Class of 2028 USG Senators Instated
By EMMA LEONARDI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Ballots have been cast, votes have been counted and the results are here. The Fordham University Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) 2028 Senators have been elected.
The senators for Fordham College of Rose Hill (FCRH) are Grace Shin, FCRH ’28, Audrey Shooner, FCRH ’28, and Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28. The two Gabelli School of Business (GSB) electees are Sarah Bayas, GSB ’28, and Anshuman Shrivastav, GSB ’28. To get to know these senators better, the Ram inquired on their history and future plans for USG.
Shin is originally from Fullerton, Calif. During her time in high school, she was a part of numerous clubs. Shin had a role as vice president in her high school’s student government, was a part of National Honors Society, was on the board of the high school’s Red Cross chapter and was president of Student Advocates for Mental Health and their student section
2028, PAGE 5
The Fordham Ram
Fordham Hosts Climate Week Summit
By NISHANTH ADUMA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business hosted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Youth Summit as part of New York City Climate Week on Tuesday, Sept. 24. This event took place at the McNally Amphitheatre at Fordham Lincoln Center. The primary aim of the event was to prepare young leaders to understand the risks of the climate crisis and ways to reduce their carbon footprints by offering resources and opportunities, as well as giving them a space to discuss the mental health challenges of climate change and explore potential career paths. With contributions from AmeriCorps, the EPA and other experts, the summit highlighted young people’s important role in creating a more sustainable future.
Dr. Julie Gafney, executive director of Fordham’s Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) and a key event
Fordham Introduces FitzSimons Presidential Initiative
By SIENNA REINDERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In a time of immense political polarization and difficulties surrounding public discourse, Fordham University has implemented a new initiative to help promote respectful and productive dialogue on political and social issues. The FitzSimons Presidential Initiative on Civics
has posted signs around the store to inform customers of the upcoming closure.
By NORA MALONE NEWS EDITOR
The Walgreens on Fordham Road is set to close permanently on Nov. 7. The pharmacy has served the local community as well as Fordham University students for several years. Students who had prescriptions
filled at the pharmacy received letters informing them that they needed to switch their prescriptions to another Walgreens. The closest Walgreens is at 49 W Fordham Rd. about a mile and a half away. Students have expressed displeasure at the closure.
“Where do I get my prescriptions
now? The Walgreens by the 4 train?” said Natalie Fedde, FCRH ’25.
The pharmacy offers vaccines and FedEx pickup and dropoff, where customers can have their packages delivered to the business or drop packages off for SEE CLOSE, PAGE 4
and Civility is a yearlong project intended to create a socially literate public through campus events.
The project was created by President Tania Tetlow and Roger Milici, vice president for Development and University Relations. Funding, as well as the initiative’s name, came
from Dennis FitzSimons, chairman of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and retired chairman and CEO of the Tribune Company, as well as a previous Fordham Trustee. FitzSimons personally feels that this project will provide great benefits for the Fordham community.
By NORA MALONE NEWS EDITOR
The Fordham University Arts and Sciences Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (FASARA) is a coalition of students, staff and administration that addresses anti-racism within the School of Arts and Sciences. This year is the group’s fourth year of operation.
Michele Prettyman, a professor in the communications department at Fordham Lincoln Center, created FASARA.
There have been several cochairs throughout the years, and last year, Prettyman stepped down.
“It’s a very intense job,” said Alessia Valfredini, an Italian professor and the current co-chair of FASARA. “We’re currently reviewing applications for the other co-chair.”
Each year, the group recruits students and faculty to join their various subcommittees.
“It’s a very horizontal body,”
FASARA, PAGE 5
COURTESY OF NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Walgreens
President Tania Tetlow and CBS News anchor John Dickerson have a conversation about civil discourse.
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
Lorillard Place Sept. 24
10:22 a.m.
On Tuesday, a student reported a burglary at their off campus residence on Lorillard Place. The supervisor responded and notified the NYPD. The investigation revealed the offender entered through an unsecured door and removed property. The NYPD prepared a report.
Southern Boulevard Sept. 27
4 p.m.
On Friday, a professor reported damage to their parked vehicle on Southern Boulevard. A supervisor responded. The reporter said that they parked on Friday, and when they returned, the rear windows were broken and property was removed. A review of the video did not identify an offender.
Hughes Avenue Sept. 27
2:18 a.m.
On Friday, a student reported someone was inside their off campus residence on Hughes Avenue. The supervisor responded and notified the NYPD. The investigation revealed the offender removed an air conditioner from the window and climbed into the residence and removed property. The NYPD responded to process the scene.
Hoffman Street Sept. 28
3:05 a.m.
On Saturday, a student reported a naked male was on the porch of their off-campus residence on Hoffman Street. A supervisor responded. The student said at 2:30 a.m., there was a naked male in need of housing sleeping on their front porch. The student woke the male, who got dressed and left the location without incident. The student declined the NYPD.
Egidio Pasticceria Celebrates 112 Years in Business
By JACK MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
It was not long after his immigration to the United States in 1909 that Don Pasquale Egidio founded his business. An immigrant from Salerno, Italy, Egidio settled on Mulberry Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy. In 1912, he established his roots at Egidio Pasticceria on E 187th St. and Hughes Avenue and has been in business ever since. Egidio grew up in the industry, as his mother and father ran a small cafe in Salerno, which he helped run at a young age. While Egidio himself has passed on, and ownership has been transferred to Maria Lucciola, his original recipes have been preserved and the same Egidio tradition has remained.
Egidio Pasticceria has been owned and operated by Lucciola since 1983. Lucciola was born in 1951 in central Italy, between Rome and Naples. Prior to her ownership of Egidio, Lucciola worked for the New York Public Library. While she enjoyed her job and found it fulfilling, Lucciola wanted to be in business and own a piece of her culture. “I like to be with people, and to get my hands into flour,” said Lucciola.
Lucciola is the second owner of Egidio Pasticceria and the only non-family owner, as Antonetta Egidio, Pasquale Egidio’s daughter, inherited the shop following her father’s passing in 1956. Lucciola took over the business beside her ex-husband, Paolo Palombo, both of whom wanted to be part of continuing Italian authenticity in Belmont. While the couple initially ran the business together, Palombo and Lucciola separated in 1995, and Lucciola took over Egidio’s.
Although Egidio is no longer the owner of the store, she said she was “happy she [Lucciola] got the store” and that “she knows just how to keep it,” in an interview with The New York Times in 2004.
Lucciola noted that Egidio used to translate letters for other men in Belmont and would help them send letters home to Italy. “A lot of people did not know how to read or write — they were illiterate, so, they used to come to him to read a letter, or write a letter, send money to Italy. Interesting, right?” she said.
The business started off small, like many others in the neighborhood. “They didn’t
have cappuccino, coffee or cake, but they had pastries. There were a lot of southern Italians and Sicilians in this neighborhood before, and this place was good for the Sicilian Cassata, a cake with a cannoli filling,” said Lucciola.
Lucciola noted there has been change in the neighborhood since she took over, but the authenticity of the businesses have remained the same, including hers. “We keep things the same, because people come from everywhere. I like my cannoli, we make it smooth and not too sweet,” she said.
“Once in a while we do something different, like when we introduced the tiramisu. Even during the holidays, we always have something new and different. We make cappuccino and lattes in the morning, too.”
Lucciola also described the importance of working together with other merchants in the area. “We have a nice relationship. If they [other business owners] need anything from me, they can borrow it and give it back, and I do the same thing,” she said. “The area changed as immigration was different, and that is why we started to make Spanish
Family Weekend at Fordham
pastries, like Flan and De Leche.” Catering to the entire neighborhood is important for her, to ensure she keeps her customers happy and coming back. “It is good to be friendly with the customers,” she said as friends of hers walked in. Although many people still flock to Egidio, immigration to the neighborhood has changed and decreased significantly since she took over. “The euro is higher than the U.S. dollar, and it is difficult to live here, in Italy too,” she said. Lucciola also described the importance of giving back to the community, especially around the holidays. “We celebrate every holiday here, especially Cinco De Mayo, since our customers are mostly Mexican, and we have classes for cannoli making in January,” said Lucciola. “I have a lot of people who come in to see how cannolis are made the old fashioned way.”
Students also appreciate the business, including Tyler Rayer, GSB ’28. “I felt special when the owner acknowledged me for taking my coffee black,” he noted when asked about Egidio’s ambiance. “It is a very friendly environment and a positive experience.”
Friday Oct. 4
Bring ‘Em to Bingo!
Keating First 8 p.m.
Join Fordham’s Campus Activities Board for their annual Family Weekend Bingo game. The event is Friday night, and participants can play for the chance to win prizes Tickets are required.
Saturday Oct. 5
Let’s Celebrate!
Edward’s Parade 12 p.m.
The Campus Activities Board is hosting a celebration for new Fordham families on Edward’s Parade on Saturday afternoon. There will be games, activities and more! Tickets are required.
Saturday Oct. 5
Kicking It Off
Moglia Stadium 1 p.m.
Show your support for Fordham Football as they play their first Patriot League game of the season on Saturday against Lafayette College. Kickoff is at 1 p.m., and student tickets are free!
Saturday Oct. 5
Take to the Stage
Leonard Theater 8 p.m.
The annual Maroon Mainstage event, organized by the Campus Activities Board, is Saturday night. Numerous performance groups including Satin Dolls, Flava and others will be performing.
Sunday Oct. 6
The World According to Mimes
Collins Auditorium 2 p.m.
Fordham’s Mimes and Mummers theater group closes their weekend run of “Carrie” with a matinee show on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online for the cast’s 2 p.m. matinee performance.
COURTESY OF JACK MCDONALD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Egidio Pasticceria celebrates 112 years supplying patrons of the Bronx’s Little Italy with authentic Italian pastries and desserts.
Amy Tardif Hosts Fact-Checking Workshop
By ADITHI VIMALANATHAN ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Amy Tardif, a corps regional manager for Report for America, led a fact-checking workshop for Fordham University Public Media Master’s Program last Wednesday. At Report for America, Tardif helps mentor, train and guide emerging journalists into local newsrooms throughout the Northeast. She is also an independent fact-checker and has an extensive background in public radio at outlets such as NPR and WGCU.
As an independent fact-checker, Tardif has worked on podcasts including Pulitzer Prize winning “Suave” and Peabody Award winning “Believed.” When working on podcast scripts, Tardif goes in line by line on a document, making sure that claims can be defended or attributed to a reputable source.
“This is time consuming. I usually give myself eight hours for a 30-page script,” Tardif said.
When fact-checking, Tardif looks for the details one might expect, such as a person’s age and historical information. She also probes for correct word use, making sure
claims flow logically and that professional terminology is employed correctly.
Tardif recommended incorporating fact-checking into the reporting and editing process. She advised reporters to fact-check themselves and attribute sources correctly before filing their work with an editor or colleague for additional checking.
“It’s kind of funny to me to be saying you’re writing away. How do you know what you’re writing is true if you’re not checking as you go? That’s the main thing I’ve been telling my reporters at Report for America when they ask how to do this,” she said.
When it comes to sources, Tardif advised students to go right to primary source documents and to cross-check interviewees.
“One of the best questions you can ask a source is ‘How do you know that?’ Because hopefully then they’ll cite something for you,” Tardif said.
Tardif also advised students to develop a “spidey-sense” for inaccurate and unclear reporting.
“If you’re in a newsroom, this
has got to be done really quickly. Your checking needs to be more of [a] spidey sense where you’re saying, ‘that just doesn't sound right,’” she noted. “If it doesn’t make sense to you, it is not going to make sense to the audience. Anytime your hair goes up on your back and says ‘I don’t get that,’ don’t assume anyone else is going to get it. That is something you should check.”
For Tardif, popular concerns about news reliability reemphasized the importance of factual and accurate reporting.
“I first heard about it in 2018 when we, the [news] industry, were accused of fake news. It became all the more important to make sure that we were not and could not be accused of that just for making a mistake, a simple error by not checking,” said Tardiff.
When it comes to the reporters she oversees with Report for America, Tardif strongly recommends individual fact-checking especially in newsrooms without a formal checking process.
“I have 39 reporters right now in the Northeast, and I would say I am aware of two newsrooms that have fact-checking protocol,” said Tardif. “I am not aware that they’re all doing it.” Local newsrooms, she noted, don’t often have the luxury of time that comes with the fact-checking process, making it all the more crucial for reporters to check for accuracy as they write.
“A newsroom — they’ve got dailies, maybe they’ve got some enterprise going on in the background. They don’t have time for this — ‘oh it’s edited, now I’m going to spend a day checking it.’ You don’t have that luxury,” she explained. “When I meet with people one on one, I’m telling them just make sure that what you’re putting [out], you’ve checked as best you can.”
Fordham Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
By JULIANNA MORALES FEATURES EDITOR
Fordham University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) Rose Hill Latin American student organization, El Grito are hosting events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month alongside. Hispanic Heritage Month began on Sept. 15 and continues through Oct. 15.
One of OMA’s first events was a coffee tasting called Sabor de Café with coffees from Columbia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, teas from Argentina and Peru, and hot chocolate from Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. The event was held at both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses, drawing in over 150 students at each.
Brianna Perez, GSE ’25 and an intern for OMA, explained that the cafe events were very successful for student engagement and allowed those who came to experience flavors of Latin America through drinks and traditional pastries. “Whether students were big coffee fans or just wanted to try something new, it was a great way to enjoy and celebrate the warmth and richness of Latine culture,” Perez commented. They explained that they plan to continue engaging with students through interactive activities and discussions about the significance of Hispanic Heritage, as well as through more hands-on activities.
On Friday, Sept. 27, OMA held an
excursion for Hispanic Heritage Month, bringing 50 Fordham students to a New York Yankees game including students from El Grito.
The game is an annual trip. El Grito Vice President Joselin Carvente, GSB ’26, explained that the attendees received a special Yankees hat with the Latin American flag of their choice on it.
The Yankees game was the second of three excursions El Grito is hosting for Hispanic Heritage Month.
The first was an outing to Chocobar Cortes. Chocobar Cortes is a Puerto Rican restaurant that incorporates chocolate into all their meals, allowing people to experience a creative take on traditional Puerto Rican food. The last excursion will be a trip to see “Hamilton” on Broadway.
“This is the first time we’re organizing this event, and we’re thrilled to offer students the opportunity to experience this groundbreaking musical, which highlights the contributions of immigrants and features a diverse cast,” explained Carvente.
El Grito plans to use social media throughout the rest of Hispanic Heritage Month in order to keep students up to date on the various events, cultural highlights and volunteer opportunities. Carvente said Hispanic food and music are both important for student engagement.
“We believe great food and lively
entertainment are key to creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes everyone feel connected,” said Carvente.
Some upcoming events include Tipico Night, Rep Your Heritage, Fill Your Bag, Quinceañera and Dia de los Muertos. OMA has expressed particular excitement about the Tipico Night and Dia de los Muertos. “These events offer a deep dive into Hispanic traditions and are expected to be meaningful and enjoyable for everyone involved,” Perez explained.
Carvente noted that El Grito is looking forward to the Rep Your Heritage event. This is the first year that they are holding a larger celebration. “Previously, it was a virtual event held on our Instagram
page, but we wanted to transform it into something more impactful and engaging,” she commented.
Carvente explained holding larger cultural events is one of El Grito’s goals for the future as well. “One of our aspirations is to host a cultural festival that showcases a variety of Hispanic traditions, music and performances, providing a platform for students to share their heritage,” she said. The club hopes to create collaborative events with cultural organizations on campus to further promote inclusivity and interaction amongst different communities.
OMA noted they want to bring guest speakers or performers to share their expertise on Hispanic cultures and history.
Both groups hope that students,
Hispanic or not, develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of Hispanic culture throughout the heritage month events. “For Hispanic students, we aim to create a sense of pride and belonging by celebrating our heritage in ways that resonate with their personal experiences. For non-Hispanic students, our goal is to provide meaningful opportunities to learn about our rich traditions, values and contributions, fostering a sense of cultural awareness and inclusivity,” stated Carvente.
Students who are interested in further information regarding upcoming events can check out the Instagram pages of OMA and El Grito: @fordhamoma and @elgritofordham, respectively.
COURTESY OF REPORT FOR AMERICA
Amy Tardif, independent podcast checker, hosted a fact-checking worshop
COURTESY OF JOSELIN CARVENTE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Students in El Grito pose for a picture outside of Puerto Rican restaurant Chocobar Cortes.
FROM INITIATIVE, PAGE 1
“Given the extent of polarization in the U.S. right now, there are a lot of very significant disagreements, and having these disagreements fully exhibited is beneficial to the students for hearing both sides and the rationale behind both sides of the subject,” FitzSimons said.
This initiative intends to address issues with public discourse in America.
Anthony Berry, FitzSimons Fellow in the office of the president, explained that with the rise of technology, information is more easily accessible. The project aims to promote respectful conversations between people who may have different political or social views.
“The FitzSimons Presidential Initiative on Civics and Civility was implemented
Civics and Civility Seminars Begin
to be proactive and forwardthinking about how we can strengthen a community of trust and promote civil discourse and civic engagement between key stakeholders on campus,” Berry said. “As a university, we also want to be proactive in addressing some of the fundamental questions of our time regarding democracy, including the decline we see in civic education and engagement across the nation.”
The main goal is to teach and inform Fordham students, faculty and alumni on how to have productive civil discourse and civic engagement. Berry said that he believes that Fordham specifically has a unique voice in the conversations surrounding civil discourse due to its Jesuit values, which include that of Cura Personalis or care for the whole person.
So far, the program has held
one event on Sept. 24, a lecture and Q&A between Tetlow and John Dickerson, a CBS News senior correspondent. In the conversation, Dickerson discussed the importance of conversation despite varied viewpoints. It is unknown how many more events will be held this school year, but announcements will continue to be released ahead of future discussions, which will surround similar topics.
