Volume 95, Issue 18

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 95, Issue 18

FordhamRam.com F dh R

From Dorms to Student Activists Petition McShane Belmont, Rap for Brand Changes Bridges Gap

October O b 30 30, 2013 FORDHAM IN THE BRONX

Banksy Goes Bronx, Joins Local Unknowns

By CANTON WINER

By DEVON SHERIDAN

MANAGING EDITOR

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

One of the funniest nuances of the Belmont neighborhood is that on any given night, it is impossible to tell who is responsible for recklessly blasting rap music. Is the music coming from a college party in a backyard? Or is it the theme music for a couple of middle-aged guys working on their cars while their pit-bulls look on? Is it both?

At the crossroad of this funny, quasi-symbiotic culture of college life and hip-hop life, Dayne Carter, FCRH ’15, cruises down both avenues. He is both a junior at Fordham studying communication and media studies and an aspiring rapper. In college, balancing both schoolwork and a musical hobby is hard enough, but Carter (who shares a surname with another New York rapper, Shawn Carter, better known as Jay Z) has recently found the extra time to record a new mixtape titled All In.

Over 1,000 people were killed when the Rana Plaza factory complex collapsed in Bangladesh in April. The collapse is widely considered the deadliest garment factory accident in history and the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern history. United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), one of Fordham’s newest student groups, wants students to know that the next sweatshop disaster could occur in a factory producing Fordham apparel.

USAS is a youth-led student labor campaign organization active on over 150 campuses in the United States and Canada. The group is new to Fordham this year — so new that it does not yet have official club status. Fordham USAS started in September when Caitlin MacLaren, a senior at NYU and a regional organizer for USAS, began recruiting Fordham students.

“Part of my work as a regional

SEE RAP, PAGE 13

SEE USAS, PAGE 4

Students React to Possibility of Alpha House Surveillance

By GIRISH SWAMINATH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Fordham University prides itself on having well-guarded buildings.

For example, in every residence hall after 10 p.m., there will be always be a security officer stationed at the door. The entrance to the gym has a guard staffed during all hours of operation. But Alpha House, the Rose Hill Honors House, with the secrets and rumors that swirl around among people outside the program, does not. In fact, Alpha House is the only building on campus that does not have a security guard or cameras.

The Office of Safety and Security expressed concerns about students’ safety in Alpha House, especially due to the lack of a security guard or camera. Currently the headquarters in this issue

OpinionPage 7 University Campaign Rightly Calls Out Offensive Costumes

Arts

Page 11

Lou Reed Dies at 71

Sports

Page 24

Men’s Soccer Improves Playoff Chances with Pair of Victories

for students enrolled in the Honors Program at Fordham College at Rose Hill, Alpha House consists of a classroom and study space. All honors students receive a key that gives them access to the building 24 hours a day and seven days a week for purposes of academic enhancement and collaborative study. As a result, the Office of Safety and Security met with students on Sept. 25 to reiterate the expectations for the usage of Alpha House and discuss safety concerns.

John Carroll, associate vice president of safety and security, said that he met with Honors students and “discussed the concerns held by the Office of Safety and Security as related to the Alpha House.” Carroll believed that “the students seemed extremely willing to take responsibility for the Alpha House and establish a code of conduct among themselves in order to ensure that usage is strictly limited to collaborative academic pursuit.”

Alpha House is the only nonstaffed building on the Rose Hill campus occupied after 11 p.m., which the Office of Safety and Security does not believe is ideal for fire safety issues and security concerns.

The Office of Safety and Security plans on sending a group of security patrol leaders every few hours to Alpha House to ensure that it is not being misused, and that students remain safe and secure during their time there.

“Our top priority is the safety and SEE ALPHA, PAGE 2

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

Graffiti artists say their experiences with painting are cathartic, enabling them to alleviate negative emotions.

By JEFFREY COLTIN BRONX CORRESPONDENT

He strikes at night, just a man with a can. A shake, then a hiss — it’s all done in seconds. “ALBINO POOP,” the wall now reads, paint dripping as the artist disappears.

“The reason I tag changes from time to time depending on my life circumstances, sometimes I do it to release anger, or stress or to overcome paranoia,” said the artist known as ALBINO POOP (AP), [in a conversation over text message].

He’s one of the dozens of graffiti artists, also known as writers, tagging walls in Belmont, just south of Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. A walk past some of Belmont’s painted-up walls will reveal some of their names: “SCAP,” “Loud Boy Nation,” “SPUN” and a variety of other tags, unreadable to the untrained eye. But the one everyone seems to remember is “ALBINO POOP.” AP is a former Fordham student who recently moved out of the neighborhood. He said the memorable name came from the first time he went tagging, using a can of shaving cream instead of paint.

“We tagged the area with huge piles of the stuff which looked like huge piles of white s***, or ALBINO POOPS. When I started getting

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

The Bronx serves as a thriving headquarters for graffiti culture in New York .

more serious about graff I wanted to choose a name that was a little less serious that most of the other taggers I saw, so I stuck with the name ALBINO POOP.” The tag has won AP some fans.

“I’m really connected to the ALBINO POOP tag. I’m Team ALBINO POOP,” said Katie Costello, FCRH ’15. She lives off-campus and walks up Hoffman Street several times a day. There, plywood walls blocking a parking lot from the street have become a hotbed of graffiti tags.

Costello appreciates the art. “I like the ALBINO POOP [tag] for the humor, but I do think that there is an artistic quality to any graffiti I’ve seen, even if it is just something written really badly.” She hesitates: “I guess if I lived here [for more than just two

years] I’d be kind of annoyed.”

Just one block down Fordham Road from some of AP’s tags, an entirely different graffiti culture is thriving behind the bright purple walls of Tuff City. The tattoo parlor’s walls on Belmont Avenue show brightly colored, gesticulating dragons grasping subways cars with their scaly claws.

Tuff City’s backyard holds even more: Bugs Bunny on the side of a mock subway car, a scantily clad angel wading in the beach off of Rio de Janeiro and dozens of loud, bubblelettered names.

A writer, who introduced himself as Criz 156, was using spray paint to shade in the gray of the human-sized Bugs Bunny on the wall. Large-scale works like this, called pieces, can take SEE GRAFFITI, PAGE 3

NEWS

Page 2

SECURITY BRIEFS Oct. 23 John Mulcahy Hall 2:45 p.m.

A student was stuck in the elevator for less than 30 minutes, after which the elevator company responded and removed him from the elevator without injury.

Oct. 23 9:30 p.m.

189th St. A female student was approached by an individual who asked her for 25 cents. The individual made disparaging and harassing remarks at her after she ignored him. Security is investigating.

Oct. 24 11:50 a.m.

Queen’s Court A vandalism incident occurred in Queen’s Court, where someone damaged an entry door and broke the contact wire, thereby disabling the security alarm. The wiring and door have been fixed by Facilities.

Oct. 24 1:20 p.m.

189 Arthur A student left Simon’s Deli, and realized once she entered her residence hall that her wallet was missing from her backpack. She returned to the deli but could not find the wallet. On a security camera, the security office saw that she dropped the wallet when swinging her backpack, and an elderly man picked the wallet up off the ground. The location and identity of the man is unknown, and the wallet was not retrieved by Security.

Oct. 25 1:13 a.m.

Salice-Conley Hall Students were stuck in an elevator for under 30 minutes, after which the elevator company responded and removed the students without any injuries.

Oct. 26 O’Hare Hall 1:00 a.m.

A student’s intoxicated guest acted disorderly toward the security guard and was escorted off-campus after her parents were contacted and asked to take her home.

Oct. 27 O’Hare Hall 6:30 p.m.

The smoke alarm was activated due to a large fire on Valentine Avenue. The smoke was blended in the air and triggered the alarm in O’Hare Hall and there was no incident or injuries.

—Compiled by Girish Swaminath, Assistant News Editor

October 30, 2013

Main Security Concerns Include Lack of Guards, Cameras FROM ALPHA, PAGE 1

security of the students,” Carroll said. “[The office] will be dispersing security patrol leaders to go around the Alpha House and ensure that students are utilizing the space for the intended purpose and not to host parties. Ultimately, we just want to make sure that the students are safe.”

Another option that the Office of Safety and Security is considering is the option of placing cameras at the entrance of Alpha House. However, the office is only allowed to place cameras where there exists no expectation of privacy, such as a campus entrance.

Since Alpha House consists of a classroom and a study area, the Office and Safety and Security, in collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs, is in the process of determining whether cameras should be placed in Alpha House and from which source the funding for cameras would originate.

“In order for cameras to be funded by the Security office’s budget, they must be installed in locations where there is no inherent expectation for privacy, such as in the campus gates facing Fordham Road and Southern Boulevard,” Carroll said. “At that point, it would be the decision of the Office of Academic Affairs in terms of funding and installation. We are working with them to determine the details of the security cameras, since the Alpha House is used both as a study lounge and a classroom environment.”

Matthew Mcgowan, director of the honors program at Fordham

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Lax security in Alpha House has been a recent source of concern on campus.

College Rose Hill, does not know the status of the installation and budget allocation for the security cameras. “[The Office of Academic Affairs] is working with the Security office to determine whether or not cameras will be placed,” Mcgowan said. “If we place the cameras, they will be in the entrances and not in the academic spaces. We are unsure as to where the funding is coming from in terms of installing cameras. It is always a concern after the semester begins and that is something that we have to consider moving forward.”

Carroll denied the rumors spreading around the Fordham student community that Alpha House would close if cameras were unable to be in-

stalled due to budgetary constraints.

“Our intention is to consider the students’ best interests and safety,” Carroll said. “We are not trying to restrict the use of the Alpha House in any way and are definitely not looking to negatively impact students’ abilities to collaborate, study and work together.”

Mcgowan also refuted the rumors about Alpha House closing due to the concerns of the Office of Safety and Security and lack of budget for potential security cameras.

“The Alpha House will not be closing, as it is a great resource for the Honors Program,” Mcgowan said. “[Alpha House] is considered one of the building blocks of the scholarly community and we are happy

to have the privilege and cherish it.

The whole of the FCRH Honors Program has worked and will continue to work closely with the Office of Safety and Security to ensure our students’ safety.”

Many students are supportive and receptive of the Office of Safety and Security and Office of Academic Affairs’ concerns for student safety in the Alpha House.

“I understand the concerns that the security office has with the Alpha House being open 24/7 without a guard present,” Craig Domeier, FCRH ’14, said. “The current plan to install security cameras to monitor the doors but not the study and community space inside seems reasonable.”

However, students also believe that security concerns about Alpha House relate to the dearth of a 24hour study space for the entire Fordham student community.

“Since the Alpha House is the only study area open to exclusively Honors Program students 24/7, the obvious solution is to keep Walsh Library open through the night,” Domeier said. “Having a space like the Alpha House to study and work with my peers at all hours has enhanced my experience in the Honors Program.

I think all Fordham students should have access to such a space.”

“While the Security office’s concerns are extremely valid, I believe that this issue sheds light on the need for a 24-hour study space for all students,” Elizabeth Green, FCRH ’14, said. “I think it’s time to reevaluate the library’s hours.”

RAs, CAs Collaborate in Hopes to Unite Residents and Commuters

By MARIA PAPPAS STAFF WRITER

In the upcoming year, the Office of Residential Life is looking to work more closely with commuting students for future programs. Kim Russell, dean of Residential Life, wants to link resident assistants (RAs) with commuter assistants (CAs), thereby providing residence halls with commuter liaisons who can help both commuters and residents become more involved in on-campus events.

If RAs and CAs pair up, both groups of students will be able to learn more about events that the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the Commuting Students’ Association (CSA) throw, as well as about other student-run organizations.

Russell hopes that this program will help all students know more about programs, meet new people and get more involved on campus.

Joe Dieguez, FCRH ’14, is a CA who shares this hope with Russell.

This year, he and Russell have had multiple meetings with resident directors (RDs) in which they discussed upcoming changes. Dieguez plans to be a CA liaison, meeting with an RA liaison from each freshman residence hall once a month in order to discuss upcoming events.

Dieguez stresses the importance of connecting residents and commuters with one another and promoting awareness of upcoming events. Dieguez says, “I feel that there is a disconnect between [residents and commuters],” and he has personally felt the impact of this disconnect.

He believes that it begins with freshmen, who “stay in a comfort zone and create their core group of friends within the community they are comfortable with.”

Danielle Catinella, FCRH ’15,

agrees with Dieguez’s sentiment, saying, “Having been a commuter and now a resident I think it is opportune for residents and commuters to go to programs together so that they can form one Fordham family and merge their two worlds.”

Looking ahead, RAs and CAs have discussed ideas such as an event in which a CA and an RA bring their respective groups of freshman students to lunch on Arthur Avenue.

Programs of this sort would help both residents and commuters get to know the rich cultural community surrounding the Rose Hill campus, as well as provide the students with a chance to meet new people whom they would not have gotten the chance to know otherwise.

Under the guidance of CAs and RAs, whom commuters and residents respectively know personally, these students would feel more comfortable stepping beyond their

boundaries and exploring more opportunities at Fordham.

“It is a baby step program that will only grow into bigger scale programs,” says Dieguez.

His next goal is to meet with the RHA boards to talk about the cosponsoring of events with CSA so that these events can garner higher attendance of students.

The upcoming Thanks-GiveAway event, which was started by CSA, is one example of an event in which commuters and residents are strongly involved.

Dieguez has dreamed of uniting commuters and residents for years, and says, “I want to walk away from this year knowing I started building that bridge to a more connected community between commuters and residents.”

Dieguez, along with Russell and other students, is well on his way to doing so.

This Week at Fordham Wednesday and Thursday Oct. 30 to 31

Thursday Oct. 31

Rose Hill Fall Blood Drive

Halloween Fitness Classes

O’Keefe Commons, Noon

Ram Fit Center, 6 p.m.

All students are invited to attend Fordham’s blood drive and donate to people in need. All donors between now and Jan. 17 will be entered into a sweepstakes for two tickets to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Friday and Saturday Nov. 1 to 2 Standup and Sketch Show Blackbox Theater 8 p.m.

Free Pizza Sketch Comedy and Fordham Standup will be collaborating on a sketch comedy and stand-up show. It will run from Friday to Saturday and, according to the groups, “promote comedy, good health and a justifiably pagan worldview.”

Friday Nov. 1

Monday Nov. 4

Mini Golf

Too Big to Fail

Edward’s Parade 3 p.m.

Keating 1st 8 p.m.

CAB, CSA, RHA, USG and Peer Eds will hold a mini golf event in which The athletics department will be students will put on beer goggles and holding Halloween-themed fitness attempt to play golf. The event aims events, and students can attend to show students the effects of alco“Spooky Spin,” a spin class featuring hol on their motor skills.

Halloween music and optional costumes and a “Thriller Dance” session complete with zombie outfits.

For more campus events, visit FordhamRam.com

The College Democrats will present Too Big to Fail, an HBO film that was nominated for six Emmy awards. The film depicts the 2008 financial crisis.

NEWS

October 23, 2013

Page 3

O’Keefe at Rose Hill: ‘All I Know How to Do is Report the Truth’

By KELLY KULTYS NEWS EDITOR

James O’Keefe, self-titled community organizer, president of Project Veritas and undercover citizen journalist, spoke on Thursday to a group of students and faculty in Flom Auditorium.

The College Republicans sponsored a presentation and Q & A to discuss O’Keefe’s work, with a focus on his secret video recordings of different organizations, personal career and steadfast belief that the mainstream media is biased — “corrupt,” in fact.

The 2006 Rutgers grad and New York Times best-selling author said that he is not a typical community organizer. “What I organize…is people like myself to have a voice to achieve power, to speak truth to power,” O’Keefe said at the event.

He said that the goal of his group, Project Veritas, is to make a difference through original reporting by getting the government and the media to react to what they present. One of its main goals, he said, is to expose lies that society and the media perpetrate.

O’Keefe showed the video that sparked his undercover journalism career — one focused on Lucky Charms. A Rutgers student at the time, O’Keefe created a fake organization, the Irish Heritage Society, which claimed to be offended by the Irish portrayal of the leprechaun on the Lucky Charms box. O’Keefe used his first hidden camera video to flip the university’s “speech code” on them by arguing that this cereal portrayed offensive stereotypes.

O’Keefe continued this “undercover strategy” in his more wellknown videos, such as his coverage of the ACORN scandal.

Many other news sources called into question the legitimacy of the video, as O’Keefe was accused of editing it together afterward.

Hannah Giles, who had the idea to probe the ACORN scandal in

ANDREW ESOLDI/THE RAM

James O’Keefe discussed his experiences in investigative journalism and emphasized his commitment to integrity.

the first place, contacted O’Keefe via Facebook in 2009. The pair decided to dress up like a prostitute and a pimp and visit various ACORN holdings in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York, among others.

After O’Keefe divulged many details about their undercover identities — such as the fact that she was a prostitute and that they had 13 illegal underage girls working for them — the workers told Giles and O’Keefe to cover up those details or to rename the term prostitute “performance artist.”

These videos went viral, and many news organizations claimed at first that O’Keefe and Giles went to a singular ACORN site and caught the workers off-guard. O’Keefe said that to make sure this was not the case, he released the videos one day at a time.

His work was aired on all major news networks and even featured on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

The White House reacted strongly, and Congress signed legislation to take away ACORN’s money after the incriminating videos were released.

O’Keefe also showed his undercover phone calls with Planned Parenthood, which gained national attention as well. He posed as a “concerned parent” who wanted to specifically earmark his donation to go to the abortion of African-American children since his “child” was facing problems when applying to colleges

because of affirmative action. The Planned Parenthood representative consistently said “absolutely” and that she was “excited to receive his donation.”

Other undercover videos that O’Keefe presented included his investigation of National Public Radio, in particular of senior executive Ron Schiller. One of O’Keefe’s partners posed as a Muslim Brotherhood member who wanted to donate to NPR. The executive, Schiller, was caught on camera disparaging Jews, the Tea Party and “white middle American gun-toting racists.”

