The Fordham Ram volume 99 Issue 5

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 99, Issue 5

Commuter Breakfast Club Arrives

FordhamRam.com

February 22, 2017

B+ Auction Breaks Records, Faculty Brings in Over $20 Thousand Stands with Accused Student

By THERESA SCHLIEP NEWS EDITOR

This month, Commuter Students Services replaced “Commuters in the Caf” with a new breakfast program for commuters. The program, now known as the “Commuter Breakfast Club,” premiered Feb. 17.

The new version of the club will provide catered food in the Student Lounge, according to Monique Dumaine, assistant director for leadership and commuter student services.

This is a change from Commuters in the Caf in that previously, students recieved passes into the Marketplace to eat “Commuter Assistants sought to foster a greater sense of community amongst the commuter population,” said Dumaine. By moving it from the Marketplace to the condensed setting of the Student Lounge, students will be able to bond more and enjoy local food.

“The Commuter Assistants were interested in fostering a stronger community in the Student Lounge,” said Dumain .“ With the ‘Commuters in the Caf’ program, many commuter students would pick up a voucher and run upstairs for food. With this new ‘Com-

By VICTOR ORDONEZ

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

VICTOR ORDONEZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Attendees at RHA’s Annual Benefit Auction were shocked when students bid thousands on vairous items.

By VICTOR ORDONEZ NEWS EDITOR

The Residence Halls Association (RHA) Annual Benefit Auction for the B+ Foundation received a record $22,373, including a $16,000 bid on this year’s first

room selection spot. This figure is over ten times larger than last year’s winning price of $1,385 for the room selection spot.

Numerous other items were auctioned off at the event, none of which exceeded $500. However, attendees were evidently

SEE COMMUTER, PAGE 5

shocked when Jack Glen, GSB ’20, countered the bid of $2,500 for the first room selection spot with a bid of $16,000.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said auction attendee Catherine Maccaro, FCRH ’17. “We were all silent at SEE AUCTION, PAGE 5

Mast Holds Town Hall

By AISLINN KEELY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

ANDREA GARCIA/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Office of Institutional Research published a report showing the job placements of the Class of 2017.

One out of 10 2016 Grads Seek Work: Same as 2015

By THERESA SCHLIEP NEWS EDITOR

Job placement outcomes for the undergraduate schools remain constant from last year as one in 10 in the class of 2016 still seek employment six months after graduation, according to the Office of Institutional Research.

The report reveals that 59 percent of the class of 2016 gained full-time employment, while 10 percent are still seeking work.

These numbers remain consistent with the 2015 Placement Report, which detailed the job outcomes of the class of 2015.

In comparison, Georgetown’s 2015 placement report boasted a

69 percent full-time employment rate, while Villanova compared with 73.2 percent full and part time employment and New York University with 86.6 percent full and part time employment for their 2016 placement reports.

The office published its 2016

SEE JOBS, PAGE 6

Maura B. Mast, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics and dean of Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH), held the first FCRH town hall of the semester, where students addressed questions regarding student life and academic concerns.

Christopher Rodgers, assistant vice president and dean of students at Rose Hill, Carla Romney, associate dean for STEM and prehealth education and Rev. John T. Dzieglewicz, S.J., Ph.D., dean of the senior class, were also in attendance to address students’ concerns. This town hall included the announcement New York State’s approval for Fordham to pursue creating a new math major.

Mast began the town hall with announcements. She reminded attendees of the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 26 and the Special Lecture given by Jane Chenko, Ph.D. on March 22, part of the Sapientia et Doctrina series and the DodransbicentenSEE MAST, PAGE 7

Over 100 Fordham University faculty members have signed a petition in an effort to intervene in the hearing of Sapphira Lurie, FCLC ’17, who has been charged with holding a protest without proper authorization.

The protest came after Keith Eldredge, dean of students at Lincoln Center, turned down USG’s decision to approve the Social Justice for Palestine (SJP) club.

Lurie, who was going to be part of SJP had it been approved, was involved in a protest at Lincoln Center on Jan. 23 against Eldridge’s decision.

Lurie faces an independent disciplinary hearing with Eldredge himself on Wednesday, Feb 22.

Professors who signed the petition say they have concerns regarding the hearing. Specifically, they are concerned by the oneon-one nature of the meeting and the lack of independent oversight.

“Dean Eldredge will serve as accuser, prosecutor, judge, jury, and punisher,” said the faculty petition.

Lurie said that she would like to bring at least one person to the meeting for support, but that her requests have been turned down.

“Eldredge and VP [of Student Affiars] Jeff Gray have refused multiple requests from myself, my lawyer and supportive faculty to drop the disciplinary charges or to at least allow a witness into this closed-door meeting that they have decided should happen between only me and Dean Eldredge,” said Lurie in an email to The Fordham Ram. Lurie argues that she is the victim of intimidation because of her support for SJP. “This is clearly an attempt to stifle the voices of SJP members and student leaders on campus,” said Lurie. “Going forward, I will not stop organizing and speaking out on campus. The administraSEE PETITION, PAGE 5

in this issue

Opinion Page 9 Dont Let Donald Deligitimize Free Press

Culture

Page 13 Politics and Purposeful Pop at the Grammy’s

Sports Page 24

Rams Knock off A-10 Best Dayton Flyers

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Feb. 14 Salice 9:30 p.m.

A student reported to a public safety officer that her wallet was missing from her desk. The student had last seen the wallet on Feb. 8. The student was advised to cancel her credit cards. No police report was filed.

Feb. 15 Finlay 11 p.m.

FUEMS reported to public safety that someone had removed a traffic cone they had placed.

Public safety investigated and located the cone in the basement of Finlay Hall. The cone was returned to FUEMS. Feb. 17 Goupil 6 p.m.

A resident assistant in Martyrs notified public safety that an iPhone had caught fire in one of the lounges. The fire was put out and the alarm was not activated due to immediate action by the RA. Feb. 17 Alumni Court South 2 p.m.

A student reported that her clothing was removed from the dryer. The student reported that the clothes had an estimated value of about $120. Public safety is investigating.

Feb. 19 Arthur 2 5 p.m.

Fire alarm was set off by a gas leak in Arthur 2. FDNY was notified and responded. The gas was coming from a leak in a dorm room stove. The leak was fixed and the students returned to their residence halls shortly after.

- Compiled by Victor Ordonez

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

February 22, 2017

Journal From Abroad

Simple Living in London A Student Practices Jesuit Values While Abroad

By ANGELICA DIIORIO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I clicked the “Book Now” option for a bus from Lisbon to Granada, with no plans, hotel or hostel and no knowledge of Portuguese or Spanish. I had just agreed to the final transport in my Bohemian adventure, and simultaneously had a panic attack about money. It’s a feeling that explains college in a nutshell, a feeling that has increased since I went abroad to London.

This ‘Bohemian adventure’ describes my mentality as I travel abroad: do as much as possible, spend as little as possible. For the sake of accessibility and money, I have had to strip some parts of my life down to the bare minimum.

I’ve had to—in Fordham’s Jesuit values—live simply. I am very aware of what a privilege it is to study abroad and still be able to afford weekend getaways. By no means would I claim that my life abroad has been a hardship, but rather, studying abroad has forced me to make some decisions about what I truly value in life.

When I started packing for London, I crammed everything into my suitcase and backpack.

Extra bag, extra money; one bag it is! Why do I have so many clothes in my closet? Have I ever worn this? I found myself shopping through my own drawers and leaving empty-handed. In the end, I packed only a few pairs of jeans, leggings and shirts.

I thought of the time with my Global Outreach team in San Diego and going through clothes at a shelter there. The coordinator told us that if we wouldn’t wear it, the kids at the shelter wouldn’t either. My outfits weren’t reject clothes; I thought they were pretty safe to pass on. It sounds melodramatic to say, but it was interesting to pack my life into a single bag. For someone whose room is full of a lot of random objects, it was easier than I thought to see what I could live without when forced to do so.

When I arrived at Heathrow Airport in London, I tried to get an international chip for my phone. After making some panicked calls from a borrowed phone to AT&T, my brother, my

ANGELICA DIILORIO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

A student embraces simple living while studying abroad, forgoing some common luxuries.

mom, my dad, the mailman, anyone really, it became clear that my phone was a problem. Just like that, I was thrust into one of the most rudimentary, yet fundamental, elements of modern simple living: being cut-off from technology. Don’t get me wrong, I had wifi to message my mom, but my phone could no longer be a shield, hiding me from the hustle and bustle of London streets and human interactions. I do not consider myself someone overly attached to technology, but my need for control makes me a prisoner of checking time, weather and email.

Without my phone, I felt reconnected to the living-in-themoment attitude adapted from past retreats and my GO! project.

I was not cut-off from the world, but I was not distracted by it.

While everyone around me was hunting for wifi, I got to do a lot of people-watching. In the dark of the bus, I saw every face lit by the white square of light from their phones from which no eyes wavered.

I continued to take interest in the city around me, particularly its more human element. Fordham’s Midnight Run had taught me a lot about New York at night, but I did not initially find an equivalent in London.

Luckily, I found a different program called the C4WS Homeless Project run through a church. I woke up at 6:30 a.m. for my shift at the shelter (early mornings will be the death of me). After

helping to cook breakfast, I talked to the members of the shelter.

I spent most of my time with a refugee woman from Bulgaria communicating mostly through hand gestures and pointing. No matter what I had known about the refugee crisis, I had never met any of the people most directly involved.

I was struck by the fact that by taking a little time out of my morning, I got to have a conversation with a sweet lady who shared a part of her world with me. I pointed to the word ‘friend’ in her dictionary and asked how to say its Bulgarian counterpart— приятел (priyatel).

This Week at Fordham Thursday Feb. 23

Friday Feb. 24

Saturday Feb. 26

Saturday Feb. 25

Sunday Feb. 26

CAB Hosts “Remembering T.J.”

Mimes + Mummers Present “Chess the Musical”

Fordham Dance Marathon

AMC Best Picture Showcase

St. Jude Up ’til Dawn Sundae Sunday

McGinley Ballroom 8 a.m. — 1 a.m.

AMC Empire 25 10 a.m. — 8 p.m.

McGinley Rose Hill Commons 237 7 p.m. — 8 p.m.

The Weekend Activities Committee and Cinevents groups invite students to attend the 2017 best picture showcase at the AMC Empire 25, located at 42nd Street Entertainment Center, 234 W 42nd St.

Up ’til Dawn invites students to attend its first annual Sundae Sunday. Make sundaes and send emails with Up ’til Dawn to help fundraise before its Finale Event.

McGinley 236 7 p.m. — 8p.m.

Campus Activities Board invites students to Remembering T.J., a program organized by two parents who lost their son to suicide. Remembering T.J. discusses suicide and prevention.

Collins Auditorium 7 p.m. — 11:30 p.m.

Fordham’s Mimes and Mummers will perform Chess the Musical in Collins Auditorium from 6 p.m. to 11:15 p.m from Feb. 23 - 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

RHA will have its fourth annual Fordham Dance Marathon to support the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.

NEWS

February 22, 2017

Page 3

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

On Tuesday, a panel pictured above discussed racial bias, both implicit and explicit, in public education.

Panel Discusses Race and Edu.

By AISLINN KEELY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Students and panelists held a town hall Tuesday to discuss problems facing students of color, particularly those in the public school

education system. The event, titled, “Race and Public Education in NYC: A Town Hall,” introduced a panel of seven educational community leaders of varying backgrounds who took the stage to share insights from their profes-

sional experiences and advocate for change.

Aixa Rodriguez, FCRH ’00, GSE ’05, organized the panel in response to another event that she attended on race and education, which did not include any discus-

sion of the Bronx. Mark Naison, Ph.D., professor of history and African American studies, moderated the event in a two-part approach. Each panelist was invited to talk about his or her particular experience and focus on activism followed by a dialogue between the audience in attendance and the panelists.

The panel consisted of Luis E. Torres, principal of P.S. 55 in Claremont Village in the Bronx.”

Daniel Katz, teacher, member of Community Education Council 3’s zoning comittee. Fabienne Doucet, Ph.D., associate professor of early childhood education at New York University. Ruth Rodriguez, former teacher, mother and administrator for United Opt Out National. Pamela Lewis, FCRH ’03, author of Teaching While Black: A New Voice on Race and Education in New York City (Fordham University Press, 2016). Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, Ph.D., assistant medical professor at the City University of New York, mother and activist and Arthur Goldstein, ESL teacher and United Federation of Teachers chapter leader at Francis Lewis High School in Queens.

Rodriguez commented on the diversity of the panels’ backgrounds.

“The members of tonight’s panel each can speak to a piece of the puzzle, which is why we asked them here,” said Rodriguez.

The panel spoke of the prob-

lems students of color face in the public school system, due to governmental short comings, such as standardized testing and grading schools without looking at community variables. Panelists also addressed the lack of understanding of the role education plays in lower income communities.

The panel’s message reached further than the various community leaders in attendance to Fordham undergraduates.

“I have been tutoring young African American kids in my town, Mount Vernon, and I just wanted to learn a better way of how I could reach out to them and make a better impression on them,” said Arnell Stewart, FCRH ’20. “I feel like tonight has definitely helped me to learn how to better communicate with them, learn about the different systems that a lot of kids are exposed to.”

Anya Patterson, FCRH ’19, echoed this approval of the panel’s activism and role in educating her further on the issues facing students of color in pre-collegiate education.

“A forum on race in public education in New York City, learning how I can be a better community organizer and/or activist, how can I be an agent of change in this community as an undergraduate,” said Patterson, “and just be a person who is affecting change, I think that was my main goal in coming here. It was great.”

Summer Session 2017 Can’t be on campus four nights a week?

How about one or two?

Take hybrid electives in • The World of Queen Elizabeth (HIST 3430) • Popular Culture (SOCI 2960) • Science Fiction Film and Television (FITV 3571) • Business Communication (CMBU 2665)

Or choose from more than 200 available courses!

Session I: May 30–June 29 Session II: July 5–August 8

Learn more at fordham.edu/summer eeo

NEWS

Page 4

February 22, 2017

Fordham In The Bronx

Lead In Bronx Schools Exceeds EPA Standards Experts Encourage Change in Water Testing

By VICTOR ORDONEZ

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The Cross Bronx Expressway was recently named the most congested urban roadway in the country. This designation correlates with rates of asthma within the borough, where roughly 20 percent of its children suffer from the respiratory disease.

It seems there are new environmental health concerns for the borough. Experts last year reported that there were flaws in New York City’s method of testing water for lead, according to a New York Times article. The methods that were previously being used could hide dangerously high levels of metal, which may have impacted lead levels in Bronx schools.

These concerns were at first dismissed by officials, according to the article.

However, the methods of testing water have since changed and now show that the experts were indeed correct.

As of reports released by the

state health department in early February, the latest tests have found nine times as many water outlets contain lead levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard. Bronx schools were not immune to this calamity.

The EPA’s “action level” of 15 parts per billion is the set standard of metals tolerable in any given water supply, according to the state health department website.

Tests from the Bronx High School of Science show that, as of last month, 13 water outlets contained metals well over the set standard.

One sample from a water fountain contained a lead concentration of 1,590 parts per billion.

Later, an office faucet had a lead concentration of 7,480, according to numbers obtained by the New York Times.

These numbers evidently had not been obtainable due to prior testing methods. Experts believe that this is the result of a method known as “pre-stagnation flushing.”