“My hope for this program is that students will be better educated regarding civics matters,” FitzSimons said.
According to Berry, assessing the effectiveness of the program is difficult as it’s hard to measure the productivity of civil discourse and dialogue. However, in an attempt to gauge how the program is benefiting the community, Berry will collect
feedback from stakeholders and talk to the community in order to learn what the program is doing well and how it can adapt and improve.
At this time, the program only extends to Fordham students, faculty, administrators and alumni, but Berry explained that they hope to broaden their audience to the general public in the future. Additionally, according to Berry, they plan to collaborate with a “consortium of other universities” who hold the same goals with respect to civil discourse. An announcement about these collaborations will be made soon.
“For many of our larger, public-facing events that we’ll host throughout the year, we plan to invite various members and stakeholders from the community to participate. Additionally, both myself and President Tetlow will be
writing opinion pieces and articles around topics related to civil discourse and civic engagement throughout the year,” Berry said.
FitzSimons believes that higher education has a vital role in combating disinformation and polarization. Specifically, he feels that it is the role of higher education to show multiple viewpoints and not cave to extremists on either side of the political spectrum. Berry also explained that higher education serves to educate students and equip them with tools that allow them to be critical thinkers.
“If higher education can stress to its students the importance of looking at both sides and listening to voices from both sides, it’s providing tremendous value to the students and encouraging free speech,” FitzSimons said.
EPA Youth Summit Comes to Lincoln Center
organizer, emphasized the summit’s dual objectives. “The purpose of the morning youth summit is to support young people in navigating the emotional challenges of addressing the climate crisis and to raise awareness of the unprecedented opportunities available through the American Climate Corps, a branch of AmeriCorps,” she explained.
The first session was led by Climate Cafe NYC, which focused on the impacts of climate change on the emotional mindset of the youth. Iris M. Crawford, senior communications advisor at the EPA and a key event organizer, emphasized how this segment provided attendees a safe space to express their feelings and concerns about climate change. “One of the panelists even led a grounding meditation exercise that helped set the tone for smaller breakout discussions about climate emotions and actions,” she explained.
The growing opportunities in the environmental sector was particularly highlighted in the summit, with many companies now offering green jobs to support the planet’s ecosystem. The American Climate Corps was introduced by its CEO Michael D. Smith,
FROM CLOSE, PAGE 1
return there.
“Beyond it being annoying for me as a student, I worry about people in the community who get their flu vaccines at the Walgreens,” said Caitlin Wong, FCRH ’27.
Walgreens shared a statement about the closure with the Ram:
“Our retail pharmacy business is central to our go-forward
highlighting its mission to train a diverse new generation of leaders to tackle environmental injustice and climate change. A few AmeriCorps alums were given the opportunity to share their experiences, demonstrating the range of career possibilities available for young people interested in environmental work.
Fordham’s partnership with the EPA goes beyond hosting the event. As the EPA’s Region 2 Thriving Communities Grantmaker, Fordham distributes $40 million in environmental justice funding to community groups across New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This long standing relationship made Fordham an ideal choice for the summit. “EPA approached Fordham because of our shared goals around environmental justice,” Crawford explained. “We worked together over many weeks to create a successful event.”
The afternoon panel brought together four of the 11 regional EPA administrators from across the nation, who shared valuable insights into how climate initiatives are tailored to meet specific regional needs. Lisa F. Garcia, the regional administrator for Region 2, showcased her team’s efforts in the
Caribbean and New York and explained her extensive background in environmental law and justice. Garcia has been a strong advocate for initiatives that address the inequities faced by vulnerable communities. Alongside her, Dr. David Cash from Region 1 and Earthea Nance from Region 6 discussed their diverse experiences in tackling various challenges, from disaster resilience to sustainable energy projects. Cash, recognized for his ability to break down barriers between energy, economy and environment, highlighted the role of innovative policymaking in both mitigating climate change and promoting economic growth.
The objective of the summit was aimed at inspiring the young generation between ages 18-25 to participate and play an active role in reducing the effect of climate change on our planet. The American Climate Corps introduced participants to concrete pathways which provide career training and hands-on skills to drive climate resilience and clean energy initiatives. “We hope attendees left with a better understanding of the opportunities available through the American Climate Corps and the importance
of community-based action,” Crawford said.
The EPA Youth Summit was a one-day event and part of a broader effort to engage students and the community in meaningful climate action.
The program emphasized the fact that youth leadership is crucial to combat the climate crisis, and the participants were encouraged to take part in our fight towards saving the planet.
Walgreens Closure Sparks Concern
business strategy. However, increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to serve our patients profitably. We’ve reached a point where the current pharmacy model is not sustainable and the challenges in our operating environment require that we approach the market differently. We are making substantial changes to our store footprint, closing stores based on profitability in-
cluding this store in New York which is not able to cover the costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs. While it is not an easy decision to close a store, we will work to minimize customer disruptions. We intend to redeploy the majority of our team members and offer our dedicated team members new roles at other locations.”
Fordham’s Health Center does offer some services, in-
cluding flu shots and other vaccines. However, the university cannot provide some prescriptions such as birth control.
The Health Center website states, “Neither contraceptives nor birth control are distributed or prescribed on premises as a standard practice. University Health Services’ staff do make limited exceptions in writing appropriate prescriptions for the
treatment of an existing medical condition accompanied by supporting documentation.”
“It’s one thing that I can’t go and get snacks and daily necessities, but now getting things like my prescriptions just got a whole lot harder,” said Emilie Campbell, FCRH ’27.
It’s not yet clear what the nowWalgreens storefront will turn into, but overall, students expressed that they find the closure inconvenient.
COURTESY OF IRIS M. CRAWFORD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
The event took place in the McNally Ampitheatre.
Anti-Racism Advisory Looks to the Future
FROM FASARA PAGE 1
said Valfredini. “We think really hard about what voices are heard in the group.”
The subcommittees deal with faculty recruiting, retention and student experience.
“My time as a student delegate for the FASARA has been insightful, enjoyable and rewarding. Overall, it has been great having a space to discuss racial concerns with professors, faculty and other students who share the same passion for racial solidarity, diversity and inclusion,” said Rebecca Cortes, FCLC ’26. “In my first subcommittee as a student delegate, we discussed a support and listening structure for students with racial concerns.”
Cortes is currently helping review application materials for new members.
“Since the body is in its fourth year, I think we’re polishing the
FROM 2028, PAGE 1
club. During her time as senator, Shin hopes to accomplish many things, specifically surrounding mental health and communication within the Class of 2028. She has already assisted in the making of an Instagram account for Class of 2028 USG updates (@2028usgsenate) in order to keep students of the class informed, but would also like to help with the creation of posts for the main USG Instagram page (@fordhamusg). With the help of the Residence Hall Association, Shin would like to put up flyers regarding future USG events within first-year residence halls. In relation to her focus on mental health, Shin has relayed a planned effort to create more relaxing events by collaborating with organizations that perform experiences such as puppy yoga and journaling. A fun fact about Shin is that there isn’t a type of caffeine she has found that seems to affect her, including but not limited to anything from regular coffee to Monster energy drinks.
Shooner hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. While in high school, Shooner was heavily involved in student government, as both an executive board member and as
By ANDREW MASSIE & EMMA LEONARDI
functioning to make it such that everybody can contribute despite complicated schedules and different areas of expertise or interest,” said Valfredini.
FASARA’s goal is to be involved with decisions being made in administration and to provide a diverse view.
“[There are] issues of civil discourse happening on campus, so we really think our role is to keep an eye on the larger operation and to operate in every single decision that’s made because everything is potentially impacted by racism, and it’s helpful to have more eyes on whatever project gets carried out,” said Valfredini.
Last year, FASARA hosted its first annual “Beloved Community” event, which provided an opportunity for discussion and community at Fordham. Martin Luther King Jr. introduced the concept of a “Beloved Community” as a
society where “caring and compassion drive political policies that support the worldwide elimination of poverty and hunger and all forms of bigotry and violence.”
Cultivating a community was a fundamental concept of Prettyman’s vision for FASARA, something Valfredini wants to expand on.
“While you celebrate, you also need to build every single day,” said Valfredini. “I’m a white person, and I’m ready and willing to do the work, but I think my goal would be to create an infrastructure that helps others be in a leadership position, I don’t think I should stay in this position long. I wanted to provide continuity because I worked with Michele [...], but I also don’t want to forget what voices we need to listen to the most.”
Valfredini wants to establish a
system where co-chairs can work in a cycle to prevent them from being overworked.
“[I want to] make sure that we create a group of people who can rotate as co-chairs and feel supported. One of the issues we have at Fordham is because we don’t have a large number of faculty of color; they are overstretched working in so many roles,” Valfredini said.
As the Arts and Sciences administration and undergraduate Core Curriculum are rearranged, Valfredini hopes to expand the FASARA community.
“[We want] a positive person. The words ‘Beloved Community’ has the word ‘love’ in it, and I think that’s definitely part of the ethos that we share,” she said. “I feel very grateful for the support I have from everyone in FASARA, and that’s basically what we’re looking for to cultivate and keep going.”
Five New Senators Sworn Into USG
class president. Shooner says that during her time in high school, the student government’s mission was focused on promoting communication, community and belonging within the school environment. She highlights a specific time during her run on student government as successfully submitting a proposal that allowed her school to obtain a resident therapy dog. While she was involved in student government, she had many activities that she participated in outside of school. Shooner was a competitive dancer, balancing her duties within student government with classes and rehearsals five days a week. She is classically trained in ballet, but also has experience in jazz, lyrical, modern and contemporary competitions. Shooner is an active volunteer in her community as well, working closely with an organization called Project Connect to teach swim lessons to groups of children experiencing homelessness in Cincinnati. As a senator, Shooner would like to add on to the mental health practices she implemented in high school. Mainly, she would like to improve access to after work day hours mental health support
through collaboration with apps such as BetterHelp. She would also like to further Fordham’s ongoing sustainability efforts by aiding in the transition from single-use plastics to biodegradable options. While these are the specific aspects she would like to promote while senator, she says that her job as senator is to act as a representative for her peers, and she will do what is wanted and for their best interest. When asked, Shooner says that a fun fact about her is that she has a star she named after herself in the Pisces constellation.
Pathak is a New York native who grew up in Long Island. At her high school, Pathak was Model United Nations president and vice president of her school’s literary journal. However, she was very involved in her community outside of her school as a Peers Partner Mentor for oneon-one student tutoring. Pathak has experience in the professional world through the New York Historical Society as a student curator, as well as in the political world by interning in political campaigns. As senator, Pathak has two main goals: to balance resources and to help students
decide their majors. For the former, she says she sees quite a bit of resources go into GSB, and not as many go towards FCRH. As senator, Pathak would like to change this by bringing more attention to students in FCRH. As aforementioned, she would like to implement specialized classes for students to get a better understanding and a more in-depth education into their majors earlier on. A fun fact about Pathak is that she is an only child.
Bayas was born and raised in Miami, but her family is originally from Ecuador. At her high school, Bayas was involved in student government, volleyball, track and field and was a member of the National Honors Society. Outside of school, Bayas was a volunteer for many organizations that worked with kids, such as Achieve Miami and Best Buddies, and was also a part of an all girls service club named 20 Little Working Girls. Bayas would like to be engaged in ongoing USG initiatives, but mainly wants her senator position to be focused on communicating and advocating for her peers to USG. Bayas’ fun fact is that she is continuing her volleyball career on the club volleyball team at Fordham.
Shrivastav is from Bangalore,
The group is composed mainly of lecturers and students and Valfredini aspires to include more people in administration and tenured professors.
“It’s much harder for people who are in a position of large power like tenured faculty to participate, so we really hope to get more people on board this fall,” she said.
As the year goes on, FASARA will meet with the new vice president of Equity and Inclusion, James A. Felton III, to discuss expanding the coalition’s role and improving Fordham for everyone.
“I want to make sure we stress the positive and the potential, but I also want to stress how important it is that there are multiple bodies that work in antiracism, not just one person,” said Valfredini. “It’s definitely a field where you want to be multi-vocal and as inclusive as possible.”
India. During high school, Shrivastav was involved in a multitude of extracurricular activities, in and outside of school. He played for his high school’s varsity soccer team and founded the Business Marketing Club. Outside of school, he completed two internships, one for the finance department of a tech startup and the other as a psychiatric assistant at a hospital. Shrivastav has also published a business research paper in an international journal, and won multiple business, economics and leadership competitions. As senator, Shrivastav hopes to create a platform where students feel not only empowered to share ideas and concerns, but also one where they know something will be done to address them. He wants to enhance the quality of student life by advocating for better resources, organizing initiatives to promote well-being and inclusivity and addressing gaps in communication between students and administration. He plans on accomplishing this by regularly seeking feedback from his peers and staying engaged with campus organizations to make sure all needs are met. A fun fact about Shrivastav is that he can speak four languages.
USG Conducts Senate Pro Tempore Elections
Fordham University’s Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) elected a new Senate Pro Tempore and addressed various campus initiatives during its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26. Representatives from the proposed Fordham Southeast Asian Association (FSAA) presented their club proposal. If approved, the FSAA aims to promote Southeast Asian cultures through educational, discussion-based meetings. The group plans to host events celebrating holidays such as Diwali and invite influencers and officials as guest speakers. The FSAA also hopes to connect Southeast Asian students at Fordham with professionals for career opportunities and advice.
Following the new club presentation, Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, announced his plans to study abroad in Madrid,
Spain, and step down from his position at the end of the fall semester. Executive Vice President Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, will assume the role of executive president. In the Pro Tempore election, Senator Carter Soderberg, GSB ’27, was the sole nominee. The nomination and voting process is restricted to senators only. Pro Tempore refers to the temporary position of USG, which serves as the president of the Senate and reports directly to the USG Executive Board.
Soderberg presented his campaign for Senate Pro Tempore. With experience in various initiatives, Soderberg aims to streamline the proposal process for fellow senators. Soderberg expressed enthusiasm about becoming executive vice president following a leadership shuffle, where Hjertberg would step down, Maltzman would assume the presidency and Soderberg would fill the executive vice president role.
The Residence Housing Association delegate, Yeonsu Son, GSB ’27, announced that RHA had concluded its Special Election voting today, filling every position. Son discussed potential philanthropic events and is considering forming an amendments committee to work on the constitution.
Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, vice president of Operations, provided several updates. Club information packets will be distributed on Friday, including details on club constitution standardization based on a provided template. Operations will host an event called “Packet and Pastries” to discuss club operation packets. Clubs face a 25-50% sanction if they fail to standardize their constitution by the set deadline. Standardized constitutions must be uploaded to Rams Involved. Ruzicka noted that 50% is within the standard range for sanctions.
Aidan Costella, FCRH ’27, vice
president of Health and Security, reported on several initiatives. Costella plans to revamp Campus Assault and Relationship Education rhetoric with an emphasis on informing students they can call Fordham University Emergency Medical Service for instances of sexual assault. Costella has finalized ideas to present to Dean of Students Christopher Rodgers, including examples of disrespect for consent and highlighting gray areas in consent. Costella also aims to clarify medical amnesty policies for students.
Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, vice president of Facilities and Dining, provided an update on recent dining concerns. Aramark addressed the issue of pink pork found earlier, explaining that it is normal for pork to look pink and that all pork is thoroughly cooked at a third-party facility before being reheated at the Marketplace. Rodriguez emphasized that Ram
Hospitality takes health concerns seriously, with temperature checks conducted every two hours. The staff undergoes training twice yearly, exceeding New York’s standard of annual training. Rodriguez emphasized that the pork served in the cafeteria is safe for consumption. Senator Ava Cascella, FCRH ’26, provided an update on the Ram Van payment process. Cascella met with the Ram Van administration to discuss a proposal to save payment methods in the purchasing portal. The process is complex, with only one coder handling the e-ticketing system. While the full implementation is expected to take multiple years, other efficiency upgrades for the website are in the works.
Senator Grace Shin, FCRH ’28, announced the creation of a new Instagram account dedicated to USG 2028 Senate updates. Students can follow the account at @2028usgsenate for the latest information.
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The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham 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 Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses.
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As my experience with The Fordham Ram comes to an end, it is hard to fully encapsulate the experience in one article. My first experience with the Ram was as a sophomore when I hesitantly sent in my first article after overthinking it. The joy I felt at seeing my article online and in print on the following Wednesday evaporated most of the nerves about my writing, and I began to look forward to weekly budgets. As a writer, it was easy to assign time passing by with the articles that I chose to write for each budget and the printed newspapers I collected from Keating Hall.
After two semesters of writing and a stack of newspapers, I happily joined the staff as the Opinion Editor. As the Opinion Editor, it was wonderful to be able to create budgets and send out emails to writers. There is a certain craft when selecting articles for a budget and an immense pride that I will always remember when helping create the first budget to send out to writers. Most importantly, it is inspiring to read the work of writers. I’ve learned so much about good writing from editing articles that were sent in. Every production night in room B-52 brings something different, but certain comforts, such as the routine work of the staff, pizza and a discussion on some cultural phenomenon, are always expected. But
OPINION Beyond the Desk
From the Desk | Saisha Islam
what is the core theme that lies behind my experience at the Ram?
Mary Oliver wrote in her poem “The Summer Day,” “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” The crux of this line is relatable to everyone in some way. It is behind every college application essay, present throughout the four years of college and something which even continues on through adulthood. From the beginning of college, I had always held the misperception that the next four years would be the highlight of my life and that everything would be figured out by the end of it. As a current senior, I laugh at my early naivety. While it is true that every year of college has gotten even better than the last with valuable new experiences, knowledge and friends, I would hesitate on calling any period of my life the highlight since I think it seems to be something subjective, which depends on your perspective.
