforcement. In sum, although I have worked very hard since I came to Fordham in January 2009 to pursue a degree in political science, I cannot conscionably attend a ceremony where a person like Brennan is a speaker. It is not only antithetical to my values as an American, but it is also not permissible for me to do so as a Muslim, knowing the extent that of the harm that his policies and tactics have caused my fellow Muslims. Ayca Bahce, PCS ’12

OPINIONS

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Left of the Allen Dial Ying

FOX “News” is a Farce Bachmann, Cain and Perry, once valiant gladiators fighting in the sordid games that are the 2012 Republican primaries, have now each succumbed in the bloody arena. This primary is very peculiar; while every presidential primary eliminates all but one contender (the whole purpose of the primaries), the meteoric rise and fall of so many candidates is unique to this election. In 2008, the Republican primary coverage and polling was divided into only three camps: Huckabee, McCain and Romney. Likewise, Obama, Clinton and Edwards made up the Democratic cast. Yet this election sees five runners who at certain points in their campaigns have outpolled the leading candidate, Mitt Romney. What is happening here? Some argue that the advent of super Political Action Committees has allowed candidates’ resources to sway voters back and forth and drag out their campaign. Others claim that Romney’s moderate stance fails to attract core conservatives needed to push him ahead. While this is a contributing factor, it fails to fully explain this phenomenon. I argue that the responsibility of falls on the consul of our age, FOX News. It has been shown that the amount of airtime a candidate receives on the network is positively correlated to the polling of the candidate. Back in June of last year, Bachmann led the coverage on the network and in response saw a huge jump in polling, reaching second place in July. In August, the same thing happened again and saw Bachmann winning the Ames Straw Poll. FOX grew fickle at this point and turned to Perry in September, who saw his numbers rise as he clinched front-runner status. Cain followed in October, and like Perry, enjoyed the “FOX Boost” to become the leading candidate. Gingrich, who kicked off his campaign by having half his senior staff resign, took the crown from Perry after increasing his airtime in November. Finally, Santorum, who had almost no recognition or coverage in the primaries, was given the full FOX treatment and has been battling it out with Romney ever since. It is scary that one media network has such a profound impact in the political arena, but FOX cannot be blamed. If FOX sees ratings take a dive while talking about a particular candidate, it moves on to another one. FOX is not focused on establishing the best candidate for America, but rather establishing the best bottom line for its shareholders. While I applaud Roger Ailes as a capitalist for producing such a powerful and profitable product, I worry about the effect that product has over the millions of Americans it affects. FOX, you are not a media organization anymore. In this election cycle, you have concretely proved that you shape perception in America. You have the power to do a lot of good and bad in this country. Dividing the national attention to seven nominees is not conducive to the national discussion. I love this country, just as you too claim. Don’t let us fall from greatness, FOX, that’s all I ask.

MARCH 21, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 9

Music Industry Stifles Artists By DAN MADDEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, art is a skill in the practical application of the principles of a particular field of knowledge or learning. I hope we can agree that making music with instruments is considered an art. Recent news has made me wonder about the future of art as it attempts to thrive in our world of technology. I have to admit that I am a bit worried about the future of art as an industry in the United States. Specifically, I am most worried about the art of music, as technology has taken the greatest toll on this industry. Steve Jobs was a true Renaissance man for pioneering the sale of digital music with iTunes, but was that the last stand for making money in music? According to grabstats.com, the United States’ recording industry drew $9.7 billion in sales in 2006 and, as of 2011, the number dropped to $5.7 billion. As you would assume, the revenue from digital music increased from $1.9 billion in 2006 to $5.7 billion in 2011. These statistics illustrate the change that is occurring in the music industry’s source of rev-

enue. With music going digital, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the artists to see the revenue from their sales. I recently spoke with Steve Scarola, a former member of the band Push Play and a current employee of EMI Music. Steve began his career with Push Play in 2007. He explained that even back then, it was difficult to make money in music, even though one of Push Play’s songs sold over 100,000 copies on iTunes. What was the tipping point for the downfall of this industry? Some blame Metallica because the band was the first to sue Napster. This created a great deal of public chatter, which led to increased popularity of various streaming music players such as Limewire, Rhapsody and Torrents. But really, it was not Metallica’s fault. It was just the first band to realize that the Internet was screwing them out of making money. We could blame the Internet, but we know that it is not going away any time soon. Therefore, the music industry must adapt in some way, shape or form in order to survive. Just recently, Megaupload.com, a file-sharing website, was shut down.

The reason for its termination was because people were sharing files that consisted of copyrighted material. This is illegal, since people were making money off of files that were not theirs to sell. Megaupload obviously had some problems, but the theory behind the website was sound. What if there was a way for artists to directly share their music with individuals via a filesharing application? With an application like this, an artist has the ability to distribute music to anyone who wants to listen, and the more downloads people get, the more the artist gets paid by the website. This brings the money back to the people who actually make the music. This idea will bring about change in the music industry. If file-sharing applications become popular, then record labels will need to find a new place in the industry. By using filesharing websites, artists do not have to sign their life and most of their makings away to record labels. They can develop a new money stream that could jumpstart the industry and get it back on track with the constantly changing digital world. Dan Madden, FCRH ’13, is an English major from Milton, Mass.

NYPD Threatens Students’ Liberties

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Mayor Bloomberg has said that he has his “own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world.” NYPD, FROM PAGE 1

as well, and the NYPD recorded license plates and audiovisual surveillance of worshipers arriving at the mosques. Sermons, even those lacking extremist undertones, were recorded by undercover officers as well. Students as far as 300 miles away at the University of Buffalo were subject to espionage that rivaled, and at times even outpaced, the tactics used by the FBI. The NYPD even crossed state lines to infiltrate student groups at colleges such as Yale. Call me crazy, but I have trouble believing that the next major terrorist attack on New York City will be the product of wonky Yale students. The NYPD not only combed through internet posts and monitored individuals, but also directed operatives to physically leave their jurisdiction to infiltrate Muslim student groups with informants. It has been reported that the NYPD even went so far as to send an undercover agent on a whitewater rafting trip with Muslim students to document their conversations and the number of times each student prayed every day. Disturbing Orwellian implications aside, such actions present

a significant problem — and potentially a legal issue — within the undercover program. The NYPD claims that they have merely used the same strategies that are already used by the FBI, a fact which they seem to think justifies their actions. However, the NYPD is not a federal agency like the FBI, and their actions have gone far beyond the duties of a municipal police department. The NYPD has staunchly defended the questionable tactics of the secret NYPD program, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg himself even unapologetically defended the practices when questioned by reporters. “We have to keep this country safe. This is a dangerous place. Make no mistake about it,” Bloomberg said. Bloomberg’s comments are far more dangerous than any potential terrorist threat to emerge from the menacing depths of Yale. National security is, and should be, a priority, but civil liberties should not be thrown to the wind at the whim of Mayor Bloomberg. The tactics employed by the NYPD “protect” freedom at the cost of freedom itself. The Mayor’s defense of the NYPD’s overreaches is hardly surprising. At a speaking engagement in November of 2011, Bloomberg said, “I have my

own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world.” The fact that Mayor Bloomberg sees the NYPD as a military force, much less his own personal one, is fundamentally troubling. The military and law enforcement departments function for deeply contrasting purposes. The militarization of the American police is an extremely dangerous trend that Mayor Bloomberg should not be facilitating. Soldiers go to war to kill and destroy, while the police are supposed to maintain peace. They serve incredibly different functions, and Bloomberg would be wise to take notice. Why has there been an only barely audible murmur of disapproval over these alarming discoveries? If the targets of the Demographics Unit had been Christian, the public would have erupted in condemnation. Americans should not turn a blind eye to discriminatory tactics that threaten a whole group’s civil liberties on the sole basis of their religion, ethnicity or the neighborhood they live in. The boots of the NYPD should not be allowed to soil the U.S. Constitution. Canton Winer, FCRH ’15, is an undeclared major from West Palm Beach, Fla.

Righter’s Block

John P. Castonguay FOX News Bashing Unfair It is so easy to hate FOX News. It has been the most popular American source of news for the last decade. In February 2012, the network had the 12 most popular news programs. It averaged 1.92 million prime-time viewers, which represents more than the viewership of CNN and MSNBC combined. In 2010, FOX News generated more revenue than CNN and MSNBC combined. In the words of Bette Midler, “The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” The impressive success of FOX News has spawned an extreme hatred amongst those who prefer the messages from alternative sources. One complaint that has gained steam is that FOX News is unreliable, because it alters its message to generate more revenue. Unfortunately for critics of FOX News, this argument fails on multiple fronts. First, critics neglect to consider that the perspective provided by FOX News could simply be more popular. More importantly, FOX makes decisions that actually decrease its viewership. For example, last year, Glenn Beck, who had attracted millions of viewers during the 5 p.m. time slot, was removed from the FNC lineup. Beck’s own media company now generates $80 million in revenue. Additionally, FOX is not the only media company that enjoys high revenue streams, so questions regarding the manipulation of content to reflect the message advertisers want to be associated with must be addressed to any media company that accepts money from advertisers. In 2010, MSNBC earned $172 million and CNN earned $560 million in profits. These networks also employ hosts to express strong opinions that gain and hold people’s attention. Should these hosts be accused of manipulating their messages because the network accepts money from advertisers? Any flaws in the way FOX does business are inherent in the way media corporations currently function. FOX, MSNBC and CNN programs must all be examined for reliability, rather than merely dismissing an entire network based on what other media sources claim. Viewers must remain aware of the distinction between opinion-based shows and entirely news-oriented segments, but they should be encouraged to experience the various news sources for themselves rather than being told what to think. Dismissing a powerful organization due to jealousy or fears of what could be happening leads to conspiracy theories. FOX News, like any other news source, has the potential for allowing money to shape their perspectives. However, critics are too quick to make accusations, because they disagree with the opinions of FOX’s hosts. We have to trust Americans to stop watching if a media organization violates journalistic integrity. As FOX News’ audience continues to grow, we must learn to accept that Americans have the right to hear all points of view.