O’Keefe also showed another elaborately costumed portrayal when he and one of his partners dressed up as Russian drug dealers who applied for Medicaid for their “sick father.”

They were told not to mention their expensive car because it might negatively impact their chances of receiving benefits.

One of the last videos he showed was the hidden camera video of voter polls in which he and his group members attempted to commit voter fraud. One of his Caucasian partners posed as Eric Holder, the first African-American man to hold the position of attorney general. O’Keefe’s partner was offered Holder’s ballot even without proper ID. After O’Keefe presented, he opened up the floor for questions from the audience.

Michael Bilotti, FCRH’ 15 and president of the College Democrats, asked O’Keefe if he should be considered a criminal because he was arrested for entering a federal building with a camera under false pretenses.

The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, but according to O’Keefe, the judge destroyed his camera, so he could not show that he presented his actual driver’s license when entering.

Another student asked why it took people such as O’Keefe and other undercover citizen journalists to expose these stories, rather than the “mainstream media.”

O’Keefe responded that many journalists fear the lawsuits and invasion of privacy claims he receives regularly.

O’Keefe also believes that politics and allegiances play a huge factor in media coverage.

“To do what I do, you have to be outside the establishment and operate as a true outsider,” O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe believes many journalists have sold their integrity for access to the powerful individuals in society.

“You can’t do what I do and get drunk with Vanity Fair,” he said.

O’Keefe has also gained notoriety for denying interviews with news outlets. He said that by depriving the media of an interview with him, news organizations can focus on the video and what it is exposing instead of him.

One student asked O’Keefe’s opinion of Edward Snowden, the NSA contractor who released such classified details as the fact that the NSA is spying on Americans’ email communications.

“Part of me thinks he’s a hero,” he said. O’Keefe added that it is disheartening to see the mainstream media focusing “90 percent of their attention on him,” and not discussing the issues he exposed.

Another student challenged the legitimacy of O’Keefe’s reporting because he deceives the people he apparently is exposing by wearing costumes and assuming false identities.

O’Keefe responded by asking how he was different from other journalists, such as Diane Sawyer of ABC, who famously posed as a grocery store employee to do a story on rotting meat.

He mentioned NBC’s award-winning show “To Catch a Predator” as another example, as well as CBS’s Mike Wallace.

O’Keefe asked why they get the awards and he gets criticism for, as he said, showing the truth through his undercover videos.

Before signing some copies of his book for students, O’Keefe hinted that these videos he showed were just the beginning. Project Veritas is working on another “big project” that should be released in the upcoming weeks.

The College Republicans issued a statement, describing the event.

“The College Republicans are very proud of how well the James O’Keefe event went last Thursday.

We thought Mr. O’Keefe gave a fantastic presentation and we have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from the student body, members of USG, OSLCD and other clubs on campus, including ASILI. It was great to see such a high turnout and as a political club we hope to continue to provide exciting, thoughtprovoking and entertaining events in the future,” the statement said.

Connor Ryan continued reporting.

Dragons, Bunnies, Even Albino Poop Cover Bronx Walls

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

The graffiti that adorns Bronx buildingsis a source of fascination for many.

FROM GRAFFITI, PAGE 1

hours, or even days to complete, as opposed to tags like AP’s which take just seconds. But, Criz sees it all as part of the same culture.

“That’s how you start off,” he said.

“The first thing you pick up the pen and you just start writing. Next thing you know, you want your name everywhere. The thing is about fame.

Getting your name recognized.”

Criz said Tuff City is a place where artists can work without having to worry about being hassled by the city.

Tuff City’s “almost like a Mecca spot” for writers, who visit from as far as Amsterdam and Brazil. It is reminiscent of 5Pointz, the graffiti-covered

Long Island City warehouse doomed to demolition and redevelopment as luxury apartments just this month.

But Criz thinks Tuff City is even better in some ways. “This one’s more personal, more enclosed,” he said.

While he has never seen any Fordham students painting there, he does not have a problem with it.

“Anybody’s welcome, you know?

We all come from different walks of life, but if you enjoy the art, you enjoy the art. Art has no borders,” Criz said.

The Bronx is full of other great places to see graffiti as well. “The best street art in the Bronx is in the Hunts Point neighborhood,” said Kelly O’Brien, FCRH ’13, in a con-

versation over Facebook. She should know. O’Brien is currently in Montreal studying graffiti as a Fulbright scholar. At Rose Hill, she wrote her senior thesis on anti-feminist attitudes in graffiti and street art.

“The Point [is] one of the most isolated and ill-equipped areas of the borough,” she said, “but also one of the main stomping grounds of the collective TATS CRU. They had a major hand in a mural project a few years ago that totally changed the face of the area.”

Patrick Verel, GSAS ’13 has also taken an academic interest in graffiti, writing about legal graffiti murals to earn an M.A. in urban studies. He mentioned Hunts Point too and the neighboring South Bronx neighborhood of Port Morris. Closer to Rose Hill, he said there are good pieces in the Kingsbridge neighborhood north of campus, plus some good work on Third Avenue and behind the Botanica store on Webster and 189th.

All of those works pale in notoriety to a certain piece on 153rd St. in the Melrose section of the Bronx.

There, a young boy is depicted tagging “GHETTO 4 LIFE” on a wall while a tuxedoed butler stands waiting with more spray cans. It is not just

the social commentary or originality of the piece that is turning heads but the artist that made it. British street artist Banksy is completing a onemonth “residency on the streets of New York,” painting walls and putting up pieces in all five boroughs.

The “Ghetto” piece was his first time painting in the Bronx.

“There was a really funny juxtaposition of people who lived in the area and hipsters trying to get good Instagrams, but it was awesome to see that everyone there was being very respectful of each other,” said Connor Moran, FCRH ’14, who went to see the piece soon after it was painted.

Moran even heard great conversation about the meaning of the piece at the site. “I think it’s a very cool way

to bring art into the public eye,” he said.

It was just a matter of time before Banksy came to the borough.

O’Brien said the Bronx has played an important role in the history of graffiti. It was the birthplace of hip hop, which is a parallel culture to graffiti.

Plus, a number of subway lines terminate here, and graffiti culture took off when writers began tagging the side of subway cars.

It is a culture that modern writers like AP don’t see coming to an end.

“Most taggers will tell you that once you start, something inside you makes you want to do it forever, it’s extremely difficult to quit writing, and most people don’t quit unless they are forced to,” AP said.

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

Students have taken an interest in graffiti, a common sight around Rose Hill.

NEWS

Page 4

October 30, 2013

Students Organize to Promote Fair Labor Practices FROM USAS, PAGE 1

organizer is to reach out to other schools,” MacLaren said. “It’s hard to say how many members there are at Fordham right now, but as of last meeting, there were maybe 15 people.”

Fordham USAS may be small, but the group has already began to protest sweatshop labor on campus. On Oct. 9, the group delivered a letter to the office of Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, asking him to take action against the use of sweatshop labor in producing Fordham apparel.

“Given the gravity of the disasters that have occurred in the garment industry in the last year alone, we feel that you have an obligation to adhere to the core values of one of America’s leading institutions of higher education, and to the wishes of members of this school’s community, by immediately instituting these requirements of licenses to ensure the safety of workers producing collegiate apparel,” the letter read.

The letter requested a meeting with McShane within two weeks.

USAS members say they have yet to receive a response.

“We gave the letter to an assistant,” Evelyn No, FCRH ’16 and president of Fordham USAS, said.

“They haven’t gotten back to us, unfortunately. We were hoping to set up a meeting with Fr. McShane, but obviously that’s not entirely practical. We just want

to meet with someone. We don’t want to be like, ‘You should stop this now,’ but just to make them aware of the situation.”

McShane’s office did not respond to requests for comment before The Fordham Ram went to press on Wednesday.

Despite the lack of response from McShane’s office, group members said that this is merely the beginning for USAS at Fordham.

“This is step one,” Evan Grassi, FCRH ’15, said. “We’ll figure [it] out from there.”

USAS members said that they expect the issue will gain importance among students as they become more aware of the situation.

The group plans to hold bi-weekly meetings and is in the early stages of planning an awareness campaign at Rose Hill.

“I think this is a serious topic that Fordham is going to really care about,” No said. “I’m optimistic about making our generation aware of these issues.”

Thousands of people have been killed or injured in the last 10 years alone in sweatshops. USAS members have expressed concern over the perceived lack of public awareness.

“It’s not really an issue that everyone sees on the news every day, but it’s still a really big problem,” No said. “Before I joined USAS I hadn’t heard anything about [recent sweatshop disasters], which is kind of terrifying. I mean, these

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

USAS president No has strongly supported disuse of sweatshop products.

are huge tragedies with many lost lives.”

Many American clothing corporations — including Nike, WalMart, Reebok and Gap — have come under fire recently for outsourcing manufacturing through the use of sweatshops. These corporations contract manufacturing firms to produce their goods instead of producing the goods in their company-owned factories. This separates the company from the production of goods, allowing them to claim that they are unaware and, therefore, not responsible for conditions in the factories where their products are made.

DoSomething.org, a not-forprofit site aimed at young people

Sting Investigation Targets Bronx Shops Selling Alcohol to Minors

By KRIS VENEZIA STAFF WRITER

The New York State Liquor Authority released the results of a sting operation, which showed that the Bronx is the Empire State’s biggest offender of selling alcohol to teens.

The closest accused offender to the Fordham University Rose Hill campus is the Rite Aid located near the Edgar Allan Poe House on Crosby Avenue.

Two state lawmakers, Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, are sponsoring new legislation to increase the penalties for selling to minors.

The legislation also carries harsher punishments for those who are caught using fake identification.

If the bills in Albany, N.Y., are passed, businesses who sell to minors would see their fines increased. Currently, those caught giving booze to people under 21 can see a punishment of up to $10,000.

Those who are caught trying to use fake IDs to purchase alcohol would also face stricter sanctions. The law aims to add more community service time for teens trying to purchase an illegal beverage.

Klein released a statement on this legislation, which said that he sponsored this bill to protect minors.

“Illegal liquor sales are putting our children’s lives at risk each

and every day,” Klein said. “If we’re serious about stopping this problem, we need a comprehensive approach that makes fake IDs too easy to spot and too costly to use.”

A problem Klein has seen so far is not the technology but how to implement it in a variety of stores in the area.

“We have the technology to stop underage sales — now we need to get it into every retailer across the Bronx,” Klein said.

Crespo released a statement on the issue, and he emphasized that teenage drinking is a growing problem in New York City.

"We have a serious problem facing our communities, children and families in the scourge of underage drinking,” Crespo said.

“Federal government research into underage drinking tells us that last month alone, 26.4 percent of underaged persons ages 12 through 20 used alcohol, and binge drinking among the same age group was 17.4 percent.”

“Alcohol use remains extremely widespread among today’s teenagers,” Crespo said. “Nearly three quarters of students [72 percent] have consumed alcohol. Among underage drinkers, 30.8 percent paid for the alcohol the last time they drank.”

Crespo believes that the availabilty of fake IDs is one of the main issues regarding underage alcohol purchases.

“It is obvious that New York needs to do more to eliminate fake

IDs as a tool available to our youth for accessing alcohol," he said.

New York City has been battling a growing underage drinking problem for the past few years.

In February, hospitals reported that more teenagers were going to the emergency room for overconsumption of alcohol. This was even seen in the Fordham community.

The State Liquor Authority has fewer members on staff due to cuts, and there are fewer SLA personnel enforcing laws at bars and liquor stores across New York.

Some parents and groups argue that the lack of State Liquor Authority enforcement has led to more minors getting access to alcohol.

Joe Lynch, FCRH’15, is 21 years old, so he has no need for a fake ID. He said he frequents Mount Carmel and Northend Liquor near the Rose Hill campus.

“I get carded at these places, and my immediate reaction is to smile and throw my ID down,” Lynch said. “I understand they are asking for my ID because I don’t look that much older than 21, even with my Adam Levine scruff.”

“I think the problem with the legislation proposed [by Klein and Crespos] is that people under 21 will always find a way to get alcohol,” Lynch said.

No stores within a three mile radius of Rose Hill were listed in the State Liquor Authority sting operation.

that advocates for various causes, including the anti-sweatshop movement, alleges that these companies shirk responsibility for unsafe and unfair working conditions under false pretense in the pursuit of high profit margins.

“Because corporations demand extremely low prices for merchandise, the manufacturers, with profit in forefront of their minds, cut the wages of their employees and compromise their safety,” DoSomething.org said on its website.

“American companies get away with these types of business practices because the U.S. Labor Department requires only internal monitoring.”

Sweatshops are fairly widespread throughout the develop-

ing world, and many governments ignore poor workplace conditions in order to remain economically appealing to corporations looking for cheap labor.

Some governments have been accused of intimidating, and even torturing, those who advocate for improved working conditions. Human Rights Watch, for example, has expressed that it is “gravely concerned about serious allegations of torture and mistreatment” of labor rights advocates by Bangladeshi police officers.

While this problem persists well beyond Fordham’s gates, USAS members argue that students can begin making a difference on their own campuses.

“I don’t expect these sweatshops to disappear overnight,” No said. “USAS is realistic. But, if Fordham can put pressure on JanSport or any major company that uses sweatshop labor in other countries, that’s a main goal.”

Fordham USAS members said they expect to continue raising awareness on campus and pushing the issue with university administration. The group plans to start a student-driven petition asking Fordham administration to stop selling apparel made by companies that use sweatshop labor.

“This is such a serious situation that should be discussed and dealt with,” No said. “The average student should care about this issue, and Fordham needs to know.”

Graduate Business Program Jumps in Global Rankings

By ANDREW MORSE STAFF WRITER

Fordham’s Graduate School of Business Administration’s Executive MBA program was ranked No. 66 in the world by the Financial Times in its annual rankings. The program improved and jumped six spots from last year’s No. 72 ranking. The program has also been ranked by the The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report and CEO Magazine. Fordham is the second highest ranked Catholic institution in the country, behind only Georgetown and its affiliated school in Spain.

The Financial Times bases its rankings off of data collected by two surveys. One of these surveys is completed by the school and the other is completed by alumni of the school.

For the 2013 rankings, the survey was completed by alumni from 2010.

Alumni are surveyed because they have had enough time after graduation for the effects of their degree to be reflected in their careers. The rankings also consider today’s average salary, graduate achievements, average salary increases, rankings from the past two years, diversity of the student body and diversity of the faculty.

The rankings are global and include individual schools, as well as schools that are partnered with other international institutions. Five of the top 10 executive MBA programs in the Financial Times rankings are schools with international partners.

Fordham has been able to achieve success as one of the few stand-alone institutions to be ranked.

The executive program is one of

three ways to earn an MBA from Fordham. It is 22 months long with class on one Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday each month. Targeted toward a more experienced audience, the program is efficient, convenient and offers a flexible schedule for professionals who cannot take time off from their careers for education.

The Graduate School uses cohorts, much like the undergraduate program. Francis Petit, Ed.D., associate dean for executive programs at GBA, said that, “the cohort program allows students to learn from one another and survive the process together.”

Fordham’s goal with all rankings is “to stay consistent and improve.

There is a lot of variability with other schools from year to year, but we don’t want a one and done deal,” said Petit.

GBA is focused on providing students with a return on their investment, which is shown through salary and career promotion.

Achieving such a high ranking and garnering industry respect speaks to the quality of the students, the faculty and the administration. When asked what the executive MBA program looks for in a candidate, Petit said, “The goal in the admissions process is to recruit a dynamic and professionally diverse class that possesses a wonderful spirit. Fulfilling all three, whether it is a large class or a small class, is our focus.”

Students and graduates fill out surveys for the program, which help the administration determine what aspects to improve. In Petit’s words, “it is a dialogue. We want to have all stakeholders involved in the process.”

NEWS

October 30, 2013

Page 5

One Year Later, Fordham Takes Time to Remember Sandy

By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 29, the university community gathered to acknowledge the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy — the storm that barreled into the New York metropolitan area, destroying thousands of homes — with a prayer ceremony on Gabelli Plaza.

The ceremony featured many theological traditions, including readings from both the Gospel of Matthew and the Quran.

It concluded with a Buddhist prayer, and attendees were also given candles to hold for the duration of the ceremony.

In remarks delivered during the ceremony, Conor O’Kane, the associate director of Campus Ministry, praised the reaction of those in the Fordham community who reached out to hurricane victims in the aftermath of the storm.

“Here at Fordham, for those of us on campus, we were asked to stay in our residence halls, in our buildings, through the storm,” O’Kane said. “But as soon as that was lifted, people came pouring out. They came into Campus Ministry, they came into other offices and the first thing they said was, ‘What can we do?,’ ‘How can we help?,’ ‘How can we be a

By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

ELIZABETH ZANGHI / THE RAM

Hurricane Sandy downed trees on the Fordham campus, but impacted the nearby community much more severely.

part of the healing process for our brothers and sisters?’”

O’Kane then spoke about the effects of the resulting volunteer efforts from Fordham students towards Sandy victims.

“We responded first in prayer and collecting money and donations,” O’Kane said.

O’Kane discussed the ongoing efforts to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, even a year after the storm.

“Tonight, as we gather here on the one-year anniversary of the storm, the rebuilding continues.

If you’ve been following the news, there are people who are still

waiting for aid. Insurance agencies from the government are still working to rebuild not just their houses, but their homes. There are people who had funding for temporary housing that expired, so for a second time, they’re homeless. Their work continues.”

O’Kane urged students to continue joining volunteer efforts, through Fordham or other institutions.

“Think about volunteering this Saturday, or in the future, through Fordham or another agency, for recovery,” O’Kane said.

Those in attendance praised the event.

“It was a great way for a community of faith to come together, to give reflection and prayer, to lift everyone up in prayer on the first anniversary of Hurricane Sandy,” John Gownley, the university sacristan, said.

Gownley also commended Fordham’s quick response to the hurricane.

Students also enjoyed the event, especially the candlelight vigil part.

“I liked how it was dark outside with the candles,” Lauren Dzialo, GSB ’16, said. “I think it made us feel more like one little community.”