Pre-stagnation flushing is the

Photo of the Week

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Water exceeds EPA’s “action level” metal concentration standard after new testing methods prove to be more accurate. act of removing or cleaning of faucets aerators prior to testing.

In past methods, protocol had

OWEN CORRIGAN /THE FORDHAM RAM

Times Square is a major commercial intersection and neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue that also stretches from West 42nd to West 47th Streets

workers turn on all water outlets the night before testing and let the water run for two hours or more.

Upon shutting off the outlets, the water remaining within the pipes sat for eight hours before samples were taken by officials from the state department.

Other states such as Wisconsin do not allow pre-stagnation before testing, and the act is punishable by law, according to documents on the EPA’s website.

Under the city’s prior protocol, the EPA’s guidelines for schools did not address the flushing practice, even though experts say it temporarily reduces lead levels because it cleans the inside of pipes of soluble lead.

Upon large outcry from experts like Marc Edwards, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech who has written to the EPA and Center for Disease Control (CDC) on multiple occasions, the city’s health department agreed to issue regulations that discouraged pre-stagnation flushing within the five boroughs

as of late last year.

Simultaneously, the state health department decided to retest all school buildings under new protocols that abolished pre-stagnation flushing.

Only a fraction of the results have been released since the new testing had begun in early December 2016. City officials have declined to release all results to the media until all tests have been completed later this month.

EPA regulations require that any water outlet used for cooking or drinking found to contain lead concentrations above its action level be turned off until they can be replaced. Schools that tested over the action level are supposed to have drinking water outlets and kitchen faucets flushed for at least 10 minutes by a custodian every Monday morning.

Elizabeth Rose, the Education Department’s deputy chancellor for operations, said that the test continued to show that the water in schools was overall safe, in a comment to The New York Times.

Campus Briefs & Bites Gabelli Hosts Q&A with Chef Mario Batali

Former Gabelli Student Wins Schwarzman Scholarship

Fordham Real Estate Institute Hosts Panel

Gabelli Develops New Center, CPAP

Emmy Award-winning chef Mario Batali attended a Q&A event hosted by Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business on Feb. 13. The event was led by Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business. Batali spoke about his most recent local business La Sirena Ristorante, an Italian trattoria in Chelsea, NY. Batali gave advice to attendees looking to open their own restaurant one day. Batali believes that successful restaurants are those that can be described in three sentences. A restaurant should have an underlying theme and easy to describe, according to Batali. Being a 30-year veteran in the restaurant business, Batali believes that one of the most important things he has learned is to not let the fear of risk detter his ambitions. Batali also asked that Fordham business students and alumni encourage constructive criticism and use it to their advantage so that they might refine their business aspirations.

Ran Niu, GSB ’16, became Fordham University’s first Schwarzman scholar as one of 31 students to receive the Schwarzman Scholarship. The scholarship seeks to train leaders in order to deepen ties between China and the world. Niu graduated from Gabelli last year with a master’s degree in global finance before winning the scholarship, which a foundation started by Blackstone Group CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman created in 2013. She will enroll in Schwarzman College, which is part of Beijing’s Tsinghua University, to work towards a master’s degree in global affairs. Niu had hoped to work in international affairs, interning at the United Nations’ Regional Commissions New York Office and applying for another UN internship when she heard of her Schwarzman Scholarship success. Ultimately, she hopes to form structures to stimulate culture and business exchanges between nations. Niu is currently living in Shanghai while working on the social entrepreneurship competition “China Thinks Big.”

The Fordham Real Estate Institute will be hosting a panel of leading residential real estate experts on March 15 at the Fordham Law School. The panelist will discuss trends in the metropolitan region. Michael Stoler, managing director of Madison Realty Capital and president of New York Real Estate TV, will moderate the event. Speakers will include Jan Burman, president of The Engel Burman Group, Steven Dubb, principal of The Beechwood Organization, Allen Goldman, president of SJP Residential Properties, Jeffrey Levine, chairman & CEO of Douglaston Development/Levine Builders, Laurent Morali, president of Kushner Companies, Kenneth Pasternak, executive chairman of KABR Group, Seth Pinsky, fund manager of Metro Emerging Markets & Public Affairs Director and Joshua Zengen, managing principal and co-founder of Madison Realty Capital.

The Gabelli School of Business has developed the Center for Professional Accounting Practices (CPAP). This new cutting-edge center prepares students for the new challenges that are currently facing businesses around the world. The center is the result of a collaboration among policy makers, accountants, auditors and forensic professionals. The newest addition to the Gabelli School works through informative research, workshops, lectures and conferences. Barbara Porco, Ph.D., a clinical professor of accounting and taxation, co-directs the center. CPAP is still early in development, however, its directors believes it has the the potential to impact the business world by creating discussions about auditing and assurance, fraud, financial analysis and sustainability reporting.

This is important since the practices listed tend to overlap, according to directors of CPAP. The organization hopes to further conversations about the latest strategies for detecting fraud and best practices in fraud prevention.

NEWS

February 22, 2017

Page 5

Students Bid Over $16 Thousand for First Housing Time Slot FROM AUCTION, PAGE 1

first, and not sure if he was being serious. Eventually we all started clapping.”

The bid was out of respect for the children, according to Glen.

Being the first to choose where to live on campus was only an added bonus.

“Being able to help out a great charity organization that helps pediatric cancer patients and get the housing accommodation is a winwin for everybody,” said Glen.

Before the auction, Glen and his friends decided they would pay $16,000 for the room selection spot.

“Last year we found out that the top prize went for [$1,385], I said ‘let’s go ten-fold,’” said Glen.

Glen’s roommates, Gabriel Mashaal, GSB ’20, Charles Corrot, GSB ’20 and Victor Feng, GSB ’20, all equally contributed to the final bid.

“We are all a good group of friends,” said Glen. “We figured why not stay together and help out a cause while we did it.”

Glen and his roommates said they will be looking to occupy Campbell Hall for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Other items auctioned off at the

event included an iPad Mini 2, two Under the Tent tickets and two Lady Gaga tickets.

Haley Hauge, GSB’18, vice president of RHA, bid $230 and won the iPad Mini 2, which had a starting bid of $150.

Natalie Ward, FCRH ’19, won the two Under the Tent tickets with a bid of $170. The tickets had a starting bid of $60, and will allow the attendees to skip the event’s admission line.

The Lady Gaga tickets had a starting bid of $200 and were sold to Kayle Wong, GSB ’20, for a total bid of $330.

The auction was one of several fundraising events apart of RHA’s philanthropy month. The RHA’s Fordham Dance Marathon on Feb. 25 will be the final philanthropy month event to take place this year Claire Polacheck, FCRH ’19, and Morgan Outler, FCRH ’19, orchestrated the auction. The foundation honors the life of Andrew McDonough, who died at the age of 14 in 2007.

“Andrew’s B+ blood type became his family’s and friends’ motto throughout his fight against childhood cancer — to ‘Be Positive’,” according to the B+ Foundation website.

VICTOR ORDONEZ FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

The auction’s proceeds go to the B+ Foundation, a pediatric cancer foundaiton.

Commuter Breakfast Club FROM COMMUTER, PAGE 1

muter breakfast experience, students are able to spend time in the Student Lounge, meet fellow Rams and get a taste of local food all in one place.”

Commuter Assistants developed the idea during their retreat at the beginning of the semester, Dumaine said. During the month of January, the breakfast program was suspended in order to organize the “Commuter Breakfast Club.”

“The Commuter Assistants wanted to spend this time creating a meaningful program that fit within their goals of building community in the Student Lounge,” said Dumaine.

“The month of January was focused on reaching out to vendors and creating a game plan for the rest of the Spring Semester.”

Jane Parisi, FCRH ’19, a Commuter Assistant, helped develop and plan the breakfast. Parisi said she thinks this will give commuting students more freedom when it comes to eating their breakfast and socializing.

“I think people are looking forward to a different option,” said Parisi. “It gives them more freedom because now you can grab it and go. Or, you can stay and do your work, use the computers or play pool.”

Parisi said the main vendors they will use are Lenny’s Bagels and Barinos. The breakfast will now be Fridays in the lounge from 9 a.m. —11 a.m.

Student Faces Disciplinary Hearing with Eldredge FROM PETITION, PAGE 1

tion cannot be allowed to intimidate us as a community.”

The faculty petition, along with a letter regarding the hearing and freedom of speech on Fordham’s campus, was sent to Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, Tuesday.

The petition calls Lurie’s actions consistent with Fordham’s Jesuit nature.

“Ms. Lurie’s actions are consistent with the educational values that we hold most dear at Fordham: fostering students who strive to be men and women for others, and who find themselves, now and in the future, deeply bothered by injustice,” the petition reads.

Fawzia Mustafa, Professor of English and advisor to Lurie, helped orchestrate the petition.

She and some of the other faculty member listed on the petition had taken part in the protest against the banning of SJP, and decided to speak out in her support. “We viewed this as an academic freedom/free speech emergency,” said Mustafa. “The disciplinary charges over protesting that very ban compounded our concerns.”

However, in a response from Jeffrey L. Gray, Senior Vice President of Student Affairs, the hearing is a fitting response according to University policy and code of conduct standards. The upcoming hearing does not serve to deter Lurie’s freedom of speech, according to Gray.

“Our students are free to express themselves and to advocate for the issues and causes that they believe in; this includes demonstrations and protests,” said Gray

in the email that responded to the petition. “They are, however, expected to abide by the University’s policies and protocols when doing so, especially with respect to reasonable time, place and manner stipulations.”

McShane is aware of the ongoing situation regarding SJP along with current disciplinary hearing and has “entrusted the handling of this matter” to Gray and the appropriate staff, according to Gray’s email.

Lurie maintains that she was told that the protest in question had received official permission.

Lurie said a fellow FCLC student who was organizing the event said she had spoken to Eldredge prior to the protest.

“Eldredge seemingly gave his permission, designating the student as the event organizer and contact for administration and Public Safety,” said Lurie.

Approximately one week later, Lurie received an email which said she violated University code of conduct by participating in the rally.

Lurie did not provide the name of the student.

At no point before or during the rally did any university official inform the protestors or Lurie that they were violating any rules, including Eldredge, who attended the rally, according to Lurie.

The administration maintains that Lurie did violate specific rules pertaining to Fordham’s policies governing picketing and other demonstrations.

Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Rose Hill, said that Lurie’s disciplinary hearing was

an inevitable result of her action.

“It is entirely appropriate and, in fact, unavoidable that there be a response of some kind when any student intentionally violates the University’s code of conduct,”

said Rodgers. “This is the case regardless of viewpoint and includes the demonstration policy.”

Lurie did not receive proper authorization to host a protest, nor was she assigned space to occupy

through the established University procedures, according to the administration. These attributes are necessary to hold an on-campus protest according to Fordham’s Student Handbook.

VICTOR ORDONEZ/THE FORDHAMRAM

Students protest Dean Eldredge’s decision regarding Students For Justice In Palestine at the LC campus.

NEWS

Page 6

February 22, 2017

Gabelli School Recognized for Social Conciousness

By ERIN SHANAHAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Gabelli School of Business (GSB) was recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for its socially conscious business education opportunities. GSB was selected as a winner of the 2017 Innovations That Inspire competition.

This recognition was due to GSB’s contribution to and support of the Fordham Social Innovation Collaboratory (FSIC). The Collaboratory is an interdisciplinary innovation on campus: a network of students, faculty and other community members who work together to innovate new solutions to society’s most pressing issues. This group’s initiatives include social justice, social entrepreneurship, inclusion and environmental sustainability.

“I am very proud of the transformational work our faculty administrators and students are doing,” said Donna Rapaccioli, dean of the Gabelli School of Business. “Our pragmatic multi-faceted approach is being noticed globally.”

A total of 315 international applications were submitted to AACSB Innovations that Inspire competition. Fordham is one of only 35 submissions to be awarded this distinction.

The FSIC was highlighted in the Engagement Across Disciplines

category due to the Collaboratory’s efforts to bridge disciplinary divides.

This was led by the visionary work of the Collaboratory’s management board, consisting of 10 faculty members from not only the Gabelli School of Business, but also from Fordham College Rose Hill, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Social Service.

Among other projects, The Collaboratory has supported the creation of six interdisciplinary practicums focusing on solving societal issues through innovation. The practicums offer a self-directed learning experience supported by a network of alumni and industry experts as mentors.

The Collaboratory was also recognized for its work in spearheading the Gabelli School Social Innovation dual and secondary concentrations.

In addition, the group was awarded a grant from the Verizon Foundation and is currently operating practicums focused on food and entreprise, UN cookstoves, sustainable fashion and sustainable food practice. It is in the planning stages of a Refugee Dinner series.

According to Dean Rapaccioli, these initiatives were spearheaded by various members of the Fordham community including Network Leader of FSIC Max Lynch, GSB ’19 and Fieldwork Design Leader of FSIC Olivia Greenspan, GSB ’19, as well as Associate Professor Michael Pirson, Social Entrepreneur in Resi-

OWEN CORRIGAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Gabelli School of Business, pictured above, earned an accolate for its Social Innovation Collaboratory.

dence Patrick Struebi, Director of Sustainability Initiatives Carey Weiss and Associate Vice President in the Office of the Provost Ron Jacobson. In addition, alumnus Brent Martini has dedicated a great amount and time and effort to the practicum.

“The Collaboratory allows students from all facets of the university to learn beyond their selected academic ‘language,’” said Greenspan.

“By working on teams of students,

faculty, administrators and industry professionals with highly diverse areas of expertise, students of all majors learn to use their coursework to engage with people outside of their chosen discipline -a skill that is becoming increasingly valuable not only in ‘changemaker’ fields, but in the entire range of vocations.”

The AACSB International Innovations That Inspire initiative was created to shine a spotlight on a variety of ways that business schools are

changing the face of business education. The organization as a whole is the world’s largest business education network and nonprofit membership organization. The organization works to provide the latest in business education intelligence and provide quality assurance of business school programs to prospective students. The organization is interested in fostering engagement, accelerating innovation and amplifying impact in current business

62 Percent of Class of 2016 Employed, While 17 Percent Pursue Further Schooling

FORDHAM RAM ARCHIVES

59 percent of the class of 2016 gained full-time employment and 10 percent are still looking for work.

FROM ABROAD, PAGE 1

Placement Report last week based on information collected on 99 percent of the class, which the office considers an “exceptionally high knowledge rate.”

There was a three percent drop in students continuing education. While 20 percent of the class of 2015 pursued secondary education, 17 percent of the class of 2016 did the same.

The report also shows dispari-

ties between job placements of the Gabelli School of Business (GSB) and the Liberal Arts Colleges. 73 percent of the GSB class of 2016 are employed full-time, whereas 54 percent of Liberal Arts Colleges students are employed full time.

Ashley Domagola, FCRH ’16, graduated with her bachelors in political science and is now in the NBCUniversal Page Program. She said that it appears that Fordham is very helpful to students pursuing graduate school, but found

that Career Services did not help her in finding jobs involving her interests.

“For people who didn’t want to go the grad school route, the options weren’t always available,” said Domagola, who had four internships while in college.

“I was applying to various communications jobs with non-profits, government agencies and media companies.”

Jessie Robertson, FCRH ’16, is currently a video editor and

story producer at NBCUniversal.

She said that her experiences outside of the classroom at Fordham, such as her involvement with Fordham Nightly News, were crucial in her success after Fordham.

“I cannot stress the importance of the opportunities and experiences that Fordham provides outside of the classroom,” said Robertson. “They are 100 percent the reason I have a career today.”