As for having everything figured out, I would answer that the only thing I have figured out is how much uncertainty lies ahead of me. However, I would have been vehemently opposed to this answer when first beginning college. As a first-year, I stuck primarily to the straight and narrow path of science classes in my major, considering other classes not pertaining
to STEM as requiring less attention. But as Robert Frost wrote in his poem “The Road Not Taken,” “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The tunnel vision of the fall semester of my first year dissipated quickly in the second semester as I took an English class I fell in love with. The class had reminded me about my passion for reading and writing, and I stumbled into my road less traveled. While I was still passionate about my science classes, I expanded my perspective and took on the suggestion of my professor to think about writing for the Ram.
Writing and editing for the Ram eviscerated my approach to perfectionism regarding everything. When I started out writing, I found it hard to get anything down, as I wanted to get everything right in one shot. But as I wrote more, I realized that getting something, anything down, is the vital first step
Editorial | Environmental Policies
and that there is no perfection in writing other than its imperfect process. When editing articles that are sent in, the final product is different from the first draft sent. As it is copy edited, has its sources checked and slightly reworded at some points to allow the message of the article shine through, the final draft of the article is the result of a dynamic process and the work of editors of a section, our amazing copy editors and the writer who sent the article in. To put the process in other analogies, it reminds me of the synapses of the brain strengthening or forming as we try new things and become consistent at them or slotting in the final piece of a puzzle. My experience at the Ram has been a chaotic, comforting walk into unexplored woods and mindsets. As Rabrindanath Tagore once wrote, “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” While I may not have all the answers now and may never will, I have learned to love the questions.
NYC’s Trash Is No One’s Treasure
If you have spent any time off campus, it is easy to notice the trash scattered across the Bronx. You may see empty White Castle burger cases on Fordham Road or a plastic bag drifting down Hughes Avenue. On Monday nights, plastic trash bags are scattered throughout the neighborhood, stinking up the streets, waiting to be collected on Tuesday mornings. In 2023, the New York City Department of Sanitation found the Bronx was the only city borough with less than 90% of streets clean. It scored 89.7%, meaning one in 10 of the borough streets were considered dirty. The same study found that the Bronx also has the dirtiest streets, with it being the only borough with less than 95% of the streets being clean. The Bronx has the most green space of any borough in the city, but the waste has even penetrated them. In April, CBS News New York reported that St. Mary’s Park in the South Bronx was littered with syringes. Park officials had to clean up over 6,000 syringes. As a result, during recent years, the Department of Sanitation has begun reimagining how to clean up the city. They have introduced a new way of collecting trash, which
will end the practice of dumping plastic bags on sidewalks, and redesigned the city’s trash cans. As the city enters a new era of garbage removal, we think the Bronx should not be left behind.
New York City’s trash collection issue can be linked to its original design. In many U.S. cities, trash is kept in alleys that are out of sight. However, the designers of the original Manhattan grid did not include alleys within their plan, which meant trash had nowhere to go but on the street. In 1954, the city began allowing cars to park for free overnight, limiting the space where trash could go. Then, in 1968, the New York Sanitation worker strike changed how New Yorkers take out the trash. Before the strike, people would put their trash in metal trash cans that sanitation workers would collect. During the 10-day strike, trash wasn’t collected and waste piled up on the streets. Chemical companies stepped in and donated 200,000 plastic trash bags to City Hall. New Yorkers fell head over heels for the slick and modern plastic trash bags, and the tin cans became old news. Throwing plastic bags on the street is now how New Yorkers in all boroughs get rid
of their waste. The unfortunate side effect is that our city’s streets look uncared for.
The way New York currently throws out its trash is not great, but the good news is things are changing. Over the course of this past summer, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch released a plan to require landlords of buildings with one to nine units to supply their property with the “NYC bin” starting on Nov. 12. The bins have a secure lid and will keep plastic bags off the street. By taking this action, ABC 7 Eyewitness News reports New York will have “containerized 70% of New York City’s 14 billion annual pounds of trash in two years.” The city is also planning on mandating that larger buildings use bigger containers that will be collected by trash trucks. These larger containers will need to take up space on streets currently used by cars. While some people may complain about less parking space, the amount needed for around 800,000 wheelie bins would only take up 1% of the city’s parking space.
Another important step the city has taken is to install new trash cans on street corners. The old containers were green
mesh structures with holes large enough for rats to get into. Last year, the Sanitation Department introduced a new design for trash cans to keep the trash inside and are easier for sanitation workers to carry. In recent weeks, these trash cans have been placed on corners of Fordham Road, so keep your eyes open for them.
The Sanitation Department’s steps are important to keeping the Bronx and the rest of the city clean, but we must take responsibility ourselves. We are not only members of the Fordham community but also the greater Bronx community. Some students don’t take this responsibility seriously and will mindlessly litter when they are out in the community. Instead of doing that, follow the example of the Sanitation Foundation, which helps clean streets across the Bronx. This summer, they volunteered to clean streets along the Grand Concourse and received an award from the New York Yankees for their hard work.
We all use the streets of the Bronx and other parts of the city every single day. The new sanitation policies will help the streets become cleaner, but it is up to everyone to maintain them. So next time you’re out, throw your trash away the right way.
Law Enforcement Must Promote The General Public’s Safety
By MICHAEL DUKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Recent released NYPD body cam and CCTV footage shows officers pursuing a suspect, Derrell Mickles, into a subway station after he jumped a turnstile without paying.
Mickles stayed near the entrance to the station after officers followed him out but entered again through an emergency door as some customers exited through it, all while holding a knife. The officers followed him up the stairs to the platform of the station while Mickles yelled at the officers and boarded a train while the officers repeatedly demanded he put the knife down. The NYPD officers drew their tasers and fired. However, it seems that Mickles appeared to be unaffected by the tasers’ non-lethal effects and continued walking around.
After being tased, Mickels ran out of the subway car and charged one of the officers with the knife, which led the NYPD officers to draw their firearms and fire nine rounds at Mickels.
Mickels was later indicted on eight counts, but, unfortunately, there were further issues than the injuries that Mickels sustained in the incident. One of the officers involved and two bystanders sustained injuries. Specifically, a 49-year-old man, Gregory Delpeche, was hit in the head by one of the shots fired.
When asked about what had
happened, Delpeche’s family has described the incident as being reckless and called for a thorough investigation. One of Delpeche’s cousins spoke about the incident: “My cousin is fighting for his life, every day from Sunday. A gunshot wound to the head. Make it make sense.”
With so many elements at play with this incident, it’s hard to say which problem outweighs the others. Is it a problem of judgment on the part of badge-holding officers? Does this incident just further display that citizens in the city should be worried about concealed knives or potential violence on their commute? Or, should New Yorkers be concerned that they’ll be hurt when officers are trying to do their jobs and subdue someone who could do equal if not more, harm than what happened here?
Delpeche and his family would probably answer yes to all of these questions. Both Mickles and his attorney will most likely argue in favor of most of these in court when he’s before a judge. But Mickles will have to answer for why he chose to disobey law enforcement officers, why his actions led to Delpeche and an NYPD officer being injured and why the incident caused chaos for people in the subway on their commute.
The real meat and potatoes of this issue is the one that is staring everyone in the face: How should officers deter and
respond to crime while also protecting the public? There are many questions that are currently unanswered regarding this incident. Why didn’t the officers who entered the subway looking for Mickles after he first jumped the turnstile choose not to approach him before he entered again? Did they not make their presence and authority clear? Why didn’t they stop him from entering? Even further, how did they not anticipate him entering the subway again? Especially since he was standing right next to each of the officers and the emergency door.
I’m sure that a political analyst on any major media outlet will make the point that if officers didn’t have guns in this instance, things could’ve ended better. But that point is moot because it’s purely hypothetical. The fact is, tasers didn’t deter Mickles, let alone phase him. He kept walking with the knife after being tased.
Instead of drawing their guns, what should officers have done next? Say they used pepper spray on Mickles right after their tasers appeared to have no effect. Would it be justified if other individuals in the subway cars or platform were hit? Also, how could the officers be sure that the spray would’ve worked on Mickles either?
Going even further in this hypothetical circumstance, what if the officers didn’t have time to consider quickly pepper spraying Mickles, and he killed one of the officers or someone on
the train with the knife he was holding? There was not a preferable option in this instance, and the “game-time” decision solved one problem but caused many others.
I don’t think anyone could characterize this incident as being perfect, let alone being anywhere near it. The fact is, Delpeche should never have been shot when he had nothing to do with what was happening. But thinking through hindsight doesn’t solve this problem. The NYPD officers were doing their jobs by trying to keep others on the train safe while Mickles was disobeying an order from a uniformed official, all while wielding the potential to harm the officers or anyone around him. But the officers should have known that the train car behind Mickles was occupied.
One of the golden rules of gun safety is that you don’t pull the trigger unless you’re absolutely certain that what you’re firing at is what you intend to hit. The officers didn’t intend to hit Delpeche, but they hit him nonetheless. What’s concerning is that if I, as a 20-year-old
when answering
college student, can understand this, then uniformed, trained and on-duty NYPD officers should also understand it.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams also released a statement on the incident: “While this matter remains under investigation, the NYPD’s initial review found that this shooting took place after the suspect involved brandished a dangerous weapon and put the officers’ lives at risk.” While the problem of violence in the city isn’t going away anytime soon, I hope this incident shows one thing: choices have consequences. They did for Mickles, they did for the officers who fired their weapons and they certainly did for Delpeche. The important takeaway from this incident is that whoever tackles problems like this, to solve them in the future, needs to consider the safety of the public, of police officers and of potential victims.
Stop Letting Politicians Surprise You
By JAYLIN SELDON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Last week, politician Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor and Republican nominee for North Carolina governor, found himself in quite the controversy after his past online behavior on questionable pornographic forums allegedly began to resurface. Reports are coming out that Robinson referred to himself as a Black Nazi and had a zeal for making offensive remarks about queer people, transgender people, women and Black people. In these reports, Robinson allegedly admits to peeping on women in public gyms at the age of 14. And remember, this is the guy who justifies his transphobia under the guise of “women’s safety” and believes transgender women should be forced to use men’s bathrooms to “protect” cisgender women. This report is coming as a shock not only for its inflammatory nature but also because Robinson is a Black man making these comments disparaging his race in a state with a substantial Black electorate. Robinson’s campaign was all but finished after this news came
out — turning a once close race against Josh Stein, the North Carolina attorney general and Democratic nominee for North Carolina governor, into a blowout. We should get used to this behavior, though, because this is the culture the GOP has cultivated.
GOP leadership has attempted to disavow Mark Robinson since these allegations, but do not be fooled. This is just them playing the long game, which is evident when you know the current vice presidential nominee JD Vance couldn’t even be bothered to denounce the racist comments directed toward his Asian wife, instead opting to say, “Obviously, she’s not a white person… But I just, I love Usha. She’s such a good mom.” It is an odd way to defend your wife, but it should be expected from the guy who called people without children sociopaths.
This is the same party whose presidential nominee, former United States president Donald Trump, claimed on live television that Haitians were eating cats and dogs to wide applause from his party, along with Louisiana Rep.
Clay Higgins backing him by calling Haiti “the nastiest country in the Western hemisphere.” When these comments rapidly led to the rise in hate crimes against Haitian communities across the country, the currentFlorida senior GOP Sen. Marco Rubio called it overblown. This is also the same party where Trump and Trump-backed Ohio Senate Republican nominee Bernie Moreno said older women shouldn’t care about the abortion issue because they can’t have children anyway.
This is, once again, the same party where Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg said that Palestine should be “handled like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” We also can’t forget about young hotshot Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has told abortion protestors, “No one wants to impregnate you,” and has a history of racist statements against colleagues, some directed even towards members of his party, such as his dig at former New York Rep. George Santos, who he referred to as being helped by a DEI recruitment strategy. It is important to note Gaetz has been under investigation since 2021 for engaging in
alleged sexual misconduct with a minor, an investigation in which one of his close associates got charged with sex trafficking. Oddly, Gaetz has recently refused to continue participating with the House Ethics Committee in the ongoing investigation. But once again, this behavior shouldn’t be surprising, considering it’s coming for the party whose presidential nominee is the first in history to be charged with a crime and then the first to be convicted of said crime, truly a trendsetter.
The current GOP is no stranger to incendiary comments and very conservative figures. However, continuing to be shocked at every comment they make would just be incredibly ignorant. Sure, Robinson’s comments
are shocking and grotesque, but most Republicans have been grotesque since the Tea Party took a stronghold in the party in 2009. Many of us weren’t old enough to remember when 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin claimed former President Barack Obama was running a death panel through his health proposals and disparaged him for wearing “mom jeans.” It is known that Republican politics have been out of whack for decades now, and we’re just seeing behavior that’s on par for the course. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we better get ready to see it ramp up.
Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is undecided from Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jaylin Seldon, FCRH ’27, is a philosophy major from Harlem, N.Y.
Mark Robinson’s allegations are not surprising considering his history.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL /THE FORDHAM RAM
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL /THE FORDHAM RAM Law enforcement need to consider many factors
problems.
OPINION
How “Momala” Is Fighting For Women This Election Season
By HAILEY BAKER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The presidential election season has been rife with glaringly sexist remarks, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris fights for the presidency.
One blatant example occurred on Sept. 17 at a rally for former President Donald Trump, where Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders took a jab at Harris, saying, “My kids keep me humble. Unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn’t have anything keeping her humble.” While Harris does not have biological children, she is the stepmother of Cole and Ella Emhoff, her husband’s children from his previous marriage.
Referring to when she first met her stepchildren, Kamala Harris wrote, “Cole and Ella could not have been more welcoming. They are brilliant, talented, funny kids who have grown to be remarkable adults. I was already hooked on Doug, but I believe it was Cole and Ella who reeled me in.” She added, “A few years later when Doug and I got married, Cole, Ella and I agreed that we didn’t like the term ‘stepmom.’ Instead, they came up with the name ‘Momala.’” Harris’ comments reveal her deep bond with her stepchildren, as not just a figure in their lives but as another parent. The flagrant disregard from right-wing politicians for Harris as a parent comes down to more than just the dismissal of stepmothers as parents. This criticism is rooted in a deeply Christian-normative American
society, where women are not seen as valuable unless they have biological children. In this society, a woman’s worth is rooted in her reproductive capabilities or choices, instead of her own qualities and characteristics, regardless of the former having anything to do with her impact as a leader. Sanders’ comments are of similar nature to JD Vance, Republican vice presidential nominee. In a previous interview with Tucker Carlson, Vance said the Democratic Party was run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too,” Vance claimed. “You look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC — the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children.” While Vance’s claim is inaccurate especially given the fact that two of the three people he named are parents, with Harris being a stepmother and Buttigieg an adoptive parent of two, that is beside the point. When straight, cisgender, white men run for office, right-wing Republicans often look at aspects like their background qualifications and leadership skills, instead of how a candidate’s status fits into the Republican Party’s viewpoint.
After Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Vance spoke at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, calling
Walz’s political record a “joke.” Vance said, “She selected Tim Walz, a guy who wants to ship more manufacturing jobs to China, who wants to give illegal aliens driver’s licenses and who wants to make the fentanyl crisis so much worse because he refuses to do his job.” Despite the negativity of Vance’s feelings towards Walz’s political viewpoints, he criticized his record and goals as a politician instead of attacking him personally. This contrast shows a fundamental difference in how Vance, and other like-minded Republicans view women versus men as politicians, clearly showcasing more respect for the latter.
This brings us to a broader conversation about reproductive rights. Vance has been steadfast about his views on abortion, saying, “I want to save as many babies as possible.” As a Christian, I understand his perspective on wanting to ensure the health and safety of babies. However, Vance takes his stance to an extreme level with further remarks from 2022 that he “certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally.” In June 2022, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade eliminated the national constitutional right to abortion and gave power back to the states to decide their stances. As a result, 28 states have abortion bans based on gestational duration. Pregnant women have suffered because of these restrictions with little to no exceptions.
In Georgia, the state which
bans abortion after the first six weeks of pregnancy, Amber Nicole Thurman suffered as a direct result of state legislation. She had previously taken abortion pills, but some of the fetal tissue was still left in her body, causing a rare infection. It took doctors, faced with the fear of prosecution and up to a decade in prison, 20 hours to operate, and by then it was too late as Thurman devastatingly passed away. These restrictive bans completely minimize the point of the pro-life movement, by disregarding the mothers’ health and leading to deaths that could be prevented. While many Republican politicians like Vance are fighting to implement national abortion bans that could lead to more cases like Thurman’s, Harris, as a woman, understands the
hard-hitting impacts of not being able to have a potentially medically necessary treatment. Harris importantly recognizes that protecting the life of the baby should not come at the expense of the life and health of the mother. As a result, she is fighting to secure federal abortion protection for all women, keeping in mind the trimester restrictions that Roe v. Wade had in place. For these reasons, now more than ever, it is extremely important to vote. Please check out vote.org for how to register to vote or confirm your registration status.
Gavin Newsom Wants to Be Your Child’s Parent
By MIKE RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Friday, Sept. 20, the California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a controversial new piece of legislation, that aims to place further restrictions on social media under the guise of protecting minors. Set to take effect in 2027, this legislation introduces several questionable compromises in the name of safeguarding young users. While this bill undoubtedly has pros and cons, it raises an important question: Who should be responsible for ensuring children’s safety online? Is it the government’s job to make these decisions, or should it be left to the parents?
I believe that responsibility for parenting should lie squarely with the parents themselves. This legislation, also known as the “Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act,” imposes new rules that, in many ways, seem to infringe on parental rights and personal freedoms. The bill makes it illegal for online platforms and apps to offer “addictive feeds” to users under the age of 18 unless the company can prove it was unaware of the user’s age or the minor has parental consent. But is this a solution, or just a government overreach?
