Volume 105 Issue 3

Fordham Hosts

Workshops on Race, Ethnicity and Allyship

By TASNIMAH RAHMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In celebration of Black History Month, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Division for Student Affairs is hosting a “Racial Solidarity Network Interactive Workshop.” The interactive workshop is for students, faculty and staff, and is offered at both campuses. It is a two-day workshop exploring concepts related to race, ethnicity and allyship with two options for attendance: Feb. 7 and 14 (Rose Hill) or Feb. 8 and 15 (Lincoln Center).

Juan Carlos Matos, assistant vice president for Student Affairs for Diversity and Inclusion, discussed what students can expect. “These are the few times students are participating in a workshop with faculty and staff. Although the dynamics differ, attendees go through a variety of content as a cohort,” said Matos. “Cohort feel is an essential characteristic to the program. Content of the workshop includes interactive activities, videos, speakers and opportunities to have discussions.”

SEE RACE, PAGE 3

The Fordham Ram

Fordham Hosts St. Ignatius of Loyola Chair Lecture

By ANTONI ZLATANOVSKI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Feb. 1, Fordham hosted a lecture by Father Stephen Schloesser, a Jesuit professor of history at Loyola University Chicago, where he teaches European history, western civilization, intellectual history and history of Jesuits and Catholic Church. He previously taught at Boston College and the Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

Although he holds a position at Loyola Chicago, Schloesser will be serving a temporary role as a professor at Fordham for the remainder of the semester through the St. Ignatius Loyola Chair program. Within this program, Jesuits from all over the world are invited to serve as “a distinguished professor who would contribute to and enhance the Catholic and Jesuit tradition of Fordham University.” Invited Jesuits typically hold their chairs within the program for one or two semesters within a specific university school or department. They are able to teach either graduate or undergraduate courses, and typically hold lectures at both the Rose Hill and

By SOFIA DONOHUE DIGITAL PRODUCER

Fordham Resident Assistants Union to Vote for Recognition

By SEBASTIAN DIAZ MANAGING EDITOR

On Feb. 7, President Tania Tetlow officially refused to recognize the Fordham Resident Assistants union (FRA) after a petition for voluntary recognition from the university was delivered to the president’s office on Feb. 1.

Alongside the petition’s delivery, the union also published a press release announcing its formation as a union under the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 153 (OPEIU-153).

The next step for the FRA will be to approach the National Labor Relations

Board (NLRB) for a vote. According to the union, the vote will occur in about six weeks and, if successful, will force the university into a legal obligation to recognize the union.

In Tetlow’s message to the union, as delivered to the Ram by Bob Howe, associate vice president for communications

SEE UNION, PAGE 4

SEE LOYOLA, PAGE 4

Artificial Intelligence Invades Academia

By SOFIA DONOHUE ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Office of Multicultural Affairs Hosts Black History Month Events

By GRACE GALBREATH ASST. NEWS EDITOR

With February marking the start of Black History Month, Fordham’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is hosting a series of events to celebrate the often

overlooked accomplishments of Black Americans. The events, set to take place throughout the month of February at both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses, are generally focused on the arts, with several movie and painting events already

Released late last year, ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that generates responses based on a prompt in mere seconds. Although ChatGPT is relatively new, users have begun using the chatbot for a variety of purposes such as having the chatbot generate poems, draft emails and even write essays. However, ChatGPT has raised concerns among academics

who fear that students will try to pass off ChatGPT’s work as their own.

Steve D’Agustino, director of Online Learning, and Anne Fernald, professor of English and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, recorded a podcast episode titled “I Still Believe in Learning” where they discussed ChatGPT and its implications for teaching and learning.

D’Agustino said he is hesitant to label ChatGPT as a problem.

SEE AI, PAGE 5

planned.

Rashain Adams Jr., a graduate intern for OMA, stressed the importance of holding events to spark country-wide recognition for the previously overlooked accomplishments of Black Americans.

SEE HISTORY, PAGE 5

Page 10

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

The Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting a series of events to celebrate and honor Black history.

Fordham Resident Assistants Union will soon hold a vote with the NLRB for recognition.

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

Jan. 31 Parking Garage

2 p.m.

A member of the Fordham community reported their vehicle was broken into in the parking garage. The reporter stated they parked in the garage on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 8 a.m. When they returned at 4:10 p.m., the glove compartment was open and his house keys, three iPads and their insurance card were removed from the vehicle. The vehicle was not locked.

Feb. 4

O’Hare Hall

2:23 p.m.

On Saturday, a fire alarm went off in O’Hare Hall. Public Safety and FDNY responded. Investigation revealed that a heating coil in room #019 burst, causing the hot water to strike the cold pipes, in turn, creating a steam condition causing the alarm. The watch engineer responded and shut off the water. The room was ventilated and the panel was reset.

Feb. 4 JMH

10:50 p.m.

On Saturday, a member of the Fordham community was stuck in the elevator at JMH. Public Safety responded and notified Centennial Elevator, who could not provide a rescue ETA. The supervisor requested FDNY to respond and removed the occupant from the elevator.

Feb. 5 Goupil Hall

11:30 p.m.

A smoke alarm went off in Martyrs’ Goupil Hall on Sunday. Public Safety responded. Investigation revealed a student was burning a small candle that fell onto a towel and caused smoke. The room was ventilated.

Fordham Releases Statement on Sexual Misconduct From Clergy

By MICHELA FAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By ANTONI ZLATANOVSKI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 26, Fordham University submitted a statement outlining an effort to better understand and prevent sexual misconduct from clergy members. The statement included a message from President Tania Tetlow where she said she sympathizes with survivors of abuse and aims to defend those from “such cruelty.”

“Too many are still determined to disbelieve reality — that child sexual abuse remains rampant in many institutions with trust over children,” wrote Tetlow.

Citing her years as an attorney, Tetlow wrote about the variety of issues within the court system that occasionally turns a blind eye to such pressing issues. As a lawyer, she wrote that she has even discovered a “frequent overlap between domestic violence and child sexual abuse.”

“I [have] experienced the hostility of a legal system determined to disbelieve something so unpleasant. As I heard one family court judge announce, ‘litigants know not to bring claims like that into my court,’” stated Tetlow.

Various members of the Jesuit order believe that certain Jesuit norms regarding abuse are partly responsible for the rise in sexual misconduct. In a recent report by the National Catholic Reporter, C. Colt Anderson, a professor of Christian spirituality at Fordham, has stated that “there is an emphasis on being patient and merciful that allows for inferior performance and outright misbehavior… there is confusion between what is simply sinful and what is criminal.”

In 2018, a Jesuit priest by the name of Rev. Cornelius Carr, S.J., was accused of sexual misconduct at Jesuit High School in New Orleans. Despite his history, he was still granted permission to live in Murray-Weigel Hall, a Jesuit residence at Fordham University. However, until The Fordham Ram shed light on Carr’s history, the Fordham administration had stated that they had no knowledge of Carr’s previous history. Bob Howe, assistant vice president of communications at Fordham, released a statement in the article.

“That was a lapse on our

Wednesday Feb. 8

Handshake 12 - 3 p.m.

The spring career fair will feature over 70 employers from a broad range of industries. Students can register for employer 1:1 or group sessions.

part, and one that will not be repeated,” said Howe.“While we don’t believe any members of the Fordham community have been placed at risk by Father Carr’s presence, it is inappropriate to house him in proximity to a college campus and high school.”

Richard Windmann, 53, a resident of Dallas, Texas, former student at Jesuit High School in New Orleans and survivor of sexual abuse involving Carr in the 1970s, stated that the church and university knew about Carr’s history, but chose to overlook it.

“It’s all part of a cover-up by the Church. I’m sure the university knew about it,” said Windmann. However, this was not the first time that a sexual offender resided on Fordham’s campus. During the 1960s, a Fordham Prep student issued a case against Rev. Roy Drake, S.J., a former science teacher who was also a resident of Murray-Weigel Hall.

Ten years later during the 1970s, Rev. Eugene O’Brien, a former principal and president of Fordham Prep, was also accused of sexual misconduct. In 1997, the accuser filed a lawsuit which was settled for $25,000.

According to the Adam-Horowitz law firm, which specializes in representing victims of sexual abuse by clergy, “Father O’Brien admitted to

allegations of child sexual abuse reported in 1993 beginning in the 1960s.”

Amongst the current Fordham student body, it remains popularly unknown that Fordham University has a history of dealing with faculty involved in sexual abuse.

“I did not know about any apparent history. But I believe that it’s our duty to acknowledge the sins and severe mishaps of our past while chartering our course into the future,” said Michael Duke, GSB ’26.

To combat sexual misconduct in the future, Fordham has launched the “Taking Responsibility: Jesuit Educational Institutions Confront the Causes and Legacy of Clergy Sexual Abuse” project. With this, researchers from 10 different

This Week at Fordham

Wednesday Feb. 8

Rose Hill Gymnasium 7 p.m.

Come support the men’s basketball team as they kickoff Black History Month and face off against University of Massachusetts.

Thursday Feb. 9

Keating 3rd 7:30 p.m.

CAB is hosting a screening of “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” to celebrate Valentine’s Day. There will be Pugsley’s and Valentine’s Day-themed candy.

Thursday Feb. 9

McMahon 109 6 p.m.

Adele Reinhartz is hosting part 3 of the distinguished lecture series “Jews, Judaism, and the Creation of Christianity - Conflict Theory.” This event is inperson and on Zoom.

Jesuit colleges and universities have received sub-grants to study aspects of clergy abuse. Through this project, the university has made recommendations towards Jesuit institutions which include a “‘responsibility’ to survivors of clergy sexual abuse, especially when committed by Jesuits or by lay staff and faculty at Jesuit institutions.” Furthermore, the recommendations also state that Jesuit institutions should go “beyond” to accept more responsibility for abuse cases committed in the past. Lastly, the recommendations also state that Jesuit institutions should “support and sponsor research on the abuse crisis to the fullest extent possible.”

Friday Feb. 10

McShane Campus Center 112 6 p.m.

On Friday night, The Black Student Alliance (ASILI) is hosting a movie night in celebration of Black History Month. They will be screening “The Woman King.”

COURTESY OF JULIA COMERFORD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham released a statement outlining their commitment to preventing sexual micsonduct from clergy members.

Tania Tetlow is committed to advocating for sexual abuse survivors.

Fordham Hosts Workshops on Race, Ethnicity and Allyship

Something that is unique to Fordham is the use of caucusing groups. On day two, participants can expect to be placed in caucus groups based on race self-selected during registration.

“Lots of research talks about the power of racial caucusing, the ability to have a conversation with folks that relate to you racially and ethnically,” said Matos. “Conversation can be had on a much deeper level because programs like this exist where we have people of color but also Black folks that are participating in the conversation. White folks may have maybe very different conversations than people of color will have and done in a space with peers that may have similar or closely

similar experiences.”

In separated groups, conversations that impact communities can range from experiences of implicit bias, racism, white privilege, colorism and more. Due to COVID-19, numbers have been low for “biracial” and “multicultural” groups. They are invited to select the race they resonate the strongest with. An advantage to the workshop being a two-day format is adjustments can be made on the spot.

The interactive portion of the workshop is the “step in activity.” A number of prompts are read. Peers have an idea of who has had similar or different experiences in that space and time than one’s own stepping in or out. Prompts are related to different social identities, and a larger

group discussion then takes place after the caucusing activity.

A variety of informative videos include topics of cultural appropriation, “achieving racial equity on campus” by a prominent speaker working in higher education, and the history of racism in the United States. After viewing the videos, participants are broken into pairs with an abundant number of questions to reflect upon and then contribute to a larger group discussing responses.

One of the Racial Solidarity Network's objectives is Fordham’s cura personalis, care for the whole person. The “History of Race in the United States” video helps familiarize and recognize

messages socially constructed that have been internalized and what it means to each person and others.

“Being able to be self-reflective but connected to other people as well is a very important piece to allow us to connect with one another in a more authentic way. I think in order to care for the whole person our race and ethnicity is a part of that experience,” said Matos. Psychological service speakers will speak on facts regarding the mental health of people of color and general mental health and self-care. Dean of Students, Christopher Rodgers, will provide an overview of campus steps to support students impacted if a situation based on race occurs.

OMA hopes that participants will come out of this workshop with a layer of skillset and a better understanding of their roles as members of the Fordham community and familiarization with concepts, terms and experiences that allow for conversation intentionally across the university.

The program is meant to build a network of people informally supporting each other when incidents happen, and formally connects people as they leave with contacts throughout the university.

This program along with LGBTQ+ and ally programs happens every semester. They hope to increase awareness for those who may be struggling and remain committed to the conversation.

Gun Violence Awareness Rises Over Recent Tragedies

By EMMA KIM NEWS EDITOR

On Jan. 21, the deadliest shooting of the month occurred in Monterey Park, Calif., where 11 people were killed and nine were wounded. Since the beginning of the year, there have been dozens of mass shootings across the United States. On New Year’s Day alone, multiple mass shootings occurred.

Only three days after the Monterey Park shooting, another mass shooting occurred in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Seven people were killed and one was wounded. The recent events have brought gun violence to the forefront of the media again.

Fordham has a policy that prohibits any “employees, students and volunteers, or any other third party on university property, or at university sponsored events on or off campus… from carrying, maintaining or storing weapons.” In addition to this policy, Fordham Public Safety, which provides “24-hour, 7-day-a-week coverage,” oversees the safety of Fordham students.

Robert Fitzer, associate vice president for public safety, explained that Public Safety has a layered approach.

“Guards control access to campus at our perimeter entrances, supported by mobile patrols on campus,” said Fitzer. “We have more than 600 cameras on our campuses — strategically located in public areas and carefully monitored by Public Safety staff. Our teams investigate every incident and follow up with the reporting individuals and appropriate University staff. We analyze every incident and track statistics to find patterns of vulnerability.”

“In addition, I have frequent discussions with local law enforcement commanders to stay abreast of any situation that may affect the Fordham community, paying particular attention to gun violence in the community,” said Fitzer.

In case of an emergency, Fitzer said that all Public Safety supervisors have at least 20 years of law enforcement experience, and they also undergo training.

“All Supervisors undergo Active Shooter Training with the NYPD

Counterterrorism Unit, using ‘ALERT’ (Advance Law Enforcement Response Training) protocols,” said Fitzer.

Public Safety also speaks to all incoming students regarding active shooter safety programs during their CORE presentations.

Fitzer highlighted that Public Safety has also recently hosted several self-defense classes for students, faculty and staff.

“These classes are a great opportunity to connect with our students in a positive way and give them the training they need to protect themselves,” said Fitzer. “The techniques learned are to be used as a last resort if accosted by an individual who was intent on causing them harm.”

Stacey Cajita, GSB ’25, said she feels relatively safe on campus, but she sometimes gets worried about guards’ attentiveness.

“Off-campus, I definitely feel like I have to watch myself — but on campus, I would say I feel relatively safe,” said Cajita. “The security guards at each entrance allows me to keep my peace of

mind, but sometimes when they get distracted from the scan-ins I can’t help but feel a little bit worried.”

“I also believe that Public Safety would most likely have control of the situation. However, I have seen enough instances of Public Safety neglecting duties, such as escorting injured individuals across campus, and heard enough rumors to cast doubt that they’d fully be prepared to handle a violent situation,” said Cajita.