Robertson said that she did not use Career Services, and Domagola also said that she and her peers at Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH) by and large pursued internships through their own means.

“I knew these roles existed because I found internships in all of those areas, but the career services job search portal rarely had relevant jobs, and the same was true of the career fair,” said Domagola. “Many fellow students from FCRH would skip the career fairs because they’d look at the employer list and not see anything in their field.”

The mean starting salary for those employed full-time is $51,005, but the report notes that only 44 percent of students reported their salaries. The 2015 report found an average of $55,000, but only 34 percent of of the class of 2015 reported their salaries.

Robertson said Fordham’s strengths lay in its connections and name recognition.

“Fordham’s name itself helped

me get my foot in the door,” said Robertson. “As a communications majorm juts being a Fordham student was held in high regard in many of the NYC media companies.”

Domagola also found Fordham’s reputation helpful in securing her position at NBC. “I give a lot of credit to Fordham grads, because you can always find a Fordham alum in basically any field, and in my experience they are always incredibly generous with their time and advice,” said Domagola.

The report notes that data on student job placements prior to 2014 should be approached with “caution,” as the National Association of Colleges and Employers released standards and protocols for collecting job placement data.

“As Fordham’s earlier placement analyses did not use the same methodology, caution should be used when comparing the outcomes of classes prior to 2014 with those since then,” says the report.

The report also shows two percent seeking continuing education, two percent in artistic pursuits or auditions, two percent in public service, one percent in military service and four percent employed part-time.

Kasey Fausak, assistant director of experiential education with Career Services, said that Career Services is available for current and past students.

“Students have access to our resources forever,” said Fausak.

NEWS

February 22, 2017

Fordham Graduate Students Organize Non-Fordham Affiliated Rally

Three Fordham graduate students hosted the above rally in an effort to organize and show solidarity.

By AISLINN KEELY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Several Fordham graduate students organized a non-Fordham affiliated New York City Solidarity Rally for the General Strike last Friday. Andrew Thornebrooke, Meghan Kase and Cathal Pratt, GSAS, organized the event in an attempt to show solidarity with the other national strikes across the country, according to the organizers.

There were two goals for the strike, according to Thornebrooke. First, they want representatives to reaffirm their oath of office. Second, they want to actively combat any action or language taken by the new administration that they consider unconstitutional.

“On a personal level, I’m largely hoping that today’s rally can be used to build a large organizational network of workers across the country so that we can

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carry out bigger and larger strikes continuously with increasing frequency,” said Thornebrooke.

The group did not have a permit to march, so it largely remained in Washington Square Park’s southeast corner.

The event advertised three speakers, but only Thornebrooke and those who wished to speak when he opened up the forum gave speeches at the event.

Thornebrooke held a red flag to distinguish himself and the other

Page 7

moderators from the crowd.

The flag signified solidarity with working strikes and working class movements, according to Thornebrooke.

“Specifically, I’m trying to highlight the 1968 strikes in France and abroad in Europe, which working people really came out,” Thornebrooke said.

“Student workers united with factory workers and rose up and really created meaningful change.”

Kase sees academia as an important petri dish for resistance and organizing.

“I think it’s really important within our academic community to rally together and use the resources that we have as academics to help facilitate resistance and organizing collaboration with the disparate causes that everyone is supporting,” said Kase.

Richard David Robinson, who identified himself as a concerned citizen, said that “this is only the beginning of a series of general strikes.”

On Monday, Thornebrooke announced the creation of the Workers’ Organizational Network (WON) via Facebook in response to the feedback received at Friday’s rally.

“WON seeks to coordinate targeted striking actions and movements of economic non-cooperation between working individuals and groups. We exist not to gather in simple protest, but to connect members of the community in pursuing meaningful action together against the neoliberal basis of repression in the United States and abroad,” Thornebrooke wrote in his Facebook announcement.

Human Trafficking, Fordham Club Amongst Topics Discussed at USG

By ERIN SHANAHAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

At last week’s United Student Government meeting, Fordham Car Club was approved by the senate, a Bronx Community Board #6 intern spoke about upcoming events in the Bellvale community, UNICEF’s Human Trafficking Campaign was discussed and the co-president of Fordham Club, Amy Desmarais, FCRH ’17, explained the organization’s initiative.

Mark Aizin, FCRH ’18 one of the founding executive board members of the Car Club, presented the club to the senate.

The club looks to bring together students passion for cars with the potential to use the club as a platform for philanthropy. According to Aizin, the Car Club meetings would consist of discussing cars, new car technology and advancements in the automobile field. The club plans to attend different events and car shows within New York City as well. Aizin reported that currently over 25 students have expressed interested in joining the Car Club. Joe Halpin, GSB ’17, vice president of communications, motioned to approve Car Club. This motion was seconded

by Aaron Banasiewicz, FCRH ’18, USG senator. USG voted to approve Car Club with two abstentions.

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United Student Government held their weekly meeting, and discussed topics like UNICEF and Fordham Club.

Desmarais, the co-president of Fordham Club, spoke with the Senate about Fordham Club. The Fordham Club is a senior-only group on campus that advises the dean of Fordham College Rose Hill. This year, the club has focused on diversity on campus as well as alumni relations and Bronx community collaboration. Fordham Club is looking to partner with USG and other organizations on campus to gain additional visibility and increase its impact.

Kaylee Wong, FCRH ’20, an intern at Bronx Community Board #6 and a member of the USG Gabelli Dean’s Council,

asked the Senate for help with several Bronx community events.

The Community Board represents the Bathgate, Belmont, West Farms and East Tremont area of the Bronx. This board deals with land use, zoning issues and other concerns of the community. In addition, the community board plans multiple community events throughout the year.

The Community Board is looking to get more Fordham students involved with the Happyland Memorial Park Clean-Up from March 18 from 10 a.m.—1 p.m. and the first Annual Bronx Art Gallery Opening from March 24 from 6-8 p.m. USG plans with

Wong and the Community Board on their events, specifically with staffing both events.

Daniel Stroie, GSB ’17, presented a UNICEF Human Trafficking Campaign to the senate.

UNICEF wants USG to partner with Made in a Free World, an organization that fights human trafficking, forced labor and slave labor. USG will help UNICEF ask student groups to complete a quiz and participate in a social media campaign to raise awareness for human trafficking.

“The goal of the campaign is to create more awareness, not to place blame on these companies,” said Stroie.

Mast Discusses FCRH, GSB FROM TOWN, PAGE 1

nial celebrations. Mast also discussed the new Jewish Studies minor and the plans for the introduction of Hebrew. She also announced that Fordham College Rose Hill is also in the process of interviewing candidates for 15 arts and sciences staff positions.

Some students used the forum to learn how to achieve their academic goals, while others questioned the direction of the university in certain areas.

Elizabeth Crennan, FCRH ’19, asked about future partnerships between Fordham College Rose Hill and Gabelli School of Business.

“I’ve had the opportunity to take some classes in the Gabelli School and I know that there is still a bit of a split, even though I am able to take classes there,” said Crennan.

Mast said there has been discussion about doing a joint town hall with Gabelli. She also referenced the previous TedX event organized by both FCRH and GSB. Mast discussed working closer with Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of Gabelli School of Business.

“I’m really open to ways that we can bring the schools and colleges together, so feel free to send me suggestions,” said Mast.

Students also expressed concerns about the CORE. “I know that I have friends, and even myself, who have taken a course because it fulfills three requirements rather than taking the course because I really wanted to.

I think there’s a lot,” said Alina Bills, FCRH ’18.

Dzieglewicz acknowledged concerns with the CORE. “That’s the danger of this, it’s that it’s nothing to do with education after a while, it’s kind of filling spaces on DegreeWorks.

That’s not what we’re about,” said Dzieglewicz.

The conversation turned to Integrated Learning Communities [ILC] as Caroline Rossi, FCRH ’18, asked about the expansion of ILCs, particularly the Manresa program.

“I know right now [Manresa is] such a coveted program, I’m curious if there are plans for expansion so that more students can reap the benefits,” asked Rossi.

Rather than focusing solely on the Manresa program, Mast said she thinks that students need more information on the ILCs available to them, to find and build a community.

“If you think about how we build a community for all students, not just students who live on campus but commuting students too, now we start to come at it at very different ways, and then it’s how you message it to incoming students so that they get excited about it,” explained Mast.

Though the Town Hall is an open forum for students to express concerns, Mast reminded students that it is an ongoing conversation.

“This is not the only opportunity to speak to me,” said Mast.

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February 22, 2017

OPINION

Page 9

The Fordham Ram

Don’t Let Donald Delegitimize Free Press

By MARGARITA ARTOGLOU MANAGING EDITOR

This week, my frustration with the Trump administration reached an all-time high when one of my friends shared a link on Facebook. It was titled “Mainstream Media Accountability Survey” and linked to the official GOP website.

The questions in the survey, released by the White House, provide concrete evidence that free press is under attack from our president.

The survey gets straight to the point. Question one reads, “Do you believe that the mainstream

media has reported unfairly on our movement?”

Interesting. I was not aware that the platform of the Grand Old Party was classified as a “movement.”

The survey was released very recently, so the results are not yet available. But the questions speak for themselves.

Question 24, “Do you agree with President Trump’s media strategy to cut through the media’s noise and deliver our message straight to the people?” is essentially asking the American public to consent to a government that is not held accountable

by the press, and therefore has the ability to make unwarranted claims to justify its actions. It is asking us to be complicit in its endeavor to restrict the freedoms of the press — and it does so in a way that might register with some people, by calling media coverage of current events “the media’s noise.”

Delivering one’s message straight to the people sounds like a noble endeavor, and perhaps even draws on people’s sympathy for that archetypical small voice in the crowd that must fight to be heard.

But we cannot equate a small

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President Donald Trump has been complaining about media treatment since the beginning of his campaign.

voice that wants to deliver its message to the people with the voice of the President of the United States of America.

By trying to cut out the media, Trump wants the government to be the main source of news, which is the hallmark of a dictatorship or oppressive regime.

Donald Trump has been whining about the media since his campaign. Back then, I chalked it up to a childish inability to deal with criticism and bad press.

This man-baby is our president now, and his administration has had a very rough time fielding questions from journalists since taking office.

But now, equipped with an online survey, he is trying to delegitimize the press.

Obviously, the institution of journalism is not going away— but Trump wants you to put a little less faith in it. Instead, he is advocating that you put your trust in him directly.

The corruption is pretty blatant here. The White House is not even trying to hide it.

Trump supporters may feel that the media really is biased against the president.

But the president’s response to what he feels is unfair treatment in the media is an unconstitutional war on the press. It would be impossible for any politician to ever fully agree with the media’s coverage of his or her work—but

it is simply part of the deal.

Even conservative-leaning news outlets are uncomfortable with Trump’s attitude towards the media. Earlier this week, Fox News’ Chris Wallace interviewed Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on his show, “Fox News Sunday,” after the president tweeted that the press is the enemy of the American people.

Priebus stood by Trump’s comments, and complained about the way certain events from the past week had been covered by the media.

“But you don’t get to tell us what to do, Reince,” Wallace said.

“You don’t get to tell us what to do any more than Barack Obama did. Barack Obama whined about Fox News all the time. But I gotta say, he never said that we were an enemy of the people.”

Wallace is right, of course; even the president cannot order the press around. And so he is fighting back by trying to get America on his side.

Fight back. Stay informed, follow journalists on Twitter and maybe take down your ad-blocker or pay for digital access if you feel so inclined.

Just do not let him win. Our democracy hangs in the balance if we do.

Margarita Artoglou, FCRH ’18, is a communications and media studies major from Queens, New York.

Social Media Can Be Poisonous to Our Youth

By CHRISTOPHER CANADEO OPINION EDITOR

We have now officially reached the peak of the social media and technological age. Communication technology has become an intricate part of our society and shapes our daily habits and routines.

Through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, we are able to catch up with old friends and distant relatives as easily as we are able to reach out to our closest friends.

The social media age has brought a deeper sense of connection with distant friends and relatives more than ever before which is a huge positive to society. But are we really connecting?

As great as social media platforms can be, the dangers of them can be even greater.

Unfortunately, it is very easy to create an account on Facebook and Twitter, even if you are young and unaware of how to truly communicate without these platforms.

Social media platforms lure millennials in like bait on a hook.

For youth, the problem actually lies in its strengths.

Although Instagram helps grow youth’s personal networks, the app invites children to join at younger ages.

In an effort to not feel left out of any conversations, younger generations are jumping on this social media rollercoaster at an

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Social media platforms have a lot of negative effects on kids, such as hindering their communication skills.

alarming rate. Children are getting cell phones and Twitter accounts before they even hit puberty.

This is a travesty because these kids are using Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat as mediums for conversation rather than the outside world.

If a child does not grow his or her interpersonal skills without the use of social media first, he or she may hinder their social development for years to come and may communicate awkwardly

when removed from these platforms.

Conversational skills can only be enhanced through in-person conversations.

Using social media as the sole agent of conversation only masks the inevitable truth that a child has not yet fully matured into a comfortable, conversational speaker.

And yes, some people are shy and are much more comfortable communicating behind a screen in the comfort of their own homes

than face-to-face with another person, but there is so much to gain from listening to someone in person.

One must understand what someone else is truly trying to say not only by reading words but by reading their gestures and expressions as well.

There is no equivalent to understanding and empathizing with a person than actually being there to see his or her face. Do we really think emojis can tell the full story?

Consequently, social media can serve as platforms for bullying and may lead kids to feel more alone and less connected than they would ever feel without social media accounts.

Social media platforms should be an extension of one’s fundamentally developed conversational skills, not a substitution of them.

Facebook, Instagram and even Snapchat, are all beginning to understand the benefits of speaking with not only words, but also with facial expressions It is for this reason that people are now able to go live on social media and even briefly video chat with one person or many people.

A perfect alternative to posting or texting on social media and a solution to the problem of poor communication skills to use FaceTime instead.

FaceTime and Skype are gateways to better conversation and can truly help people improve their own communication skills without the complete anxiety of being in the presence of the person.

Technology can be harnessed for a great amount of both good and evil, but before children create their own social media accounts, they must know the difference.

Christopher Canadeo, GSB ’19, is a marketing major from Long Island, New York.

OPINION

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R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readershipi of over 300,000. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Mailing Address Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458 Editor-in-Chief Erin Shanahan Managing Editor Margarita Artoglou Business Director Matthew Schiller Operations Director Andrea Garcia Copy Chief Elizabeth Doty Editorial Director Cat Swindal Assistant Business Directors James Haranzo Connor Smith Assistant Copy Chief Taylor Shaw News Editor Theresa Schliep Assistant News Editors Aislinn Keely Victor Ordonez Opinion Editors Christopher Canadeo Briana Scalia Culture Editors Bailey Hosfelt Libby Smislova Erin Cabrey Sports Editor Jack McLoone Assistant Sports Editors Alvin Halimwidjaya Tom Terzulli Photo Editors Julia Comerford Owen Corrigan Layout Editor Delaney Leiter Digital Team Mario Nicastro Nick Wetzel Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Opinions Policy The Fordham Ram appreciates submissions to fordhamramopinions@ gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram .

The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram ’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

Correction Last week, an unedited version of “Turn Right: A Path to American Citizenship” was published on fordhamram.com due to an editing error. The article has since been updated to reflect the version in print.

February 22, 2017

From the Desk | Andrea Garcia

Time for Athletic Body Standards to Shape Up As a spectator of multiple sports, I have observed the consistent spectrum of body types that various sports produce and even favor. Contact athletes are bulked, endurance athletes are tiny and lean and athletes of social sports can be either or and in between. All are held to different scales, depending on the specific sport. Yet, there is a double standard toward body image that comes with being a male athlete versus being a female athlete.