One of the critical components of the bill is the requirement for chronological feeds instead of algorithm-driven ones. Proponents argue that algorithms often prioritize addictive content, keeping users hooked with endless scrolling and exposing minors to harmful or misleading information. The move away from these curated feeds is intended to reduce manipulative engagement. However, I would argue that algorithm-driven feeds have value. Properly designed algorithms can filter out irrelevant or harmful content, providing users with a more personalized and meaningful experience. A default chronological feed could expose minors to unfiltered or even more inappropriate content simply because it doesn’t discern what’s relevant or safe. The bill also introduces a mandate for silent notification times. Platforms will be prohibited from sending notifications to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. on weekdays and during school hours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the months September through May. The intent is to minimize distractions affecting students’ focus during school or disrupting their sleep patterns. While this
may sound beneficial in theory, it oversteps the boundaries of government intervention in family life. Parents are already empowered to control these aspects of their children’s digital lives by setting phone usage rules or utilizing parental control software. Do we really need legislation for something that families should be managing on their own?
A key concern with this legislation is the government’s role in dictating how businesses operate. By requiring companies to change the fundamental nature of their platforms — such as how they deliver content or send notifications — this bill raises questions about corporate freedoms. Some technology advocacy groups argue that the law interferes with businesses’ abilities to exercise editorial discretion in content delivery. Like other businesses, social media companies should be free to manage their platforms in ways they deem fit, especially when users have agreed to their terms of service.
I believe that businesses, particularly those in the tech industry, have a right to display and curate content how they see fit. Imposing mandatory chronological feeds could hinder innovation and alter the very nature
of social media platforms, potentially diminishing the quality of the user experience.
Perhaps most troubling is the implication that the state is stepping in to “parent” people’s children. By imposing these restrictions, the government suggests that parents are not equipped to make decisions about their children’s social media use on their own. However, parents can limit screen time, turn off notifications and determine whether their child has access to a smartphone or social media. If a parent is concerned about social media’s effects, they can opt-out entirely or, at the very least, monitor their child’s usage. Mandating these settings could disrupt trust between parents and children, fostering resentment and creating unnecessary conflict within families.
Ultimately, how a child engages with social media should
rest with the parent, not the government. Parents should be empowered to guide their children in making responsible choices rather than having the state impose blanket restrictions that may not align with every family’s values or needs. While this legislation intends to safeguard young users, I find it oversteps into the personal domain of families and businesses. Parents, not the government, should be responsible for the way they raise their children. While reducing addictive elements on social media may be beneficial, there are other ways to address these concerns without resorting to heavyhanded legislation that interferes with personal freedoms and business operations.
Hailey Baker, FCRH ’27, is a political science and philosophy major from Gaithersburg, Md.
Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, is a political science major from Atlantic City, N.J.
The new social media legislation oversteps into boundaries handled by parents.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM
Kamala Harris battles sexist remarks on motherhood.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM
OPINION
New York Times Game Has Us Thinking... Too Much?
By HEATHER JONES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It only takes 10 minutes for me to do my makeup in the morning, 10 minutes to walk from my dorm to my first class, 10 minutes to get up from bed, walk to the bathroom, brush my teeth, walk back to my room, tuck myself into bed and put on the next episode of “Sex and the City” before I fall asleep. 24 hours in a day, divided into 10-minute increments.
The New York Times asked the extraordinary question: can the average American observe a piece of art and “consider the value of uninterrupted focus” for 10 minutes?
Everyone remembers the daily “Wordle” craze of 2022 and the proceeding “Connections” game of just last year. However, this is far from a word game. The “10-Minute Challenge” is for those who dare to play.
Here are the rules: on every Friday, a new piece of art with a new exercise is published. The viewer’s challenge is to observe the artwork uninterrupted for 10 minutes. One must silence their cell phone, sit back, relax and enjoy the show. My experience as a college student on a Saturday afternoon who knows she has an article due the next day was quite riveting.
3:26 p.m.: Enjoy art. I was looking at Utagawa Hiroshige’s “Great Bridge: Sudden Rain at Atake.” The first few minutes were relatively simple. I moved
around the painting and observed every color, line, person, house and texture I could understand. I felt my mind wander at times, thinking about what I just ate, my friends texting me and the article I was about to write, but I came back to the painting, zooming in and out, figuring out the who, what, why, where and how, until the next time I trailed off.
3:31 p.m.: Five minutes left. I was halfway through. I was not bored nor unimpressed, but by this point, I was thinking, “what now?” Before I ventured onto this journey, the New York Times made a point to give me some advice: “Think about how your eyes move through the print. How do its various elements affect your eyes’ path? How could this print have been made? Does this style look like anything you’ve seen before?” All of which I had forgotten during the first five minutes. I thought about each line in the piece. It had to have been drawn, then painted over in… water color? I am not an art expert, but diving into something different was intriguing.
3:35 p.m.: One minute remaining. I was almost there. The last minute was the least productive of all. I had thought all that I wanted to think and wondered all I wanted to wonder. The last minute was reassuring. I was sitting in front of a beautiful Japanese painting
that I had no idea existed 10 minutes prior, and now I understand the rain, the river, the people and the sky. At least, I thought I did.
3:36 p.m.: That’s 10 minutes. You made it! I felt accomplished. I clicked the “Quit” button in the top right corner to be sent to an article serving further background on the print. The Japanese woodblock print is part of a series in which Utagawa Hiroshige concentrated on Tokyo (then called Edo) in 1857, where people cross the Sumida River across the seasons. This piece was during the summer rain.
To my surprise, I was frustrated with my performance. The article describes the horizontal v-shapes, the boatman paddling uphill and, “The longer you look,” says the New York Times, “the more you may notice that nothing in the print is quite straight: the crisscross of the structure holding the bridge up; the sharp rain shooting down at an angle; the travelers running both toward you and away from you.”
It took 10 whole minutes, and I did not get any of that. So, what was I doing that whole time? I don’t think my lack of understanding of the “sense of dynamic motion throughout the composition” has anything to do with the fact that I don’t study art. Ten minutes of observing a beautiful print is not challenging. Still, perhaps it is
during the age of social media. This “10-Minute Challenge” is a test. The modern attention span is raising concerns. This August, the New York Times conducted a live “10-Minute Challenge” experiment with 7,000 readers. 75% of readers left before the 10 minutes was over, the other 25 staying the full 10 minutes. Not even half could focus for the duration and take a moment out of their day to be completely still. In the last two decades, the average human’s attention span has decreased from 12 to 8.25 seconds. Gen Z’s average attention span is less than eight seconds. Gen Z is used to 10 minutes of TikTok, 15 seconds to focus on video, then the next. Ten minutes turns into 20, then 30, then an hour. We can focus on 40 different things in 10 minutes on Instagram, but it is exhausting when it comes
to one singular piece of content. Who knew how hard it was to relax, take a moment, breathe and think? The 10-minute challenge is so simple yet so difficult to accomplish today. Fifty years ago, it most likely would have been easy. Frankly, spending 10 minutes focusing on one thing should be easy. I will not say that the New York Times 10-minute challenge has completely changed my perspective on media. I will emphasize how healthy it may be to take just one 10-minute increment out of your day to sit, breathe and focus on one thing: a memory, a song, a scene in a movie, whatever it is. It only takes 10 minutes.
Heather Jones, FCRH ’28, is a communications major from Yardley, Pa.
What “Flowers” Teaches Us About Copyright
By BRITNEY PHAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Miley Cyrus is facing a lawsuit over claims that she copied another song. The lawsuit was filed by Tempo Music Representatives and alleges that the chorus of her song “Flowers” and “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars are “substantially similar.” If won, the lawsuit will set a dangerous precedent for copyright in the future.
The lawsuit against Cyrus comes at a time when many artists are being sued for copyright, reigniting discussions around infringement. On the heels of that comes a question: What does it mean to be original in an increasingly interconnected world? When it comes to music, copying is defined as the imitation of specific melodies or harmonies. But an artist can be inspired by a song and not know that it counts as infringement, or they could be pulling from influences without even realizing, otherwise known as “subconscious copying.”
An artist could be sued for having a similar chord arrangement or even for copying the “feel” of a song, such as Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” or Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” My personal reservations aside, if all artists were liable to
copy the “feel” of another song, then there simply wouldn’t be enough copyright lawyers to go around. And simply put, there are only so many chord progressions. It is possible for a song to unintentionally repeat a melody because the amount of possible melodies is finite.
In theory, a copyright law should protect an artist’s intellectual property. However, more times than not, copyright laws can become a tool for large corporations to stifle creativity and generate profit. It should be noted that Mars has not been listed as a plaintiff in the suit, which raises doubts about the reasons behind the case. The case against Cyrus seems less about pursuing artistic justice and more about getting a share of the profit, which could explain why Tempo decided to sue nearly two years after the song was released and, more importantly, once the song had solidified its success with multiple Grammy awards.
I listened to “Flowers” over the summer, more or less against my will, though it never occurred to me that the song was copying “When I Was Your Man.” Listening to it again, the songs admittedly have some overlap in
terms of concept and lyrical motifs, but it feels more appropriate to call “Flowers” a response song than a blatant rip-off. Even so, having some lyrical overlap wouldn’t be considered infringement, according to a music law professor at Vanderbilt Law School. Sonically, the two songs are vastly different, with “Flowers” being a ballad while “When I was Your Man” veers into electronic dance music territory.
The copyright case against “Flowers” is significant because it raises questions about who should receive credit and protection under copyright law. It also sparks debate about who owns a song and who has the right to file copyright claims. We know how pervasive influences can be, yet we demand absolute originality from our artists, an increasingly impossible task in a world where originality nearly doesn’t exist.
As time goes on, the issue of copyright is bound to get more complicated, exacerbated by the rise of artificial intelligence. This extends to writing as well. Since programs such as ChatGPT pull from a wide range of data sources, interpolating their responses into your writing could lead to copyright infringement because you
could be copying someone else without knowing. If an artist uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help them in any field, they can run the risk of unknowingly copying from a source which the AI also took from, and in that case, it becomes difficult to determine who is culpable. In an ideal world, artists would own what they create, and they would also be free to create as they please without fear of being sued. Copyright laws are important because they can protect an artist’s intellectual property and prevent someone else from replicating it. Unfortunately, our current copyright laws muddy
boundaries of what counts as copying and what doesn’t, unfairly targeting artists who might just be taking inspiration or unintentionally recreating similar patterns. Hopefully in the future, copyright laws can be amended to protect artists. As for now, we can only hold our breath and see what the final verdict will be for Cyrus’ “Flowers.”
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Britney Phan, FCRH ’26, is an English major from the Bronx, N.Y.
Miley Cyrus is facing a lawsuit on copyright infringement.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM
The New York Times debuted a new game this fall.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM
OPINION
Teamsters’ Decision To Go Neutral Only Hurts Its Members
By ANDREW MCDONALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This election, America’s largest and most diverse union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has decided not to endorse a candidate and stay neutral. This is breaking their tradition of backing every Democratic presidential nominee since Bill Clinton, departing from major unions like the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and United Auto Workers (UAW) supporting the Harris-Walz ticket. Teamsters president Sean O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention (RNC) and was snubbed by the Democratic National Convention (DNC), cited a lack of commitments from both candidates for this decision.
Unions have, for most of recent American history, been a cornerstone of the Democratic Party’s support, providing crucial votes and grassroots organizing. While the Teamsters union, among others, did support Republicans like former Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in the past (largely to gain concessions from a predetermined winner), a strong Union-Dem alliance dates back to the New Deal era, with unions playing a pivotal role in mobilizing workingclass voters. The AFL-CIO, representing 12.5 million workers, endorsed Harris-Walz, emphasizing their pro-labor stance.
The UAW’s endorsement comes with strong rhetoric from its president, Shawn Fain. At the DNC, Fain denounced former President Donald Trump by wearing a “Trump is a scab” shirt, declaring, “I can’t look at Donald Trump and see myself.”
O’Brien’s strategy of attempting to “court” both parties into pro-labor policies ignores the stark reality of the Republican Party’s past and present antilabor stance. O’Brien’s RNC speech, criticizing big business’ “war against American workers,” failed to acknowledge the GOP’s long-standing union opposition in line with those same “big business” interests.
Republicans have consistently opposed pro-worker legislation. They voted against raising the minimum wage, supported the hilariously named “rightto-work” laws that weaken unions and attempted to strip funding from federal agencies enforcing labor laws. The GOP has also worked to remove or weaken crucial worker health and safety regulations. Even the recent Project 2025 blueprint for a Republican administration outlines plans that could strip millions of workers of overtime pay, make union organizing even more difficult and roll back health and safety protections.
O’Brien’s neutral stance equates both parties’ positions on labor, despite clear differences. I don’t disagree with the fact that the Democratic Party is no messiah for workers’ rights. However, the Democrats have
supported pro-labor legislation like the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which Republicans have generally opposed. As Fain noted with respect to O’Brien’s RNC appearance, “I give him credit for going into the belly of the beast and actually speaking about working class issues, but I don’t really think it swayed anybody.”
The Teamsters’ internal polling shows a stark disconnect between union leadership (of which many locals backed Vice President Kamala Harris after the neutrality announcement) and rank-and-file members. Initially, a straw poll conducted from April to July 2024 in union halls showed President Joe Biden leading Trump, 44.3% to 36.3%. A subsequent poll from July to September, following the Democrats’ candidate swap to Harris, revealed a dramatic shift: Trump garnered 59.6% support compared to Harris’ 34%. A final phone survey in September confirmed this trend, showing 58% support for Trump and only 31% for Harris.
This is emphasized by the contrast with other unions like the UAW, AFL-CIO and the Communication Workers of America, affiliated with several Fordham University unions, which have all backed Harris. This divergence reflects broader challenges within the labor movement and the American electorate at large with respect to rank-and-file union members who are more polarized, especially when so much of
current American discourse is baked around various “culture war” battlefields.
In races where a state’s winners are chosen by under tens of thousands of votes, O’Brien’s call could significantly impact the election, particularly in key swing states with strong Teamsters’ presences like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The absence of Teamster support for the Democratic ticket could potentially tip the balance in Trump’s favor.
This decision also raises broader questions about labor’s political influence. By not endorsing a candidate, the Teamsters risk diminishing their voice in shaping labor policy. This comes at a critical time when issues like the PRO Act and right-to-work laws are at the forefront of the labor movement’s agenda. As other unions like the UAW actively campaign for Harris, the Teamsters’ neutral position could create tension and disunity among labor organizations, potentially weakening their collective bargaining power of American Union labor at large.
Democrats face challenges in appealing to the working-class electorate. The party struggles to effectively counter cultural issues that Republicans exploit, such as the false narrative of immigration taking jobs away and working against voters blaming Democrats for
inflation, regardless of the administration’s actual culpability. The party ought to address economic concerns more staunchly to supersede “cultural issues” that resonate with union members. This approach could help bridge the growing gap between party leadership and rank-and-file workers, potentially swaying union members towards supporting Trump.
The Teamsters’ decision underscores the complexities facing the labor movement in the current political climate. While O’Brien may think neutrality seems like a safe middle ground for his Teamsters, it risks leaving workers without a strong voice in a critical election, with very clear disparities on labor policy on the table. As the campaign progresses, leaders must carefully consider how best to advocate for their members while navigating a polarized political landscape within their own coalitions.
The Nightmare of a New Vote Counting Era
By INDRANIL KAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The fundamental right to vote and actively participate in the political process in the United States has remained a perpetual issue since the founding of our nation. Marginalized communities, such as women and people of color, have historically been disenfranchised from such political processes. Individuals who have held political power within these systems have repeatedly furthered their own agenda, often at the cost of those they represent.
On Sept. 20, the Georgia State Election Board passed a new rule that “requires ballots to be hand counted three times before a result is declared.” The decision to incorporate this rule comes less than 100 days before the presidential election in November. The addition of this rule will introduce human error into the election process, which will potentially lead to a delay in results and cast doubt on the results in the key battleground state of Georgia.
The recent inclusion of this rule in the Georgia voting process will inevitably lead to a degree of human error in the results. Political analysts predict that the change in voting
this late in the election could create a “nightmare scenario.”
The rule is an outcome of a 3-2 Republican majority ruling of the five-member panel, which recently expanded its powers to investigate vote tallies prior to officially verifying them. State officials have raised their objections, which warned that the change came too late and could lead to chaos in the state. State Election Board Chairman John Fervier, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, voted against the hand-counted rule. He stated, “It’s too close to the election… Too late to train poll workers.” The lack of time to train poll workers for the upcoming presidential election will lead to human error, voter insecurity and lawsuits. Machines have been widely used to accurately track vote tallies.
Georgia’s Republican Attorney General Chris Carr believes that the new procedure is unlawful due to the fact that state laws don’t allow local election workers to hand-count ballots prior to making votes official.
The Georgia Attorney General’s office also put out a statement describing how the procedural changes would likely be illegal or invalid under state law and break the ballot change of custody. The proposed counting
rules are also not attached to any Georgia statute or legislation. Both the legality and the illogical process to effectively enact this new rule will cast doubt on Georgia’s results.
In the past decade, baseless claims of voter and election fraud have penetrated mainstream media and politics. Former President Donald Trump is widely known for promoting the idea that there has been massive fraud in multiple U.S. elections. Prior to Trump’s claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential race, the former president has disputed the legitimacy of the 2012 presidential election, the 2016 Iowa GOP primary and the 2018 midterms. Trump has repeated false claims that voter fraud cost him the state of Georgia in the 2020 presidential race. However, none of Trump’s claims have been proven true. Unfortunately Trump’s influence in American politics caused states such as Georgia to examine their respective voting procedures.
