Volume 101 Issue 5

The Fordham Ram Volume 101, Issue 5

Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 FordhamRam.com

February 20, 2019

FDM Raises 61 Percent of Goal

Students Request Collins Revamp

By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI

By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Fordham United Student Government (USG), in conjunction with The Mimes and Mummers, Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP) and Fordham Experimental Theater (FET), has put out a report on the state of Collins Hall requesting repairs to the theater space.

The statement, titled “Student Voices for Future Maintenance of a Beloved Space,” lists testimony from each group that uses the space, as well as from individual students and alumni.

Collins Hall, which is home to Fordham’s theater and philosophy departments, has been a contentious issue for students over the past several years. The Ram reported in April 2018 that Fordham Facilities Management planned to make Collins Hall wheelchair accessible by replacing one of the building’s staircases with an elevator.

Facilities previously said the project would be finished by the end of 2018, but as of February 2019 it still has not begun. USG also made statements about accessibility in Collins Hall in 2013 and 2015.

Marco Valera, vice president for Facilities Management, explained the work delay.

“We received funding for the project in July 2018 as per our annual budget cycle, although we were looking to start the work in 2018 the design was not completed till the fall as we encountered some challenges with the building's structure, therefore we moved the start of construction to this year, as the demolition for this project is very intrusive and noisy to the building,” Valera said. “This project is a priority, the budget is $4 million.”

Stephen Clarke is the assistant director for campus center operations.

“Work on installing an elevator in Collins Hall is expected to begin shortly after commencement,” SEE COLLINS, PAGE 6

in this issue

Opinion

Page 8

Green New Deal Could Make America Great Again

Sports

Page 20

Squash wins Chaffec Cup

Culture

Page 16

Literature Encourages Empathy for Mental Health

tute for Research on the African Diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean (IRADAC) and an award-winning leading voice in the prison abolition movement.

Laurie Lambert, Ph.D., a professor in the African and African American studies department, said her department had been interested in booking Gilmore

This year’s Fordham Dance Marathon (FDM) Auction, benefitting The Andrew McDonough Be Positive (B+) Foundation, brought the FDM team to 61 percent of its fundraising goal by raising over $9,000 in one night. The foundation benefits kids with pediatric cancer and their families.

Last year, the student-led organization raised $101,643.44.

The auction held in McGinley ballroom had both a raffle portion and a live auction.

The raffle had dozens of prizes up for grabs, such as dinners with university administrators, AirPods and even a mystery basket. The live auction had bigger prizes like Hamilton tickets that went for $700 and the first housing time slot went for $1500.

While FDM is not announcing its fundraising goal for this year, Jaqueline Onody, GSB ’20, said

SEE LECTURE, PAGE 3

SEE FDM, PAGE 5

CLAYTON WALTERS/THE FORDHAM RAM

On Friday, Feb. 15, scholar and activisty Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Ph.D., gave the annual Black History Month lecture.

University Hosts Activist Ruth Wilson Gilmore

By CLAYTON WALTERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For its annual Black History Month lecture on Friday, Feb. 15, the department of African and African American studies hosted scholar and activist Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Ph.D. The title of the Black History Month lecture was “Meanwhile: Making Abolition Geography Happen.”

Gilmore is an associate director of the Center for Place, Culture and Politics in the Graduate Center of The City University of New York, co-founder of grassroots organization California Prison Moratorium Project,and author of “Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California.”

Gilmore is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Insti-

Amazon Breaks Up with NYC

By ERICA SCALISE PROJECTS EDITOR

After Amazon announced its plans to build a new “HQ2” headquarters in Long Island City on Nov. 13, the company publicly broke up with New York City this past Valentine’s Day following pushback from a number of state and local politicians.

“While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City,” the company wrote in a letter.

Several of the state’s elected officials responded negatively to the announcement.

The state’s deal-makers, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, expressed their disappointment over the company’s unexpected exit.

In his Feb. 13 statement, the governor criticized state and local offiSEE AMAZON, PAGE 3

ANNA PETERSON/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Mario's Restaurant celebrates 100 years on Arthur Avenue, just blocks from the Rose Hill campus.

Mario's Restaurant Celebrates Centennial Anniversary

By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

From a booth back near the kitchen, Joe Migliucci presides over the restaurant his family has owned and operated for over 100 years. A family crest hangs over the door where his daughter Regina Miggliucci-Delfino greets

customers. To her left is a series of paintings and pictures showing her grandparents and great-grandparents.

Mario’s Restaurant was named for Migliucci’s grandfather who moved from Harlem to Arthur Avenue 100 years ago in 1919, but its history did not start there. Mario’s

started as a restaurant in Egypt in the 1800s and then moved to Harlem in 1915. Over the years the Arthur Avenue location has gone from just six tables to having an upstairs dining room, a side dining room and enlarged main dining room. It can now seat 300 to 400 people a day.

SEE MARIO'S, PAGE 6

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

February 20, 2019

Understanding Class Sizes at Fordham:

University Works to Avoids Overcrowding

By THOMAS TEDESCO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Feb. 13 Freeman Hall 8:45 p.m.

Custodial services called Public Safety, reporting a leak in Freeman Hall. An employee noticed water coming from a clogged drain. The drain overflowed and reached electrical wires. The leak caused slight damamge to a professor's computer.

Feb. 13 Public Safety Office 8:50 p.m.

A student reported lost AirPods to the Public Safety office.

It was discovered that they could be tracked using Apple ID. They appeared to be in the vicinity of Walsh Hall. They were not found that night making this is a continuing investigation.

Feb. 16 Loschert Hall 2:57 a.m.

A security officer in Loschert Hall notified their supervisor after a student failed to sign in a guest. Public Safety responded and removed the guest. The guest was escorted out of the dorm.

Feb. 18 Dealy Hall 2:50 a.m.

A robbery was transmitted over NYPD radio. A student called 911 and it was picked up on Fordham's Radio. The student was waiting for a bus at Fordham Plaza when a man pulled a knife on the student and demanded property. The student did not comply and the perpertrator fled. NYPD and Public Safety responded to the scene and canvassed the area. The search had negative results. There were no injuries.

Some students have said they feel classrooms are overcrowded, including the writer of an opinion piece published by The Ram last week.

Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Operational Services, Christina McGrath, said finding a solution to overcrowding is a high priority for the Office of the Provost. She said the challenge of providing space for constantly growing programs requires constant innovation and renovation.

“There have been times when two seminar rooms were combined into a lecture room, or vice versa,” said McGrath.

She said not all classrooms are created equal: academic departments may require more lecture halls while it can afford to give up seminar space, and it is not as simple as allocating more rooms to a program.

According to McGrath, the key is that each department’s specific needs influence which renovations are made. If a program is in need of more online resources, for instance, the university might decide to turn a seminar room into a computer lab.

McGrath said the process is highly feedback dependent.

When classrooms start to get overcrowded, it is up to the program to alert the provost that renovations are needed.

MATT MASSARO/THE FORDHAM RAM

A professor lectures in a classroom in Faculty Memorial Hall. Students have complained that classrooms are cramped.

“There have been many renovations, recently, on John Mulcahy Hall’s third floor in order to keep up with the rapidly expanding robotics and cybersecurity programs,” she said. “The increased demand on these programs is what drove the expansion of JMH third floor.”

Assistant Vice President for Academic Services, Gene Fein, Ph.D., said that the university is

-Compiled by Sarah Huffman

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

RAM ARCHIVES

Some students believe that Fordham's classrooms are too crowded.

rarely aware of class size issues until students bring their complaints to the administration.

“We often learn about these issues through students coming to us, so it’s important that they feel comfortable doing so,” she said.

Fein maintained that crowding should rarely be an issue.

“Rooms have maximum occupancy rules to follow as well as ADA guidelines, and that is something the university never compromises on,” she said.

However, she said special cases could account for slight overcrowding.

“If a couple students go to their dean and ask to be placed into a full class of, let’s say, 35, that could lead to some overcrowding,” said Fein. “Classroom assignments are solidified two to three weeks before classes begin, so if the number of students were to exceed a classroom’s safe maximum occupancy, that class would simply be relocated.”

Serious issues in the comfortable arrangement of a classroom may come down to legal codes that take into account safety but not comfort.

John Buckley, vice president for undergraduate admission and financial aid, said that the uni-

versity accounts for campus accessibility during the admissions process.

“There is a very thoughtful and sensitive process that takes place in considering annual enrollments,” he said. “It’s a collaborative effort involving the enrollment staff, deans of individual colleges, student affairs staff, and staff from finance areas, and it’s a very carefully balanced equation.”

However, Buckley said that does not mean it is an exact science.

“Some years we undershoot our goal and go to the waitlist, while other years we overshoot our goal, which is a bit harder to correct,” said Buckley. “But we always aim for an average class size of 22 and a student to faculty ratio of 15 to one.”

According to the Fordham website, the university currently meets this goal.

Buckley cites not only crowding concerns, but the need to preserve Fordham’s “cura personalis,” or “care for the whole person.”

“There is an intimacy at Fordham that doesn’t exist elsewhere,” says Buckley. “That’s our edge, and we take every care to preserve it.”

This Week at Fordham Wednesday Feb. 20

Thursday Feb. 21

Friday Feb. 22

Saturday Feb. 23

Sunday Feb. 24

Quizzo

ASILI BHM Fashion Show

Fordham Stand-Up Show Blackbox Theater 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Into the Woods

Collins Auditorium 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Fordham Flava Open Class

The ASILI Fashion Show will showcase traditional African attire and everyday wear for both men and women. Clothing will be predominantly from black-owned businesses and designers. Gift bags will be given out as raffle prizes.

Fordham Experimental Theater presents Fordham Stand-Up. The theme of the show is "Stand-Up does it again." Invite all your friends and come down to the Blackbox this weekend. Enter through the back of Collins Hall. The line starts at 7:30.

The Mimes and Mummers present "Into the Woods." Written by James Lipine and Stephen Sondheim, "Into the Woods" brings together everyone's favorite storybook characters.

Admission is $5 for students with ID and $10 without ID.

Dagger Johns 9:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

The Residence Hall Association is hosting Quizzo. Students can answer trivia questions to win prizes. Prizes include four AMC Movie tickets.

The event will be in Dagger John's on Wednesday night from 9:30 p.m.11:00 p.m.

North Dining Room 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

North Dining Room 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Come out to a class that is open to all Fordham students of all levels of dance. It will include a warm up with one of the members teaching a dance. The event will take place in the North Dining Room in McGinley Center.

NEWS

February 20, 2019

Page 3

Scholar and Activist Gives Annual BHM Lecture SEE LECTURE, PAGE 1

for over a year now to embody the department’s theme of blending scholarship and activism.

“Blending scholarship and activism means thinking about the potential impact of academic work beyond the needs of educated elites,” said Lambert. “We wanted a speaker who could offer insights into the experiences of marginalized peoples and communities who have been yearning for a fair representation of their histories and cultures.”

Lambert said Gilmore embodies this practice by working within and writing about communities that have been affected by mass incarceration.

Gilmore divided her lecture into two parts. The first section dealt with how grassroots prison abolitionist groups, such as the California Prison Moratorium Project, set out to create, build and make abolition geography happen in the state of California.

Gilmore said that these ground-up solutions were most effective in ending the rapid construction of prisons in California.

“The media, both mainstream and social, remained fixated on top-down actions like the court decision or Sacramento’s reluctant response,” said Gilmore. “So, in this talk we are going to explore this question: we’re going to ask

how organizing from the groundup, interrupted California’s prison boom?”

According to Gilmore, before a Supreme Court decision to uphold a federal ninth circuit court ruling in 2011, California frequently opened new prisons.

Gilmore also said that in these prisons, people regularly died prematurely because of medical neglect.

Gilmore went on to discuss how the prison abolitionist movement has grown in California. Her grassroots organization began in the summer of 1988 and outreached through ads in weekly newspapers that invited people who wanted to stop the construction of a prison in their town to call their number.

“At the outset, California Moratorium Project wasn’t sure where to begin,” said Gilmore.

“The cost for the outreach was low. As we fit a tiny organization made up entirely of volunteers who supplemented their modest resources with an annual afternoon fundraiser.”

Gilmore said the history of the prison abolitionist movement describes the difficult hindrances in prison reform where “failure turned out to be the rule, not the exception.”

In the latter half of the lecture, Gilmore shared stories from her

CLAYTON WALTERS/THE FORDHAM RAM

Students check-in to the Black History Month Lecture that hosted activist and scholar, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Ph.D.

experience in the prison abolitionist movement. She spoke about her cousin, a member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, who was killed in the 1970s protest movement for curriculum reform.

“Dr. Gilmore talked about the importance of teaching black children black history, and not whitewashing curriculums,” said audience member Alison Rini, FCRH ’21. “I had never heard about the student protests in the 1970s where Los Angeles high schoolers walked out of school to demand proper history classes where Latino and

African-American narratives were included.”

“I found some of the statistics that Dr. Gilmore mentioned quite shocking,” stated audience member Garrett Kohno, FCRH ’21. “For example, 70 million people today who have a record have impediments preventing them from getting a job.”

Lambert said she hopes that Gilmore’s speech will serve as an inspiration for Fordham students interested in joining the prison abolition movement.

Lambert said it is important to encourage students to educate

themselves on mass incarceration and prison abolition to understand these complex issues. She noted that mass incarceration has widereaching impact on the general public, whether we realize it or not.

“Students who want to study the issues more closely might consider taking Prof. Mark Chapman's class, ‘The Black Prison Experience,' reading the work of Prof. Gilmore and other prison abolition scholars,” Lambert said. “Students might also research local organizations of prison abolitionists or reformers here in New York City.”

Amazon Pulls HQ2 Deal With NYC on Valentine's Day FROM AMAZON, PAGE 1

cials for opposing the deal.

“A small group of politicians put their own narrow political interests above their community — which poll after poll showed overwhelmingly supported bringing Amazon to Long Island City — the state's economic future and the best interests of the people of this state,” said Cuomo. “The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage.

They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity.”

De Blasio questioned Amazon’s original intentions on WNYC’s "The Brian Lehrer Show" the following day.

"Why did they even bother to choose New York City if they didn't want to actually be a part of New York City and do the work it takes to be a good neighbor?” he asked.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. voiced a similar sentiment — the company failed to understand the give-and-take nature of the deal.

“It's unfortunate that @amazon was unwilling to grasp the concept that massive taxpayer subsidies require equivalent concessions to the people providing them," he said in a tweet on Feb. 14. "This is a simple aphorism: if you want charity, you have to be charitable."

Several Queens elected officials emerged as the most high-profile opponents of the plan since its announcement, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, state Sen. Michael Gianaris and New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

Ocasio-Cortez celebrated the announcement in a series of tweets.

The representative questioned where 25,000, the number of jobs

Amazon claimed HQ2 would create, came from.

“Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon’s corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world,” tweeted Ocasio-Cortez.

Van Bramer, who would have had authority over the plan had Amazon not bypassed the standard land use process, and state Sen. Michael Gianaris, who belongs to a state board that might have blocked the Amazon deal, issued a joint statement on Nov. 11 regarding their public stance against the prospective deal.

Following Amazon’s breakaway announcement, Van Bramer spoke on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” and said the company would rather leave New York City than change its corporate culture and allow workers to organize.

"Labor thought they could reach a deal but Amazon walked away from New York rather than adjust their anti-union position," said Van Bramer. “Shame on them for that.

Them wanting to leave the greatest city in the world is their loss.”

According to Gianaris, Amazon’s pullout spoke to the company’s failure to work with the community it had wanted to join.

“Like a petulant child, Amazon insists on getting its way or takes its ball and leaves,” Gianaris told The New York Times. “Even by their own words, Amazon admits they will grow their presence in New York without their promised subsidies. So what was all this really about?”

Johnson also addressed the issue of civic involvement in a statement on Feb. 14.

“I look forward to working with companies that understand that if you’re willing to engage with New Yorkers and work through challenging issues, New York City is the world’s best place to do business,” said Johnson. “I hope this is the start of a conversation about vulture capitalism and where our tax dollars are best spent. I know I’d choose mass transit over helipads any day.”

In an interview with The Ram, public advocate candidate and Assemblyman Michael Blake said the pullout could have been avoided if everyone involved had been at the table and at the front end of the conversation when it was originally proposed as a business deal.

“I think it’s unfortunate that Amazon walked away,” said Blake.

“Clearly Amazon felt the heat; there was a lot of pressure being placed upon them and the responsible approach would have been to stay at the table to negotiate, not walk away.”

Blake, who signed the original letter in Oct. 2017 addressed to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, inviting the company to locate its second headquarters in New York City, said there needed to be dramatic improvements on the proposed deal.

“From ensuring that immigrants have protection from ICE to unions having protection to unionize, to low-income communities, people of color, women having the protections they deserve,” said Blake. “I think [this] is something that is a learning lesson, but also it’s about our priorities. Too many people had hope that something could happen here and they were let down.”

Several elected officials touted the Amazon deal and talks of HQ2

from the beginning.

Rep. Caroline Maloney said it was not the Valentine’s Day the city needed in a series of tweets on Feb. 14. The representative expressed her dissatisfaction over her home district’s loss of prospective jobs but noted the deal was imperfect.

“The deal could have been improved,” said Maloney. "There were legitimate concerns raised and aspects that I wanted changed. I was ready to work for those changes.

But now, we won’t have a chance to do that and we are out 25K+ new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in new investments.”

New York City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. has been a longtime supporter of the deal. Diaz shifted the blame onto Van Bramer for the

loss of 25,000 jobs.

“You’re telling me that’s not power? That’s power,” said Diaz, according to a tweet by NY1 reporter Gloria Pazmino.

As New Jersey's Governor, Phil Murphy continues to stress the state’s availability for HQ2, plans for New York City’s future ties to Amazon are uncertain, according to Blake.

“I think what we are aware of is that it’s a learning lesson for all of us, that if you start the conversation with demands on both sides, both sides have to be open to negotiation," said Blake. "It seems like Amazon was not willing to negotiate and it seems like a lost opportunity because of that."

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Last week, Amazon announced they would not be moving HQ to New York.

NEWS

Page 4

Research Spotlight

USG Column

USG Approves New Club

By KRISTEN MCNERNEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Healthcare and Business Club, a formerly active student organization, received approval at the USG Senate meeting on Thursday, Feb. 14.