Autism Speaks U and Volleyball Team Promote Awareness

By GIRISH SWAMINATH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

In today’s society, around one in 110 children suffer from an autism spectrum disorder according to the Center for Disease Control. At the same time, according to breastcancer.org, one in eight women will develop a form of invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives. Two student-run charity organizations at Fordham, Autism Speaks U - Fordham Univ. and the Fordham University Volleyball Team, are helping to combat these large scale issues.

Both groups hosted large-scale charity events on campus on Oct. 23. Autism Speaks U - Fordham Univ. hosted an eat-up at Pugsley’s Pizza, which approximately 75 individuals attended. The entrance fee was $7 and participants could eat any desired quantity of pizza, pasta, salad and garlic bread.

Many students enjoyed attending the event and supporting the club’s efforts to promote awareness about the cause.

“The food was great and the place was pretty crowded,” Emily Horihan, FCRH ’14, said. “Autism Speaks U - Fordham Univ. has definitely grown quickly on campus and it’s great to see students support such a great cause.”

Members of Autism Speaks U Fordham Univ. were satisfied with the support the club received and people’s reactions to the eat-up.

“The participants of the event seemed to enjoy themselves,” Farrah Saleh, FCRH ’14, marketing chair of Autism Speaks U - Fordham Univ., said. “They enjoyed the food, and recognized that the proceeds were supporting such a great cause. We had several gener-

Choir Concert Combines Genres, Defies Coventions

al members attend the event, and they were eager to help us.”

Both executive board and general members of Autism Speaks U - Fordham Univ. contributed toward organizing the eat-up. Pugsley’s Pizza also helped promote the event by designing a flyer and attaching a copy of it to every pizza delivery box for a week prior to the event. “[The club] would like to thank everyone who came to the event and supported our cause,” Saleh said. “As a new club on campus, we sometimes struggle to get a large turnout at our events. This was our first time doing an eatup at Pugsley's, and we are happy that we were able to hold this event and raise awareness for autism within the Fordham community. We would also like to thank Sal from Pugsley’s Pizza for making a very charitable donation to the cause, for which our club is very grateful.”

The club will donate funds received from the Pugsley’s Pizza eat-up event toward autism research and advocacy.

“Currently, there is a lot about autism that remains unknown,” Saleh said. “We are hoping that the money raised during our events can help the search for answers and bring awareness to individuals with Autism and their families.”

On the same day, the Fordham Volleyball team hosted its annual student tournament and planned events for the student population to play and win prizes to help raise money for the Side-Out Foundation.

According to Michele Keathley, FCRH ’14, the Side-Out Foundation, a support and advocacy foundation, was founded

COURTESY OF EMILY ATWOOD

The volleyball team hosted a tournament to fund breast cancer research.

in 2004 specifically by volleyball programs. The organization was established to bring volleyball players across the nation together under the common goal of furthering breast cancer awareness, research, medical services and patient support. Their proceeds go toward supporting clinical trials, increasing patient support services and educating communities on breast cancer.

The Fordham volleyball team issued a statement indicating its support for the Side-Out Foundation. “[The Fordham volleyball team] chose to support the SideOut Foundation, which was named ‘Side-Out’ because it represents the regaining of the serve and control of the play, and the foundation wanted to do the same for breast cancer patients,” the team said. “Breast cancer is a very predominant disease today and we all know someone who has

been impacted. We chose to host the tournament and raise money for the Side-Out Foundation so that we can do our part to raise awareness and help find a cure for today’s victims and future generations.”

10 teams consisting of students, athletes and staff played in the tournament, which was held after the annual Dig Pink volleyball match. The response toward the event was extremely positive.

“I think everyone really enjoyed the tournament. It was a great night with a lot of excitement and good-natured, competitive fun and costumes,” Maria Rodenberg, FCRH ’14, said. “Our team really enjoys working this tournament because we get to share something we love and spend so much time and effort in with our peers.

We had an incredible time, and it was great to have the support of our fellow students in joining the fight against breast cancer.”

The Fordham University Choir and University Women’s Choir conducted their annual fall concert on Oct. 27 at the University Church.

The choirs performed several different genres of music at the event, such as traditional church songs, an African-American spiritual song, the Irish song “Danny Boy” and the Fordham University alma mater.

Additionally, guest organist Anthony Rispo played a selection of music from the Harry Potter movies as a means to show off the Maior Dei Gloria organ that was installed in the University Church last year.

Choir members considered the event to be a rewarding experience.

“It means a lot, because performing in front of them, it shows all the hard work we’ve put into the concert and into the program,” Liz Stevenson, FCRH ’15, vice president of the University Choir, said.

“There’s definitely a lot of difficult pieces that we’re working on, and to show people what we’ve accomplished, just since the beginning of the semester, is really cool.”

Stevenson described one piece the choir performed that did not strictly adhere to the standard separation of choir singers into soprano, alto, tenor and bass groups.

“We have a piece called ‘Ave Maria,’ but it’s not like the traditional ‘Ave Maria,’” Stevenson said. “It’s a different one. So there’s those four parts to the choir, but then this piece splits up further; there’s basically eight parts going on at once.”

Stevenson also spoke about the University Choir’s decision to conduct its segment of the performance from memory, which she described as a break from the traditional way the choir operates.

Referring to the choir’s director, Robert Minotti, Stevenson said “It’s a good challenge, because then you can focus on the music more and the dynamics and the different musicality techniques. Normally, we have our music in front of us, and in this concert Rob felt really confident in us.”

According to Stevenson, a language barrier presented a particular challenge in memorizing the lyrics.

“We’re doing a couple of pieces in different languages,” Stevenson said. “The Ave Maria’s in Latin, I believe, and then we’re doing another song that combines Latin and English. It’s hard, but it’s really interesting too, because then you are not buried in your music when you are on stage.”

Stevenson also spoke about the rehearsal process that her choir goes through to prepare for the concert.

“We rehearse once a week,” Stevenson said. “And then Lincoln Center rehearses once a week. And then we come together for some special rehearsals on Saturdays and stuff. And then there’s sectionals we have to attend, which is where each voice part practices on their own.”

Stevenson said that this concert will help the choir prepare for the Festival of Lessons and Carols, which serves as the choir’s Christmas concert and is a major event on its schedule.

Page 6

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October 30, 2013

October 30, 2013

opinion

Page 7

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

University of Colorado-Boulder’s Center for Multicultural Affairs began a campaign to raise awareness about potentially offensive Halloween costumes, bringing nationwide attention to the issue.

By JOSEPH VITALE OPINION EDITOR

Halloween is a yearly celebration on the eve of All Saint’s Day, a Christian feast day. There are countless myths surrounding Halloween, all of which attempt to piece together the holiday’s original purpose and traditions. But, none of that matters in 2013.

Rather, Halloween has been adopted by many in the United States, especially students, as a day to dress up, go trick-or-treating and attend costume parties.

While choosing a Halloween costume can take the form of a long, thought-out process involving acute attention to cultural relevancy (the royal baby!) and/ or punny witticisms (the ceiling fan!), this decision might result in a costume that is offensive to others.

This month, students joined administrators at the University of Colorado-Boulder to launch a campaign that directly addressed this issue. CU’s Center for Multicultural Affairs asked for students to consider “the impact your costume decision may have on others in the CU community.”

The Center found that many students have been offended by costumes in Halloween’s past and have expressed their concerns to the administration.

The multicultural group ex-

On Halloween, Costumes Disguise Our Appearances, But Not Our Values plained that the university’s community has been “impacted” by students who dressed in costumes one might consider inappropriate, such as ”blackface or sombreros/ serapes.” Also, there have been individuals who have “chosen costumes that portray particular cultural identities as overly sexualized, such as geishas, ‘squaws,’ or stereotypical, such as cowboys and Indians,” according to CU. The campaign has been promoted by way of various advertisements around campus, which feature students of various ethnicities posing next to photos of their commonly assigned “stigmas.”

One shows an Asian-American student holding a picture of a woman dressed in a detailed geisha costume. Another shows an African-American student next to a white man dressed in blackface, holding a fake gun and wearing a gold chain. “We’re a culture, not a costume,” the posters read. “You wear the costume for one night. I wear the stigma for life.”

“It’s really a campaign to raise awareness and to create a better sense of community for all of our students and how to have a respectful and inclusive community for all students here at CU,” said Randy

McCrillis, CU’s director of the Center for Multicultural Affairs, in a statement.

The response is not unique to CU’s campus, as many other campuses around the country have responded to these complaints, such as University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

CU’s campaign is successful for a number of reasons and should be used as an example for similar campaigns on college campuses, including Fordham’s campus.

This particular campaign is not suggesting a drastic change in policy. In fact, CU writes on their website that it “values freedom of expression and creativity both in and outside of the classroom.”

However, they also value “inclusiveness, respect and sensitivity.”

The lack of policy involving this event, however, is perhaps the most important advantage of this campaign, as it asks the students’ to make such decisions on their own.

This placement of responsibility allows students to learn about the consequences of their actions, not through being reprimanded by an administrator but by the reception they receive from their peers.

It is the student body that determines what is funny, what is appro-

priate and what is offensive.

Also, the campaign was neither in poor taste, nor was it overly abrasive. It originated from the ranks of a multicultural group, a student group with the responsibility to be mindful of the interactions of various cultural groups within the close confines of a university campus. The group did not attempt to accuse students of being ignorant.

It also did not attack students’ individual rights. Instead, it made use of the group’s right to express an opinion and asked the university’s community to participate in a dialogue. This dialogue attempted to prompt CU’s students to ask questions about their own behavior as adults in America.

Through a brief examination of past costume ideas, this could lead to some students realizing the offensiveness of their costumes.

Some students may have realized one of their past Halloween costumes was offensive to an ethnic group to which a close friend belongs. Some students may become more aware of the costume choices of their friends and become more outspoken voices on the topic. If not for this campaign, some students may not have considered it an issue at all.

Whether there is a noticeable change in students’ costume ideas for this Halloween, the campaign brought about some kind of dialogue on campus. That dialogue can go a long way when it comes to divisions in race, gender, religion and sexual orientation on college campuses.

As Fordham students flood the neighborhood in their costumes of choice within the next few days, freedom of expression should remain at the forefront. It is our responsibility as students to decide which costumes are in good taste and which are not, what costumes may offend a friend and what costumes might not.

If a Fordham student chooses to dress in one of the costumes deemed offensive by CU’s student group, it is his or her right to do so.

At the same time, a student is also within his or her right to tell that student that his or her costume is offensive.

What comes of a campaign like CU’s is a heightened sense of awareness. Whether or not it impacts our behavior, students immediately become more mindful of the fact that how we present ourselves speaks a great deal to what we value as human beings — even when we are presenting ourselves as someone completely different.

Joseph Vitale, FCRH ’16, is a political science and English doublemajor from Staten Island, N.Y.

De Blasio Overshadows Lhota In Mayoral Race

By JOSEPH CLINES STAFF WRITER

Riding a tidal wave of momentum, stemming from an unexpected surge in the polls, Bill de Blasio is poised to become the first Democratic Mayor of New York since 1989. De Blasio has succeeded, beyond anyone’s initial expectations, at embodying the nebulous characteristic of “understanding the needs and wants of the people,” while Republican Joe Lhota is seen in the opposite light. Lhota trails de Blasio by more than 40 percent in polls of those likely to vote, a seemingly historic and damning margin.

While de Blasio will more than likely win the election in a land-

slide, it would be a shame to overlook a candidate as interesting as Lhota. Joe Lhota’s policies, at least as stated, are emblematic of a shift in Republican party ideology that will need to happen if Republicans are going to stay in touch with an increasingly progressive populace.

Lhota’s views align themselves with what is loosely referred to as “third way” politics, a hybrid stance that has the potential to shatter the impenetrable gridlock that has soured the public’s perception of Washington.

De Blasio is a true blue liberal.

In everything from raising taxes on the wealthy in order to finance universal pre-kindergarten educaSEE DE BLASIO PAGE 10

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Bill de Blasio, a Democratic candidate, is seeking New York City’s mayor’s office while running on progressive policies.

Page 8

R

Serving campus and community since 1918 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 and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of 4,500. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

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No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

OPINION

October 30, 2013

From the Desk of Dan Gartland, Exec. Sports Editor It’s strange to think that I only have four issues of The Fordham Ram left as an editor. Working here has really defined my college career. I wrote my first story only three weeks after arriving on campus and haven’t stopped since.

I really owe it to Nick Carroll for giving me the men’s tennis beat in the first place, for choosing me to be sports editor as a sophomore and for bearing with me through that trial-by-fire first semester.

Of course, I need to thank all my assistant and co-editors: Erik Pedersen, Chester Baker, Matt Rosenfeld and Max Prinz for their hard work writing stories and laying out the section. But more important than that, they were all great guys to work with who made those long nights in the print shop more enjoyable than they should have

been.

I’d be remiss not to thank all the people that wrote for me, whether it was for a few years, or just one story. Without our staff of writers, we wouldn’t have had a section every week. Many of our writers didn’t balk when assigned to cover a sport they had no knowledge of, like water polo or squash, and I can’t thank them enough for taking those hard to fill beats.

I’d also like to thank/apologize to the copy editing staff for putting up with years of me explaining why they were wrong about the edits they made on sports articles.

Joe DiBari and the rest of the Fordham sports information office also deserve a ton of credit. I doubt our readers realize how important their work is to what we do at The Fordham Ram. Not only

do they help set up interviews, but the box scores and game recaps they compile and quickly post are absolutely essential to our section.

Thank you to all the players and coaches I’ve interacted with throughout the years, who were more often than not very receptive to being interviewed.

Thanks to all the people who provided feedback on my articles, even the football player who sent me an angry Facebook message after he disagreed with my criticism of the 2011 team that went 1-10.

I also need to thank my parents for supporting me as I pursue a career in a dying industry. I hope they continue to allow me to occupy my room at the end of the hallway well into my 30s.

I truly believe that writing for The Fordham Ram was the most

valuable part of my college experience. It provided me with crucial real world journalism that allowed me to get two respectable internships and hopefully, God willing, a real job that pays real money.

Which reminds me, go to fordhamram.com/apply and apply for a job on the staff. You’ll be glad you did.

EDITORIAL: FU Makeouts Embarrasses Students, Fordham While most of us would agree that college is a time to test the waters of freedom and adulthood, a popular Twitter account called FU_Makeouts is stifling many students’ desire to test such waters.

The account, which has posted over 145 pictures through individual tweets, shares photos of Fordham students participating in PDA at off-campus locations such as bars and parties for its 1,200 followers to read, favorite and retweet.

Tweets, in addition to the attached snapshots, often include a corny caption that pokes fun at the behaviors of the participants or makes a joke about the level of creepiness required to angle the photograph perfectly.

While we at The Fordham Ram do not condemn the actions of the photographed students, we are uncomfortable with the attitudes other students exhibit in response to these photos.

One of these attitudes is commonly referred to as “slut-sham-

ing” where a double-standard is placed upon women for this kind of behavior.

This is the result of students finding the actions of female students as deviating from traditional standards of sexual behavior, especially in the public forum. FU_ Makeouts encourages this in its description, which reads “Because PDA is practically a core requirement... Embarrass your friends.

Send us your pics.”

While the account calls all the actions embarrassing, students’ receptions turn out to be much more two-sided: Male students are commended by their peers, while females are often degraded, seen as acting “inappropriately” by engaging in such “mistakes.”

This is most likely a result of a lack of context of the submitted photographs. FU_Makeouts makes the incorrect assumption that these intimate moments on camera are always mistakes.

This, of course, is not always the case — that is until it is shared

on Twitter for everyone to see. In the case of so-called “mistakes,” the gravity of an action changes completely when it is captured on camera and posted on the Internet, where it will stay in some form or another forever.

Doing so on the part of FU_ Makeouts is unfair to the students involved and is an invasion of privacy, regardless of the context surrounding the moments captured.

Another aspect is the humiliation these students have to face when their friends and acquaintances recognize them and then have the ability to retweet the image, with the friend’s Twitter handle. With employers and even family members browsing social media sites, is a picture of a kiss one night at a bar really what a boss or parent needs to see?

FU_Makeouts has also received attention outside of Fordham from news outlets such as nymag.com.

Is FU_Makeouts and the catty behavior it supports the image of our school we want to portray?

The fact that we, the students, are the ones spying on our peers and sending their private moments to a public website is wrong.

One of their latest posts includes a picture of what looks like a couple kissing on campus, but it was taken from someone hiding inside a bush. Have we really stooped so low to go to such extreme lengths, just to post a picture of two people kissing?

We at The Fordham Ram see FU_Makeouts as an outlet which seeks to put down Fordham’s student body, a form of bullying in itself. While FU_Makeouts asks students to “embarrass your friends,” doing so by submitting a photograph to this Twitter account certainly blurs the line of what a “friend” really is.

Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I read with interest your “investigative report”on the “RamNapping” of 1961. I was a junior at Fordham College living on campus when that “affront to our honor” occurred. The following year I was part of a group “deputized and blessed” by the Dean of Students to provide extra security just prior to the Fordham-Manhattan game.

There was no trouble that year. Is there a statute of limitation on retaliation?

David R. Chabot, Ph.D. associate professor of psychology

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OPINION

October 30, 2013

Stephen Fragano

Page 9

Flush With Cash, MTA Must Stop Fair Hikes

Don’t Hide Behind Gender Two weeks ago at a New York Jets game, an altercation took place that grabbed the attention of many people. After the football game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., a bar fight took place in which Kurt Paschke, a Jets fan, punched Jaclyn Nugent, a New England Patriots fan, in the face. Nugent and a female friend allegedly punched and kicked Paschke in the head and body before the violent retaliation. This sparked a great deal of public controversy.

First, I feel the need to make it absolutely clear that I believe violence is an inappropriate response and a man should never harm a woman.

The violent acts were caught on video, and it was obvious that Nugent and her friend were the aggressors in the altercation. Now, would the women have inflicted much harm on the man who appeared twice their size? Probably not. Does the fact that the women provoked Paschke justify his actions? The answer is no.