Talia Tammaro, GSB ’25, said she knows that there are stricter gun laws in New York City compared to other cities, but she still has some fears.

“While I do know that NYC has stricter gun laws than most other places, I often find myself fearing the worst whenever I go into the city or even when I’m on campus,” said Tammaro. “I usually find myself in the mindset of ‘it never happens here until it does’ and the possibility of something happening is always in the back of my mind.”

Tammaro, is a commuter student that drives to campus, said she thinks that Public Safety does a good job of identifying people who

enter the campus.

“I definitely think that Public Safety does a good job of monitoring who enters the campus and makes sure that students are properly identified,” said Tammaro. “That being said, I sometimes wonder what would happen if an emergency were caused by a student or someone else with campus access. We hear so often about students with resentment towards their school who incite gun violence, and while I’m sure it’s difficult to monitor every single person coming and going from the school, I still find myself worrying about it sometimes.”

Overall though, Cajita said she wished that there was more acknowledgement of gun violence victims because of Fordham’s status as a “Jesuit institution, location in a major influential city and reputation for wealth.”

“It feels as though a passing email is the only notification the school sends in response to gun violence and is the only tool used to acknowledge victims,” said Cajita.

USG Discusses Public Concerns and Special Elections

By SOFIA SEMPER STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met to discuss the public’s concerns on campus and special elections.

Vice President of International Integration Luisa Rosa, FCRH ’24, brought up a public concern regarding international students not being able to get on-campus jobs. She explained that multiple international students have gone to her, and asked how they could get an on-campus job due to a lack of involvement or help from the Office for Student Employment. According to Rosa, when the students went to ask for help in finding an on-campus job, they were told by the Office for Student Employment that they could not help them but that the Department of Public Safety was the only department that could

hire international students. However, the Department of Public Safety does not need any more student-workers which has left many international students in need of jobs. Rosa also stated that international students are only allowed to work on-campus jobs their first year in the U.S., and they have been left with very limited options.

Executive President Santiago Vidal, FCRH ’24, explained that most international students are normally not allowed to work on-campus because those jobs are funded by the United States Federal Funds and, because they are not American citizens, they do not qualify for the jobs. With that being said, Vidal did say that the Office for Student Employment is currently working on having more international student positions available oncampus.

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) representative stated that they are working on creating

three new committees and, when asked about the RHA unionization, he said that they had no comment at this time.

During the special elections, Aidan Donahue, FCRH ’24, presented his campaign for Senator for the Class of 2024. Donahue stated that he wants to be a voice of reason and logic for the class of 2024 and to utilize his leadership skills. He also stated that he would like to create a proposal to ensure that the menu of the Marketplace and other dining areas are properly reflected on their websites and that the Ram Fit Center gets more plates and bars for working out. Donahue won the spot for Senator of the Class of 2024.

Carley Walker, FCRH ’24, presented the Red Bull Doodle Art Competition. She explained that this is a global competition made to empower a new generation of artists

by inviting students’ minds to wander for creativity. Her presentation was approved.

The Walking Club presented their club proposal, stating

that the purpose of the club is to get more students out into the Bronx and to help students stay active. The Walking Club was approved by the USG.

discussed the lack of on-campus jobs for international students.

Fordham Hosts St. Ignatius of Loyola Chair Lecture

Lincoln Center campuses.

Throughout his career, Schloesser won various awards, including the Sujack Family Award for Faculty Research Excellence, Apple Valley Foundation’s Curatorial Excellence Award, as well as the John Gilmary Shea Prize, which is granted by the American Catholic Historical Association. Furthermore, Schloesser “also serves as the 2021 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. Fellow with the Hank Center for Catholic Intellectual Heritage.”

He also received a grant from Calvin College to fund a publication project on Olivier Messiaen’s, a 20th-century French composer, organist and ornithologist who was influenced by the surrealist movement.

Although he said he assumes no prior knowledge in regards to musical training, Father Schloesser was fascinated by the 20thcentury composer and decided to make his lecture pertaining to his piece, “Joy of Stars’ Blood,” the fifth movement from “Turangalila Symphony.”

During the lecture, he went into detail explaining why Messiaen, who is known for creating unusual titles, may have chosen such a name for a composition. Within his lecture, Schloesser explained that Messiaen would portray joy as a complex emotion, rather than something that is simply felt. In fact, when Messiaen was asked why he would include the word “joy” within his symphony he responded saying “joy conceived by one who has only glimpsed it in the midst of misfortune.”

Schloesser spoke about the early

life of Messiaen and how he had a neurological condition called “synesthesia.” Because of the condition, when Messiaen heard sound or listened to music, he also saw colors. Schloesser then showed a clip from an orchestra performing “Joy of Stars’ Blood” with fireworks in the background, explaining that “while the fireworks represent joy and stars, they do not really capture what Messiaen means by ‘joy.’ In order to do that, the stars would need to be bleeding.”

With this, a connection is made

between “Joy of Stars’ Blood” and another one of Messiaen’s compositions, “Garden of Love’s Sleep.” According to Schloesser, Messiaen explicitly associated the “Garden of Love’s Sleep” with “Romeo and Juliet,” because the composition starts off with a grand tone, but eventually concludes on with an “ominous note,” representing the emotional beginning and demise of the famous couple. “Joy of Stars’ Blood” is planned to be performed in March 2023 at the New York Philharmonic.

Fordham Resident Assistants Union to Vote for Recognition

FROM UNION, PAGE 1

and special advisor to the president, the university president provided two reasons for the lack of recognition:

“First, until we have more clarity on whether such a union would include only Rose Hill resident assistants, we do not yet know whether a majority of potential members signed your letter. Second, we would like to ensure that those voting have full information about the processes, dues and rules of a union before voting.”

According to the union’s Feb. 1 press release, 77% of the Resident Assistants (RAs) on campus (of which there are 97) have signed the FRA petition for union recognition.

After delivering the petition on Feb. 1, two members of the union’s organizing committee, Senior RA Peter Wolff, FCRH ’23, and RA Madison Reynolds, FCRH ’23, met with The Fordham Ram to speak about why they felt union formation was necessary.

“I’m not going to give you a list of grievances,” Wolff said. “We haven’t gotten to that process yet… There are very broad things like respect, professionalism, the very big one is compensation.”

In the press release, Wolff was quoted as saying the following:

“As an RA I have been put in many high stress, challenging and occasionally dangerous situations. While these situations are a part of the job, Fordham University and Fordham Residential Life express a disregard for RAs’ well-being and a lack of support for RAs doing critical work. Fordham’s lack of respect is also emphasized in inconsistent and unprofessional communication to RAs. This is why we organized a union to improve the quality of life for residents through greater support for RAs.”

Wolff stated that RAs aren’t technically paid for their labor. Instead, RAs receive compensation in the form of an RA Award, which is packaged as a form of financial aid. Because of the official categorization as a financial aid award, receiving an RA Award can reduce a student’s pre-existing financial aid.

According to the press release, “Many students find themselves losing pieces or large chunks of their financial aid package to work this job, which means that not only is

RA compensation unfair but unequal for RAs doing the same amount of work. Some RAs are essentially unpaid for their work because of their financial aid reductions.”

Another grievance that the Resident Assistant organizers stated was the want for increased safety and protection for RAs. Combined with respect, professionalism and compensation, Wolff described the general need for “care for the overall being of the RA.”

“I was threatened by a resident,” Wolff said, “and I called security, who didn’t answer the phone. Just mismanagement and lack of care for the procedures that are in place and a general lack of care for RAs in general.” Wolff stated that he wants to see the university’s safety mechanisms respond with more care and attentiveness to reports of dangerous student misconduct within residence halls.

“When RAs report something, there’s nothing on ResLife’s end that does anything,” Reynolds said. She explained how having minimal support from higherups can lead to RAs having to place themselves in inappropriate situations that require more careful handling than can be provided by student employees.

“We don’t really know the policy. They don’t give it to us until after we get in trouble,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds references previous conflicts in which RAs have been reprimanded by university officials for speaking publicly or to the press about issues involving the Office of Residential Life or members of university administration, which is prohibited by Fordham’s RA handbook.

“There was no official rule about that before, but then they started winter training this semester,” Wolff said. Wolff said that part of the training was telling RAs not to “write about ResLife.”

“You don’t have freedom of speech, basically,” Wolff said when describing how the training made him feel as an RA.

According to Reynolds, these kinds of conflicts are not relayed to any other RAs by Residential Life officials but instead spread by word-ofmouth through group chats and conversations between RAs. Reynolds describes this as an example of a lack of communication between university

administrators and RAs, as there have been instances in which the rules in question are not widely known amongst or communicated to RAs prior to the incidents.

“[ResLife] said that we can’t talk about certain things because they said it in the handbook,” Reynolds said. “They didn’t give out the handbook.” The RA interviewees stated that RAs generally are not provided with the handbook until after they break a rule written in the guide.

Without being given the handbook, Wolff said that it’s harder for RAs to avoid breaking rules that aren’t widely accessible for reference. “I’ve been an RA for three years,” said Wolff when discussing how he would have never known about the rule prohibiting RAs from speaking publicly on ResLife issues.

Speaking more generally about communication between ResLife administration and RAs, “we don’t have anything concrete,” said Reynolds. “Everyone’s so terrified of ResLife, it’s actually kind of scary… you never know what could get you fired. They also keep leaving probation and strikes on your file, but no one knows what that means.”

When discussing the demands the FRA union is making, Wolff stated that it has not yet proposed material solutions to the grievances

described in the press release and its overall messaging.

“I’m not saying we have all the answers.” Wolff said that the union’s main push is to alert people to the problems that RAs currently face. “Something needs to change, and I’m not saying I know what needs to change like ‘hey, we need this,’ or ‘we need X.’ And since we’re a union too, this is a collective decision that we need to come together.”

“We still have a lot of work to with, ‘hey, this is the specific list of grievances that each person has,” said Wolff.

Reynolds described the approach that the union’s organization would take in writing specific demands:

“The people that are going to be going on to doing the solutions and stuff are going to be elected later, and they’re going to be lowerclassmen,” Reynolds said before clarifying that, although there are currently underclassmen on the union’s organizing committee, the organizing is being spearheaded by seniors.

Reynolds also spoke about why the organization of a union felt like the best solution to approaching the issues and grievances that RAs are facing:

“When I first became an RA, we brought up issues one time, then they muted our Zoom chat. That’s kind of how our relationship has

been and that’s been the tone that’s been set. We’ve had people go up individually and talk to people, we’ve had so much turnover. All the RDs I started with are gone, essential staff itself, maybe three or four people are left. When you talk to someone, you don’t get to see the change because they’re gone. With the union, it’s also an outside force with help from lawyers and things that we can’t provide just by going and talking all the time. We’re leaving and want to make sure that whatever happens after this is better.”

Wolff also provided more reasons as to why the formation of a union provides RA organizers with better benefits than if they were to try to solve the issues without unionizing. “The union gives us the ability to negotiate a contract that’s legally binding and lasts for three years,” Wolff said, also stating that the establishment of a contract provides a long-term stability that would otherwise be missing.

The organization of the Resident Assistants at Fordham also comes during a trend of RA unionization with OPEIU Local 153 at other colleges, including Wesleyan, Barnard and Tufts.

The Fordham Ram reached out to officials at the office of Residential Life for comment and did not receive a response.

This is an updating story.

Feb. 3, the Fordham Resident Assistants Union held a rally at Rose Hill in Keating 1st.

Office of Multicultural Affairs Hosts Black History Month Events

He said the events help “to bring history to the forefront and to make sure a lot of this history isn’t forgotten. As well as to celebrate the Black community for persevering through a lot. In a Fordham context, it is to educate and to make sure that this history isn’t forgotten or pushed down and to reteach.”

Events at the Lincoln Center campus kicked off with a poetry slam on Friday, Feb. 3. Adams said the event would highlight “a Black style of

art.” Other events throughout the month of February include “Step Show Lessons,” hosted on Feb. 10 and “Black Love Tabling,” on Feb. 14. Regarding the “Black Love Tabling" event, Adams said, “[OMA] will be tabling about Black love but also love in general. There will be a key focal point on love, appreciation, thankfulness and gratitude.”

The final Lincoln Center event of the month, “The Melanin Expo” on Feb. 23, will celebrate Black-owned businesses.

At Rose Hill, an art night oc -

curred on Feb. 6 and a movie night will be hosted on Feb. 13. Another event includes a game night, occurring on Feb. 21, that involves a partnership with multiple Rose Hill clubs.

The month of events at the Rose Hill campus will culminate with the “Love Your Hair Expo” on Thursday, Feb. 23. The event will host multiple hair-care vendors.

“It is going to be a big event with a lot of Black hair care products and hair care

products in general. It is about appreciating your hair as it comes,” said Adams.

Adams also highlighted the two events that he feels will be the most impactful for the Fordham community.

“The ‘Melanin Expo’ and the ‘Love Your Hair Expo’ will probably be the key events for us. For scale, there are going to be a lot of free giveaway items as well as items that you are going to be able to purchase from vendors,” he said.

Adams said that OMA hopes

Artificial Intelligence Invades Academia

FROM AI, PAGE 1

According to D’Agustino, since the technology is so new, it’s uncertain whether ChatGPT will become an issue in the classroom. “I think it’s helpful to think of it just as another kind of tool… We don’t really know how to use ChatGPT as an instructional tool. But we do have information about how we can respond to rising technology,” he said.

D’Agustino also compared ChatGPT to laptop-use in the classroom; professors should think about ChatGPT in the same way as laptops and smartphones. Just as professors had different responses to laptops in the classroom, they will also have different responses to ChatGPT.

“There’s a number of ways to get through a course without learning anything and still

receiving a good grade. It’s not like there were never these kinds of short cuts available before,” said D’Agustino.

Edward Tian, a senior at Princeton University, built an app to detect whether text is written by ChatGPT. However, the app, GPTZero, often incorrectly identifies text as being written by ChatGPT. If a professor used GPTZero to try and bust a student for using ChatGPT, they would risk falsely accusing students of cheating. Due to GPTZero’s inaccuracy, educators cannot yet rely on the app to catch students’ use of ChatGPT.

Fernald recognized that there’s nothing professors can do to prevent students from cheating, however, students at Fordham are here to learn: “99.9% of Fordham students don’t cheat. They do their work and they want to learn in their classes,” she said.

Rather than regarding ChatGPT as a negative complication for learning, D’Agustino and Fernald examined different ways in which ChatGPT can be used as a learning tool in the classroom.

According to D’Agustino, Fordham’s faculty has been discussing the possibility of integrating ChatGPT in the classroom. For example, professors can give ChatGPT an assignment and then have students critique what ChatGPT produces. This way, students will still exercise their disciplinary expertise.

“Even if students are using it to do their homework, they’re still evaluating their answer. They’re going to read through it, think about it, tweak it, etc. It’ll be helpful to integrate this peer editing process into the instructional

process... We put this idea of cheating at the forefront and it does a disservice to this share of commitment,” said D’Agustino.

Fernald has explored the creative uses of ChatGPT by instructing it to write in the style of specific authors such as Virginia Woolf or Shakespeare. “As I’m learning more about it, I’m thinking about way more ways to use it as a tool rather than a cheating machine,” said Fernald.