Steven Simon, a representative for the club said the club will serve to educate students about the intermingling of healthcare and business as well as provide career opportunities in both fields.

He said that Falguni Sen, P.h.D., a professor with the master’s in health administration program at Lincoln Center, has spoken at an unofficial club meeting.

Simon said he is looking for more active participation at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center and is hoping to book more guest speakers as the semester progresses.

Judy Rothschild, assistant director for student technology services addressed the Senate and stated her responsibility to maintain a stable network across campus.

She said a work order has been requested in Collins Hall. Rothschild also told senators that an email would be sent out to all students when the IT application for the 2019-2020 school year opens on Monday, Feb. 18.

Vice President of Student Life, Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20, said she is working with Student Life Council on compiling a list of specific areas on campus that have been losing Wi-Fi. Senator Dean Corrado, GSB ’19, suggested making DegreeWorks more accessible.

Vice President of Operations, Olivia Quartell, FCRH ’21, presented the Spring 2019 Operations Packet, a form through OrgSync generated to evaluate activity among various clubs on campus. The form asks for club election results, how the club prefers to be classified, a spreadsheet of active members and advisor contact information.

Stephen Esposito, assistant director for leadership and commuter student services in the Office for Student Involvement stated that the Fordham University Emerging Leaders (FUEL) application have closed. He said the program saw a 60 percent increase in applicants from last year.

Esposito said he is actively working with Commuter Student Services in hopes of mirroring a community fostered by Residential Life.

Vanessa Reyes, FCRH ’19, from the Commuting Students Association reminded senators that commuter week is March 4-9, and raffle tickets for various prizes will be sold all week.

“Rams Got Talent” will also be held on March 8.

Margaret Tattersfield, FCRH ’22, said that Girl Scouts will be on campus to sell cookies March 30 and 31, as well as April 7 and 13.

Quartell said the new USG constitution is almost finished.

She said a constitutional convention will be held during the Senate meeting on Feb. 28.

February 20, 2019

Student Researches Air Quality in The Bronx Connects Air Pollutants to Pediatric Asthma

By SARAH HUFFMAN

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Natalie Ward, FCRH ’19, is researching the air pollutant PM2.5 and its effects on respiratory health, specifically asthma, in the Bronx.

PM2.5, a fine particulate matter, is an air pollutant categorized by the EPA as harmful for human health. She became interested in the air pollutant when she was a researcher with project Teens Researching Urban Ecology (TRUE) during the summer of 2017.

One of the devices they worked with was an air beam, which is a measurement tool that records the amount of PM2.5 in the air. Ward said she thought the air beam was interesting and wanted to use it more.

“I thought it was so fascinating to be able to research something that can’t be seen with the naked eye,” she said. “The crazy thing about PM2.5 is that it’s about ⅙ the size of a cross section of your own human hair so it’s incredibly small and it has the ability to reach deep into your respiratory tract and cause great harm to your lungs.”

While researching with project TRUE, they discussed environmental topics often, including the rate of pediatric asthma in the Bronx.

Ward said the Bronx has one of the highest rates of pediatric asthma in the country, and she was curious as to why. She said she learned about air quality and how air pollutants can affect respiratory health, and she wanted to see if there was a link between PM2.5 and asthma. She was especially invested after learning that the Belmont community, has one of the highest rates of asthma in the country.

Ward said for her research, she goes to a variety of locations throughout the Bronx to record values of PM2.5. The values observed are consistently harmful

Photo of the Week:

COURTESY OF NATALIE WARD

Ward compares air quality in subway stations to air quality in other ground level locations using the pictured device.

for respiratory health, specifically vulnerable populations, which includes children and those with existing conditions.

“It’s pretty shocking to sit in different parks of the borough and see kids, families, dads and moms, all playing, enjoying the outdoors but to see these values of air pollutants that are extremely high and toxic,” she said.

The EPA air quality index, which gives measures of what is deemed safe for human health, what is harmful for sensitive populations and what is dangerous for anyone, found that the levels of PM2.5 concentrations are consistently harmful.

Ward also became interested in the air quality of the subway system after taking her device out on the train one day and seeing that the levels of PM2.5 were higher than any level ever seen at street

level.

Ward now rides the train systems to see different levels of PM2.5. The levels are consistently harmful not only for sensitive populations, but also for the general population.

Ward was also curious to see how PM2.5 concentrations vary based on depth of subway platform. She said the deeper you go, the higher the concentrations of the air pollutant. She is working on using the differential equation to potentially model the distribution.

Her goal is to conduct air quality tests in all five boroughs. She wants to see how the concentrations differ in other boroughs and even other metropolitan cities.

“My dream would be to be part of a team of researchers investigating air quality in New York. And maybe one day conducting a comparison study of different cities in

JOERGEN OSTENSEN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham students studying abroad in South Africa have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the wildlife. A zebra, pictured above, grazes at a sanctuary.

the nation and throughout the world,” said Ward.

Ward said she is proud of her research because it can benefit the community at large.

“Investigating this pollutant says a lot about the health of the Belmont neighborhood,” she said. “This can inform policy makers to employ stricter regulations on pollutants and things that cause pollutions.”

Ward said her research is not only something she is interested in, but omething that many people can understand.

“As cities become more and more dense and as more shipping companies and cars are added to our roads, it’s important to find out the effects of major polluters and see how they contribute to human health positively or negatively.”

She said there must be more research about air pollution and asthma. Ward thinks that while scientists are currently doing a lot of work on the topic, there could always be more.

Ward presented her project twice at the Fordham Undergraduate Research Colloquium and said people are always shocked to hear that the air quality is so poor. “It shows how much we don’t know about air quality and how we should research the potential causes of high levels of PM2.5,” she said.

Ward started researching this past summer as part of Fordham’s undergraduate research grant.

She said she was awarded the grant after a committee looked at her proposal, and she has been working with Rachel Annunziato, Ph.D., associate dean for strategic initiatives, throughout the project.

She said the impact of Fordham undergraduate research has been really empowering.

“I never thought I could design my own study, implement it and then see results. I really loved being able to create my own project and then see it through,” she said.

NEWS

February 20, 2019

Page 5

FDM Reaches 61 Percent of Fundraising Goal Raffle and Live Auction Pulls Large Crowd SEE FDM, PAGE 1

the live auction portion of the night had raised almost $6,000 and she hoped the raffle would do the same once all the ticket sales had been added up. Onody won the first housing slot for the second year in a row.

She said it took a lot of team-

work to make the auction come together.

“It wasn’t just me,” she said.

“It’s a lot of making sure you’re getting responses and handling the rush of donations right before the auction.”

Planning for the auction starts in the summer according

KEVIN STOLTENBORG/THE FORDHAM RAM

The event held a raffle and live auction to raise money for the B+ Foundation.

to Leena Rachid, FCRH ’20, co-chair of the auction planning committee. She says she and other members of the committee solicit donations from various individuals, businesses and Fordham organizations.

“I’m on FDM because it’s so great to be part of an organization where individuals care so much about others,” she said.

“It puts everything in perspective. We also get to meet one on one with the kids the money is going to so it’s an amazing experience.”

Each residence hall RHA board donated a basket to the raffle. Rachid said her favorite item in the raffle was a basket of vinyl records donated by the Queens Court Residence Hall Association (RHA). As for the live auction, Rachid said she was most excited for the set of three Governors Ball tickets.

Theresa Amoruso, FCRH ’20, was co-chair of the auction planning committee along with Rachid. She said she has been on the committee in years past and wanted to continue working on it.

“I really enjoyed reaching out to all the different companies and getting donations and then once I saw it all come together, it was really rewarding,” she said.

Vicky Tezapsidis, FCRH ’19,

KEVIN STOLTENBORG/THE FORDHAM RAM

The proceeds from the auction brought FDM to 61 percent of its goal.

the FDM entertainment committee’s morale chair called out names during the raffle and cracked jokes. She also facilitated the auction and encouraged students and faculty in attendance to bid more “for the kids.”

The night concluded with a few words from a representative of the B+ foundation who thanked those in attendance and said the night’s revenue would allow them to write 12 extra checks to families dealing with pediatric cancer.

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NEWS

Page 6

February 20, 2019

Students Petition For Collins Renovation FROM COLLINS, PAGE 1

Clarke said. “Much of the major construction will take place over the summer months in an effort to reduce the impact on students using Collins Auditorium in the fall.”

Collins is one of the oldest buildings on campus. Collins Hall would violate The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a document that makes it illegal for buildings to be inaccessible to disabled people. However, it was built in 1904 and therefore escapes those regulations.

Students from the various clubs and organizations who put together the petition presented it at this month’s Student Life Council (SLC) meeting. SLC is made up of student representatives from RHA, CAB, CSA and USG as well as department heads from Residential Life, the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), Fordham College at Rose Hill, Gabelli School of Business and the Dean of Students.

Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20, USG vice president of student life, created the statement. She said it was important for students to present at SLC because the statement was a matter of public concern, and students needed to voice their concerns in front of administrators. She said the statement was a call to action and a request for help from the university.

“Overall, what I’m asking for is that the burden be taken off the students and for them to have a space where they can work and not feel responsible for taking care of it on their own,” she said.

Qamar helped draft USG’s testi-

mony in the statement.

“We, however, acknowledge that maintenance for the auditorium is difficult and costly,” it read. “With the installation of an elevator over the summer, it is our hope that these needed repairs can now occur. With the construction of the elevator, resources will be brought into the building which could potentially be used to maintain the student programming space.”

USG requested that renovations be made, such as replacing the main stage curtain, repainting the theater, repairing cracks in the walls and ceilings, improving ventilation, replacing seats in the theater, renovating the floor and improving seating the smaller Blackbox theater.

Qamar has been drafting and putting together the statement since October 2018. She said that she feels it is important to make a statement showing students’ devotion to the space to administrators.

“The bigger emphasis is that Collins is such an important student programming space,” she said. “I thought it was really important that the statement be written because a lot of administrators, faculty and staff members who work for the university are looking at the space in the daylight, and Collins doesn’t come alive until the night when TOP, FET and the Mimes finish their classes and go there.”

The Mimes and Mummers executive board also contributed testimony to the statement. They wrote about how hard they work to create professional productions and how they want a space that lives up to the same standards to which they hold

COURTESY OF ASHLEY QAMAR

USG, Mimes and Mummers, TOP and FET released a request to renovate the auditorium in Collins Hall.

themselves.

“We hire professional directors to help us reach our goal; directors who expect a certain standard out of any place they are employed, and we are determined to meet that standard,” they wrote. “Collins Auditorium has given so much to the students who work in it. The space as well as the students deserves attention from the University so that our club can meet its fullest potential.”

An account of the space from TOP’s executive board spoke highly of the space and of their experiences with it but also recognized the drawbacks of it.

“Several of our productions, es-

pecially those held during the winter months, have been impacted by the building’s inability to properly heat the auditorium,” they wrote. “The space’s sound system often provides an added challenge to our productions, and the paint chips that often litter the seats draw frequent comments from our audience members.”

The executive board of FET contributed a description of their problems with Collin’s smaller Theater that they utilize, the Blackbox theater. They wrote about practicing in winter coats due to heating problems.

“With a minor facelift, the Blackbox and Collins Hall could continue to serve Fordham students for years

to come,” they wrote. “Collins Hall is rich with memories, friendships and years of entertainment, and we’d love to do anything we can to preserve the integrity of the space while improving its functionality.”

Clarke said some of the repairs may be able to begin immediately, while others will have to wait for the installation of the elevator.

“Currently, Campus Center Operations and Facilities are working on the elevator project for Collins Auditorium," Clarke said. "We are also moving forward on repairs to the light system in the Blackbox Theater. Once construction of the elevator is completed, discussion of other potential projects will begin.”

Mario's Celebrates 100 Years On Arthur Avenue Restaurant Remains a Bronx Staple Since 1919 FROM MARIO'S, PAGE 1

Despite being open through the Great Depression, a world war and 9/11, Mario’s has not changed much. It still had many of the old favorites from its 1940 menu, albeit with higher prices.

Mario’s also originally served mostly pizza, but it now dishes up all sorts of Italian favorites, from their Insalata Di Pulpo (octopus salad), which was written up in a 1976 New York Times article, to the classic chicken parm. Today the pizza has become a sort of secret menu item, but it was still featured on Vice’s “The Pizza Show.”

Delfino said when parents are in town they always come to the restaurant, and they are already almost fully booked for graduation.

Migliucci, the fourth generation of Migliucci to run Mario’s, learned to cook from his uncle Clemente who ran the restaurant kitchen for many years, and it was his father for whom the restaurant is named .It originally opened under the name G. Migliucci.

Over the years notables like Elizabeth Taylor and Joe DiMaggio have visited the restaurant. Migliucci’s father even

ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Migliucci family continues to serve the Belmont community with authentic Italian cuisine.

turned down a request from Francis Ford Coppola to shoot the famous restaurant bathroom scene from “The Godfather” there.

“All our customers are like celebrities,” said Migliucci “When they come here, they feel like they’re coming into my home.”

Migliucci has done every job in the restaurant, from busboy to bartender.

“I used to work on the weekends when I was a kid, and then

I decided I didn’t want to go to college anymore,” Migliucci said.

“So I said, 'Dad I want to be in the business, I like being here and being with people and talking to them.'”

Migliucci was critical of the way the restaurant industry has changed over the years.

“You go to restaurants and you’re not acknowledged,” Migliucci said. “You sit down, they serve you and that’s it. Here we have a conversation with people.

We’re friendly and we make them feel welcome. I guess that’s what made us go a hundred years.”

Miggliucci also shared his thoughts on Italian cuisine in Manhattan “There they give you a little cup or a forkful of pasta,” he said.

“Here we give you half a pound.”

Mario’s is a family business through and through. Delfino and Migliucci are able to list countless family members who have held jobs all over the restaurant. They have also employed a few family friends over the years.

“I love working with my family,” said Delfino. “I remember being here with my grandmother and grandfather, and being able to have dinner with them and always seeing them smile and be happy, and customers loved them. People even come in here now asking for my father.”

NEWS

February 20, 2019

Page 7

FCRH Program Celebrates University Employees Honors Nominated Staff and Faculty Members

By HELEN STEVENSON NEWS EDITOR

During the month of February, the Strategic Initiatives team within Fordham College Rose Hill is honoring student nominees for “Who Do You Love at Fordham?”

The program serves to highlight staff and faculty members on the Rose Hill campus that contribute to the university community in a meaningful, positive way.

The Strategic Initiatives team is composed of Professor Rachel Annunziato, Ph.D., Dean ChristieBelle Garcia, Annunziato’s graduate assistant Abigail Kedik, FCRH ’18, and the FCRH Communications and Outreach intern Grace Little, FCRH ’20.

Annunziato said that the group is honored to have the opportunity to celebrate the nominated individuals. She said it is part of the university’s effort to maintain a sense of community on campus.

“We are deeply committed to community-building and celebrating those who enhance our lives here,” she said. “‘Who Do You Love’ is a great old song that we thought captured the spirit of this.”

Nominees are given a shout out on the FCRH Instagram, Facebook and Twitter under the handle @fordhamfcrh. The Strategic Initiatives team posts two nominations every Tuesday, including

COURTESY OF FORDHAM COLLEGE ROSE HILL FACEBOOK

Burt Scipio, a member of the university community for 14 years, was honored for "Who Do You Love at Fordham?"

one staff member and one faculty member.

“We have invited, via email blasts, all FCRH students to send in nominations,” Annunziato said.

The first nominee was Martin Broadbelt, staff member in the Marketplace cafeteria.

According to the post, nominees praised Broadbelt for his omeletmaking abilities and kind demeanor.

"Martin not only makes great omelets, but he goes out of his way

to make sure students' days are off to a good start with his kind words,” said one student in a nomination.

“Waking up early can be hard, but Martin brightens students' days every day with a kind smile and encouraging messages, especially during midterms and finals.”

The next nominated university figure featured was Eve Keller, Ph.D., who serves the university community as an English professor and the director of the Honors Program.

One nomination for Keller described the way she goes beyond her expectations and responsibilities as a professor and director.

“She cares about students personally and has reshaped the Honors Program over the past few years because of student input,” the nomination read. “Dr. Keller is spunky, hard-working, and kind, and I am very lucky to have gotten to know her here at Fordham.”

On the second week of "Who Do You Love at Fordham?," the

Strategic Initiative posted to honor Rev. Thomas Schirgi,S.J., a theology professor at the university.

In their nomination, one student said that Schirgi was the best professor they have had at the university because he embodies all ideals of Jesuit education and cura personalis.

“When you think of what a professor at Fordham should be like, Fr. embodies all aspects of it,” the student wrote. “He not only presents interesting material, but pushes one to better understand his or her faith.”

Burt Scipio, a security guards on campus, was nominated on Feb. 12.

Scipio has worked at the university for 14 years.

In a nomination for Scipio, one student wrote that he not only works to keep Fordham’s campus a safe environment, but he works to keep it a happy and welcoming one, too.

"Burt is one of those people who just always makes you smile,” the student wrote. “He's the kind of person that you look forward to seeing even on your worst days.”

Annunziato said the nominations are often inspiring and kind-hearted – so much so, the team intends to continue the event in the future.

“Given the wonderful reception by our students and how much this acknowledgement has meant to nominees, we do plan for this to become an annual event,” she said.

“In March we will begin to celebrate students from each class year on our social media too.”

Make a difference in a student’s life.

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Fordham GSE’s school counseling program prepares graduates for work in a variety of school settings. We offer rigorous full- and part-time programs which emphasize ethical decisionmaking and social justice, and our purposefully small classes are practitioner-scholar focused.

LEARN MORE AT fordham.edu/gse, and contact GSE today at gse_admiss@fordham.edu or 212-636-6400.

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February 20, 2019

OPINION

Page 8

The Fordham Ram

Green New Deal Could Make America Great Again

By JILLIAN KENNY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The resolution for the Green New Deal, a Democratic policy initiative, was released on Feb. 7. It outlines the creation of new economic projects that will increase renewable energy usage and provide jobs to those who have been underprivileged for most of the nation’s history. The document underscores our duty to correct the environmental degradation caused by our country’s industrialization. It is our responsibility to support the Green New Deal because it will help combat the world’s largest impending issue: climate change.

The Green New Deal has two main objectives. First, it aims to cut out all fossil fuel usage and replace much of the old, outdated and inefficient infrastructure. Second, it aims to correct injustices toward minorities and the poor.