I do believe, however, that Nugent thought she was exempt from scrutiny as a woman. This female Patriots fan probably thought that because she is a woman, her attack on the male Jets fan would seem harmless to others and not trigger a violent reaction. If, in fact, this was going through Nugent’s mind, it negates all of the hard work that women have done up to this day and age to achieve gender equality equal to men. By identifying herself as a woman rather than as a social equal, she thought she could hide behind her status to avoid the consequences of her actions.

People are responsible for their actions and the consequences that arise, no matter their age, gender, race or culture. Of course, young children may not know any better than to act irresponsibly at times, but those of proper age and reason must always remember responsibility.

A person represents what he or she stands for by the way he or she acts. For example, when an American travels abroad, his or her actions, whether he or she likes it or not, are being analyzed by others. The way one acts abroad is a representation of oneself as an American. Anything we do within our borders or abroad is a direct representation of our country.

I was watching CBS News a few days after the violent altercation at MetLife Stadium, and the network aired viewer comments about the event. Some viewers said that Paschke is a monster, and others said that Nugent had it coming to her. To me, the crux of the confrontation is not about justifying violence or not, but how these people represented themselves and who or what they represent. Paschke not only gave himself a bad name, but he gave Jets fans a bad name. Similarly, Nugent’s choice to instigate this confrontation made her look bad and misrepresented such as New England Patriots fans and maybe even female football fans.

The old proverb “Actions speak louder than words” still holds true, so always be wary of those you may be representing before making any rash or regrettable choices.

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

With an outstanding surplus of 1.9 billion dollars, the MTA is still expected to raise fares this year reaching further into the pockets of its daily riders.

By RORY MASTERSON EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

One of the major benefits of being in New York City is that it is home to the most extensive public transportation system in the United States. While many Fordham students dread even the idea of boarding a bus or riding the D train, the fact is that over half and as much as 75 percent of the residents in the five boroughs do not own a car because of how generally effective public transit is. Generous credit for the effectiveness of the system certainly goes to the public benefit corporation responsible for its upkeep, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).

Recently, the MTA announced that it was expecting a $1.9 billion surplus by the year’s end, or what State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli called “unanticipated funds.” CBS New York reported that the money came from a combination of sources, including low-

impacting his or her own experience,” Rachel Nass, FCRH ’15, said. “The fare hikes are going to cover MTA workers' pensions and healthcare benefits, which is completely legitimate and important but often much more difficult to accept when it is money out of your own pocket, especially for the incredible amount of people who are struggling economically as it is.”

For Fordham students especially, the fare hike will prove to be problematic. Budgets are tight around campus, with yearly tuition increases and textbook prices reaching all-time highs, so the added marginal expense to every city excursion will wear on everyone.

With abundant ticket machine failures at Fordham Road and other non-central stations, it is difficult to accept a fare increase that will not show itself directly in the services the MTA provides.

Although the MTA plans to use the $1.8 billion surplus to address

er pension contributions, energy costs, debt service and health insurance costs as well as higher tax revenues. Recent consolidation of bus routes and the 2010 elimination of the V and W subway lines helped the MTA reach this financial state as well.

However the MTA is causing major head-scratching among the city’s commuters. It rolled out a planned 15 percent fare hike earlier this year, which will be implemented over the next three years.

Though the MTA announced this prior to its becoming aware of the surplus, there have been no follow-up revisions to the plan.

Moreover, the MTA expects the planned fare hike to cover benefits and pensions of its employees rather than improve servic “No person who rides the subway or takes a bus to work every day is going to appreciate a raise in the fare, especially if the money is not going directly to improving the conditions of the trains and

current maintenance concerns and other services, these upgrades will likely not extend beyond Manhattan.

Lower income areas rarely get the benefit of visible and sustaining upgrades, yet these are some of the areas which the fare hike will harm the most. Tolls have also risen at a faster rate than inflation in the past six years, which is particularly disconcerting to low income families.

With the economy as fragile as it is now, it seems unreasonable for the MTA to forge ahead with the planned increase, particularly when ridership has increased steadily over the last two decades.

Unfortunately, given the city’s reliance on public transit, the MTA holds the power. With any luck, it will realize the damage it is doing to a city it should be helping to repair.

Rory Masterson, GSB ’14, is a business administration major from Fort Mill, S.C.

Social Media Reinforces Gender Stereotypes

By CLAIRE CONNACHER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It seems delicate femininity and mighty masculinity still pervade our social consciousness.

A recent study that a group of University of Pennsylvania researchers published found that in the context of Facebook, males and females live up to their stereotypes 92 percent of the time.

The scientists compared personality questionnaires with the language participants used in Facebook statuses. They found that, on average, females are more likely to use emotion or relationship words, and males are more likely to use formal and informational words.

On a more basic level, this implies that women talk about their boyfriends on Facebook, while men talk about politics. Men were also more likely to swear and to use aggressive language, while women were more likely to use “emoticons.”

Essentially, women project an emotional image and men project a strong one through their behavior on Facebook.

An astute article about the

“but, they are also in their natustudy published on Time website ral environment.” Whether this makes a valid point regarding the affected the outcome cannot be issue that researchers seem to known. have completely overlooked.

Not only is Facebook a social Facebook “isn’t about expresforum, but it also encourages sion, it’s about performance,” people to rely on the more suCharlotte Alter said. perficial aspects It is called soof their personalicial media, she ties. This is necclaims, for the essarily different reason that it is an easy forum for “There is really little from a real life ennon-professional difference based on counter, in which interactions we we can evaluate might otherwise gender in the desire people more achave in real life. curately than a This is a funda- to share feeling or act list of likes and mental issue with dislikes and a few aggressively .” status updates. this study.

On the conThis study, furthermore, shows trary, it is not difthat females and ficult to find this males are having similar interacstudy grounded in the college extions on Facebook as they might perience, especially at Fordham. have at a party.

I rarely hear my male friends Females and males, in both talk about their inner feelings, situations, project images themwhile I often hear my female selves that they may want people friends sharing their feelings in to notice — and to “like.” social situations.

The website that collected the However, the question redata, MyPersonality, admits that mains: are concepts of stereotypiusing Facebook might be probcal femininity and masculinity lematic because people might due to our fundamental nature or be encouraged to be less serious, are they products of our environ-

ments and the society in which we live? In other words, do women and men often act in these stereotypical manners because of the way society is shaped and because we think that it is what is expected of us?

In my own experience, there is really little difference based on gender in the desire to share feelings or act aggressively. By looking closely, it is easy to tell that social pressures, expectations or habits based on environment shape how comfortable a person is sharing his or her real feelings.

Rather than simply being a part of our natures, it is far more likely that pressure to act in accordance with gender norms and personality shapes how we balance emotion and aggression.

In the end, it is difficult to definitively measure how much our online behavior resembles human nature. However, questions regarding our online behavior’s connection to the distinction between our human nature and societal expectations remain up in the air.

Claire Connacher, FCRH ’15, is a history major from Alameda, Calif.

OPINION

Page 10

October 30, 2013

De Blasio Shines While Lhota Falters FROM DE BLASIO, PAGE 7

tion, to reform the city’s status quo to his policy on stop-and-frisk, de Blasio is as partisan as a candidate can get.

Lhota, on the other hand, has adopted many of the socially progressive policies that his party has, to this point, rejected. He brings together the best aspects of two radically opposed ways of thinking as an ardent supporter of both marriage equality laws and pro-choice sentiments, yet maintaining the fiscally conservative aversion to tax increases that causes the creation of jobs to stagnate. If anything, Lhota’s policies should resonate strongly with the people of New York City, the financial capital of the world and one of the more socially progressive cities in the entire United States.

What Lhota has sufferred from is the overwhelmingly negative perception of his party at large that has been brought to the forefront in the wake of the government shutdown.

The Republican Party undoubtedly received the lion’s share of the blame for the shutdown, and the effect on the impressionable voter has surely trickled down from the federal to the municipal level.

This mayoral election has highlighted just how crucial the ability to connect with voters is in deciding the outcome of elections. The American voting public, as a whole, is extremely susceptible to bandwagon mentality. We are drawn to stories like those of Barack Obama, who usurped what many held to be Hillary Clinton’s right to the party nomination in the 2008 election

cycle.

De Blasio’s surge, from fourth place in his own party’s primary to a commanding 40 percent lead over the Republican challenger, is certainly reminiscent of Obama’s rise to prominence in 2008; both came from nowhere to capture the seemingly elusive role of “man of the people.” What remains to be seen, in both instances, is just how much

of a link there is between becoming a “man of the people” and enacting positive, substantive change during the course of a term.

The next mayor’s policies will be bold, and only time will tell if the man the people want is in line with what the people of New York City need.

Joseph Clines FCRH’14, is an economics major from Malverne, N.Y.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Joe Lhota, a Republican candidate for mayor, trails de Blasio by 40 percent although he has adopted progressive policies.

Selfies: Measuring Our Worth In Likes

By STEPHANIE SCRAFANO STAFF WRITER

A “selfie” is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as being “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically a photograph taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.” Though the meaning may seem simple, the omnipresent “selfie” has come to mean much more to avid social media users.

From Instagram to Facebook to Twitter, you can no longer scroll through any social media network without seeing an infinite number of selfies. One girl poses with her boyfriend as they open their mouths in excitement while the magnificent Grand Canyon unfolds behind them. A guy you

knew in high school flexes his increasingly large muscles in a mirror with various exercise equipment scattered the background.

The quiet girl from your history class smiles upward to the camera that captures her outfit of the day.

Selfies have become an inescapable part of our experiences on social networks. Most smartphones have even started to include frontfacing cameras to ease the process of selfie-taking. Though they have become an expected part of our experience on the Internet, there have been disputes regarding why people take selfies in the first place. Some say it is the public manifestation of narcissism.

However, others say posting selfies stems from a natural desire to see how others observe us. I for one think both ideas play a part in

the increasing popularity of selfie taking.

In terms of narcissism, we all have that one friend who posts a selfie every day, making the same face with a deep and meaningful song lyric as a caption. It is prett y hard to believe that the subject of those photos does not possess the slightest sense of vanity. The quantity of low-quality, silly photos some people post does seem to be a function of narcissism.

The way people present themselves on the Internet has been discussed as both the Internet and social media networks have risen in popularity over the last decade.

It seems that instead of showing who they really are and what they do on a daily basis, people share the most interesting and presentable parts of themselves.

CHRISTINA FERNEINI/THE RAM

Posting “Selfies” on Facebook and Instagram is just one way social media users record their lives on the web.

Selfies appear to be an extension of this. People are concerned with the way that others view them, so they post selfies to show aspects of themselves that they want others to see. These people also react well to positive feedback, which could explain the ever-growing prevalence of selfies.

Knowing how others observe a person can improve his or her own self-awareness, but it can also place too much importance on others’ opinions. This can especially be harmful when the selfie is not an accurate depiction of the subject of the photo, but rather a presentation of the person that he or she feels comfortable sharing with the public. Michael Syku, FCRH ’16, argued that the motives behind taking selfies are much deeper than people wanting to feel good about themselves.

“People who take selfies, especially chronically, fall under that umbrella of having a slight insecurity, and they attempt to fill those voids with likes and vapid comments,” Syku said.

Though harsh, it may be true that the sense of public approval that people feel when their selfies are liked may be the result of an excessive need for validation.

While it is true that people have an innate desire to know how others view them, this may be turning into an issue.

The growing trend of posting selfies on social media networks does not seem to be slowing down, and it may be because the more validation people get, the more they want.

One’s self-worth should not be dependent on something as insignificant as likes on a photo.

On that note, selfies may not be as harmless as they seem after all.

Stephanie Scrafano, FCRH’16, is a communication and media studies major form Lodi, N.J.

Conor Fucci WTC 1: NYC’s New Eyesore As some of you may know, worldrenowned street artist and social commentator Banksy has been spending the last month in New York City producing some miscellaneous pieces referring to the United States’ political and social situations.

Recently, the artist who, astonishingly still remains anonymous, took a stance on the design of One World Trade Center. An art piece he released on Sunday that looked like a New York Times op-ed was titled “The Biggest Eyesore in New York is not the Graffiti. It’s Under Construction at Ground Zero.”

As harsh as the title is, his argument was actually quite compelling and reminded me what it was like to be an American before 9/11. In the piece he said “That building is a disaster. Well, no, disasters are interesting.

One World Trade Center is a nonevent. It’s vanilla. It’s something they would build in Canada. The attacks on September 11 were an attack on all of us and we will live out our lives in their shadow. But it’s also how we react to adversity that defines us. And the response? 104 floors of compromise?”

Brutal, I know, but it does remind me of when they were deciding on how to design WTC 1, and the different ideas that were rejected in favor of the current design. I remember when the Port Authority announced that it was changing the plan for the building to include a cement blast shield around the base of the building for security reasons. A building meant to be completely inviting became a tower with a 103 ft bunker at the base, much to the dismay of the architect and supporters of the project. Do we need to build a building around our fear or should we have designed it as a triumph of our collective strength over our enemies?

I agree with Banksy that we should have designed a building that said we are American. We are strong and no one can change us.

WTC 1 is a pretty building, but it is very “vanilla.” There was a real chance to build something showing our resolve after the attack, but it fell by the wayside. Banksy closes his piece with arguably his most powerful and controversial statement, “One World Trade declares the glory days of New York are gone. You really need to put up a better building in front of it right away. Or better still; let the kids with the roller poles finish it off. Because you currently have under construction a one thousand foot tall sign that reads “New York — we lost our nerve.”

Although Banksy’s words are harsh, there is some truth. Is the construction of WTC 1 just a response to having lost ourselves as a people following 9/11? Are we living our lives letting the government decide of what we should be afraid? This piece has garnered criticism, causing some of Banksy’s art showings in NYC to be canceled, most notably one at the department store Century 21. The commentary is just another reason why Banksy is one of the most influential political artists of recent time and his time in NYC is something that all should be enjoying.

Arts & Entertainment

October 30, 2013

Page11

Campus and Couplets: Dayne Carter is FU’s Rapper FROM RAP, PAGE 1

“I was working on that project for about six months and wrote and recorded all of it in my dorm room,” Carter said. “I met up with Denzel [my producer] and was able to re-record most of it in various studios throughout the city.”

Hotnewhiphop.com released the new mixtape, Carter’s second. As for gaining traction as a student rapper in the Fordham community, Carter finds that the atmosphere facilitates his craft.

“I think Fordham is great location for an aspiring musician,” Carter said. “New York is one of the best places to be and living right outside the heart of the city, there are so many opportunities.”

Carter frequently performs at house parties, but more recently, he has had the opportunity to lend his talents to organized events. He played at a few ASILI club shows and the Relay for Life run earlier this year. Further, “Fordham Mornings,” part of the Fordham News Network, which frequently hosts Fordham musical acts, recently invited Carter to perform on Channel 10.

“I plan on performing a lot more this school year and expanding my fan base by doing shows in the city,” Carter said.

As mentioned above, Carter is part of a huge group of college kids who love rap and hip-hop. In the last decade, hip-hop and rap’s stock in pop culture steadily rose and has continued to rise in merit and popularity. Rappers like Kanye West, who spend a lot of energy critiquing socio-cultural

COURTESY OF DAYNE CARTER

Dayne Carter, FCRH ‘15, released his second mixtape earlier this month before finishing up midterms.

issues, have found favor among a wide spectrum of black and white cultures concerned with the arts and society in general. West frequently uses his own successes and failures as a way to analyze American capitalism and culture.

Generally, rap music deals with the struggle for meaning and power that face Americans. Naturally, college students, a group of people concerned with all of the above, fall in this concerned and inquisitive category.

Then again, when it comes to rap’s popularity among college students, maybe it is even simpler than an appeal for social criticism. Take California rapper Kendrick Lamar, for example, whose 2012 album Good Kid, M.A.A.D.

City found huge favor with mainstream music critics and whose single “Swimming Pools,” a song about drinking, could be heard at any bar or basement party in the last few months. Thematically and lyrically, “Swimming Pools” is an intricate song. With the hook that goes “Stand up/Drink/ Sit down/Drink,” one can easily misconstrue it as a glorification of excessiveness. Yet, “Swimming Pools” is not a happy song. In the verse lyrics, Kendrick’s conscience battles itself over his penchant for heavy drinking. Regardless of whether one was born in the Hamptons or Compton, this generation of 20-year-olds, bombarded by excessiveness on TV and the Internet, wrestles with

this sentiment.

To a degree, it is surprising that there are only a select number of successful rappers with the same background as Dayne Carter.

Most rappers are not 20-yearolds who love rap but also strive toward completing a successful college career. Most rappers try to make it big because rapping is their only option for a secure and successful financial future. But, is not that narrative pretty much the same model that college kids these days are following when they choose a school?

While his path to this point has been unique, Carter, like all music fanatics, studies the careers of other rappers and in their backgrounds he finds similarities

to which he can relate. The best example of a rapper with a past similar to Carter’s is found in the career arc of 28-year-old rapper J. Cole, who went to St. John’s University graduating cum laude.

“I admire him a lot because of the path he took to become successful,” Carter said. “He used New York City as a platform to promote his music and devoted much of his free time into creating it. It’s really cool to see him in the prime of his career striving, when only a few years ago, he was in a similar situation I’m in. I find his music very relatable and appreciate the content in his songs.”

Just because Carter is a rapper, a type of musician severely outnumbered by the token indie/ acoustic bands prevalent at primarily white universities, does not mean he does not share the same goal as every other musician or band on campus. Primarily, Carter is focused on spreading his name. All In can be found on hotnewhiphop.com, the link for which is posted on Carter’s Facebook page (go ahead and give it a ‘like’ while you are there). Carter and his team, which consists of Mike Puntillo, GSB ’15, and Ryan Orent, have also produced music videos, which are on YouTube.

As for Carter’s near future plans?

“My top goal is to be able to perform for the student body on the main stage during spring weekend,” said Carter.

You heard it here first, CAB, let go of the Ghostface Killah debacle. It is in the past, now bring back rap.