OPINIONS

PAGE 10 â&#x20AC;˘ THE RAM â&#x20AC;˘MARCH 21, 2012

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: I write to express shock and sadness that Fordhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trustees would think it consonant with Jesuit values to have Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan give this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commencement address. Today is the ninth anniversary of the attack on Iraq â&#x20AC;&#x153;under false pretenses.â&#x20AC;? That is the phrase used by the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 5, 2008, announcing the bipartisan findings of a five-year investigation. He explained that the intelligence used to justify the war was â&#x20AC;&#x153;uncorroborated, contradicted or even non-existent.â&#x20AC;? Former CIA colleagues serving with Brennan before and during the war assure me that, since he worked so closely with then-CIA director George Tenet, there is absolutely no possibility that Brennan could have been unaware of the deliberate corruption of the intelligence analysis profession to which I was proud to devote 27 years. In the early 1980s, when I was conducting the morning briefings at the White House, I knew

Brennan as a junior CIA analyst. It remains hard for me to believe that, 20 years later, he would give full support to Tenet in providing fraudulent intelligence in an attempt to â&#x20AC;&#x153;justifyâ&#x20AC;? a war of aggression. Four years ago, Brennan became an advisor to candidate Barack Obama. After Obama won the election, it quickly became common knowledge that he planned to nominate Brennan for one of the highest intelligence posts, probably as director of the CIA. When suddenly all hell broke loose, Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top political advisers began to dread what was bound to be a very ugly confirmation hearing in the Senate. Brennan, you see, had been an ardent, public supporter of the kidnapping/rendering of suspected terrorists to â&#x20AC;&#x153;friendlyâ&#x20AC;? Arab intelligence services for interrogation. He also defended the use of U.S. secret prisons abroad, as well as â&#x20AC;&#x153;enhanced interrogation techniquesâ&#x20AC;? (also known as torture). Opposition to Brennan built to a crescendo just weeks after the

election and included condemnation of using psychologists willing to violate their professional ethic of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do No Harmâ&#x20AC;? to assist in harsh interrogation. Nov. 24, 2008 saw the publication of a letter to President-Elect Obama, signed by 200 psychologists, urging him not to select John Brennan to head the CIA because of his open support of â&#x20AC;&#x153;dark-sideâ&#x20AC;? policies (Brennanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, as well as Dick Cheneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, adjective). Brennan withdrew his name the next day, and The New York Times explained the move as a reaction to â&#x20AC;&#x153;concerns he was intimately linked to controversial CIA programs authorized by President Bush.â&#x20AC;? Brennan is now the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strongest advocate of extrajudicial killing of U.S. citizens by drones. As for civilian deaths from CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, Brennan made the preposterous claim last June that, over the previous year, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a single collateral deathâ&#x20AC;? from CIA drone strikes there. Two years ago, another alumnus, Michael Sulick, who was then head of all CIA covert op-

If you have an opinion about something you saw in this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue of The Ram, send us a Letter to the Editor at: fordhamramletters@gmail.com

Proudly Welcomes

NOVELIST

Alice McDermott

erations including the drone attacks in Pakistan, came to lecture at Fordham. This was too much for Dean Brackley, S.J., a former Fordham professor with a social conscience, who had gone to El Salvador 20 years before to replace one of the Jesuits murdered there. Fr. Brackley sent an email in which he commented: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems someone has a misbegotten case of the prestige virus at Fordham. Pretty sad. Is this what we stand for?â&#x20AC;? From his new vantage point, the recently deceased Dean Brackley will need to have his wits about him, when Ignatius of Loyola asks him to explain this persistent viral disease at Fordham and other Jesuit universities. Fr. Brackleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response is likely to echo the prophetic words of Daniel Berrigan, S.J., 25 years ago. In his autobiography, To Dwell in Peace, Berrigan wrote of â&#x20AC;&#x153;the fall of a great enterpriseâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Jesuit university. He recorded his â&#x20AC;&#x153;hunchâ&#x20AC;? that the university would end up â&#x20AC;&#x153;among those structures whose moral decline and political servitude signalize a larger falling

away of the culture itself.â&#x20AC;? Berrigan lamented â&#x20AC;&#x153;highly placedâ&#x20AC;? churchmen and their approval of war, â&#x20AC;&#x153;utteredâ&#x20AC;Świth sublime confidence, from on high, from highly placed friendships, and White House connections.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thus compromised,â&#x20AC;? warned Berrigan, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Christian tradition of nonviolence, as well as the secular boast of disinterested pursuit of truth â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these are reduced to bombast, hauled out for formal occasions, believed by no one, practiced by no one.â&#x20AC;? A mutual colleague of Brennan and mine, a Catholic who also worked at very senior levels at the White House as well as the CIA, had an immediate, visceral reaction to the news of Fordhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invitation to Brennan: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh my gosh. Disgusting. Obviously the Jesuits donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it.â&#x20AC;? Worse still, maybe they do. Sincerely, Ray McGovern Fordham College, B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1961 Retired CIA officer, turned political activist.

Are your friends really tired of hearing you complain? Write for The Ramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinions section. E-mail us at: fordhamramopinions@gmail.com

Think Summer, Think Fordham "2$) 3/ .0 (&2 ")&"%

2012 Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Angelo Endowed Chair in the Humanities

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MARCH 21, 2012

PAGE 11

Cigarettes Invade College Campuses Despite Health Risks

COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

Some students smoke in order to become more social with other smokers.

By CHRISTINE KIRBY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Students throughout the country are well aware that smoking causes cancer. Yet, if you look at the entrances to nearly all campus buildings, it is evident that cigarette smoking has a substantial presence on Fordham’s cam-

pus. The negative implications of tobacco use have been broadcasted in television commercials, on billboards and in health classes from kindergarten through high school. The crusade against smoking, led by health and government agencies, stems from the

first Surgeon General’s Report on smoking and health in 1964, which has been remarkably successful. While smoking amongst college students is gradually declining, 21 percent of college students continue to smoke. This begs the question: If smoking is such a deadly and expensive habit, then why does this relatively educated crowd smoke? “It’s a social thing,” Jung-Woo Park, FCRH ’12, said. “I [casually] smoked because my friends smoked, and it has a nice social atmosphere. But I really started to smoke myself when I joined the military.” Students begin smoking for several reasons, a big one being for social interaction. Some people compare the social engagement that accompanies smoking to the social aspects of playing sports, joining clubs and simply hanging out with friends. Many freshmen take up smoking socially as a means of making friends, yet do not consider themselves addicted or chainsmokers. Park confesses that the literature and campaigns condemning smoking and highlighting its negative effects do have an influences. “The more I smoke, the more I feel I should quit,” he said. In addition, college is often

a high-stress environment, and smoking has been proven to be a relaxant. Between the relaxation it provided by the cigarette itself and the excuse to step outside and take a break from studying, it is an extremely appealing habit. In some cases, smoking can actually be beneficial to academics and the sanity of students. A major reason, for casual smokers is the mixed effect of smoking and alcohol. Some students claim that it helps maintain a “buzz,” and that alcohol and smoking is a great combination. Furthermore, some even compare social smoking to the binge drinking, which is prevalent at Fordham and at campuses across the nation. Many students admit that smoking is an expensive habit, especially considering most college students have tuition and loans looming over their heads. On the other hand, it really depends upon how regularly and the amount each individual smokes. Park thinks that most students do not smoke enough for it to create a huge financial burden, comparing it to spending money on alcohol each weekend. Furthermore, students find alternative methods to alleviate the costs such as purchasing cigarettes when out of state or per-

rolling them. Since smoking at the college level is primarily for social reasons, most students do not struggle to afford their habit, and most argue that they are not addicted. Yet, smokers are often criticized, with some merit, for embracing a habit that could kill them. Some argue that the perils of smoking are comparable to the drinking habits of college students. The saying “It’s not Alcoholism if you’re in college” suggests how much students actually drink. So smokers simply feel they are picking one rather than embracing both of the two evils. While the multiple public smoking bans being produced nationwide would suggest that the public is generally against smoking, there is still a substantial presence of cigarette smoking across the Rose Hill campus. It is important to note that many of the smokers on campus are not chain smokers, so they are not yet considered dependent on cigarettes to make it through the day. Smoking is a detrimental habit to pick up, and it has the potential to be a life-long problem, but in light of the amount of alcohol consumption that occurs amongst college students, some might say that smokers get an unfair amount of criticism.

Reality Singing Competitions Dominate Primetime By ALYSSA CARMUSCIANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Since its premiere in the summer of 2002, “American Idol” has been considered the most popular reality singing competition show of the 21st century. Averaging over 25 million viewers each night on FOX and creating numerous household names, the show increased in popularity and became a lifestyle for hardcore fans. Two very similar shows premiered in 2011: “The Voice” in the spring and “The X-Factor” in the fall. Although these two shows are new to the general public, they have experienced much success since their debut, causing some “Idol” fans to shift their alliance towards one or both of the new shows. Although “American Idol” has experienced a steady decline in ratings since Season 6, it is still one of the highest-rated shows on television and has catapulted FOX into the spotlight as one of the highest-rated television networks. Judged by Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez, the show is currently in its 11th season and attracts over 22 million viewers. Each week, America votes for its favorite contestant to make it through to the next round. The only power that the judges have is to “save” one contestant from elimination, and this

“save” can only be used during one week of competition up until the Top Five. “Idol” has introduced viewers to international superstars such as Season 1 winner, Kelly Clarkson, and Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood. Season 5 finalist, Chris Daughtry, is the frontman of his own multi-platinum recording band, and Season 3 finalist, Jennifer Hudson, is both a Grammy-winner an Oscarwinner. Other popular “Idol” winners and contestants include Jordin Sparks, Scotty McCreery, David Cook, David Archuleta, Katharine McPhee, Constantine Maroulis and Clay Aiken. When “The Voice” premiered in April 2011 on NBC, it attracted almost 12 million viewers, a number which has increased slightly throughout its current second season. The format of this show is different from that of “American Idol.” The judges are Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton. The first round of the show is the “Blind Auditions,” during which the judges have their backs turned to the singer. If the judges like what they are hearing, one or more of them will turn around and select the singer to be on his or her mentoring team. Throughout the voting rounds, the judges and the American public have equal voting rights to decide who makes it to the next round. In the

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

“American Idol” is competing with “The Voice” and “The X-Factor” to be the highest-rated of the three. So far, it is winning.

final rounds, the public holds all the voting power. Unfortunately, the winner of the first season, Javier Colon, failed to achieve great success and album sales. The runner-up, Dia Frampton, is currently on tour with her mentor Blake Shelton, but has not sold many albums. Last year, former “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell brought his show “The X Factor” to the United States from the United Kingdom. After numerous audition rounds, four judges each mentored a specific category of artists. This past season, Cowell mentored the girls, Paula Abdul, the groups, Nicole Scherzinger, the “Over 30s” and L.A. Reid, the

boys. The American public then voted on their favorite acts, and through these votes, a Bottom Two was chosen. These two contestants “sang for their lives,” and the judges decided who is eliminated. Ultimately, the public alone decided the winner; last season they chose Melanie Amaro. The show attracted approximately 11.5 million viewers each week. Because these three shows have notable similarities and differences, it can be tough for people to choose which show they prefer. “Oh no, this is too hard of a decision,” Thomas DeGrace, FCRH ’14, said when asked to pick his favorite.