The Green New Deal has been consistently criticized by the right for being too idealistic and expensive. It’s true that this legislation, if enacted, would cost a lot of money. But we are dealing with the most important issue for the future of America. Climate change, if left unchecked, will lead to the end of humanity as we know it.

No amount of money is too much to solve an issue so large.

Climate change decreases biodiversity in all ecosystems, melts glaciers, breaks up ice on rivers and lakes, causes extreme weather, changes precipitation patterns and increases droughts and heat waves. All of these

effects throw off the natural balance of the world’s ecosystem. Not only does it impact the ecosystem at large, but it decreases the quality of life for people living in all sorts of climates.

If we are not doing what we can as a country to prevent these effects, we are doing a disservice to our citizens and the citizens of the world.

Based on scientific projections, rising sea levels alone project the displacement of about 13 million U.S. citizens by the end of this century.

The Green New Deal will attack this problem on multiple fronts: it will improve infrastructure in areas prone to natural disasters and rising sea levels. The resolution also plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions to lessen the overall impact of climate change.

The second issue the Green New Deal wants to correct is the injustice faced by minorities and the poor.

While the New Deal of the 1930s helped increase prosperity and created jobs for many, it did not do enough to promote civil rights. The Green New Deal takes on this task by creating jobs for people in underprivileged communities and improving quality of life for all.

The resolution aims to correct environmental injustices. The effects of climate change are felt most heavily by minorities, indigenous peoples and other populations described as “frontline and vulnerable communities” in the document. The goal is to provide jobs to these communities and correct the systemic injustices faced by these people. We should

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Though Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal requires immense commitment, its goal is to support future generations.

care about and support legislation that increases equality within the U.S. The resolution states that climate change is an extreme threat to national security because it affects the economic and social stability of our country. The U.S. currently receives 81 percent of its energy from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas.

Since fossil fuels are liable to run out in the next 100 years, it is unwise to continue relying on them for energy.

We need alternative sources. Otherwise, our entire economic platform will collapse.

The scientific community agrees that climate change is human-caused and has real, lasting and deadly effects on U.S. citizens. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this issue. It is crucial that we support legislation that creates a solution for this looming problem. Climate change is a problem that won’t go away on its

own. If we don’t do our best to solve it now, it will only create larger problems and more intense conflicts in the future.

Criticism of this deal is absurd to hear coming from a party willing to spend billions of dollars building a wall across the entire U.S.-Mexican border. Despite their small-government bluster, Republicans are clearly willing to spend large sums on government projects when it suits them.

Starting projects that provide renewable energy would create millions of jobs working on long-lasting infrastructure. These jobs would replace those currently in the fossil fuel industry, which will become obsolete in the coming years anyway. It makes no sense to continuously pour billions of dollars into a dying industry.

Our country should be looking toward the future, not using up the last of an unreliable resource.

The language of the resolution emphasizes an important detail of the deal: it is our duty to fix the environmental degradation caused by the United States’ industrialization. This is an ethical issue, and our country is at fault for much of the destruction of the world’s natural systems.

Yes, this is a very progressive initiative. It requires an immense level of commitment, but that is what is so great about the Green New Deal: it supports the future of our country and aims to make the lives of our citizens better, not only now, but for our future generations. If we cannot provide for the future of our country, we are disgracing those who have fought for our freedom.

Jillian Kenny, FCRH ’21, is an international studies and environmental studies major from Bridgewater, New Jersey.

Green New Deal Takes the Wrong Approach

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Rep. Ocasio-Cortrez’s Green New Deal will cripple the U.S. economy for years to come and should not be implemented.

By DANE SALMON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Newly-elected Democratic Representative from the Bronx Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) recently proposed a Green New Deal, likely meant to evoke images of FDR’s New Deal. The deal has so far garnered 84 co-sponsors in the House and 11 in the Senate.

A poll conducted by Business Insider claims that 43.7 percent of respondents support the proposal as whole. This idea seems to be wildly popular amongst Americans, but what is the Green New Deal really?

The Green New Deal entails a complete overhaul of the American economy, infrastructure and energy sector in order to reduce the coun-

try’s greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, mitigate the effects of climate change.

To do this, all existing buildings in the United States would be renovated to be more energy and waterefficient, zero-emission transportation systems would be invested in, the agricultural economy would be completely overhauled, with the government working collaboratively with family farmers and ranchers and the entire energy sector would be converted to be clean, renewable and zero-emission.

The Green New Deal also includes provisions for less-green policy, like public single-payer healthcare, a guarantee for a job with an undefined “family-sustaining wage” and paid medical leave, family leave,

vacations and “retirement security” for all Americans and the strengthening of unionization and labor unions.

All public projects require funding and expenditures, of course. The projected cost of the Green New Deal, according to Ocasio-Cortez herself? Between 40 and 50 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product.

As of today, government spending accounts for a measly 21 percent – nearly $4.5 trillion annually. That’s about $2.5 trillion more than the approximately $1.9 trillion the United States collects in tax revenue.

This obviously could not be paid for without ridiculous taxes – not just on the rich, but on every American. For context, if the entirety of the wealth of the 10 richest Americans

was confiscated, it would amount to about half a trillion dollars. The Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans’ total net worth amounts to only $2.9 trillion – around 30 percent of the annual expenditure needed to finance the Green New Deal.

The calculated cost for the social programs proposed by the Green New Deal (universal basic income, paid leave, living wage, etc.), as calculated from progressive and nonpartisan sources, would amount to between $46 and $81 trillion over 10 years, depending on who receives universal basic income.

The only way this could be paid for, short of confiscation of between half and three-quarters of the entire wealth of the United States, is through massive loans from public banks. Not only is this outlandish, it is irresponsible. The United States has no money in its treasury because it spends more than twice as much as it makes.

Environmental action is needed.

It is imperative that steps are taken to ensure the continuing health of the planet and the existence of the human race, but there are better ways to do it. One of the most ridiculous aspects of this outlandish proposal is the complete lack of consideration for nuclear power – miles more efficient than any source of renewable energy or fossil fuels we have today and hardly pollutant.

Another aspect which this bill fails to consider is the fact that fossil fuels are not economically viable in the long run. They are a finite resource and will eventually run out.

The easiest and most sustainable solution to the fossil fuel problem is to cut subsidies for the fossil fuel sector.

Now, after all the facts have been laid out and analyzed, we must conclude that AOC’s Green New Deal will do nothing short of crippling the U.S. economy for years to come should it be implemented in part, let alone in its entirety.

Neither will it affect meaningful change in the right direction should international pressure not force Asian countries to reduce their own emissions. The goal of restoring and preserving the Earth is noble and just, but this is the wrong way to go about it. We would not only take a step forward, but a bound and a leap backwards.

Climate change is real and must be addressed – woe to those who deny it – but a government takeover of the much more efficient private sector is a misguided crusade. Climate action can be taken authentically within the United States. It’s only a matter of letting it bloom on its own.

Dane Salmon, FCRH ’21, is an economics and philosophy major from Coppell, Texas.

February 20, 2019

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The Ram

OPINION

Page 10

R

Serving the Fordham University 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 over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief Aislinn Keely Managing Editor Hannah Gonzalez Business Director Donald Dugan Operations Director Briana Scalia Editorial Director Lindsay Grippo Executive Director Colette Nolan Copy Chief Vanessa DeJesus Maggie Rothfus News Editor Helen Stevenson Projects Editor Erica Scalise Assistant News Editors Eliot Schiaparelli Sarah Huffman Opinion Editors Briana Scalia Collin Bonnell Culture Editors Rachel Gow Kieran Press-Reynolds Sports Editor Jack McLoone Assistant Sports Editors Andrew Posadas Dylan Balsamo Digital Producers Kristen Egan Katherine Morris Photo Editor Julia Comerford Visual Director Bojeung Leung Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is se-

lected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ram appreciates submissions to fordhamramopinions@ gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

February 20, 2019

From the Desk | Kieran Press-Reynolds

The Right Can’t Meme “During the full moon, OcasioCortez transforms into her full powered true form. Satanic Communist.”

Below this heading is perhaps the worst meme I’ve ever seen in my life – a conservative fever dream, starring Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) with werewolf fangs and a tattoo on her forehead of an emblem that combines both the hammer and sickle and the inverted pentagram.

Submitted by user TheKnightThatMemes in the Reddit forum for Donald Trump supporters, The_ Donald, this meme is just one of many created and shared every day.

Memes and Trump supporters have a long history, dating back to 2015 when the creative geniuses on 4chan began what they called “The Great Meme War.” There is an incredibly detailed Encyclopedia Dramatica entry about it, with synopses of each individual battle, including such notable moments as “The Pepe Civil War” and “The British Front” (AKA “Battle of Brexit”). Essentially, it’s fan fiction – a way for supporters to feel connected with the MAGA cause and justify why they sit at their keyboards all day sharing the good word of Pepe and Kekistan.

The title of this piece is a play on a common slogan wielded by Trump fans: “the left can’t meme!” Originated in 2016, this was a critique lobbed at liberals for making cringeworthy and overly sensitive memes.

One Reddit user, ZhonPepe, reasoned that the modern left’s inability to meme came from it being “by default politically correct.” Political correctness is often seen by the right as a tool of censorship; right-wingers have argued that the left is unfunny precisely because it refuses to toler-

ate many offensive jokes that exploit racial or gender stereotypes.

In 2017, a webcomic artist named Kukuruyo wrote a long blog post theorizing why the left can’t meme, explaining that right-wingers are willing to invest in shock value – like making a meme of an anime girl in Nazi getup – and that the basic visual impact of shock is worth more than anything else. In her influential 2017 book, “Kill All Normies,” Angela Nagle analyzed how this shock-based, transgressive style of humor became so trademark and effective for alt-right meme makers. Now, as the left is bent on cultivating a more heightened awareness towards discrimination, they’re seen as prudes in favor of order.

For Trump’s base, which skews towards the non-college educated, shock memes are very effective because they’re pure imagery. It’s no surprise that Trump supporters are easily enthused by instantly-gratifying visual jokes, like AOC as the closeted Satanic Communist.

The right’s most effective meme so far has been Pepe, which functioned as a sort of simplistic, propagandic self-identifier. Pepe went viral, and it built crucial iconography for Donald Trump’s base. It might have even won him the election.

But is Pepe really a meme? Maybe it once was, but it has since transcended meme status. Pepe is an interesting phenomenon because it existed long before Trump, and was appropriated for the alt-right’s cause. But there’s never been any sense of innovation with it. Pepe just exists, almost like a Robert E. Lee statue – a shrivelled symbol for identity.

The modern right fundamentally misunderstands what a “meme” is.

Memes are intrinsically ephemeral,

like slang. Different ones can achieve popularity and then fade out, nearly by the day. Evidenced by pop culture artifacts like the “meme calendar,” which highlights the most popular format of each month, memes are inextricable from innovation. Before a meme becomes “dead,” it’s always pushed to its most meta potential; for example, towards the end of the “Steven Crowder Change My Mind” meme’s lifespan, it got self-reflexive.

The right can’t meme, and never could, because their ideology – wanting to freeze frame cultural developments and preserve “traditional” white values – is inherently contrameme. They don’t seek new meme formats and innovations, which is why you most often see Trump supporters using the classic meme format of an image and impact font bold text.

It’s the type of meme you’d expect your grandma to text you – severely out of touch with what’s new and exciting.

Relying on simplistic, visual shock – like claiming that “Demon-rats” are Ku Klux Klan members or New York wants to murder your infant – is the digital equivalent to wearing a blackface as a “joke.” These memes aren’t memes, but gags that require no intellectual depth, instead subsisting on age-old stereotypes that are funny to predominantly straight white men with supremacy complexes.

Back in 2016, the left made a huge mistake in engaging with right-wing content. Declaring Pepe a hate symbol, for example, caused massive backlash and only served to strengthen the communal bonds of the frogloving right-wingers.

Now, however, the tide has turned.

AOC has been the best thing for the left’s meme game since she is putting

Trump supporters on the defensive.

As communications researcher Grant Kien detailed in a paper on memetic audience behavior, “countermemes,” which are used to reverse oppressions online, are “ultimately always reactive” and fail to stop a viral trend. In the wake of AOC’s soaring popularity, tasteless memes depicting her as a lunatic only further spread her influence. In a way, she has become the left’s Pepe, provoking ineffectual lashback from the right.

In addition, the right’s unstoppable flow of AOC memes is a reflection of deep-seated fear. Like a bully who beats people up because they are insecure, Trump supporters are incredibly scared of AOC, who represents one of the first real threats to propagate socialism among the younger generation.

The fact that she’s charismatic, elegant and clearly destined for some kind of leadership role in the future has conservatives paralyzed with dread.

Once you take away Pepe, the right has nothing left. If its memes are not blatantly racist, homophobic or transphobic, they’re still poorly made and entirely uncreative. Memes are internet currency, and the right is currently bankrupt.

Editorial | Maintenance

Recondition Collins Hall This week, Vice President of Student Life Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20, presented a statement titled, “Student Voices for Future Maintenance of a Beloved Space” at this month’s Student Life Council meeting.

The petition, written in collaboration with United Student Government (USG) and on-campus performance groups Fordham Experimental Theater (FET), the Mimes and Mummers and Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP), laid out issues with Rose Hill’s Collins Hall and urged the administration to consider the groups’ proposed improvements.

The Ram stands with USG, FET, the Mimes and Mummers and TOP in calling for the continued renovations of Collins Hall.

We recognize the value of the space to the Fordham community and hope it can finally come to reflect outwardly the dedication and care that is brought into it by students daily.

Collins is Rose Hill’s hub for everything theatrical. FET, the Mimes and Mummers and TOP frequent the building’s Collins Auditorium and Blackbox Theatre.

The space is a much-valued one for those in Fordham’s passionate theater community and for those who support this community.

Collins also houses Fordham’s ac-

tive philosophy department.

The university requires that all undergraduates take two philosophy classes, Philosophy of Human Nature and Philosophical Ethics, as part of its mandatory core curriculum.

A central concern with the building is its lack of accessibility. This issue has been a longstanding one, raised by USG in 2013 and again in 2015.

The building’s current inaccessibility inhibits students with physical disabilities from participating in the theatrical communities based there.

Similarly, students with disabilities are prevented from having a convenient and traditional place to meet their philosophy professors for office hours, thereby making it more difficult for them to establish positive relationships with instructors, fully understand challenging course material or reach their highest potential in a class.

After lobbying from USG, the administration solidified plans to make the building fully wheelchair accessible back in April.

The additions of an elevator and a ramp to the main entrance were slated to be completed by the end of 2018.

However, the renovations have been pushed back. An updated schedule has the work starting after this year’s Commencement (which takes place in May), according to Vice Pres-

ident of Facilities Management Marco Valera.

Facilities received funding for the project in July 2018 as per its annual budget cycle, but, due to challenges with the building’s structure, the design was not completed until the fall, according to Valera.

This delay means that members of the Fordham community with disabilities will continue to be disadvantaged.

The start of construction was moved to the summer of this year because demolition for the project will be intrusive and noisy, according to Valera. He affirmed that the project is a priority and that its current budget is $4 million.

We appreciate the commitment Fordham has already made to increased accessibility, and we look forward to these plans finally coming to fruition.

We – in solidarity with USG, FET, the Mimes and Mummers and TOP – encourage the university to continue to dedicate resources to the dilapidated building.

Significant parts of both Collins Auditorium and the Blackbox Theatre are worn and decrepit.

USG’s statement called for the replacement of the main stage curtain, seats and window curtains, the repainting of the theater and the repa-

rations of cracks in the walls/ceilings and of the ropes/rigging system in the Collins Auditorium.

It also proposed new flooring and improved seating in Blackbox and improved ventilation in both locations. Other issues with the building include its unstable heating and sound systems.

Campus Center Operations and Facilities are already working on repairs to the light system in the Blackbox, according to Assistant Director for Campus Center Operations Stephen Clarke.

Once construction of the elevator is completed, discussion of other potential projects will begin, he noted.

This receptive attitude towards questions of further improvements is a first step in the right direction towards revitalizing one of the oldest buildings on campus.

In its statement, USG acknowledged that maintenance for the auditorium is difficult and costly. We at The Ram recognize these realities as well.

Nonetheless, we hope the university will find a way to revamp a space that desperately needs the upkeep.

Fordham’s talented and dedicated performing groups bring Collins to life. Doing so should not have to feel like resuscitating a corpse.

OPINION

February 20, 2019

Page 11

Misleading the Flock: The Case of Murray-Weigel

By GREGORY HOPP

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus, in its placing of restricted priests in Murray Weigel Hall, failed the lay students of Fordham University and the priests under its care. There has been much debate among members of the Society of Jesus, the Church and the Fordham community surrounding what the safety procedures for priests credibly accused of sexual abuse should be, but that is really not my focus. Rather, the most identifiable and fundamental issue with the province’s handling of these priests is its practice of secrecy, by which it has endangered the effectiveness of Fordham’s ministry and exercised dangerous and un-Christian hypocrisy. I would

also note before going further that my complaint is not at all with any individual priests or even with Fordham’s and the Northeast Province’s priests generally, but solely with the leadership of the Province as applicable to this issue.

As a Catholic with a personal love for the Society of Jesus and as a friend of some of their scholastics, I naturally hesitate before accusing the province of wrongdoing. But we must acknowledge the situation at hand. The province knew that they had placed multiple priests with credible or established accusations of sexual abuse in Murray Weigel Hall, a residence in extremely close contact with Fordham’s campus.

As noted by some members of the Fordham community, within a few blocks of several elementary and high schools, and gave no public

notice to the community. Many of us are now aware that there were always safety measures in place and that the restricted priests were closely monitored, but why should these measures prevent the students of Fordham University from receiving notice of their presence?

The community takes pride in how many of our students administer to or regularly converse with these priests. Yet we were deprived of the opportunity to give informed consent. I am one to trust that these procedures were effective, and so if they were publicly known, I doubt many people would refuse to visit Murray Weigel because of the sequestered presence of restricted priests. The community still should have been aware, at least in order to use public scrutiny as an accountability measure.

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Northeast Province has been less than honest in regards to the ongoing controversy at Murray-Weigel.

Thankfully, no students were hurt in the presence of restricted priests at Murray Weigel Hall.

Nonetheless, my heart and many others break for the innocent priests caught up in this nonsense.