Suitcase In Hand, Lou Reed Passes Away at 71

By JACK MACGREGOR ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

If you have ever enjoyed the often bittersweet sounds of The Strokes or sang along to one of your favorite Bowie tunes, you have, perhaps unknowingly, been enjoying music directly inspired by the rock ‘n’ roll legend Lou Reed. Many did not know of Reed, nor of his most famous project, the American rock band The Velvet Underground, but his influence has been felt steadily throughout the entire rock world since the early 1960s. Sadly, Reed passed away this week in his Long Island home, leaving behind a (somewhat troubled) legacy that will continue to be debated and written about for years to come.

Reed was born in 1942 at the height of World War II in Brooklyn to a Jewish family (although Reed himself was later quoted as saying, “My God is rock’n’roll. It’s an obscure power that can change your life. The most important part of my religion is to play guitar.”) His youth was marked by his early interest in the rhythm and blues music of the day, which prompted him to learn guitar from the radio and eventually form several bands in high school, anchoring his sound in the sonic val-

ley populated by R&B, early rock and doo-wop. Despite this solid musical foundation, Reed spent much of his time in college focusing more on creative writing, studying under noted scholars and poets of the day such as Delmore Schwartz, who he credited with showing him how, “with the simplest language imaginable, and very short, you can accomplish the most astonishing heights.”

This fascination with the English language and its malleability would be especially prevalent in his later years as The Velvet Underground’s lyricist and frontman, with songs like “Pale Blue Eyes” and “I’m Waiting for the Man.” After spending the early 1960s writing music for Pickwick Records and achieving little commercial success due to his bohemian lyrics and attitudes, Reed finally found an equal in John Cale, a fellow musician with whom he would go on to form The Velvet Underground. While relatively unsuccessful in its early years, the group caught the attention of famed New York City artist Andy Warhol, who decided to turn the group into a project of sorts, incorporating elements of his own artistic world with Reed’s ideas. His assertion that the group collaborate with European singer Nico led to what is arguably

VU’s most famous product, The Velvet Underground & Nico.

The group, though unsuccessful and turbulent at the time, made its mark on rock ‘n’ roll history with its blissful yet melancholy sound, punctuated by both Reed’s and Nico’s lyrics and voice. The group attempted to tell its story within the context of the similarly turbulent 1960s, a narrative marked by drug abuse, isolation, sheer beauty and inevitable loss. It was the groups unique presentation and the themes it’s music touched on that still resonate today that have immortalized The Velvet Underground as the original alternative rock band.

In his later years, Reed experienced both highs and lows at the hands of critics, his own ego and his struggles with addiction. Nevertheless, his most permanent mark will remain the one he made as leader of “The Velvet Underground,” the man who inspired countless musicians to either form their own bands or augment their sound to mirror his own.

He will be forever remembered as a truly dynamic force in music, who, much like his contemporaries and those who were inspired by him, was also deeply troubled.

Reed had the ability to beautifully depict the inner turmoil that so many feel through his music. His

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Listen to “Sweet Jane” and “Pale Blue Eyes” before the end of the week.

life “was changed by rock ‘n’ roll”, and he wanted others to feel that same catharsis, even if it did not necessarily come until years later. He will be sorely missed as one of the greatest, albeit most obscure, contributors to

the rich history of music and culture in both the 20th and 21st centuries, as reflected by the outpouring of support from musicians, writers and all sorts of artist in the wake of his death.

Long live Lou Reed.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Page 14

October 30, 2013

WFUV Explores ‘The Alternate Side’

By MICHAEL CHARBONEAU STAFF WRITER

With a multitude of venues, countless bands and artists rolling through town to play shows and an everchanging array of home-grown talent, it is safe to say that the music scene in New York moves pretty fast. Some would say too fast; it can be nearly impossible to stay on top of it all. However, three radio hosts are attempting to do just that, right here at Fordham.

If you are a WFUV listener, you have probably heard of The Alternate Side and its hosts, Alisa Ali, Russ Borris and Eric Holland. These three make it their job to know what is going on in the music world and to keep their listeners’ ears filled with the latest and greatest new music. According to The Alternate Side webpage, the station was born in December 2008 as a way to reach out to new listeners and diversify the music played on WFUV. With the help of a grant from the New York State Music Fund, the station was soon up and running to the great excitement of everyone involved.

“I was over the moon,” Ali said.

“This was something that many of us at the station had … wanted for awhile.”

Although at first no one was sure how it would fare, TAS quickly found its niche. “I think in the beginning, WFUV looked at The Alternate Side as a test to gauge interest,” Ali recalls.

It quickly became clear, however, that TAS was no fluke. Its lineup of indie music resonated with a new demographic that had been less engaged with WFUV’s usual radio offerings, and soon enough the station was looking for ways to expand. In June of 2011, TAS began broadcasting on

PAT DOHERTY/THE RAM

The Alternate Side hopes to appeal to WFUV’s younger listeners by focsuing solely on new, alternative music.

weekday mornings on WNYE, another New York public radio station. The move proved to be a beneficial one. “[It was] a huge gain in helping to raise our profile,” says Borris. “We’re able to reach so many more people with the expansion,” Ali said. “It really helps to get the word out about TAS.” With expanded time on the FM dial complementing its 24-hour online stream, TAS has continued to establish itself as a major player in New York radio. Although it has seen undeniable growth since its creation in 2008, Borris and Ali emphasize that the station has remained true to its founding mission of playing quality indie music, both old and new. Doing so means finding a balance between showcasing talented new acts, while also giving airtime to established bands and musicians.

“We were very careful to make sure that our music mix was not solely based on obscurity,” said Ali. The mission has remained the same, but the hosts have changed the

way they approach it. They quickly realized that listeners, far from being afraid of new music, actually wanted more — and not just from New York bands, either. “Our listeners have a huge appetite for new music, more than we initially thought,” Ali said.

Rather than privileging local acts over others, they began searching for the next big thing all over the globe.

“Good music is good music, whether it comes from NYC or Barcelona,” Ali said.

One of the most interesting and challenging elements of The Alternate Side is its status as a commercial free public radio station. Flip on your car radio, and you will be bombarded with advertisements, which is how most stations generate revenue. TAS does not air commercials and instead relies on member support to sustain itself. Being a public radio station is both a blessing and a curse, however. Member contributions through fundraising keep TAS, as well as all of WFUV’s other radio offerings, on

the air.

“If we fall behind on fundraising, this impacts our budget, which in turn hampers progress and puts the station in jeopardy,” Ali said, adding, “This is a pretty scary idea.”

WFUV is currently in the midst of its fall fundraising drive, which entails making appeals for donations through letters, social media and on the air.

However, Ali and Borris are quick to point out that public radio stations have some very real advantages over regular stations. Borris said that they are free to run the station “as we see fit and with our best interests in mind.”

Member support also means that TAS has a loyal and committed following. “Public radio listeners are so much more engaged than your average commercial radio listener,” Ali said. “They know that they really are a part of the station.”

With such a dedicated audience to please, it is no surprise that determining what music to play is a full time

job for the three hosts. Although their music choices take into account their target audience, trends in music and market research, their determinations are not always so formulaic.

“I do program a lot from gut,” Borris said. “We’re big believers in the human element.”

One of the most daunting tasks is keeping tabs on new music. “We get bags of submissions every day and tons of emails with digital links,” Ali said.

They try to listen to as much as they can, sifting through the material to find the hidden “gems,” but finding the next big act also means stepping outside of the studio and diving into the vibrant music scene in New York and elsewhere. The hosts attend concerts and music conferences to stay up to date with the latest bands and artists, while also trying out suggestions from listeners. They’ll do whatever is necessary to “keep our eyes and ears open,” Borris said.

TAS has made great strides since first appearing on the airwaves, but the hosts have no intention of letting the station’s growth slow down.

“We just want to keep raising the profile for TAS as much as we can,” Borris said.

A bigger staff, more on-air programming and the development of deeper inroads into the vibrant New York music scene with concerts and cultural events are just some of the goals they hope to accomplish down the road. Their track record so far is very encouraging. In just a few short years, TAS has gained a loyal following of listeners and made a big splash in New York radio. That success is no surprise given the hard work of its three dedicated hosts. As Borris said, “It’s a brand that we believe in.”

Dining Out: Matteo’s Restaurant dish was excellent.

Also, our waiter treated us like royalty. He constantly came back to our table to ask how our food tasted, if we needed refills on drinks or if there was anything else he could do for us.

When I finally cleaned out my whole plate, I started thinking about dessert. When my sister made the reservations she told the staff it was my dad’s birthday. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to tell them to bring out a cake or pastry for my dad with a candle in it. To my surprise, I saw my waiter coming out of the kitchen a few minutes later carrying a huge plate lit with candles. I knew it was for my dad and I smiled: An enormous brownie sat on a plate drizzled with chocolate syrup and covered in vanilla ice cream and chocolate chips. Was the brownie “family-style” too?

By KATHERINE BASE STAFF WRITER

When you first walk into Matteo’s located on Roslyn, Long Island, the warm staff and host greets you with smiles. The decor is impeccable, with a warm ambience. Matteo’s owners call it a family restaurant and that vibe is seen and felt at first glance around the restaurant. A familiar scene at Matteo’s is that of a families around tables. For many, Matteo’s is a home away from home.

My family and I sat down at the table and a waiter instantaneously appeared and introduced himself, ready to serve. He was very courteous and asked us if we would like to start with drinks. When I walked in, a jug of white sangria caught my eye. It looked delicious, so I went with it. Within a few moments, the waiter reappeared with our drinks. I couldn’t wait to try it. It was light-colored with chunks of peaches and apples. It was probably the best white sangria I ever tasted.

The menu had long lists of family sized portions of Italian food. I started with the appetizers and then worked my way down the menu: baked clams, stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini, calamari arrabbiata, stuffed artichoke, the list went on.

Since it was my dad’s birthday, he chose to order the appetizer. He got

KATHERINE BASE/THE RAM

Roslyn, N.Y. is a bit of a drive, but this neat calamari arrangement make the journey well worth your while.

an order of calamari arrabbiata for the table. Within less than 10 minutes, our steaming squid platter arrived to table. The stuffed mushrooms and the calamari arrabbiata looked delectable.

The fried calamari was covered in this bright red sauce surrounded by tomatoes, onions and garlic. I took a bite of it. I loved the spiciness and especially how fresh it tasted. I definitely would order it dish again.

After indulging in the calamari dish, it was time to order our entrees.

Matteo’s is an Italian restaurant so, of course, the list of different types of pasta dishes was never ending.

Also listed were different platters of chicken, veal and seafood. I went for the chicken marsala. According to our waiter, it was the most popular chicken dish in the entire restaurant. As I sipped on my sangria and pinched at the olive bread, I waited for the entree to arrive.

The chicken dish took a little longer than the calamari dish to arrive. After

around 20 minutes, our waiter carried out the six dishes. He made carrying six plates look easy. My chicken dish was smoking hot, so I just admired it while I waited for it to cool off. It looked so delicious. The chicken marsala consisted of chicken cutlets surrounded by mushrooms, herbs and onions soaked in a dark brown Marsala wine. As I bit the chicken, the savory taste made me want to devour the whole platter. The Marsala wine sealed the deal. It was so tasty; the

Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $$ (Out of 4

’s)

Interested in writing restaurant and food reviews? Email: fordhamramculture@gmail.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 30, 2013

Page 15

Editor’s Pick: Beards M.I.A. When: Friday, Nov. 1 What time: 7 p.m.

Where: Terminal 5 (610 W. 56th Street) Price: $40 Combining elements of electronic, dance, alternative, hiphop and world music, British-Sri Lankan recording artist M.I.A. has an extremely distinct sound. She has been widely discussed in the music world since her hit debut album Arular in 2005. Having toured with diverse artists such as Jay Z, Timbaland and Madonna, M.I.A is now in the midst of her solo tour and making a stop at the wonderful Terminal 5 here in New York.

By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

You have noticed that the Boston Red Sox have all grown magnificent beards during their playoff run, right? No? Look out your window now; they are so large you can probably see them from here. Aren’t they terrific?

In Game 3 of the ALCS, the Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers and their ace Justin Verlander 1-0. Their lone run came in the form of a Mike Napoli home run.

David Ortiz was eagerly awaiting Napoli’s return to the dugout after his home run trot, and he made the moment even sweeter by tugging on Napoli’s fearsome beard to celebrate.

The Red Sox’s beards are intimidating. They make the whole team look like they mean business. A beard has turned the boyish Jacoby Ellsbury into a meaner looking leadoff hitter. Dustin Pedroia’s beard makes him look a few inches taller. Mike Napoli’s, the grandest beard of them all, is downright menacing.

I grew a beard to begin my junior year here at Fordham. No, I did not start mine to jump on the Red Sox bandwagon. I am not sure my beard will ever compare to those glorious things. I simply wanted to try something new. I am quite glad with the way my beard is turning out.

My decision to try out a beard probably stems from the fact that I went to a Catholic high school.

There was a strict no-facial-hair policy. I never got the chance to let my facial hair run its course in high school. Even my summer job frowned upon facial hair. This oppression of my facial freedom has always left me in wonder.

Now, I relish the chance to try something new.

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

More than just a fashion statement, beards can change your perspective.

This certainly is not my first time exercising a freedom of expression. While I never got in trouble for having too much facial hair, my high school often took umbrage with the length of my actual hair. I often battled with my school administrators. I never got the hang of keeping the short hair my high school held in such high esteem. So, I went to college and began to let my hair go. I let it become a signature part of my appearance and style.

It was one year, four months and 11 days before I finally cut my hair.

I loved having my hair long; it was terrific. I learned more about myself and had a lot of fun experimenting. People wanted to touch it; my cousins even succeeded in French braiding it. Exploring that difference in appearance makes me very proud.

My success with long hair makes me excited to start growing out my beard. I have already learned new things. Some things are good (it is easy to appear attentive in class when you have a

beard you can stroke) and some are disappointing (my mother’s red hair genes appear to have manifested themselves in a small corner of my beard). But my shaving cream ran out a week ago, and I have no intention of buying more anytime soon.

The members of the Boston Red Sox have grown beards that have brought them both a huge sense of team continuity and arguably might have inspired their current success. I love their celebratory beard tugging. Grown men celebrating by tugging on each other’s beards like little kids tugging on their dads’ beards is both awesome and hilarious to watch.

The Sox started growing their facial hair as a friendly wager and quickly found out that their beards did things they did not expect. It is that sense of exploration and discovery that I hope to gain in my own facial hair journey. Though, to be honest, I would easily settle for looking as intimidating as Mike Napoli or the other Red Sox.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

YouTube Music Awards feat. Eminem, Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga, and more When: Sunday, Nov. 3 What time: 4 p.m.

Where: TBD Price: Free This is an atypical Check This Out because of in order to attend this event, you will need to apply to be an audience member, but the lineup is certainly worth an attempt! Here’s how to apply: send an email to audiencecasting@gothamcasting.com and include your picture, name, age, phone, address and why you would be a great addition to the shoot. Also, because the show is live, you will need to commit to the entire 4-hour duration of the program. Good luck!

— COMPILED BY JACK MACGREGOR ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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

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Page 16

WHO’S THAT KID? EMILY APUZZO A MEMBER OF FCRH ‘15 MAJOR: ENGLISH HOMETOWN: CARLE PLACE, N.Y. Describe yourself in a couple sentences for the readers.

I was born on the back of a motorcycle going down a mountain in the Dominican Republic. Then I was adopted. It’s true. Ask me about it anytime.

What is your favorite aspect of Fordham and why?

I love that everyone is so friendly and welcoming. Also, Panda Express. That is all.

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

Guest policies are bogus! I think that we are in college, and should be allowed to make our own decisions.

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

I love going out to dinner with my friends and taking pictures… I love photography!

What is something about you that not many people know?

Not many people know that I have done a diverse amount of activities. I have surfed, ice skated, danced, horseback rode, done gymnastics, played soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and have even dabbled in a

little badminton.

What is your favorite class at Fordham?

Currently, my Digital Creative Writing class is my favorite! I love writing, which is something that not many people know about me.

What is a personal goal you already have or would like to accomplish over your four years

here?

I would like to make as many friends as possible!

What show, food, artist or movie would you consider your “guilty pleasure”?

I have a sick obsession with OTH. Whoever doesn’t know this sacred acronym, it is One Tree Hill. If ya don’t know, now ya know.

What is your favorite movie and why?

I’m a big fan of the family home videos. Not gonna lie.

What is your favorite album released in 2013?

Jack Johnson’s From Here to Now to You. Do you have plans, career or otherwise, for post-college life?

October 30, 2013 I would like to become a high school teacher! Lord knows why, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.

What activities, clubs, projects or organizations are you involved with at school?

I do JumpStart! Which means I volunteer at a preschool a few days a week and teach little kiddies! I absolutely adore it.

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

My laptop, so I could watch OTH. If you could go back to your first day at Fordham, what advice would you give yourself?

Dress better. People at this school are into the fancy attire.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY APUZZO

In addition to being from the Dominican Republic, Emily enjoys traveling to countries all over the world.

Popping the Question with Satin Dolls

By ALLEGRA HOWARD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham alumni Mike Noel and Mary Shouvli, both FCRH ’07, have recently become engaged after Mike and the Fordham a capella group Satin Dolls performed a flash mob performance at the Olympic Flame Diner.

Noel and Shouvli met through mutual friends during their senior year at a party where guests were randomly handcuffed to one another. “We worked it out ahead of time that we would be handcuffed to each other and ended up spending the whole night talking,” Noel said. “We just hit it off so well that we regularly planned adventures around the city.”

And the two have been together ever since.

After three and half years, Noel finally decided to propose. They had just attended a series of weddings and family events together, and one friend’s recent proposal particularly inspired Noel.

“He took his girlfriend to all the important spots in their relationship and then threw a surprise engagement party for her,” Noel said. “That got me thinking about doing something more ambitious for the proposal. I mean, you only get to propose once, right?”