“I really enjoy watching ‘The Voice’ because it stresses the importance of choosing the best singer to win the competition, and I think that is really great,” DeGrace said. “However, Carrie Underwood is my all-time favorite singer, and I was introduced to her through “American Idol.” Ratings for “The Voice,” were relatively high this season as well. The second season does not begin until the fall, but its ratings are predicted to increase. For now, American Idol appears to be the more successful show due to its substantial longevity over the other two. Through its entire run, the show has been one of the Top Three highest-rated shows on television.

CULTURE

PAGE 12 • THE RAM • MARCH 7, 2012

Going Global

Dining Out: MaryAnn’s

This week’s column was written by Tom Haskin, FCRH ’13. There is nothing like going somewhere new in order to remember — or to realize — just how little you know. This is a daily occurrence for me here in El Salvador. I’ve been studying with a Santa Clara University-run program known as La Casa de la Solidaridad. A program aimed at Jesuit university students, Casa seeks to immerse its participants in la realidad (the reality) of this tiny Central American country. The question then is, of course, what exactly is that reality? Or, how might a gringo college kid here for four months come to access any part of it? I have an idea about how our program strives to do that over the course of a semester. I am also learning about its limitations. I spend two full days per week in the urban community of San Ramon, visiting a preschool classroom in the mornings, making home visits with social workers and community leaders in the afternoons and seeking to provide a context for the lives these children lead. We learn about fatherless homes, families affected by alcoholism and domestic abuse, un- and under-employment, water-borne illnesses and poor infrastructure. The list, unfortunately, goes on. I recount this to underscore that, unlike when I studied in London last summer with Fordham’s program, here I am constantly interacting with Salvadorans, hearing their stories and traveling through the country, encountering Salvadoran “reality” as much as one can in two months. Yet I know there is still so much more. What about the hundreds of Salvadorans eating lunch in the airconditioned food court of the brandnew mall complex near where I stay? Subway, Burger King, Pizza Hut — is this the Salvadoran dream, what people do here when they have “made it,” when they have enough money that they do not have to worry about what those families in San Ramon confront on a daily basis? Then again, is this any different than the United States? What effect has the United States had on creating this culture? So, I ask, what about this reality? What is El Salvador — the war-torn families living in homes made of sheet metal with no running water, or the people who live behind armored gates and have personal drivers? Of course, the reality of El Salvador today is both and everything in between. We should recognize, though, that the former is altogether more common than the latter. What this demonstrates is how hard it is to understand “reality” outside of our own context. For me to understand the world as a gringo is hard enough, to desire an experience of anything else requires even more effort. Now that I am here in El Salvador, I am repeatedly reminded of just how many experiences of this world exist in the year 2012. With seven billion people on this planet, it’s tough to get a grasp on anything beyond one’s own reality — but I think getting an education demands that we try. For the full version, please visit theramonline.com.

theramonline.com

COURTESY OF YELP

MaryAnn’s serves Mexican cuisine and has locations in Chelsea and Tribeca.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Some of their best dishes come with salsa, chips and side orders of guacamole.

By STEPHEN MOCCIA STAFF WRITER

MaryAnn’s restaurant represents one of New York City’s finest dining options, serving delicious and authentic Mexican cuisine at its two city locations. With the original Chelsea landmark on the corner of Eighth Avenue and 16th Street, and the newly relocated second location on the corner of

Greenwich and Harrison Streets in Tribeca, MaryAnn’s is a great find for students craving that homemade Mexican taste. Like most Mexican restaurants, MaryAnn’s offers complementary chips and salsa. The tortillas were slightly warmed and were nicely salted. They served as a perfect vehicle for their great fresh salsa, setting MaryAnn’s apart from other Mexican establishments. If one is not a huge fan of the taste

of oregano; however, this salsa may not be for you, as this distinct flavor was definitely noticeable in their recipe. After snacking on the chips, I decided to try the Reade Street Special: a chile relleno, a chicken enchilada, a guacamole taco and a side of rice and beans — all for just over ten bucks ($12.95). Cheese flowed from the warm relleno, and the enchilada was packed with excellently seasoned chicken. The gauc taco was full of their delectable hand-made guacamole, and the cheesy beans served as a perfect accompaniment to the other items. The rice side, however, was lacking in flavor and was considerably dry. The dish could have easily been improved with just a pinch of salt, but unfortunately, no salt shaker was provided on the table. Other than this small blemish on the plate, I could not have asked for anything more. The generous portion made eating the rice superfluous. Another great pick was the grilled chicken chimichanga ($13.95), which came with the same rice and bean sides as the Reade Street Special. At first, I was a little bothered, since what the waiter placed in front of me was nothing like what I had imagined I would receive. Their chimichanga was not deep fried, as it is typically prepared, but was instead pressed on a grill and had picture-perfect sear marks. Even though it was not what I expected, this item still delivered. The cheesy beans and the generous servings of guacamole and sour cream on top of

the wrap were the perfect additions to the delicious, though by nature, drier tortilla and grilled chicken strips. On the whole, this plate had the perfect blend of flavors and achieved a great balance between the wet and dry components. My only complaints would be the lack of cheese in the tortilla, though that is my personal preference, and the labeling on the menu, as the item was not exactly a chimichanga and was more comparable to a burrito or fajita. MaryAnn’s is a great spot for a night out in the City with some friends. The food is reasonably priced, and the fresh guacamole is superb. At times, the service could be a bit slow, though the great value and the satisfying entrees make it worth the wait. Try it; it is a great alternative to the over-priced gourmet Mexican places and the cheap low-quality take-out joints that are popping up on every street in the City. This wonderful establishment features hand-made tortillas, a variety of salsas and a number of other Mexican favorites. Each location offers both an interior dining area and an outdoor café, allowing diners to take advantage of those pleasantly sunny days. Along with a relaxing atmosphere and great food, MaryAnn’s also boasts reasonable prices, an attractive quality for a college student on a limited budget. Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $$ (Out of 4

’s)

Editor’s Pick: “Game of Thrones” By MICHAEL REZIN PHOTO EDITOR

“Winter is coming.” This phrase, although not really prevalent during these past few months in New York, is one that stands out among fans of HBO’s medieval fantasy television series, “Game of Thrones.” The phrase is a constant reminder of the threat that lies beyond The Wall, and the hard times that await the people of the Seven Kingdoms on the fictional continent of Westeros. This television series is a medieval epic filled with interlocking plot lines that takes viewers on a journey through the trials and conflicts between the ruling families (mainly the Starks, Lannisters, and King Baratheon) and their people. The series is based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, which were published in 1991. Since then, the fourth and fifth editions of the series have hit the top of the New York Times’ Best Seller List in 2005 and 2011, which obviously piqued the interest of the shows’ to-be writers and executive producers David Benioff and D.B Weiss. The first season aired last April and received great reviews and a solid fan base of around 2.5 million

U.S. viewers per episode. Since the show has been off-air, I have been dying for it to come back, and the season premiere is finally approaching. On Sunday April 1, 2012 the show will air the first episode of its second season, entitled “The North Remembers.” I watched both trailers recently on Entertainment Weekly’s website, and this season looks like it is going to live up to the laudable and impressive precedent set by the first season. The season will jump right back towhere it left off, showing scenes of war and conflict among both enemies and allies. The preview even alludes to the rise of the dragons. If you are someone who has not seen the series, you may be turned off by the idea of dragons, or perhaps you are skeptical about whether you would like this type of television series (as opposed to a more well-known series like “30 Rock,” or “Twoand-a-Half Men”); those are valid concerns, but at least give “Game of Thrones” a try. The different sects within the Seven Kingdoms will all be fighting for governance of the realm; with that they receive the Iron Throne of the kingdom, which is cast from dozens of different

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

The second season of “Game of Thrones” premieres April 1 on HBO at 9 p.m.

swords. That aesthetic alone got me to watch the show. I think the show is absolutely fantastic. It has swords, a medieval feel, some fantasy and different battles, Watching it is somewhat reminiscent of the feeling you get when watching The Lord of the Rings. It especially takes on this feeling because of actor Sean Bean, who plays the protagonist Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. Bean plays Boromir in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but his role is much more developed and significant in “Game of Thrones” than in LOTR. Not

only do you really connect with Bean’s character, Lord Stark, but you love his whole family. The Stark family is the moral compass in this epic, and the writers make sure you know that. I will not give away any details, but the secondto-last episode of the first season is so infuriating that it makes you want to throw your remote at the television, and that is a good indicator of how well the story enraptures its audience. I highly recommend that you tune to HBO on April 1 and catch the showif not, you can always watch it online.

CULTURE

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Ethically-Conscious Fashion Always In Style

COURTESY OF THERICHEST.ORG

Anya Hindmarch started a green fashion trend with her famous tote bag.

By MIKA KIYONO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It was 2007 when British designer Anya Hindmarch came out with a simple canvas tote that became an unlikely “it bag.” “I’m not a plastic bag,” the tote read. The iconic tote was included in Vanity Fair’s Oscar goodie bag, sparking interest and awareness towards ethically-conscious fashion and fair trade. Since then, being green has become a fashion statement, and increasing numbers of brands and retailers have begun incorporating ethically-conscious and fair trade materials in their products. The retailer People Tree is one of the pioneers of ethically-conscious fashion, selling ethically-made clothes since 1991. People Tree works closely with the World Fair Trade Organization and supports 50 fair trade producer groups in 15 developing countries. The retailer uses organic cotton that is free from harmful and toxic chemicals, ensuring that their materials are environmentally friendly. They also work with artisans from Bangladesh, India, Peru and Kenya, supporting their livelihoods and helping their communities.