The vast majority of the priests at Murray Weigel have served the Church’s mission admirably for many years, feeding the hungry, healing the sick and educating thousands of young people to do the same. These men are virtuous, and now they require the ministry of others. But who does the Province select as the Murray-Weigel chaplain?

William Scanlon, whom I cannot bear to call by the title “Father,” and who allegedly and credibly abused minors for a decade.When the revelations about these men came, as they inevitably do and rightfully should, the nature of the revelations required that student ministry at Murray Weigel be cut off, just when any innocent priests emotionally affected by the events may have needed their friends and ministers from Fordham the most.

Perhaps the Province ought to look more to Church teaching for guidance. Catholics are taught growing up that in Confession, if one remembers certain sins but chooses not to confess them with the others, their sins are not forgiven. The Province has not shown the Fordham community the openness which doctrine demands, but has

instead continued the toxic pattern of corporate tribalism visible in the church today. The Church has instituted reform after reform to deal with the sex abuse crisis, and many of these reforms have been effective. But how can the soul of the Church heal if our institutions practice continual secrecy and cannot place their trust in the lay people whom they are called to serve?

I imagine that just about everyone is happy that we have received assurance from Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., President of the University, that ministry to Murray-Weigel has resumed and that there are no longer restricted priests placed there, nor will there be in the future. But we have still been left without clarity. There is an abundance of questions that could still be asked regarding where the restricted priests have been placed and how the Province handles them.

Many of us would like to question them. As members of society, we care about the safety of all our people. As for us lay Catholics, we are called just as much as any priest to work for justice in our church.

But we cannot answer these questions until the institutional church adopts a policy of openness and public scrutiny, so all of its members may work for justice.

Gregory Hopp, FCRH ’21, is a Middle East studies major from State College, Pennsylvania.

The U.S. and North Korea Move Closer to an Uneasy Compromise

By NICHOLAS ZAROMATIDIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In President Trump’s recent State of the Union address, he announced an upcoming second meeting with Chairman Kim Jong-Un of North Korea from Feb. 27 to Feb. 28 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Their first meeting was on June 11, 2018 in Singapore. The purpose of this series of meetings was to reduce tensions between the United States and North Korea.

North Korea is currently buried in economic sanctions issued by the U.S. due to its noncompliance with denuclearization laws, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1985. In 2003, North Korea withdrew due to pressure from the other signatories of the NPT; all signatories had to have annual inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. North Korea did not want to comply with this because it still has nuclear weapons.

According to President Trump, the first meeting was “very, very good,” and he was looking forward to building an “excellent relationship” between the two leaders. As part of the de-escalation, Trump promised to remove U.S. troops from South Korea. Ever since the Korean War, the United States has performed routine joint-operations with South Korea as training exercises against the obvious threat of North Korea at the time.

For the first time in about 40 years, the United States is giving North Ko-

rea some breathing room, releasing some pressure and hoping it behaves itself. It’s like leaving a child home alone without a baby-sitter, and hoping he doesn’t destroy the house (or the entire planet, in this case). If relations can improve between the U.S. and North Korea, a healthy economic relation could hopefully ensure the integration of North Korea into other global partnerships like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United Nations and possibly the C40, a sustainability committee.

Many criticize the possibility of a trustworthy relationship between the United States and North Korea.

I vote to give it a trial run for now.

With the United States assuming its current role as a power house, other nations could follow its lead, granting some rights and permissions to North Korea.

Hopefully, North Korea will start to realize that other nations are attempting to better their relations with it and gain a level of appreciation for the U.S. However, the hardest sell for North Korea will be the denuclearization act.

North Korea is accompanied by India, Pakistan and possibly Israel in possessing nuclear weapons and refusing to sign the NPT. For years, this was considered an obvious act of aggression in attempting to stockpile nuclear weapons for potential attacks; however, a nuclear weapon is the only defense against another nuclear weapon. The United States is currently asking North Korea to

COURTESY OF TWITTER

President Trump should use his time with Chairman Jong-Un wisely if he wants to pursue this process of denuclearization.

completely denuclearize while the US still has over 320 times the nuclear weapon stockpile than North Korea. Essentially, the United States is policing North Korea, and Chairman Kim Jong-Un has already noticed it.

The Chairman will only completely denuclearize if the United States denuclearized as well, which will never happen.

While there are endless possibilities for what can occur in the future for our two nations, there are three ultimate options: progression, stagnation and retrogression. Retrogression would be the worst of the three: being that North Korea returns to despising the U.S. and starts “test firing” nuclear weapons toward our nation.

This could easily result in a nuclear war. If not, hostility will consistently be breed until future relationships between our nations cannot be re-

solved. Stagnation is not ideal but would not be the worst option. Being open to discussing possible alternatives to compromise is key; however, if we remain at our current state, the US would still live on. It would not have the opportunity to reap neither potential economic nor political benefits from North Korea, but at least our nations would not be at war.

The most ideal situation would be to make progress. This could be in the form of scheduling a third meeting, initiating the process of denuclearization or relieving North Korea from some of the economic sanctions to demonstrate compliance with our rules and regulations.

Overall, these peace talks are steps in the right direction for our two countries. I feel that North Korea will want something large in return for its complete denuclearization, other

than American denuclearization — which will never occur.

However, I hope that President Trump will use his time with Chairman Jong-Un wisely, as denuclearization is important but can be a long, drawn-out process. There are other pressing issues, such as economic sanctions, stationing of soldiers and North Korea’s current relations with other countries in Southeastern Asia that should be discussed in the interim. A realistic compromise would be one in which both parties walk away from the table not fully satisfied. This might be a difficult concept for the current United States government to understand fully.

Nicholas Zaromatidis, GSB ’21, is an applied accounting and finance major from Franklin Square, New York.

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

Page 12

February 20, 2019

CSS Supports Commuting Students’ Initiatives

By HANNAH GONZALEZ MANAGING EDITOR

In part one of this week’s Fordham Looks Forward, Stephen Esposito, director for leadership in Commuter Student Services, spoke on his new role in the Office of Student Involvement as he advises both the Commuting Students Association (CSA) and Commuter Assistants (CAs). In the coming weeks, he aims to promote the relationship between commuters and residents, as well as to identify issues commuting students would like to see prioritized.

Hannah Gonzalez: So, my first question: what is your office responsible for, and what are you looking to accomplish in the next year?

Stephen Esposito: My specific role is the Director for Leadership in Commuter Student Services. I joined staff midway through January, and I came from Career Services. So basically, what I oversee is the Commuter Student Association. I’m also the advisor for the Commuter Assistants, who help acclimate new students to the Fordham community. In addition to that, I handle

anything that falls under student services from the Student Involvement side.

I know that in the next few weeks I really want to get a survey out through OrgSync and pick the brains of all the commuter students here to see how their experience has been and what they would really like to see us improve upon. Hopefully from there, based on what they say, I’ll be able to better figure out what needs to be done.

Then I have a few personal goals coming into the role that I knew I wanted to focus on as well, which are working closer with Residential Life to see what services they’re offering, as well as Commuter Student Services over at Lincoln Center, and hopefully bringing both of those together to make it a similar experience for commuter students here compared to residents, in the sense of becoming a part of the community at Fordham and feeling like this really is your campus.

Additionally, I really want to increase the visibility of the CSA and CA programming that happens throughout the year, as well as increase the visibility of them on the

website and getting the word out to students.

I know that a lot of programs do happen later at night for other organizations. So we’re working with the new staff here in Student Involvement to encourage other student groups to have more commuterfriendly programming. I know that The Ram, for instance, in a recent article, said that only three people on the staff are commuters. So we’re trying to figure out how we can engage different student groups and help them to be more commuterfriendly in their programming, and also in the structure of their organization. So that’s something I’m excited to work on, especially since a lot of us in this office actually are fairly new to our role. I think it’s an exciting time to look at what’s been done and just improve upon it based on student feedback.

HG: Does part of that improvement include creating programming that’s catering to students?

SE: CSA oversees Rams Got Talent, and that’s a part of a larger week of programming, which is Commuter Week, happening March 4 to the 9. Once they release the theme,

you’ll hear about all the programming happening that week. CSA is really the one that does a bunch of programming for a commuter population in general, and then the CAs specifically do programs for freshmen students because they’re equivalent to Resident Assistants in the sense that they help students acclimate to the university. But Commuter Assistants specifically focus on freshmen.

HG: As the advisor for both CSA and the CAs, what is that relationship like? Do you help them plan programming, support them?

SE: Basically, I’m there to assist them in planning and executing of their programs, making sure that we’re having a healthy mix of social programming, educational programming and things of that nature, as well supporting the initiatives that CSA’s trying to work on. We have the CLC, the Commuter Life Council, which meets twice a month. That happens at the same time as the CSA general meeting, which is on Mondays at one. But that’s really where they speak about all the initiatives that they’re working on, from dealing with the parking garages to Stu-

RAM ARCHIVES

Commuter Student Services helps to facilitate CSA events such as Rams Got Talent (top) and oversees the maintenance of the Student Lounge (bottom).

dent Lounge updates that they want to see to a variety of other topics.

HG: I know new flooring was just put into the Student Lounge. Was that your initiative?

SE: That was something that’s been something that’s in the works for quite some time, so we’re excited that it happened. Hopefully they’ll be painting soon, on a weekend so we don’t have to close the lounge again. We’re also continuing to look at other spaces on campus to try and better that relationship between commuters and residents. We’re trying to create programming that will hopefully bring everyone together.

HG: So, in addition to physical space, you’re also looking at programming that builds community?

SE: I think the best thing that I could do is encourage the Commuter Assistants and CSA to partner with RHA and Resident Assistants to create programming that may be in spaces that commuter students don’t traditionally hang out in or go to for a program, to try and encourage the student population to mingle. We also want to have more resident students come down to the Student Lounge. It’s not the “Commuter Lounge”; it’s the Student Lounge, and it’s to open to all students. I really want to emphasize that. So we’re really trying to get people into other spaces.

HG: Is bringing the population together one of the main issues you’re looking to tackle in the short term, maybe long term?

SE: My first goal is to find out the issues that commuter students really want to see focused on and prioritize those. But in addition to that, I really would love to see more communication and interaction between residents and commuters. We do that through programming that’s offered at commuter-friendly times, because those times are also friendly to residents, since they live on campus. It’s hard when a program’s at night, especially on the weekends. So we’re trying to encourage more weekday programming that happens at an earlier time. I think that’s going to be the biggest way that we can help foster those interactions.

I also really want to work with the SOAP team here, which is Student Organizations and Programming, to encourage other student clubs and organizations to program once a month at a computer-friendly time.

We also want clubs to look at who’s on their staff. Is there a role that a commuter could do remotely? What type of role is that? Can we push that out to the commuter student population through OrgSync and try to encourage them to apply for it?

That’s really what I want to focus on.

Again, I feel like once I get the survey out and have even more feedback, I’ll understand what key issues everyone wants to work on right now.

HG: Is there anything else you want to plug? Any events coming up or programs you’re working on?

SE: We have Commuter Week, which will be a very big event coming up in March. I would also like to plug that we soon will be opening applications for Commuter Assistants for next year. Also, we will be seeing elections for the Commuter Students Association. Both are great opportunities for commuters who want to take on a leadership roles on campus. If they have any questions, they can reach out to me or people already on the organization to talk about it.

February 20, 2019

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

Page 13

CSA Prepares for Annual Commuter Week

By HANNAH GONZALEZ MANAGING EDITOR

For the second installment of this week’s Fordham Looks Forward, Vanessa Reyes, FCRH ’19, president of the Commuting Students Association (CSA), discussed her desire for CSA to be included in discussions and decisions relating to commuters on campus. In addition, she spoke on CSA’s preparations for their upcoming Commuter Week festivities during the first week of March.

Hannah Gonzalez: So, I already got the departmental view of where they want commuter assistance to go, but what would you say you’re excited for or you’re working towards in the next few months?

Vanessa Reyes: I think the biggest thing that we’re working towards now is Commuter Week, which is happening on March 4 through March 9 this year. It’s a week that promotes events that are at commuter-friendly times, and we have free food, raffle prizes, free shirts. That’s one of the main things that we work on during the spring.

I think in the upcoming months or years for CSA, for the Commuting Students Association, I definitely want to see it taken more seriously by other department heads or other organizations because it’s really on the backburner in people’s minds. When they think about event planning, commuters are the last ones invited to the table. I definitely took on this presidential position because I wanted to be that voice. I wanted to sit at the table and say, “Hey, this is wrong, we need to change this,” or, “Can we do this instead for commuters?”

HG: I know last year there was an initiative to change club meeting times. When you’re talking about things that are wrong and that you are working to change, is it practical things like that, or are there more institutional things that you’re working towards?

VR: We’re working on both.

We have four boards: freshman board, sophomore board, junior board and senior board, and they each take on an initiative every year. Mainly they revolve around commuter issues but sometimes they do more student issues in general. One initiative is pushing clubs to have a commuter-friendly meeting time. Having one commuter-friendly time once a month is something that a lot of clubs have been doing now. They’ve been very inclusive of commuters, knowing that starting at 9 p.m. is not going to help you get that commuter voice.

HG: So what actually constitutes a commuter friendly time?

VR: Commuter-friendly times can be in the morning, even though we have classes. Basically, past 7 p.m. is late. You have to take into account that some people travel two hours. From 7, traveling two hours is 9 p.m. But anything before 7 p.m. is usually a commuter-friendly time.

HG: Clubs have been better about changing that?

VR: Yeah, definitely. They include us and even send out Google Forms, like, “Hey, can you fill this

COURTESY OF CSA

The Commuting Students Association includes four boards of elected members ranging from freshmen to seniors and holds elections every spring semester.

out with times that work for you so we can change our club meeting times?” So they’ve been good about it.

HG: Going back to Commuter Week, what kind of events are you planning?

VR: Our theme this year is time travel. Each day, Monday through Friday, is a different day in time.

So our first day is prehistoric. Our second day is ’50s diner — we also have a roller rink. We have VR stuff for the future. So that whole week will be filled with games, free food, raffle prizes and free Tshirts, all based in McGinley.

HG: What’s your goal for the week? What do you want students to walk away with?

VR: I definitely want them to walk away with the sense of know-

ing what CSA does and how integral our organization is to commuters and also for residents, because it is open to residents as well. We’re getting our name out there and making sure that everyone knows that our events are totally free. You never have to pay.

We’re just here for a fun time and to make sure that everyone feels included.

HG: So, then, is Commuter Week the big event you gear up for most of the year?

VR: Definitely. We’re going on a retreat this weekend actually to finalize a few things and work out any kinks that we have for Commuter Week.

HG: After that, are the elections coming up?

VR: After that first week of

March, we’ll start delving into elections. Anyone can run to be on a board for next year. The only positions that aren’t open to people who aren’t in CSA are on the executive board.

HG: Thinking forward to future generations of commuters and residents, what is your vision, if you were to picture an ideal campus that is accommodating for commuters?

VR: I would definitely have more recognition, and people knowing the acronym CSA. Being invited first or second or third to the table instead of being a last option, or people only thinking about us when it’s convenient — like during the snowstorm, how someone wrote an article about commuters and being scared for

their safety. It’s like you’re using my experience to justify why you shouldn’t go to class, and that’s not okay.

We just want people understand that, and know that if you wanted to write an article like that you should have asked one of us, or come to CSA saying, “Hey, you guys should be the voice of this, because this is something that’s going to affect you guys more than us.” When I say like “you guys” I mean commuters and when I say “us” I mean residents.

So I think just being able to take that into account. Not speaking for us when we’re not there.

Overall, knowing that commuter students need to be in conversations about everything happening on this campus.

RAM ARCHIVES

Commuter Week , organized annually by CSA, is a week of programming that includes raffles, T-shirts, food and games, all based in McGinley Center.

Page 14

OPINION

February 20, 2019

Democrats Must Embrace Diverse Ideologies, But Diaz Must Step Down

By EDWARD SHEEHAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Over the last few weeks, New York City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. has found himself under increasing pressure to resign over his homophobic remarks. Diaz, a Democrat and Pentecostal minister known for his fiery social conservatism, claimed last week that gays control the New York City Council (even though only five of 51 council members are openly gay).

This, in addition to past statements comparing homosexuality to bestiality, has led to a chorus of voices, most significantly Bill de Blasio and Diaz’s own son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., to call for him to step down or apologize.

I believe Diaz’s statements are indefensible and he should step down, and I hope Diaz Jr.’s condemnation of his father comes from genuine disgust with Diaz Sr.’s views and not political ambition. However, this controversy raises questions about the sustainability of New York City’s current political alignment.

New York is a Democrat-dominated city, to say the least. In the 2017 city council elections, Republicans only won four seats (one

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Reverend Ruben Diaz Sr., City Counciler for District 18 in the Bronx, has come under fire for making homophobic comments.

with a self-proclaimed Democrat running as GOP), scattered in the most distant suburban neighborhoods of the outer boroughs.

Just a decade ago, Republicans like Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg (in his first term) were able to win the mayoralty with commanding margins. Now, de Blasio won two-thirds of the vote in the 2017 mayoral election, and there are no promising Republi-

cans in sight.

Once, third parties like the Conservative Party on the right and the Working Families Party on the left could use New York’s unique cross-endorsement system to play an influential role in elections, but over time these have become mere adjuncts to the Democrats and Republicans. But that, of course, does not make the city a political monolith by any stretch.

New York is one of the most diverse cities on Earth and has citizens ranging from socialists to liberals to conservatives.

But as American politics become ever more polarizing, candidates who do not march to the beat of the national party line will be ostracized.

Sometimes this will be good.

The Democrats have no room for a Ruben Diaz Sr., and I would

hope the people of his Parkchester district reject him in the next election. However, there needs to be more room to reflect the tremendous intellectual and ideological diversity of this city.

Municipalities all over the country have begun embracing new voting systems, particularly ranked choice. I propose that New York take it a step further, and create a fully proportional voting system for its city council. This would allow the city’s politics to reflect its diversity.

Now, such a system would be chaotic, beyond a doubt, but so is this city. The fact is, a one-and-ahalf party city where the dominant political force is increasingly homogeneous ideologically will not be a functioning political entity.

It should also be remembered that a difference between local and national politics is far from unheard of. In most Canadian provinces, the party system is different from that of the national level.

If such an experiment were to succeed, New York could be a laboratory for new multi-party politics. All New Yorkers deserve a voice, except for Ruben Diaz Sr., who should step down.