The new voting rule may give Republicans an advantage in the upcoming election. The hand-counting of votes three times will not only result in human error but also a delay in results. If there is significant delay, the electoral college in
Georgia will be unable to certify their votes in time, which could lead to neither presidential candidate winning a majority of the Electoral College. If neither candidate wins that majority, then the election would be decided by the House of Representatives. However, it would not be the representatives voting. The vote would consist of state delegations, which Republicans control. If neither presidential candidate wins a majority of the Electoral College, Republican-controlled state delegations that do not represent the majority of the voters would decide the election. While this process may never occur, it is a legal possibility under the United States Constitution. The Republicans who voted in favor of the addition to Georgia’s vote-counting
process were previously praised by Trump for championing change and ensuring voting accuracy.
Regardless of the original intentions for promoting this change, the new rule will inevitably create problems surrounding the results in the state of Georgia. The transition from voting machines to hand counting votes three times will bring errors to the voting process, which will lead to a delay in results and create doubt surrounding the legitimacy of the Georgia election.
Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, isahistoryandpoliticalscience major from Sacramento, Calif.
Indranil Kar, FCRH ’26, is a political science and Arabic double major from St. Louis, Mo.
New Georgia voting regulations may affect election efficiency.
COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM
Saturday Night Snoozefest?
By CATE DALTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” — is a phrase any New Yorker, new or native, has come to know. Since 1975, “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) has woven its way into New York culture, becoming the city’s comedic backbone. It produced stars such as Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell and Tina Fey; some of Hollywood’s funniest actors got their start on this increasingly popular and bold sketch comedy show. However, it’s no secret that “SNL” has lost some of its momentum over the past couple years. Even avid viewers would tune in every Saturday night, only to go to bed having barely cracked a smile. This year it faces its 50th anniversary and season, creating much hubbub around its recent successes, or lack thereof. What is the cause for this plague of unfunniness “SNL” seems to have caught?
Since 2021, “SNL’s” professional ratings, as well as general fan consensus, has dwindled. After the 46th season, the show suffered a 35% decline in ratings. Additionally, amidst the writers strike, a poll revealed that over half of adults did not miss “SNL’s” presence in their lives. Is the age of live comedy over, or is “SNL” specifically choking?
This dilemma has only been made more challenging as
some of the program’s most notable cast members (such as Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and Cecily Strong) have left the show to pursue other avenues of their careers in recent years. It’s possible that the loss of their familiar funny faces has put a damper on “SNL’s” viewership, but it also could be the result of the natural life cycle of live television. One of the most popular late night shows of the 2010s, “The Late Late Show with James Corden” found ways to stay relevant with comedic segments like “Carpool Karaoke,” “Crosswalk the Musical” and “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.” It featured stars that transcended popular culture such as Michelle Obama and Prince Harry. However, its final seasons saw more expenditure than revenue, and it ultimately became detrimental enough that the show had to air its last episode in April of 2023. If a show as immensely admired and widely known as Corden’s shut down, what does that mean for “SNL’s” future?
It’s hard to predict exactly how this season of “Saturday Night Live” will play out, but the addition of some fresh faces are sure to generate some traction. “SNL’s” newest featured players include Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline. Padilla, like many cast members, was discovered from her work at the Groundlings Main Company in Los Angeles where she
had been performing for three years. Wakim had already made his NBC debut at “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” back in 2022. Lastly, Wickline has already cemented herself as a comedian with a steady following on TikTok (with over 950,000 followers). When NBC released their new cast members, I immediately recognized her face from her hilariously-awkward videos that would constantly find their way onto my TikTok For You Page over the past few years.
The lineup of hosts this year holds a lot of potential, combining actors and musicians that reach a multitude of audiences. Oct. 12 welcomes Ariana Grande with the legendary Stevie Nicks. The following Saturday, Michael Keaton is scheduled to share the live screen with Billie Eilish. I’m most excited for Nov. 2, when John Mulaney returns to Studio 8H for his sixth time as host, and Chappell Roan graces the stage for her live performances. From the promise of exciting host lineups to the suspense of new players, season 50 of “SNL” is shaping up to be a memorable one.
While “Saturday Night Live” has faced some unpopularity in recent years, I will continue to defend it. I have been a consistent viewer, and last year I had the opportunity to attend the live recording of an episode. After scoring lottery tickets
and waiting in line on a rainy December night, my group and I made it to NBC’s eighth floor. The experience was so surreal in the fact that I could see all of the heart and character it took into making one sketch, one performance, one episode. No matter how freezing and drenched the weekend had proven to be, witnessing Emma Stone join the Five Timers Club and Noah Kahan perform “Stick Season” made the experience completely worth it. So worth it, in fact, that my friends are tired of hearing me talk about it nearly 10 months later. I strongly encourage students to take advantage
of the fact that with a little luck and some determination, they could spend their weekend behind the scenes at one of New York’s most famous television programs.
Whether or not this is the beginning of the end for “Saturday Night Live,” it’s hard to tell. What I do know is that no matter how many points its ratings may drop, “SNL” will continue to prove itself relevant in today’s society. As the start of its 50th year approaches, we as New Yorkers must appreciate its cultural significance and comedic influence, and maybe even go to a live recording ourselves, before we declare its untimely death.
Who’s That Kid? | Alexandra Parsons, GSB ’25
Senior is Fulfilled at Fordham
By HANIYYAH USMANI DIGITAL PRODUCER
The most daunting question on a college application is, “Why us?” Why Fordham University? No one can provide an answer to this question quite like Alexandra Parsons, GSB ’25, whose years at Fordham have been nothing but fulfilling, although bittersweet. Parsons, a public accounting major on the path to CPA eligibility, has fully embraced their years at Fordham, leaving an undeniable mark both on campus and on those around them. With an impressive list of leadership roles and achievements, they’ve woven themselves into the very fabric of Fordham’s community — and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Parsons’ journey at Fordham began back in 2021 when they set a personal goal to put themselves out there as much as possible. They’ve far surpassed this ambition, involving themselves in leadership positions in a variety of clubs and organizations on campus that highlight their dedication to personal growth, as well as building on the community at Fordham. “Throughout my time at Fordham, I
have had the opportunity to involve myself in so many amazing clubs and organizations, through which I have met some of my best friends,” Parsons stated.
Among their many roles, Parsons serves as the president of the Fordham Hellenic Society, which allows them to not only foster a deeper connection with their heritage but also provide an environment for other students to learn more about Greek culture while simultaneously uniting students of the same heritage. Parsons also holds the title of outreach ambassador chair for the Rose Hill Society, a position in which they serve as a key link between Fordham and prospective students. They are always eager to share the story of the Fordham community, especially when they have much of their own experience to speak on. “Fordham provides such a welcoming community,” Parsons shared. “In fact, this is the reason I give when asked, ‘why Fordham?’ while giving campus tours.” To top it off, Parsons has also been involved with Fordham’s New Student Orientation team, which aims to welcome incoming students
and ensure that their transition into college life is as smooth as possible. Parsons helped by using all their enthusiasm to make the new class feel as welcome as possible. This past summer marked their second, and sadly final, year on the Orientation team. It’s actually where I had the pleasure of meeting them, as they served as an orientation assistant captain. There, I learned about their passion for the university, and the bittersweetness of becoming a senior. Knowing that the incoming students had a long way to go was very moving, from being first-years on move-in day and participating in the candle lighting ceremony on Eddie’s, to graduating in the very same place as seniors. Their involvement doesn’t stop there. Parsons is a member of the Gabelli School of Business Honors Thesis Program, a KPMG campus ambassador and an active participant in both Alpha Sigma Nu and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. This multifaceted involvement speaks to their deep commitment to not only community engagement, but academic excellence on top of that — values they believe Fordham has helped cultivate. “One of my favorite things
about Fordham is the community this university provides,” they said.
Now as a senior, Parsons looks back on these four years with gratitude. “There is nothing I would change about my experience,” they said. “I am so blessed to have spent my four years at Fordham, and I will forever be beyond grateful for the people and experiences this university has brought me.” They may joke about still feeling like a first-year, but the impact Parsons has had on Fordham is far from their beginning
as a first-year. Their legacy of engagement and humor will undoubtedly last in everyone who’s had the pleasure of meeting them, and I hope it inspires future students to take the same leap they did — to put themselves out there and fully embrace the opportunities and friendships this university has to offer. And while being a senior may be bittersweet for Parsons, one thing is clear: they’ll always be a Fordham Ram at heart: “As always, go Rams, and I love you all!”
SNL is facing a needed turning point in the new era.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
CULTURE
Patti Smith’s Guide to New York City (And Life)
By SOPHIA YOERKS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Looking from my page to the restaurant before me, I knew I found the right place. During a silent book club in the Lower East Side, I began reading “M Train” by Patti Smith. I had read her debut memoir, “Just Kids,” three years prior and absolutely loved it. It made me fall in love with New York — the good and the bad — before even knowing I would be applying to schools here. Ever since, it’s been a favorite of mine, confidently residing untouched on my Goodreads “favorites” shelf. However, I saw “M Train” after moving here, and I knew I had to get it. In hindsight, with my extensive “To-Be-Read” or TBR list, I probably shouldn’t have gotten a new book, but I am so glad I did. If I had not picked it up, I would not be standing face to face with a restaurant/ café I have never been to before. Which sounds insignificant — there are thousands of restaurants and cafés I have never been to before. But the inspiration it gives makes it a destination not to be ignored.
Smith grew up in New Jersey until she moved to Manhattan in 1967 and lived
with iconic photographer Robert Maplethorpe. She found solace in her poetry in the underground art scene, and her writing began to thrive.
“Just Kids” revolves around this transformative time of her emerging into New York City — “No one expected me. Everything awaited me.” — as well as her tumultuous yet beautiful relationship with Maplethorpe. I was given this book as a gift for Christmas but didn’t read it until New Year’s, which was a great decision on my part. I started 2022 with quotes like, “Yet you could feel a vibration in the air, a sense of hastening. It had started with the moon, an inaccessible poem that it was. Now men had walked upon it, rubber treads on a pearl of the gods. Perhaps it was an awareness of time passing, the last summer of the decade. Sometimes I just wanted to raise my hands and stop. But stop what? Maybe just growing up.”
I remember reading this and thinking, how does someone write this?
Her prose is so pure, real and raw that I saw so much of my own ambition and desire within it. Later that year I went to Chicago, about six hours away from my hometown, and saw her name in a
small bookstore along the pier. It was “Woolgathering,” a collection of her poems. I spent the cash I had in my pocket from babysitting on a book instead of dessert that night, but I knew I would enjoy it just as much. The selected poems dive deep into the lives of “cloud dwellers,” such as herself, among traditional noble vocations. Her writing is tender and harsh, writing from the perspective of a child and a mother, and she intertwines her childhood memories to the essence of her creative pursuits: “I imagined a lot of things. That I would shine. That I’d be good. I’d dwell bareheaded on a summit turning a wheel that would turn the earth undetected, amongst the clouds, I would have some influence; be of some avail.”
Since then I’ve held onto the inspiration her work has given me, which in turn compelled me to pick up “M Train” — named after a subway — when I moved to New York. Having Smith’s collection of traveling essays by my side while exploring the ups and downs of setting transition has completely transformed my outlook on everything. She explains more of her personal background while traveling and her current living style in New York while exploring different
restaurants and, you guessed it, cafés.
The café I stood in front of with “M Train” tucked underneath my arm, alsothe map I used, sprawled out my future vocational possibilities on a silver platter. I sat near the booth where she described herself tucked into and began to read the rest of the book. Once I finished, I wrote a quick Goodreads review, “The first chapter, slipping between dreams and reality, already had my jaw on the floor. With most books I read and like, I tell people they should read them. With this one, I don’t mind. I don’t care. Right now, sitting in a café brimming with creativity and inspiration, I am immersed in a book that feels tailored to me. Her
tangents and dreamscapes and adventures and quirks are remarkably described. I don’t need anyone else to read this because it feels like Smith is reading it to me.”
So whether or not you read “Just Kids,” “Woolgathering” or “M Train,” know that everywhere you go in this beautiful city opens itself up to you in unimaginable and surprising ways. If you do read these books, specifically “M Train,” I highly recommend visiting some of the restaurants and cafés she goes to. I think that day I indulged in six shots of espresso.
“Time passes and with it certain sensations. Yet once in a while the magic of the field and all that happened there surfaces.”
One of Fordham’s Favorite Alums is Losing Recognition
By LORESA ZEQIRAJ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Many students may have noticed that the Lana Del Rey sign in Keating Hall has been taken down. According to Associate Vice President for Media and Public Relations Bob Howe, the sign dedicated to Del Rey, FCRH ’08, had been up for almost a year and was replaced on Sept. 16. The alumni signs in Keating are overseen by the Fordham College Alumni Association (FCAA), who rotate the display case on a regular basis. Changing the alumnus in Del Rey’s case was a part of the normal process.
The Fordham University community is proud of its impressive alumni list. From Alan Alda to Mary Higgins Clark, this school has produced very well-renowned actors, singers, politicians, authors and overall successful people. This specific display being replaced has struck a chord with the students at Fordham because Del Rey is a popular figure amongst college students.
Del Rey is a musician, but her real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. Del Rey attended Fordham from 200408, where she majored in philosophy and metaphysics. Her music is calm, melancholic and somehow nostalgic. People describe her voice and presentation as “ethereal,” and she is highly idolized by teenagers and young adults.
Del Rey is often credited with revolutionizing pop music and
changing the music industry with her style of lyricism and sound. She relates to a lot of this younger audience because her lyrics typically revolve around romance and tragedy in a glamorous and captivating way. She is very fluid in her fashion, but she’s primarily associated with a 1950-60s Americana look. Her embodiment of pop-culture and the struggles and emotions of young adults is what draws them in. She uses lyrics to create complex storylines within her songs and young women especially are pulled deep into her lyricism, either because
they can relate or because they want to. Through her songs it seems she lives a life that is both tragic on one hand, yet beautiful on the other. Moreover, she also represents a side of women that isn’t frequently portrayed in the media or is considered taboo. Nonetheless, her rise as a pop culture icon makes her one of Fordham’s most well known alumni amongst students.
“Realistically, I think it makes sense for it to be [Del Rey] because of how well known she is and how she fits in with the age group that goes to Fordham,” said Adelina Mujaj,
FCRH ’28. “It’s nice to say you go to the same school as a global popstar, who you could also be a fan of, and find inspiration in her success.” Similar to this perception of why Grant’s display is so loved, Maria Giannopoulos, FCRH ’28, responded, “I would say that it removed a sense of familiarity with the alumni.”.
For a lot of students, Del Rey is one of the only alumni they concern themselves with, so replacing her sign was definitely noticed.
Whether students are happy about it or not, the display has been replaced by one of
another successful and inspirational alumna. Her spot is now filled by a dedication to Lucy A. Perrone, Ph.D., FCRH ’99. Perrone has worked with the World Health Organization (WHO), and she was one of the first scientists to examine properties of the newly reconstructed 1918 influenza virus. Along with working for WHO she also advised foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations and United Nation agencies. To learn more about this highly accomplished Fordham alumni, you can visit Keating Hall and find her among the displays on the first floor.
Perhaps one of Rose Hill’s most notable graduates, Lana Del Rey’s status as a campus icon has changed recently as she is no longer honored in Keating hall.
Smith tells tales across New York City through multiple novels. COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
CULTURE
The Secret Lives of Fake Mormon Wives?
By EMMA LEONARDI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
If you were active on TikTok in 2022, you have most likely heard about the Mormon MomTok swinging scandal. For those of you who don’t know about it, this was a viral situation involving moms and wives living in Mormon Utah. Taylor Frankie Paul was at the center of it. She and her husband had cheating scandals already, so Paul went on TikTok live to discuss the rumors. However, during the live, the conversation went well past her and her husband. She brought up the “soft swinging” that occurred at many parties they hosted and attended. Swinging is a term that means swapping sexual partners within a larger group, i.e. engaging in sexual relations with another woman’s husband while that woman engaged in those same relations with your husband.
The reason this scandal was so big was not only because it involved swinging, but because they discussed it within the context of the Mormon community. Mormonism is a religious and cultural group that differs from traditional Christian practices and beliefs. Having sexual relations with anyone other than your life partner, including swinging, is considered sinful by the Mormon church. The scandal became all about who was part of the “swinging” and, more importantly, who had gone against Mormon rules.
Because the scandal made headlines, Hulu decided to make a docuseries about it and its effect on the moms involved:
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” The first episode aired on Sept. 6. The show follows Paul and seven other Mormon moms, all part of the so-called “MomTok” (a name they made for themselves). MomTok, as described by the moms involved, is a community on TikTok where the Mormon moms could have fun, be independent and show that they aren’t just their religion. The show dives into the future of MomTok following the viral swinging scandal.
When discussing the worth of the show, we must break it down into two separate categories, entertainment and religion. As an avid reality television viewer, it was not the best I’ve seen. If you were invested with the drama when the scandal first blew up on TikTok, then you will appreciate getting the follow up, as well as the general continuation of the drama within the show. The show has plenty of drama, but it is lacking in the fundamental aspect that all reality television must have in order to be generally entertaining: interest. If you were not already invested in these moms, it wouldn’t be something to stick with.
Thinking about the religious aspect of this show, however, is much more important. This show titularly suggests that Mormonism is a major part of
the show and the moms’ lives. This could be debated. While Mormonism is a clear part of these moms’ community, it is not necessarily an accurate depiction of typical Mormonism. The reality is many of these moms do not actually practice a majority of Mormon rituals. This is an interesting aspect of the show to investigate, as they seem to be marketing themselves as super-Mormons that shock the internet by being sex positive and feminist, but are actually just looking to make money off of the religion and the infamous nature of it.