Noel eventually decided to ask the Satin Dolls to help him stage an a capella flash mob. “The idea was to do something completely ridiculous and unexpected. I liked the idea of a flash mob, but having it be an organized group would be even more funny, plus the whole Fordham connection was important.” Noel said.

When Noel emailed Satin Dolls musical director Nicole Holm, FCRH ’15, for help in early August, a week before the proposal, she and the other 13 current members of the

Satin Dolls were excited to participate. “Turning this down was not an option,” treasurer Rebecca Brown, FCRH ’14, said.

“Yeah,” assistant musical director Alexa Esposito, FCRH ’14, agreed.

“We were like, ‘Of course we’re doing it!’”

The Satin Dolls were particularly excited since this was their first time doing a flash mob proposal. The group once performed for an older couple’s anniversary, but was accompanied by The Ramblers. “This is the first thing that we were asked to do alone, which is kind of cool,” Brown stated.

“It’s something different,” President Caitlin Beck, FCRH ’14, said.

“We don’t get asked to do stuff like that all the time.”

Since Shouvli likes Michael Jackson, Noel asked if the Satin Dolls could perform “ABC,” a song that Holm was fortunately already familiar with. “I had actually done ‘ABC’ a capella maybe a few years ago and remembered some of it, so I used a little bit of what I remembered and just added all the other parts in and I think cut the song a little bit for time purposes, but it was a lot like the original,” Holm said.

“It took a long time and it wasn’t an easy song to arrange,” Brown said.

“It happened to be more complicated than we thought it was going to be.

The song sounds simple, but there’s actually a lot to it.”

The Satin Dolls dedicated a block of their rehearsal time to learning the song. “We incorporated it into our normal rehearsal,” Esposito recalled.

“It was just one week dedicated to Mike and Mary.”

Mike also sang with the Satin Dolls. “He was very hands-on,” Brown recalled. Mike said it was hilarious. “I’m not a singer at all, and they were spot on.”

Noel scheduled the performance for 7:30 p.m. at the Olympic Flame Diner near Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus, where he and Shouvli had their first date. “We went there one Friday after class at Lincoln Center and just ended up talking for about eight hours. It had sentimental value,” Noel said, “and I thought it would be funny because it is not a very romantic location.”

“It’s such a random place,” Beck agreed. “Just at a diner? You wouldn’t expect it.”

The Satin Dolls took the Ram Van there and slowly snuck into the restaurant in groups of four to escape notice. “We had to pretend we were eating at a diner, just like regular people,” Holm recalled. “We had girls sitting at the diner bar and then just at different booths. That way it would just look really random when we stood up one-by-one and started singing.”

When the Satin Dolls started, Shouvli had what was truly happening. “Mary was initially annoyed that these random girls were interrupting her dinner!” Noel remembered. “She actually rolled her eyes with the guy next to us since he wasn’t liking it either. She tried to keep eating as if it would go away.” “[Mary] had no idea!” Holm recalled. “And he was so good at acting too. He looked at her and was, like, ‘What’s going on?’”

However, Shouvli eventually warmed up to the sudden performance. “A random woman at the counter had a huge smile and was clapping along. Once Mary saw that her mood kind of changed and she liked it a little more,” Noel said. “It wasn’t until we all started a snap-anddance routine and moving a little closer to her that she knew something was up.”

When the song finally ended, Mike

got down on one knee and proposed, and Shouvli said yes.

“We all cried,” Holm stated.

“When we finished, we didn’t know what he was going to say to her. It was just so sweet and so sentimental.”

“Everyone in the diner was so shocked,” Beck recalled. “There were a couple of ladies in the back, and they came running over like, ‘It’s a proposal!’”

Beck remembered a woman crying, and Esposito remembered one of the waitresses saying, “Such a New York moment!”

“It’s true, though,” Esposito said.

“Those kind of crazy things only happen in the city all the time.”

Holm certainly did not think Noel’s proposal to Shouvli was any exception. “She went from eating French fries to being engaged,” Holm said.

“I think we laughed for the next five hours,” Noel added.

Noel and Shouvli do not have any definite wedding or honeymoon plans right now, but Noel joked about keeping similar performances in mind for the future. “Since this one went over so well I’m planning on arranging flash mobs for all the major life events coming up: job promotions, my son’s baptism, etc.,” he said.

“We loved it,” Holm said, and Beck even joked that it “might be our new thing.”

“We just had a lot of fun doing it too,” Beck added.

The Satin Dolls may not have any further proposals in store, but they are more than happy that they had this opportunity anyway. “It’s always a nice experience to see two people in love,” Brown said, “and especially if they have a connection to Fordham, because it’s our home too.”

To see a video of the proposal, check the Satin Dolls’ Facebook page.

Karen Hill There is nothing more exciting nor more distracting than the honeymoon stage of a relationship. All you want to do is cuddle and kanoodle, but you know you have readings to catch up on and essays to write. If your friends and “American Horror Story” weren’t already distracting enough, you are in for a rude awakening.

In the honeymoon stage, you tend to get the notion that you need to spend every sleeping and waking minute together. Saying “I can’t hang out” is often harder than writing that paper. When saying “no” to your lady or guy friend just is not going to happen, however, you can totally turn studying into dates.

The first thing you must learn to do as a couple is learn to study together.

Studying in public is normally the safest bet to make sure you are a minimal distraction to each other. The library is a great place to study because you are forced to be quiet. Having a loveydovey study buddy has its perks, as he or she can give you that “get back to work” look when you start playing Candy Crush. If a threatening glare isn’t enough, you have someone to steal your phone until you are done with your work.

The incentive tactic is a great one, especially for couples. I don’t know how many times I’ve told myself that I would treat myself to a nap when I finish my work, only to fall asleep mid-thesis. It’s good to have someone there to tap you on your shoulder to wake you up and promise a cuddle session once your homework is done.

One of the hardest parts of trying to work together is when you are taking completely different course loads. There are indeed ways of working around this. If you are a visual arts major and your boyfriend is a film major, you can still work together. It is as simple as having him sit to have his portrait drawn or go out with you to scope out the perfect landscape to draw, and you can watch all the movies for his class with him. There is no reason you two cannot have quality time together and still manage to be productive.

Sometimes, however, your work is serious and requires your full attention. Writing essays is one of the most time and attention-consuming activities. Having someone there could be both boring for him or her and distracting for you. I once had to put a bag on my boyfriend’s head just so his face wouldn’t distract me while I was writing my essay on gender roles in Hitchcock films. I found a productive use for him, however. I plugged my essay into a Google doc and as I wrote, he proofread it for me. As I was finishing, he set up my printer and grabbed my keys, phone and backpack for me.

School gets stressful and so do boyfriends, but nothing is better than having someone there to help you out and keep you sane.

Finding the balance is hard, but not impossible. You really just need to be encouraging and supportive of each other. This is the 21st century and we come to school to learn, not just to find a significant other. Homework is, regretfully, your first priority and if trying to balance your relationship and work fails, you fail.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 30, 2013

Page 17

Ram Reviews

The Arctic Monkeys - AM Music Review

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

By MEGAN CATTEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Arctic Monkeys’ fifth studio album AM is the work of a band at its peak. Turning in their initial

grungy, “pub-punk” style for a more polished and sophisticated rock n’ roll vibe, the quartet from Sheffield, England has come a long way since its 2006 debut

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Nearly a decade later, Arctic Monkeys has created a record that is a career-high, a defining turning point and a successful experimentation with a new and enticing sound.

Recorded at Sage and Sound Recording in L.A. and Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, Calif. the album features performances with Elvis Costello’s drummer Pete Thomas and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme. AM is also mixed by Tchad Blake, who is notable for having worked on The Black Keys’ breakthrough hit album Brothers. His influence is undeniable, as comparisons have run abound between the two bands’ retro-rock band sound.

Though innovative, AM stays consistent with Arctic Monkeys’ trademark themes of lust, frustration, sex and other illicit activities (see: “Why’d You Always Call Me When You’re High?”)

What is different here is the driving rhythmic force of the musicality, which is featured in the crashing climax of “Arabella,” the powerful guitar riffs in “I Want It All” and the pounding rhythm of “Knee Socks.”

AM is bound together by lead singer Alex Turner’s well-tuned voice, which carries the album from start to finish. The frontman and lyricist soars vocally in the hazy dream-like lyrics of “No. 1 Party Anthem,” slowing to the rhythmic beat of the crashing cymbals and soulful piano not unlike one of his inspirations, John Lennon.

Arctic Monkeys’ does not shy away from more eclectic styles.

“Fireside” showcases a more mellow sound, taking a break from the grinding electric guitar and giving a nod to Alex Turner’s side project, The Last Shadow Puppets, with a stream of acoustic strumming. Arguably, “Mad Sounds” is the album’s only opti-

mistic track, the lyrics (“Suppose you’ve gotta do what you gotta do / We just weren’t feeling how we wanted to / …Mad sounds in your ears, they make you get up and dance”) are surrounded by a chorus of warmhearted “ooh la la la las” reminiscent of 1960s counterculture.

The album closes with the haunted and psychedelic “I Wanna Be Yours,” crooning AM to a concluding, heart-wrenching ballad.

Arctic Monkeys’ newfound musical direction brings a fresh, emphatic sound and embodies a passion the band did not necessarily show before AM. Music critics have commended the album as representative of a “golden age” the band is currently experiencing. From its garage-band indie origins, the Arctic Monkeys have defined a sleek modern rock style for today’s generation that shows little signs of disappearing any time soon.

Los Campesinos! - No Blues Music Review

By KATIE NOLAN COPY CHIEF

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Los Campesinos! (LC!) is one of those bands that attracts rabid fans yet remains a hidden gem in the world of indie rock. Their live shows are insanely energetic and their albums are always consistent, an impressive feat considering the many line-up changes the band has experienced over the years.

No Blues, released Oct. 29, is the fifth studio album from the Welsh band, and it definitely has this rabid fan hooked. Following up the gut-wrenching breakup album Hello Sadness, No Blues is slightly more cheerful and definitely more musically upbeat. It showcases a more mature LC!, while still retaining all the snarky, smart lyrics that LC! fans have come to expect.

Long-time fans will understand the progression from the handclapping, glockenspiel-heavy, twee sound of their full-length debut Hold On Now, Youngster... No Blues is a culmination for a band that has slowly stripped down and subdued its sound to create something distinct and impactful.

In today’s age of MP3s, streaming websites and online radio, people, myself included, rarely purchase music anymore. I always, however, make a point of buying LC! albums simply to have a copy of the lyrics while I listen. Having the lyrics sheet allows fans to appreciate frontman and lyricist Gareth Campesinos! (all the band members refer to themselves by the last name Campesinos!) for the genius he is. Honestly, he has some of the best phrasing in all of indie rock. Pitchfork has been

streaming the album for the last few weeks, and even though I have been listening to it almost incessantly, I still will not feel like I have absorbed it until I get the hard copy and really look at the lyrics.

No Blues is incredibly strong, but a few tracks stood out to me in particular. The first single, “What Death Leaves Behind Me” is a soaring, perfectly crafted and quintessentially LC! track. “Glue Me” has a spectacular chorus: “I’ll be gloomy till they glue me in the arms in she who loves me.”

“Avocado, Baby” is just as fun and absurd as the name indicates. As the track titles suggest, LC! has a tendency toward the morbid, but it combines those morbid, punheavy lyrics with upbeat, soaring pop to create something that feels tongue-in-cheek and sarcastic.

Elton John - The Diving Board Music Review

By JOHN BONAZZO STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF AP IMAGES

Following the release of 2010’s The Union, a Grammy-nominated collaboration with Leon Russell, Elton John said that he would stop making chart-topping pop records and start making the music he wanted to make.

The first fruits of that approach are seen on the album The Diving Board, and it works for him — these songs may not make the Top 40, but they show John has still got it in spades.

Elton John is a master at harnessing the full gifts of the piano, as shown by the album’s two very different singles: “Home Again,” an atmospheric, slightly dark song featuring the return of his signature riffs, and “Mexican Vacation (Kids in the Candlelight),” a rocking tribute to youth with echoes of “Saturday Night’s Al-

right for Fighting.”

John reteams here with his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, and many of the results are simply sublime. This is shown, in particular, on the metaphor-laden “Oscar Wilde Gets Out,” in which the title character sings that he “felt like the head of John the Baptist.”

John and Taupin reaffirm that they can tell a story through song better than anyone else with songs like “A Town Called Jubilee” and “The Ballad of Blind Tom.” They also look to their past work, as the latter song hearkens back to “Pinball Wizard.”

There is a Southern influence on many of the songs, particularly on “Can’t Stay Alone Tonight” and the spiritual “Take This Dirty Water.” This is largely thanks to the Southern crew that helped John make this album, particularly producer T-Bone Burnett

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and guitarist Doyle Bramhall II. There are also three classical instrumental pieces, called “Dreams,” that feature piano and minimal percussion. These beautiful, short compositions set the mood for the different sections of the album.

The title track, which also closes the record, is, according to John, a warning to stars like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus about the perils of fame.

This is an apt comparison—when John soulfully sings about a time “when {he} was sixteen, and filled with the world and its noise,” it is hard not to reflect on the dark side of superstardom.

On this versatile album, Elton John leaps across genre and tone with ease.

The Diving Board continues his creative renaissance, featuring some of the Rocket Man’s best work in years.

Page 18

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October 30, 2013

Sports

Fordham Women Teetering on Brink of Playoffs

By JAKE GROGAN STAFF WRITER

Fordham’s postseason chances took a big hit this past Friday, with the bullet coming in the form of three second half goals by Dayton.

The Rams travelled to Ohio to take on the first place Dayton Flyers in an Atlantic 10 showdown with postseason ramifications on the line.

Fordham opened up the scoring in the 42nd minute, as junior forward Kate McDonnell hit a header past Dayton goalkeeper Elizabeth James, who tried to field a long kick from sophomore midfielder Ivana Lahcanski. McDonnell’s first goal of the season gave the Rams a 1-0 lead going into the half.

Dayton would begin its scoring barrage in the 51st minute, as Ashley Campbell scored her 13th goal of the season off of a long feed from Nicole Waters.

Campbell would draw a penalty shot for the Flyers after being tripped in the box in the 74th minute, which was taken by Juliana Libertin. She would give Dayton the 2-1 lead with a shot to the top left corner of the net.

Libertin would go on to score her second goal of the game and her sixth of the season in the 88th minute as she sidestepped junior goalkeeper Ally White, who tried to field the ball and put it into the empty net.

The loss puts the Rams in a tricky spot going into the conference tournament. The team’s focus must be on what it can control: the upcoming game against Duquesne on Nov. 1.

A win over Duquesne would give them a good shot at earning a postseason berth. A loss would put their fate in the hands of their A-10 competition, as a win over Duquesne will not be enough to secure the eight seed in the A-10.

“Our goal for this last game is to

refocus and end the regular season on a win,” said senior midfielder Kelsey Dougherty Howard, when asked what the team plans to do to prepare for Duquesne. “Offensively we have to work on maintaining possession in the final third and capitalizing on our opportunities in front of the net.”

The Dukes are currently 2-3-1 in conference play and sit two spots ahead of the 2-4-1 Rams. Their two wins came against fourth place St. Bonaventure and 11th place Richmond. A good showing from the

team should have Fordham sitting at 3-4-1 on Nov 2. That being said, inconsistency has plagued the second half of Fordham’s season. The defense and the offense cannot seem to click at the same time. It is hard to predict the outcome of the game when no one knows which Fordham squad will show up.

If the Rams win, they will still need some help from their opposition. A lot of the teams that are in position to get the eight spot in the A-10 have two games remaining on their schedules, so there is a chance

for a four-way tie between Fordham, Richmond, Duquesne and Saint Joseph’s. However, the teams currently sitting in the seventh and eighth spot only have one game remaining.

A win by both of those teams would end any chances that the Rams have of earning the eight seed.

It will be interesting to see how the playoff picture in the A-10 will turn out. For Fordham, however, the only thing that matters is getting a win against Duquesne on Nov. 1. Everything else is out of their hands.

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Fordham needs a win against Duquesne on Friday and some help from other teams in order to make the playoffs.

Water Polo 11-12 After Five-Game Losing Streak; Playoffs Loom

By BETSY BOEHLER STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s water polo team had another tough couple of non-conference games this past weekend in Princeton, N.J., dropping their record to 11-12.

The Rams have faced some high competition this season, playing numerous ranked teams, including No. 15 Princeton.

“The ranked teams are definitely a challenge,” said head coach Bill Harris. “They have a lot of talent.”

In the first game of the day, Princeton came out strong, taking a 4-0 lead, but the Rams were persistent and brought the score within two, ending the third quarter 6-4.

The Tigers, however, were resilient and tacked on another five goals to Fordham’s two in the fourth quarter, making the final score 11-6. Sophomore Andrew Gonzalez led the team with three goals, while senior Nick Allen and sophomores David DeFontes and Peter Bergum each had one. Junior goalie Noah LeBeau had six saves.

Game two against George Washington proved to be a much better showing, though the Rams lost

again 11-10. The Colonials ended the first half with a strong 7-3 lead.

Trailing 9-3, the Rams rallied in the third quarter, with goals by Gonzalez, sophomore Patrick Lenihan, Allen and freshman R.J. Simmons, to pull within two.

The Rams continued the comeback in the fourth quarter, with goals by Lenihan and Gonzalez tying the game at nine. The Colonials pulled ahead by two again, but the

Rams were only able to put one more away, ending the game 11-10 in favor of GW. “I was not happy with the loss, but I was not displeased,” Harris said. “The guys showed a strong work ethic and a lot of character.”

The Rams have four more conference games, starting with a make-up game against St. Francis this Thursday.

Fordham then wraps up the

regular season with games at MIT, Harvard and Connecticut College.

Harvard is currently leading the conference, but Harris is confident that his team is ready.

“They got good experience this weekend to prepare for the final games,” Harris said.

The Rams hope to end the season and enter the Collegiate Water Polo Association Championship Tournament on a winning streak.

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Fordham has three regular season matches left before the CWPA Northern Division Championship on Nov. 9 and 10.