Edward Sheehan, FCRH ’22, is a history major from Needham, Massachusetts.

Amazon’s Absence: A Win for New York

By SEAN FRANKLIN STAFF WRITER

This week, Amazon cancelled its plans to build a new corporate campus, dubbed “HQ2,” in New York City. The deal to bring Amazon to New York fell apart after the company was faced with opposition from local residents and lawmakers. Particular aim was taken at the $3 billion in government subsidies that the company would receive, as well as Amazon’s less-than-stellar track record of corporate abuses and mistreatment of workers.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio both bemoaned the collapse of the deal, as did many in the business community. It makes intuitive sense to feel bad about this — New York City had 25,000 new tech jobs on the way, and now it doesn’t. However, these complaints miss the point entirely.

This should be seen as an unadulterated victory for New York, not a loss. With Amazon’s decision to leave, we all dodged a huge bullet.

As I have written before for The Fordham Ram, Amazon’s presence in New York would likely have made life worse for ordinary New Yorkers. New York is already one of the richest and most productive cities in the nation. Accordingly, the cost of living is astronomical. Year after year, New York ranks as one of the most expensive U.S. cities to live in.

Amazon’s arrival in New York would have made this problem much worse. An influx of 25,000 wealthy new residents without a commensurate increase in housing stock would have driven the rent up even higher.

Amazon would have hired some New York residents, to be sure, but since the unemployment rate in New York is already so low — it currently sits at 4 percent — the net effect would have been 25,000 new people moving to the city, either to work for Amazon or to replace the workers that had left other New York companies to work for Amazon.

Amazon’s arrival in New York would have benefited no one except Amazon itself. Amazon didn’t pick New York as the site of their headquarters out of a sense of good will or because it wanted their workers to have better bagels. It chose to come here because New York has what it wants: a well-educated workforce and status as a global hub for every kind of business. New York does not need Amazon — Amazon needs New York.

This makes it all the more ludicrous that state politicians were willing to give the most valuable company in the world $3 billion in tax breaks. Voters were rightfully outraged that the state government was handing out billions to the world’s richest man when it can’t seem to find the money to fix basic problems, like the subway (the MTA is controlled by state,

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Though Amazon’s decision to move its HQ will allegedly result in the loss of 25,000 jobs, it is ultimately a win for the city.

not city, officials) or New York’s public schools.

Some in the business community are worried that the loss of Amazon will damage New York’s reputation as a tech hub. But these fears are way overblown.

New York was a center for tech before Amazon, and it will be in the future as well.

As recently as last December, Google announced that it was expanding its Chelsea campus, bringing more than 7,000 new jobs and $1 billion in investment — all without a dime in taxpayer money.

According to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, New York’s thriving tech scene already employs

320,000 people. Tech companies are drawn to New York for the same reason that Amazon was — its pool of skilled workers and its access to capital. Amazon’s departure will change neither of those things. In fact, Amazon admitted that its presence in New York will grow despite the cancellation of HQ2 as it already employs about 5,000 people in the city.

Even the property market in Long Island City — the neighborhood of Queens where Amazon would have taken up residence ,— is projected to grow significantly with or without the company. Demand for apartments in the neighborhood, favored for its prime location right across the East River from Manhattan, was

high before Amazon’s announcement and will be after its departure. By 2020, 6,400 new units are expected to go up for sale in the neighborhood.

All this underscores the fact that New York was doing just fine without Amazon, and their decision to leave will not hurt us.

In fact, we’re probably better off without them.

We’ve saved ourselves billions in taxpayer money, and we’ve avoided overheating the New York’s property market more than it already is. Amazon’s loss is New York City’s gain.

Sean Franklin, FCRH ’21, is an urban studies major from Alexandria, Virginia.

February 20, 2019

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Page 15

CULTURE

Page 16

February 20, 2019

Who's That Kid | It's Makena Masterson, GSB '19

Fordham Senior Fashions a Name for Herself

By HELEN STEVENSON NEWS EDITOR

Makena Masterson, GSB ’19, said she does not know anything about fashion. That would come as a surprise to anyone who has seen her new clothing line, Chicken Over Rice — a name inspired by Rams Deli Plus’ famous meal.

The clothing line consists of shirts, sweatshirts, hats and beanies that draw inspiration from the Fordham community. The apparel bears witty sayings, such as “Fordham is my school, New York is my campus, Rams Deli Plus is my bodega,” “You’ve got to be Keating me,” “FMH? More like FML” and “thank u, best.”

Masterson, a marketing major, said that she became interested in starting the line from a marketing perspective.

“I love social media and managing the website, so this has been a really fun experience,” she said.

However, this is not Masterson’s first venture into the fashion world.

In high school, Masterson founded SNOX, a company that sold socks and donated 100 percent of profits to charities. Masterson aimed to raise money for organizations including Teach For America, Water Aid, Rota-

ry International, Action Against Hunger and Hope For the Warriors.

“I had that on the running but then I kind of wanted to do something that was a little more fun,” she said.

Although Chicken Over Rice’s website only launched on Feb. 2, 2018, Masterson’s talent in marketing has helped the brand become well established through its social media and online presence. In preparation for the company launch, Masterson had a bunch of her friends over and took photos to use as advertising.

In creating the line, she said she was hoping to add a little humor to university apparel on campus. Masterson also thought the line would be an inexpensive alternative to the clothing offered in the university bookstore.

“There is always the Spring Weekend Tees and there’s also obviously the [bookstore attire] that Fordham sells but they are really expensive and they are not something that’s really funny,” she said. “I wanted to do something that was just more punny and joke-y.”

Masterson said that the project really just started as a fun thing to do with friends, possibly even a way to get grocery money. However, she is singlehandedly running the website, social media and online orders.

Masterson said she has collaborated with local businesses, however, such as the popular Rams Deli Plus on East Fordham Road.

“I have one shirt that has Rams Deli Plus on it and so I split profits with them. I just walked into Rams, and I sent them photos of what I was thinking of doing and so they agreed,” she said.

Masterson said she is hoping to create new apparel in collaboration with other local businesses frequented by Fordham students. She said that working together would be a mutually beneficial business deal.

“They don’t have to do anything,” she said. “I cover the cost of the website, and it’s free marketing for them,” Masterson said she is also open to collaborations with fellow students. On her website, she suggests that anyone with a clothing idea can send her a direct message on Instagram. Masterson said that because she is generally more interested in the business aspect, she is excited to work with people in the future with a talent for art and fashion.

“I know nothing about graphic

design, so I am always [welcoming] to people that want to get involved,” she said. “But I would definitely put them on a shirt and split profits with them, and it can be a cool little thing for Fordham students.”

Although Masterson graduates this semester, she said she thinks she will continue to sell apparel online in the future.

“As long as I can cover the cost of what I am doing, then this is absolutely something I would want to continue,” she said For any inquiries, check out the Chicken Over Rice website at https://chickenoverrice.myshopify. com/ or follow Masterson’s Instagram account under the handle @ chicken.over.rice.

COURTESY OF MAKENA MASTERSON

Makena Masterson started her own Fordham fashion line.

Mental Health Column | Kelly Christ

Literature Encourages Empathy for Mental Health As C. S. Lewis said, “We read to know we are not alone.” Literature has been a refuge for so many since the very beginning. Reading evokes a sense of empathy with a magnitude that few other media outlets allow. By becoming fully engrossed in the story, we often put ourselves completely into the shoes of the narrator or protagonist.

This enhances understanding and compassion toward experiences that we may not have had ourselves. In regards to mental health issues, literature gives those not afflicted a deeper understanding of what it is like to live with these illnesses. For those who do struggle with mental illness, reading has assured them that they are, in fact, not alone.

Positive and accurate representations of mental health in literature can be beneficial for readers.

Reading books already has been proven to promote a stronger sense of empathy.

In one study focusing on this impact from the Language Arts Journal of Michigan, the researchers explained that “the world of literature encourages us to become others in imagination, and this may be one of the most benign means of improving one’s abilities in the social domain.”

When it comes to mental health, which is often not understood properly, this empathy can lead to awareness and help combat stigmas which inhibit progress. Potentially, this awareness can contribute to more options for treatment, as it allows the readers to understand the real struggles of those battling mental illness, and the need for available assistance.

One of the most prominent examples of the representation of mental health in literature in the past few years was the release of “Turtles All the Way Down” by John Green. Author of the ultrapopular and mainstream favorite “The Fault in Our Stars,” Green

opened up about his struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) while promoting his latest novel.

The protagonist of “Turtles All the Way Down,” a young woman named Aza also has OCD and the book includes several poignant scenes in which she is directly faced with the difficulties of the condition.

The novel received much praise from mental health professionals for its representation of OCD. The first person narrative format of the book allows readers to get a full picture of what goes on in the mind of an individual with OCD. The spiral illustration on the book’s cover even gives a direct nod to the “thought spirals” Aza struggles with.

Of course, the portrayal of mental health has an extensive history in literature. Going all the way back to the 1800s, the Victorian era reflected a new

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Books, such as "Turtles All The Way Down," help readers to understand mental illness through realistic narratives.

“willingness to explore the mental state,” according to Chloe Filson. These themes were especially prominent in poetry, which often heavily focuses on subjects of emotion. As times have progressed, so too has mental illness in literature.

A novel that is frequently thought of in these discussions is Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Taking place in a psychiatric hospital in Oregon, the novel brought attention to the treatment of the mentally ill in an institutional and clinical setting. The novel’s narrator, Chief Bromden, pretends to be deaf and mute to gain access to more of the horrific realities of the ward. Dealing with schizophrenia, he is wary of the greater “system” he feels is controlling them.

His skeptical narrative lens leads the reader to question the ethics of psychiatric treatments.

By seeing the experience on a personal level in the narrative format, the novel motivated ethical changes and updates to the psychiatric system amidst the time of deinstitutionalization in the 1960s.

Another fairly recent young adult novel lauded for its mental illness representation is Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” First published in 1999 and later adapted into a major motion picture directed by the author in 2012, the story follows Charlie, a high school freshman, who struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder after the suicide of his best friend, as well as earlier sexual abuse endured at the hands of his aunt.

Charlie is seen going through

the classic trials and tribulations of adolescence: figuring out relationships, his sense of self and what he wants out of his life.

Along with all of this, Charlie progresses on a journey to address the traumas and anxiety he has tried so hard to repress.

The novel includes letters from Charlie addressed to “Dear Friend…” where he details his life, including his struggles with mental illness.

This format allows readers to have a heightened sense of empathy towards Charlie, as the readers feel like they have their own role in Charlie’s life.

Chboksy has spoken out in gratitude towards the incredible response he received for the book, explaining that “from the moment I published it and began getting letters, people have said to me and thanked me over and over for ‘understanding them.’”

Literature is an essential outlet for the expression of the human experience. For a variety of subjects and topics, fiction has opened the eyes of millions of readers to what life is like for people they would likely have never met in real life. In the words of “Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin, “A reader lives a thousand lives.

The man who never reads lives only one.”

If you are struggling with mental health issues, do not hesitate to contact the following resources: Fordham University Counseling and Psychological Services (Rose Hill): 718-817-3725 Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

CULTURE

February 20, 2019

Page 17

Television Reboots are Windows for Improvment

By EVAN MEADOWS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This year has already demonstrated that it will be fully-stocked with new movies and television shows ready for viewers young and old alike. A multitude of the newly released films and television shows will be reboots of classics from the past, looking to pave a fresh path for their respective plots.

Many, however, take issue with the idea of having these shows and movies remade. Critics want to up-

hold the “canon" these reboots seek to change or improve upon. While these new movies are making an attempt at a fresh idea, opponents believe that it ends up hurting the original show by failing to do the classics justice.

With these new releases coming soon, it is necessary to say that disapprovers of these types of movies and television shows should be more open-minded to the idea of a new approach to their television or cinema favorite.

Much of this controversy is the

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Fans were angered by the "Charmed" reboot, which stars Sarah Jeffery.

The Slice Shop | Dan Ziebarth

Pugsley’s Pizza: A Fordham Favorite The Slice Shop is back for week three, and we’re talking Pugsley's Pizza this time. Pugsley’s is a Fordham institution of sorts, as it is one of the bestknown places in the neighborhood.

Decked out with funky interior decorations and a unique patio set-up right across from campus, this pizza joint caters specifically to the college crowd.

If you’ve never been, the place is a little hard to find, as it’s tucked in a driveway on 193rd Street. This helps to cultivate the allure, though, as it adds another unique aspect that makes Pugsley’s special.

When you first walk in, you can already sense the vibe. Pictures, posters, T-shirts and flags litter every crevice. It’s an eclectic set-up that reminds you of TGI Fridays mixed with an undergraduate student’s living room.

It’s weird at first, but you have to respect it; the style is charmingly offbeat. There’s even a slightly-smaller-than-life-size Statue of Liberty right next to the front counter.

The owners behind the counter make the place even better and are always down to joke around with and talk to customers.

This is a huge part of making a slice shop seem welcoming: seeing the people behind the counter having fun and engaging with everyone in the restaurant adds to the experience of getting food.

Make sure to talk to them if you show up; they’re bound to say something back and lighten the mood. This is another part

of Pugsley’s that shines.

As for the actual pizza, Pugsley’s is aggressively average, particularly in comparison to the other great aspects of the shop.

The place has many options for toppings, as well as both red sauce and white sauce pizzas, which is a plus, but there’s nothing too special about the pizza past that. However, the slices are Goldilocks-style: not too big and not too small. This is always nice and puts it ahead of other places with oversized slices.

The crust is the best part of the actual pizza, crunchy with some chew. However, the sauce and cheese don’t add much. The sauce, especially, is low on flavor, and they tend to pile on a little too much cheese, which drowns out the rest of the slice.

It’s not terrible, but the pizza itself won’t keep you coming back each week. Make sure you bring some cash too, since Pugsley’s has a $10 credit card minimum.

There is an ATM in the restaurant if you forget cash, but it’s a hassle and charges you to take out money, so be sure to come prepared.

Overall, Pugsley’s is a fun pizza joint with a funky local atmosphere. The pizza is far from the star of the show, but it’s an awesome place to hang out, especially with a group of friends.

I would put Pugsley’s ahead of a lot of neighborhood slice shops just for this reason.

If you’re looking for a unique Fordham classic, Pugsley’s is the place to go. It’s not really about the pizza here, but about the environment, and sometimes that’s all a slice shop needs.

result of poorly-made reboots that, despite their interested audience or plot line, failed to capture the same essence that made their classics sensational hits.

The greatest of these failures was the release of remakes such as the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise, or the shortcomings of the once popular series “Prison Break.” Cases of poor acting and lacking plot points aside, their ultimate issue was a failure to stay true to what the original story stood for.

Indiana Jones tries to embrace a more science-fiction related idea rather than stay with its popular action and adventure. More so, the aging Jones is given an aura of immortality in his journey, rather than facing the same life or death consequences as before.

The popularity that “Prison Break” had previously, was diminished by its unfortunately lackluster fifth season. The show's biggest breaking point was the lazy writing that left plot holes in each episode.

With all of these unanswered questions and failure to capture the same gritty feel as before, producers gave its last season a short nine-episode run.

Most recently, the CW network

set out to remake the popular '90s series “Charmed” to offer it a new approach that would have a more feminist take on the show than the predecessor. This did not pan out well with fans, as many who saw the original series as a champion of feminism and believed that this remake would diminish the original show’s value.

The pattern with each of these movies and shows is that they chose to make these reboots for a purpose different than their originals, losing those fans who desired the nostalgia of their classics.

However, reboots can also improve where their originals were lacking. Many successful movies and television shows today and in the past have created masterpieces that are timeless even today.

“Casino Royale” (2006) offered a fresh new take on the classic image of James Bond with new leading actor, Daniel Craig. Martin Scorsese brought a Japanese film hit into American cinema with the release of “The Departed.” Al Pacino’s 1980s hit “Scarface” was a remake of the 1930s hit by the same name and remains popular with millennials today.

More recently, television mas-

terfully reimagined some originals.

The CW was able to reimagine the 1990 series “The Flash” successfully in its 2014 reboot, which continues to gain popularity alongside other successful modern-day comic book counterparts.

Most notably, television and pop culture would not be what they are today without the American reboot of the British series “The Office.”

While there are those in film and television that have faced shortcomings in the ability to successfully create reboots, so long as they are mindful of not losing sight of the original’s themes, reboots can continue to have success in both films and television, offering fresh talent and takes on their respective classics.

While these reboots may pay tribute to their originals, such as John Wesley Shipp reprising an older role on “The Flash,” or do their best to stay true to the origins of their respective works, such as 2018’s “Halloween,” that should not limit the scope of their plots or let them try to bring new ideas onto the screen.

One of the greatest things about reboots is that, we are not restricted to the same vanilla ideas as before, and we have something new to compare it to, bad or good.

“Alita” Stays Too True to Source

By MATTHEW DILLON STAFF WRITER

Based on the Japanese manga, “Alita: Battle Angel” takes place in the only surviving city of a post-apocalyptic world. Ido (Christoph Waltz), a doctor for cyborgs, finds the damaged but salvageable remains of Alita (Rosa Salazar) and adopts her after rebuilding her mechanical body.

As she discovers more about the world, where people live at the mercy of cyborgs and “hunter-warriors” that pursue them, Alita unearths more of her past, as do the antagonists, who take interest in the power that Alita discovers within herself.

Live-action manga adaptations have had a long, disastrous history in American cinema. Fans of the originals as well as newcomers disregarded films like “Dragon Ball Evolution,” "Death Note” and“ Ghost in the Shell.”

“Alita” unfortunately engages in the whitewashed casting that has drawn so much ire towards similar adaptations, though it has a little more diversity than the aforementioned movies. Despite that, the film manages to avoid most of the problems typically associated with this genre. Unfortunately, it manages to come up with a few new ones.

“Alita” is so dedicated to the source material that it appears misguided at times. The film preserves as much of the original manga’s story as it can.

Unfortunately, in doing so, it removes a lot of elements from their original context and leaves them adrift. Also, a few key visuals do not translate well into live action.

Nowhere is this better seen than in the decision to give Alita large eyes that look straight out of a Margaret Keane work. The effects used for this are impressive, but it takes about half the movie to get used to them.