Both D’Agustino and Fernald don’t see ChatGPT disincentivizing students from doing their work. However, ChatGPT may have some effect on how teachers think about more authentic assessments of their students’ learning such as asking students more personal questions on exams or having students share their process while writing a paper.

“I think students have to make

to educate Fordham students through the hosting of such events.

“There is often a lot of Black history that is forgotten or just not taught to students. In a college setting, these events educate as well as create a sense of belonging for other students on campus, specifically for Black students to see themselves represented through these events.”

More information regarding the times and dates for each event can be found on Instagram @fordhamoma.

choices about where they want to get information from and how they’re going to engage with the information that’s given to them,” said D’Agustino.

Although ChatGPT is capable of writing an academic paper, it could eliminate the learning experience or creative process that many students experience while completing an assignment. D’Agustino suggested that a collaborative approach between students and professors may be the best way to explore ChatGPT as it continues to develop.

“Teachers are pretty adaptable... because in some ways students in online learning environments [during COVID-19] helped us understand the use of technology and methods of engagement that helped students during the pandemic,” said D’Agustino.

New Brand Shakes Up the Fordham Merch Scene

By ZOE KAROUB CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Over the past few weeks, Fordham students may have noticed an unfamiliar name on their feeds and in their follow requests. A new business called Fordham Swag first appeared on Instagram at the end of December with posts about their mission and official launch on Jan. 19.

Fordham Swag is a parody merchandise brand that primarily offers apparel but also sells miscellaneous decor and accessories, such as flags and tote bags. Currently, the products are separated into seven distinct collections, but as explained on their website, they will release new items every two to three weeks.

To quash any concerns about the ownership of these products, the Fordham Swag team has reiterated their right to create parody merchandise multiple times on both their Instagram account and their website. They have cited fair use laws and the definition of parody to defend their creations. Additionally, they continually deny any affiliation with Fordham University.

According to the team, whose members wish to remain anonymous, their love for laughter, as

well as their entrepreneurial interests, motivated them to start the business. They also saw an opening for more options in the Fordham merchandise market. Based on the growing popularity of their Instagram account, many students align themselves with a desire for unique Fordham merchandise. “I think there definitely is a market for this new merch because of the old FU merch no longer being available,” said Piper Smith, FCRH ’25.

Some of their most popular products so far include their “PowerLift” and “Champ” collections, which are parodies of the Tesla and Champion logos, respectively. However, their “Man I Love Fordham” design is gaining particular attention. The slogan has been circulating on T-shirts since the fall, months before the launch of their collections.

Attendees of any Fordham athletic event may notice a sea of the white or maroon shirts in the crowd. The Fordham Swag team wishes to get ahead of possible rumors about a rivalry between the brands. “We have agreed that ‘Man I Love Fordham’ has been a Fordham phrase for a long time. So, none of us can accept responsibility for [the] creation of the mark,” said the team.

Avid Fordham sports fan Max Spitza, GSB ’26, appreciates the

unifying spirit of the design.

“I think the ‘Man I Love Fordham’ merch is amazing, and the student body’s support of it connects students from all years together,” he said. Based on their social media and website, this positive outlook intertwines with the Fordham Swag business model. Fordham Swag values sustainability and charity, in addition to providing new Fordham products. Their About page explains that they run on a made-to-order model and source “premium quality” products from around the world. Also, customers cannot return their orders. All of these steps reduce waste typically created by returns, lowquality garments and ordering items in bulk. A portion of proceeds from purchases are donated to Feeding America, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating food insecurity across the nation. These more serious pursuits lie beneath a business full of lighthearted products.

With Fordham basketball season approaching, many students are looking for ways to express their school spirit. “[Fordham Swag merchandise] makes me want to wear and represent Fordham more,” said Julian Ogawa, FCRH ’25.

One of Fordham Swag’s most popular items is their M.I.L.F shirts.

Fordham Swag is a clothing brand parodying official Fordham merchandise.

From the Desk | Lauren Lombardi

RThe Joy of Jumping to My Favorite Songs

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 every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses.

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During the relentless awkwardness of middle school, the only thing I allowed myself to turn to for comfort was music. There was no one in the midst of my playlists trying to get answers out of me; in fact, it probably allowed me the selfreflection and opportunity to offer those answers, as well as understanding, to myself. It feels silly thinking back on it now; I was never really alone, despite what my own teenage dramatics had me believe. But just because I know that now doesn’t mean I was ready to quit my pity party and realize it then. I needed lyrics to hold close and shout along to and love.

I have always found immense meaning in music. In lyrics, melodies and instruments; in the intended purpose of a song and the significance I decide to attribute to it. Music is something so personal, but so universally applicable. That’s why there is nothing that compares to live music.

Hearing the songs that infiltrate all of my walks, chores and every bit of quiet I have, in a context of pure fun, is the most joyous experience. How could I not give into the expanse of darkness in an arena, surrounded by thousands of others, yelling the words to a song that we all love? The joint buzzing among the crowd when the pre-show playlist is playing. Unknowing of someone’s

name or where they’re from, but watching my feet to make sure I don’t step on their toes as we dance next to each other. I may not know my fellow concertgoers, but we’re all adding to each other’s experience: making it better by enjoying ourselves in tandem.

In the midst of my adolescent fog, I had always proclaimed I would go to college in the city. This was shocking to my family because I was a very introverted kid. They wondered what I would enjoy about a bustling place, filled with restless people. I remember my mom joking that I wanted to go to the city to have easy access to concerts. Though it was not the deciding factor (let’s be honest, I would be attending shows no matter where I went to school), the opportunities I have in New York City to see my favorite artists, especially those who are less popular, are not lost on me. Truth be told, I think concerts have made me learn to love this city more than I would have otherwise. If the sight of swarming, loud people made me nervous instead of being a part of all my favorite memories, I would have a way less welcoming perception of the city.

In 2022, I attended 11 concerts. Not a ridiculous amount, but a personal record for me. I saw shows of all different genres: rock, pop, R&B, you name it. If an artist I love was

playing a show in New York, I was there. I experienced looking up at all of Madison Square Garden from the pit for the first time, and I walked into one of the smallest venues I’ve been in to watch what was arguably the most special show I’ve seen: Tamino at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Some crowds were pushier than others, some venues hotter and some performers more charismatic, but without fail, I was stupidly giddy for the entirety of each gig.

Though I was unwilling to admit it, little Lauren was quite excited about the city for easy concert-going access. I can’t lie

Editorial | AI Essay Writing

and say she wouldn’t have died at the prospect of seeing The 1975 or The Neighbourhood live. I’m glad I’ve had some fun for her to look forward to.

Getting playfully mocked for being in a tiny venue in Brooklyn on some random Monday night is worth the rush that comes over me when a song I love starts to play, and I get to look over at my concert buddy, a lot of the time my friend Emily. I sing every word to the best of my ability and the probable chagrin of those around me, and I know that for the next hour and a half or so, it is the only responsibility that I have.

Academic Integrity Is Under Siege

Plagiarism is a problem that has been plaguing universities for years. It is a point noted in every course syllabus and on every first day of class. It has become increasingly more important to discuss plagiarism as students’ internet skills has advanced over the past few decades, as it has never been easier for students to plagiarize based on information and work found on the internet. Universities and professors have outlined what is considered plagiarism in their class in areas such as group collaboration, online resources and print texts. However, there is a new issue that must be evaluated as whether or not not it fits the definition for plagiarism: AI technology.

In order to determine whether AI technology is a form of plagiarism, it is necessary to provide the definition of plagiarism that the Ram subscribes to: Plagiarism is any work or thought that is not original to the owner, but passed off as if it is. This includes any group collaboration where the collaborators are not cited, previous research found online not sourced or any portion of written work that is not created by the author and is without citation.

AI technology used to write portions of assignments, if not entire essays, for students falls within this definition. Whether the source that is plagiarized is

a sentient being or not is irrelevant. Work that has been produced by someone, or something, in this case, other than the author or creator and without proper recognition is plagiarism.

The technology being discussed that has the capability of producing full essays that sound as though a student wrote them is called ChatGPT. ChatGPT is AI technology designed specifically to generate text. This platform seems as though it was created to enable cheating as there doesn’t seem like there is another reason for needing a technology source that can write long portions of text based off of online resources. What good is this AI platform adding to the world?

ChatGPT is adding a watermark to AI-generated text from their platform to combat this problem. The watermark will not be detectable to the person using the platform, but will be for those looking for computer-generated text. It is a step in the right direction to add obstacles for students trying to use AI technology to plagiarize assignments, but why not go one step further and retire the platform altogether? There is no need for a platform that can write a whole essay and, quite frankly, it was naive to create this technology without the expectation that people would abuse its power to plagiarize.

It is important to note that it is

also naive to think that one can use this technology without being caught. Every professor uses some sort of plagiarism-checking resource on work that students turn in. Plagiarism is a serious problem in academia and knowing that there are so many ways to plagiarize, it should also be expected that there are so many ways to catch it.

AI-assisted plagiarism prompts an additional problem in young adults today: a diminished work ethic. Technology like this only feeds into the reputation that young adults have of being lazy or not wanting to work. College is supposed to be a time of preparation for life post-graduation, and while that path can take a myriad of directions, all options require a semblance of motivation or a strong work ethic.

ChatGPT offers a way around learning how to self-motivate and takes away a learning opportunity. There will be times in the professional world where people

are assigned a task or project that is not entirely interesting to them. Now is the time to practice internal motivation for a pay off in the long run.

Currently, Fordham’s academic integrity policy makes no mention of AI-assisted plagiarism. While the Ram believes using AI technology to forge assignments is plagiarism, it has yet to be defined as such at Fordham. This is to be expected as ChatGPT was only released for public use in December 2022. Nevertheless, it is now an imperative conversation for Fordham and other institutions to engage in as it does not seem like this platform will go away anytime soon.

Fordham, as well as other universities, need to reevaluate their definitions of academic integrity with the introduction of AI technology. As long as technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, the conversation of plagiarism will be everevolving as well.

February

8,

By SOPHIA FORLENZA ASST. COPY CHIEF

Be warned: I’m gonna talk about TikTok.

I know, I know. You’re tired of hearing about it all the time, and you don’t like being told it’s bad because you’re gonna keep using it. I get it. And I understand why we defend it: it’s become a core part of our culture that only our generation truly understands. Me bringing up this tired, overdone argument seems annoying and you probably won’t wanna read it… but is it really that overdone?

Our generation says that we know that TikTok is harmful, but when one of our peers smugly points out its flaws, we sigh and shrug with defeat, as if we’re past the point of no return. Whenever I try to start the conversation, I’m already anticipating the raising of a white flag. It’s always, “we know, we know, we know. You win. It’s bad.” But that “acknowledgement” is just a poorly-disguised attempt at shutting down any further critical analysis of why it’s bad. And I realize that just using the word “bad” as a descriptor undermines my argument a little, but I’m using that as a catch-all phrase for right now to encapsulate the genuinely and deeply damaging grip it holds on all of us who use it.

Does that sound too dramatic? Maybe a bit. I’ll give you that. But if the number of hours of TikTok screen time

continues to be embarrassingly high (I’m not sharing mine), I’ll be honest: I’m a little worried. I’m worried about the state of our compassion, empathy and sensitivity to others’ suffering — and that’s not too dramatic.

Let’s start with the obvious. We know the pandemic took an immense emotional and physical toll on us in ways that we may not truly begin to grasp the severity of until years from now, but I think we need to really take a step back and observe the impact of TikTok’s explosion during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. There was a 180% increase in TikTok users aged 15-25, according to Statista. And this uptick makes complete sense: the outside world was in a state of never-ending panic, chaos and uncertainty, and we were fed a never-ending stream of harmless, fun and silly content right when we needed it most. We bonded over our ability to escape our shared existential anxieties by collectively posting videos of us dancing to “Say So” by Doja Cat. Yes, we were alone and inside and scared, but somehow we were also together. And as long as we kept scrolling, we would stay together.

But something flipped. I don’t know when, and I don’t entirely know why. But what I am particularly concerned about is this: on your “For You” page, while mindlessly scrolling, you’ll see a video of

that terrible explosion in Beirut in 2020. But then, thankfully, the blow is softened; the flick of your thumb takes you to the following video that analyzes, in excruciating detail, why Harry Styles’s Love On Tour outfit in Austin was better than the one he wore in Los Angeles. I know it sounds like I’m hyperbolizing, but I promise you, I’m really not. Last year, I saw a video of a young girl satirizing what it’s like to live in a Ukrainian bomb shelter — eerily reminiscent of the style of day-in-my-life YouTube vlogs — perfectly nestled in between a video of a cute poodle named Bunny learning how to speak with buttons and a recipe video for an easy buffalo chickpea salad. Seeing depictions of brutal destruction and unadulterated, heartwrenching despair disguised as comedy sandwiched in between gratifyingly-lighthearted content starts to blur the line between what is entertainment and what is genuinely horrible. It’s desensitizing us. I did a quick experiment specifically for this article, and I implore you to do the same. One night, in the wee hours of the morning when I couldn’t close TikTok, I decided to screenshot each video I saw for the next 30 seconds. First, I saw someone joking about their excitement to consume copious amounts of alcohol during their last semester of undergrad. I then saw a woman explaining that her cousin

had been missing for days and was begging other users to repost. The next video analyzed a clock visual hidden in the purple smoke of Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” music video. The following video showed a cop taking someone to jail for a DUI even though the person was completely sober and also “mid-abortion free bleeding all over his vehicle.” The next person talked about the possibility of a black nothingness after we die. Lastly, I saw someone talking about how her experience with borderline personality disorder made her want to commit suicide.

Let me be clear. In no way do I mean to shame any of these people for using TikTok to help them deal with trauma. Many of us started using the app as an escape, and it’s likely that we’re going to continue to, as we still need a portal out of our overwhelming reality. But we should ask ourselves: is this a healthy coping mechanism, or are we creating a positivelyharmful feedback loop that encourages us to share intimate

Page 7 COURTESY OF PIXBY

details of our trauma in exchange for momentary virality?

I’m not asking you to stop posting these kinds of videos if they help you, and I’m not asking you to stop using TikTok. I know I sure won’t, at least for the time being. I just want us to be more cognizant of the videos we create and consume, but more importantly, to be more cognizant of the fact that even though it’s easier to just scroll past painful videos and free ourselves of the discomfort, sometimes we shouldn’t. We desperately need the reminder that these videos are not just for our escapist consumption. Even if they want you to think otherwise, even if they want you to laugh with them, the real people behind these videos are actually, genuinely suffering — so, when you see it, please let yourself feel it.

Body Cameras Won’t Stop Police Brutality — Accountability Will

By DAMIEN MOSHMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The brutal assault of 29-yearold Tyre Nichols on Jan. 7 at the hands of five Memphis police officers has led to a reinvigorated discussion of police brutality — and what needs to be done to stop it. For years, many different solutions have been suggested by the public, including the reallocation of police funds towards social programs, implicit-bias training and the use of body cameras. The body camera argument is particularly popular, as it gained traction after the death of Breonna Taylor and the misinformation that followed.