Many could argue that they don’t have to follow all of the rules in order to be Mormon, to which they would be correct. That isn’t the issue in this circumstance though, as these moms aren’t just picking and choosing which rules to follow. They are actively profiting off of
the scandal of telling the world they are Mormon and progressive. However, they happen to be breaking the rules a lot farther than just being progressive, to the extent that it’s a wonder they consider themselves Mormon at all. There are multiple clips of the women drinking, swearing and even getting tattoos, all of which are not considered categorically progressive actions. They could be progressive without taking these actions, and that doesn’t even approach the aspect of swinging. While it is still unclear exactly who was involved in the swinging, having sexual relations outside of marriage is a fundamental sin within Mormonism, and combined with all of the unnecessary rulebreaks, makes this viewer question the legitimacy of their claims to Mormonism. Through reading this, one
may ask: what is the point? Why do we as a society need to be so invested in whether or not these women are accurately representing Mormons? Why can’t it just be reality television?
The answer to all of those questions would involve the access these women have to society. They aren’t just doing all of this in their community, but are actively showing people around the world, through social media, this idea of Mormonism. This is harmful because many people don’t do research when they see a depiction of something on social media. Mormonism is a religion and a culture, one that doesn’t support most of the actions taken by these moms, and it isn’t okay that some people will get this idea of Mormonism just because these moms are exploiting it for money.
“Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” is the Perfect
By HANNAH SULLIVAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After a brat summer of viral hits from big names like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Charli xcx, the transition into fall is still feeling the wakes of the rising pop icons. However, “Memoir of Sparklemuffin” is the perfect album for the cold and wet second half of fall. The album was released on Sept. 13 by indie pop singer, actress and model Suki Waterhouse. The album has 18 songs, including the hit single “OMG.” This is Waterhouse’s second album since her first single “Brutally” in 2016, viral hit “Good Looking” in 2017 and her first album, “I Can’t Let Go,” in 2022. Waterhouse’s signature dreamy vocals add to the hazy energy of the album. The album traces a now-ended toxic relationship, starting with moving on post-toxic breakup in “Gateway Drug” and ends with “To Love,” which perfectly captures the adoration that occurs at the start of a new relationship. Waterhouse’s lyrics and storytelling in the album are hard to be rivaled as she
explores the difficulties, both physically and emotionally, of leaving an abusive relationship. The story telling of the album transcends just the lyrics of the songs and extends to her music videos as well.
In “Actress, Model, Whatever,” Waterhouse explores the film industry, putting the verbal abuse of directors and the hypersexualization of women on full display. Waterhouse explores her experiences in the modeling and film industries, which she was brought into at a young age. Throughout the video, the outfits she wears feel mocking when compared to her fully dressed co-star. The music video also has a level of whimsy in its seeming references to ’80s shows like “She-Ra: Princess of Power” and “He-Man & Masters of the Universe” combined with chaotic rage as she watches the movie set burn down. This change from whimsy to rage can be seen as a nod to Waterhouse’s feelings towards the film industry from a young 16-year-old when she started, to a furious young woman, to
an accepting 32-year-old.
“Supersad” is reminiscent of ’80s pop songs like Pat Benetar’s “We Belong” and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me).”
The song is rather upbeat compared to the rest of the album and has a hopeful tone in comparison to the post-breakup type energy of the rest of the album. The music video matches the ’80s pop song energy and feels like a tribute to John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club.” From the bright colors that are muted to mimic that of ’80s movies, to the way the camera angles cut to her dancing against a black background with colored squiggles like the iconic rugs we’ve all seen in “Stranger Things,” Waterhouse really capitalizes on the ’80s energy of the song. However, around half way through the video she starts adding cartoon graphics, adding a childish energy to the music video, most likely a nod to Waterhouse’s newly born daughter. The song has the perfect energy for dancing around your room with your headphones for your “Breakfast Club” flashdance moment.
Waterhouse blows away all
expectations with “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin.” Her breathtaking vocals are perfect for the coming fall and her lyrics are to be admired, from the storytelling to the references of fairy tales as a nod to her newborn daughter. While the whole album has the capability to change your brain chemistry, “Supersad,” “OMG” and “To Love” are definite highlights of the album. “Memoir of
Fall Album
a Sparklemuffin” has songs for every mood, from the peppy beat in “Supersad” made for dancing around your room, to laying in your bed crying to “Could’ve Been a Star,” to daydreaming about your theology class crush to “To Love.”
The album is the perfect addition to any fall playlist and we can only thank Suki Waterhouse for releasing it just in time for pumpkin spice and Ugg weather.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has received mixed reviews and some controversy.
Waterhouse’s music explores many creative angles.
CULTURE
Gracie Abrams’ Bold Breakthrough Album
By SOFIA DONOHUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Back in June, singer and songwriter Gracie Abrams debuted her third album, “The Secret of Us.” Before the album’s release, Abrams teased that the record was “more extroverted” than her previous, more mellow releases such as “Good Riddance” (2023) and “This Is What It Feels Like” (2021). As someone who has been listening to Abrams since the release of her EP “minor” in 2020, I waited in anticipation for what I knew would be my album of the summer; I was not disappointed.
While I consider “The Secret of Us” a no-skip album, I unfortunately do have a word limit, so let me ramble about a select few of my favorite tracks. The album’s leading single “Risk” boasts an upbeat production and an urgent build-up to the bridge, drawing the listener in to Abrams’ sense of desperation. The track’s loud vocals and lyrics perfectly capture the uncertain, often manic, inner monologue of someone who is developing a crush as Abrams sings, “God, I’m actually invested, haven’t even met him. Watch this be the wrong thing, classic.” Abrams couldn’t have picked a more fitting track to be this album’s lead single as
she takes on a bolder sound and explores a theme that isn’t heartbreak (finally).
Abrams’ personality and unfiltered lyricism shine in “Blowing Smoke.” The track opens with a soft acoustic guitar as Abrams critiques an old flame who has moved on. Although the track is relatively slow at first, the rhythm builds as Abrams spirals thinking about her ex’s new girlfriend. In the song’s second verse, the soft guitar is juxtaposed with the blunt lyric, “You look stupid going out. If she’s got a pulse she meets your standards now,” that had me rewinding to make sure I heard correctly on my first listen. While Abrams paints an image of heartbreak, she simultaneously mocks her former fling, reminding him that she knows him intimately in a way his new girlfriend cannot. In the chorus, Abrams angrily sings, “Are your conversations cool, like are you even interested? I know what you are, brighter than the stars. Tell me if she takes you far,” and, almost teasingly, closes the song by singing “I know” over and over. What can I say, I love a good angry ballad.
“Tough Love” is an ode to female friendships and Abrams’ realization that romantic flings don’t guarantee an intellectual or meaningful relationship.
Unimpressed with her lover and with renewed clarity, Abrams sings, “No chance I waste my twenties on random men, not one of them is tougher than all my friends. And I hate to leave him bleedin’, but I know, know what I’m leaving for.”
In 2017, Abrams posted a 20 second snippet of an unreleased song called “Close to You.” Seven years later, Abrams caved to fans’ years of begging for the song’s release and announced “Close to You” as the album’s second single. When I played “Close to You” for my dad, he said, “This is a hit, I don’t know why she didn’t release it before.” Well said, Brian. Although she considered including the song on her previous album, Abrams ultimately decided not to because the sound didn’t match that of “Good Riddance.” I could not wait to listen to the song in-full rather than a short snippet on TikTok. After getting off my shift at 1 a.m., I promptly popped in headphones to romanticize my commute home with “Close to You” on repeat. As an upbeat pop-synth track pleasantly similar to Lorde’s “Green Light,” the song stands out from the typical Abrams releases and explores similar themes as “Risk.”
Although probably the most
gut-wrenching, “I Knew It, I Know You” is my all-time favorite on the album. The track includes Abrams’ signature soft guitar as she mourns a relationship where the connection inevitably flatlines. The song’s tempo slows for the bridge as Abrams apologetically sings, “And we don’t even know each other now,” and, “You had the wrong idea about me. And all I ever did was consider you, until all I could do was consider me.” In the song’s final chorus, Abrams’ voice rises and she softly sings “down” over and over in the background, a nod to “Long Sleeves” off of her EP where she closes the song by singing “I’m coming down” repeatedly.
While every song on the album showcases Abrams’ talent, a few of my honorable mentions include “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “Let It Happen” and “Free Now.” As a girl in her early 20s, it often feels like Abrams pulls inspiration from my journal for her music, and “The Secret of Us” is no exception. Abrams’ signature vulnerability and relatability are truly prevalent throughout the album as she sings about emotions ranging from heartache to friendship and even the psychosis that comes with having a crush. It’s comforting to know that Abrams has experienced some of the same niche feelings that I have, and I’m grateful that she chooses to sing about them.
Navigating New York City Dining
By ANTHONY FARRELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Every so often, students waiting in line at Boar’s Head Deli or Cosi come to a painful revelation. They have simply had enough. Their tongues cry out, “NO MORE SANDWICHES, PLEASE GIVE US SOMETHING NEW!” Of course, you want to rise above the monotonous slope you’re forced to choke down, but where do you find those havens of flavor? Last year, I especially struggled to find places worth coming back to. With so many options all around, it feels overwhelming to try to find something worth your time and money. Before I discuss any of the true gems I’ve found, there’s one simple rule you have to follow:
If you’re looking for a sitdown meal after a day of sightseeing, never eat anywhere near a tourist site. Regions to immediately cross out are the areas bordering Broadway and Central Park. While these places often look delicious, they are also traps. Restaurants in this general area are tourist traps designed to be for a flashy experience, leaving the quality of the food as a tertiary priority. One of the most common traps for tourists is the diners. These places imitate either the homey feeling of mom-and-pop restaurants or try to imitate the atmosphere that famous diners like The Stardust have. I
remember going to a diner in Midtown that had claimed to have been around for 50 years. After eating the most mediocre burger in the world, I did a little digging online and found out that this place had opened in 2016.
Another rule I follow when looking for good places to eat is to focus on the size. Generally, the bigger the restaurant, the more money a place has and the less the owners have to care about quality. Usually, hole-in-the-wall shops are family-owned and full of soul. A place that used to be filled with these homely joints was Manhattan’s Little Italy. I went down one afternoon during The Feast of San Gennaro with a simple goal: find a cheap plate of pasta. I was having a great time walking around and looking at all the pastry shops and busy restaurants. This pleasant atmosphere was then ruined by the stark pricing, sitting at the $25-plus range. The pricing that got me to leave Little Italy out of sheer disgust was one restaurant selling the classic spaghetti and meatballs for a hefty $35.
Ironically enough, I ended up finding a place I fell in love with. Walking past all the “authentic Italian” places, I found a small hole-in-the-wall called Bien Argentino. That day, they had a deal: four empanadas and a small drink for $10. They had 12 different options, but
I got the spinach, pulled pork and chorizo along with three cups of fresh chimichurri. A good empanada rides and dies by how well it pairs with the side sauces. Depending on what you put in the chimichurri, you can create entirely new flavor combos. Needless to say, the owner of Bien Argentino knew the art of making incredible chimichurri along with incredible empanadas.
Speaking of little, chamring, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, Chinatown is filled with not only dining options, but also fresh produce. After grabbing my empanadas, I decided to venture out of Little Italy and explore Chinatown. Everywhere you go there are vendors selling fruit and sit-down restaurants selling anything under the sun in Asian cuisine. I found a vendor selling one of my favorite snacks: dried pumpkin seeds for $5 a pound. Chinatown is a place I will be visiting in the future for the dining experience. But by far the best thing you can do to find a good meal is just go out and explore. Sometimes it’s best to wander and see where you end up. One of the places I have found this way was a candy shop in the East Village called Ray’s Candy Store. After being disappointed by another restaurant living on reputation, Ruby’s Cafe, I wanted something sweet. Not knowing the area, I walked
aimlessly for a while, eventually reaching Tompkins Square Park. Ray’s caught my attention, giving off a nostalgic vibe of the candy stores common on the boardwalks in ocean towns. Chilly from the brisk October air, I walked in and was greeted by the fragrant smell of fresh pastries and Ray, who warmly welcomed me in. I chose to get the beignet bites and apple cider, all for $12. While I waited for them to finish frying, Ray instinctively started making
conversation. He seemed genuinely interested in my rantings about my classes. After paying, I went outside. Both the beignets and cider felt fresh and filled with love. I would have never experienced this place if I hadn’t gone with the universe’s flow. So for all of you looking for a good meal, rely on luck. Explore and find new places. Of course, not all of them can be incredible, but the experience is all that matters.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Abrams’ most recent album contains many emotional layers.
CULTURE
Song, Dance and Telekenesis: “Carrie: The Musical”
By CHRISTIAN PHILLIPS STAFF WRITER
When you hear the name Carrie, what comes to mind?
For many, it’s the New York Times bestseller written by Stephen King, “Carrie,” which did not make it to the bestseller list until 1976, despite being in stores since 1974. The popularity of the book stems from the release of its first film adaptation, “Carrie” (1976). The property would go on to spawn a lesser-known sequel, “The Rage: Carrie 2” (1999) and two remakes (2002 and 2013). But perhaps most notably, at least for fans of Broadway, is the musical adaptation it received in 1988. Despite being one of Broadway’s most expensive flops, “Carrie: The Musical” has gathered a huge cult following and serves as an iconic piece of history.
“I’m a huge fan of dark, campy musicals! The show’s reputation as the “biggest flop” in theater history definitely overshadows its incredible music, and I wanted to do justice to its fun yet surprisingly intricate score,” said Music Director Abigail Galleta Canafe.
For those of you who are not familiar with any of these pieces of media, “Carrie” follows Carrie White, an awkward and telekinetic teenage girl, as she attempts to navigate high school under the oppressive thumb of her religiously fanatic mother, Margaret. She is often the subject of cruel bullying, but when she is humiliated at prom by her classmates, she cannot take it any longer. Chaos ensues as Carrie
seeks vengeance, and the true strength of her telekinetic power is revealed. The musical adaptation follows the same story but intertwines it with a poprock, contemporary Broadway soundtrack to help move the story forward. “Carrie: The Musical” offers a unique and exciting addition to an already beloved story. With the first day of fall now upon us, there is no better time to check out this technically infamous yet iconic show.
Luckily for you, Fordham University’s Mimes and Mummers is putting the final touches on its own production of “Carrie: The Musical.” The Mimes and Mummers is Rose Hill’s oldest club, with its origins going back to 1855. They put on four main stage productions each year: two musicals, one drama and one comedy. And as far as determining what musical or play to put on, “the shows are voted in democratically. We let anyone, even non-members, pitch a show,” Vice President of Mimes and Mummers Miranda Joyce said. “Then people who are full members of the club vote and pick the top three. We then apply for the rights, and whichever ones we get the rights to, we do.” Luckily, they got the rights to “Carrie: The Musical” just in time for the Halloween season.
“‘Carrie’ has always been a dream show,” said Assistant Director Emily Mitchell. “The biggest message I hope people get from this is that kindness is the number one thing you should be promoting. You never know what other people are
going through or what’s going on behind closed doors.”
Although similar to that of its source material, Joyce, who also plays Chris and serves as costume designer for the production of “Carrie: The Musical,” points out that this adaptation does a better job of understanding the underlying elements of the story in regards to bullying, abuse and generational trauma. “At its core, it is a tragic story about how society fails people on the fringes and how our actions and our words can have consequences,” said Joyce. There is something in this show for everyone, but before attending, be prepared for graphic language, abuse, bullying and death.
That being said, the Mimes and Mummers club members do an excellent job of bringing this show to life and telling the story with care and consideration while also keeping it fun and entertaining. “The cast is so full of energy and full of people who are really going to put their all into it. I think that ‘Carrie’ as a show has so many different showcasing parts. So many people get to have their moment on stage and I think that’s going to be really fun for people to watch and just get a variety of different personalities and talents on stage,” said Joyce. And this is not something unique to the show. The majority of the cast and crew are returning members who enjoyed working on previous shows with the club. Katie Scott, FCRH ’26, who plays the iconic role of Carrie White, said, “I loved being a part of
‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and had so much fun with everyone in the Mimes my past two years at school, so I knew I had to try out for this show too.”
If you see the show and have fun, Joyce wants you to be aware that it is even more fun being on or behind the stage. So if you have any interest, be sure to reach out to the club and join their next production. “I’m hoping one person in the audience sees it and says, ‘I wanna be a part of that,’ and joins up,” said Joyce. So much time and effort has
gone into bringing this show to life, so whether you love “Carrie” or just want to show your support to an amazing and talented group of Fordham students, be sure to check it out! The show is set to open in Collins Auditorium on Oct. 3, with a show every night at 8 p.m. until its final performance on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, but on Thursday night, all Fordham students get in for free. With opening night quickly approaching, keep an eye out for updates and behind-the-scenes material on their Instagram and TikTok page, @themimesandmummers.
By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR
1. Questionable dip for french french fries
6. Hello and goodbye in Hawaiian 7. Cart, buggy, carriage, _____
8. Amnesty International and Save the Children are ___.
1. Opposite of cooked
2. First name of “Dancing with the Stars” pro, paired with Rugby star Ilona Maher
3. Woodworking tool used to shape dowels and handles
4. Jimmy _____ Couture, a brand known for producing expensive shoes 5. First name of fictional villain in 2013 hit film, “Frozen”
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM Mimes and Mummers’ “Carrie: The Musical” is sure to be a success.
Athletics Bid Farewell To Oakland
By GRIFFIN STEVENSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
On Thursday, the Fordham University women’s soccer team headed to Amherst, Mass., to battle in the rain. Their third matchup in Atlantic 10 conference play got off to a rough start when Amherst senior midfielder Emma Pedolzky got on the end of an attempted clearance, poking it home to give the home side a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutewomen would double their lead just five minutes later thanks to a lovely finish from 15 yards out by senior Bella Recinos. It was 2-0 at the half, but UMass came out of the break eager to expand their lead. They got cooking in the 50th minute with a goal from senior Juliana Ryan. This goal was followed up shortly in the 53rd minute by fellow senior Ashley Lamond. Despite staring a 4-0 deficit in the face, the Rams did not go down without a fight. Fordham replied almost immediately to the final UMass goal, with sophomore Riley Carroll reacting quickly to intercept a clearance by the Minutewomen goalkeeper before burying it to make it 4-1. The visiting Rams brought the game even closer in the 71st minute when senior Ryann Lucas and freshman Julia Acosta combined youth and experience for a one-two down
the sideline before Lucas found freshman winger Liina Tervo with a cross. The Finnish forward buried it for her team-leading seventh goal of the season. Unfortunately for Fordham, the 4-2 scoreline would hold, leaving them with a bounceback game at the University of Richmond on Sunday.