Less forgivable is the failure of the film to properly establish a setting

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“Alita: Battle Angel” boasts impressive acting, but lacks in plot development

in “Alita.” Exposition is introduced in a clumsy, inorganic way and fairly late into the movie. Even by the end of “Alita,” a lot of vital aspects of the world are left largely unexplained; most glaringly, the question of how cyborgs work in this setting.

The film is not without its strong points, though, which lie mainly in the acting. Salazar gives a great performance, making the vicious and naïve Alita believable. Without that, it is hard to see how the film and its strange decisions would have worked at all.

Waltz gives Ido a paradoxical kindness and duplicity, making his character one of the more interesting ones. Mahershala Ali’s role as Vector, a crime boss and the master of the ruthless, futuristic sport Motorball, manages to make his character threatening enough. Unfortunately, the other actors are largely forgettable and suffer compared to these three.

“Alita” is reminiscent of a highspeed, single-minded sci-fi action flick that went out of fashion in 2005, thankfully, with better production value. While this might sound like an outright condemnation, there is a certain charm to the brutal, kinetic fight scenes and the raw, unpretentious approach towards character design and themes.

I would rather watch “Alita” over the slew of “ A Quiet Place ” knockoffs we are currently stuck with.

However, it has inherited all the flaws that come with the high-speed style. Most notably, the excess of special effects makes “Alita” feel like an animated movie. The scenes that emphasize the human actors feel out of place next to the sheer reliance on computer-generated imagery in almost every other sequence. The few attempts made to mix live action with animation have disastrous results.

While most of “Alita” is a genuine, intense, if at times shallow action movie, it becomes nearly incoherent in its final act. The film decides to drop the plotlines it was juggling, though some were certainly better than others; Alita exploring her humanity (or lack thereof) was more engaging than the game of motorball that kicks off the convoluted climax of the film.

The plotlines “Alita” does not rush to completion are left unresolved, to be concluded in the sequel it sets up. In that way, the film’s unsatisfying ending interferes with almost everything that directly leads up to it. While hardly a perfect experience, “Alita” does have a certain charm to it. It is a genuine, flashy action movie that tries to do a little more than it is capable of.

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Page 18

February 20, 2019

Avril Lavigne is Back and Better Than Ever

By KATHERINE TIMOFEYEV CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Most of us still remember every word to “Girlfriend” and will gladly belt out “Sk8er Boi” at the top of our lungs, even though both of these songs were released over a decade ago. Simply put, Avril Lavigne has been and continues to be a beloved pop-punk queen. She is the go-to for when you’re feeling angsty, fired up or sad.

After taking a break that lasted over five years to focus on her health, Lavigne has finally returned with a brand new album, “Head Above Water.” Released on Feb. 15, the album features 15 tracks, including the title track, which had been released earlier in September 2018. Lavigne has been open about her Lyme disease, and this song appears to symbolize her drive to keep fighting. It describes her persistence and struggle with her health and allows the listener to un-

derstand exactly what her mindset has become.

When I first heard “Head Above Water,” I could not help but be shocked by the sheer power in her voice. The song seems to be new territory for Lavigne in terms of the raw emotion conveyed through the deep control of her voice.

While I remembered her voice as unique, the intensity and command behind her words startled me. Each and every song perfectly showcases the strength and passion that Lavigne possesses.

What might be shocking to some listeners is how Lavigne refers to God or the spiritual world multiple times throughout the album. In “Head Above Water,” she directly calls on God to guide her and keep her afloat.

In “I Fell in Love With the Devil,” she calls upon angels to help her escape a toxic relationship. While it is known that Lavigne was raised in a religious household, she had not referenced it

in her work until now.

Yet another aspect this album brilliantly portrays is Lavigne’s ability to cover a wide range of styles. “Birdie” comes off as a pop-like song with a strong beat and chorus, telling the listener to break free, whereas “Tell Me It’s Over” is a softer rhythm and blues ballad that encourages the listener to put their foot down. While the latter is similar to “Birdie” in how it inspires

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Avril Lavigne’s new album “Head Above Water” was released on Feb. 15, 2019.

Ariana Grande Queer-Baits

By PATRICIA WHYTE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ariana Grande’s latest music video, “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” has been met with controversy since its release on Feb. 7.

The video was released one day before Grande’s latest album “thank u, next” came out.

In the video, the singer is seen following a couple around at a party, eyeing them as she sings.

Viewers are led to believe Grande is after the man she encourages to “break up with [his] girlfriend,” but in the last seconds of the video, she ends up with the girl instead.

Many were surprised by the twist ending. Some fans even believed that the video may symbolize Grande coming out as bisexual.

However, others accused Grande of queer-baiting, a trend done in many television series, movies and books as a way to subtly hint at a character being queer without actually owning it, in an attempt to attract LGBTQ+ audiences or simply for dramatic effect.

The lyrics of the song do not suggest Grande is attracted to women and do in fact affirm that she is after the man and not his girlfriend.

The ending of the video would be one thing if Grande herself were queer, but because the singer does not identify with the LGBTQ+ community, the video appropriates queer culture and experience and uses it as a way to have a surprising plot twist or leave fans “shook.”

Additionally, the video feeds into the fetishism of the lesbian community by heterosexual male audiences. Although it was produced by Grande, media involving sex or relationships between women has been historically predominantly produced by men for a male audience and is often criticized by members of the lesbian community for its inauthenticity.

By using two heteronormatively feminine-presenting women,

played by straight actors, “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored” appropriates LGBTQ+ culture and contributes to the fetishism of gay women all for the sake of a twist ending. It is queer bait.

This isn’t the first time Grande has been accused of cultural appropriation in her videos, either.

The singer’s “7 rings” video and artwork led critics to call out Grande for appropriating black culture. The video and song bear many similarities to those of black artists, and the lines are blurred as to what is inspired by and what is taking from those artists.

Contrarily, while the “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored” music video can be seen as queer baiting, one can take the song as an anthem about self-love.

In the video, the girl Grande is encouraging the man to break up with bears a striking resemblance to Grande, wearing a similar outfit

the listener to stand up for him or herself, it is much more soulful and showcases an entirely different musical style.

As if the album was not already an incredible work of art, Lavigne reminds us that she truly is capable of it all by tapping back into her punk side with songs such as “I Fell in Love With the Devil.” “Dumb Blonde,” featuring Nicki Minaj, reminds listeners

and hair style.

A popular theory suggests Grande was not encouraging the man to break up with his girlfriend for her own personal gain, but rather encouraging herself to break up with her boyfriend to focus on loving herself.

However, the lyrics of the song suggest a blatant comparison of two women, ultimately deeming Grande as superior.

LGBTQ+ representation in media is necessary for cultural diversity and it is important for queer stories to be told. However, posing two straight women as queer purely for shock value is wrong and, frankly, tacky.

Culture is not a costume, and capitalizing on other cultures by passing it off as your own is harmful to marginalized communities.

Posing as another identity for the sake of a twist or views should be viewed in the same way.

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Ariana Grande has been accused of queer-baiting in her new music video.

of the edgy Lavigne of yesteryear. The upbeat rhythm and quick guitar give the song a modern pop vibe while still staying true to Lavigne’s unique style.

Additionally, Lavigne’s songs use a range of different instruments. She goes far past the basic guitar and drums, fearlessly stepping into the complexities of delicate string instruments and the powerful grand piano.

This turns the album into one resembling a fashion collection in which each song is an entirely different piece from the others, yet still all connected through Lavigne’s unique artistry.

The beauty of this album lies in Lavigne’s incredible storytelling of her journey toward physical and mental health. Each song on the album serves as a testament to the path she has taken over the past five years to get to this point. Lavigne inspires listeners to find motivation and strength in themselves by sharing her story in a perfectly-crafted album.

Bachelor Is Back

By EMMA PAOLINI

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Season 23 is shaping up to be the most adventurous “Bachelor” season yet. Over the past six weeks, former Bachelorette contestant and Los Angeles Charger Colton Underwood has toasted champagne in the desert, kissed at the top of a rollercoaster, bungee-jumped in Singapore and foraged for edible plants in the jungle of Thailand, all in hopes of finding true love.

The season has not quite been a bed of roses for the former Bachelor, however. Underwood has found himself caught in the middle of arguments between the contestants week after week and does not seem to know how to handle it. More than once, overwhelmed by hearing different sides of the same story, Underwood has walked away from a gathering for some comfort and advice from host Chris Harrison. While the feud between contestants Caelynn and Hannah B. ended and both women remain on the show, another between Onyeka and Nicole ultimately resulted in the two getting the boot instead of roses. Drama-stirring Demi also made waves in the Vietnam episode when she visited Underwood’s hotel room to confess her love, only to be sent home by the Bachelor himself.

Previews promise even more drama, particularly a much-awaited clip of Underwood jumping a fence and running away. Bachelor Nation can only wait with bated breath.

Another source of immense pressure for Underwood this season has come from the ceaseless discussion of his virginity. Underwood revealed that he is a virgin during “The Bachelorette,” and his characterization by both the show and the audience has focused mainly on that one aspect of his identity ever since.

Some discussions have been productive in breaking down the double standard between men and women regarding virginity; contestants Cassie and Hannah B. both, at points, shared stories about feeling shame or fearing ostracization from their communities due to their sexual histories. Underwood, on the other hand, has faced

endless ridicule for his of lack sexual experience. Despite the clear double standard, the show never addresses the combination of purity culture and toxic masculinity that created it and often seems to encourage it.

Jokes about Underwood’s virginity took over the premiere episode’s livestreamed watch parties and have not ceased since.

Season 23 has also introduced heavier themes than those in previous seasons. Elyse, the first self-exit of the season, shared the story of her sister’s battle with cancer and decision to refuse treatment so as not to threaten her pregnancy. Other contestants shared similarly heart-wrenching moments with Underwood during oneon-one time, but one in particular sparked national discussion. Former Miss North Carolina Caelynn discussed her experience of sexual assault during her time in college.

She explained how difficult it was at first to speak up about it in the time following, and how ultimately only one of the multiple men who assaulted her faced consequences.

During her time as Miss North Carolina, Caelynn was also vocal about the topic, working for justice and resources for survivors like herself. Though Caelynn explained that she had told Underwood about her assault because it affects intimacy in her relationships, she also brought awareness to the issue by discussing it on television. In an era of high-profile sexual abuse cases garnering national attention, the perspective of survivors remains extremely important.

Despite this season’s foray into more serious topics, the final few episodes promise just as much drama and intrigue as past seasons. It seems Underwood may finally get his happily-ever-after, having already confessed to falling in love with Hannah G. Cassie, Caelynn, Hannah B. and Tayshia are also emerging as frontrunners, while Kirpa and Heather trail behind. With the tearful previews of the next few episodes, it seems anything is possible. The final Rose Ceremony will air on March 12, and Bachelor Nation can only wonder who will receive the final rose and Underwood’s hand in marriage.

February 20, 2019

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Page 19

Editor’s Pick | Documentary

“The Devil We Know” Was Not The Devil We Expected

By ANDREW POSADAS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Socially and culturally relevant documentaries always catch my eye.

Fortunately, Netflix offers an abundance of documentaries that captivate audiences with their eye-opening perspectives.

This past weekend, I came across “The Devil We Know” while browsing through Netflix.

My first thought was, “Which devil are they talking about?” I was instantly intrigued. The documentary, directed by Stephanie Soechtig, focuses on the conglomerate company DuPont, which had its headquarters in Parkersburg, West Virginia. In 1945, the company began manufacturing Teflon, a non-stick coating intended to ease cooking life for households nationwide. Families, tired of scrubbing food remnants from the bottom of their pots and pans, turned to Teflon products, which in addition to being non-stick were also oil and water repellant.

Sounds like a happy ending, right?

Wrong. What consumers did not know was that one of the chemicals used in manufacturing Teflon prod-

ucts had potential health risks to those in contact with the compound.

To make matters worse, DuPont knew of the chemical’s harmful effects, yet continued to make and sell Teflon products anyway. DuPont made it crystal clear they valued profit over people.

Throughout the documentary, different residents from the town of Parkersburg share stories about the effects the chemical compound C-8 has had on them. Farmer Wilbur Tennant sold a piece of his farmland to DuPont in 1997. In good faith, DuPont assured Tennant that the newly-acquired land was to be used for non-hazardous waste.

Instead, streams near Tennant’s farms were infested with Teflon waste disposal. A farmer in the documentary included videos highlighting the adverse effects this had on nearby ecosystems. Many animals who used the streams as their mainssource of water fell victim to the hazard consequences of C-8.

Sue Bailey, who worked in DuPont’s Parkersburg factory the entire time she was pregnant with her son Bucky, was one of the many workers who pumped waste discharge

from Teflon production back into the Ohio River. Her suspicions of health risks from prolonged exposure to these chemicals would be confirmed with the birth of her son, Bucky, who was born with facial defects.

What may frustrate you the most

1952. Did they decide to discontinue any further Teflon production? Absolutely not.

You’ll be flabbergasted after seeing how DuPont was able to lead the entire town of Parkersburg astray for so long and how they used the money

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Bucky was born with facial defects because of his mother’s exposure to chemicals.

about this documentary is the complete lack of accountability. One of the stronger themes throughout the doc is DuPont’s abuse of power in attempting to cover up the truth about C-8.

DuPont admitted in the mid-1980s that they were liable for any healthrelated damages dating back as far as

profited off of dangerous chemicals to help build schools and churches for the people they were slowly poisoning. They were a company powerful enough to influence U.S. government agencies on their behalf.

DuPont’s negligence rears its ugly head consistently throughout the

documentary. The most damning example comes a year after the company found itself in a class-action lawsuit.

In a meeting, DuPont officials admitted that while C-8 exposure did have adverse effects on people, finding a safer alternative was too expensive.

Officials concluded they were better off continuing to manufacture with C-8, referring to it in the meeting as “the devil we know.”

The reality is C-8 compounds have been present in more than just kitchenware. They’ve also been used in some clothing items for water repellant purposes, added to cleaning materials like Clorox and even applied inside the Statue of Liberty to help with rust.

Ultimately, this story goes deeper than the residents of West Virginia and Ohio. Millions of people have bought Teflon products in the U.S., Europe and Asia from 1945 to 2015.

I’ll leave you with the most shocking statistic I saw in “The Devil You Know:” 99 percent of all Americans have C-8 coursing through their bloodstream as of today.

Who would’ve thought the Devil came in the form of a fluorine chemical?

The Ram Crossword: Black History Month 1. “Yes we can.”

6. Spaghetti or boot, say 11. Used to be 14. Type of Mars robot that ins pires tearful goodbyes 15. Caribbean vacation destinat ion colonized by the Dutch 16. Controversial raiding org.

17. Little bugs, like on Joba Chamberlain’s neck 18. Drifter 19. Butterfly catching tool 20. Buy-in 21. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

23. Close by 24. Hill builders 25. “Oh well” 28. Thrown all over the place 30. Woman (Sp.) 32. Place for a speaker 34. “People are trapped in his tory, and history is trapped in them.”

35. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on

Earth.”

38. Golf equipment or a golf shirt 39. A 20-year-old, to a child 40. Performers union, briefly 41. “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

43. Put one foot in front of the other 45. Award show where 66-Across and 21-Down have been nominated for Best Direc tor 46. Straighteners 50. Like a vaccine or vodka 51. Currency to 30-Across, may be 54. “Best Restaurant in the World” in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 55. “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

58. White garments worn by Ro man Catholic priests 59. One of a pair of winter sports equipment 61. Half of A/V 62. Pretend to be

CREATED BY CLAIRE POLACHECK & JACK MCLOONE & GABBY GILLESPIE ANSWERS IN ISSUE 6

Across

63. Writing instrument 64. Comes before 182 65. Famous mowing manufac turer John 66. “Brokeback Mountain” direc tor Lee 67. Group separate from church 68. “No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

Down

ANSWERS TO ISSUE 4

1. Many are vital 2. Handmaid’s Tale hat 3. James Cameron blue creature movie 4. Like some parking 5. “___ Poetica” 6. Beautician’s locale 7. Fish that swims upstream

8. Bars on a ladder 9. Ill-fated brother of The Bible 10. Por competitor 11. “Family Matters” family 12. Service point 13. Complete group 21. “Precious” director Lee 22. Beach grains 26. Opera solo 27. Graced someone with a 26Down 29. Most of you 30. Traditional New England house style 31. Like a grandparent 33. “Beyond the ____” by Bob

by Darin 34. Red Sox or Celtics, on a scoreboard 35. “Famous” cookie maker

36. Tie, like on a boat 37. “Watch out!”

42. Spreadsheet info 44. Like most snake oils 47. John known as the first “mountain man” 48. Set out 49. Talks back 51. Platforms often found on 32-Across 52. Branch of the NSA that in tercepts non-communication signals 53. Fire signaler 56. Places for tests 57. Like the group at Jonestown 59. Place for a massage 60. Barbie partner 62. Popular payroll provider, briefly

SPORTS

Page 20

Demons Squashed as Fordham Takes Home Chaffee Cup

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

The 2016-17 Fordham squash team came one match short of winning the Chaffee Cup after a 6-3 loss to Richmond. Last year’s squad set out to avenge that loss, but suffered the same fate with a loss to New York University in the Chaffee Cup final.

This year’s team desperately wanted to go one step further than the previous two. On Sunday, it accomplished that feat.

Fordham won its first Chaffee Cup title in recent memory on Sunday after a 6-3 win over Northeastern University. The team won the Cup after winning its first two matches of the weekend against NYU and Hamilton College at Wesleyan College before taking Sunday’s match at Yale University.

“It felt amazing to win the Chaffee Cup, especially after narrowly losing in the final for the last two years,” senior Justin Esposito said. “It was a great way to finish my squash career at Fordham.”

The College Squash Association team championship started on Friday for Fordham, as they took on NYU at 1:15 p.m. The Rams got a second shot at the Violets, who ended their season in heartbreak at last year’s Chaffee Cup final. Through five individual matches on Friday, it looked like NYU was going to repeat last year’s performance.

Coach Sahel Anwar’s Rams fell behind 1-4, and the team’s only win was a victory by senior Will Pantle in which his opponent, Hamaad Jary, was forced to retire. There were four remaining individual matches, and Fordham needed to win all of them. That was when the team’s best players rose to the occasion.

Sophomore Justin Deckoff and freshman Jack Reed both got Fordham back in it with wins over Karan Kochnar and Max White, respectively. Senior Justin Esposito took care of business, as well, with a straight-set victory over Rishabh Periwal. With these three straight wins, it was up to senior Will Beatrez to take down Alex Murphy and pull off a miracle comeback to keep Fordham’s tournament hopes alive.