Because these garments are handmade, they are sustainable and durable, and they come with intricate details that machines cannot produce. “I wanted to make sure that what I was wearing and what I ate didn’t negatively impact someone else,” Michelle DiMartino, FCRH ’15, a member of Students for Fair Trade, said. One of the reasons that ethically-conscious fashion has not become firmly rooted in our daily lives, however, is that these items are more expensive than most products. Whether it is a fair trade chocolate bar or an ethically-crafted cotton dress, one is bound to find a less expensive alternative. For a college student with limited funds, the inexpensive option is almost always the obvious choice. For example, a basic navy scoop neck T-shirt from People Tree costs about $38, while a basic Tshirt from Forever 21 sells for as cheap as $4.80. It is simply impractical, and for many, impossible to spend this much on a T-shirt, much less an entire wardrobe, even if we want to support ethicallyconscious fashion. DiMartino offered a suggestion

to help with this dilemma. “Think about where it’s coming from, think about what you would have to do to go through that labor, and just try to go through that mental process,” he said. She emphasizes the benefits for college students to have a “fair trade mind.” This means buying in moderation and saving to buy quality items. “Fair trade items are usually really good quality, so they last longer,” DiMartino said. Investing in these items can actually help one save money in the long run. Fast fashion retailers that seem to be the complete opposite of these ideas and movements are taking action as well. H&M’s Conscious Collection website banner reads that the collection is “part of H&M’s actions for a more sustainable fashion future.” The collection uses greener materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester in merchandise that is a part of this line. Gap, Emporio Armani and Converse all participate in the Product (RED) brand, which raises awareness and funds for the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Etsy, a website that hosts online shops of artists and creators around the world, is filled with vendors who use environmentally-conscious materials in their handmade products. The prices range from splurge to steal, but supporting an independent artist and owning something unique and carefully crafted can give a sense of satisfaction that a flimsy bag from Forever 21 simply cannot. People may think fashion is fleeting, both trends and the merchandise itself. Among the ubiquitous fast fashion and the overflow of merchandise, these ideas and brands remind us that fashion is not just about the trends we wear or the amount of clothes we have, but what we believe in and the message we send out.

MARCH 21, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 13

Check Take a look at the latest events and hotspots in NYC!

This

Send tips, event listings, or comments to fordhamramculture@gmail.com.

Out

Knife Party, Jack Beats Live, Kill the Noise, 16 bit, JWLS Terminal 5 610 West 56th St. March 24, Doors: 8 p.m. Show: 9 p.m. Appx. $50 It’s been a long week back from a tiring Spring Break, you guys. Step away from the trials and tribulations of college life and roll down to Terminal 5 this Saturday to catch some of the biggest groups in dance and dubstep. Both Knife and Jack Beats have huge fanbases and are some of the best when it comes to putting out original, catchy and bass-driven remixes. Take either the B, D or Metro North, transfer to the A or C, get off at Van Cortlandt Park and walk on 8th Ave. towards W. 56th St. Take advantage of Hudson Eatery’s late night weekend hours and reenergize yourself to top off a sure-to-be wild night.

Gotye feat. Kimbra Terminal 5 610 West 56th St. March 25, Doors: 7 p.m. Show: 8 p.m. Appx. $50

COURTESY OF THEAGE.COM.AU

You’ve heard it floating from a laptop on Eddie’s, played by DJs at parties off-campus, and seen it on top of iTunes’ Top Singles Chart. If you haven’t heard Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know” or any of the myriad remixes out there, then, well… that’s fine. A previously obscure Australian multi-instrumentalist, Gotye has launched into fame with his wildly-popular single and has backed up the hype with an equally impressive new album. He has launched a U.S. tour and this Sunday makes a stop at Terminal 5. A block away is the Hudson Eatery at 601 57th St. serving up some pre-show comfort food.

— COMPILED BY DEVON SHERIDAN

Ram Reviews MOVIE JOHN CARTER

THEATER GODSPELL

TELEVISION “AWAKE”

BOOK HUNGERING FOR AMERICA

MOVIE CASA DE MI PADRE

By DEVON SHERIDAN

By AMANDA RYLAND

By MOLLY FERNS

By SASHA FISHER

By JAKE KRING-SCHERIFELS

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

STAFF WRITER

John Carter, directed by Andrew Stanton, is a re-telling of a 1940s space-odyssey novel series that, for all its flaws, crafts characters with heart and has an aesthetic that manages to entertain. It’s no cinematic masterpiece; the plot jerks along at points, and the acting is not intended to carry the movie, a fact that is unfortunately foreshadowed by the premature death of the always awesome Brian Cranston (Drive). The movie’s protagonist, John Carter, played by Taylor Kitsch (“Friday Night Lights”), is a Confederate soldier who finds himself transported to another planet and into the middle of an inter-species war. The CGI is fantastic; the aliens are realistic and have personality, there’s an adorable alien dog and the explosions are big. It is a fun movie.

The story that this musical tells is one that we all know and that has been told in many different ways. Godspell demonstrates Jesus’ teachings and the stories from the Bible in a lively, modern manner. Scripture is set to music, and the main character is Jesus himself. Throughout the musical, Jesus is attempting to spread his word and his faith to non-believers or doubters. Creator Stephen Schwartz even included Judas’ rebellion in his musical. A revival of Godspell opened last fall at Circle in the Square Theatre. Unlike most Broadway theaters, it boasts a thrust stage. This revival was definitely a unique experience. The strong cast, combined with the nature of the theater itself, allows for an experience most Broadway lovers have not had before.

“Awake” is much more than a cop show. Yes, the main character is a Los Angeles detective named Michael Britten, played by Jason Issacs (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2). Yet, his career as a homicide detective is not the focus of the show. Rather, the show centers on Britten’s broken realities, asking the question: When is he “awake”? All of these twists and turns, the flipping between realities and the extra layer of a character drama on top of a cop drama sets “Awake” apart from any other show on television. Hopefully, this complexity does not scare viewers away. It is an emotionally driven, well-directed, well-written and well-acted show for which everybody should stay “awake”.

Historian Hasia R. Diner’s Hungering for America: Italian Irish and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration is an excellent recounting and analysis of the foodways of Italian, Irish and Jewish immigrants from both before and after they immigrated to the United States. Diner expertly portrays how food: its procurement, consumption and meaning, contributed to the changing ethnic identities of these immigrants. Her analysis of culinary encounters’ contribution to the Americanizing process and their influence on the formation of ethnic groups instead of immigrant groups is excellent. Diner does not, however, delve deeply into specific aspects of each culture. In addition, she treats each group as a separate entity which contributes to the book’s clarity but also isolates the groups.

Casa de Mi Padre begins with what seems to be an overtly obvious continuity error. Will Ferrell (Step Brothers), Spanish now for Armando Alvarez, goes to pick up a brown calf. The camera cuts, and he returns to his horse and partners carrying a black one. It seems ridiculous to make such a large goof in the first scene, until it starts happening again and again. With just $6 million in the budget and three weeks of shooting, the Spanish drama farce does not shy away from its poor movie quality; it embraces every part of it. Sure, it becomes a bit much by the end, but Ferrell always wants to kick the point home. Somehow, he keeps finding new ways to do it, even in español. The only kickback is that this time it will be difficult to remember his best lines.

TO READ THESE REVIEWS IN THEIR ENTIRETY, VISIT THERAMONLINE.COM AND CLICK ON “CULTURE” ON THE TOOLBAR ON THE HOMEPAGE.

CULTURE

PAGE 14• THE RAM • MARCH 21, 2012

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WHO’S THAT KID? Howie Bruno A MEMBER OF FCRH ’13, DOUBLE MAJORING IN ENGLISH AND THEOLOGY FROM SAN FRANCISO, CA Describe yourself in a couple sentences. I am Howie. I’m an English and Theology major from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Exploring the city and seeing new things, meeting new people, looking around! You never know what you’re going to see and experience in New York.

In what campus organizations are you involved?

What’s something about you that not many people know?

I am involved in Campus Ministry. I volunteer as a sacristan and as a eucharistic minister in the University Church.

Maybe the extent to which I love baseball. I really love baseball.

What is your favorite aspect of Fordham? Why? I love living in New York City because it is like being at the center of civilization, but I also like that I am getting the experience of living on a college campus.

What is your favorite class at Fordham? Why? I like all my English classes. I took a Shakespeare class last semester that I really enjoyed. The professor, Dr. Sherman, was a really enthusiastic teacher, and he made all the material interesting.

Skipping class when it’s nice out! What is the biggest misconception people have about you? I am not quite sure. Hopefully nothing too big. If you could go back to your first day at Fordham, what advice would you give yourself? Don’t worry too much. You’ll figure everything out eventually. Or at least you think you will. What are your plans (career or otherwise) for after college? I think I want to go to law school. I’ll be interning at a law firm this summer, and I’m starting to look at different schools. I am not sure what I want to do with a law degree, though.

If you could change one thing about Fordham, what would it be?

What do you want to do or accomplish before you leave Fordham?

I would keep the Walsh Gate open 24 hours a day.

All I want to leave Fordham with are good friends and a good education.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what would you bring with you?

What is your favorite thing to do in New York City?

What would you consider your “guilty pleasure”?

I would bring my dog to keep me company.

PHOTO BY CODIE LANDSMAN/THE RAM

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MARCH 21, 2012

Baseball Completes East Coast Road Trip Over Spring Break Rams Pick Up Win in Series with Florida International; Sweep Pair of Games Versus Maine By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham baseball team went down to Florida and came back up to New Jersey over the course of spring break to square off against some out-of-conference foes. The Rams opened their play last week in a series against Florida International University, picking up one win in three games against the Panthers. Following the three game set, Fordham went a few towns over to Boca Raton to take on Florida Atlantic for a single game. The Florida swing did not end well for the Rams, who dropped the game against the Owls to finish up the road trip with a record of 1-3. Despite the poor record on the trip, Head Coach Kevin Leighton saw a silver lining in picking up just the one victory. “Beating FIU was a big win for us,” Leighton said. “They have a very good club, and it was good to see our guys bounce back from the night before. Wins like that definitely get the guys going and help to build our confidence as we get closer to our A-10 schedule.” The bounce back to which Leighton was referring was Fordham’s 10-8 victory over FIU, in which the Rams collected a season-high 14 hits. Sophomore pitcher Chris Pike was saddled with the no-decision, despite striking out a career-high 12 batters. Freshman centerfield Matt Cianci led the offensive charge, picking up three hits and two RBI. Heading into the road trip, Cianci had registered just one hit in the season, despite batting in the lead-off spot. Now that it seems Cianci has gotten out of his

PHOTO BY MICAHEL REZIN THE RAM

Junior Joseph Charest pitched a complete game in a win over Maine.

slump, Leighton believes that the freshman will be able to get things going in the right direction. “Matt is a good player,” Leighton said. “He is a gamer, which is why we like him at the top of the lineup. He competes in every at bat and seems to find his way on base. He has had a rough start, but I know if he plays with confidence and toughness he will be a very good player for us.”