Male athletes can bulk up, and they are encouraged to be as strong, powerful and dominant as it takes to be competitive. By the same token, young female athletes condition their bodies to their sport, but often fear dancing along the line of appearing masculine. Note the hint of a negative connotation.

To celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day at the start of this month, University of

South Carolina volleyball player Victoria Garrick eloquently sent a reminder to female athletes: “Girls who compete to win [the national championship] will not, and physically cannot, look the same as models clouding our Instagram feeds.” This quote also lends itself to the double standards of the modeling industry— but that’s for a different article.

College athletics is where young individuals get thrown onto a daily hamster wheel in order to be the most fit they can be.

They are told what to eat, how to train and how to treat their bodies in order to be the healthiest version of themselves. While it is a healthy intention, it conflicts with the unhealthy societal expectation of women to be dainty, doll-like skinny and delicate.

This standard can take root on the national and collegiate levels, but it is most evident on the world stage.

After recently defeating her older sister at the Australian Open, Serena Williams boasts 23 major titles in her trophy case.

Regardless of gender domains, she is hailed as one of the “world’s greatest athletes.” The media applause in her name is deafening, but it gets cancelled out by opening the media backdoor of criticism towards her body type.

Williams has endured her fair share of rallies on the court, but nothing can compare emotionally to the level of criticism she receives from social media. The most notable of these comments is the one which even prompted J.K. Rowling to respond. Her tweet said: “The main reason for her success is that she is built like a man.” Many journalists, whom I otherwise look up to, judge her biceps. It’s ironic that the physical quality that makes her an empowered athlete is used to disempower her as a woman.

JULIA COMERFORD/FORDHAM RAM

Females should be seen as strong without having to be referred to as masculine. Being physically strong shouldn’t be associated with a gender.

Bodies are beautiful things, and they are meant to enable us to train past the limits of our physical and mental strengths.

It’s unfortunate that media expectations, and as a result, societal expectations, undervalue those limits for females.

Editorial | Welcoming Opinions

Providing Space for All Voices This past week, The Fordham Ram published “Turn Right” by Brianna Lyman. This opinion article attracted a great deal of controversy due to its conservative stance and radical, hypothetical solution to the issue of illegal immigration. In addition, a few factual errors in the article evaded the editing process at The Fordham Ram. These errors have been acknowledged by our staff and steps have been taken to ensure a similar mistake does not occur again.

However, despite these issues, The Fordham Ram still stands by publishing this writer’s opinion in our paper.

We at The Fordham Ram would like to address the criticism and explain exactly why we support the First Amendment right to

freedom of speech on our opinion pages.

As the school’s official newspaper, The Fordham Ram has an obligation to offer op-ed space to a all members of the Fordham community, even those expressing unpopular views in the eyes of the majority of the student body.

It is an American tradition to publish unpopular opinions, stretching back to the very first newspaper in the American colonies in 1690. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press were enshrined in our Bill of Rights specifically to strengthen our country by allowing free expression.

The Fordham Ram upholds centuries of American tradition when we support the First Amendment by publishing articles that cause a debate.

Given the huge amounts of web traffic generated by these recent conservative op-ed pieces, such as “Check Your Liberal Privilege”

by Ryan Quinn (Dec. 7, 2016), which has generated about 24,000 clicks on our website to date, we can say that The Fordham Ram has succeeded in increasing political dialogue on campus.

The student body at Fordham is largely liberal, so our newspaper mostly publishes liberal opinion articles.

Conservative Fordham students, however, should have equal opportunity to share their views, despite being a minority on campus.

The Fordham Ram accepts and will continue to accept opinion articles from everyone — students, faculty, alumni, administrators

and anyone with a campus connection. If Fordham students or other readers are unhappy with opinion articles published in The Fordham Ram, we encourage them to submit op-ed pieces with counter-arguments or letters to the editor.

The Fordham Ram is also committed to creating a safe space for members of the community to express their views.

At times, the reactions of students to some recent articles on our website and social media have made the writers feel as if they are under personal attack.

Name calling and online bullying do not foster a forum that encourages productive conversation.

We call upon the student body to be more civil and open themselves up to constructive discussion.

Re: “Study Abroad In South Africa Suspended,” January 25, 2017 Dear Editors: I am writing in response to your recent article entitled “Study Abroad South Africa Suspended,” published on January 25, 2017.

For the past 18 years I have traveled regularly to Africa to support Fordham University’s partnership with Catholic Relief Services.

In addition, I have supervised Fordham’s IPED Emerging Markets Program in South Africa for nearly a decade.

I would have preferred not to write this letter but over the past few weeks it has become clear to me, for both professional and personal reasons, that I need to publicly distance myself from two implications some people may have drawn from the article.

The article first implies that the security situation in South Africa justified a suspension of Fordham’s Ubuntu study abroad program. Second, the article implies, which I do not believe was intended, that the quality of the

academic experience was wanting in the program.

Your article has been widely read on your website in South Africa, not only among our many friends at the University of Pretoria, but also among some officials at the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Some of the views expressed in your article have embarrassed a number of our friends in South Africa as well as in the United States.

The article has also damaged Fordham’s reputation in that part of the world.

Regarding the security situation as a justification to suspend the program, I concur with our officials at the United States Embassy in Pretoria who saw no need to issue a travel warning.

I also concur with the actions of our colleagues at other US universities to continue their study abroad programs in South Africa.

The continuing programs in South Africa that I am directly aware of are with Cornell University, the University of Delaware and with the University of San

Francisco.

I know of no US programs besides Fordham that were cancelled at this time.

Regarding the quality of the academic program at the University of Pretoria, I want to commend those at the University of Pretoria and at the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg who, in response to the suggestions of our previous dean, Dr. Michael Latham, put together what I consider to be an excellent program on “Poverty and Community Development.” Just recently I had the opportunity to review this curriculum for the first time.

I found it quite impressive.

Faculty from the humanities, social sciences, business and law all worked together to design and deliver what I consider to be an exciting program.

It is integrated with real life experiences where our students work side by side with South Africans in several townships.

Together they work on projects to alleviate poverty and promote community development in a new

post-apartheid South Africa. Talk about being part of history! We at Fordham only wish that we could achieve such a level of interdisciplinary cooperation to address significant contemporary issues in our country.

In reviewing the program, I also learned something more about my own son who participated in Fordham’s South African program a few years ago.

I would wonder what drove him so hard to go to Cornell’s Law School. And now, I have been wondering why this past summer and autumn he turned down several lucrative job offers in corporate law while waiting to pursue far less lucrative positions later this year in public interest law.

I suspect that it may be related to what he saw and experienced in the townships of South Africa and what he studied and reflected on at the University of Pretoria.

Letter to the Editor

-Dr. Henry Schwalbenberg, Director of Fordham University’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development

OPINION

February 22, 2017

Just Keep Driving: Say No to Self-Driving Cars

By OWEN CORRIGAN PHOTO EDITOR

Self-driving cars are the future of the automobile, right? Well, maybe.

A few weeks ago, though, Ford Motor Company invested one billion dollars in Argo Al, a startup focused on developing self-driving automobile technology and artificial intelligence.

This investment was made as part of Ford’s goal to develop a fully selfdriving car by 2021, a big step for one of the leading members of America’s automotive big three (Ford, General Motors and FCA US/Chrysler). Ford’s CEO Mark Fields even stated that, “the next decade will be defined by the automation of the automobile, and autonomous vehicles will have as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago.”

While major auto executives, such as Fields, believe that cars will become completely autonomous over the next decade, I am hesitant to agree.

At this point in time, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in selfdriving technology.

Whether it’s the adaptive cruise control found in today’s Honda Civic or Tesla’s autopilot system, we have yet to see a fully self-driving car available for purchase in the automotive market.

Surely, some of the technology is there, but the driver still has to pay attention and intervene while be-

Self-driving cars might be available in the near future.

hind the wheel (crazy right?).

I’d hate to see companies rush developing self-driving technology and fail perfecting the equipment before releasing it to the public, resulting in crashes like those that occurred with earlier versions of Tesla’s autopilot system.

On whom would the blame even be placed if a fully autonomous car crashes in the future?

The manufacturer? The guy behind the wheel watching Netflix?

Also, wouldn’t self-driving cars command a substantial premium over normal vehicles?

In today’s market, features such as lane-keeping assist are considered optional luxuries on a vehicle.

However, this feature and similar safety features are gradually trickling down to become standards on auto-

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mobiles instead of being optional extras. Once an autonomous automobile hits the market, there’s no doubt that a fully self-driving car would likely be a pretty expensive purchase.

There are certainly a lot of kinks to work out before a completely safe self-driving car is sold to a customer, and I don’t think there should be a rush to get an autonomous car off the production line before another manufacturer.

If I were Mark Fields, I’d be wondering if my billion-dollar investment would be that useful for speeding things along.

Will this investment really guarantee a thorough production of self-driving automotive technology?

That is what really matters, not how fast this new technology is in the public’s hands.

Personally, with manual transmissions and eight-cylinder engine blocks already on the verge of extinction in today’s automobiles, I couldn’t be more thrilled to take a nap in a self-driving car. The opportunity sounds so enticing.

I mean, come on, what happened to enjoying driving? Today’s BMW M3 even has fake engine sounds pumped through its speakers as a replacement for engine displacement.

That’s right, the M3! The same performance benchmark that is still regarded by many as one of the greatest drivers’ cars of all time.

What happened to the driving experience over the past few years?

Unfortunately, it pains me to say that for petrol-heads and automotive purists like myself, manufacturers are gradually taking the pure joy out of driving.

I hope you like counting sheep behind the wheel and trusting a computer with deciding between life and death because that’s where we’re all eventually headed.

Will the United States ever get to a point where all cars on the road are self-driven? Possibly, but I don’t think we will in this decade. Perhaps not even in my lifetime.

After all, the real truth is that no one knows. And I think that’s a good thing.

Owen Corrigan, GSB ‘20, is a marketing major from Spring Lake, New Jersey.

The Truth Should Not Be So Elusive

By MATTHEW MICHAELS STAFF WRITER

“There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.” This quote comes from George Orwell’s 1984.

Charles Manson could tell his followers anything and they would listen obediently and unquestionably agree. A new cult leader has emerged in this country, one far more dangerous and with millions of followers.

Due to his fragile ego, this leader lied about the crowd size and the weather at his Inauguration.

Due to basic ignorance, the leader and high ranking members of his staff have concocted acts of terror in Bowling Green, Atlanta and Sweden. He disregards any information published by well-established, reputable sources, instead deferring to the deranged dribble posted on Breitbart and InfoWars. Intelligence briefings from the CIA are of no use to him when he has Fox News to catch him up.

Scientific fact is not refutable. Statistics are not refutable. When he claims that climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese and his followers retweet and repeat, he is doing a massive disservice to the world—to intellectualism, to the scientific community that refutes his claims and to the environment.

When he claims that crime rates in inner cities are out of control and at all-time highs, he spits in the face of mathematics, of cold, hard, reported data and of decades of progress.

Academics have never seen anybody fly into his own modern mythology despite so much information,

and with such a following of believers to boot. This man contradicts of easily provable facts and then shrugs off evidence and double-downs on his own faulty claims.

This man feels personally attacked by the media. Anytime CNN calls him out on a lie or The Washington Post decides to fact check one of his rally speeches, he is threatened.

No media outlet is flawless, but to claim that everything it reports is false is dangerous.

To claim that the free press is “the enemy of the American people” is outright wrong and immoral. He has to constantly criticize a free press that wants to keep him in check. He wants to silence dissent, and that should scare us.

This leader can stand at a podium and repeat a fabrication or falsehood with such bravado and confidence that his followers will copy his words with no regard for the truth.

During the primary season, he began calling opponent Ted Cruz, “Lyin’ Ted.” This moniker served to delegitimize anything Cruz said regardless of the truth in his statements. He is likewise doing the same for the honest and mostly well-intent media.

This leader has a history for calling anything that opposes his own stances as lies, even if there is irrefutable proof otherwise.

He has come at odds with competent advisors who disagree with him on anything.

Every day, we watch a man who peddles lies and manages to do so by discrediting news outlets who try to set the record straight.

He calls any source of journalism that uses factual information to discredit his own lies propaganda, while simultaneously publishing his own propaganda that he uses his position to call the truth.

These actions are eerily reminiscent of a mid-20th century European fascist dictator.

The freedom of the press is such a treasured liberty that our founding fathers decided to place it in the First Amendment of the Constitution.

For eight years, conservatives complained that Barack Obama was going to encroach on Second Amendment rights by taking away personal firearms.

Obama did not steal anybody’s gun, but his successor is dangerously close to taking a more crucial freedom, a more urgent right, away from everybody in this country.

In Orwell’s 1984, 2+2=5 became

fact despite its obvious mathematical inaccuracies because it was politically expedient for those in power.

They brainwashed the public and made dissent against this statement to be personally dangerous. Thus, a factual wrong became accepted as true. The dystopian novel is becoming too close to reality for any sort of comfort.

Lies cannot be labeled alternative facts. A lie by any other name is still a lie.

We must stand up and call out every falsehood from this man’s mouth or fingertips. We must embrace the truth and investigative journalism.

If we take the freedom of the press for granted, it may soon disappear.

Matthew Michaels, GSB ’17, is a marketing major from Hightown, New Jersey.

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The current administration’s lies shows the need for journalism.

Page 11

Kathryn Wolper

The Craze of Fitness Tech I’ll confess: I’m addicted to my Fitbit. I started wearing it every day in July, and days when I don’t reach my activity goals are extremely upsetting.

Weekends at home prove the most detrimental to my efforts to reach 10,000 steps a day. I find great joy in meeting my weekly exercise goals.

Surely my wearable tech must be helping me become a healthier, more balanced person. Right?

According to Aaron E. Carroll and The New York Times, the evidence against the effectiveness of wearable fitness trackers in making people more fit is strong. Earlier studies about pedometer and fitness tracker use were inconclusive, but the IDEA trial, published last year, found that people who used fitness trackers lost significantly less weight than people who did not. Carroll compares fitness technology to fad supplements and diet pills, which go far to market themselves as miracle cures for extra weight with very little work done beforehand to prove their effectiveness.

These results are jarring for devotees to Fitbit and Apple Watch trackers like me, who spend lots of time and energy competing with their peers, participating in challenges and meeting their goals. Surely the social aspect of fitness helps people to motivate themselves and others to be more active and be more accountable for their own habits. One’s goals when adopting a fitness tracker must also be taken into consideration. Do people want to track their activity so that they know their habits and can improve them? Do they want to lose weight?

How do these goals differ?

I would argue that, while fitness trackers may not be helpful for weight loss, they are helpful tools for understanding and shaping one’s habits. For example, someone who works from home or sits in a cubicle all day may not realize the extent of her inactivity.

A fitness tracker may be a helpful tool for contextualizing and expressing in concrete terms the effects of one’s lifestyle. Although hundreds of dollars may be a steep price to pay for a tool that has not been linked to weight loss, the benefits of fitness trackers often go beyond step counting. Many have heart monitors, which can help track health data over a period of time.

Some use Bluetooth to connect with users’ phones so that text and caller identification come through the device.

Perhaps a $140 pedometer is a useless investment, but a piece of wearable technology that tracks health habits, has an interface for diet tracking, promotes goal setting and syncs to general phone functions is more substantial than a simple pedometer.