Determined to get back on track in the A-10, Fordham took the lead early in Richmond, Va., and never looked back. The freshmen connection was in full swing in the eighth minute as Acosta drove into the box before slotting it across to Tervo, who tapped it in for her eighth goal of the season, good enough for second in the A-10. Fordham would hold their 1-0 lead for the rest of the match, aided by a 21-7 shot advantage alongside two saves from freshman goalkeeper Addison Green. This shutout is Green’s fourth of the season. Tervo’s pair of goals was also enough to see her awarded her second A-10 Rookie of the Week Award. The Rams now move to 7-3-2 on the season (2-2-1 in conference play) ahead of a significant October slate of matches. The Rams will return home this Thursday, Oct. 3, to host the visiting Duquesne University Dukes. The Dukes currently sit at 7-3 on the year (2-2 in conference play). Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Joe Moglia Stadium.
Athletes of the Week
The senior has proven himself to be quite an attacking threat from his midfield position thus far this year, racking up goals and assists for the Rams all year. D’Ippolito continued this trend during the Rams’ match this past weekend, although Fordham lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. D’Ippolito managed to get involved in both of the men in maroon’s goals, recording an assist along with a goal of his own in the 22nd minute of action.
By JAMES NELSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Merely five years ago, Oakland, Calif., was one of the top sporting cities in America. The city was home to three iconic teams: the Warriors, who had become wildly popular by winning three NBA finals in four years; the Raiders, often said to have the rowdiest fans in all of football; and the Athletics, nine-time World Series champions. Each team had spent decades in Oakland, but ownership decided to leave the city behind.
First, in 2019, the Warriors moved across the Bay to San Francisco. Then, in 2020, the Raiders packed up and built a $2 billion stadium in Las Vegas. Thus, all that remained in Oakland was the Athletics. The A’s home stadium, the Oakland Coliseum, was built in 1966 and had not been maintained and renovated with the same success that ballparks like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field had been. The city of Oakland began inquiring about building a new stadium in November 2010. While Athletics fans may have supported the idea of a new stadium, when the Warriors and Raiders vanished, it became clear that the ballpark would not be constructed in Oakland. In May 2021, the Athletics officially announced that they were exploring relocation options and had a strong interest in Las Vegas.
As expected, fans had developed
an animosity toward Athletics owner John Fisher. Fisher had previously come under criticism in the baseball community for attempting to decrease the salary of Athletics’ minor league players during the shortened COVID-19 season. In 2023, reports of the Athletics nearing a deal with Las Vegas surfaced, leading the fans to collectively boycott games resulting in a massive drop in attendance. However, in June as the rumors of a deal closing with Vegas got louder, A’s fans had a stroke of brilliance. On June 13, 2023, the Nevada State Senate passed a funding bill to help in the construction of a new stadium; as this bill was being passed, roughly 28,000 fans packed the Coliseum in what they called a reverse boycott. Fans sitting in the front row all wore the same kelly green T-shirt with one word across their chest: “Sell.” When the game reached the fifth inning, the stadium went quiet in a moment of silence for the 50-plus years of Oakland Athletics fandom before in unison fans chanted “Sell the team” so loud that Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris couldn’t hear his wireless pitch communication device and had to pause the game.
Despite the enormous success of the reverse boycott, Fisher followed through with his plans to rid Oakland of its final professional sports team. It was announced that 2024 would be the A’s final season in Oakland. The Athletics announced they will play their
2025-27 seasons at Sutter Health Park, a minor league stadium in Sacramento, while the new ballpark is built on the Las Vegas strip. The final games of the 2024 season wrapped up and while baseball fans around the country were concerned about the playoff race, Oakland residents were witnessing the final professional sports games to take place in their home city. On Sept. 26, the Coliseum sold out its final event. 47,000 fans occupied every last seat to cheer on their Athletics one last time. The A’s defeated their divisional rivals the Texas Rangers by a score of 3-2 to thunderous cheers. Relocation has always existed in sports and has a fascinating effect on fanbases. When the Dodgers left Brooklyn in 1957, a small group of fans followed the team to Los Angeles, some vowed never to watch baseball again and most jumped ship to support the Yankees or Mets. Fandom is an individual choice and, because of this, the community splits in different directions when relocation occurs. The team that has represented a town or city for decades is suddenly not there anymore to unify those people. A’s fans who partook in the boycott and feel betrayed by the organization may very well be finished with Major League Baseball. With Sutter Health Park being located over an hour outside of Oakland, the Athletics fans who decide to continue supporting the ballclub will be in for a challenge.
Varsity Calendar
Although Fordham Volleyball as a whole may have had a rather rough weekend, losing two hard-fought matches to the Billikens of Saint Louis University, junior Audrey Brown proved to be a bright spot for the Rams. In the first of the team’s two matches in the shadow of the St. Louis Arch, Brown led Fordham in kills, recording a whopping 18 to go alongside her impressive four block assists and two digs. Brown managed to keep up this high level of production in the Rams’ second match, recording doubledigit kills again (10 in total) to go alongside a block assist and a dig.
Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”
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COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Liina Tervo scored two goals to earn her second A-10 Rookie of the Week award.
The Oakland A’s said farewell to the historic Oakland Coliseum, which hosted 4,493 regular season games.
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Rams Outlasted by Billikens in A-10 Opener
By JOE HENRY ASST.
Before the 2024 campaign saw its first serve, the Atlantic 10’s coaches were polled on the strength of the conferences’ teams. The teams were then ranked according to the poll on a 1-100 scale. The Fordham University Rams and Saint Louis University Billikens found themselves separated by just six points — it’s no surprise that, in an intense A-10 opening series, virtually every set was decided by the thinnest of margins.
In the end, each set seemed to be decided by a single, pivotal, momentum-shifting rally. Despite their unwavering effort, though, the Rams came up on the wrong side of that rally more often than not.
Friday marked the first taste of conference play for these teams, both of whom entered with a sub.500 record after facing staunch competition in non-conference play.
As expected, Friday’s first set was tight: after 22 serves, the clubs found themselves knotted at 11. From there, though, the Billikens stormed out to a 24-15 lead. After staving off a late rally, they took set one, 25-19.
The second set proved to be an even greater back-and-forth affair than the first. In the early going, the Rams were paced by sophomore Lorenza Rosenkilde and junior Audrey Brown, who each tabbed three kills as St. Louis gained a 1615 edge. From there, Brown took the reins, netting two more hammers to give the Rams their 24th and 25th points, cementing a match-evening 25-21 win.
As the Rams and Bills danced back and forth for a third straight set, Rosenkilde and graduate student Whitley Moody hoisted the team towards victory. Speaking of hoist, beginning after Rosenkilde delivered a mammoth kill after a lengthy rally, the Fordham bench began inexplicably hoisting sophomore Lola Fernandez into the air. Fernandez, who appeared in four sets and delivered an ace, laughed inconsolably as she was repeatedly thrust into the air when Moody forced a Billikens timeout off a block, and again when Brown stopped a St. Louis rally with a vicious kill, bringing the set to 17-19. Down 21-20, Fernandez subbed into the game and stayed grounded as she trotted to the service line, contributing to the game’s tying point. That point proved to be an appetizer, with her next serve kicking off what may have been the
longest rally of the season; St. Louis held the advantage for most of the point — Fernandez, senior Lauryn Sweeney and sophomore Whitney Woodrow all made miraculous digs to keep Fordham afloat. After a minute of back-and-forth play, the Rams forced an attack error and the Rose Hill Gymnasium exploded in celebration. With the momentum in hand, the Rams maintained control, with Rosenkilde meeting the Bills at the net for a set-winning kill.
Fordham carried that energy to set number four, which somehow managed to be even more of a nailbiter than the three that preceded it. The difference seldom reached more than three, with the Rams hanging on to a lead for its entirety. That is, until the Billikins evened the match at 20 and took their first lead at 2221. With a chance to put the match away, Fordham just couldn’t muster enough to regain the advantage. Down 24-22, Sweeney crushed a clutch kill; she and freshman Sophia Kuyn then combined for a block, tying it at 24 and putting the win-by-two rule into effect. After a St. Louis point, it was Brown’s turn to tie things up, landing a kill from the outside. With victory within their grasp, Fordham succumbed to St. Louis’ attack, surrendering two near-indefensible kills en route to a 27-25 loss.
It was only fitting that we’d see a set five. However, having given an unremitting effort in four full sets of play, the Rams appeared to run out of gas. A bevy of errors on the service, reception and attack allowed St. Louis to snatch the win out of Fordham’s hands, 15-4.
All told, it was Brown who catalyzed the offense, netting 18 kills at a jawdropping .368 clip. Moody added 10 more dunks and added 10 digs to boot; senior libero Ryan Naumann got to double-digit digs, too, leading the club with 16. Woodrow was, again, sensational at setter, tallying 45 assists, 14 digs, four service aces and two beautifully executed setover kills.
Rosenkilde had one of the strongest showings of her Fordham tenure, too, racking up a careerhigh 10 hammers at a .333 rate and contributing on five blocks.
One sleep later, the Rams had a chance to avenge themselves in Saturday’s matinee matchup. While the Rams held an edge over the Bills for much of their game Friday, the opposite was true on Saturday. Perennially playing catchup, the Rams couldn’t get closer than two down the stretch, eventually losing frame one, 25-19.
Set two told a near-identical story.
Football
Brown and Moody combined for consecutive kills, tying things up at 23. At the match’s inflection point, though, as was the case for set four on Friday, it was Billikens who tipped the scales in their favor. Instead of knotting things up at one-all, the Rams entered the third period down 0-2.
In yet another razor-thin contest, set three ultimately yielded a St. Louis sweep. Facing a deficit all set but staying within three down the stretch, the Bills hung on to complete the series sweep, 25-22. Though the scorecard reads 3-0, it was a much more contentious affair. Brown hit .500, drilling 10 kills; Moody led the pack with 11 putaways at a .300 rate. Kuyn and Sweeney were again impactful, adding four and eight kills, respectively, with serious efficiency.
Despite looking like a welloiled machine on the attack, the Rams continued to struggle uncharacteristically on defense, allowing 11 aces, making 11 reception errors and netting just two total blocks.
Now 0-2 in conference play, the Rams enter this week emptyhanded despite fighting valiantly against a legitimate A-10 contender. In that coaches’ preseason poll, the Rams and Billikens were both projected to make the A-10 playoffs; while they’re not scheduled for a rematch during regular season play, a late-November date in Dayton could decide their fates.
Before then, though, Fordham will need to rebound and reinsert itself in the playoff race as inconference competition continues its escalation. They’ll be doing so perhaps with the blessing of His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican City’s Secretary of State, who paid a visit to Rose Hill on Sunday and spoke with freshman Bridget Woodruff, sophomore Erynn Sweeney and senior Lauryn Sweeney. One can only imagine that Cardinal Parolin — who often dons black and red robes as opposed to the typical white — is the libero of the Christian church.
With an air of holiness, the team will head south for the nation’s capital for a two-game tilt with George Washington University this Friday and Saturday. The Revolutionaries are a curious case — tabbed as one of the A-10’s weakest clubs entering the season, they find themselves 11-4 and 5-1 on their home court. It’ll be a tough test for a Rams club that could use a pair of wins to avoid playing catch-up as the race for the playoffs wanes on.
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9 Fordham 26
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Men’s & Women’s Tennis Army West Point Invitational NTS (No Team Scoring)
Men’s & Women’s Swimming West Point Sprints NTS (No Team Scoring)
News & Notes
Home Heartbreak for Men’s Soccer
Men’s Soccer found themselves protecting a 2-0 lead at home with 22 minutes left against the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen when it all fell apart. The Rams found themselves ahead thanks to goals by juniors Ede Gramberg and Daniel D’Ippolito in the fifth and 22nd minute, respectively. The Minutemen began to ride to victory in the 68th minute when a long strike from graduate forward Oliver Akintade brought them back with a goal. Their second goal was controversial as junior Alex Brown sent a long ball in Fordham’s box, bobbled into the goal by sophomore goalkeeper Leo Perelman as he came into contact with a UMass player. Still, the referee opted not to give a foul. The finishing blow came with just 45 seconds to spare when graduate student Johan Feilscher controlled a failed clearance before slotting the ball into the back of the net. This loss saw Fordham fall to an even 3-3-3 on the season. On Saturday, they will return to action when they travel to 22nd-ranked Virginia Commonwealth University for a 7 p.m. matchup.
SPORTS EDITOR
COURTESY OF CICA RIONDA FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Despite contentious play, the Rams volleyball team fell to 0-2 in Atlantic 10 conference play to start the year.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Men’s Soccer gave up a two-goal lead in the final 23 minutes vs. UMass.
-Compiled by Griffin Stevenson
The Cleveland Browns Need to Cut Their Losses
By ELIZABETH COLLINS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After quarterback Tom Savage was benched at halftime during the Houston Texans’ first game of the 2017 season, rookie Deshaun Watson made a name for himself. Added as a starter in the second week, Watson quickly proved his impressive college skill set translated to the professional league. In a matter of weeks, Watson was projected to be a top-five quarterback in the game. In early November, however, Watson underwent surgery after tearing his ACL in practice, leaving him off the field for the remainder of the season. When he was set to return in 2018, expectations were high, and he exceeded them. In the next three years, Watson consistently improved his game, leading the Texans to consecutive division titles in 2018 and 2019. By the end of the 2020 season, Watson was at the top of the NFL, leading the league with his passing yards and touchdown stats.
Then, in March of 2021, a Houston massage therapist accused Watson of sexual misconduct. By the end of the following month, 22 more lawsuits were filed. The NFL began an investigation, and Watson was suspended for the entirety of the 2021 season. In early 2022, Watson was cleared of criminal charges and signed a five-year, $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns, becoming, at
the time, the most guaranteed money ever given to an NFL player. Before the first matchup, however, two more women filed lawsuits, and Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the season.
When Watson returned for his Browns debut in December, his performance was below average, and he finished the season with a passer rating of 79.1, the lowest of his career. This was an expected hiccup from the quarterback, as he had not played a season game in 700 days. When Watson returned in 2023, expected to resemble the player the franchise and fans saw in 2020, he underperformed again. While he showed improvements from the previous year, it was not what the Browns signed to see. And this
was only, of course, until the shoulder injury he suffered during the sixth game of the year that ended Watson’s season.
In the Browns’ Sept. 8, 2024, season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Watson struggled exceedingly, throwing two interceptions and a single touchdown. The following day, the 27th woman came out and sued Watson for sexual assault and battery during an alleged incident that occurred in October 2020. Now, the Browns have two more years of a $230 million contract with a player who has played 15 games in the past three seasons, has an unknown future with suspension and charges and is not displaying the talent he was signed for. The decision the Browns need to make is a challenging one, but a few things are clear.
The entire situation is a black eye for the NFL. While some argue that the league should involve itself in the problem, the Browns cannot be forced to act one way or another, primarily because Watson has not been found guilty of his accusations. It is a clear argument that the team should rather just cut their losses and let Watson go despite his guaranteed salary. Doing so would put the organization in a financial bind, as the salary cap with Watson’s ongoing contract would limit the money the Browns have to spend on other players, hamstringing them for the remaining two years. But it is fair to say that the Browns would not be worse off with those challenges than now. If Watson were performing as he did years ago, the
argument of the team’s next steps would still be fair, but it would be far more complicated. Only, that top-five quarterback has not been seen on the field in years. The Browns doubling down on this mistake of signing Watson and keeping him for the remainder of his contract would be far more detrimental for the team than recognizing the error, letting Watson go and moving on through the repercussions.
This situation is not foreign to the NFL; this past June, Washington Commanders kicker Brandon McManus was accused of sexually assaulting two women. A week after the lawsuit was made public, Washington released him. Between the years 2000 and 2019, 117 NFL players were arrested for allegations of physically or sexually assaulting a woman. While the Browns’ situation is unique regarding the absurd contract combined with the lack of criminal charges against Watson, the repeated patterns in the accusations and their continuation should result in a similar response to the Commanders’. In the Browns’ case, they will just have to tackle the substantial mistake that was guaranteeing $230 million to a questionable figure. Until they decide how to handle him, we will just have to continue watching Watson defeat himself on the field before more of his actions off of it have the chance to.
Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School Breaks Ground For Construction of New Building
By WILL JING
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Last Wednesday, in the South Bronx, N.Y., the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School brought together the students, local community, media and members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), past and present, for what was a ground-breaking ceremony (pun intended).
The school, which won the City Schools Sports Association (CSSA) New York State High School Boys Basketball Championship last year, was ready to break the ground for the construction of a new building, planning to make the move from Pelham Bay, the current location, to the new location in Mott Haven in January 2026. The new building will hold a gym with an 8,000 square foot basketball court and a capacity of 400 fans. Other plans for the new South Bronx location include a weight room, dance room, physical therapy training room, 24 regular classrooms, two science classrooms, an art studio, a library, a media production studio and a broadcast studio with a green screen.
As you may infer, the Earl Monroe School wants to be more than a national basketball powerhouse churning out 5-star recruits. As a matter of fact, they’re not aiming for that at all. They are a charter, co-ed, tuition-free high school without recruiting.
Students can only get into the school by way of a lottery. The school instead aims to find students’ career paths within the game of basketball. Earl Monroe, who was at the event, said, “We are the only school in the entire nation for basketball, but not for the playing of the game.” The school takes pride in being a “purpose-built, specialized high school with an academic curriculum entirely designed around basketball and the many career paths associated with the global game, from broadcast media to sports psychology, law, nutrition, facilities management and venture capital business.”