Four other Rams also drove in runs in the victory. Another bright spot in the series was sophomore first baseman Tim Swatek, who homered in back-to-back games, giving him his first round-trippers in a Fordham uniform. Traveling north to a slightly different spring break destination, Fordham visited South Orange, NJ to take part in the Seton Hall Strike Out Cancer Tournament.

For Leighton, it was a homecoming of sorts, having graduated from Seton Hall in 2000. Fordham fell in the first game to Leighton’s alma mater, in a shutout by the Pirates. The Rams got back on track though, winning their next two games against Maine. In the first win against Maine, Fordham downed the Blackbears 6-5. The offense was led by junior second baseman Mike Mauri, who drove in two runs and was the only Ram to collect multiple hits in the contest. Errors plagued Fordham throughout the contest though; the team committed four blunders in all. The errors were not a problem for Pike; however, as he turned in his best performance of the season thus far. Pike went 7.2 innings, giving just one earned run on eight hits. While his control may not have been great, walking four batters, Pike was able to pitch out of jams and work through the team’s defensive struggles. The freshman followed up his 12-strikeout performance by sitting down four batters on strikes against Maine. Fordham was treated to another brilliant pitching performance in the second game, this time from junior Joseph Charest in a 3-2 win. The righty took a perfect game into the seventh inning before finally allowing a runner to reach base. Charest pitched a complete game four-hitter, giving him his first win of the season after starting out with four straight losses. He was given a lot of help, as the Rams bounced back from their four error performance to get 17 ground ball outs, while com-

mitting no errors. Charest added three strikeouts to those ground ball outs. Graduate student catcher Zach Small, senior shortstop Ryan Maghini and Swatek led the offense, each driving in a run. The Rams did squander chances throughout the ballgame, however, leaving ten men on base. Leighton saw the performances from Pike and Charest as glimpses of what the rotation is capable of. “Pike and Charest did what we feel like they can do every weekend,” Leighton said. “They give us a chance to win every time they get on the mound. When they are able to locate their fastballs they will be good because both have very good off-speed pitches to get guys out with. It’s just a matter of being ahead in the count for them.” The two wins against Maine were especially sweet for Leighton, as he defeated his mentor, Head Coach Steve Trimper, under whom he had been an assistant from 2002 to 2005. Fordham opened a five game homestand yesterday against Stony Brook and reverted back to their mistake-filled defense, committing five errors. Those gaffes were too much for the Rams to come back from, falling 11-2. The offense was nothing to write home about either, as the team collected just four hits. Sophomore Jonathon Reich was saddled with loss, giving up six hits and two earned runs in three innings. The Rams are set to take on Marist today, March 21, at 3:30 at Houlihan Park before entering conference play with a series at home against UMass Amherst.

Men’s Tennis Falls Just Short of Upset Over St. John’s; Records Two More Wins By KARA SCAGLIOLA STAFF WRITER

After an impressive winning streak, the men’s tennis team dropped its second match against a ranked opponent, falling to (#68) St. John’s University on March 9. A rough defeat left the Rams’ singles swept by the Red Storm, followed by a doubles sweep. Even the strong team of sophomores Mischa Koran and Kuba Kowalski — who was also named an Atlantic 10 performer of the week — were edged out by St. Johns by a score of 8-6. St. Patrick’s Day brought more than one reason to celebrate, however, as the Rams came back with a sweep of their own in a March 17 match against LaSalle. This victory brought the Rams to 12-3 overall on the season and kept their record undefeated (5-0) at home. Teams of Kowalski and Koran (8-1), freshmen Peder Gram and Max Peara (8-1) and freshmen Srikar Alla and J.J. Tauil (8-4) came through with strong wins, awarding the Rams a sweeping doubles point.

The men continued to sweep the singles rounds as well, taking all of the six matches, five in straight sets. Tauil (6-2, 6-2), Kowalski (6-0, 6-2), Gram (6-3, 6-1), Koran (6-4, 6-1) and Peara (6-3, 6-2) all came through with strong wins for the Rams. The only close call was a tiebreaker, which Alla eventually took (10-6), giving the Rams a full sweep. “Our guys came out and got a great start in doubles and jumped out to big leads, which was a key we talked about before the match,” Head Coach Cory Hubbard said. “We wanted to make a statement early and not let them into the match. In singles, JJ and Kuba handled their courts quickly and allowed the other guys to relax a little since we were up 3-0. Once the guys relaxed, they played much better in second sets and won easily.” The Rams’ resilience continued with another sweep against Sacred Heart University on Sunday. Kowalski and Koran set the tone for the win, as they valiantly contributed towards the doubles point in an emotional tiebreaker.

“The doubles point was a huge key,” Hubbard said. “We always talk about doubles being an emotional game and to play with energy and compete hard, that’s what makes college tennis great. That end of the doubles, coming down to court number one, going to a tiebreaker, fighting off match points, having match points, Mischa diving for a ball, it all made it exciting. I thought it was really important for us to get the doubles point.” Taking the doubles point has been a key improvement for the Rams, as it has helped them take more matches as of late. Their singles play continued to be strong, as all singles players took their matches as well. The only close call was a tiebreaker for Gram, but he came out on top with a score of 10-7, giving the Rams their 7-0 win. As the Rams continue to exhibit strength and ambition, their chances at doing well in the NCAA tournament become more and more tangible. Fordham will battle the Temple University Owls in a conference matchup today, March 21, at 1 p.m.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL HAYES/THE RAM

Freshman Srikar Alla helped the Rams to two victories last week. Alla picked up wins against La Salle in both the doubles and singles divisions.

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Forty-Two Teams Out, Just Sixteen Left in Big Dance By ADRIAN BURKE STAFF WRITER

Well, the Sweet Sixteen is set. If you have nine of the teams remaining in your bracket, consider yourself at the top of the pack. We’ve seen some pretty wild games thus far, and teams you would never expect to lose have lost in the round of 64. Duke Blue Devils and Missouri Tiger fans sat helplessly, watching their beloved teams as they were let down by what many thought were Final Four contenders. The Atlantic 10 Conference had a good showing in the tournament with three teams, Xavier, Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure, all in the bracket. Xavier is the last one standing after upsetting Notre Dame in the round of 64 and blowing by Lehigh in the next game. Saint Louis beat an impressive Memphis team and put up an incredible fight against the topseeded Michigan State Spartans but could not pull the upset. A surprise at this point has been the lack of buzzer-beating shots, a staple to the tournament, but these upcoming matchups might let us forget about that. Here is a look at the16 teams that will vie for a spot in the Elite Eight. #1 Syracuse vs. #4 Wisconsin – 3/22 , 7:15 p.m. (Boston) The top-seeded (fab-u-less) Orange go up against the Wisconsin Badger team, which squeaked by Vanderbilt in the round of 32. Syracuse came into the tournament with a 31-2 record, but without sophomore Fab Melo, the Orange’s seven-foot center and key piece to their 2-3-zone defense, who was ruled ineligible. Syracuse pulled out a seven-point victory against UNCAsheville with a few controversial calls. The Orange then finished off a successful trip to Pittsburgh with a 16-point victory over the talented Kansas State team. Wisconsin entered the tournament with a 24-9, record, and quickly built on that with a large victory over Big Sky champions, Montana. A threepoint win versus the tournament regular Vanderbilt put the Badgers into the Sweet Sixteen, where they will have to make a high percentage of three pointers and out-rebound the Orange. #1 Michigan State vs. #4 Louisville – 3/22, 7:47 p.m. (Phoenix) After a 22-point victory over Long Island University-Brooklyn, Tom Izzo’s Spartans went up against the Saint Louis Billikens of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Spartans pulled out a slim fourpoint win with the help of standout senior forward Draymond Green who had 16 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Michigan State looks to continue its hot shooting as it faces the Louisville Cardinals of the Big East. Winning its first two games by a collective margin of only 10 points, Louisville will look to shoot better than its average 42 percent, led by senior Kyle Kuric, who has posted double digit point totals in the team’s first two games. #2 Ohio State vs. #6 Cincinnati – 3/22, 9:45 p.m. (Boston) Defending Player of the Year winner Jared Sullinger, just a sophomore, leads the Buckeyes into the

Sweet Sixteen, averaging 15 points over the past two wins over Loyola (MD) and Gonzaga. Ranking 12th in the nation in shooting, the Buckeyes will have to continue to put up high numbers as they go against senior Yancy Gates, the 6 foot 9 inches Bearcat averaging just under 10 rebounds per game. Coming off two impressive victories over Texas and Florida State, Cincinnati is looking to get back to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1996. #3 Marquette vs. #7 Florida – 3/22, 10:17 p.m. (Phoenix) Buzz Williams and the Marquette Golden Eagles face their first true test as they take on Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators. Senior Darius Johnson-Odom and senior Jae Crowder, both averaging over 15 points per game for a top-tier 27-7 Big East team, lead the Golden Eagles. Junior point guard Kenny Boynton leads the Gators, shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 16 points per game. #3 Baylor vs. #10 Xavier – 3/23, 7:15 p.m. (Atlanta) Sophomore forward Perry Jones III, at 6 foot 11 inches, leads the Baylor Bears into a date with the Xavier Musketeers of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Baylor beat San Diego State and Colorado to get into the Sweet Sixteen, while Xavier upset Notre Dame and beat the Lehigh Mountain Hawks to advance. To upset the Bears, Xavier will need continued production from senior guard Tu Halloway. #1 UNC vs. #13 Ohio – 3/23, 7:43 p.m. (St. Louis) After two predictable wins over Vermont and Creighton, the Tar Heels of North Carolina will go up against the MAC champion Ohio Bobcats, led by junior guard DJ Cooper. North Carolina will have to go without sophomore guard Kendall Marshall who scored 18 points and had 11 assists in the win over Creighton, but fractured his right wrist, which required immediate surgery. Ohio University upset the Michigan Wolverines in the round of 64, then beat USF to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. #1 Kentucky vs. #4 Indiana – 3/23, 9:45 p.m. (Atlanta) This matchup is perhaps the most anticipated, as the Indiana Hoosiers hit a buzzer-beater to beat the Wildcats back on December 10. Kentucky is led by freshman forward Anthony Davis, averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Wildcats will attempt to get revenge against a hot Indiana team coming off wins against New Mexico State and a nail-biter against VCU. #2 Kansas vs. #11 North Carolina St. – 3/23, 10:17 p.m (St. Louis) Coming off a notable upset over Georgetown, the Wolfpack try to continue the run towards a Final Four appearance in a matchup with Bill Self ’s high-scoring Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas, who ranks in the top 25 in points per game, shooting and assists, keeps its eyes on a fourteenth Final Four appearance in the school’s history. Averaging a double double, Thomas Robinson will need to continue his production and boost the Jayhawks to face either UNC or Ohio.