Page 19

Golf Wraps Up Fall Season at Lehigh Invite Rams Finish Fifth out of Seven in Chilly Conditions; Junior Jeff Hogan Finishes Eighth Individually

By DREW CASEY STAFF WRITER

The Fordham golf team concluded its fall season at the Lehigh University Invitational on Oct. 27 and 28 at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. In its third consecutive 36-hole tournament, the team finished in fifth place out of seven teams.

Junior co-captain Jeff Hogan led the way for the Rams, posting a two round cumulative score of 11-over-par. Hogan’s finish was good for a tie for eighth place individually.

Senior Brian Engstrom finished in a tie for 22nd place and senior co-captain Brandon Nolan came in one shot behind him, recording a two round total of 18-over-par.

Ben Alcorn shot 24-over-par throughout the 36 holes, and freshman Fernando Morett completed his sixth collegiate tournament at 29-over-par.

Scoring during Sunday’s first round was especially difficult due to chilly and frosty conditions.

“Cold weather and frost delays, along with wind, are without a doubt the toughest conditions to play well in,” Engstrom said. “I think the scores basically reflected that across the board (not just ours).”

Despite these conditions, champions were still crowned at Saucon Valley Country Club. Rutgers University won the team title, and Scarlet Knight Doug Walters took home the individual championship, shooting six-over-par.

Although not entirely satisfied with their performance at the Lehigh University Invitational, the team was pleased with the fall season as a whole.

“As far as the fall season, I think a lot of newcomers were able to get their feet wet and pick up some experience that will surely help them in the spring,” Hogan said. “The spring season is pretty much a sprint, with it culminating at the A-10 championship.”

Nolan shared the same feelings. “I think that we got a lot of tournament experience,” Nolan said. “We didn’t end the season that well, but I think the experience will help us in the upcoming spring season.”

The team now has approximately four months off from competition and is poised to continue to improve during the offseason.

“Everyone just needs to work on the weakest facets of their games over the next few months,” Engstrom said. “That way, when we come back in the fall, we have a better foundation to start off of.”

Nolan echoed Engstrom’s sentiments.

“We have some work to do, but we will be ready,” he said.

The team’s spring season will begin in March.

Page 20

SPORTS

NHL Blog

Tough NHL Suspensions

By ANTHONY PUCIK STAFF WRITER

The NHL is an intense league packed with heavy hits and a great deal of emotion, there is no question about that. And sometimes that emotion can get the better of some players, leading them to get frustrated at a particular player or team and making them do something they wouldn’t normally do.

These rash actions are usually in the form of hard hits, some of them illegal in nature, which can lead the player to be suspended for a certain number of games.

Ever since former player Brendan Shanahan became the director of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, the NHL has gotten much stricter when it comes to hits that have led to injuries to players. This year, however, there have been numerous suspensions already and we’re not even a quarter of the way through the season. I don’t think this has anything to do with the Department of Player Safety being stricter when it comes to boarding and hitting from behind. Rather, I think it is just the opposite.

It seems that more and more players are being suspended due to what are considered dirty hits in the NHL this season. It started in the preseason, when three separate players were suspended for checks.

Tampa Bay’s Adam Erne and Vancouver’s Dale Weise were each suspended three preseason games for an illegal check to the head, and Detroit’s Teemu Pulkkinen was suspended four for boarding.

These hits were deemed bad enough for Shanahan and the NHL’s Department of Player Safety to penalize these players for their actions. Years ago, these hits would have merely been given a game misconduct call, where the player would miss the rest of the game.

Now the NHL suspended these players for their wrongdoings in order to crack down on dirty hits, or so they think.

The dirty plays did not stop there though, because there have already been eight players who have been suspended during the season for dirty hits. San Jose’s Brad Stuart was suspended three games for elbowing, Vancouver’s Alex Edler was suspended three games, Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta was suspended 10 and the Islander’s Michael Grabner two for hits to the head.

St. Louis’ Maxim Lapierre and Colorado’s Cody McLeod were both

suspended five games for boarding, and Ryan Garbutt was suspended five games for charging. Perhaps the worst of them all thus far was Buffalo’s John Scott, who has been suspended indefinitely for his open ice hit. These players have been suspended for good reasons, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference. Players see other players get suspended for boarding majors and blows to the head, but it doesn’t seem to stop them from doing the same thing, if not make even dirtier hits, as we have seen this year.

I can only think of one reason that this is occurring: the NHL is not making the suspensions severe enough. Suspending players is certainly a step in the right direction, but if players aren’t getting the message, and clearly they aren’t, then more needs to be done. The Kaleta suspension is a great example. A 10 game suspension is huge in the NHL; Kaleta is likely to miss about three weeks, or one eighth of the season, due to his hit. The amount of time it is going to take him to get back into game shape, and the disservice he is doing to his team as a result of his suspension, is huge. He will most likely never do something like this again. This is what needs to happen to all players who do this, though, not because they need to be suspended more games, but because these hits need to stop.

Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety shouldn’t be concerned with suspending players, but making the game safe. Suspending players is a step in the right direction, but not if they don’t learn their lesson. If players are getting suspended for three or five games for their hits and others are still hitting the same way, the suspensions are not long enough. Players need to realize that what they are doing is wrong and will not be tolerated, and if that means that players will be getting 10-plus game suspensions for their actions, then so be it.

Yes, it is harsh, but so are players getting carted off on stretchers because they have been carelessly checked into the boards with their backs turned. The NHL is dangerous enough without players recklessly hitting one another and not feeling the repercussions of their actions hard enough. I applaud Shanahan and the NHL for their actions to make the game safer, but it is time to move past the video explanations of penalties and focus more on stopping these hits from occurring.

COURESTY OF WIKIMEDIA

The NHL hopes Patrick Kaleta’s suspension will continue to make the game safer.

October 30, 2013

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Varsity Scores & Stats

Women’s Soccer Fordham 1 0 1 Dayton 0 3 3 Goals: K. McDonnell (FOR) 42’ A. Campbell (UD) 51’ J. Libertin (UD) 73’ J. Libertin (UD) 88’ Shots: FOR- 11, UD- 20

Men’s Swimming Fordham 110 Marist 131 1000 Freestyle S. Sholdra 1st- 9:29.38

Men’s Soccer UMass 0 0 0 Fordham 0 1 1 Goals: A. Hickey (FOR) 53’ Shots: FOR- 11, UMass 8

100 Freestyle P. Militti 1st- 51.77

Rhode Island 0 0 0 Fordham 0 1 1 Goals: B. Bohlen (FOR) 48’ Shots: FOR-14, URI- 15

Fairfield Fordham

121 160

Volleyball VCU 25 25 25 3 Fordham 17 18 17 0 (VCU) R. Kriskova 15 kills (VCU) K. Lamantia 25 assists (FOR) L. Hipp 8 kills (FOR) A. Konovodoff 26 assists LaSalle 10 16 20 0 Fordham 25 25 25 3 (LU) K. Perillo 7 kills (LU) M. Healy 11 assists (FOR) L. Hipp 11 kills (FOR) A. Konovodoff 32 assists

Women’s Swimming Marist 112.5 Fordham 130.5 200 Butterfly Water Polo M. Polaha 1st- 2:03.35 Iona Fordham Fairfield 131 Fordham 152 Fordham 1000 Freestyle Princeton K. Laurent 1st- 10:26.05 Fordham Geo. Wash

8 10 6 11 10 11

Athletes of the Week Each week The Fordham Ram’s Sports editors honor one male athlete and one female athlete for their on-field performances as its “Athletes of the Week.”

Alex Naples

Megan Polaha

Graduate Student

Freshman

Soccer

Swimming

Naples was named A-10 Co-Player of the Week after registering a shutout in each of the Rams’ two wins this past weekend. Naples now has four shutouts on the year.

Polaha started her Fordham career off with a bang, recieving A-10 Rookie of the Week honors. Polaha helped the Rams pick up two wins, posting three individual and three relay wins.

News & Notes

• Fordham football maintained its place in the FCS Coaches’ Poll this past week. The Rams are No. 8 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 9 in The Sports Network Poll.

• Fordham basketball and SNY have agreed to a partnership to broadcast both men’s and women’s games on the network this year. SNY will feature 11 men’s games and one women’s game. The SNY partnership means a total of 18 men’s games and four women’s games will be televised this year. The partnership will open with a doubleheader from the Rose Hill gym on Nov. 8.

• Sophomore swimmer Steve Sholdra was named Atlantic 10 Men’s Performer of the Week for his performance in the Rams’ first two matches. Sholdra, a seven time A-10 Rookie of the Week last season, had five individual event victories in the two matches.

• Fordham football alum Patrick Murray worked out for the New York Giants on Tuesday. Murray, an All-American kicker last season, could be an option for the Giants’ practice squad.

SPORTS

Page 21

Volleyball Snaps Seven-Game Losing Streak

By TARA SLEDJESKI STAFF WRITER

Having the last place team in the Atlantic 10 standings come to the Rose Hill Gym this past Sunday, Oct. 27 was good news for the Fordham volleyball team. Ranked seventh of out nine teams in the conference, and on a seven-game losing streak, the Rams needed something to lift their spirits and get them headed in the right direction again. The team’s 3-0 win over La Salle may have done just that.

The La Salle match started out strong for the Rams, who won the first set by a dominant score of 2510. La Salle actually hung with the Rams through the first few points of the set; the score was 5-4 before the Rams took control. From that point, the Rams outscored La Salle 20-6 to take the set.

In the second set, Fordham won 25-16, after the team took control of the game at the start. The Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the set and quickly turned that into a 8-3 lead. La Salle managed to bring the score within one at 10-9, but the Rams fought off the challenge by going on a six-point scoring streak and moving the score to 15-9. The closest La Salle came after that was six points, before the Rams finished the set off.

The third set started off as a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, with a score of 5-4.

The Rams then jumped out to a 11-6 lead before turning that into a 18-10 lead. La Salle proceeded to

make things interesting, however, by going on a six-point run to make the score 18-16. The Rams then answered with four straight points of their own to make it 22-16, before closing out the 25-20 set victory.

Lisa Hipp led the team in kills with 11. Abigail Konovodoff led the team in assists with 32, while Maria Rodenberg had a team-high 13 digs.

The victory moved the Rams’ record to 9-16 on the season and 2-7 in A-10 play. They are currently two games behind Dayton for the final spot in the A-10 tournament with five games left to play.

Prior to their win against La Salle, the Rams suffered another loss over the weekend, falling to VCU 0-3 on Friday, Oct. 25 at home. Coming into the game on a six-game losing streak, the Rams knew beating VCU would be a challenge considering their 9-1 A-10 record, which places them first in the conference.

In the first set, VCU jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Rams made it a 5-4 set in their favor. Things stayed competitive as the two

teams traded points before VCU’s lead was cut to only three at 15-12.

However, at that point in the set, VCU got on a roll that eventually pushed them to the 25-17 victory.

Again, things were competitive in the second set, where the Rams had a 14-12 point lead before VCU went on a run to make it a 19-16 set in their favor. The Rams would get close again, making the score 1719 before VCU once again closed things out and picked up the 25-18 victory.

The third set provided the same result for the Rams, as they kept things close early on, before eventually losing the set. A 13-12 score in favor of VCU quickly turned into a 17-12 score. VCU eventually closed out the set with a 25-17 victory.

The Rams’ final home game of the season is this Friday, Nov. 1.

They will take on St. Louis to try and avenge an earlier loss that came on the road. St. Louis is currently 5-3 and fourth in the A-10 but only 9-14 overall.

October 30, 2013

Suarez Ruled Ineligible

By DAN GARTLAND EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham men’s basketball team suffered a major blow on Friday, as 6-foot-10 freshman forward Manny Suarez was ruled a partial qualifier by the NCAA and will be forced to sit out this season.

Suarez will spend the season in NCAA purgatory after failing to qualify academically. He will retain his scholarship and be allowed to practice with the team, but will not be able to compete.

“Obviously it’s disappointing for a kid who worked hard,” Fordham head coach Tom Pecora said. Pecora also said that he could not comment on the specifics of Suarez’s situation, because the decision is currently being appealed.

The NCAA clearinghouse evaluates student-athletes based on a combination of their GPA in 13 core high school courses and their SAT scores. The higher the student’s GPA, the lower the minimum SAT score needed to qualify, and vice versa.

Per NCAA bylaw 14.3, a full qualifier is a student-athlete who falls between a sliding scale from GPA of 2.5 or better and an SAT score of at least 820, to a GPA of 2.0 and a 1010 SAT score.

Suarez was declared a partial qualifier, meaning he falls on a scale from a GPA of 2.75 or better and an SAT score of at least 720, to a GPA of 2.525 and an 810 SAT score.

Pecora said he was not concerned about Suarez’s academic status during the recruiting process.

“We thought he was going to be a full qualifier,” he said.

Without Suarez, Fordham is left with only three true big men on its roster: junior Ryan Canty and sophomores Travion Leonard and Ryan Rhoomes. Pecora plans to use freshman Jake Fay, a 6-foot6 2-guard, in the frontcourt as a “stretch-4”.

Pecora said he plans to start Rhoomes and Fay in the frontcourt in Friday’s exhibition game against Northwood.

Be sure to check out The Ram’s Ram ’s Winter Sports Preview Issue next week ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Fordham is still fighting for a spot in the Atlantic 10 tournament.

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Page 22

Kearns’ Kickoff As the NBA season kicks off, some basketball fans believe this might be the best season in recent memory.

There are countless reasons for basketball fans to savor the upcoming season. This season is also notable because many teams will intentionally lose for a chance at a top five pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, which is a draft that experts think six to eight future All-Stars will emerge from.

There are nine teams with title ambitions this season, making this a remarkably competitive year. The Heat are seeking a three-peat with their nucleus of LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but they must deal with many other capable teams. The Chicago Bulls have Derrick Rose back along with outstanding defense and the pieces to make a trade later in the year. The Pacers will have an improved regular-season record if Paul George and Roy Hibbert stay healthy, and Indiana’s defense is championship caliber. In Brooklyn, Mikhail Prokhorov’s Nets will feature the elite starting five of Williams, Johnson, Pierce, Garnett and Lopez. With Andrei Kirilinko leading a deep bench, the Nets have the potential for a Finals run.

Moreover, the Western Conference is loaded at the top, which is why the Memphis Grizzlies can not be considered title contenders.

Golden State needs Stephen Curry to stay healthy, but the Warriors made a strong addition by adding Andre Iguoadala. If the Rockets get Dwight Howard’s maximum potential, the Harden-Howard duo could catapult Houston to the NBA Finals. The Clippers made a significant coaching upgrade with Doc Rivers, but they will need Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to deliver sturdy defense in the playoffs. Oklahoma City will need monster years from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to conquer the NBA, but you should never count out an angry Durant. Finally, the Spurs continue to produce results, and Kawhi Leonard could blossom into an All-NBA player this season.

Another thing to watch are teams “tanking” the season for a better chance of nabbing a future All-Star in the 2014 Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers will feature Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young on offense, and they traded their starting point guard to New Orleans for a 2014 first-round pick and the injured Nerlens Noel. Phoenix will contend with Philly for the worst record, as they recently traded starter Martin Gortat and two role players to Washington for the injured Emeka Okafor and a 2014 first-round pick. Don’t count out either the Lakers or Celtics getting a high pick with a midseason trade — Gasol or Rondo, anyone?

— and some lottery luck. A theme for these tanking teams is that they will purposefully make decisions that promote short term failure to obtain a franchise player in the draft.

Oklahoma City is the model for bad teams, because the Thunder drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden and turned from a laughingstock to perennial contender.

There are numerous other teams worth mentioning, but my preview is done because the NBA action starts now!

— Dominic Kearns

SPORTS

October 30, 2013

Senior Profile: Casey Nowakowski Deuce’s Wild

MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Nowakowski has only one career goal at Fordham, but has been a stalwart on defense throughout her four years.

By JAKE GROGAN STAFF WRITER

Casey Nowakowski has had a stellar career as a defender at Fordham, playing in 56 games and starting 44 of them. She was an all-state selection in both soccer and indoor track while attending Cheshire High School in Connecticut, and has been consistently named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll while at Fordham. She recorded her first career goal in a 3-2 overtime win against UMass earlier this year.

The Fordham Ram: At any point this year has it hit you while you’re on the field that this is your last year playing soccer at Fordham?

Casey Nowakowski: Not until recently. We lost to Dayton, which is awful, and that’s really when it hit me. We were walking off of the field, and I told one of the freshmen that they played really well, and she said, “I really wish we could have brought it home for you.” As soon as she said it I thought, ‘Oh my God this is my last chance, this is our last time to do this.’ So it really didn’t hit me until yesterday, but when it hit me, it really hit me. It’s crazy.

TFR: You were one of three freshman to play in every game your first year. What was it like to play with your sister, who was a senior at the time?

CN: Well, my freshman year of high school was the same way.

She was a senior while I was a freshman, so coming here we kind of knew what it was going to be like, but obviously it was different since this is college. She really helped me on the field and off the field, to get used to things and to transition to college and college

playing, which is so much different than high school. It was really good to have her, plus I knew some of the girls who were already friends with her. Having her here just made it so much easier for me as a freshman to get into the swing of things.

TFR: Did her experiences here have a lot of influence over you coming to Fordham?

CN: Kind of. When she was visiting the school, I came, and I actually didn’t like it the first time I was here, but then the coach told her while she was here to have me email him. I didn’t want to impose because it was her school, but she said that it was fine and to look at the school and talk to the coach.

I did, and everything kind of just fell in to place. I came back, I liked the school and I liked the coach, so everything worked out.

TFR: In four years, what is the best memory you have at Fordham?

CN: It would probably have to be beating Maryland. It was just a regular season game and was one of the longer trips that we did.

They were ranked and were really good, so obviously we were nervous going in. We ended up winning 1-0, and it was unbelievable.

They were devastated. Their coach said losing to us was a dagger to the heart. It was such a good feeling, knowing that we could play at that level and that we could beat a team like that.