Body cameras are simply not enough to stop police brutality. Systemic changes — not just the reallocation of funds to different bureaucratic areas — need to be made in order to actually hold police officers accountable, especially when their superiors won’t.

members of SCORPION before the unit’s disbandment after discussions with Nichols’ family and community members.

Memphis higher-ups were quick to defend the unit, with Police Chief Cerelyn Davis claiming that SCORPION “had great success” in reducing the record number of crimes the city has seen. Davis claimed that the department was “unaware” of any evidence that the unit’s members had previously engaged in similar behavior.

Monterrious Harris, another Memphis resident, was attacked by the same officers only three days before Nichols’ death. The body cameras didn’t stop the officers from attacking Nichols, and body camera footage wasn’t mentioned at all regarding the Harris case. What’s the point of looking toward body cameras as the key to preventing police brutality when they’re not being used to their fullest extent?

The crucial issue in the brutality debate is the fact that officers aren’t always held accountable for their actions.

The Nichols case is an example of an exception to the rule.

More often than not, cases like Harris’ and others are closer to

the norm: the victims and their cases receive little to no publicity as officers involved sweep unsavory incidents under the rug.

The best-case scenario for the Memphis police department is that Nichols’ attack and the recent SCORPION altercations that the attack brought to light highlight gross mismanagement within the department. At worst, it implies that higher-ups knew of the misconduct, did nothing to stop it and potentially even took part in it.

Additionally, based on information from the ACLU, public reception towards the use of body cameras is mixed at best, with few claiming that cameras are making a positive difference and others claiming that they’re a blight on taxpayer dollars that violate the right to privacy. As of right now, the general consensus is that money going towards purchasing and maintaining cameras could likely be put to better use elsewhere. I’m inclined to agree with this, especially within cities where the police budget seems to continue to grow without a dwindling crime rate to back it up.

Take a look at the Memphis police budget, for example. The SCORPION division had

an annual budget of over $28 million, and the Memphis police department as a whole had a budget of $275.7 million in 2023 — 39% of the city’s total budget. How much of that budget is going towards maintaining ethical police training standards, towards psychological resources for said officers or any way to hold them accountable for their actions?

According to a Gallup poll rating Americans’ confidence in major U.S. institutions, public trust in the police has dropped several points between 2021 and 2022. Less than half of the people polled still hold confidence within the police system; and who can blame them?

There are four 12-week basic police training academies for the state of Tennessee, and the only prerequisites are to have a high school diploma/GED, a clean felony record and to not have a dishonorable discharge from the military, along with the vague requirement of “possessing good moral character.”

The required length of police training should be extended to allow for people to learn how to be effective officers without resorting to violence in cases where it isn’t necessary.

Nichols may have run away from the SCORPION officers, but does that constitute a threeminute bombardment on him?

I hope that there’s a silver lining within this situation; that in spite of the tragic death of a man taken too soon, real change within our police systems will be enacted.

Except the same thing was said about George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless other victims of policy brutality. In each of these cases, the officers were charged, protests took place and the world moved on. I want to think this case is different, but realistically I know it won’t be. When someone says “enough is enough,” when do they actually mean it?

In spite of all of the protests, the grassroots campaigns with tens of thousands of supporters, even with members of the (albeit ineffectual) government supporting said campaigns, the number of fatal police shootings continues to rise every year. Nothing is going to change until the system itself does.

Damien Moshman, FCRH ’25, is a political science and journalism majorfromPrinceton,N.J.

The exposure to mundane and traumatic videos on TikTok is desensitizing us.

Fordham’s Wasteful Habits Must End

hundreds of years. This is a comical, Rube Goldberg-esque machination of vast resources to create an absurdly specialized product to ensure that the patron’s food is covered on the walk over from the service counter to their seat. It is perhaps the most invalid need that I can conceive of for a piece of single-use hardware. What great danger does the lid protect the food from? Errant tongues? Outlaws with spoons?

The turn around from manufacture to disregard of this bit of plastic exists on a scale unimaginable to humans just a few generations ago. Now, it is so terribly optimized that the process has degraded to utter flippancy.

problems require solutions.

By JOHN WENZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I find the waste I observe on campus appalling. A strong impulse to hyper-consume exisits in our community which has gone unnoticed because we have grown so accustomed to it. In this way, Fordham is representative of the contemporary Western lifestyle at large, in which the normative tendency is to consume much and produce little.

Though all waste is bad and much of it is unnecessary, plastic waste is especially malign. Consider the life of the plastic lid that is fixed to the top of paper food bowls at at least two dining locations on campus. In this instance Dagger John’s will be used as an example. Since less than 10% of

plastic is recycled regardless of the bin it is discarded into, this journey is likely to comprise the full extent of this product’s use. Polyethylene is synthesized at factories where it is heated and shaped. It is packaged and shipped, presumably to a distributor first, before arriving at Fordham. On campus, it is distributed to whichever dining locations need it — in this case, Dagger John’s. A patron orders a rice bowl from Bonmi, one of the locations within Dagger John’s. The food service employee places a plastic lid onto the bowl and gives it to the patron, who takes their food to the seating area of Dagger John’s, removes the lid and immediately discards it. Not one minute of purposed use before it is cast away into a landfill where it will remain for

I propose that we open landfills adjacent to the factories wherein this plastic is synthesized so that new lids can simply be pitched out of a window, averting that pretentious middle-man and saving us all the trouble of feeling obliged to actually use these things that we’ve created. Though the absurdity of this lid makes is my favorite, there are countless other instances of completely unnecessary plastic waste that occurs on our campus and elsewhere: using a drink lid and straw without leaving the restaurant, for example. The use of a drinking straw in almost every case is unnecessary, in fact — to consider the lifting and pitching back of a cup of Coca-Cola an unacceptable exertion. This is indicative of a fallacy that is essential to the industrialized world. One’s slightest whim can be satisfied with a product, but not all

It is hard to deny that we are poisoning ourselves with this behavior. Microplastic fragments are being discovered in human placentas. The mother’s womb, our most elementary image of benevolent warmth, has been corrupted. I look forward to the day when our children can come individually wrapped! This is an abject perversion of the relationship humans should have with their natural environment. We are not meant to live like this, to lay absolute claim over the earth’s land for the simple need of open space to dump our frivolous refuse. It is impossible to partake in a civilized state without some waste, but I must wonder if plastic straws are necessary to the integrity of our society.

Those who live as consumers will die vacant, never to know the sublimity that they let slip through their fingers because they existed under constant sedation by the perpetual availability of pleasurable distractions and conveniences. A life in which one who is fully abled still takes from this world more than they give is an act of ignorance and weakness. Such a life is a denial of others and the beauty that the world has been deprived of because of this denial. An intoxication with immediacy has caused countless brilliant people to steal from themselves a life of joy and steal from the world the fruits of their brilliance.

In this sense then, the word “waste” refers both to the material surfeit and the squandering

of the opportunity that people who have enough resources for unfettered consumption have to improve their world. The only virtuous function of fortune is to allow people, with the burden of daily subsistence lifted off of them, to spend their time and energy contributing to their communities — to ease the burden of others, to commit themselves to the cultivation of their intellectual or humanitarian gifts. It is therefore an awful tragedy that seemingly, in most cases, the most fortunate are also the most wretched consumers.

I must say that I don’t know what is to be done. It is far too obvious to implore people to change their consumption habits, to ask them if our society is any closer to divinity because of our unbridled creature comforts. But there lies virtue in even the smallest of acts. I urge you, next time you sit down to take your next on-campus meal, spend a moment reflecting on it with gratitude. Think of the countless generations of people who have lived their entire existence not knowing where tomorrow’s meal would come from. Think of what miraculous opportunity you have to do so much when your entire life is not spent struggling to survive. Think of how fortunate you are, and think of the imperative that people of such fortune have to contribute to their world.

Inflation Reduction Act Delivers for Elders

By SAISHA ISLAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed a bill named the Inflation Reduction Act which would lower climate change effects like greenhouse gas emissions, decrease health costs and increase taxes for large companies and rich investors. More specifically, the bill “invests $370 billion in spending and tax credits” to expand federal health-insurance subsidies by allowing the government to “negotiate prescription drug prices for seniors on Medicare” and encourage use of low-emission energy forms. This bill is expected to decrease the federal deficit by $300 billion over a span of 10 years by increasing taxes by $300 billion on corporations and large firms. The bill also provides funding for the Internal Revenue Service to follow up on tax evasion and gather the potential billions of dollars owed to the government by companies and wealthy individuals.

Although the bill does seem to address some key points about climate change and prescription drug prices for seniors, a majority of Republicans voted against the act, citing that the law would be “discouraging investment in lifesaving cures” by trying to control

prices. While this is a definite concern, it is more important for the elderly to be able to afford their prescriptions.

There are many elderly people using Medicare who are grateful for the new bill. For example, diabetes affects one third of the elderly population in America and 10.5% of the total population, yet insulin and other equipment required for diabetes care is expensive. For one elderly individual with Type 2 diabetes, his total insulin tab in 2022 was $1,582, which included costs made out of pocket such as “a deductible of $480, monthly supplies of two forms of insulin and higher prices once he entered the ‘coverage gap.’” This is especially difficult for elderly individuals as they aren’t working as much as they used to or have retired, meaning that it is tougher to pay these expenses.

Due to these overblown prices, many people with diabetes aren’t able to afford their medication and are forced to ration their supplies or stop taking them for some time. While this can save money in the short run, it leads to health complications for individuals which lands them in the hospital, forcing them to pay more money. The Inflation Reduction Act will help individuals with Part D Medicare Advantage

plans or other plans with Medicare by putting a “$35 monthly cap on insulin” which would apply immediately for individuals, meaning they wouldn’t have to pay the deductible. Overall, this monthly cap would save individuals an average of about 35% and would be especially beneficial to individuals who pay thousands of dollars on insulin. Adult vaccines under Part D would also be free, which would allow many elderly individuals with Part D plans on Medicare to receive helpful vaccines such as the shingles vaccines which were once very expensive.

Additionally, under the bill, for drugs under Part D and some for Part B, drug manufacturers would have to pay rebates to Medicare for drug prices, which rise faster than the inflation rate. In theory, it is expected that drug prices would decrease due to the penalties of having to pay rebates. In 2024, Medicare will limit out of pocket spending to $3,250 and widen lowincome subsidies. In the following year, the limit will be set to $2,000. This will be advantageous to individuals who have expensive medication or who have to pay for multiple medications. Overall, this act would reduce the financial burden of medication for many seniors on Medicare. It would allow them to

afford the medication without having to resort to choosing between their health and other aspects of their life.

While the hindering of drug development is a significant problem, it is equally as important for people to be able to afford medication.

The Inflation Reduction Act targets only a subset of people who need medication (seniors with Part D Medicare), but it is a step towards the right direction. Elderly citizens shouldn’t have to choose between buying their medication and other important expenses such as food or bills. When a vulnerable part of

the population isn’t able to afford treatment for something that is available, it negates a lot about that valuable treatment as it isn’t able to reach the people who really need it. Providing pharmaceutical companies funding for drug development is important, but it is also important for people to not be financially burdened when getting their medication. Hopefully, people who purchase medication in the future can also benefit from an act like this.

Saisha Islam, FCRH ’25, is a biology major from New York, N.Y..

The Inflation Reduction Act has decresed prices of medications for seniors.

The Fordham Dining services rely too heavily on using plastic.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

John Henry Wenz, FCRH ’26, is undeclared from West Hartford, Conn.

How Do We Survive this Noise?: “‘Verse Jumping with Daniels”

By JAMES SMYTHE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I slept on the floor to get in. In a dingy hallway outside the concession stand at Film Lincoln Center, I slept. Drifting between sleeping, waking and waiting, I made sure I’d be admitted to an event whose labyrinthian website hinted at a 6 p.m. showing, with standing room only – whatever that meant. I waited, sleeping on the floor, for “‘Verse Jumping with Daniels,” a week-long event of screenings and live Q&As with film duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert. The event kicked off that Friday night with a screening of their recently Oscar-Nominated film “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” followed by a live Q&A with the directors and their producer, Johnathan Wong.

I went in blind. I knew nothing of the Daniels’ larger body of work. I hadn’t seen any of their music videos or short films. I stepped out of “Swiss Army Man” after all the farting made me uneasy (I finally finished it recently, and if you want to see Daniel Radcliffe having a genuinely good time, I recommend it). I’m not even much of a movie person – my favorite is “The SpongeBob Movie” (2004). But I did see “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and, when I did, something clicked. After I saw that film, I wanted nothing less than to create, to inspire, to make something beautiful, honest and absurd. As the Pharcyde put it in their sophomore LP, “Labcaincalifornia,” “I Gotta

Kick Somethin’ that Means Somethin.” The Daniels make movies that mean something, but I didn’t know how or what. So, haggard, confused, slouched over in a standby line of likeminded floor sleepers, I went to find my answer.

For those few readers that haven’t seen the movie, I won’t spoil it. I will remind them, however, of their sacred duty to see this movie (pirate it, stream it, buy it with your dad’s credit card, I don’t care) because it is truly magnificent. Instead, I’ll tell you what they told me about telling an honest story and how to translate that story to film.

A Daniels film is an inglorious tightrope walk between the heartbreaking and the absurd. It takes something uncinematic (like a fart or a bagel) and begs the audience to see beyond its labels into sincerity. “The best

art is looking at the dumbest thing and finding something beautiful in it,” said Kwan. This key dichotomy, I found, exists within the Daniels themselves. Schienert, (whom I met, got scared, showed him my tattoo and watched as he left immediately afterwards) embodies the absurdity of a Daniels film. Kwan deals with the sincere. It’s his vision that became the throughline of the film. The melding of these two schools of thought — and these two Daniels — makes for an unmistakably human story, one rich in depth and character, never short on entertainment. For the Daniels, life is absurd. That absurdity is hilarious. That hilarity is beautiful. All of it is in fact meaningful.

On a wall in their breakroom, Daniels mounted their mantras: “how do we survive this noise,” “no matter how vast the darkness,

we must find the light” and “honk if you’re horny.”

As explained by its creators, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is an elastic metaphor for how people live their lives. “Every possible narrative you’re experiencing, you’re experiencing right now,” said Kwan.

In the face of chittering stimuli in the modern world and the proposed meaninglessness it distracts from, Schienert said, “the most powerful gift we can give to someone is our attention.” It is that haunting “meaninglessness” that Daniels spent six years exploring. It’s that “attention” (or love) that became the beating heart of their film.

Producer Johnathan Wong (whom I also had the pleasure of meeting) explained how he managed to fit the Daniels’ lofty ideas into the domains of their fourteen-million-dollar budget. He called it “setting guardrails.”

For the Daniels, these guardrails became a playground. Literally. Wong gave them an abandoned banking complex in Los Angeles, and in it, Daniels made their masterpiece, dressing it up and filming all around it. With these limitations, Daniels expressed their film philosophy. “The human eye is fascinating,” said Schienert. “Only ten percent of it can make out precise images. As you go further out, things are still there, but they’re blurrier.”

Wong and the Daniels explained that in making a film, only 10% can be as precise as you want it. Everything else will fit in, filling in that blurry space.