MARCH 21, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 17

Baseball

Softball

Men’sTennis

Fordham 5-6 Maine

Fordham 7-4 JMU

Fordham 7-0 La Salle

Fordham

AB R

Cianci Lee Maghini R. Swatek Mauri McSherry Maghini B. Phelan Calabrese

cf rf ss 1b 2b lf dh c 3b

Totals

Maine

H HR RBI

3 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 3

2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

1 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 1

7 0 5

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0

H HR RBI

Fransoso ss Gay cf Calbick 3b Patzalek dh Whitten c Leisenheimer1b Doran rf Heath lf Black 2b White ph

4 4 5 5 4 3 4 3 2 1

1 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0

Totals

0 0 1 2 0 2 3 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0

8 1 4

Fordham

ER BB SO

Pike Morrill

7.2 8 1.1 0

5 0

1 4 4 0 0 1

Maine SO

Coughlin McCarthy

4.1 7 3.2 0

R 6 0

Fordham RBI

Singles

H HR

3 3 3 0 4 4 3 2 2 0 2 1

2 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

2 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

10 2 6

H HR

4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 3

1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 2

7 1 4

1. Kowalski (Fordham) def. Berenato (La Salle) 6-0, 6-1

LaBovick Callahan Ortiz Ciuffi Turgeon Daubman Fortier Palumbo Lombardo Luety Bright Krasinsky

1b 2b dp pr cf rf 3b ss c c lf ph

Totals

0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 2 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

E - Black,T(4); Maghini(12); Pike 2(4); Anastasi(1). LOB Black Bears 8; Fordham 4. 2B Calbick,A(6); Doran,B(3); Lee(2); Mauri(4). HR Leisen,J(2). HBP - Cianci. SF - Heath,S(1); Maghini(2). SB - Fransoso,M(2); Mauri(2). CS Patzalek,T(1).

Fordham 3-2 Maine

3. Koran (Fordham) def. Labate (La Salle) 6-4, 6-1 4. Peara (Fordham) def. Donovan (La Salle) 6-3, 6-2 5. Tauil (Fordham) def. Fetterman (La Salle) 6-2, 6-3 6. Gram (Fordham) def. Kasinow (La Salle) 6-3, 6-1 Doubles

JMU RBI Butler Heath Burnham Barbour Mooney Shinaberry Widner Manning Sandy

cf lf ss 1b p c rf 2b 3b

Totals

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

1. Kowalski/Koran (Fordham) def. Berenato/Fennell (La Salle) 8-1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0

Pirone Mineau

3.0 5 4 4 4.0 2 0 0

JMU

0 1

4 3 2 1 1 0

3. Gram/Peara (Fordham) def. Fetterman/Selman (La Salle) 8-1

Fordham 7-0 Sacred Heart Singles

2. Srikar (Fordham) def. Miller (Sacred Heart) 6-3, 6-1

0 9

3. Koran (Fordham) def. Mohring (Sacred Heart) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1

H R ER BB SO

Mooney 3.1 3 4 Depriest 2.2 5 2 Stecher 1.0 2 1

2. Alla/Tauil (Fordham) def. LaBate/Donovan (La Salle) 8-4

1. Kowalski (Fordham) def.Sullo (Sacred Heart) 6-2, 6-2

Fordham IP H R ER BB SO

ER BB 5 1 3 0 0 5

2. Srikar (Fordham) def. Fennell (La Salle) 6-2, 4-6, 10-6

4. Peara (Fordham) def. Pagan (Sacred Heart) 6-4, 6-5

0 2 1

5. Tauil (Fordham) def. Lopresti (Sacred Heart) 6-1, 6-2 6. Gram (Fordham) def.Bagi (Sacred Heart) 7-5, 5-7, 10-7

E - Lombardo(1). Triple plays JMU 1. LOB - Fordham 4; JMU 5. 2B - Burnham, A(8); Sandy, C(5). 3B - Palumbo(1). HR - Ortiz(4); Turgeon(3); Mooney, S(4); Manning, C(3). SH - Callahan(1). SB - Butler, J(11).

Doubles 1. Kowalski/Koran (Fordham) def. Mohring/Miller (Sacred Heart) 9-8 (10-8) 2. Sullo/Pagan (Sacred Heart def. Alla/Tauil (Fordham) 8-5 3. Gram/Peara (Fordham) def. Bagi/Lopresti (Sacred Heart) 8-3

Fordham 8-0 St. Johns Fordham RBI

AB R

Cianci McSherry Maghini R. Lee Swatek Mauri Maghini B. Small Calabrese

cf lf ss rf 1b 2b dh c 3b

H HR

(Six Innings)

3 4 4 5 2 4 1 3 3

1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0

Totals

7 0 3

Maine RBI

1b 2b dh cf rf 3b ss c lf

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Totals

2 4 0

0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

Fordham

Charest

9.0 4

2 4 7

IP H

ER BB SO

5.0 0.2 2.1 1.0

3 1 2 1

H HR

4 4 3 3 3 2 2 3 3

1 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 1

2 2 1 0 1 0 2 2 1

1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0

Fordham 4-2 Long Island 1 1 2 0 0 0 4 0 0

R ER BB SO

2 0 0 1

2 0 0 0

4 1 2 1

Singles 1. Louwers (LIU) def. Simidian (Fordham) 6-1, 6-4 2. Dabu (Fordham) def. Blessington (LIU) 6-4, 5-4 (unfinished) 3. Genkina (Fordham) def. Maas (LIU) 7-5, 6-3

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Gibbs Morrill Connolly Trask

LaBovick Callahan Ortiz Turgeon Daubman Fortier Palumbo Luety Bright

R H HR

Fransoso ss 4 Gay cf 3 Calbick 3b 4 Patzalek c 4 Whitten dh 2 White 2b 1 Leisenheimer1b 4 Bernardo rf 3 Doran lf 3 Connolly 2b/p 3

Maine

Fordham RBI

Women’sTennis

7 0 2 3

E - Gay. C (1); Doran B (2); Trask S (1). DP - Maine 3. LOB Fordham 10; Maine 4. 2B - Cianci (1); Swatek (3); Small (3); Gay C. (3); Connolly (2). HBP Cianci; McSherry. SF - Small (1). SB - Cianci (5); Maghini (3); B. Maghini (2). CS - Cianci (3); Swatek (1); Calabrese (2)

St. Johns RBI Czuba Marcelino Cady Cox Reed Montez Neuroth Burner Sanchez

rf dh/c cf c/dh 1b 2b lf ss 3b

Totals

11 4 8

H HR

3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4. Zonnevold (LIU) def. Fritzinger (Fordham) 7-5, 0-6, 10-7 5. Leong (Fordham) def. Thompson (LIU) 6-3, 5-7, 10-8

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6. Boyle (Fordham) def. No player (LIU) by default Doubles 1. Simidian/Dabu (Fordham) vs. Louwers/Blessington (LIU) 6-5 unfinished 2. Ali/Genkina (Fordham) def. Maas/Zonneveld (LIU) 8-4 3. Fritzinger/Leong (Fordham) def. No player/No player (LIU) by default

Fordham IP H R ER BB SO Mineau

6.0 0 0

St Johns IP

1 9

H R ER BB SO

Beza 2.2 7 6 Carrullo 2.2 4 2

6 2 2 0

2 2

E - CZUBA, E.. LOB - STJ 2; FOR 5. 2B - LaBovick(3); Daubman(2). HR LaBovick(2); Ortiz(3); Luety 2(4). HBP - SANCHEZ, J.

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Fordham 5-1 Bethune Cookman Singles 1. Simidian (Fordham) def. Szaboova (BCU) 1-6, 6-1, 10-6 2. Ali (Fordham) def. Kajiwara (BCU) 6-3, 6-3 3. Dabu (Fordham) def. Speller (BCU) 7-5, 2-1 unfinished 4. Genkina (Fordham) def. Peterson-Pau (BCU) 2-6, 6-4, 10-4 5. Leong (Fordham) def. Chinchilla (BCU) 6-1, 7-6 6. Robakidze (BCU) def. Tremaine (Fordham) 6-0, 6-3 Doubles 1. Dabu/Simidian (Fordham) def. Szaboova/Robakidze (BCU) 9-7 2. Ali/Genkina (Fordham) def. Chinchilla/Kajiwara (BCU) 8-4 3. Speller/Peterson-Pau (BCU) def. Leong/Fritzinger (Fordham) 8-4