TFR: How do you manage being a student-athlete?

CN: It’s difficult sometimes.

The past couple of weeks were hard, with midterms and everything, but I really enjoy soccer so it isn’t something that I have to do. It’s something that I want to fit into my schedule. I’ve been doing it for a long time so I have practice

managing my time. It’s not a burden on my time.

TFR: What did you guys do to turn around a slow start to the season?

CN: I don’t really know. Coming in we had a lot of freshmen playing and it is tough to come in and start as a freshman. You don’t know what it’s going to be like and you don’t know what people are expecting of you. I think that the freshmen that stayed on the field really got the hang of it quickly. We also had a lot of older girls return to the starting lineup, so we started to click at the right time. Obviously we haven’t really gotten the results that we wanted to, but we’ve been playing a lot better.

TFR: What’s the ceiling for this team in the coming years? How good can they be?

CN: There is a lot of freshmen and I think that the girls that have been playing a lot have gotten great experience playing a lot of good teams this year. Having the experience on the field will definitely help. We’re graduating four people now, so there’s gonna be four spots that need to be filled. Having a big freshman class is really good because they get a lot of experience.

Even if they don’t play they know what’s expected of them when they step on to the field. I think that they should definitely have some good years to come.

TFR: What are your plans for after graduation?

CN: I’m not exactly sure yet.

I’m a psychology major, and I think I want to work in the school, so I definitely have to go to grad school. I think I want to be a school counselor, but I also am a Spanish minor and might want to go abroad and do something with that.

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The point guard position is arguably the most vital part of any championship team, because without an experienced player there to call plays and set up scoring chances, the offense would fall apart. Entering this NBA season, there is a lot of discussion surounding who is the best point guard in the league, so I figured I would participate in this fun debate.

The top point guard is hands down Chris Paul. He’s not as flashy a scorer as Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook, but he brings a lot to a team that would be nothing if it weren’t for him. I think the Clippers will reach the finals this year for the sole reason that Chris Paul will make Blake Griffin into a budding star and will give Jamal Crawford and JJ Redick a bunch of opportunities to score.

He’s a nightmare for defenses, and offenses too, averaging the most steals in the league the past three years.

Due to injury, it is tough for me to put Derrick Rose at the top of the list. He’s still just as complete a player as Paul and we all know how explosive he can be. His field goal percentage was down in 2011-12, as were his field goal attempts, but his assist average went up ever so slightly. This tells me he may be trending toward more distribution, which is a good thing when you play with Luol Deng, Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah.

He will easily make the Bulls a Top-3 team and make Jimmy Butler look like one of the league’s best two-guards. He finally has a solid shooting guard to lean on and it could make Rose look even better. That would be a scary sight.

Behind Rose are two players that may be interchangeable, but I decided to go with Tony Parker over Russell Westbrook for two simple reasons.

First, Parker was second/third in MVP voting for my money (he was actually sixth, which is a travesty) and second, Russell Westbrook is coming off an injury.

The latter is an easy excuse to rank Parker higher, but we’re talking about a 12-year veteran who averaged 20 points per game for the first time in four years last season and who shot 52.2 pecent from the field, the second-best mark in his career.

Above all else, if it weren’t for Ray Allen’s heroics, he may have led the very, very old Spurs to yet another title. Russ, meanwhile, has all the tools to be up there with Rose, but he’s still got some maturing to do.

Finally, Kyrie Irving cracks this list for what I see as the first time in his career. With Rajon Rondo a question mark and playing for the lowly (yes, lowly) Celtics, he can’t be better than the phenom Irving.

To add to his scoring ability and knack for making ‘youngbloods’ pay for their ‘reaching,’ he’s now got Andrew Bynum (if healthy) and Anthony Bennett in the post.

There are second chances and assist opportunities coming. I could write 500 words on Irving, but I’ll save that for later on in the season.

— Kenny Ducey

October 30, 2013

Swimming Dives into Season with a Splash

SPORTS

Page 23

By MATT ROSENFELD SPORTS EDITOR

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Fordham will travel to Boston University this Saturday for a dual meet.

By DREW CASEY STAFF WRITER

The Fordham swimming and diving team opened the 2013-2014 campaign with two meets this past week.

On Thursday, Oct. 24 the team traveled to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and split with the Marist Red Foxes. The women’s team recorded a 130.5112.5 win, while the men fell by a score of 131-110.

The following night, the team opened the pool at Rose Hill to host Fairfield University in the Colonel Frances B. Messmore Aquatics Center for the first time this season.

The Rams swept the Stags, with the women winning 152-131 and the men scoring a 160-121 victory.

Throughout the course of two meets and some 58 events, many multiple event winners emerged for the Rams.

Kalena Laurent, Megan Polaha, Megan Zarriello, Megan Gehrich and Megan Gray each won two or more events for the women’s squad.

Laurent and Polaha, both freshmen, made quite the splash in their first two collegiate meets. Polaha won the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard butterfly on Thursday before taking the 200-yard backstroke at Rose Hill on Friday. Laurent was victorious in the 200-yard freestyle in the season opener and triumphed in both the 500-yard and 1000-yard freestyle versus Fairfield.

Zarriello captured both the 500 and 1000-yard freestyle in Poughkeepsie, and her 1:56.70 in the 200yard freestyle was good for a first place finish on Friday against Fairfield. The junior credits her success to the team’s offseason preparation.

“Working hard in every practice has been a big factor in being prepared for the season’s first two meets,” Zarriello said. “The combination of lifting and swimming has been extremely beneficial in prepping me for the season.”

Gehrich and Gray broke into the victory column against Fairfield.

Gehrich won the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley, while Gray took home the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly.

The women’s team also received event wins from five other Ram

swimmers and won three relays.

Steve Sholdra, Shintaro Noguchi, Ben Dwyer and Patrick Militti all won multiple events for the men’s team.

Sholdra, a sophomore, led all Ram swimmers with five individual victories this past week. The Renton, Wash. native won both the 500 and 1000-yard freestyle, along with taking home the 200-yard butterfly at Marist. On Friday, Sholdra was victorious in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard breaststroke.

Noguchi, a senior co-captain, was not beaten in either the 100 or 200yard freestyle on Thursday; he also scored victories in the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley against Fairfield. Noguchi credited his early season success to his teammates.

“I credit my four wins [to] the overall enthusiasm of the men’s team,” Noguchi said. “When every guy was on the pool deck, cheering one another, it got me very pumped up and helped me focus on my races.”

Dwyer captured the 200-yard breaststroke at Marist and the 100yard breaststroke the following day.

Militti, a junior, won the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly against Fairfield, and has high hopes for the season.

“With the A-10 conference changing around and getting faster, our team is ready to rise with the tide and be as competitive as ever,” Militti said. “I have a lot of confidence in my teammates and coaching staff.

We have been working hard to prepare for a successful season.”

Five other athletes recorded victories for the men’s team, and the team also won three of the four total relays in the meets versus Marist and Fairfield.

The women’s team will travel north on Saturday, Nov. 2 to take on the Terriers of Boston University in what is sure to be a great early season test. Senior co-captain Shannon Jones is confident that the team is ready for the challenge.

“In the past, this meet has always come very close, sometimes to a few points,” Jones said. “I think the extra high energy setting and competition will help drive fast swimming from the [women’s] team.”

It’s gotten out of control. It’s got to be stopped. I’m sick of it.

I’m talking, of course, about the trend of constantly changing uniforms that has taken college football by storm.

In case you’re not in the know, team after team around the NCAA is wearing flashier and more confusing uniforms every week. Turn on a few college football games this Saturday, and you’ll be sure to see a rainbow-like mix of colors. You’d be hard-pressed to know what a team’s true school colors are by watching its football team play in a game.

The University of Oregon and Phil Knight are the ones to blame.

Sometime in the mid-2000s, Phil Knight, the co-founder and chairman of Nike and alumnus of Oregon, decided he was going to revamp Oregon’s brand. Since then, the Ducks have been wearing new uniforms and color combinations every week, provided to them by Mr. Knight and his athletic wear company.

I’m not going to lie, at first it was cool. It was something that had never been done. Everybody wore traditional home and away jerseys, with the occasional alternate every now and then, so the change was unique.

Here was this up-and-coming team in the Northwest, making a name for itself on the field and with its uniforms.

Now it’s just out of control. Just two weeks ago, they wore pink helmets with black uniforms and pants and pink socks. Yes, it was for breast cancer awareness, but every other team managed to honor the month and raise awareness with a little pink sprinkled into their regular uniforms. Oregon, like always, had to go over the top.

Because of what Oregon has done, uniforms have become somewhat of an arms race. Young recruits love

new and shiny uniforms. Now, every other team in the country wants to be able to show off cool new “unis” to its recruits, so as not to fall behind Oregon or any other team that is putting out a flashy new jersey.

My question is: Whatever happened to wearing traditional school uniforms?

The biggest argument offered in favor of the new uniform trend is that it impresses recruits. My answer to that is simple: ask Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Ohio State.

Those schools finished first, fifth, sixth and 10th respectively in the 2013 recruiting rankings, according to ESPN. And, they stick to the basics with their uniforms. You’d surely never see Alabama messing with its beautiful crimson and white.

Let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with new and exciting uniforms for teams. It’s a way to bring some energy to a program. My problem comes when it gets to be outside of school colors and tradition. Every team nowadays thinks black is a crucial part of its color scheme. Let me give them a hint — it’s not. Copious amounts of teams have gone “black for black’s sake,” a term used by UniWatch blog to denote a team wearing black for simply no reason at all.

It’s silly and takes away from a team’s classic home and away uniforms.

Think about the iconic uniforms in history. Not even in college, just sports in general. The New York Yankees, the Green Bay Packers, Penn State football and the Montreal Canadiens all have something in common. They have more or less worn the same uniform throughout their histories. There is history in those jerseys. There is a reason that people of all walks of life can recognize those uniforms, regardless of their fandom. Sure, Oregon’s pink helmets, Tennessee’s “smoky grey” jerseys and Missouri’s chrome facemasks are cool the week they’re worn, but nobody will ever remember those uniforms the way the iconic ones are remembered.

You bet that Oregon’s uniforms are exciting to see every week, but they’re no longer considered unique. New uniforms, random colors and going “black for black’s sake” have become the norm around college football. Name a team and I guarantee they’ve worn a terrible alternate jersey in the last two years.

Staying with traditional home and away jerseys, that’s being different in 2013. And I love every team that is choosing to be different.

DON RYAN/AP IMAGES

The Oregon Ducks are the biggest uniform flip-floppers in college football.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule Home games in CAPS

Thursday Oct. 31

Friday Nov. 1

Saturday Nov. 2 HOLY CROSS 1 p.m.

Football NORTHWOOD (Fla.) 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball

KUTZTOWN 2 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

DUQUESNE 7 p.m. at Boston Univ.

1:30 p.m.

Swimming Water Polo

at St. Francis (NY) 7:30 p.m.

at MIT 2:30 p.m.

Rowing

Fall Metro Championships 9 a.m.

Volleyball

at Saint Louis 7 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Cross Country Men’s Soccer

Sunday Nov. 3

at Harvard/ Conn. Coll.

11:20 a.m./5 p.m.

at Harvard Halloween Tournament All Day at A-10 Championships 7 p.m. at VCU 12 p.m.

Monday Nov. 4

Tuesday Nov. 5

Wednesday Nov. 6

Sports

Page 24

October 30, 2013

Men’s Soccer Wins Two Matches in Return to Rose Hill

By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham men’s soccer team made a victorious return to Jack Coffey Field this past weekend, registering a pair of 1-0 wins and moving up to a tie for No. 7 in the Atlantic 10 conference. The Rams managed to shut out both UMass and Rhode Island, getting goals from two freshmen to improve to 2-2-1 in conference play.

“I thought we came with a really good attitude this weekend,” head coach Jim McElderry said. “I thought our guys at the back played really well. They played 90 minutes in both games and really competed.

They stuck together as a group. We don’t have a ton of All-Americans on our team. We need to play well together and be committed to defending, and I thought we did that this weekend. I was really happy with their energy levels and commitment.”

The Rams began their weekend on Friday, Oct. 25 against the Minutemen of UMass. The Rams had not played on the Rose Hill campus since Sept. 29.

“It was nice to get back home,” McElderry said. “We’d been on the road for almost a month, had our first three conference games on the road. That’s tough. That’s why I’m very happy with the guys.”

The match with UMass began with a fairly pedestrian pace. Neither team was able to gain an advantage and put the ball deep into the attacking third. The Rams did register five first-half shots, but none of those shots challenged the UMass keeper. Their closest chance came on a free kick that was headed just over the cross bar.

The second half changed the game for the Rams. Senior forward Mike Stalker made a pair of deep runs into the UMass box. On his

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

With a pair of victories last weekend, Fordham greatly improved its chances of qualifying for the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

first, he got tangled up with a Minutemen defender and was called for a foul. Undeterred, he streaked right back down the pitch just minutes later and this time managed to draw a foul call on UMass. This set up a free kick for freshman Andrew Hickey. Hickey’s shot curled just past the UMass keeper to give the Rams a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute of the match.

“We train at it all the time,” McElderry said. “I think it’s one of our big issues. When we play well and we earn corners, we don’t test the keeper. Even tonight, the keeper

never had to make any saves. So everything we’ve been talking about is just getting shots on goal and hitting the target. I thought Andy did a great job; not hitting it as hard as he can, taking a little bit off of it and making sure it goes on the target.

And all of a sudden it skids into the back corner.”

The Rams held on to that 1-0 lead for the rest of the match. They dominated possession of the ball in the second half and clearly frustrated UMass, even drawing a red card on UMass defender Nige Negm for a particularly hard foul. Senior goal-

keeper Alex Naples made four saves to seal the shutout for the Rams.

“It’s not against every team that we can keep possession like that, but I thought tonight, we were gonna be better than them in the midfield,” McElderry said. “I thought that was a way we could frustrate them a little bit, not allow them to be on the ball. Coaches talk about starving the other team, and it’s tough for them to get much of an attack going.”

The second match of the Rams’ home stand came on Sunday against Rhode Island. This match

took on a similar tone to the UMass one, as neither team managed much of anything in the first half. Of the 14 combined first half shots, only four were on goal.

“I thought we were just a little bit nervous,” McElderry said. “Both teams seemed content to play it a little safe. I reminded the guys at half that in order for us to have a chance to make the conference playoffs, you have to win your home games.

It’s not 100 percent, but that’s a pretty good recipe. So I said we have to get out and try to be aggressive, and I thought our guys were.”

Fordham definitely heeded the words of its head coach. The Rams pushed the ball deep into the Rhode Island box in the opening minutes of the second half. The ball was kicked around and saved by Rhode Island, but then tapped right into the back of the net by freshman Blake Bohlen. Bohlen’s first career goal gave Fordham a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half.

“I don’t really know what happened on the goal, to be honest,” McElderry said. “It happened so fast; the shot, then the save, and it was poked out and then knocked back in; I really couldn’t see it. I’m really happy for Blake. He practiced really hard this week, and it was nice for him to get rewarded with a goal.”

After scoring the goal, the Fordham defense took control for the second straight match. It kept the ball away from Rhode Island and limited good looks at the net. Naples was able to close the door for the second straight match and pick up his fourth shutout of the season.

With the successful two-win weekend, Fordham improves to 5-8-1 on the season. The Rams moved their way up the A-10 standings and look to be making a playoff push. The team will next be in action on Nov. 3 against VCU.

Women’s Tennis Wraps Up Fall Season at ITA Regionals

By TARA CANGIALOSI STAFF WRITER

The Fordham women’s tennis team ended its fall season last weekend, where two members of the squad competed at the ITA Regional Tournament in Cambridge, Mass. from Oct. 17 to Oct. 22.

Juniors Sarah Ali and Elliesa Ball represented the Rams in both the singles and doubles tournament, putting their hard work from the summer and fall on display.

Play started in the doubles tournament, where the pair first defeated St. John’s Diamond Admas and Nastya Polyakova 8-7 (5). From there, they followed up with one of four seeded upsets, beating 14thseeded Yuliana Motyl and Aarzzo Malik of UMass, 8-3, to advance to the round of 16.

In the round of 16, however, the duo’s run came to an end with a loss to sixth seed Boston University’s Leonie-Charlotte Athanasiadis and Johanna Hyoty. In a close matchup, the Rams dropped the match by a score of 8-7 (3).

“There was a lot of great competition in the tournament, and we performed well and got pretty far in

the tournament even though we fell in a very tight match in the round of 16,” Ali said in an email. “I am proud [of] our performance.”

In the qualifying draw for the singles tournament, Ali fell to Iris Lin of Boston University, 6-4, 6-3.

In her round of singles, Ball won a pair of matches. She first defeated St. Bonaventure’s Fatya Amari 6-1, 6-2 and then Fairleigh Dickinson’s Ksenija Tihomirova 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the round of 32. In her next match, however, Ball lost to Yale’s Annie Sullivan 6-3, 6-1.

“I had a really good time at regionals and, for the most part, was pleased with my performance in the singles,” Ball said in an email.

Both Ball and Ali displayed incredible strength and perseverance at Regionals and throughout the season as a whole. As the Rams’ top two performers, the juniors performed at a high level in both singles and doubles play, where they were consistent partners during the fall.

They lead the Rams to victory in their only home match of the year against cross-town rival Manhattan College, and set the standard of play at each of the invitationals the team

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Fordham’s spring season begins on Jan. 31 with a match against Fairfield. The Rams’ home opener is April 2.

competed at this fall.

As the fall season ends with the conclusion of Regionals, the Rams will look to heal a few nagging injuries and come back stronger than ever for the spring season.

“The overall fall season was a

struggle for me because I was dealing with a worsening shoulder injury, but the end of the fall season will give me time to heal,” Ali said.

The Rams’ record for the fall was 1-0, which only includes the dual match against Manhattan, simply

because the team’s schedule was centered around larger invitationals.

The Rams enter the offseason with a successful fall under their belt and looks to improve during the winter to better their skills for the spring season.