They want to use the game of basketball to inspire kids to learn about school subjects and potential future career choices.
“The idea that all students get to major in one of the many professions off the playing court is historic and visionary. The fact of the matter is for every player in the WNBA and the NBA there are at least 1,000 job opportunities off the court,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Walt Frazier, current Knicks announcer, former Knicks player and a former teammate of Earl Monroe, was also extremely proud to be a part of the event. He proclaimed his desire to return to the school in the future to interact with students once again, and added that the students would receive Knicks paraphernalia, Knicks tickets and visits
from other celebrities. He also emphasized his belief in the mission of the school: “Basketball is secondary… I tell people I played 12 years in the NBA, this year is my 31st as a Knick announcer.”
Since its 2021 inception, the Earl Monroe School has already shown signs of success. According to the school, the average literacy levels of students have gone from fourth grade to just below ninth grade. Since March 2022, the rate of students that have passed the New York State Regents exams has increased from less than one percent to 68%. In addition, the volunteer business club students have created a sportswear-based clothing line called “Eventually” that will begin selling products in February 2025.
Jack Irushalmi, the co-chair of the Board of Trustees, said, “50% of our 14- and 15-year-old freshmen were reading on kindergarten through fourth-grade levels. Everyone representing the educational status quo told us ‘there was no way’ we could effectively make any positive changes since the school year had already started, and all literacy teachers in the school system were employed.” You might ask, then, where the school has been getting the help to achieve its success so far.
Julius Randle, a power forward for the Knicks for the past few seasons, began a program called “30 for 3,” where he would donate $500 for each 3-pointer he
sank during the season. Numerous other organizations, including the Knicks, joined in, offering to donate anywhere from $1 to $250 per 3-pointer. This campaign has already raised a total of $1.2 million for the school’s literacy enhancement program. To show Randle appreciation, the school will be naming the new basketball court the “Julius Randle All-Star Court.” It’s interesting to see the growth and development of a “basketball school” that is not focused on on-court activities. The Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School was made with a new concept in mind, something that is unlike anything we’ve seen before. On one hand, it may not
be the top option for teenagers looking to play in the NBA, and it is also peculiar to see individuals who are involved in the sport’s biggest stage tell the students that basketball is secondary, and everything starts with the books. It does not seem like the most conducive strategy for kids with aspirations to be professional basketball players. Plenty of NBA players, past and present, have not been the sharpest in the classroom. On the other hand, students who love basketball that are looking to maximize their chances of working within the sport in an off-court capacity might have their eyes on a new home.
COURTESY OF X
For the Browns, the moral price of keeping Deshaun Watson outweighs the financial cost of keeping him.
COURTESY OF X Knicks icons of new and old pitched in to help open the historic EMNRBS.
The Greatest Football Play Ever(?): The Ryan Williams Catch-&-Run
By JONAH RING SPORTS EDITOR
During my 20 years of life, I have likely consumed an ungodly amount of football — it genuinely pains me to think of just how many hours I have wasted away in front of a TV watching what was an ultimately meaningless game between two teams that I did not care about in the slightest.
Thus, seeing as I have this minor addiction to football, I feel more than confident in saying that I have indeed witnessed and experienced a fair share of some of the game’s most “legendary moments.” I distinctly remember watching Malcolm Butler’s Super Bowl-clinching interception on the goal line; I can easily recall where on the couch I was sitting when Tua Tagavoila hoisted up a prayer in overtime to win the University of Alabama Crimson Tide the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship; and I will always cherish my memory of watching (and subsequently celebrating) the University of Notre Dame’s immortal goal line stand against the Cardinal of Stanford University in 2012.
However, despite this treasure trove of unforgettable moments that I have witnessed, I would actually venture to say that this past weekend, I saw what was potentially the greatest football play of all time: Ryan Williams’ simply unbelievable and unforgettable game-winning 75-yard touchdown catch. However, before I dive into the greatness of this singular play, I feel it necessary to first set the scene. Thus, in doing so, allow me to
begin by saying this past weekend featured one of the most anticipated college football games ever: a showdown between the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide and the second-ranked University of Georgia. The amount of hype that surrounded this game can simply not be overstated, as it was slated to be a primetime top-five matchup full of future NFL players, bad blood and general chaos played out in one of the wildest and loudest environments in all of college football: Bryant-Denny Stadium.
And, to put it mildly, the game indeed lived up to its billing and then some. Bryant-Denny was, as expected, simply rocking, and the Crimson Tide quickly took advantage of all its energy to stun both Georgia and the whole country by jumping out to a mammoth 30-7 lead on the back of a glut of huge plays (a couple of timely interceptions, some dynamic runs and throws by junior quarterback Jalen Milroe and a rare safety, to name a few). Nevertheless, the Bulldogs were able to weather this gut punch of a first half and mount what was a comeback for the ages, slowly clawing their way back into the game via some stellar defense and long touchdown drives. This shocking journey back from the dead of Georgia’s would eventually culminate in a stunning, dagger-like 67-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Carson Beck to junior receiver Dillion Bell that gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game (34-33) with only 2:31 left to go in the game.
Thus, when the Crimson Tide walked out onto their field after
having blown a massive lead at home, it seemed like everything was hopeless, all their momentum had evaporated into the warm night air in an instant. In short, Bryant-Denny Stadium was dead silent; every Alabama player wore a look of utter dejection; and one simply felt the overwhelming sense of confidence that the Bulldogs were now playing with.
Yet, despite all this standing in the way of a huge Crimson Tide victory, a miracle occurred as Milroe lofted a deep pass into the night sky toward freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams on the first play of Alabama’s potential response drive. As the ball reached Williams’ hands on the right sideline, he not only pulled off one of the most acrobatic catches I have ever seen (effectively freezing and reversing his spinning body in mid-air to adjust himself to the underthrown and slightly inac-
curate pass), but he likewise went on to string together some of the most athletic ball-carrier moves I have ever seen (from a crazy dead-leg spin move to a sudden, Olympian-level burst of acceleration) after the catch in order to find the endzone and put the Crimson Tide back on top in the dying moments of one of the biggest games the sport has ever seen.
While no written description can ever adequately describe the absolute athletic insanity that Williams pulled off during his 75-yard reception, what makes this play so truly insane is the fact that Williams is only 17 years old and in his first season of college football. All of the inhuman body control, speed and poise in the face of unfathomable levels of pressure that he displayed was done at an age when most people are just struggling to stay awake during some absolutely boring highschool class
— something Williams would be doing right now if he had not exited high school a year early in order to play for the Crimson Tide. To put just how young he is into perspective, Williams was only nine when Trump was elected, only 10 when “Fortnite” came out and only three when Instagram was founded.
To be sure, all of this might just be hyperbolic conjecture fueled by a strong sense of recency bias, yet I cannot help but feel that I witnessed something truly special when Williams stole victory from the rabid jaws of the Georgia Bulldogs. It simply is not every day, or rather every football game, that one witnesses a 17-year-old true freshman step up on primetime national television to pull off one of the most clutch and most athletic plays to win his team an absolutely massive game against the second-best team in the country whose roster is loaded.
Overtime: General Booty, Moh Bility and the Rise of Wacky Athlete Names
By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
It’s the fall of 2012 and you’re on your couch after a long day of work. It’s not a Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday, so, no football. You turn on Comedy Central and are greeted by — football?
A number of players are introducing themselves before the kickoff of something called the East-West Bowl. Starting at tight end is — wait, no, that’s not Rob Gronkowski or Tony Gonzalez, that’s Hingle McCringleBerry. One of the starting quarterbacks is a guy named Davoin ShowerHandel. Did the West’s defensive tackle just claim that he played college football at Nevada State… Penitentiary?
It turns out that this is all part of some “Key & Peele” skit. Thank goodness that tomfoolery is over with, I couldn’t imagine a reality like th—
It’s the fall of 2024 and you’re on the couch for College Football Saturday. The noon game is set to be the University of LouisianaMonroe versus Duke University — what a bore. What’s that, the game is #1 trending on X? Who
could possibly care about such a lackluster matchup? Shaking your head to no one in particular, you return your sights to the television. To your horror, a graphic slides onto the screen: “Players to watch: General Booty, QB, UL Monroe; Memorable Factor, LB, Duke.”
You go back onto X: General Booty is all anyone is talking about.
You frantically flip to a different channel — “any other game, please,” you mutter, shakily, to yourself.
“Ah, Rice University is playing — my dad went there!” Your smile fades as their leading rusher is highlighted by the analyst. His name? Moh Bility.
With each click of the remote, you’re greeted by a new wacky name: Dude Person, CB, Central Arkansas University Bears; King Large, OL, Southern Methodist University Mustangs; Rowdy Beers, TE, Florida International University Panthers.
We are living in a dystopia. What happened to naming QBs Tom or Patrick? Whose ancestors bore the surname Booty? More importantly, why?
It is certainly ponderous why so many college athletes have comically bizarre names written
across their backs. Of course, people with odd names have long predated the advent of, say, football. However, undoubtedly, every college football roster is becoming increasingly more zany in terms of their nomenclature. Forget Booty; who names their son General? Well, let’s think about it.
What are the odds that a kid named General would go on to play quarterback, a position likened to that of a general more than any other in sport? I’d contend that it’s more likely than you think. Perhaps families with a history of great athleticism are assuming that they will birth an athletically gifted child. After all, much of that equation has to do with genetics. If your father played in the NFL and your mother in the WNBA, odds are that you are naturally athletically gifted. Thus, when your parents decide to name you Decoldest Crawford (yes, this is a real person, and yes, he is a wide receiver), they are making an educated guess rather than a stupid decision. Do the math: if I was “cold” as an athlete, as was my spouse, then my child could well be, oh, I don’t know, Decoldest.
Parents play more than a genetic role in influencing their children, though. If a parent played a sport collegiately or professionally, they are more likely to encourage their children to do the same. Thus, parents may name their child something sports-related because they have machinations on raising a star athlete.
Another theory is that of the self-fulfilling prophecy. If I was named Hurdle McJukestick, I find it plausible that I would have dedicated my life to becoming an NFL running back, not a sports journalist. If your father dubs you Moh Bility, it is my opinion that you then have some sort of familial obligation to be mobile. King Large? You better do everything in your power to be a left tackle when you grow up.
“My mom came up with my name,” said Decoldest Crawford in an interview with Jordan James of 247Sports. “She named me this because she knew I would be the best athlete out of everyone in the family.” Who knows why his mother had such a notion, but Decoldest indubitably was motivated by his name to become “the coldest.”
Duke’s defensive anchor must
have felt immense pressure to live up to his name — how could Memorable Factor grow up to be an unmemorable nonfactor? To some degree, Factor has no choice but sports superstardom — no one is hiring an HVAC guy named Memorable Factor to install insulation in their basement. I have a strong conviction that players’ parents know exactly what they’re doing when they name their child something wacky. Unquestionably, we see a disproportionate amount of weird names in the realm of athletics because parents — based on genetics, athletic history and aspirations for their offspring — envisioned their children as the next generation of sports heroes. When you turn on college football this Saturday and see the likes of Booty, remember that this isn’t some dystopian distortion of reality. These players were given their names by real people who thought long and hard before making one of the most consequential decisions of their’ lives. These names aren’t the product of a drunken night or a dumb dare, but are deliberate. tactical and, in the weirdest of ways, utterly beautiful.
COURTESY OF X
True freshman Ryan Williams may have made one of the most impressive football plays of all time this past weekend.
Fordham Football Demolished 63-21 on the Road by Monmouth
By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
It was a dark, stormy and windy afternoon last weekend at Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, N.J., the site of a Week 5 matchup between the lowly 0-4 Fordham University Rams and the 2-2 Monmouth University Hawks. But no rain, wind or any other conceivable force of nature could stifle an explosive Monmouth offense on Saturday, as the Hawks put up a whopping 63 points, defeating the Rams by 42 in a dominant showing.
Following a tough 45-13 loss against the reigning Ivy League champions, Dartmouth University, Fordham had one last opportunity to iron out the kinks against a non-conference opponent, with league play now looming just one week away. And while the offense did respond with a stronger showing, thanks in large part to the return of senior running back Julius Loughridge, it still wasn’t enough to prevent yet another disheartening defeat.
The Hawks entered the weekend with the nation’s best passing attack, led by senior quarterback Derek Robertson, whose 1,496 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns currently rank first among all qualifying FCS quarterbacks. After transferring over to Monmouth to play for his older brother Jimmy Robertson, a pass-game coordinator on head coach Kevin Callahan’s staff, Derek Robertson had led Monmouth to one of the best offenses in D1 Football and, most recently, the program’s first victory over an FBS opponent, taking down Florida International University in a 45-42 shootout.
If the Rams wanted any chance at taking a win into Patriot League play, they’d need to find a way to shut down an offense that had totaled 96 points over its last two games.
The Hawks had other plans — and they made that clear right from the jump.
Junior back Makhi Green returned the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards to the house, giving Monmouth a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds in. It marks the second time this season that Fordham has allowed a gameopening 100-yard kick return touchdown, adding another special teams lowlight to the mix.
The Rams, however, then responded with one of their best drives of the season.
Fordham had struggled to generate offense the week prior as junior quarterback Jack Capaldi made his first career start, replacing junior CJ Montes, who suffered an injury against Stony Brook University. He wouldn’t have much help as Loughridge and graduate student Garrett Cody were both sidelined against Dartmouth.
With Loughridge returning to the fray, Fordham saw
immediate benefits. The Rams marched up the field on the back of a consistent rushing attack, tying the game on a 9-yard touchdown rush from Loughridge, his first of the season.
Monmouth’s star graduate student running back Sone Ntoh, not to be outdone, helped the Hawks sail right down the field, punching in a 1-yard score on a direct snap to retake a 14-7 lead towards the end of the first.
This time, the Fordham offense stalled out quickly, allowing Monmouth to take a 21-7 lead early in the second on Ntoh’s second goal-line score of the day, just one minute into quarter two.
The following Fordham drive once again left the Rams shy of the first down after three plays, setting up a fourth-and-1 from their own 34 and a difficult decision for head coach Joe Conlin, whose squad already trailed by two scores. Conlin elected to play it safe, punting away and hoping his defense could force a stop.
But Monmouth took the ball right into Fordham territory on a massive run by Rodney Nelson, who then quickly added to the lead with a 26yard touchdown run.
The second quarter scoring was far from over. Ntoh opened Monmouth’s next drive with a 64-yard touchdown for his third score of the day.
Loughridge responded by punching one in from eight yards out to net his second of the day, but TJ Speight returned the ensuing kickoff for a score to negate any Fordham momentum. If that wasn’t enough, Ntoh barrelled through defenders for his fourth touchdown in the final minute of the first half.
The Hawks brought a 49-14 lead into halftime, thanks to 35 points in the second quarter alone.
There would be no taking the foot off the gas. Monmouth’s starters returned for the third
quarter and Robertson tossed his first touchdown, finding Tra Neal for a 27-yard connection.
The following drive, the Hawks piled on with a flea flicker that brought them into the red zone, setting up Ntoh’s fifth touchdown of the day, shattering his single-game career high and the program record in the process.
Leading 63-14, the Hawks finally elected to give their starters a rest, sending in the second-stringers for the remainder of the game.
The Rams salvaged some points in the fourth quarter as Capaldi found freshman Jack Freeburg for his first career reception — a 35-yard touchdown, no less.
But the Hawks were more than content to run the clock out, sealing a 63-21 victory and solidifying a brutal 0-5 start for the Fordham Rams.
While Monmouth’s calling card is a high-powered passing
attack, it was the run game that bested Fordham on Saturday. Ntoh headlined the effort with 136 yards and five touchdowns, making quite the case for CAA Offensive Player of the Week. He was joined by two other 100-yard rushers as Nelson netted 128 yards and a score while fifth-year Jamir Barnes accumulated 134 yards, all of which came in the second half.
In total, the Hawks rushed for 407 yards and six rushing touchdowns. That made life rather easy for Robertson, who still completed 11 of 14 passes for 186 yards and an astonishing 212.1 QB rating.
Scoring a whopping 63 points, Monmouth came just three points shy of tying the highest scoring output in the FCS this season. Fordham has now allowed 40.6 points per game through five games this season, 10th worst in the FCS.
However, Loughridge once again remained a point of
pride, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for 97 yards to maintain his Patriot League lead. He’s currently 19th in all of the FCS with 435 rushing yards, despite missing a game this season.
The Rams must find a way to wipe the slate clean as they shift focus to a Family Weekend matchup against the reigning Patriot League co-champions, Lafayette College.
Lafayette was picked by the media as their preseason favorite to win the Patriot League, and coming off a bye week, they’re looking to start off conference play with a big bang. Led by star running back Jamar Curtis, picked as the conference’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Dean DeNobile, who ranks fifth in the FCS in completion percentage, the Rams will have their hands full with a loaded offense.
Hopes of an at-large bid have been dowsed for some time, but Fordham still has a route to the FCS postseason — a conference title. However, you unfortunately couldn’t draw up a tougher opponent to begin Patriot League play. And with the College of Holy Cross set to play the Rams the week after, Fordham’s jumping right into the deep end.
One loss is all it could take to kill any hopes of a conference title. Thus, the stakes are at a season-high entering play this weekend.
However, the Rams will at least have the chance of benefitting from home field advantage, returning to Jack Coffey Field for just the second time this season. It is also slated to be Parents’ Weekend, meaning that the stands will, in all likelihood, be filled with more white and maroon than usual. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in the Bronx.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Fordham Football once again got thumped, this time falling to the Monmouth Hawks by a count of 63-21.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Fordham’s offense had its fair share of struggles this past Saturday, giving the Rams’ punter a lot to do.