PAGE 18 •THE RAM •MARCH 2012

TWO-MINUTE DRILL

CHRISTIAN BEAULIEU

CHRISTIAN BEAULIEU I am happy to say that the Peyton Manning saga is over. For the past two weeks, numerous teams have tried to court the biggest free agent since Reggie White. The saga began with Manning visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos. The meetings went well, making them look like early favorites. The Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets were soon eliminated from the “Manning Sweepstakes.” Miami visited Manning in Indianapolis, but was quickly eliminated. Tennessee Titans Owner Bud Adams announced to the media that he wanted Manning so badly that he would make him “Titan for life,” and that following Manning’s retirement he would have a high-ranking front-office job awaiting him. Arizona pressured Manning to make a decision by Friday, March 16 when Arizona’s incumbent starter, Kevin Kolb, was due a $7 million roster bonus. When it was clear a decision would not be made by that time, Manning eliminated the Cardinals from the running. Down to just the Broncos and the Titans, reports surfaced that the San Francisco 49ers were secretly in the Peyton chase. All three teams promised the same things: a strong team where Manning could run his offense and a contract that would look similar to the five-year, $90-million contract he signed with the Colts last year. After much waiting, Manning signed a five-year, $96-million contract making him the newest quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Once the dust from the Manning courting settles, it should be clear that the Denver Broncos are now a legitimate contender to win big in the near future. There should be a sense of great excitement bellowing from the collective voice of the Bronco faithful. I was perplexed, however, to see that there is a very vocal portion of the Denver fan base that is angry about the addition of Peyton Manning, which means the end of “Tebow Time” in Denver. This past season, “Tebowmania” was at an all time high. Tebow ran, threw and willed a down-and-out franchise into national spotlight and playoff contention. The team goals went from “Suck for Luck” to winning the division the moment Tebow took the field last season. After he, along with a great running game and extremely stout defense, lead the Broncos to the playoffs, it seemed as if Tebow could do no wrong. He made a habit out of winning games in the fourth quarter and overtime. However, it seemed clear that he was as much of a burden to the front office as he was a blessing to the fans. The Broncos were

SPORTS forced to run a simplified option offense to cater to Tebow’s unique skill set, much to the chagrin to the Hall of Fame quarterback and Broncos Vice President John Elway. The Broncos brass saw getting Manning as the only way to replace a player as loved as Tebow. The protests of the fan base at the acquisition of the future Hall of Famer just goes to show how highly Tebow is regarded among fans. Tim Tebow has one of the strongest and most rapidly-expanding fan bases in the NFL. A simple Google search will reveal a half dozen fans sporting Tim Tebow tattoos. The NFL, however, is a business, and Tebow looks to be on his way out of Denver. I have watched a lot of Tim Tebow and have learned about him as a player. The one thing I learned from everything I have read, seen and heard is that it is foolish to say that he can’t do something. The guy is a worker with a motor that doesn’t stop. While it is hard to envision him as a drop-back style quarterback, if it can be done, Tebow can do it. He possesses all the traits that can’t be taught. He has the size, work ethic and leadership to be a franchise signal caller, where he falls short in his throwing accuracy, elongated throwing motion and footwork. From the time he was starting in high school, people have told Tebow that he can’t play quarterback. He overcame that to become one of the greatest college players of all time and become a first round pick. When he has a coach who believes in him, he succeeds. Former Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer knows this better than anyone; however, Josh McDaniels, who drafted Tebow, is no longer in Denver, and it was clear that he was never the quarterback Elway and current coach John Fox envisioned for their team. Now that Tebow is about to begin the next chapter of his career, it is imperative that he goes somewhere where the coaches will believe in him. New England is the first destination that comes to mind. The Patriots hold work ethic in high regard, and it would mean the reunion of Tebow and current Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels. However, the Patriots have two strong backup quarterbacks and appear to have no room for Tebow. The best fit I see for Tebow is the New Orleans Saints. Tebow woukd be going to a team that will not thrust him into the spotlight while he provides a valuable backup to elite quarterback Drew Brees. Brees knows what it is like to be cast off only to later find dominance with another team. Tebow will be given the time to work on becoming a better thrower without being forced to change the skill set that makes him special. Head Coach Sean Payton will be enamored by his high character and work ethic while providing the support under which Tebow will thrive. Tim Tebow is looking for redemption and what better place is there than a community that personifies perseverance as much New Orleans. Regardless of where Tebow ends up, do not count me as one of those who says he cannot do it, as I can’t imagine that the NFL has seen its final “Tebow Time.”

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Senior Profile: Nicole Callahan

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Nicole Callahan has been an anchor for the infield over the past few seasons, leading up to her captaincy.

By MATT ROSENFELD

TR: How did you end up at Fordham?

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Senior infielder Nicole Callahan is a captain and leader of the Fordham softball team. After an accolade-filled high school career in Freehold, New Jersey, Nicole burst on to the scene in her sophomore year, when she played in 44 of the team’s 61 games and collected 30 hits and 14 runs. Last year was her breakout season when she led the team with a .358 batting average and was named to the Second Team NFCA All Mid-Atlantic team. She went 4-7 in Fordham’s three NCAA tournament games as well. This year, Callahan is hitting the cover off the ball, and has 12 hits in the team’s first 14 games. She is majoring in sociology in Fordham College at Rose Hill. The Ram: Coming out of high school, were a lot of colleges recruiting you? Nicole Callahan: Yeah, there were a bunch of schools, mostly local though. There was Rutgers, Hofstra, George Mason and St. Peter’s, to name a few.

NC: I actually wanted to go anywhere but Fordham. My aunt and my mom graduated from Lincoln Center and also went to Fordham Law, so I was initially against Fordham, but I came here, and I saw the campus. Coach Orchard was so inviting, I just felt that Fordham was where I needed to go. TR: After last year’s very successful year for Fordham, what are the team’s goals this year? NC: We want to win the Atlantic 10 again, we want to win our regionals and get to the super regionals. We want to be in the Sweet 16.

last year. How do you try and improve upon that success? NC: I try and stick to what I know and keep a rhythm. I continue to work hard and am confident in what will come from that. TR: How does the team handle being on the road so much early in the year? NC: We have a lot of fun together; we are more like a sisterhood than anything. We fight, we have tiffs, but there are many more laughs than anything else. TR: What will you remember most about your four years at Fordham?

TR: With a lot of freshmen on the team, how do you keep such a young team motivated towards those goals?

NC: That’s a good question. I’d have to say the bonds. When we win, or we do something on the field, or even off the field, we function like a family. So now I have 20 sisters with me.

NC: The freshmen are definitely motivated. They have a lot of energy. It’s more trying to show them that big-name teams can fall hard.

TR: What are your plans after graduation?

TR: You had a very good season

NC: I would like to be either a police officer or a coach.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Nicole Callahan has been a part of some of Fordham’s most successful softball teams, including multiple trips to the NCAA Tournament during her time as a Ram.

SPORTS

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Track and Field Opens Outdoor Season with GMU Invitational By RYAN SCANLON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham men’s and women’s track and field teams were in action over the weekend in Fairfax, Virginia at the Mason Spring Opener, hosted by George Mason University. The men’s team looked to continue its success from the indoor season, during which it finished third at the Atlantic 10 Championships for the second straight year. Freshman Austin Ruiz put in some work on Saturday by participating in three throwing events, his most notable being the discus. He threw 38.58 meters (126 feet, 6 inches), placing third. Fordham’s distance team got some action in the open 3,000-m run and 3,000-m steeplechase. Senior Kevin Fitzgerald and sophomore Kevin Harvey finished first and second respectively and led the way for the Rams in the open 3k, both finishing in under 8:45. Rich Grandelli placed first in the 3k steeplechase with a time of 9:38. The meet was also an opportunity for Fordham’s middle distance crew, which has proven to be one of the best in the conference and region. Sophomore Ryan Polo won the 1,500-m run in 3:58.28, finishing eight seconds ahead of the second-place runner. A new face establishing himself amongst the middle-distance group, Danny Green, a freshman walk-on from Clifton, NJ, won the 800-m in a time of 1:57.79. Fordham put together three relay teams to compete in the 400m and 1,600-m relays. The men’s 400-m relay finished behind Indiana University (Penn.) with a time of 44.25 seconds, with the team of senior Frank Massaro and juniors Michael Bongiorno, Daniel Clemens and Sean Atkinson. Fordham’s 1,600-m relay teams

finished in times of 3:24.62 and 3:27.45 seconds. The team that hailed victorious consisted of Bongiorno, Massaro, Green and junior Michael Rossi. The women’s team looked to this early meet to gain some momentum and improve upon its ninth place conference finish in the indoor season. Blair Hassel earned a secondplace finish in the javelin throw, hitting 43.23m (141 feet 10 inches). Fellow senior Elisabeth Warren took first in the women’s long jump, with a best jump of 5.1m (16 feet, 8 inches). Warren doubled and came back to run the 200-m dash as well, finishing third in 26.4. Fordham junior Courtnay Newman also took first in the high jump with a leap of 1.6m (5 feet, 3 inches). The Fordham women swept the 3,000-m steeplechase, led by freshman Brianna Tevnan who finished first in 12:04. The Rams also took places one through five in the 1,500-m run, with junior Ashley Davis as the top finisher with a time of 4:52. Senior Kelly Connelly won the 800-m run with a time of 2:19.75 with teammate Kellen Fitzgerald one place behind her, finishing in 2:26.05. Sophomore sprinter Titi Fagade, who just came off a successful indoor season in the 500m, finished second in the 400-m dash with a time of 57.40. The women’s team put forth three relay teams as well. The 400-m relay team that consisted of freshmen Hailey Cox and Melissa Higgins, as well as sophomores Averie Sheppard and Fagade, finished just behind Indiana University (Penn.) to place second with a time of 50.25. Fordham’s 1,600-m relay teams finished within a second of each other to place first and second. The winning squad consisted of Warren, Sheppard, Connolly and Fagade.