Fitness trackers may help families and groups of friends enter into conversations about their own lifestyles and the impact of sedentary habits on how they feel. Of course, the trackers could also lead to fierce competition over steps.

One should take care to make sure that a fitness tracker does not take over one’s life, but engaging responsibly with the devices and understanding how the technology fits into one’s lifestyle can be helpful and motivating, even if the correlation between fitness tracker use and weight loss is weak.

OPINION

Page 12

Joseph Moresky

Yiannopoulos Out Over the weekend, a rapid drama unfolded between Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and the American Conservative Union. Initially slated to be a keynote speaker at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Yiannopoulos’ invitation was rescinded after an old video recording resurfaced in which he appears to justify pedophilic relationships. His book deal with publisher Simon & Shuster was also terminated.

Even Breitbart’s own Editor-in-Chief, Alex Marlow, stated Yiannopoulos’ comments were indefensible.

Controversial and intentionally antagonistic actions are by no means a mystery to Yiannopoulos. A provocateur by nature, he habitually fails to display adult levels of decorum.

Routinely engaging in juvenile reductionism, he is both a product and a contributor to a growing trend of public policy discussion devolving into displays of emotional entertainment. The end goal becomes an effort to generate as much controversy as possible, gleefully reveling in the deliberate chaos as the next big anti-left soundbite is born. The self-aggrandizing spectacle itself becomes the end result.

What is a mystery to Yiannopoulos, and his professional agitation, is being held accountable.

David French, a staff writer for National Review, recently pointed out Yiannopoulos’ style and product are essentially anathema towards the genuine protection of free speech. Aptly characterizing Yiannopoulos’ performances as a vindication of the left’s caricature for all it opposes, French argues that the efforts to restore a culture of true free speech will fail if they are irrevocably tied to divisive antics.

If that happens, it only reinforces the false proposition that beyond the defensive blanket of insular ideational conformity lies a wasteland of nothing but bigotry and ridicule.

In combatting the most extreme excesses of a regressive left’s tendency to embrace ideological monolith and its frequent valuing of collective identity over individual expression, any opposition that hopes to claim the authority of universal virtue cannot be wrapped in the trappings of such antagonism.

The defining aspect of modern free speech defense must not become some twisted sense of schadenfreude.

Yet, this shock-value approach has been vastly rewarded by conservative media outlets and pundits alike.

French attributes this to conservative pundits’ approach to Yiannopoulos: an “enemy of my enemy is a friend” mantra that fails to recognize both ideological differences with mainstream conservatism and the counterproductive dangers of his stylistic shortcomings. The ‘message’ is amplified exponentially, leaving only a crude messenger with an undeserved platform.

The decision of the ACU to disinvite Yiannopoulos from CPAC is a step in the right direction to prevent him from becoming the sole symbolic champion of free speech. The dilemma of his outlandishly offensive remarks becoming the banner for our most cherished constitutional liberty needs to be remedied immediately.

Shock must not become the replacement for substance.

February 22, 2017

Debates Must Go Back to Factual Roots

By PAUL SAMSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“You socialist snowflake!”

“You fascist, racist bigot!”

Unfortunately, we millennials have been quick to throw labels on people, especially for a generation that hates labels so much.

For a generation that claims to regard free speech so highly, the public sphere of our generation has, tended to bicker unproductively and act violently over the past year.

That being said, we might still wonder why people refuse to reform their views to support the ideologies of contemporary adults. My personal experience has shown that on numerous occasions, millennial political conversations fail to satisfy the definition of discussion.

Perhaps these instances may be limited to my personal networks online and in person, or perhaps they take place on account of only those with the loudest voices on each extreme of the political spectrum.

Nevertheless, from this experience, what many millennials seem to be engaging in today is neither productive dialogue nor constructive debate. It is instead childish name-calling that personally targets the opponent rather than the relevant issues at hand.

These encounters have taken place for both liberal and conservative millennials. Most of it lies within everyday experiences rather than within the news media.

The name calling has become so commonplace that it is difficult to find the root of its issues.

It is fair to argue that namecalling is not exclusive to people of only our own generation and could very well stem from our elders.

Ironically, both of our 2016 presidential nominees practiced this ineffective rhetorical tactic during their campaigns, and it has continued ineffectively during the current presidential administration.

Last September, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton caustically generalized Trump voters at the “LGBT for Hillary” Gala in New York City. “To be grossly generalistic,” Clinton started, “you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. They’re racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic… you name it.”

One month later, during the final Presidential Debate of October 2016, the Republican nominee Donald Trump resorted to his most infamous use of namecalling, interjecting Secretary Clinton’s debate response on debt and entitlement by calling her “such a nasty woman.”

Trump’s comment, much like Secretary Clinton’s, backfired when Clinton’s followers used it to their advantage, rather than taking offense to it. “Nasty Woman” merchandise flooded the online market for Democratic voters who gladly took part in the sales to spite Trump.

Similar merchandise was developed for Trump’s infuriated supporters as they flaunted “Proud Deplorable!” merchandise in a rebuttal against Clinton.

In short, both nominees’ bitter

remarks did nothing to change the political sphere – other than the fact that they further cemented the supporting votes for their opponent.

Neither candidate’s bitter remarks did anything to welcome the voters who might have otherwise been open-minded enough to support them.

Name-calling failed when the presidential nominees resorted to it, but it might just work if millennials try the same tactic with people of their own age group, correct?

The answer is, and always will be, no.

To my conservative peers, I ask: has calling your liberal counterparts “snowflakes” ever advanced your campaigns or convinced them to reform their beliefs?

To my liberal peers, I ask: in this past election cycle, did you blindly label your conservative friends based on their votes, and did you put your friendships with them in jeopardy on account of their vote?

To all millennials, liberal or conservative, I ask: how many of us tried to have constructive conversation with our opponents?

Did we put ourselves outside of our comfort zones and run the risk of being incorrect, or did we surround ourselves only with those who shared our own beliefs?

Do not get me wrong, I am guilty of this from time to time as well, as are my friends and family members, and quite possibly the bulk of the modern population.

In a few short decades, people our own age will be running

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When discussing our views, we should be more open to hearing arguments from the opposing side of the debate.

for federal office. In 2016, we laughed in shame as we watched the slander, scandal and immaturity of our presidential nominees.

We waivered over our ballots wondering why this election of clowns had to be our first presidential vote.

But let’s genuinely ask ourselves if we conduct ourselves any more professionally or openminded than Trump and Clinton did this past year when we interact with our differing peers.

This past week, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivered an all-too-relevant response to the heated attacks regarding Mitch McConnell’s silencing of Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Republican or Democrat, we cannot deny that Rubio, starting his second term in the federal government this year, offers a much-needed perspective of the current status of free speech.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Rubio reflected. “We are becoming a society incapable of having debates anymore. If you watch the big policy debates that are going on in America, nobody ever stops to say: ‘I think you’re wrong, but I understand your point of view. I get it.

You have some valid points, but let me tell you why I think my view is better.’ We are reaching a point in this republic where we will not be able to resolve even the simplest of issues, because everyone is putting themselves in a corner where everyone hates everybody.”

I do not believe that one has to be Republican to agree with Rubio’s viewpoint.

Furthermore, while we complain about the embarrassment of our current political situation, perhaps we should consider the possibility that daily exhibitions of ignorance, stubbornness and inability to hold constructive dialogue can, to some extent, be held responsible for the results of this election.

Name-calling did nothing positive for our presidential candidates, nor will it do anything positive for people of our own generation.

It is time for us to take part in legitimate political discussion and prove our worthiness to serve as the hope for our country’s future.

Paul Samson, FCRH ’19, is an economics major from Port Washington, New York.

Disagree with these opinions?

Have your own take?

Email us at fordhamramopinions@gmail.com!

February 22, 2017

CULTURE

Page 13

The Fordham Ram

Politics and Purposeful Pop at the Grammys

By ERIN CABREY CULTURE EDITOR

Modern music royalty, from Beyoncé to Adele, convened at Los Angeles’ Staples Center for the 59th Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, hosted by James Corden. Commonly referred to as the “biggest night in music,” this year’s ceremony certainly lived up to the hype, with masterful performances, surprise wins and political statements.

Corden opened the show with a staged, but convincingly clumsy, fall down the stairs and proceeded to deliver a rapped monologue.

“Live it all up because this is the best/And with President Trump we don’t know what comes next,” rapped Corden, setting the stage for a night that celebrated music without forgetting about the turbulent world outside the Staples Center.

One of the big winners of the night, Chance the Rapper, was presented with the award for Best New Artist from a somber Jennifer Lopez, who prefaced the honor by saying “At this point in history, our voices are needed more than ever.” Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book also received the award for Best Rap Album later in the evening, besting artists such as Drake and Kanye West.

Beyoncé soon took center stage with a mystical medley of songs from Lemonade, which was nominated for Album of the Year. The

performance was celebration of womanhood. The singer, who is currently pregnant with twins, represented African, Roman and Hindu goddesses. The performance also featured pre-recorded images of Beyonce’s daughter, Blue Ivy, and mother, Tina Knowles.

She later returned to the stage to receive the award for Best Urban Contemporary Album, saying that the songs on Lemonade were intended to “give a voice to our pain, our struggles, our darkness and our history.”

Corden kept the evening light with an impromptu Grammys rendition of his popular Late Late Show segment “Carpool Karaoke,” gathering several audience members behind a car-shaped cardboard cutout. Jason Derulo, Neil Diamond, Keith Urban and Blue Ivy were among the stars collected around the car to lead an audience-wide singalong to Diamond’s 1969 hit “Sweet Caroline.”

Katy Perry debuted her new single “Chained to the Rhythm” alongside featured artist Skip Marley with a performance which saw the pop singer running along a rotating picket fence. The song, the first in an era Perry has dubbed “purposeful pop,” had clear implications of a complacent America.

These political undertones became apparent when the performance concluded with Perry and Marley standing in front of a projected image of the constitution.

“No hate!” Perry declared.

The loss of several music industry greats, including George Michael, Prince and David Bowie, weighed heavily on the Grammys.

Each icon was honored at the ceremony. Bowie was one of the night’s biggest winners, receiving four posthumous awards, including Best Rock Song for “Blackstar.”

One of the night’s most buzzedabout performances was Adele, who stopped her performance of George Michael’s “Fastlove” after getting off to a rocky start.

The “Hello” singer restarted after

apologizing for swearing and was pitch-perfect the second time around. Later in the evening, a tribute to Prince featured a purple-clad Bruno Mars performing “Let’s Go Crazy.” Other music stars the industry lost in the past year, including Leonard Cohen and Debbie Reynolds, were remembered during an In Memoriam segment as John Legend performed the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.”

Adele, the night’s biggest winner, picked up five awards by the

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Adele took home some of the night’s biggest prizes at the 59th Grammy Awards.

ceremony’s end, including Song, Record, and, to her surprise, Album of the Year. Adele took the stage a final time to receive the night’s most coveted award. She gave an emotional speech that touched on her struggles in losing herself after becoming a mother, stating that it felt like “a bit of me has come back to myself ” after winning the award. She also turned her speech toward Beyoncé, calling her album Lemonade “monumental.”

“The way you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel, is empowering and you make them stand up for themselves,” an emotional Adele said as she addressed a tearfully gracious Beyoncé. “I love you. I always have and I always will.”

Just prior to this exchange, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow took the stage to stress the importance of music in America, imploring President Trump and Congress to renew commitment to the arts through such channels as support for music education. This speech, overshadowed by a slew of several grandiose performances, nevertheless served as a reminder of how particularly important this year’s Grammy’s actually was. Uniting artists from Chance the Rapper and Twenty One Pilots to Solange and Rihanna, the annual awards-showturned-concert-extravaganza plays a crucial part in keeping the music playing even in tumultuous times.

Adjusting the Status Quo with Ungendered Fashion

By KWAMESHA JOSEPH STAFF WRITER

Traditionally, when scrolling through your favorite clothing website, there are two separate tabs for men’s and women’s apparel.

Now, however, New York Fashion Week has showcased that many brands might be diminishing the line of demarcation between those tabs for people who have no preference of one over the other, and for those who use fashion to challenge social conformity and the gender binary that exists in fashion.

New York Fashion Week had everyone buzzing about the prevalence of genderless fashion after a number of designers, including designer Palomo Spain, showcased clothing that challenge ideas of what is conventionally described as either “masculine” or “feminine.”

This is the same kind of buzz that Jaden Smith generated when he appeared all over social media in clothing that is traditionally worn by women just a few months ago. All of the speculation about the trend has come to fruition through the most anticipated time of the year for designers and fashion lovers alike – New York Fashion Week.

In a March article published

by The Business of Fashion, it was shown that women’s clothing is usually much more expensive than

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Jaden Smith is a known supporter of ungendered fashion and has been seen on social media wearing traditionally female clothing.

men’s clothing. Researchers compared the same articles of clothing articles between both men and women of the same designer, and found that there was a striking price difference between the two.

In a preceding study released in December by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, it was found that wo women pay almost 8 percent more than men do for the same kinds of clothing. The Business of Fashion article referred to this hike in the prices as “the pink tax,” which is “the idea that the women’s version of a product costs more than the men’s version.”

While using the color pink in or-

der to describe women in relation to something else might have been a lucid distinction before, the rise of social movements that challenge society’s long-established notions of gender definitely changes that coherence, and such phrases might not be as telling now as it might have been some time ago.

In an interview on “All Things Considered,” Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan explained that, “the idea is that a lot of the traditional notions that we associate with a particular gender - male or female - are now being offered for the opposite gender.” In other words, certain patterns and styles of

clothing that are generally associated with either men or women will no longer limit the kinds of designs one might begin to see on each.

Robin Givhan did make it clear in the interview, however, that there will not be complete disappearance of the aforementioned men and women tabs that one would normally see on their favorite clothing website. She explains that as a number of designers specialize in either men or women’s apparel, the distinction between the two will indeed perpetuate.

She says that what was exhibited at New York Fashion Week “differs from what we tend to think of

as androgynous dressing because it’s not meant to delete the notion of gender. It’s meant to mix it up.”

For this reason, one can anticipate a kind of symmetry beginning to evolve in the kinds of descriptions originally used to delineate both men and women’s clothing.

While there is some opposition that exists towards genderless clothing, many people believe that this is good thing for men, women and others who do not fit the “traditional” body types that many designers cater to.

When asked about her opinion on genderless clothing, Eliana Alvarez, FCRH ’18 exclaimed, “I think it’s great. I love the idea that there are no limitations placed on clothing. People can wear whatever they want, however they want to wear it.”

The current social and political climate has been said to influence many of the designers in New York Fashion Week. Millennials are challenging the notions of masculinity and femininity, the kinds of conventions that are associated with each and surfacing the long ignored fact that not every individual identifies with either of the binaries.

These challenges to social conformity have been reflected in many aspects of society, and New York Fashion Week is another one to add to the list.

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February 22, 2017

Sweet ‘n’ Sour | Patrick Hood and Caitlyn Letterii

The Dancing Crane Cafe: Goodbye Zoo-by Tuesday Join Caitlyn Letterii (Both of the Kratt Brothers) and Patrick Hood (Zoboomafoo) as they explore and critique the cheap eats available around the Bronx and Rose Hill campus.

With the weather getting better every day, Fordham students are likely to be getting more mileage out of their free entry to the Bronx Zoo. While visiting this amazing hotspot right in our own backyard, one may find themselves contemplating grabbing a sweet treat or good eat at the Dancing Crane Cafe, located in the heart of the zoo. To help aid your decision, Sweet ‘n’ Sour decided to check it out.