“Part of my job was saying,

‘we’re not making an Oscar movie here,’” joked Schienert. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was nominated for a whopping 11 Academy Awards, 10 British Academy Film Awards, 14 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards (winning five) and six Golden Globe Awards (winning two). Even more, it was also named one of the top 10 films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.

In that blurry space, the film’s humanity made its strongest display. They crafted that opaque humanity by giving their creative team freedom to run wild. They sought quantity over quality. Daniels told their crew, “give me whatever you can because we’re trying to touch infinity.” That freedom is the key. That freedom is the joy. You lead with joy. You lead with creativity. You lead with grace. And, in doing so, you make a story true and good and beautiful.

This “everything” the film presents terrifies and confuses. It should. The directors come by that fear honestly. That fear exists in filmmaking, too. But Daniels offers comfort in this madness. “I know you’re all fighting because you’re scared and confused. I’m confused, too... The only thing I do know is that we have to be kind. Please, be kind. Especially when we don’t know what’s going on,” said the character Waymond Wang (Ke Huy Quan) in the film.

After having met them firsthand, I can confirm the Daniels are kind. And they are absurd. And by their being both, they make something truly worthy of your attention.

Sophomore Explores Passion for Fashion

By EVAN McMANUS ASST. OPINION EDITOR

Nick Moody, GSB ’25, has always been passionate about two things: entrepreneurship and art. While attending primary school in Bristol, England, Moody enjoyed creating smallscale entrepreneurial ideas like selling popcorn and sweets at school games. Around the same time, he started sketching people and things around him. While he loved both activities, it wasn’t until coming to Fordham University that he combined his two passions into a clothing project named “Ants.”

“Ants started the summer after freshman year,” Moody said.

Moody felt the small-scale ideas he had in the past were confining, and wanted to try making something bigger. However, he was struggling to come up with an idea that excited him. While pondering what to do next, he would sketch drawings in his sketchbook for fun. Then, he realized he should incorporate his love of drawing into the idea.

“I went back to drawing all the time and thought it would

be cool to share that.

“I have always been interested in clothes,” Moody said, while describing why he picked clothing design as his focus. He realized that clothing would be the perfect medium because people could engage with his drawings by wearing them. He also thought that college was the perfect time to embark on this project, as he had enough time to properly invest his effort into it, whereas in a few years, he may not.

The idea for the name “Ants” was inspired by Moody’s experience moving to New York City. “Moving to New York made me feel smaller because the buildings tower over you. I liked the feeling of anonymity and no one knowing who I was,” Moody said.

The name also reflected Moody’s first designs, which were based on the shape of bugs. At his home over the summer, one of the rooms had a bug problem. This inspired Moody to draw bugs because he liked their unique shapes. This led to him making his first T-shirt during the fall semester with the design of a spotted lanternfly, which was common

in the news at the time. He was proud of the design but felt like he needed to challenge himself more. Moody turned back to his sketchbook and expanded his drawings from bugs to more cartoonish figures. His creative process involves sketching a person or image he sees and redrawing them until they become

a unique cartoon shape. The design, color scheme and fabric that make up the final product are the end result of a long process of trial and error. Although Moody finds this process a little frustrating, it is also one of his favorite parts. “Trial and error is one of the most integral parts,” said

Moody. “It’s the persistence that I enjoy.”

One aspect Moody is proud of is how the audience for his designs has grown. Before he started this project, his sketches were something that he was proud of, but did not often share with others. Making the T-shirts and posting them on the “Ants” Instagram account has allowed him to share his sketches with a wider audience.

An important skill Moody has learned through the process is staying true to himself. When Moody made his first shirt, he felt like so many people gave him advice about his artistic vision that the final design did not reflect his original idea.

“There were too many chefs in the kitchen,” he joked.

That is why when making his new shirt designs, he decided to listen to others’ advice but not stray too far from his original visions and ideas.

Overall, Moody measures his project’s success on the level of personal satisfaction it gives him.

“[To me], ‘Ants’ is an organic creative outlet.” As long as he gets enjoyment out of the creative process, “Ants” will be fulfilling its true goal.

“‘Verse Jumping With Daniels” will continue through Feb. 9.

COURTESY OF JAMES SMYTHE/THE FORDHAM RAM

College Cuisine | Instant Ramen

How to Make Your Instant Ramen All the Rave

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

A bowl of ramen is close to the perfect meal. Consisting of savory broth, hearty noodles and a variety of customizable toppings that cover the full spectrum of sweet to salty and soft to crunchy, it can hit all of the major flavor groups. Instant ramen, however, only hits one of those: salty. While good as a comfort dish at the end of a long day, or at the beginning of a very, very early morning, I try to avoid it all other times. If you like instant ramen, I’m sorry. Forgive me. It does not compare to the joy that is real ramen, but there are some tricks that bring it far closer.

As I started this article, I asked my roommate, Madeline Ryan, FCRH ’24, what her suggestions for improving instant ramen are. Within my apartment, she’s the one known to walk into the kitchen with an instant ramen packet and come out a few minutes later with a steaming bowl piled high with toppings. Once, during sophomore year, she baffled one of the cooks at Best Deli with her request for a single, fried egg, which she wanted as a topping for the instant ramen she had bought. Her must haves for good ramen include eggs, vegetables and some form of protein.

After she gave me her suggestions, I corroborated them with some research. Each of the websites agreed with her

suggestion of adding some sort of egg, soft-boiled or fried, to the dish, but many had interesting twists of their own.

Budget Bytes suggested cooking your own broth using a jar of Better Than Bouillon stock and water. While this requires purchasing another item to add to your grocery list, Better Than Bouillon jars are typically about five to six dollars, and should make around nine quarts of broth. Bytes also suggested creating your own sauce, using ingredients like ginger, chili, fish sauce and more. That is a bit more intense and also requires stocking your fridge with a lot of ingredients, but for the avid ramen eater it might be worth it. Lastly, Bytes emphasized the importance of adding fresh vegetables.

Serious Eats echoed most of Bytes’ recommendations, but also suggested adding quicklycooking vegetables like spinach that need no prep as they will cook with the noodles if you add it into the steaming broth. They also suggested dropping an uncooked egg into the same pot in which you are boiling your noodles, which will save both time and dishes. This would only apply to those who decide to cook their noodles outside of the styrofoam cups that ramen often comes in, but for those people it would save time.

Both articles stressed the need to be conscious of sodium levels, as ramen flavor packets tend to include a lot of sodium

and adding various condiments into your ramen will only exacerbate the saltiness. Bytes recommended using only half the flavor packet if you intend to add a lot of other sauces, or to avoid really salty additions like soy sauce.

Now comes the experiment, where I tested out these suggestions for myself. To do this, I started in Rams Deli. Although their selection of ramen is not as all-encompassing as Best’s, they have plenty of options to choose from. I got Maruchan Beef Flavor ramen for $1.50, which I’ve had before and did not enjoy. As the seasoning was already covering the noodles, and not in a separate packet, I decided to cook the noodles in the traditional way and add my additions afterwards. I made the ramen following the instructions on the packet, frying an egg while I waited for the water to boil. Once it was finished, I poured the noodles, broth and now rehydrated veggies into a bowl. It looked gross. The broth was watery, the little pieces of corn and beef floated on the sides and it smelled like the ocean. Super gross. I got my additions together, hoping that they would make it a bit more appetizing.

I ended up adding a few pinches of chili flakes, a healthy spoonful of pesto, some sesame oil and sriracha. The chili flakes and sriracha added a nice kick to the broth. I couldn’t really taste the sesame oil, but the

pesto… The pesto was amazing. When one of the articles suggested it as an easy standin for vegetables, I thought it such a strange idea that I didn’t even think to note it. Then, I saw the jar in my pantry, however, and figured I should give it a try. As I didn’t have time to sauté up any vegetables for my ramen, the pesto made up for this by adding a slight undertone of bitterness that softened the salt’s hard edge. Pesto is a great item to have in your fridge anyway, as you can eat it on crackers or use it as sauce for pasta. If you have it on you, I highly recommend

adding a good spoonful of it to your ramen. If not, you might want to invest in some.

For the finishing touches, I dropped the fried egg on top and used the sriracha to add a dash of color. Mixing in the additions and adding an egg transformed something I typically scarf down in the dark hours of the morning into something I savored in the bright hours of midday.

As these additions suggest — but do not necessitate — a stovetop, but also require more expensive ingredients and a fridge in which to store them, I would rate this meal as… Difficulty level: O’Hare Hall.

Peter Brainin and Friends Wow in Harlem

By FIACHRA COSTELLO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last Wednesday, the freezing cold kept most of the neighborhood’s typical nightlife off the Harlem streets. In the basement venue of Room 623, however, a few dozen music fans packed together to create their own

warmth. There was a special energy amongst the staff, as Room 623 had just celebrated a year of consistent business after the turbulence caused by COVID-19. Without a doubt, the greatest excitement was surrounding award-winning jazz saxophonist Peter Brainin and his lively quartet.

The show, which featured all original music, began with a quick introduction of the quartet. However, the character of each performer was revealed through the tunes. The first piece “What is that isn’t?” immediately showcased the democracy within the group. Brainin switched fluidly between sax and flute and allowed ample opportunity for each member to improvise as they wished. The result was a show both sporadic and emotional.

“No Twos, No Fives” followed, with drummer Anthony Pinciotti producing an aweinspiring, minute-long drum solo. The keys player, Silvano Monasterios, was also a highlight, breaking into grooves that took on a life of their own.

“It’s a beautiful performance,” said an audience member beside me. “It just makes you want to move your body.”

The emotional intensity of Brainin’s playing was exemplified in “I Hope We all Make It,” a moving ballad that left the crowd breathless. A woman beside me, who was also a firsttimer, commented, “It makes you feel like his soul’s speaking to you.” Brainin became lost entirely in his piece, creating a beautiful connection with the audience.

The band picked it up again with “Go Down Bonus.” Throughout the night, double bassist Peter Slavov created a perfectly rhythmic platform for the other players. In this piece, however, he really shined, unleashing a fury of notes that seemed to come with ease as he threw his fingers around the fretboard.

The final tune, “Placid Jazz,” was a middle eastern response to the 90s acid jazz craze. Brainin took center stage once more, playing himself into an intensely improvised vortex. The performance was met with roaring applause. The musicians took a small break before regrouping for a jam session.

Brainin and his quartet play each Wednesday in Room 623, but represent only a small portion of the venue’s offerings. There are live performances each Friday and Sunday too, and they include diverse acts which range from singers to Brazilian bands. After the show, I had the chance to speak with Slavov and ask him a few questions about jazz in New York. He recommends that all Fordham students dive into the deep end of live performances and “go [to] as many places as possible.”

As someone who had never been to a live performance in

New York, I was nervous and excited. However, the club had a good mix of newcomers and seasoned jazz listeners. Brainin built a great connection with the audience through the fantastic music of his quartet and by making jokes and conversing with people throughout the night. Room 623, which is quite small, helped create a very intimate experience, and it’s not hard to see how it consistently attracts newcomers and retains current fans.

Of course, the best part of the night was the music itself. The quartet’s members had an incredible way of showcasing their unique styles while maintaining harmony. Brainin carried out his role as band leader exceptionally well, knowing exactly when to step up and when to allow others to play on. As a result, the night was filled with dynamic and powerful pieces which always left you wanting more.

Hearing recordings of improvisation in jazz is one thing, but seeing it live is another. There is an indescribable beauty about hearing a musician pour their heart into the instrument and allowing it to speak for them in that very moment. The whole point of jazz, said Brainin, “is to connect together.”

COURTESY OF KARI WHITE / THE FORDHAM RAM Upgrade your instant ramen with only an egg, veggies and extra sauce.

Peter Brainin performed live jazz at Room 623 in Harlem.

Neighborhood Spotlight | Park Slope

Explore the Quiet Charm of Brooklyn’s Park Slope

By CALEB STINE COLUMNIST

Sitting west of Prospect Park, between Fourth Ave. and Prospect Park West (which becomes Ninth Ave. farther south), Park Slope is a gem in western Brooklyn and exhibits many qualities of a neighborhood you won’t find much else of throughout the five boroughs.

Park Slope lies right below the D train, about a 50-minute ride from Fordham Road.

The extensive growth of the neighborhood into an established residential community coincided with the development of Prospect Park and the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in the late 19th century.

At first, Park Slope was a predominantly middle-class neighborhood. However, mansions were strategically placed on Prospect Park West to take advantage of the parkside views. This wealthy strip directly bordering Prospect Park was known as the Gold Coast. The neighborhood was named “Prospect Hill” and “Park Hill

Slide” to rightly advertise the neighborhood’s proximity to the 500-acre park before landing its current title of Park Slope.

I think of Park Slope as the Upper West Side’s introverted younger sibling: quieter, nicer and not quite as old. However, just like its older brother or sister, it has plenty of cafes and vintage stores, architectural marvels in its brownstones and plenty to foster one’s creative side.

While not known as a prime dining destination in its own right — when you’re in the same city as Jackson Heights and Chinatown, not claiming such a title still puts you well above the restaurant scene in most major cities — Park Slope is home to my favorite french toast in the city.

Little Purity’s challah bread french toast is by far the best thing on the menu, which accommodates a student’s wallet, taste and appetite. A classic diner set on the lower end of Seventh Ave. has anything a typical diner would and is of the highest quality.

On a nice day, an outdoor meal (any of the three), at Stone Park Cafe on Fifth Ave. will

leave no visitor disappointed. The braised short rib is highly recommended and their variety of omelets was decent –- coming from someone who has never loved eggs, I can only assume this means fans of eggs would love the quaint spot’s version of the staple breakfast food.

For a unique take on classic desserts, Goodiez dessert shop holds a cereal bar and frozen yogurt stand. Italian ice, slushies and their famous frozen chocolate bananas are also packed into this small shop on Seventh Ave. With over 30 flavors of both ice cream and Italian ice, a sweet tooth can be satisfied here in literally hundreds of ways.

While the neighborhood is notable (potentially infamous), for its recognizably familyfriendly atmosphere, college students have plenty to do in “The Slope” (that’s what the cool kids call it) when it comes to their hobbies and interests.

The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music offers world-class music lessons to students of all ages and skill levels. It also offers a broad range of classes in

different musical areas, from American and Latin jazz to African drumming.

Located on Prospect Park West on the southwestern tip of the park is Nitehawk Cinema. A movie theater specializing in both repertory and current films, the building also holds a bar and arcade with retro video games. With a second location in Williamsburg, Nitehawk Cinema in Park Slope is show -

ing classics such as “Wings of Desire” and “Brazil,” as well as all of the 2023 Oscar contenders this month.

Park Slope feels like a hipster version of your hometown’s downtown, but four or five times the size, and 10 times the beauty. It feels like New York in all the best ways, and refreshingly feels like a break from the city without giving up New York’s rich culture and history.

Paris, Couture and Diamonds, Oh My!

By JULIA CHORUN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fashion Week, as Google will tell you, began in 1943 in New York as “Press Week.” It was a chance to give fashion buyers alternatives to French fashion viewing during World War II, when workers in America’s fashion industry were unable to travel to Paris. This is true. However, Fashion Week doesn’t happen without fashion shows, and it should come as no surprise that fashion shows began even earlier in Paris.