MARCH 21, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 19

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

March Madness was diminished this weekend because of the insane rules of the NCAA. When the brackets were initially released, most people selected Syracuse and Kansas State to meet up in the round of 32. I thought that Kansas State would knock off the Orange because Frank Martin is one of the scariest people on the face of the earth, and I was afraid of what he would do to me if I did not pick the Wildcats. Both of these teams lost key players due to eligibility rules of college basketball’s governing body. Fab Melo of Syracuse was deemed ineligible for reasons that were not given by the school. One could certainly venture a guess that this is in some way academically related, seeing as how Melo was already suspended earlier this season for problems in the classroom. Just hours before the matchup against the Orange, Kansas State lost a key player as well, when Jamar Samuels was deemed ineligible. Samuels had accepted money from an old basketball coach when his family had no money for groceries. In what crazy world are we living that these two actions both have the same punishment? Melo was a kid who was coasting through his free ride to college, ignoring the student portion of his student-athlete label. A source from ESPN has stated that the eligibility issue stemmed from an academic violation that made him ineligible earlier in the season. He just assumed that no one would touch him because he was one of the best defensive players in the league, and his team needed him to win a national championship. If it comes out that his eligibility issue was not academic, then my apologies to Melo. Instead, Syracuse did the right thing and sent a message to student athletes everywhere: You have to go to class and do your work in order to garner the benefits of your athletic prowess. Talent on the court should not be enough to enable you to attend college, a privilege that is de-

nied to so many deserving students because of high tuition costs. If you do not live up to the rules of your scholarship, as Melo did not, you have no right to be out there with the other players who have been busting their butts both in the gym and in the classroom. How many chances should a player get until he or she finally gets their scholarship revoked? I think it’s alright for a player to get one warning suspension if they are not keeping up with their assignments, but after that, if he or she keeps making the same mistake, get off the team. Two strikes and you are out; there are too many other people out there who deserve, but do not get the chance to go to a four-year college. One can only hope that now Melo has finally realized he is in school to learn about more than just basketball. This is something that slips the minds of so many high-profile student athletes. This was a great message to any recruit or current college athlete. You need to do your homework in order to play; it is just that simple. You don’t even have to be an all-star student, you just need to get the work done at an average level. Hell, most colleges even provide tutors and priority registration for the student-athletes. It really seems like a player needs to be trying to get in trouble to get suspended because academic ineligibility. Samuels, on the other hand, did not slack off on his schoolwork. He did not know he was breaking any rules. The kid just needed some money so his family could eat. The money that he received

was not given to him by a booster of Kansas State, or anyone affiliated with the school at all. Instead, he was given $200 by an old AAU basketball coach of his. It was not even like this was just some random dude that Samuels hit up because he needed quick cash. They had a longstanding relationship since Samuels played for him. A rule has been proposed by the NCAA, which would grant studentathletes $2,000 in spending money to avoid these kinds of situations. Whether that rule will be accepted and how it would be structured remains to be seen. I really just do not see how these two kids can be thrown in the same ring and be given the exact same punishment. It has always been said that the punishment should fit the crime. Not living up to half of the student-athlete role seems like an offense punishable by an NCAA suspension, but getting some money from an old friend so that your family can eat should not warrant any punishment at all, let alone a suspension from the biggest game of your life. The NCAA needs to find a way to punish kids without giving them full suspensions if their offense is not severe. There has to be something other than a full suspension from the tournament, such as just not being allowed to play for the first half of the game. Even if the NCAA sees Samuel’s actions as a punishable offense, which is astonishing in itself, there has to be some way to separate a kid like Melo from someone like Samuels.

RICHARD DREW/AP IMAGES

Melo (right) was the anchor of the Syracuse Orange’s iconic 2-3 zone defense.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule CAPS=HOME lowercase=away

Thursday March 22

Friday March 23

Men’s Tennis

SAINT JOSEPH’S 1 p.m.

LAFAYETTE 1 p.m.

UMASS 3:30 p.m.

UMASS 1 p.m.

UMASS 12 p.m.

Softball

at La Salle 3 p.m.

at La Salle 12 p.m.

at GWU 12 p.m.

Track & Field

Women’s Rowing

Junior Michael Rossi (left) was on the 400-m relay team that took second place behind the team from Indiana University (Pa.).

Sunday March 25

Baseball

Women’s Tennis

PHOTO BY AARON MAYS/THE RAM

Saturday March 24

Men’s Golf

Monday Tuesday March 26 March 27

at Fairleigh Dickinson 3 p.m. UVa Team Swashbuckle at Charlottesville, Va. Murphy Cup at Philadelphia La Salle Spring Invitational at Ambler, Pa.

Wednesday March 28

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 1 p.m. at LIU 3:30 p.m. at Lehigh 3 p.m.

MARCH 21, 2012

PAGE 20

Mineau Records Eighth Career No-Hitter Versus St. John’s Rams win four of five at JMU Invitational over spring break to improve to 12-14 overall

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Mineau’s no-hitter on Tuesday afternoon was the eighth of her stellar career. SOFTBALL, FROM PAGE 1

In the third, Fordham piled on the runs when Elise Fortier hit a three-run home run to give the Rams a 4-0 lead; that would be the score at the end of the game. “Elise is one of our best hitters who hadn’t produced much,” Orchard said. “I knew she was going to come around. It was nice to see her do that against a conference opponent. We play them next weekend so she should have confidence going in and that gives the team more confidence knowing we can produce against [George Washington].” The Rams continued their winning ways in their fourth game, defeating Pitt 5-4 in an 11-inning affair. Jen Mineau took the mound

again to face the team that had beaten her just a day earlier, and this time, she would not be denied a victory. After a scoreless first two innings, Chelsea Palumbo gave Fordham a 1-0 lead when she hit a solo home run in the third inning. Mineau continued her brilliance through six innings, keeping the Panthers scoreless as Fordham took a 1-0 lead into the seventh. It was in the seventh that Pitt finally found the scoreboard. A double and a single gave the Panthers the one run needed to send the game into extra innings. In the eighth inning, Fordham retook the lead on an RBI single by senior Jo Krasnisky, but subsequently gave up a run in the bottom of the inning, sending the game further into extra innings.

The ninth and 10th innings went quietly, but the bats came alive in the 11th. A two-run home run by Paige Ortiz and an RBI groundout by Elise Fortier put three runs on the board, giving the Rams a 5-2 advantage. Pitt would not go quietly in the bottom of the frame, knocking a two-run home run to cut the lead to one. That is where the score would stay, as Mineau managed to retire the next three batters, securing the win for Fordham. “We really needed that win against Pitt,” Orchard said. “We proved to ourselves and everybody else that we can win that type of close game that we had been losing earlier in the year. We battled and battled and finally came up with the win.” The last game of the invitational had Fordham facing James Madison again. The Rams got an early lead on the Dukes. Paige Ortiz hit her second home run of the weekend, this time a two-run blast that gave the Rams a 2-0 lead. JMU scored one in the second inning, and then an RBI fielder’s choice followed by a two-run home run gave the Dukes a 4-2 lead in the third inning. The Rams tied the game in the very next inning when freshman Brianna Turgeon hit a two-run home run to knot the game up at four. It was not until the sixth inning that another team scored, when Fordham took the lead on an RBI triple from Chelsea Palumbo giving the Rams a 5-4 lead. Palumbo

would then score on a wild pitch to push the lead to two runs. Fordham put one more run on the board in the seventh on a RBI single by freshman outfielder Brianna Turgeon and won the game by a final score of 7-4. “After that Pitt win, we had confidence which enabled us to come back against JMU,” Orchard said. “The players, knowing they can do it, believing in themselves, they knew if we got down, we could score runs.” Tuesday proved to be another

successful outing for the Rams. In the opening of the newly renovated Bahoshy park, Jen Mineau pitched a six inning no hitter, allowing only two base runners in the third in an 8-0 Fordham drubbing. Gabby Luety led a Fordham power attack with two of the team’s four home runs. Other home runs came from Jaime Labovick and Paige Ortiz. Fordham opens its conference schedule on Friday, March 23, when the team travels to La Salle for two games.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Junior Jamie LaBovick had a home run in Tuesday’s victory over St. John’s.

Fordham Women’s Tennis Wins Four, Loses One In Last Five Matches By KENNY DEJOHN STAFF WRITER

The Fordham women’s tennis team has continued its fantastic season over the past month, going 4-1 to improve its overall record to a solid 12-3. The first of these matches came against St. Peter’s College in Jersey City. It was another dominant victory for the Rams, as St. Peter’s had no answer for Fordham’s stellar play. The Rams won by a score of 7-0. A decisive display in doubles opened the match, with Fordham winning all three matches. Junior Amy Simidian and sophomore Angelika Dabu took first doubles, freshmen Sarah Ali and Bella Genkina took second doubles and sophomore Hanna Fritzinger and freshman Julie Leong took third doubles. The shutout was complete when the Rams won all six singles matches, four of which came in straight sets. Simidian, Dabu, Fritzinger and Leong all beat their opponents in impressive fashion. Ali and Genkina had to work the most for their victories, as both lost their first sets before coming back to win the following two.

George Washington was Fordham’s next opponent on March 10. The Rams struggled to keep up with the talented Colonials. In doubles, the teams split the first two matches. Ali and Genkina were victorious at second doubles, but Simidian and Dabu were unable to defeat their doubles opponents. Fritzinger and Leong suffered the same fate in their match. Leong was able to redeem herself at sixth singles, taking the match in straight sets. Genkina was also victorious at fifth singles. Ali, Dabu and Fritzinger were all unable to win their respective matches, though, and the Rams lost by a score of 5-2. Prior to the Rams’ next match, against Seton Hall, freshman Bella Genkina was named Atlantic 10 Women’s Rookie of the Week for her performances against St. Peter’s and George Washington. Genkina tallied two singles victories at the No. 5 position, as well as two doubles victories over the course of the week, reinforcing her importance to the Fordham squad. Genkina has been a strong part of the Fordham team all season long, and her future successes will play a large part in determining the Rams’ fate come A-10 tournament

time. Over spring break, in the first of three separate matches in Orlando, Florida, the Rams were able to outlast the Seton Hall Pirates. The Rams opened the match by taking two of three doubles points. Genkina and Ali were victorious at second doubles, while Fritzinger and Leong won their match at third doubles. Dabu and Simidian came up just short in first doubles, losing in a heartbreaking third set against Seton Hall’s best doubles team. Fordham was able to pull away with the overall victory in singles play. Dabu and Fritzinger won easily at second and fourth singles, respectively, while Genkina had to work much harder at third singles to win her match. Genkina was able to take the first set from her opponent 7-6, but dropped the second set by the same score. Genkina was able to outlast her opponent though, winning the tiebreaker 10-7. Simidian and Leong both lost tough matches at first and sixth singles, respectively. Both were unable to come through in the clutch, each losing her matches in the tiebreaking set. Thankfully, those losses did not come back to hurt the Rams. In a doubleheader the following

day, the Rams’ second doubleheader of the season, the Rams were able to defeat both Long Island University and Bethune Cookman. Fordham defeated LIU by a score of 4-2 and Cookman by a score of 5-1. The Rams also swept their

previous doubleheader earlier in the season, defeating both St. Bonaventure and Vassar. Fordham’s next match will take place on March 22 in Teaneck, New Jersey at Fairleigh Dickinson.

PHOTO BY AARON MAYS/THE RAM

Freshman Sarah Ali won her match at No. 2 singles against Bethune-Cookman.