PH: Boy howdy, do I love the Bronx Zoo! The sea lions lounging listlessly on the rocks, the peacocks strutting around like they own the place, the sordid history of putting humans on display (give the name Ota Benga a Google and be prepared to lose a lot of faith in humanity): this place truly has it all when it comes to exhibits. But we all know this; what our readers truly want to know is whether the concession stand at the Dancing Crane Cafe is up to snuff.

CL: It’s all happening at the zoo! I have fond memories of coming here as a kid with my elementary school and even fonder memories coming here as a cool, hip college kid. Fun Fact: The Dancing Crane Cafe is not unique to the Bronx Zoo. If you’re hanging in the Central Park Zoo, you’ll find one there too! Wow! PH: Two great chances to be some sort of avian Kevin Costner

and become Dances with the Cranes.

Usually we start our reviews by talking about the service. That’s kind of hard to do here, since it’s really just a glorified concession stand with a queue longer than a giraffe’s neck (six feet on average! You sure learn a lot at the zoo). So instead of boring you with a description of the 15 minute wait in line let’s cut right to the heart of it and give you the lowdown on the Crane’s cooking.

CL: Okay, not to slow things down, but I want to point out that I actually had a great time on the line.

I was able to really think about which overpriced item I wanted and admire the souvenir glasses that featured a photo of the world’s saddest looking gorillas. Once you arrive to a server things actually move quite quickly. I ordered nachos, which were ready in approximately two seconds, and was able to get a cup of tap water, on the house!

PH: I was similarly impressed with the speed in which my order (a cheeseburger) was given to me. It took all of 20 seconds for the server to retrieve my made-to-order burger from a heating tray filled with fifteen other burgers. I can only assume that the Dancing Crane Cafe employs some sort of Minority Report-esque precog police psychics to know what I was going to order and have it prepared ahead of time for my convenience. To round out my meal, I got a 16 oz. ice-cold can of Corona since my burger was almost certainly sure to be subpar.

CL: The highlight of the meal was the atmosphere. Sitting outside on a beautiful, sunny day, surrounded by mischievous peacocks and fun facts about American bison, we were truly in paradise! A paradise quickly lost by highly mediocre nachos. They didn’t even put them onto the plate for me... I just got an unopened bag of tortilla chips with lukewarm cheese on the side.

PH: On the other hand, I was floored by my meal. Somehow, the Dancing Crane chefs managed to perfectly recreate the cheeseburger served at all the football games I hated going to in high school! From the melted but no-longer-warm American cheese to the lettuce that had been wilted from an eternity under a heat lamp, the resemblance was uncanny. However, none of that means it was good and, in fact, the burger was very mediocre. There was one bright spot in my meal though, and that was that cool 16 oz can of Corona. As soon as that sweet nectar passed through my lips I was transported to a Southern Californian beach. I could feel the sand between my toes and heard the gentle cawing of seagulls lifted up on ocean breezes as I found my personal, private island of calm in a sea of zoological anxiety.

CL: Alright calm down, Pat. Let’s just do the ratings and hold off on the reminiscing for a minute. I give the Dancing Crane Cafe a Sour Rating 1.5 out of 5 stars. The line was super long, and the food was really expensive and not very good. I wish they

were able to recreate the feeling of love and curiosity I get at a zoo into the taste of the food, but they just couldn’t! Call me when they serve warm nachos made with love and fun facts about muskrats, or something.

Don’t worry, I still love the zoo and it definitely gets a Sweet Rating of 5/5.

The Dancing Crane Cafe just sucks.

PH: I was similarly disappointed with the lack of edutainment value in my meal, especially since the prices were so exorbitant. If I had to say one good thing about the Dancing Crane Cafe, it would be that it is in a zoo, and zoos rule. If I had to say a second good thing, it would be that they stock ice-cold, refreshing Corona products. If I had to say a third good thing, I guess it would be that as far as

I know, the Dancing Crane Cafe has no history of putting real humans on display in a zoo exhibit (Re: Ota Benga). For all this the Dancing Crane Cafe gets a Sour rating of 1 out of 5 stars. Seriously, just eat before you go to the zoo. Or after. Just not during.

Overall Recommendations: You should try the delicious taste of Corona with lime. You should pass on eating here if you can avoid it.

Restaurant Info: The Dancing Crane Cafe Address: Inside the Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460 Phone number: (718) 367-1010 Hours: Everyday 10 a.m. -4:30 p.m.

Price: Too expensive

COURTESY OF PATRICK HOOD AND CAITLYN LETTERII

The Bronx Zoo boasts impressive animals but not eats.

Prominent Cultural Institutions in Potential Decline

By MEGAN BRONNER STAFF WRITER

Many museums around the world face financial struggles, and the country’s largest is not immune to this problem. After enjoying years of success, the Metropolitan Museum, one of the most well-known cultural institutions in the world, is now in trouble after financially overreaching at a time of uncertainty. Even though recent exhibits at the museum saw large crowds, the Met has been financially struggling as the museum’s deficit reaches close to $40 million, according to the New York Times.

Their financial overreaching is exemplified by the expansion of the museum into a satellite building, known as the Met Breuer, which opened in March 2016 and cost much more than anticipated.

A new marketing and rebranding plan underway can be criticized for being expensive, according to the New York Times. Then a $600 million new wing was postponed for several years, which may hold the Met back from becoming a serious competitor in the field of modern and contemporary art.

The Times article attributed this decline to the Met’s director and chief executive since 2008, Thomas P. Campbell. After

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Met, a New York staple, faces financial strains despite its popularity.

speaking with curators, trustees and other people from the museum, the article concludes that the Met, under the guidance of Mr. Campbell, tried to make too many changes too fast at the museum.

Insiders working there said the museum moved too fast, leading to a financial strain due to overhiring, overspending, rebranding and taking money from endowment funds to cover costs, as well as pursuing a new wing before financing was finalized, according to the Times. However, there is some hope that despite the current troubles.

In order to ease the financial stress, the Met has cut staff and curators have decreased spending for shows and acquisitions. The Met now expects to reduce its number of exhibitions to about 40 a year, down from its usual 60.

Keith Christiansen, the chairman of the Met’s European paintings department, noted to the New York Times the benefits of sitting down with other departments and the museum’s administration in order to ensure that the museum’s mission will not be compromised.

Most people still agree that the museum boasts sizable collections. Also, attendance at the museum is at an all-time high at seven million visitors a year.

Therefore, there is reason to believe that the Met is more popular than ever, which is a good sign in a time of financial struggle.

Peter Vergara, FCRH ’18, in-

terned at the Met Cloisters in the summer of 2015 as a researcher and tour guide. He has continued to work as a lecturer giving tours.

When asked, Vergara said his team did not feel any major repercussions from troubling finances in 2015. However, he mentioned that he and his team “were there during the months immediately before the museum’s rebranding and the Met Breuer opening.

There was definitely a feeling among the staff that the Met was doing too much too fast.”

Vergara also noted that since rebranding and the opening of the Met Breuer, “they [the museum] had to curb projects and limit resources, for sure.” The Met officials, told the New York Times that the Met is not alone, as other cultural institutions have been dealing will structural deficits themselves.

For example, according to the New York Times, the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum offered buyouts to employees. In addition, the New York Philharmonic delayed their opening date for its recently rebuilt hall, which cost $600 million.

Along with the Met and the cultural centers mentioned above, the Newseum had to make changes in order to change their bad financial situation and laid off about 10 percent of its staff, due to continuing financial struggles.

This round of layoffs is the first done by president and chief executive, Jeffrey Herbst. These

layoffs suggest the finances at this Washington D.C journalism museum are still rocky. Jeffrey Herbst told the Washington Post that the latest round of layoffs was done to make sure the museum has more financial resources.

After opening a $477 million space on Pennsylvania Ave. almost nine years ago, the Newseum has been buried in debt for several years. In Nov. 2014, museum officials wrote about a strategy which would offer an ownership stake in the building in exchange for an influx of funds. The Newseum has continued to reduce its annual expenses according to the Washington Post. In addition to layoff the museum is hastening their efforts to raise money.

In the case of the Met and Newseum it appears that large efforts are being made to cut back on expenses in addition to improving the museums’ experiences and exhibitions. Although these museums are having financial problems now there is evidence of a financial turnaround has the Met sees an increase in visitors and executives continue to right the wrongs that have been made.

Vergara remains optimistic for the Met’s future. He cautioned that an increase in visitors to the Met does not mean an increase in revenue since admission is donation-based.

“I think too many people, especially New Yorkers love, the Met too much to let it go under,” Vergara said. “I’m optimistic it will overcome the financial strain.”

CULTURE

February 22, 2017

Lego Batman

By MATHEW DILLON STAFF WRITER

The best DC Comics film released since Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dark Knight Trilogy ended is Lego Batman. A spinoff of the successful and surprisingly watchable Lego Movie, Lego Batman stars “Arrested Development” actor Will Arnett as a satirical, legofied version of the Caped Crusader, as he tries to come to terms with his antisocial behavior and place in the world while also just being Batman.

Despite being based off of a children’s toy, Lego Batman felt significantly less soulless and corporate than a lot of its peers. You can tell the people behind this film had a lot of passion for their work and an immense amount respect for the source material. As a comic fan, it was pretty cool to see bizarre, half-remembered characters like Zebraman and Condiment King show up again in any capacity. Thankfully, the filmmakers know better than to rely on the labyrinthine, convoluted mythos of comic books for all their humor and it is more of a fun Easter egg than a main attraction.

Lego Batman has a lot to offer older audiences, which is more than I can say for most animated movies. Where a lot of modern comedies are obnoxiously hyperactive, I was surprised to see that a lot of Lego Batman’s humor relies on extended, slowly built up sequences.

The movie is not constantly bombarding viewers and gives its audience room to breathe, which easily elevates it above a lot of recent movies, animated or otherwise. It helps that Lego Batman has a very talented cast of voice actors, featuring Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis and Ralph Fiennes. They all had a lot of charisma and chemistry and I am actually kind of bummed we will not get a “real” Batman movie with all of them in it.

Lego Batman was a bit more adult than I expected it to be. A lot of the jokes will probably go over younger audiences’ heads, particularly the glut of hit or miss references. Some of the jokes were more risqué than I had expected out of something with the word “Lego” in the title. The film also puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that Batman never got over being orphaned: a detail a lot of Batman adaptations aimed at younger audiences tend to gloss over for obvious reasons.

The animation of Lego Batman is very impressive as it manages to capture the look of those stop motion videos you see on Youtube while still being very complex.

While the animation looks great, I do think it gets a bit too flashy during the film’s climax. The glut of well-known movie villains, such as Voldemort and Sauron, showing up during the film’s climax was a very questionable decision and ended up diluting the film. That being said, Lego Batman was a surprisingly enjoyable movie with a strong voice cast and I think it is a decent comedy.

Page 15

Tara’s Travels | Tara Martinelli

“C’est La Vie” in the City of Lights Where in the world is Tara? Well, recently, my answer to this question hasn’t been all too thrilling. Midterms are rapidly approaching and, for some reason, the universe thought I deserved to have four papers due over the span of two days.

Fair.

My days have been spent in libraries and cafes, my eyes filled with tears.

However, two weeks ago, I took a trip to a place that I’ve wanted to visit since I saw the Rugrats tear it up back in 2000. That’s right, I embraced my inner Chuckie Finster and headed to Paris, France.

Some would say that Paris has not had the easiest time for the past couple of years. The city has seen a lot of tragedy and hardship. Obviously it could really use a nice dose of Tara. If I had to pick one word to describe my time as a whole in Paris, I wouldn’t be able to.

My face would kind of scrunch up and look very confused but also excited.

The whole experience left me with a bunch of emotions that I couldn’t really make sense of. But here goes nothing!

The trip started off super well. We missed the bus to take us to the airport, which forced us to Uber over an hour to Gatwick Airport. I can say this calmly now, but in the moment, I was a little less composed and much sweatier after running around in circles for about 40 minutes. But, we made it!

While checking in, I noticed two men wearing Christmas-themed tuxedos without anything in their hands.

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what they were up to and make some new friends. Update: we now follow each other on Instagram, no biggie. But, anyway, I asked the men

to explain what their outfits were all about and they proceeded to tell me that they were in the process of making their way from Dublin to Rome without spending any money. Huh? The two men were students at a university in Dublin and, in order to raise money for prostate cancer, they were told to travel from school to Rome while making mandatory stops along the way (Tower Bridge was one of them) without opening their wallets. They were to rely on the funds of friendly strangers to help them make their journey. I made my contribution, wished them luck and continued on to Paris.

Our first day in Paris was a little more exciting than I would have hoped. We started off the day by going to the Eiffel Tour and taking an elevator ride up to the top.

Confession: I cried. I don’t know why I cried. I’m not really that kind of person, but the moment I saw it, I was overcome with emotions. After pulling myself together, riding to the top was absolutely amazing. Getting to look out at the entire city at once was nothing less than breath-taking. I was shocked by the number of little shops and businesses that are in the actual tower. I could never imagine going to work in the Eiffel Tower every day. It would be like working in front of Bubba Gump Shrimp in Times Square. (I don’t know why I picked Bubba Gump Shrimp—it’s always the first place I see in Times Square).

After the Eiffel Tower, we had trouble deciding where to go next.

Paris is a pretty big city, and there’s

COURTESY OF TARA MARTINELLI

With midterms underway, Tara reflects on her experience in Paris.

just so much to see. We didn’t want to waste any time. So, naturally, our next stop was to get some croissants and hot chocolate. Before you judge, let me just say that this croissant saved us from being at the Louvre during the time of the attack. Oh yeah, I forgot to mentioned that I was in Paris the weekend of the Louvre incident. My phone was flooded with text messages all day from people checking in and also wanting to hear what it was like being there during the tragedy. Truthfully, the first person to tell me about the incident was a friend who was back in London; I didn’t realize anything was going on. Paris kept running, people kept sipping on their champagne and no one was ready to let this act of terrorism keep them from enjoying their lives. This is obviously not the first attack on Paris, and citizens don’t expect it to be the last. However, they are taking things day by day and enjoying the beautiful city that they have the privilege of calling

home.

Our last day in France was spent in Versailles. Oh my, Versailles. The palace was probably the most extraordinary thing that I have ever laid eyes on. I could not fathom that amount of gold existing on earth, let alone in one location. Versailles is free to enter for students and you are also provided with a free audio tour. It made an already amazing experience all that much more amazing. The coolest thing about the palace was how perfectly preserved it is. I was able to look at the King’s bed with the original sheets. Now I have a talking point when I inevitably have tea with Prince Harry—I’ve been in the King’s boudoir, how steamy.

My only real complaint about Paris is that I wish I had more time there. Because it is pretty spread out, it’s hard to see a lot in a short amount of time. But now, I can say that I’ve seen London, I’ve seen France and I’ve basically seen King Louis XVI’s underpants.

Editor’s Pick | Video Games

Will The Dark Knight Rise Again?

By VICTOR ORDONEZ

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

After the rather ambiguous end to Arkham Knight, fans wonder where the Arkham games will take the caped-crusader next. Even more ambiguously, Warner Brother Games recently released an image with text that simply says, “Save the Date: March 8th.” In preparation for what is to come in March, consider puzzle pieces leading up to this date.

Last year, at the Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards, Kotaku news editor Jason Schreier believed the new Batman game would be revealed.