The Paris Haute Couture Week we’re so familiar with critiquing on social media (and, if you’re a Manhattan resident, seeing in

our backyard) wasn’t always so public. Shows hosted by major fashion houses like Schiaparelli and Chanel in the ’20s were private, individual affairs where photography wasn’t allowed and the only audience members were the brands’ clients. Anxiety about designs being stolen was so high that shows didn’t become the theatrical, rocketlaunching displays Chanel produces today until 1947.

Paris Fashion Week is synonymous with one trait: drama. Whether it’s a handcrafted lion or an upside-down gown, the point of the often outlandish displays isn’t to dictate what one should or should not wear. That debatable interpretation is attached to France’s “prêtà-porter,” or Ready-to-Wear Runways. Haute Couture means high dressing, high sewing or, in most cases, high fashion. It’s, as Vogue describes, walking art.

Haute Couture’s purpose is to demonstrate the creative message or vision behind a brand that influences their ready-towear products. In turn, attendees always try to abide by the show’s unspoken request to demonstrate that they, as the audience, understand the art of dress enough to witness the production. This courtesy brings in the supposedly outlandish, crazy-enough-tobe-genius ensembles that are immortalized on social media and in magazines. You could take four hours to adorn your entire body in 30,000 red Swarovski crystals, sit front row and your choice would almost be expected. Almost. But even Doja Cat’s sculpture-inspired collaboration with designer Daniel Roseberry

turned as many heads as the runway show itself when she entered as an audience member. It’s not often we see a sparkling beacon of ruby red in the form of a person, even sitting front row at a fashion show, which easily made her full body adornment a standout.

This season, from Jan. 23-26, many designers of luxury fashion houses hosted shows across Paris. The spring 2023 season was defined by bold, theatrical displays, a range of models and comeback brands. The week kicked off with controversy at Elsa Schiaparelli’s show, where creative director Daniel Roseberry sent familiar supermodels Shalom Harlow, Irina Shayk and Naomi Campbell strutting down the runway in lifesize animal heads attached to otherwise simple dresses. Concerning? Perhaps. The convincing nature of the foam replicas raised uncomfortable questions among viewers who were unaware of the garments’ materials and even more backlash from social media advocates, who found the dresses to be making light of animal cruelty in trophy hunting and makeup testing. This is Paris Fashion Week. It would have been less surprising to see actual, live animals walk the runway alongside the models, but Schiaparelli and its models have publicly stood by the outfits, claiming that the purpose of the clothes was to make people angry. The lion, the wolf, and the leopard stand for pride, avarice and lust, all contributing factors to the hunting of these beautiful animals. Now that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has openly supported the designs and their effective

ability to stimulate poaching awareness, you may want to revisit the possibility of a simple window display on Fifth Avenue pulling a reverse psychology lesson on you.

High fashion has deeper meaning and is constructed with more cultural complexity than ready-towear. There’s a moral statement, political undertone and foundational belief in every presentation, as evidenced by Schiaparelli. Haden Ackermann’s couture debut under Jean-Paul Gaultier’s house encompassed all three components. The orchestration of his show, from the pieces to the soundtrack, was inspired by his passion for women’s rights in Iran and Gaultier’s history as a brand of humanitarian advocacy. One brand made an even larger statement. A statement you may have to turn your head to understand. Victor & Rolf saw an opportunity in Paris and took it in the form of 18 upsidedown, diagonal, even impaling dresses that quite literally wore the models. According to the designers, the models are a vessel for art, merely a mode of transportation for the clothing. The way in which we put it on doesn’t change that fact, which, despite the way it was presented, is a principle that applies to our styling of ready-to-wear clothing. If you’ve ever felt like wearing a skirt as a shirt or tying a bandana around your neck instead of your head, that urge came from what couture designers like Victor & Rolf aim to illuminate about your fashion tendencies; that changing the expected shape of your clothes is encouraged.

At Paris Haute Couture Week, the theatrics don’t stop at hidden meanings or lessons of the art of dress. Sometimes they simply add to the grandeur of the presentation. This year, Thom Browne’s collection featured a bright pink 3D mesh car, carried in the air by four male models while a female model danced down the runway on the inside. Surprises are a natural part of sitting in on a show, but there’s always a place for fashion minimalists as well. For instance, if you’re looking for more understated statements, look no further than Dior’s collection, inspired by the linear gown shape of the 20s and accessorized with kiss curls in every model’s hair. Even Giorgio Armani’s collection emphasized the benefit of “less is more” in his harlequin-inspired presentation by choosing a color palette of soft pastels instead of the usual harsh monochrome patterns that comprise the clown aesthetic.

Some people don’t care for it. Some will say it’s not for everyone. But fashion is universal. It comes from vision, individuality and creativity, which are characteristics everyone has to an extent. The art of dress is similar to any visual art, in that it sparks so many different types of conversations in a small space. In Paris, that space is only for the big conversations, the ones that define trends, form a new perspective and change the way we see our clothes. Now, keep your eyes on the runway because New York Fashion Week is next. And the afterparties? That’s another article entirely.

Experience NYC’s quiet charm in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood.

COURTESY OF CALEB STINE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Paris designers show their couture.

“You People” is a Shallow Attempt at Depth

By JOSEPH CONOLLY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“You People” is the newest big-budget Netflix original with a cast that can move mountains. Featuring Hollywood heavyweights such as Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jonah

Hill, this film has all the talent and experience needed to make a memorable movie. Classified by Netflix as an edgy comedy, “You People” tells the story of Ezra, a Jewish man in LA, played by Hill, who finds love with a Black woman, Amira, who is played by co-lead Lauren London. Conflict arises

when the lovers meet each other’s parents, led by Louis-Dreyfus and Murphy. Louis-Dreyfus plays the culturally illiterate mother of Ezra, opposite Murphy, who plays the part of Amira’s resentful, distrustful and outright stubborn father.

All the talent in the film made for a promising start. Surely, actors of such prestige would only supply their art to a worthwhile project. There is just one problem: the script is a disaster. At best, “You People” is a lazily written, one-note comedy that attempts to garner mass appeal by leaning on its Hall of Fame cast, staying as far away from comedic edge as humanly possible. At worst, the film is everything that is wrong with movies nowadays, seemingly written by Netflix executives who lack any ounce of grit or creativity. In this latter case, I saw a reflection of the attitude of Hollywood executives towards us common folk, viewing us as a collective of narrow-minded people effectively incapable of relating to those who we may not seem to have much in common with.

to Louis-Dreyfus and Murphy, whose characters were as cringey as they were sterile.

Louis-Dreyfus’ character is a well-meaning suburban mother who is incompetent when interacting with her son’s Black girlfriend. When in the company of London’s character, Louis-Dreyfus feels the need to pathetically regurgitate Black Lives Matter talking points and ask tone-deaf questions about Black culture as if her son’s girlfriend had come to tutor her. She lacks any semblance of social intelligence, and her role is to create misunderstanding arcs with London’s character.

along with one of the only moments that resembles profundity when she makes a silly yet palpable analogy regarding race relations in this America. Yet given the movie’s feel, it is hard to take even this moment seriously. Hill’s father, played by David Duchovney, also contributes several laughs throughout the film, supplying a spaced-out, nonchalant performance in contrast to his spiraling, anxiety-ridden wife.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

“You People” is Netflix’s latest big-budget original film this year.

Co-writers Hill and Kenya Barris, the creator of “Black-ish,” filled their film with one-dimensional caricatures of real people, completely devoid of any depth for most of the movie. The film is full of static stereotypes, using jokes and characters more suitable for Twitter than for the big screen. This applies especially

Editor’s Pick | Poetry

On the other hand, her foil has no confusion in how he interacts with his daughter’s partner and her family. Murphy and, to a lesser extent, his wife, played by Nia Long, are immediately spiteful and unsympathetic. The two deliver a performance that does not match the tone of the rest of the film, which otherwise feels mainly tongue-in-cheek. Similar to the other characters, however, they ultimately lack nuance and provide very surface-level conflict that fails to satisfy.

The highlights of this film come from the feature acts. Hill’s best friend and podcast partner, played by New York comedian Sam Jay (who performs live at the Comedy Cellar), yields a strong performance. Jay provides humor throughout the movie,

But the true value of this film comes from everything that it is not. Watching the characters struggle to find common ground made me proud of humanity and how we can connect with those who appear dissimilar. “You People” made the Bronx seem much more beautiful because it allowed me to recognize the magic we create every day simply by living harmoniously among so many different people. Contrary to the characters of this film, real people are highly inclined to express empathy and understanding and possess a certain amount of social dexterity that comes with truly understanding other humans on a deeper level.

I will conclude my review with a question for the producers of this film: who was this movie made for? In trying to please everybody, Netflix pleased no one, creating a contender for this award season’s “Most Forgettable Film” with “You People.”

Safiya Sinclair’s “Cannibal” Threatens to Swallow You Whole

By ILAINA KIM CULTURE EDITOR

With a “wild conch-shell dialect” and “black apostrophe curled tight” on her tongue, Safiya Sinclair is a poetic Rastafarian magician — conjuring up diction that is nearly spell-like, she builds an altar in which “cannibal masters the colonial/curse.” Colliding like waves on the shores of Montego Bay, the poems in her debut collection, “Cannibal,” merge feverishness with reclamation in order to explore her Jamaican childhood, history, race relations in America, black womanhood, tenderness, otherness, emancipation and exile.

“Cannibal,” an English variant of the Spanish word “canibal,” is derived from the word “caribal” in reference to the native Carib people in the West Indies. Upon encountering the Caribs, Christopher Columbus described them as “mythical beings with the snouts of dogs” possessing the murderous appetites of “Caniba” for human flesh, a word borrowed from the Arawaks. It is from this that the word “Caribbean” originated. Thus, “by virtue of being Caribbean,” Sinclair writes, “all ‘West Indian’ people are already in a purely linguistic sense born savage.”

It is from this rich history, the trauma of the African diaspora,

that Sinclair draws her inspiration. The English language will always be the language of the colonizer, whereas the page gives her a sense of belonging. Effectively, she weaponizes Columbus’ “canibal,” a misconstrued sign for the savage indigene, and turns it on its brute head. In a melodic frenzy, she consumes its sadistic roots and spits it back out as her own. Forged from Shakespeare’s antagonistic Caliban, Sinclair unsheathes the rebirthed visage of the “Monstrous” as testament to the hypocrisy, hubris and trauma that form colonial institutions of anatomical domination and emotional subjugation.

Island-born, Rasta-girl and a “dark landscape” among cornfed strangers, Sinclair’s identity as both woman and immigrant interloper is not just a duality but a sphere — its points constantly intersecting and brushing up against one another. Carved in her own language of the macabre, her words burn with the pain of womanhood and the fury of her history. The book itself is separated into five parts, a nod to five Shakespearean acts, that map out her mission to turn the language of the colonist inside out and against the oppressor.

Through epigraph, allusion and quotation — most notably “The Tempest,” Thomas Jefferson’s “Notes on the State of Virginia”

and Samuel George Morton’s pseudoscientific “Crania Americana”

— Sinclair creates haunting conclusions that interrogate these colonial literary brandings.

“Cannibal” is a poised Venus fly-trap, a ravishing reclamation of Eve’s image that pales both Adam and God in comparison.

Wild with iambic trimeter and clusters of vowels, the prosodic elements of Sinclair’s poetry pulsate with the verdant oasis of her home. The waters, flora and fauna of Jamaica have found a home within her prose: “This place is your place, wreathed in red/Sargassum, ancient driftwood/

nursed on the pensive sea.”

Poet Laureate Ada Limon, another personal favorite of mine, remarks, “With exquisite precision, Safiya Sinclair is offering us a new muscular music that is as brutal as it is beautiful. Intelligent and elemental, these poems mark the debut of a poet who is dangerously talented and desperately needed.” And beautifully so, Sinclair creates a fortress through full-blooded lyricism and fertile imagery that is absolutely necessary. She evokes a home that is no longer accessible, a body that is deemed uninhabitable and a song that is both mythic and explosive.

In “Notes On The State of Virginia, III,” she writes:

“What burns this house burns apishly/The mouth the church this immaculate body/such untouchable sounds we have made of ourselve/A blues archeology/ Thus like a snake I writhe upward, mottling and spine-thick, where heavy nouns/flay through my tubercular, their heavens coil a twisted rope.”

Pulsating, lush and rich with sea-salt grit, Sinclair is a “murderess, a glowing engine timed to blow.” Her language is a refuge for those who wish for the surf to rewrite their silence. Revolting against a patriarchal postcolonial world, “Cannibal” is a creaturess that threatens to swallow you whole.

Goodbye, Tom Brady

By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER

The G.O.A.T. has decided it’s time to hang up his cleats and leave the gridiron for good.

Quarterback Tom Brady, 45, announced he’d be retiring from football last Wednesday morning after a legendary 23-year career with both the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers that included seven Super Bowl championships, 649 passing touchdowns and a total of 55 fourth-quarter comebacks.

After momentarily retiring during the 2022 off-season, Brady returned to play another season in Tampa Bay. This retirement announcement was much more subdued, with the quarterback admitting just as much.

“I’m retiring, for good. I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first,” Brady said in a video on Twitter. “I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year, so really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me.” Brady’s legacy will undoubtedly be defined by longevity, and an unrelenting will to win that has cemented his place as one of sports’ greatest competitors.

The former Michigan Wolverine is the oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl, a feat he completed during his age-43 season after leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers. Brady excelled in what was his first year in Tampa Bay, not only winning Super Bowl LV, but overcoming a particularly tricky path in the process. Brady defeated Taylor Heinicke and the then-named Washington Football Team in the Wild Card round of the 2021 playoffs, and then won two postseason games against Drew Brees’ New Orleans Saints and Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers before eventually besting the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

The California native fought father time to the bitter end. Even during his final two seasons after Super Bowl LV, the NFL could not count Brady out. In his 20s, Brady won three Super Bowls and 147 passing touchdowns. In his 30s, he

collected 309 touchdowns through the air and two championships. During his 40s, TB12 tossed 193 passing touchdowns and won two final Super Bowl rings.

Brady’s longevity was indeed an unprecedented trait that the NFL had not seen prior. Furthermore, the trajectory of his career could not have been predicted by anyone. The 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady was never characterized as a “transcendent talent” that could change the course of a franchise. The New England Patriots took a chance on the kid from San Mateo, Calif. After Drew Bledsoe suffered a lung injury in week two of the 2001 season, Brady took over and helped guide them to a 20-17 win over the then St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. From there, head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots had their quarterback of the future. 2002 saw a step back from both Brady and the team, but they officially launched a dynasty in the two following years by winning both Super Bowl’s XXXVIII and XXXIX against the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. All told Brady would win six Super Bowls with New England before eventually reaching Tampa Bay.

Triumphs such as a 34-28 Super Bowl LI comeback victory against the Atlanta Falcons and a 37-31 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 AFC Championship game are just as important to Brady’s legacy as humiliating defeats such as a 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII and an excruciating 20-13 Wild Card collapse in 2019 against the Tennessee Titans that would ultimately be his last game as a Patriot.