He did just that.

Beatrez and Murphy split the first two sets to create a best-ofthree, winner-take-all scenario.

Their third-set tangle required more than the customary 11 points to decide a winner, and Beatrez finally pulled ahead by two to win 15-13 and turn the tide of the match. The same happened in the fourth set, and Beatrez once again pulled out to win 12-10 and send NYU home. With their backs firmly against the wall, Fordham prevailed, just like it has for most of the season.

Fordham started the next day’s match against Hamilton College in a similar fashion. The Rams fell behind 3-2 after five matches, but as the prior evidence has shown, Fordham had the Continentals right where it wanted them.

Deckoff faced off against Jarrod Gerstein in the sixth of nine individual contests with Fordham in need of a victory. The match went the distance, with Deckoff gaining a slight advantage and taking home a win in a 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3, 11-9 thriller. Fordham never looked back, as Reed, Esposito and freshman Dylan Panichello all won their matches in straight sets to send Fordham back to the Chaffee Cup final for the third year in a row.

Sunday’s match against Northeastern bore an eerie resemblance to last year’s Chaffee Cup

title match against NYU. In both matches, Fordham fell behind 3-2 after the first five individual tilts, and this year, the Rams did so after junior William Douglass and senior Will Pantle won the first two contests.

The question became simple: did the Rams have one more comeback in them with four matches left in their season?

Deckoff took care of business with a four-set victory over Isaiah Jones, which tied the match at three. Reed would face Connor Rouan next in what quickly became the biggest match of Fordham’s season. Reed and Rouan split the first four sets, including a 13-11 result that went Fordham’s way in the first set. Then, Reed did what he has done all season and stepped up in the biggest moment of the year with an 11-9 fifth-set victory to put the Rams up for good.

Esposito took care of Will Greaves-Tunnell in four sets in the next match, and Fordham clinched its first Chaffee Cup in recent memory. This year’s group avenged the sting from the past two years’ losses.

The moment is particularly sweet for Esposito, whose status for this season came into question after he suffered an undisclosed injury.

“It was definitely one of the best moments for me,” he said. “I am so lucky to have been able to start in every match for the team this season, compete at nationals, and help us win our division.”

When it was all said and done this past weekend, Fordham walked away with a prize it had wanted and nearly won the past two seasons. The Chaffee Cup is coming to the Bronx, and just like the teams Fordham played this weekend, the Rams will have it right where they want it.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The third time was a charm for Fordham Squash over the weekend as they took home the Chaffee Cup.

February 20, 2019

Beyond the Scoreboard: What’s Next for Colin Kaepernick?

By ANDREW POSADAS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

On Sept. 1, 2016, Colin Kaepernick made the decision to kneel for the national anthem during a home preseason game. Many NFL fans were confused, and would subsequently criticize Kaepernick for being “anti-American.”

Kaepernick himself made it abundantly clear what fueled his decision: he was not going to stand pridefully for a flag, that in his words, “oppresses black people and people of color.”

Ultimately, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers following the end of the 2016-2017 NFL season.

The former quarterback would not be signed again, prompting him to file a grievance against the league and its 32 teams on Oct. 15, 2017.

More than 16 months later, the public battle between Kaepernick and the NFL finally came to its conclusion.

Over the weekend, Kaepernick’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, shared massive news regarding the case. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, alongside ex-teammate Eric Reid, reached a settlement with the NFL in their grievance cases. What remains unknown are the specific terms of the settlement.

However, we do know both players and the league signed a confidentiality agreement. In effect, we may never know what substantial evidence Kaepernick’s lawyers obtained. By settling, the NFL is essentially conceding to the notion that it colluded in some capacity to keep the 31-year-old out of its league.

With his grievance case now settled, Kaepernick faces a new question: what’s next for him?

He hasn’t played a professional football game since Jan. 1, 2017.

His detractors would argue a 3-16 record in Kaepernick’s last two seasons do not warrant a comeback. What these detractors will fail to mention is the dumpster fire that was the San Francisco 49ers in that period of time. The Niners went through two head coaches in two years. Both Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly were given the axe after one season, highlighting the ineptitude of the front office management to find stability for the head coaching position.

Even if Kaepernick has been idle for two years, there is absolutely no reason why NFL teams should not offer him, at the least, a workout to show what he has left.

At 31 years of age, he is not necessarily considered “old” for his po-

sition. Take it from New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

After winning his sixth Super Bowl earlier this month, the 41-year-old has repeatedly said his plan is to play until he’s 45. With the current rules favoring offense and emphasizing player safety, the longevity of a quarterback in the NFL should give Kaepernick optimism. There is ample time for him to prove he can play at a high level once again.

That being said, which NFL team would then make the move of signing Kaepernick? I imagine a majority of team owners want no part of the so-called “circus” that comes with signing him.

However, Mark Geragos went on CNN to speak on behalf of his client. During the interview, Geragos predicted three NFL teams are in play to sign Colin Kaepernick. He revealed two of the three teams: the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots.

The Patriots clearly have no problem with its quarterback position, as I mentioned Tom Brady earlier. That leaves us with Carolina: the perfect destination for Kaepernick to work for a roster spot.

The Panthers’ current starting quarterback, Cam Newton, is coming off recent surgery. While Carolina is hopeful he will be ready by the start of the 2019 season, anything may occur from now until then. I expect the Panthers to bring in multiple quarterbacks to camp this summer. Why shouldn’t Kaepernick be one of them?

Let us not forget: Kaepernick boasted a 29-16 record in his first two and a half years as a starter. He helped lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship game in back-toback years (2012 and 2013). If Kaepernick’s 4th-quarter pass to Michael Crabtree in Super Bowl XLVII would had been complete, we would be addressing him as a Super Bowl champion.

The credentials are there, folks.

Carolina also makes ideal sense in that Kaepernick would be playing with Eric Reid, who recently signed a 3-year extension with the franchise. Panthers owner David Tepper signed Reid last season when no other team offered the former pro-bowler a contract.

The prospect of playing alongside Reid once again and for an openminded owner in Tepper makes it a perfect fit.

So to all 32 teams in the NFL: what is it going to be? Will you swallow your pride and invite Colin Kaepernick to a work-out? Or will you look the other way and sign someone like Nathan Peterman? The choice is yours.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Colin Kaepernick, pictured above, may never play in the NFL again.

SPORTS

February 13, 2019

Page 21

Women’s Tennis Defeats Seton Hall

By GIGI SPEER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham Women’s Tennis was looking for a comeback on Friday, dominating play against Seton Hall after coming off a loss.

They played at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center here in the Bronx, finishing the night with a 5-2 victory.

It was a team effort for the Rams, as upperclassmen such as junior Maia Balce and senior Gianna Insogna won 6-3 at second doubles, and the junior-sophomore duo of Tatiana Grigoryan and Arina Taluyenko bested the Pirates 6-4. The Rams clinched the doubles point of the match with these results, and the team never looked back after that.

In singles, Fordham continued their command, with Insogna winning in sixth singles 6-3, 6-3; freshman Genevieve

Quenville won 6-2, 7-5 in fourth singles, and Grigoryan came back in third singles to with a game score of 2-6, 7-5 and 6-4. In first singles, seasoned Taluyenko won in a tie-breaker: she took the first set 7-6, lost the second 6-2, and recovered in the third set, to win 7-6, clinching the win in the tiebreaker 7-1.

With the win, Fordham improves to 2-3 on the spring season. The team narrowly lost its last match against NJIT and won on Feb. 2 by a score of 7-0 over Quinnipiac.

After a successful match, Fordham Women’s Tennis is excited to travel north and face the Army West Point Cadets at 4:00 p.m this Saturday, Feb. 23. After that, Fordham will take on St. Bonaventure at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning in the team’s Atlantic 10 Conference opener.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham’s women’s tennis team had its second win in three matches on Friday.

By DYLAN BALSAMO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

American sports are wrought with spectacles, and this has become especially true in last two decades. From the grandeur of the Winter Classic to the NBA Draft Lottery to the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the line between professional sports and entertainment is often blurred. That is because they are arguably the same thing.

This past Sunday in Charlotte was the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. The annual event had a new format this year that proved incredibly successful, and more importantly, incredibly entertaining. Following the recent trend of a true “pick-up game” mentality, the game was played by teams formed in an All-Star draft between captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The game was expectedly high scoring, with Team LeBron coming out on top 178164. The game was the perfect ending to an eventful and exciting All-Star Weekend, a set of festivities basketball has made its own including the Slam Dunk Contest, the Celebrity Game and other events.

This weekend, the NBA has given itself three days of entertainment not only for its own financial gain, but also for the betterment of its loyal and evergrowing fan base. The television ratings for the game itself have been consistent over the last five years, and it would not be a stretch to gather that with this new format, the ratings for this year’s game will see a bit of a bump. Since James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers will almost guarantee that we will not have a fifth straight Cavs-Warriors matchup at season’s end, the ratings for the NBA Finals will probably increase too. The NBA is keeping things exciting.

The idea of a “pick-up” All-Star Game, of course, came from the NHL, who in 2011 scrapped the traditional East vs. West format for their game to allow two players to draft teams out of the All

Stars, a format that worked well, kept the game entertaining and arguably made the Skills Competition more interesting. That format worked for a little while, and when it proved to grow old, hockey kept rolling with the times.

The 2016 game in Nashville saw a radically different approach to All-Star Games. Instead of two teams there were four, players were selected to represent each of the league’s divisions, and the teams faced off in a 10-minute knockout tournament before the winner was decided. This format is different, and it has proven successful in terms of television ratings and fan approval.

These recent games have truly shown hockey’s ability to appease their fanbase. The first four-team All-Star Game was also a shining moment for John Scott, a fan favorite from the Arizona Coyotes who was by no means an All-Star caliber player. In fact, he was mostly an enforcer for Arizona, and he was demoted back down to the minor league AHL after winning the fan vote. Still, he won that fan vote, nevertheless, and the NHL did just what the fans wanted and allowed him to participate and play, giving him a generic NHL logo jersey to play in and the same introduction as any other player. Scott then went on to score two goals for the winning Pacific Division and was eventually the game’s Most Valuable Player, exactly what the fans wanted to see. Hockey is doing it right too.

Now, the NFL has tried the fantasy draft format for its AllStar Game too, but not even that idea could provide salvation for their abysmal January football game. However, that’s more than okay, considering the game that takes place a week later is enough of an American cultural phenomenon that many consider it a social gathering and national holiday on the same scale as New Year’s Eve. What the NBA, NHL and NFL have remembered is what sports truly are in the first place. Sports are entertainment. ESPN is the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Entertain-

ment comes first. Sports is the business of entertaining the fans, because without them, there would be no reason for professional sports to exist in the first place. So it is not only smart but also absolutely necessary for these leagues to be doing what needs to be done to keep the fans happy.

So let’s examine that other American sport: baseball.

Major League Baseball’s AllStar game is not only the oldest of the major sports leagues but also so glowing in history and lore that the league has been reluctant to make too many changes to the event, especially its format. One of the best things the league has done with the game was in 2017 when home field advantage in the World Series was determined by the winner of the game. This allowed for managers and players to be more lenient with giving the fans the teams they want to see and allowed the television broadcast to be closer to the gameplay. With personalities being on the field in between innings and players to be mic’d and interviewed while playing. The game is just more fun to watch.

But even with this important change, the MLB All-Star Game’s television ratings hit an all-time low this year, not even against the less-than-threatening competitor of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Obviously it is time for a shake-up for the game and its format, because even if baseball has its loyal followers, staying the same will not bring the shifting viewer demographics back to the Midsummer Classic. Maybe a fantasy draft instead of American League vs. National League?

Maybe another skills competition to complement the Home Run Derby? Who knows what the answer is, but it is not sticking with the past.

When it comes to all-star games, the fans have spoken, and the other leagues have answered.

Hopefully, baseball will soon realize that this form of entertainment needs a “Conan-like” retooling.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY Men’s Basketball

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

Women’s Basketball Softball Baseball Track Women’s Tennis Men’s Tennis Swimming

Thursday Feb. 21

Friday Feb. 22

Saturday Feb. 23

Sunday Feb. 24

Monday Feb. 25

Tuesday Feb. 26

Wednesday Feb. 27

St. Joseph’s 9 p.m.

St. Bonaventure

4:30 p.m.

UMass 2 p.m.

Morgan State/ Notre Dame/ UAB Iowa Iowa 9 a.m.

12/2:30 p.m. 12/5 p.m.

North North North Florida Florida Florida 6:05 p.m. 1:05 p.m./4:35 p.m 1:05 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship 9 a.m.

St. Bonaventure Army 9 a.m 4 p.m.

Hofstra Brown 7 p.m.

1 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship All Day

Dayton 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart 3 p.m.

SPORTS

Page 22

Softball Drops Three of Four in Las Vegas

February 20, 2019

Baseball Starts Season By Suffering Sweep to Texas A&M

By JACK McLOONE

SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Rachel Hubertus’s best efforts weren’t enough to lead Fordham to success in Las Vegas.

By EMMANUEL BERBARI STAFF WRITER

Fordham Softball continued its aggressive out-of-conference slate at University of Nevada Las Vegas’s Rebel Classic this past weekend, dropping three of four in a highly-competitive field.

On Friday, the Rams fell to Seattle, 11-3 in five innings and Hawaii, 16-12 in regulation. Finishing its stay on Saturday, Melissa Inouye’s squad managed a split, topping Utah Valley 5-3 and coming up to short against Brigham Young University, 11-3, in five. Fordham’s record dipped below .500 (4-5) following the slate.

“It was a tough weekend as far as results go,” Inouye told Fordham Athletics. “But each game taught us something different.”

Friday may have taught the Rams to deal with early adversity more than anything, falling behind six runs prior to the second inning in each contest.

Junior Madie Aughinbaugh’s solo shot, senior Maria Trivelpiece’s run-scoring double and sophomore Rachel Hubertus’s RBI single, combining for a fourrun fourth inning, was not enough against a stellar Seattle pitching staff.

Fordham turned Game 1’s deficit into fuel for Game 2’s early hole, surging into a seesaw battle with Hawaii. Senior Jordy Storm’s two-out, two-run two-bagger in the second propelled back into the game, and a five-run bottom of the fourth put the Rams in position to strike.

Hubertus’s second jack of the season and Molly Roark’s two-run shot gave Fordham the edge, but they were unable to complete the improbable comeback. The Rainbows snared the lead in the sixth and did not look back.

But despite a collective .407/.453/.627 slash, the Rams finished the day empty-handed.

“We’re learning and staying with the process,” Inouye said. “I thought we swung the bats pretty

well throughout the weekend.”

Roark made an impact again on Saturday, powering the Rams to early leads with solo homers in both ends of the tilt.

Aughinbaugh, who was mostly flawless in Game 1 against Utah Valley, surrendered a two-run triple to senior Brianna Moeller in the top of the fifth, but her teammates immediately provided the differentiating support.

Fordham broke out with a four-spot in the home sixth — including run-scoring knocks from Storm and seniors Kylie Michael and Chelsea Skrepenak — and did not look back.

In the seventh, the Wolverines loaded the bases with two gone against Aughinbaugh, who wiggled out of trouble for her second victory of the campaign.

The Rams seemed destined for a split in Game 2, jumping out to a 3-0 edge behind a Roark two-run blast and a Hubertus solo dinger, but were promptly silenced by BYU sophomore Arissa Paulson, who scattered a mere two hits for the remainder of the clash. On Fordham’s side, sophomore Anne Marie Prentiss worked out of a jam in the first, a situation that would serve as a bad omen for her outing.

BYU struck for six in the second inning, and that’s all the Cougars would need, cruising to a 11-3 decision.

Overall, Hubertus, Roark and Skrepenak proved to be one of the standout Rams on the offensive side of the ball. Hubertus’s .583/.583/1.167 slash with two home runs and four runs led the way for the maroon and white.

Each of Roark’s three hits left the yard, while Skrepenak tallied six hits, six runs and two stolen bases.

In the circle, Aughinbaugh appeared thrice, starting two contests and splitting a couple of decisions over 13.2 effective frames, sliding into ninth-place on the program’s all-time appearance (73), start (52) and complete game (30) lists.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to practice,” said Inouye.

When asked about Fordham Baseball’s season-opening series against the University of Texas A&M, a perennial baseball powerhouse out of the Southeastern Conference, head coach Kevin Leighton said that he just wanted to see the team compete. While that’s coachspeak for “I don’t necessarily expect the team to win,” it’s also a fair appraisal of what the Rams did over their first weekend, dropping all three games, but two of the three in close fashion.

“It was definitely very exciting to get the season started, especially in an environment like Texas A&M,” said Leighton.

One of the biggest questions heading into the season was how the Rams would replace two of their lost starting pitchers, Reiss Knehr (MLB draft) and Ben Greenberg (graduated and transferred to St. John’s University, for his final year of eligibility). One possible answer is sophomore pitcher Matt Mikulski, who started the Rams’ opening game.

Mikulski made a case for sticking in the rotation, giving up just three hits and a walk over his four innings.

However, he did get tagged for three runs, one on a sacrifice fly and another on a two-run homer by Logan Foster in the third inning. The home run can be forgiven, however, considering Foster led the Aggies with eight last season. The Rams ultimately lost 4-0, though Mikulski and sophomore reliever, Joseph Quintal, gave up just five combined hits.

The Rams set the tone for their weekend in Game 1, striking out a total of 16 times, 12 at the hands of starter, John Doxakis. The Rams recorded just two hits, both singles.

Their first hit of the season came from sophomore second baseman C.J. Vazquez in the second inning.

Game 2 on Saturday was started by the Rams’ lone returning starting pitcher, senior Anthony DiMeglio, who led the Rams in strikeouts last season. His 2019 did not start on the same foot, as he lasted just three innings in a game the Rams ultimately lost 19-6. His first two runs were unearned thanks to a comedy of errors, including a wild pitch-throwing error combo that let a runner score from second without a hit.

The Rams scored their first run of 2019 in the top of the fourth thanks in part to their bread and butter from 2018, the stolen base. After reaching on a single, sophomore shortstop Jake MacKenzie, who led the team with 34 bases last season, stole second and then came home on a single from junior infielder Matt Tarabek.