Just before the show, he said he expected to see “new Zelda footage, new Mass Effect footage, Prey, maybe Guardians of the Galaxy and perhaps some bats and/or men.” That last bit of teasing did not come to fruition.

As the night continued, Schreier’s followers started to provoke him on twitter. In compliance, Schreier stated that WB Montreal’s next game will feature Damian Wayne, the nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor and a debut trailer that ends on Penguin.

With no additional information stemming from Playstation Experience 2016, it is time to go over the speculations and rumors surrounding the future of DC games.

Arkham Knight marked the end for Rocksteady Studios’ Batman games, excluding their new delve into virtual reality.

However, it is not likely Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WB) will let the series end.

With five million copies sold one week after launch, Arkham Knight was WB’s most profitable Batman game yet. Outlets speculate that WB Montreal, the same studio that developed “Batman: Arkham Origins,” is currently working on the next phase of Batman video game.

The facts: WB Montreal is working on a DC game. Early speculation assumed the game would be a Suicide Squad RPG. The Squad was heavily teased in WB Montreal’s past Arkham games. These speculations continued when a member of NeoGAF, a reputable gaming forum, said to have information on WB Montreal developing projects from an anonymous source. The source claimed WB Montreal was indeed working on two games, one of which being Suicide Squad.

The game was said to be “a brawler” in which you “create your own avatar” and would have co-op capabilities. Accordingly, the game is targeted for a 2017 release date. Unfortunate-

ly, this source and his or her information cannot be confirmed, and marked the end of the Suicide Squad game rumors.

With that being said, as more information continues to surface, more and more evidence points to development of a Batman game starring Damian Wayne. The first of the rumors came from the very same NeoGAF member. The source claimed that the game would take place “10 years in the future” and that an older, grittier, bearded Bruce Wayne would be mentoring his son Damian to be the new Batman.

WB Montreal’s apparent Batman game was said to “only [just begun] to roll in production” and it would be some time before we saw anything concrete. Although there is no way to confirm this information, it can be confirmed that WB. Montreal is going through a rather large hiring process. This process has allowed information about their upcoming project(s) leak. Recently, WB Montreal has posted recruitment videos which discuss “expanding the DC universe in an interactive space.” The clips show an openworld game in development. The clips also show detailed images of a new map not previously seen in past Arkham games.

We took it upon ourselves to

analyze some of the footage, and one of the images spawned from the clip shows programing for large scale street traffic, like one would see in “Grand Theft Auto” or “Watch Dogs.” This is a featured item that was not evident in any previous Arkham games.

Many other hints can be found in the video as well, some of which bring the rumors to a different conclusion entirely. “Barry” can be found written on a white board within the creative team’s conference room, along with a “Trinity” graphic novel.

Both of these elude to Justice League tie-ins. “Barry” presumably referring to the Flash’s alias, Barry Allen.

However, a new rendering of Batman is clearly visible in the clip, which brings speculation back towards a new Batman game.

It is important to note that much of the speculations listed do not come from reputable sources, and there is no confirmation that the upcoming game will be cannon to other Arkham games, or if it will even have “Arkham” in the title.

Speculation aside, it can be confirmed that WB Montreal is developing a new DC game.

Whether it be Suicide Squad, Batman, or something else entirely, remains to be seen.

CULTURE

Page 16

February 22, 2017

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Hannah Ervin, FCRH ’18

Rose Hill Junior Finds Her Stride in Social Justice

By CAT SWINDAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

“Let us learn solidarity. Without solidarity our faith is dead.”

This quote by Pope Francis demonstrates the need for people to be one with one another. It also happens to be Hannah Ervin’s, FCRH ’18, favorite quote. Solidarity is something that Ervin has felt, learned about and lived out every day since she first stepped on Fordham College Rose Hill’s grounds.

When Ervin came to Fordham three years ago from Orange County, CA, she felt like anyone else would after moving across the country: anxious and homesick.

“The transition was really rough,” Ervin said. However, she quickly found solidarity in the Manresa program in Loyola Hall, where she met her best friends.

She also found solidarity with Fordham faculty. “I had so many good experiences with professors and advisors, who really stuck their necks out for me,” Ervin said.

“They were so comforting.”

As friendships and relationships grew stronger for Ervin at Fordham, she began looking for other ways to be in solidarity. When she

came to campus, she became enveloped in the social justice issues in the Bronx community.

“That wasn’t on my radar in California,” Ervin said. “I came from a very privileged town.”

She very quickly became involved in social justice, both in her majors and in her extra-curriculars.

“I had never done something similar to a service project before, and I very quickly got into a community that was interested in talking about social and economic injustices in the Bronx,” she said.

Ervin’s strong compassion has shaped a lot of her experiences at Fordham. As a humanitarian studies and theology double major and Russian studies minor, Ervin is learning how to be a humanitarian aide. She decided to be a humanitarian studies major after her Global Outreach trip to Romania.

She was very much struck by the social injustice in Romania that she witnessed on the trip.

“It was blatant social injustice,” Ervin said. “The people who weren’t benefitting from the system were so helpless.”

That trip, therefore, inspired her major and beyond. Although she

struggles with the “paternalistic” nature of humanitarian work in its most basic form, she feels that Fordham has challenged students to observe this quality.

“I feel like I’m being trained to be a good humanitarian aid,” she said.

Along with her major, Ervin has been a great asset to the social justice community here at Fordham through her leadership position at UNICEF. This past semester, she was the committee head for UNICEF for the emergency relief committee. She was in charge of Rams for Refugees Week in early November, in which the goal was to increase awareness about the refugee crisis and other humanitarian crises through a life vest simulation on McGinley lawn and a movie screening with the head of the humanitarian studies department.

She has also been active in the social justice community off campus. She interned in the New York office for the International Rescue Committee last spring and summer, where she helped clients, who were often settled refugees, find ESL classes and further their education.

Emma’s Eats | Emma Fingleton

The Inside Scoop on Soft Serve Soft Swerve, one of the darlings of the Instagram dessert scene since its opening in November, is easily recognizable for its purple-hued soft serve ice cream. Made from a yam native to Southeast Asia, ube is a popular dessert flavor in the Philippines and is becoming popular stateside as a flavor for donuts, pastries and ice cream, as seen at Soft Swerve. The bright purple-indigo yam is cooked, scooped out and pureed, then added to the ice cream where it is churned out into beautiful swirls. The store was sleek and narrow, with room for only a couple of small tables by the window and the bright L-shaped counter containing all the toppings and ice cream machines.

I wanted to try ube, but Soft Swerve also offers matcha, black sesame and vanilla. We had a choice of either black chocolate or red cinnamon cones as well as the standard cup, both choosing the black chocolate cones. The cones seemed wider than normal waffle cones and the ice cream was swirled very generously. They’re conscious of the Instagram hordes they attract; there’s a cone holder at the register, perfect not only for holding your ice cream while you pay but also for snapping a picture after. My friend ordered the ube with Fruity Pebbles, making for a beautiful shot with its bright colors, and I went with the ube and vanilla swirl coated in Fruity Pebbles and Oreos. The ube proved to be delicious and went well with the vanilla.

To me, the ube was mild, almost like white chocolate, but it also reminded me of another root vegetable dessert I’ve had–taro frozen yogurt.

My friend and I both thought it had fruity undertones, and definitely did not taste like a vegetable. The toppings–which I normally skip at ice

cream shops because I veer towards ice creams already full of mix-ins– were a surprising highlight, adding some needed texture. Ranging from Japanese mochi and red beans to American cereals such as Fruity Pebbles and Reese’s Puffs, as well as toasted coconut, marshmallows and crushed Oreos, there were many things I wouldn’t necessarily think to top ice cream with, such as the cereal, that really worked. I would get it again, not just for the novelty but because it was really good ice cream with an interesting flavor. The ice cream itself was very creamy, and although the portion was huge, it didn’t leave me feeling overly full–which was perfect because we walked straight to Taiyaki for ice cream round two.

Taiyaki takes its name from the Japanese treat it sells: fish shaped cones with fillings, a popular street food snack in its home country.

Located on Baxter Street, the shop serves soft serve ice cream and various toppings in its trademark golden fish. The cones taste like crispy yet soft waffles–very similar to the Hong Kong style egg waffles offered by nearby Eggloo and Smorgasburg mainstay Wowfulls–and are made fresh to order in specially molded machines. Ice cream flavors include the classic chocolate and vanilla, as well as green tea and black sesame.

When deliberating between the many flavors, toppings and premade combos, the friendly employee offered us samples of the green tea and black sesame swirl. He recommended the “Straight Outta Japan” combo, which had a layer of red bean paste filling on the bottom of the cone and swirls of green tea and black sesame ice cream with

mochi and a cigar biscuit topping.

The black sesame flavor was my favorite; I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved the nutty flavor and balanced sweetness. The green tea ice cream was also a good level of sweetness. I’m not a big fan of the flavor of green tea, but I did think the flavor could have been more pronounced, as the black sesame dominated the cone. Both flavors were rich and creamy yet also light, and didn’t melt too quickly, despite the warm cone.

My friend and I both found the kochi to be tasteless and too chewy, but the cookie was crispy and a good addition to the ice cream. When we reached the bottom of the ice cream, we hit the red bean sludge and were disappointed at how bean-y it tasted.

I thought it was texturally similar to hummus, and neither of us liked the blandly sweet, earthy flavor.

Overall, though, Taiyaki was a hit for me. I tried two new-to-me flavors, loved the black sesame and thought the cone tasted just as good as it looked. The welcoming employees and cool vibe of the store, with its bench seating and huge slogan of “There’s a New Fish in Town” splashed on the wall, completed the experience.

We visited both shops right after opening and on weekdays. Employees at both stores told me the lines get very long at peak hours, like weekends and afternoons, so plan accordingly, especially as the weather gets warmer. Both stores do have a considerable amount of hype surrounding them, although that attention is merited, in my opinion, based on the quality and innovation in the ice cream, the generous sizes and the fact that you cannot get ice cream like this anywhere else in NYC, or even in the entire country.

COURTESY OF HANNAH ERVIN

Junior Hannah Ervin thrives at Fordham with the help of faith and friends.

As she continues to find solidarity with other people, she also finds solidarity with her faith in her theology major. She was inspired to double major in theology after taking Christ and World Cultures with professor Elizabeth Johnson.

“She absolutely changed my view on Christ and who God is,” Ervin said. “That was something that was very transformative for me.”

Through it all, Ervin says that

her friends, whom she called “fruitful people in my life” keep her grounded.

“My friends are constantly making me into a better person,” she said. “They challenge ideas on what is fair and right and just.”

By being a wonderful, dedicated and compassionate person, Ervin continues to be in solidarity with her friends, her Fordham community, the Bronx community and beyond. The world has a little more faith with her in it.

New York Is My Campus The Orchid Show: Thailand New York Botanical Garden 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458 For only $18, Fordham students can cross Southern Boulevard and fully immerse themselves in Thailand’s rich culture through beautiful blooms. The New York Botanical Garden, a perfect oasis amidst the stress of midterms, celebrates its 15th year of The Orchid Show. This year’s exhibition is in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and includes a wide variety of orchids set in a tropical garden, culminating with a large arched facade to pay homage to a traditional Thai pavilion.

Muslim in New York Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10029 With an estimated 270,000 Muslim Americans living in all five boroughs, the diverse community represents three percent of the city’s population. The Museum of the City of New York highlights 34 images by four photographers who each documented Muslim New Yorkers from the mid-20th through 21st century. Together, this photography collection paints a portrait of the Muslim New Yorker’s experience.

The Law Firm: Law and Disorder UCB Theatre - Chelsea Feb. 24 @ 10:30 p.m.

307 W. 26th St, New York, NY 10001 Experience up-and-coming performers at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, home to New York’s best live comedy. Members of improv group The Law Firm will choose one audience member’s live testimony about being wronged by a former friend, boss or ex and put together a fully improvised show about it. With comedians that have starred in and written for shows like 30 Rock, Broad City and Late Night with Seth Meyers, Law and Disorder is sure to impress.

The Vintage Twin Pop Up Shop 26 Prince St, New York, NY 10012 Buyer’s remorse, be gone! This company re-creates and sells old clothes whose partial proceeds go to charity. It has an online store and currently features pop up shops in two locations in Manhattan. Buying from the Vintage Twin reduces the dangerous side-effects of mass-produced clothes and pays forward with the donation to charity.

Laduree SoHo 318 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012 Be transported to Paris in the middle of SoHo upon entering the sweet-smelling and ornately decorated macaron shop and restaurant.

Whether you just stop in for a treat and espresso or stay for a delicious three course dinner, it is more than a place that sells food: it is an experience. Try to make reservations in advance if you plan on having a meal there.

February 22, 2017

CULTURE

Page 17

Volume 99 Staff Predicts Oscar Winners Bailey Hosfelt, Culture Editor Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Andrew Garfield Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Barry Jenkins Cinematography: James Laxton

Cat Swindal, Editorial Director Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Andrew Garfield Best Actress: Meryl Streep Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer Best Director: Barry Jenkins Music (Original Score): Justin Hurwitz

Theresa Schliep, News Editor Best Picture: Fences Best Actor: Denzel Washington Best Actress: Ruth Negga Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams Best Director: Barry Jenkins Documentary Feature: I Am Not Your Negro

Elizabeth Doty, Copy Chief Best Picture: Hidden Figures Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer Best Director: Kenneth Lonergan Documentary Feature: O.J.: Made in America

Aislinn Keely, Assistant News Editor Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Denzel Washington Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Actor: Barry Jenkins Cinematography: Silence

Victor Ordonez, Assistant News Editor Best Picture: Hacksaw Ridge Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Mel Gibson Visual Effects: Doctor Strange

Elizabeth Smislova, Culture Editor Best Picture: Hacksaw Ridge Best Actor: Andrew Garfield Best Actress: Natalie Portman Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer Best Director: Mel Gibson Costume Design: Jackie

Erin Cabrey, Culture Editor Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Andrew Garfield Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Barry Jenkins Film Editing: Hacksaw Ridge

Erin Shanahan, Editor-in-Chief Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Damien Chazelle Animated Feature: Zootopia

Jack McLoone, Sports Editor Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Barry Jenkins Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan

Owen Corrigan, Photo Editor Best Picture: Moonlight Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Actor: Damien Chazelle Short Film (Animated): Piper Christopher Canadeo, Opinion Editor Best Picture: La La Land Best Actor: Ryan Gosling Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Director: Damien Chazelle Best Animated Feature: Moana

Alvin Halimwidjaya, Assistant Sports Editor Julia Comerford, Photo Editor Best Picture: Arrival Best Picture: La La Land Best Actor: Denzel Washington Best Actor: Ryan Gosling Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Supporting Actress: Nicole Kidman Best Director: Denis Villeneuve Best Director: Damien Chazelle Animated Feature Film: Moana Short Film (Animated): Piper

Page 18

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February 22, 2017

Don’t Forget to Recycle

The Ram

SPORTS

Feburary 22, 2017

Rams Go 2-1 Over President’s Day Weekend

By ALEXANDRA SEDLAK STAFF WRITER

President’s Day weekend was long for the Fordham men’s tennis team, as they had three matches to play. Their first match was away against Sacred Heart University on Friday, February 17. Their next two matches were at their home courts on Sunday, February 19. The first was against Marist College and the second against Wagner College.

It was a successful weekend for the Rams. They won their first match with a final score of 6-1, they lost their second match, and they won their third match 3-2.