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. played with a vigor we may never see again. Through the highest of highs, and lowest of lows, the G.O.A.T. continually competed for more than just personal accolades. Disappointing seasons motivated him to improve, while years that ended with parades pushed him even harder to remain at the top of the heap. Regardless of what transpired the season prior, Brady returned from the off-season as if the only thing that mattered was becoming a Super Bowl Champion in February. Goodbye, Tom. Thank you for all of the memories.

Athletes of the Week

Fordham Women’s Basketball star Anna DeWolfe had a stellar game against St. Bonaventure University and Loyola University Chicago this past week, racking up 14 and 20 points, respectively. DeWolfe has been a critical part of the Rams offense, averaging 18.4 points per game so far this season with a .384 field goal percentage.

Overtime: Rangers Botched Pride Night Shines Light on the NHL’s Inclusivity

By LOU ORLANDO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

All 32 NHL teams were scheduled to have a Pride Night as part of their “Hockey is for Everyone” campaign, which seeks to use the league’s global influence to foster positive social change in a number of demographics. What should have been a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community spiraled down into a PR nightmare for the NHL, and a disappointing reminder that inclusivity is still an issue in the NHL.

The first controversy hit in early January when Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov boycotted a pregame warmup that featured pride-themed equipment. Provorov cited his Russian-Orthodox religion, saying “I respect everyone’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m gonna say.” Flyers head coach John Tortorella backed Provorov’s decision, telling the media “just because you don’t agree with his decision doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”

Nine days later, the New York Rangers hit the ice for Pride Night without Pride-themed jerseys and without special pregame warmup jerseys and stick tape, all of which had been advertised as part of the promotion. The Rangers did not make an announcement prior to the game and only issued a statement after two days of critical backlash. In the Rangers’ brief statement, they said, “Our organization respects the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud to bring attention to important local community organizations as part of another great Pride Night. In keeping with our organization’s core values, we support everyone’s individual right to respectfully express their beliefs.”

Speculation quickly arose that the Rangers were trying to avoid a Provorov-PR nightmare by scrapping the night all together. In doing so, they traded one nightmare for another. The Rangers were criticized, not only for scrapping the night, but for making zero acknowledgement of the decision prior to or directly after the game. Two separate players told the New York Post that they were unaware of the decision prior to the game and did not know why they did not

wear the pride-themed equipment. While donations were still made to a LGBTQ+ organization, the night can be seen as nothing more than a half measure, and even that might be lenient.

Then, during the NHL’s All-Star Weekend, the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman defended the actions of Provorov and the Rangers, saying, “You know what our goals, our values and our intentions are across the league, whether it’s at the league level or at the club level. But we also have to respect some individual choice, and some people are more comfortable embracing themselves in causes than others. And part of being diverse and welcoming is understanding those differences.”

There are deep and complex conversations to be had about the players’ right to individual choice. The simple truth is we can’t force every NHL player to be an LGBTQ+ ally. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to, but if the past month has made anything crystal clear, the world and the NHL are far from perfect.

For me, here’s the real crux of the conversation. Does allowing and supporting NHL players who refuse to partake in Pride Night undermine the NHL’s efforts to diversify hockey and welcome inclusion? I’d argue it certainly does. These players represent the NHL. When you make a statement like that, you represent more than just yourself – you represent the entire league. Bettman and Tortorella are correct in the sense that we have to respect their decision and their beliefs. But we don’t have to agree with it and we certainly don’t have to support it, certainly not at a league-wide level.

More than anything else, these controversies take away from the real goal of Pride Night: to foster positive social change and create a community where people from every demographic can feel welcome. For the LGBTQ+ community, which may already feel unwelcome in the world of professional sports, seeing the actions of Provorov and the Rangers defended

by the commissioner of the NHL is a brutal blow that indicates we are still far away from that goal. These two controversies take the lead in the mainstream media, burying much of the good that came from Pride Nights all across the league. While Provorov’s boycott garnered attention, Flyers captain Scott Laughton and teammate James Van Riemsdyk, longtime allies of the LGBTQ+ community, made 13-year-old non-binary hockey player Trin Stephens a guest of honor at the Flyers’ Pride Night, and spent time with them after the game. Laughton and Van Riemdsyk have partnered with several LGBTQ+ non profit organizations since the beginning of the seasons, hosting members of the LGBTQ+ community at every home game. Laughton emphasized the ultimate goal of Pride Night, noting, “Just to bring new people into the game that probably wouldn’t feel very welcome before. I think it’s starting to change slowly and just want to be a little bit of a voice and part of that.” This overarching goal gets hidden beneath these controversies as the failures greatly overshadow the steps towards progress.

Brian Burke is an executive of the Pittsburgh Penguins and a longtime LGBTQ+ ally in the NHL since his son publicly came out more than a decade ago. Burke shared his disappointment and frustration but added, “I would view this as a much bigger setback if I didn’t view it as ‘we’re still going the right way.’ As disappointed as I am, it’s important that people realize these are setbacks of a minor nature, in my view, in terms of where we are, versus where we were 12 years ago. And I don’t think anyone should lose sight of that.”

Burke’s words seek to instill hope, and it does appear he may be right. Ultimately, the NHL may be moving in the right direction. However, they can’t afford to have many setbacks, even if they are just minor. The campaign may say “Hockey is for everyone,” but that was not the message that was sent this year.

Varsity Calendar

In Fordham Tennis’ single match this week, Sampras Rakotondrainibe saved the day for the team. He lost the first set at sixth singles to Fairfield University’s Stefan Mitrovic, 6-3, but came back to take the second, 6-1, and the third in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7). He also won his doubles match that day, 7-6 (3).

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s Sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

AWAY

Men’s Track and Field

Women’s Track and Field Women’s Tennis

Softball

Men’s Tennis

Track and Field Takes Third Place in Metropolitan Championship

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Track and Field had an excellent day in their first championship of the season as both men’s and women’s took third place in the Metropolitan Championship on Feb. 3. It’s now the second year in a row that Fordham has ranked top three in the Metropolitan Championship on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Fordham tallied five event wins on the day, four of which came from the event medleys. Seniors Taylor Mascetta and Alexandra Thomas and juniors Marin Bogulski and Abigail Llach posted the first Fordham win with a time of 12:36.16 in the distance medley. The men’s distance medley team quickly responded with a win of their own, as sophomore Isaiah James and juniors Daniel Asher, Justin Lombardi and Steven Zucca posted a time of 10:20.48.

If the distance medley sweep wasn’t enough, the Rams also went on to sweep the 4x800 events. Junior Molly Mullaney, senior Mary Kathryn Underwood and graduate students Jill Jones and Helen Connolly took care of business on the women’s side while graduate student Zalen Nelson and freshmen

Ben Borchers, Yariv Simhony and Darren Croke secured the win for men’s. The final event win came from graduate student Jana Rokitta, who cleared a season-best in the women’s high jump with a height of 5’9”.

Not to be outdone, senior Kyla Hill, who set a Fordham record in the 60-yard dash just last week, broke her own record, finishing second with a time of 7.57 as she bested last week’s record by 0.03 seconds.

It’s just another notch in the belt of Hill, whose senior campaign is off to a remarkable start as one of the top runners on the women’s side. She also finished second in the 200-meter dash, as Fordham recorded numerous top-five finishes on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Highlights include top-five finishes in the long jump from juniors Justin Rhee, Eric Galante and Skylar Harris.

Sophomores Caroline McDonagh and Madeline Ryan finished second and third in the 5,000-meter run, respectively.

The Rams added six scorers in the 1,000-meter run, five scorers in the mile run and four scorers in the 500- and 800-meter runs.

Sophomore Christopher Martinez and freshman Michael Croke earned fourth-place finishes in the triple jump and pole vault, while graduate student Tiffany Hanna was the final scorer, ranking fifth in the women’s weight throw.

When it was all said and done,

Varsity Scores & Stats

Men’s

Scarlet

Women’s Track Metropolitan Championship 3rd/14 teams (116 points)

the Fordham women tallied 116 points, ranking third out of 14 teams while the men scored 112 points to finish third out of 12 teams.

It was a quick turnaround as Fordham participated in the Scarlet Knights Open the very next day. The Rams did not record a top-ten finish as Rhee headlined the day with a 13thplace finish in the triple jump event. Still, the weekend was a resounding success, as the Rams ended their first championship of the season with a top-three finish.

Fordham will be split next weekend between the Boston University Valentine Invitational in Boston, Massachusetts and the Millrose Games at the New York City Armory.

With the winter Atlantic 10 Championship on the horizon, scheduled for Feb. 25 in Rhode Island, next weekend’s meets will give the Rams one last chance to get ready for some big events coming up.

Scarlet Knights Open NTS (No Team Scoring)

News & Notes

Fordham Athletics Hosts National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic

Last Sunday, Fordham Athletics invited more than 30 girls to a clinic where members of the Fordham women’s basketball, rowing, softball, track & field, volleyball, women’s soccer and dance teams all participated. They were then invited to the Fordham Women’s Basketball matchup against Loyola Chicago.

Fordham Softball Player and Trainer Attend American Heart Association Event

Graduate student Sarah Taffet and assistant athletic trainer Bridget Ward attended the American Heart Association event at City Hall last Thursday to advocate for education on heart health, expand CPR instruction and increase funding for AED (automated external defibrillator) installation. Back in October 2021, Taffet’s heart stopped during a Fordham softball game, with Ward using an AED to save her life. Late last month, the entire softball program became CPR certified.

New York Rangers Trade Deadline Speculation

By ALLIE COPPOLA STAFF WRITER

With the NHL trade deadline less than a month away on March 3, speculation about the New York Rangers’ potential targets is beginning to ramp up. At last year’s deadline, general manager Chris Drury worked out trades that propelled them to the Eastern Conference Finals, and fans expect more of the same from Drury after an underwhelming first half of the season. Although none of the acquisitions from last season remain on the team, the Rangers may be looking to trade for a player they can sign long-term, but a boost come playoff time is the ultimate goal. Nick Ritchie seems to be the name thrown around the most in connection to the Rangers, and sources around the league state that he was a player the front office was looking at last March. The 27-year-old left winger has 21 points in 47 games this season with the Arizona Coyotes and would be a good fit for the Blueshirts’ fourth line. Just before the All-Star Break, the Rangers were rolling with

some solid line combinations, and it’s difficult to see exactly where Ritchie would fit besides on the fourth line. Nevertheless, the Rangers seem to be targeting him for the second season in a row, and an upside is that he wouldn’t warrant much of a return in terms of draft picks and prospects.

The Rangers have also been linked to San Jose Sharks’ forward Timo Meier, and he appears to be the leading candidate. The New Jersey Devils, a division rival, have also been linked to Meier, so his price keeps getting steeper. He has 48 points through 51 games this season, and would most likely take Jimmy Vesey’s spot in the newly shuffled first line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. In order for Meier to join the Rangers, salary cap space would need to be cleared to make room for his $6 million hit. If they were thinking of re-signing him in the off-season, his qualifying offer is $10 million, and at only 26, he’s definitely looking to remain on a team long-term. It would require a lot of reshuffling to finish out the season and to keep him on the

team, so that is something to keep an eye on.

A couple of St. Louis Blues players have also been mentioned by league sources: captain Ryan O’Reilly and forward Vladimir Tarasenko.

O’Reilly is looking to stay with the Blues, but Tarasenko’s name has been thrown around in connection to the Rangers for the past few trade deadlines. Coming off of a career season, he’s been underproducing this year but would slot in nicely with the first line and gain a boost in production from Panarin’s exceptional passing ability. He would have to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt, and his cap hit is even higher than Meier’s at $7.5 million. At 31, he’s probably looking for a medium term contract, but at a higher average annual value.

Coming into the season, one potential deadline target seemed enticing to Rangers fans: Patrick Kane. Kane and Rangers’ star forward Panarin played together in Chicago and became one of the best duos in the league in the 2015 season. A potential reunion seemed like it could be

on the horizon back in October, but injury concerns and Kane’s looming contract renewal don’t make him as appealing a target as he once was. The Rangers have minimal salary cap space to sign a star player in the medium to long-term future, so a possible Panarin-Kane reunification is unlikely.

In terms of trade chips, the Rangers have prospects and multiple high-round draft picks to use. Alexis Lafreniere has been struggling this season, but he picked up his play at the end of January after “the kid line” reunited. He could be a potential

trade chip, but it would only be in a blockbuster trade — there’s no sense in giving up on his development this early. Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil seemed to be in the conversation at the beginning of the season, but their play is vital to the team this season.

Prospects like Will Cuylle, who just recently got called up the team, may be more suitable in exchange for a deadline acquisition. The window is wide open for them, and this season is no different than last: Stanley Cup or bust. With the experience they gained in the long playoff run last year, the pressure is on.

–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte

Kyla Hill broke her own record in the 60-yard dash over the weekend.

COURTESY OF NICOLETA PAPAVASILAKIS

The Rangers are looking for a boost at the deadline as they push for the playoffs.

Kings of Queen City

By JONAH RING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Once again, the bags of black and orange confetti will be tucked away in some dusty storage room: untouched, unused and unneeded as the Queen City once again finds herself wed to the hopes and dreams of “next year,” the crown still to remain only an object of her desire. So goes the story of the Cincinnati Bengals: a Sisyphus of a franchise who once again found themselves nearly at the precipice of greatness, yet were again forced to watch their hopes cruelly roll away into the darkness.

I have never for a moment believed that being a Cincinnati sports fan was going to be easy. I don’t think anybody ever expects it to be, as most Bengals fans would likely find it appropriate for a sign that reads “abandon hope all ye who enter!” to be hung upon the rusting blue arches of the Roebling Suspension Bridge entrance to Paycor Stadium. Yet, despite being raised in this culture of pessimism, and thus knowing that pain was waiting for me, the ending to this year’s season was more profoundly agonizing than I could have ever imagined. The past 20 weeks of hope and joy were briskly whisked away by a bitter and unforgiving Kansas City wind.

However, I think it hurt so much because there was something special and different about the Bengals teams of the past two years. They were fun, unique and cathartic; their play fostering a childlike wonder and joy that allowed me to temporarily ignore the cold breath of academic responsibility bearing

down upon my neck. For a moment, I was caught in a trance, the spectator to artists painting a modern American masterpiece.

Those late nights spent on my couch, watching Joe Burrow make the impossible happen with my father, brother and our sleeping dog mean the world to me. Such memories are so vivid, so real, so cherished. I can feel the couch cushion depressing under me as I coil up like a spring to jump up and celebrate another Ja’Marr Chase touchdown. I hear my father’s voice betraying its gentler nature when he yells “YES!” after a Sam Hubbard or Trey Hendrickson sack. Even now, living far away from my family, I find solace in watching the Bengals. For three and a half hours, I can live vicariously through 55 men, my real-world problems evaporating for a moment as my worries become restricted to whether or not a football team can consistently move the ball ten yards.

And yes, I understand the ultimate triviality and meaninglessness of the entire thing. Humanity will still trudge along through their daily lives regardless of whether

Men’s Tennis Defeats Fairfield

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Joe Burrow has a ring or not. Everyone’s problems will still be there regardless of what the scoreboard reads when its neon orange numbers hit 00:00. But, at the same time, such a sentiment betrays the power of the Bengals. The Bengals can make the daily struggle all the more tolerable. Knowing you have something to look forward to every Sunday, knowing that you get to see your heroes play in front of your eyes every Sunday and knowing that everyone in your family will pause everything and connect over the same thing every Sunday is an invaluable feeling. Moreover, knowing that you get to cheer for good guys, players who are kind and friendly week in and week out, makes it all the more fun.