DiMeglio was replaced by red-

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Baseball got swept in its first three games of the season against Texas A&M.

shirt junior Mike Cowell to start the fourth, which kicked off a parade of relievers for the Rams. He got just one out while walking two, throwing two wild pitches and hitting a batter. He was replaced by junior Brian Weissert who contributed to allowing five to score (two charged to Cowell) without recording an out before being relieved himself by John Stankiewicz. By the end, the Rams were down 10-1.

The Aggies poured on another four runs in the fifth, all charged to junior Marc Bisogno, who recorded one out, plus one in the sixth, three in the seventh and another in the eighth. The Rams added one in the seventh when freshman outfielder Jason Coules hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of Brandon Birdsell. They also tacked on four in the top of the ninth, to finish the game with a 19-6 loss. They struck out 14 times.

Game 3 on Sunday was the tightest of the weekend, and one the Rams actually had a good shot at winning if the offense produced a little more. While the strikeouts fell to nine, they recorded just three hits.

The bats got Fordham on the board first in the top of the fifth inning when left fielder, junior Jake Baker, singled in Tarabek from second, where he had landed after a single and a wild pitch. For those keeping track, that’s two of their three hits.

Junior Alvin Melendez has served as one of the Rams’ primary closers or at least high-leverage relievers, in his first two seasons. Melendez started Game 3, and did just okay, lasting just 3.2 innings by giving up just three hits and one walk to two strikeouts. He was replaced with runners on second and third with two outs in the fourth by junior Kyle Martin the Rams’ top reliever last season. While he cleaned up that inning, he gave up two runs in the fifth, both on sacrifice flies thanks to good baserunning by the Aggies, and another in the sixth for the 3-1 final.

While Leighton was happy with some of the pitching performances, he was understandably a bit disappointed in other aspects of the weekend.

“We have to do some of the little things better and get back to our style of baseball,” said Leighton.

“We weren’t able to run much at all, didn’t move runners well, allowed backside runners to advance on throws from the outfield and didn’t hold runners well.”

Despite the outcome, the Rams mostly held their own in a very hostile environment in College Station against a top-flight program. They will take another trip down south against North Florida this weekend for a four-game set, starting on Friday, followed by a double-header on Saturday.

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SPORTS

February 20, 2019

Anthony Cardone What About the Big Apple?

2018 was a disappointing year for baseball fans in New York. The Yankees were an inch away from a horrific loss to the Red Sox in the ALDS to lose the series 3-1. The Mets, even after a good start, got worse and worse after suffering many injuries during the season.

But where do they stand heading into the 2019 season?

First, we’ll start off with the team from the Bronx. Is it a “World Series or go home” type of year? The Yankees are probably the favorites to win the division, even though the Red Sox are the defending champs. Boston hasn’t had an explosive offseason, except for re-signing a few players like pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and World Series MVP Steve Pearce.

The Rays are going to be an interesting team to watch; this season, however, the Blue Jays and Orioles are probably going to have to wait another year for a ring.

The Yankees, on the other hand, have gone all-out and still might not be done. They have acquired James Paxton, signed DJ Lemahieu, Zach Britton, Troy Tulowitzki, J.A. Happ, Adam Ottavino and even extended Luis Severino’s contract during this offseason. A bunch of big names have been added to their bullpen, which is now the best in baseball by far.

The Yankees addressed their problems but probably still need one more starting pitcher to beat the Red Sox or Astros in a series.

However, they are definitely a playoff team and should go deep in the playoffs.

Now for the team in Queens.

The Mets have exploded this offseason with their new general manager, Brodie Van Wagenen.

With a huge deal with Seattle the Mets acquired Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz and also signed Jeurys Familia, Wilson Ramos and Jed Lowrie. The Mets have also acquired JD Davis and Keon Broxton in small but underrated trades.

Now, who knows where they stand in the division race, because the Phillies and Nationals are both in the running for Bryce Harper; the Phillies, Manny Machado, on the other hand, signed with the Padres on Tuesday. The Mets are an interesting team to watch this season since their roster is certainly deeper. Their rotation will stay the same and hopefully remain healthy.

They have built up a strong bullpen and signed one of the best catchers in the league. It really is a four-team race for the NL East and any of the four teams can win the division. The Braves are an up-and-coming team that has signed some key players that could also make a division run.

It is definitely the most competitive division in baseball as of right now. Would I say playoffs for the Mets? Probably, but most likely as a wild card team.

So New York definitely has a great season to look forward to in 2019, since both teams will be highly competitive. And who knows, we could always have another Subway Series for a World Series in the next fall classic.

Page 23

Andrew Becker

Varsity Scores & Stats Men’s Basketball Fordham 66 Rhode Island 63 (FOR) Ohams: 19 PTS, 8 FG, 9 REB Women’s Basketball Fordham 58 Davidson 42 (FOR) Cavanaugh: 15 PTS, 6 FG, 3 3PT Fordham 53 St. Bonaventure 44 (FOR) Goulding: 14 PTS, 5 FG, 2 3PT Squash Fordham NYU (FOR) Deckoff: 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 Fordham Hamilton (FOR) Reed: 11-7, 11-6, 11-6

5 4 6 3

Fordham 6 Northeastern 3 (FOR) Douglass: 13-11, 11-5, 11-6

Women’s Tennis Seton Hall Fordham (FOR) Quenville: 6-2, 7-5 Baseball Fordham Texas A&M W: Doxakis (1-0) L: Mikulski (0-1) (FOR) MacKenzie: 1-4

2 5

0 4

Fordham 6 Texas A&M 19 W: Lacy (1-0) L: DiMeglio (0-1) (FOR) Coules: 2-3, HR, 2R, RBI Fordham Texas A&M W: Roa (1-0) L: Martin (0-1) S: Kalich (1) (FOR) Baker: 1-2, RBI

1 3

Softball Fordham 3 Seattle University 11 W: Nance (1-2) L: Aughinbaugh (1-3) (FOR) Aughinbaugh: 2-3, HR, RBI Hawaii Fordham (FOR) Ranieri: 4-4, 2B, RBI

16 12

Utah Valley Fordham W: Aughinbaugh (2-3) L: Cretz (2-2) (FOR) Michael: 3-3, R, RBI

3 5

Fordham 3 BYU 11 W: Paulson (2-1) L: Prentiss (2-2) (FOR) Hubertus: 2-2, HR, RBI

Athletes of the Week Chuba Ohams

Rachel Hubertus

Junior

Sophomore

Men’s Basketball

Softball As the A-10 Player of the Week, Hubertus earned her stripes, going .583/.583/1.167 in four games.

After going 1-2 with an RBI single against Seattle, she went onto have another 6 hits this weekend including a double and 2 homers.

In Men’s Basketball’s 66-63 overtime win over Rhode Island, Ohams secured 19 points and an impressive 9 rebounds. The point total marked his career high, surpassing his two-time previous high of 13. Fordham has won the last two times Ohams has hit double digits.

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

News & Notes • Hubertus Wins First Honor

Softball infielder Rachel Hubertus has received her first career award, and it is the Atlantic 10’s Player of the Week award, the league announced on Monday. Over the four games she played in this week, Hubertus was an offensive powerhouse with a solid line of .583/.583/1.167, hitting safely in all four games and scoring a run in three of them. Head coach Melissa Inouye said of Hubertus’s honor, “Rachel was our most consistent hitter this weekend as she did a good job making adjustments with each game. It’s been nice seeing her add some home run power to the lineup and it’s a credit to the hard work she’s put in.”

• Men’s Basketball Wins in OT

• Baseball Swept by Aggies

Fordham Baseball opened its 2019 campaign

this weekend with a trio of matches at Texas A&M, but lost all three games to a strong Aggies home side. The opening game on Friday night resulted in a 4-0 loss, failing to utilize an overall good first outing by Matt Mikulski. Fordham put up 6 runs the next day, including a home run from Jason Coules, but Texas A&M ran the Rams for 19 runs on the day, putting Fordham at 0-2. After Alvin Melendez’s strong outing, Fordham lost a close one on Sunday 3-1 and head to their next game at North Florida at 0-3.

• Squash Earns the Cup

This past weekend, Squash competed at the

In their Saturday matchup in Rhode Island, Men’s

Basketball went to overtime and won a tight game by one score, 66-63 the final. The Rams had two players score in double figures offensively: Nick Honor, who has reached the mark 23 of 25 times out this season, and Chuba Ohams, who is averaging 10.1 PPG in his last seven games. Fordham won this game despite being outshot at the free throw line 26-10, and the Rams are now 7-6 on the season when leading at the half. Fordham’s next matchup is Wednesday night at the University of Richmond.

2019 CSA Team Championship. With their 6-3 win over Northeastern on Sunday at Yale University, the Rams officially clinched the Chaffee Cup, which is the team championship trophy in the “E” division of the College Squash Association. This is the program’s first Chaffee Cup to date, and they defeated NYU 5-4 and Hamilton 6-3 at CSA Team Championship on their way to the title. With these victories, the Rams finish their season at 20-7, marking two straight seasons of 20-win squash for Fordham.

– Compiled by Dylan Balsamo

The Right Move For the Islanders This week, the Islanders continued to play a strong brand of hockey, allowing them to keep a five-point lead over the Metropolitan division. After a couple of tough shootout losses to Chicago and Tampa at the beginning of the month, the Islanders went on to win six of their last eight games, with both losses contained to a twogoal margin. The team still owns the top defense in the league, with the least amount of goals against given up by any club this season to date.

With that said, the defense seems to be shored up, and will only become stronger once injured Thomas Hickey soon returns. This will make one tough decision for coach Barry Trotz, as the back end, no matter who is playing on a given night, always puts up a great performance. Instead, in a majority of their games, the Islanders have been limiting opponents to one goal or shutting them out.

The Islanders look to continue their defensive strength down the season’s stretch, and improve on other aspects of their play. One desperately needed improvement is scoring. They have won many 2-1 games, but the Isles have been able to keep pace, even with the lack of offense. The captain, Anders Lee, tallied his first goal in over a month on Saturday, but he is still the top goal scorer on the Isles with 19 goals and finds himself ranked 63rd in the league. How can a club sustain a first place position when they are 21st in goals for league-wide? While yes, it is true the structure Trotz has brought to the team has been so valuable, it is one that calls for quality opportunities instead of quantity. That is not a bad thing, however, as it shows in the Isles’ fifth-place ranking in the NHL standings. Nonetheless, the team needs to make an improvement on the front end to really give this team an edge come playoff time. This will be the responsibility of Lou Lamoriello.

Currently, Barzal is playing alongside the likes of Anthony Beauvillier, and either rookie Michael Dal Colle, who has been just okay, or Tom Kuhnhackl, who has also inserted himself into the line-up nicely. The problem is that both Kuhnhackl and Dal Colle are not true elite wingers and are not the best fits with Barzal.

Beauvillier has been struggling lately as well, with only a few breakthroughs on the score sheet. His hands and speed are enticing, however, and a turn-around is hopeful.

Nonetheless, if the Isles get Ottawa to accept a trade, for say, Dal Colle, a first, and if needed, their future second-round pick (from Calgary), the team would benefit greatly. First and foremost, there is an immediate asset up the middle who can win faceoffs, take pressure off Barzal, play with Lee and Eberle, and most importantly add more goals. This would allow Nelson to slide to the Barzal line and put up the points there, thus helping out Barzal even more. Although the price may seem steep, the Isles may be able to maintain Calgary’s second rounder and let go of the first considering the monster draft they had this offseason taking claim to some of the best prospects the organization has.

It may happen with Lamoriello, although no one can be certain, but one thing is for sure: the Islanders will look to add at the trade deadline to deal with the needs on offense.

Page 24

SPORTS

February 20, 2019

The Fordham Ram

Men’s Basketball Prevails in Overtime Against Rhode Island

By ANDREW POSADAS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Men’s Basketball went on the road to the University of Rhode Island in pursuit of their second conference win this season. Freshman guard Nick Honor and junior forward Chuba Ohams both scored 19 points Saturday afternoon, as Fordham would need overtime to down Rhode Island, 66-63.

Ahead of their matchup with URI, head coach Jeff Neubauer admitted the Rams were coming off “one of the toughest stretches this season.”

The Rams had previously played three games in a span of six days, going 1-2 in the process. Despite this, Neubauer felt confident his team could go into Kingston and steal the upcoming road game.

The “battle of the Rams” began as a defensive struggle, with both teams needing nearly 10 minutes of game time to score into doubledigits. Neither team took a lead larger than three points in the first half. Fordham made their living at the three-point line, knocking down six from beyond the arc. URI did their damage in the first half through the free throw line and by out-rebounding Fordham, 20-12.

A three-pointer by sophomore forward Ivan Raut with less than 25 seconds remaining gave Fordham a slight advantage

heading into halftime, 32-29.

The second half saw the Rams in maroon take their biggest lead of the night. A three-pointer

by Honor and two free throws by fellow freshman guard Jalen Cobb in back-to-back possessions gave Fordham a six-point lead with over 12 minutes remaining in regulation, 45-39.

Rhode Island, however, would not go away so easily. URI responded with a 6-0 run of their own in the following two minutes.

Suddenly, the game was knotted at 45 apiece with the home crowd getting louder and louder.

A layup by Ohams gave Fordham a three-point lead going into the final five minutes. From there, Fordham’s youthful inexperience would rear its ugly head again.

URI’s 8-1 run gave the Rams in blue a 58-54 lead with a little over a minute left in regulation.

At this point, it seemed Fordham would suffer another close loss in conference again. Fortunately, Fordham’s finest had other ideas.

Senior forward Jesse Bunting made a layup to cut Rhode Island’s lead to two points. After a defensive stop, junior guard Antwon Portley made two crucial free-throws to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining.

URI nearly averted disaster in the final possession after turning the ball over, leaving Jalen Cobb with a potential fast break layup to win the game. Cobb

MACKENZIE CRANNA/THE FORDHAM RAM

Freshman guard Nick Honor hit a last minute three-pointer to lift Fordham over Rhode Island. would have made his second game-winning shot of the season, if not for a stellar defensive play by URI guard Fatts Russell which ultimately forced overtime.

Fordham had lost its only other overtime game earlier in the season against Maine. Nick Honor was on a mission to change

that. With the game tied at 63, Honor made the biggest shot of the night. A huge three-pointer with less than minute remaining gave Fordham the lead for good.

URI had multiple three-point attempts in the final possession to try and force double-OT, but to no avail. At the final buzzer, Fordham

found themselves on the right side of a conference victory, 66-63.

Fordham improves to an 1114 overall record and 2-10 in the Atlantic 10 conference. Men’s basketball will look to build on its positive momentum Wednesday night when they travel to the University of Richmond at 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Beats Davidson, Wins Sixth Straight Game

By JACK MCLOONE

SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

A pair of dominant performances over the past week pushed the Fordham women’s basketball team’s winning streak to six in a row. The Rams are now 19-8 overall, with a 10-3 record in Atlantic 10 play. After taking care of business on a mid-week road trip against Davidson, the Rams traveled to Olean, N.Y. to take on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, where they won 53-44. The Rams are now second in the A-10, behind just Virginia Commonwealth University (20-6, 12-1 in-conference).

“I think the most important and impressive part of this streak has been our attention to detail on defense,” said head coach Stephanie Gaitley. “We finally have them understanding that offense is icing on the cake, but defense is the cake.”

That defense was a big focus in this matchup right from the start.

The first half between the Rams and the Bonnies was a tight, backand-forth affair. In the first quarter, neither team had a lead larger than four, which the Rams reached twice.

Halfway through the quarter, sophomore guard Bre Cavanaugh hit a jumper to put the Rams up 10-6; senior forward Mary Goulding hit a free throw with 1:52 left to put the Rams up 16-12.

The Bonnies took a 6-5 lead with 6:22 left in the first, but lost it on the Rams’ next possession when Goulding hit a three. While they never led again in the quarter, the Bonnies continued to apply pressure on both sides of the ball.

MACKENZIE CRANNA/THE FORDHAM RAM

Following their win at St. Bonaventure, Women’s Basketball moves to second in the Atlantic 10 standings.

That pressure reached its peak in the second quarter, but the Rams matched it. Both teams made just three field goals in the second quarter, with the Bonnies coming out on top 7-6 thanks to making one more three. There were 10 turnovers in that quarter alone, five by each side.

The game went to halftime tied at 23.

However, the tight contest did not carry over into the start of the second half. The Bonnies opened the half with a bucket, but over the next six minutes, the Rams went on

a 12-2 run, including three threes, one apiece from Goulding, sophomore guard Kendell Heremaia and senior guard Lauren Holden. After Goulding’s three gave them a onepoint lead, 26-25, the Rams never trailed again.

“The message in the locker room was just to stay focused on defense and rebounding, and offense would take care of itself,” said Gaitley.

The Rams made just three shots in a quarter for the second time in the game in the fourth, but this time they spent plenty of time on the free

throw line. They hit nine of 12 free throws in the final frame, including seven out of eight in the final 33 seconds.

This has been a dominant streak for Fordham, with the nine-point win just its second single-digit victory of the streak. The Rams’ previous win over Davidson on Wednesday was their biggest, topping the Wildcats by 16, 58-42, after losing to them by four at home on Jan. 27.

Goulding continued her recent shooting hot streak, making over 50 percent of her field goal attempts

for the third time in four games.

She led the game in scoring with 14 points and had a team-high seven rebounds.

While the Rams have been succeeding in spite of her efficiency struggles, Cavanaugh’s shooting, which she had appeared to fix against George Mason last week, seems to have taken another dive. After topping 40 percent from the field for just the 10th time against the Patriots on Feb. 10, and for just the second time in 2019, she shot just 20 percent on Saturday. She managed to score 13 points, thanks to making eight of her 10 free throws. The Rams have obviously been successful up to this point, but one has to wonder just how much better this team could be if their top scoring threat was playing up to last year’s marks. She’s just 0.7 points off her per-game average, but she is 1.7 percentage points worse from the field, including a disastrous 28.2 percent from three.

Cavanaugh has found other ways to contribute; however, already having more assists and rebounds now than she did all of last season. She had three of each on Saturday.

The Rams will play their final two home games of the season next week, starting on Sunday, Feb. 24 against the University of Massachusetts at 2 p.m. The final regular season home game for seniors Goulding and Holden will be on Wednesday, Feb. 27 against Dayton.

The Rams are currently in shape to skip the campus site portion of the A-10 Championships, as the top two teams in the conference get byes.