So sure, the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Bengals are no more, their respective existences now confined to the realm of memory. But, I would be remiss if I did not ever put into words how genuinely meaningful these past two years have been with the hope and unity they brought to a small-market city, the fond memories they brought to my family and me and the genuine childlike joy they provided every Sunday.

Swimming and Diving Season Ends on a High Note

By NICHOLAS RAPTIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a Wednesday night dual meet, the Fordham Swimming and Diving regular season has officially concluded. The team finished the season strong with wins against St. Francis Brooklyn College and Wagner College for both the men’s and women’s teams. The women’s team easily beat St. Francis Brooklyn with a final score of 20677. It was not much closer on the men’s side, with the Rams winning 176-107. The final score against Wagner for the women’s team was 186-100, with a final score of 165117 posted on the men’s side.

The women’s team finished undefeated, largely dominating their opponents throughout the season to finish 10-0. This is the fourth time in Fordham’s history that the women’s team has completed an undefeated dual meet season. The men’s team also had an extremely impressive season, only dropping one meet to finish at 8-1. Fordham will look to continue this momentum as they head on now to the Atlantic 10 tournament.

As always, the Rams came out strong Wednesday night in the 200 medley relays. The men’s team with freshman Christian Taylor, graduate students Paris Raptis Taras Zherebetskyy and senior Nicholas Chao took home first with a time of 1:30.73. The

The season came to a successful close for Fordham Swim and Dive. women’s team also placed first with a time of 1:45.98, led by sophomores Leire Martin, Emma Shaughnessy, Ainhoa Martin and Jessica Zebrowski.

Impressively, Fordham swept six more events throughout the night, including the 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 200 freestyle relay. Graduate student Lilia de Oliveria Pelaez and freshman Marco Petit also swept both diving events for the women’s and men’s teams, respectively. This strong overall performance to end the campaign is a perfect reflection of the entire season as a whole.

The night proved to be a strong performance for Zebrowski, who also helped the team win the 100 freestyle, 50 freestyle and the 200 freestyle

Fordham Men’s Tennis recorded their first win of 2023 this past weekend, defeating Fairfield University by a score of 4-3 at Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx. The Rams were able to bounce back from a disappointing previous weekend, when they were swept in two matches against Dartmouth College and Brown University.

Fordham then secured the doubles point thanks to victories from two pairs of Rams. Junior Giorgio Soemarno and graduate student Quinn Fender combined to defeat Kaya Gore and Tolunay Sumer 6-3. Freshmen Dhillon Virdee-Oakley and Sampras Rakotondrainibe topped both Alex Aguiar and Griffin Schlesinger 7-6.

In singles play, things got off to a shaky start for the Rams. After failing to secure a single set against Dartmouth and Brown, the Rams dropped their first three singles matches against Fairfield in positions 1-3. But the Rams rallied, with the bottom of the lineup coming up big.

Fordham recieved huge victories from Soemarno, Virdee-Oakley and Rakotondrainibe to secure the big win against Fairfield.

While losing the first set, it was an impressive rebound from Soemarno to defeat Kostas Kollias 2-6, 6-1, 7-6. Virdee Oakley then got the better of Schlesinger in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. With each team having earned three points and just one singles match remaining, it all came down to a sixth-position showdown between Rakotondrainibe and Stefan Mitrovic of Fairfield. In the winner-take-all contest, Mitrovic took the first set 6-3 before Rakotondrainibe rebounded in the second set, winning 6-1. With everything on the line in the decisive third set, Rakotondrainibe outlasted Mitrovic, winning 7-6 on a tiebreaker. For Rakotondrainibe, a freshman from Madagascar, his first singles win of the year couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment.

By the skin of their teeth, the Rams now have a win on the board in 2023. They’ll be back in action this weekend with two matchups. First, the Rams will take a Friday trip to Newark, N.J. to take on the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). They’ll then return home on Saturday to host Binghamton University at the Life Time Athletic Center in Harrison, N.Y.

Student Athlete Column: Hard Times

By TAYLOR MASCETTA STAFF WRITER

Going to practice has been tougher than usual.

I’m midway through my season and I don’t feel like I’m in shape. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still getting one foot in front of the other. But I don’t feel like myself. I’ve gotten dropped during most workouts. I’m feeling more tired than usual on runs. The 7 a.m. wakeup has always felt rough, but it’s been feeling like a death march lately. I feel exhausted, physically and mentally.

from everything it’s gone through. But I always end up blaming myself. It’s easy to say no, it’s not your fault, you’ve been dealt with not-sogreat circumstances! I know that, I just can’t help it.

It’s easy to fall into a downward spiral, but it’s harder to pull yourself out of it. My “best” right now is nowhere where I want to be. It’s driving me insane! I’m used to success, so feeling far from it hurts.

relay. Ainhoa Martin also posted wins in multiple events. Martin helped tack on wins for the women’s team in the 200 backstroke and 200 freestyle relay. Zherebetskyy was the biggest contributor on the men’s side, taking home the 100 freestyle in addition to his relay wins.

Although this was undoubtedly an amazing season for Fordham swim and dive, it is not over yet. The team will not have much time to relax and celebrate their regular season accomplishments as they must travel to Ohio for the A-10 championship on Feb. 15. The tournament is multiple days, spanning through Saturday, Feb. 18. If their performance in the regular season is any indicator, the Rams can continue to expect good things as they prepare to compete next week.

The most frustrating thing is that nothing is exactly wrong. I’ve recovered from the flu. My glute healed up. I got my iron checked, and the levels look fine. But mentally, it doesn’t feel fine at all.

Indoor is usually my favorite season. There’s something I love about the cramped, excited atmosphere, with hundreds of people swarmed around a track. I can’t exactly put last year’s season into words. I ran personal records, ran on all the relays and just felt confident in my abilities. Looking back on it now hurts. I went from the best shape of my life to running over 10 seconds slower in less than a year.

The fact that this is my senior year provides more of a sting. I can blame a lot of factors for why I feel this way. I lost weeks of training from the flu, I haven’t raced nearly as much as last year or maybe my body’s still recovering

I could wrap this piece up with a pretty little bow and find some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve stated it before, I try to be as positive as humanly possible. But I’m also not perfect, no matter how hard I try to be. It’s important to recognize that, for every peak, there’s a valley. I want to share my struggles because I want anyone out there reading this, whether you’re an athlete or not, to know that this is all normal. Stuff happens. It can’t always be sunshine and rainbows. Just don’t let it change who you are.

At my last meet, I got very overwhelmed near the end. My friends sat me down and warned me that I was getting a little too existential (this happens a lot). Everything feels bigger than it actually is.

I know, in about a year from now, I’ll forget about most of the hard times. But it’s also okay to mourn the loss of what senior year could’ve been. But hey, the season’s not over. I still have time to turn this around.

COURTESY OF ELLEN BERGIN

Even though it can be tough being a Cincinnati fan, this season provided me joy.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams pulled away with their first win due to a thriller finish.

Men’s Basketball Stumbles on the Road at Richmond

By THOMAS AIELLO

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

Fordham Men’s Basketball continued their quest towards Atlantic 10 glory on the road against the University of Richmond, but fell short in extending their five-game win streak against the Spiders.

Certainly earning the right to be drinking the Kool-Aid, the Rams walked into the Robins Center with extreme confidence under their belt. They had just won three in a row on the road and beat two of the better teams in conference at home: Saint Louis University and George Washington University.

Onward to Richmond, V.A. at the Robins Center against the longest tenured head coach in the A-10, Chris Mooney, whose all time record against the Rams was 18-5 heading into the matchup on Sunday.

The defending A-10 champions are suffering from a severe hangover since their magical run in March 2022. Mooney lost two 2,000-point scorers, one of whom was Jacob Gilyard, who graduated as the A-10’s leader in career steals and assists. The other was Grant Golden, who is the only Spider in history to record 2,000 points and 1,000 or more rebounds.

The only returnees from last year’s championship team is Tyler Burton, someone who is in contention for A-10 player of the year averaging 19 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Alongside Burton is Andre Gustavson and Matt Grace as the only true players who came back.

The overhaul from the portal has led Richmond to a pedestrian season, going into the game on a four-game skid contrary to the Rams’ five-game run.

Fordham touched down at the Robins Center looking to handle business as usual and started going back and forth with the Spiders in the opening minutes.

Women’s Tennis Wins Against the Bonnie’s

By BRETT TULIP CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This past Saturday, the women’s tennis team traveled to West Point to compete against St. Bonaventure University in their third contest of the new year. This did not turn out to be much of a competition, as Fordham efficiently took care of business winning five of six singles matches and two of three in the doubles.

Much like the week prior, there was not just one key performance, as almost the entire team found success. Only graduate student Lindsay Hung dropped both her singles and doubles matches on the day. In recent weeks, both junior Eleni Fasoula and sophomore Lorraine Bergmann have no doubt been on a tear lately, as they have won all three of their singles matches on the year. Their hot streak looks to continue as the Rams pick up more experience and wins as we get deeper into the season.

The match’s sets were largely uncompetitive, with four of the six singles matches going to only two sets. This can help measure dominance, and although St. Bonaventure has struggled in recent years, it was still extremely necessary to pick up this win as the team moved into the harder part of their schedule. Coach Michael Sowter reaffirmed this sentiment, explaining after the game, “It’s always beneficial to get a win over an A-10 conference opponent and

good preparation for a couple of tough opponents next week!”

The tough opponents that Sowter is referring to consists of Ivy League universities including Brown, Columbia and Yale.

These programs, especially Columbia and Yale, have been tough teams for not only the Rams but for all opponents in recent years, as these two have both finished with above .500 records over the previous two seasons.

Fordham looks to correct previous shortcomings, as they dropped the match against Brown 1-6 last season and lost in their last event against Yale in 2019 by a score of 0-7. As the current 2023 team is chock-full of veteran contributors, many of these current players have competed against these teams before, and hopefully can use this prior experience to help improve on past mistakes.

This win marks the first backto-back wins for the Rams this year with their eyes set on another next Saturday morning against the Army West Point Black Knights.

They will be traveling just about an hour upstate from the Bronx for the second time in two weeks where they hope to avenge their last performance against Army in 2021 where Fordham was easily handled by a score of 1-6.

However, this is a new year with a different team, and anything can happen in what would be a huge victory for the team’s hopes going forward.

The Rams went up by as many as eight in the first half, but Richmond played Fordham’s game by getting to the free throw line to keep the Spiders in range.

The Rams wrapped up the first half with a steal and dunk from freshman Will Richardson, and free throws from graduate student Darius Quisenberry. At the halftime break, Fordham held a 35-29 lead, 20 minutes away from six in a row.

The second half saw Richmond go guns blazing and cut the lead down to one, until Fordham sent their lead back up to 47-36 at the 12-minute mark.

Playing a full 40 minutes of basketball is hard on the road. The Rams, unfortunately, played only 30 minutes of basketball and collapsed in the final 10, as Richmond utilized a 13-1 run to bring the scoreboard back in their favor and were able to connect on free throws down the stretch.

Two Spiders combined for 20 attempted free throws, more than the entire Fordham team took the whole game. Richmond as a whole took 28 free throws and nailed 22 of them, while Fordham took only 18 and hit 12. Some of those misses were on the front ends of one-and-one situations

which could have been avoided.

Three-point shooting has been a common point of emphasis all season long. Fordham has been able to win games with poor shooting performances but couldn’t shake the hit this game. 4-18 will not cut it to win games on the road, especially when you win the rebounding battle and grab nine offensive boards against a much lesser team in terms of physicality.

Junior center Abdou Tsimbila was second on the team in points with 10, adding five rebounds in one of his better games of the conference slate. Quisenberry had one of those nights again, shooting 1-9 from the field with only five points. Fourth year Kyle Rose shot the ball well for the first time in awhile, going 3-6 from three for nine points.

Khalid Moore led the way with 12 points, and eight points each came from Richardson and senior Rostik Noyvitskyi. But the offensive output was subpar considering Fordham’s last five games.

The Rams will have a chance to snag a win on Wednesday when they return home for a matchup with the University of Massachusetts Minutemen; a quick pit stop before heading on the road again.

Women’s Hoops Takes Care Of Business Against Lowly A-10 Foes

By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER

Every win at the collegiate level takes a certain amount of fortitude, but there are undoubtedly games that elite squads expect to win without much strife. Fordham Women’s Basketball enjoyed two such games this past week as they annihilated both St. Bonaventure University and Loyola University Chicago.

A 85-51 road win over the Bonnies saw the Rams flex their dominance in every facet of the game, while an 80-64 home victory against the Ramblers featured a first half jolt that propelled Fordham to a comfortable lead they would maintain for the duration of the contest.

Last Wednesday’s showdown against St. Bonaventure belonged to Fordham from the opening tip. The Rams outscored the home team 21-12 in the opening frame, and then surged to a 19-point second quarter that gave them a 40-17 lead at the conclusion of the first 20 minutes. The Bonnies are currently the Atlantic 10’s worst shooting teams and it showed against Fordham. St. Bonaventure is shooting at a 34% clip from the field as a team, and they only sank 29.5% of their field goal attempts against Fordham.

They made a small run in the fourth quarter and almost outscored the Rams in the period. But it was too little, too late. Graduate student Kaitlyn Downey was exceptional for the Rams. She poured in a team-high 16 points while also contributing

10 boards and five dimes. The forward played with a great deal of physicality in the paint while still making key plays on the offensive end. Graduate student Jada Dapaa and senior Anna DeWolfe both tallied 14 points, and graduate student Asiah Dingle collected nine of her own. Fordham also got offense from some unlikely sources.

Freshman Rose Nelson provided eight points on a 4-5 shooting day, and sophomore Colleen McQuillen totaled nine points and two made three-pointers.

Much like St. Bonaventure, Loyola Chicago is far from a perfect team. They’re currently dead last in the conference in terms of average opponent field goal percentage. Further, they average the least rebounds in the A-10. Saturday afternoon’s match was largely controlled by Fordham. The women in maroon outshot the Ramblers by more than 15% and also finished with a slight advantage on the glass as well. The

Bronx’s best led 50-33 at half, and as usual, DeWolfe, Dingle and Downey led the charge throughout the game. DeWolfe grabbed a team-high 20 points, Dingle scored 16 and Downey finished with 13. Dapaa and Downey controlled the glass for the Rams. Both players grabbed 10 boards and helped the Rams achieve a formidable defensive presence.

Loyola Chicago made things somewhat intriguing in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Rams 23-18, but by then Fordham was already enroute to a commanding win.

The pair of wins moved Fordham to an 8-3 conference record. Both efforts were commendable, but greater challenges lie ahead. Women’s hoops will face the second-place University of Massachusetts Minutemen on the road Wednesday, and then shuffle to Philadelphia for a Thursday morning bout with the La Salle University Explorers.

Fordham saw their five game winning streak evaporate over the weekend in a tough loss against the Richmond Spiders.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The Rams rolled over St. Bonaventure and Loyola Chicago last week.