They started their match against Sacred Heart with two wins and one loss in doubles. Sophomore Victor Li and senior Nick Borak won their set 6-3 in second doubles, while freshman Fabian Mauritzson and junior Joseph Kavaloski won the third doubles spot with a score of 7-5. Senior Tomas Cosmai and freshman Allen Thornes fought hard but lost their set in first doubles with a score of 6-4. In the singles matches, Fordham won five out of the six, giving them a total of 6 points versus 1. Senior Tomas Cosmai won first singles with a score of 6-3, 6-3, while sophomore Victor Li won 6-3, 6-2 in the second singles position. In a close match for third singles, freshman Fabian Mauritzson fell 3-6, (5)6-7 Senior Nick Borak won his long match in fourth singles with a score of 6-0, 4-6, 7-5. Freshman Allen Thornes succeeded in fifth singles with a score of 6-4, 6-4.

Finally, in the sixth singles position, junior Joseph Kavaloski also won a close match, scoring 7-5, 7-5.

The team’s doubleheader day came next. Due to the two matches being played on the same day, the usual format was changed.

Instead of three doubles and six singles matches played separately, there were four singles matches and one doubles match played simultaneously. For their first match of the day, Fordham fell to Marist with a score of 1-4.

Senior Nick Borak and freshman Jeremy Chung lost the doubles point with a score of 3-6, 1-6. Senior Tomas Cosmai, sophomore Victor Li, and freshman Allen Thornes lost their singles matches with set scores of 1-6, 5-7; 4-6, 5-7; and 5-7, 3-6, respectively.

Freshman Fabian Mauritzson made the sole win for Fordham against Marist, winning 6-1, 6-3 in his third singles position.

Fordham’s second match of the day against Wagner was more promising, as they defeated their opponents with a tight final score of 3-2. For doubles play, Thornes and Chung lost to Wagner with a score of 4-6, 4-6. Cosmai won his first singles position with a score of 6-4, 6-2. In second singles, Li faced a tough opponent, as the score was really close and the match went to three sets.

Li found the strength to pull through and won for Fordham, closing the match with 6(5)7, 7-5, 6-2. Mauritzson played the third singles spot, losing to Wagner with a score of 4-6, 1-6.

Finally, in the fourth singles position, Borak had a long, tight match, but he fought hard and come out as the victor in the end with a score of 6(2)-7, 6-3, 6-2.

The men’s tennis team is out on their home courts again next weekend. On Saturday they will be hosting Saint Louis University, and on Sunday they will be hosting Hofstra University.

Page 19

Men Capture 3 Golds, Women Struggle at A-10s

By TOM TERZULLI ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

With only three meets remaining in the Winter season, the Fordham Track and Field team traveled to Fairfax, Virginia for the Atlantic 10 Championships. The men were led by three gold medal performances, catapulting them to a sixth place finish. The women’s team struggled to get out of the blocks, finishing in last at 13th The two day event began for the men on Saturday with six Rams qualifying for Sunday’s final. Among them were junior Louis Santelli who won his 800m heat with a time of 1:54.71, along with freshman Michael Petersen who placed eighth in 1:56.53.

Fordham also qualified in the 5000m, 500m, 60m and the pole vault. Junior Thomas Slattery finished the 5000m in 14:57.64, good for fifth in the event. Sophomore Jared Benn put up a season best in the 500m, racing to a time of 1:05.77 with an eight hplace finish. Fellow sophomore Richard Webber also placed eighth in the 60m, crossing the line in 7.08.

Finally, junior Ryan Riviere cleared a season best 14’ 3 ¼” to put himself in a tie for seventh in the event.

The pair of Webber and Benn just missed out on qualifying in the 200m as well. They finished ninth (22.39) and 10th (22.43), respectively.

Some events on day two were exclusive to that day and others were the finals of heats contested on day one.

Beggining with the Rams that had to qualify on day one, Petersen and Santelli both scored in the final of the 800m, finishing second and third with times of 1:53.40 and 1:53.41, respectively. Benn topped his season best from the day before in the 500m final, placing fourth in 1:04.66. Webber was eighth best in the 60m dash, with a time of 7.05.

All of the other events on day two did not have qualifying events take place on day one. Three of those events being gold medal winners for the Rams. Junior Brian Cook set an Atlantic 10 championship record in the mile run. The Pearl River, N.Y. native won gold with a time of 4:09.11.

Garden City, N.Y. Junior Thomas Slattery captured 3000m gold, crossing the line in 8:27.82. And the relay team of Cook, Heinrich, Peterson and Santelli took the top spot in the 4X400 meter relay with a time of 7:38.91.

Santelli was one of three Rams to score in two different events. “The atmosphere at A-10’s for the team was electric compared to years of recent past,” he said.“We had one of the highest scoring performances since I’ve

THE RAM ARCHIVES

Junior Brian Cook set an Atlantic 10 Championship record in the mile.

been a part of this team. On Sunday Brain Cook started off the meet with a win in the mile and the whole team followed suit performance wise.”

Rounding out the Sunday finishers was Kutch finishing eighth in the 3000m with a season best 8:34.04. He was joined in the top 20 by O’Brien in the mile (15th-4:23.45), Duckworth in the 3000m (20th – 9:01.98), freshman Andrew Byrne in the high jump (10th-6’ ½”) and Riviere in the heptathlon (11th-3,381 points).

Success did not come nearly as easily for the women’s team.

They failed to secure any gold medals and finished dead last in the team standings, scoring only 16 points.

However, that does not mean there were not any solid performances.

Namely, three Rams qualified for finals on day one. Junior Merissa Wright, who won her heat in the 800m with a personal best time of 2:12.56. Sophomore Mary Kate Kenny moved on to the finals in the 200m, finishing sixth and recording a time of 25.25. Freshman Sydney Snow qualified eighth in the 1000m when she crossed the line in 2:58.13.

Aside from the qualifiers, sophomore Nkeka Pinheiro stood out. She tied the school record in the 60m dash with a time of 7.82, good for 10th. And followed that with an 11th place finish behind Kenny in the 200m (7.85).

Her sophomore teammate, Angelina Grebe, just missed qualifying as well.

The native of Sarasota, Florida posted a time of 17:43.54 and a ninth place spot in the 5000m.

Day one’s final event featured the only relay team Fordham put forward on Saturday. The foursome of sophomores Kate McCormack, Leah Hickey, Aidan Moroz and senior Shanna

Heaney crossed the line 10th with a time of 12:25.50 in the distance medley.

On day two, the three Ram qualifiers from day one all scored in their respective events. Wright was the day’s top finisher. She placed fourth in the 800m, clocking in at 2:13.63. Kenny grabbed fifth in the 200m when she finished in 25.21. Snow was sixth in the 1000m standings with her time of 2:59.02.

Three runners in the mile headlined the other individual competitors. Fisher’s personal best time of 5:08.44 was good for 12th. Senior Josephine Jacob-Dolan (5:23.91) and Elwood (5:31.32) secured 20th and 22nd, respectively.

Grebe joined the top 20 in 15th place for the 3000m with a season best time of 10:16.45, and Sophomore Abigal Taylor put up a season best of her own, placing 21st in 10:26.47.

In the lone field event of the day, Gavalas was 12th in the triple jump with a distance of 35’ 8.

Fordham’s final points derived from a pair of relays. In the 4X800, Snow, Heaney, Corthell and Wright dashed across the finish line in seventh in a time of 9:14.88. Pinherio, Kenny, Hickey and Moroz also placed seventh in the 4X400, crossing the final line in 3:55.74.

The Rams stay local in their next meet. Staten Island’s OBP Track and Field Complex plays host to the Last Chance Invitational on Saturday, February 5. Opening gun is set for 5P.M..

Women’s Tennis Blanks Hofstra

By ALVIN HALIMWIDJAYA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

ALLY WHITE/ THE FORDHAM RAM

The Rams topped Sacred Heart and Wagner.

Fordham Women’s Tennis is on a roll right now; after earning a pair of wins against Rutgers and NJIT, the team scored a huge win this week by taking down Hofstra University at Life Time Athletic 7-0 on Friday, Feb. 17. Fordham started off their string of victories by winning all their doubles matches. The duo of sophomore Carina Ma and junior Estelle Wong took down D’Asha Davis and Tara Reutter 6-2, while the tandem of freshman Maia Balce and sophomore Gianna Insogna won their doubles set against Sarah Catherine-Herndon and Disha Yellayi 6-3. Finally, the pair of se-

nior Mayu Sato and sophomore Alexis Zobeideh dispatched Giulia Leone and Carmen Pestano with ease, winning 6-1.

The Rams continued their run of success in singles play, sweeping all six matches. Ma took down Sarah Catherine-Herndon 6-0, 6-1, while Wong shut out D’Asha Davis 6-0, 6-0. Balce pulled out two tough sets against Carmen Pestano 6-4, 7-6 (4), and Sato defeated Disha Yellayi 6-3, 6-3.

Insogna won against Tara Reutter 6-3, 6-0, and senior Destiny Grunin completed the sweep by knocking off Giulia Leone 6-2, 6-1.

When asked about her two-set shutout in singles play, Wong said, “winning 6-0, 6-0 was definitely a

confidence boost. I really focused on my own game and working on the little details that I practice on during the week. It ended up helping me a lot mentally which I am really proud about.” She also commented on the team’s recent success, saying, “We want to continue our three-game winning streak. Army is a tough team but I believe that we have a solid lineup and if everyone goes out there and fights that we will pull out on top. We’re extremely focused on supporting one another and giving it our all this weekend!”

With a three game win-streak on their hands, the Rams look to continue their success on Friday, February 24 as the team plays Army at West Point, N.Y.

SPORTS

Page 20

February 22, 2017

Softball Improves to 7-3, Quense Throws No-Hitter

By JONAH HASKELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Any theories that the departure of Rachel Gillen would leave a hole in the Rams’ rotation were soundly disproved this weekend in North Carolina, courtesy of Lauren Quense. The senior pitcher delivered three superb starts at the Pirate Clash in Greenville, allowing just one run in 17.2 innings and tossing her first career no hitter on Sunday morning against Bryant University.

“She uses her defense and makes key pitches at key times to get out of big situations for the wins,” said Fordham head coach Bridget Orchard.

“She has been locked in.”

The offense was locked in as well, scoring 35 runs in five games over the weekend as the Rams went 3-2 to raise their mark for the season to 7-3. Fordham’s run scoring was more reliant on small ball this time around, as opposed to the homer-fest that took place last week in Arizona. This may be partially due to an illness that caused Jessica Hughes, one of the Rams’ biggest power bats, to miss both games of a double-header on Friday, but coach Orchard was okay with a game plan change.

“This year we have both power and speed so…we plan to utilize both the short game and the long ball this season,” she said.

Fordham opened the weekend against Bryant on Friday and did not waste any time jumping ahead. By the time Quense took the mound in the bottom of the first, she had a 7-0

THE RAM ARCHIVES

Lauren Quense became the fifth Ram to throw a no-hitter Sunday. She was just one walk away from a perfect game.

lead thanks to an RBI double, three bases loaded walks and a three-run double by shortstop Amy Van Hoven in the top of the inning. From there Quense took over the game, tossing four scoreless frames while striking out four and allowing just 2 hits. The Rams would add another run in the sixth when Jordy Storm grounded out to score Madison Shaw, and Taylor Stocks came to pitch the final two innings. She allowed no runs and struck out three, giving Fordham an 8-0 win.

Later that same day the Rams went into extra innings against St. Francis, eventually falling 5-3 in the ninth.

Fordham got out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a one-run single from DH Shaw and an RBI groundout from sophomore LF Maria Trivelpiece.

Freshman Madison Auginbaugh got the start for the Rams and began well, but she allowed three runs in the third to give St Francis the lead. Fordham came right back in the bottom of the inning when Madison Shaw hit a double to bring in Sydney Canessa and tie the game at three. And that’s where the score would stay for the next five innings, until St Francis finally broke through in the ninth for two runs against Auginbaugh, who threw 8.1 brilliant innings. She was replaced by Stocks, who got out of the inning but the Rams couldn’t make up the deficit in the bottom of the inning.

On Saturday, Fordham was back in action against St. Francis, and this time they came out with a 6-1 win behind a great start from Quense. The

senior threw a complete game, allowing just one run and five hits while striking out five for her second win of the weekend. Shaw starred on the offensive side, going 2-3 with 2 RBIs, while Canessa was 2-2, with 2 runs scored and an RBI. The Rams’ second game that day was against the hosts of the tournament, East Carolina, and it was a close one. Stocks got her first start of the tournament for Fordham and pitched well, allowing one run in four innings. The Rams took the lead in the fifth after Van Hoven grounded out to score Morgan Figueroa, and Jessica Hughes hit a solo homer. But East Carolina tied it at two in the bottom of the inning against Auginbaugh, who had come in for Stocks.

In the bottom of the seventh, with

the score still tied at two, Kacie Oshiro hit a walk-off double to deliver Fordham the loss.

The Rams had one more game to play in Greenville, as they took on Bryant for the second time on Sunday morning. Quense took the mound for her third start and did not miss a beat as she tossed her first career no-hitter, walking only one and striking out three over six innings.

But she was not the only star of the game, as the offense had a field day, scoring 16 runs, including an 11-run sixth that secured the 16-0 win.

The Rams 7-3 start is certainly impressive, but Coach Orchard is always looking for her team to improve.

“We are learning a lot on what we need to work on and also what we do well,” she said. “We learn a lot from the losses as they expose our weaknesses.”

Coach Orchard is also looking forward to watching the growth of Auginbaugh and Stocks, who she says will be a major part of the Rams’ future success.

“I am happy with the season so far,” said Orchard. “The team is very resilient and I was proud of how they battled all weekend.”

The Rams will travel next to Orlando, FL this weekend. On Friday, Feb. 24 they will play an exhibition against a team from the Czech Republic and then face #1 Florida later in the day. On Saturday, they have a double-header against Oakland and Elon. And they round out their weekend on Sunday with a game against Georgia Southern.

Swimming Sets 13 New School Records at A-10s

By ANDREA GARCIA OPERATIONS MANAGER

After a two-week hiatus since the Rams’ senior day triumph over the UMass Minutemen, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads jumped back into a loaded racing schedule at the Atlantic 10 Championships. The four day competition was held at the Spire Center in Geneva, Ohio.

The first day of competition rounded out for the women with a third place standing out of 11 teams.

The men held up in the middle of the pack, finishing in fifth place out of eight men’s teams.

Defending her territory on the diving board, junior Wendy EspinaEsquivel came up strong for a second place finish in the women’s 1 meter dive, posting a score of 271 points and earning Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors. The women’s 200m medley relay of senior Morgan Fairclough, senior Megan Polaha, freshman Amelia Bullock and sophomore Tara Brunner raced to a season best of 1:42.79, finishing in 6th place. Placing one spot higher, the quartet of junior Erin McBride, Polaha, freshman Paulina Watson and senior Kalena Laurent also finished with a season best of 7:26.54 in the women’s 800m free relay finals.

The two men’s relay teams showed off their strength with two new school records in the 200m medley and 800m free events. In the 200m medley, senior Miguel Mattox, freshman Sean Finlay, senior Joe Mercurio and sophomore anchor Travis Monahan brought home fifth place in 1:29.67, smashing the 2014 school record of 1:31.14. The 800m free relay squad of junior Liam Semple, freshman Joe Vizza, junior Chris Vie-

ira and Mattox fell just seconds short of the podium in fourth place. They clocked in at 6:40.14, besting the school record of 6:41.92 set in 2013.

The second day of the meet proved to be an even stronger day for the Rams, with three medals, four season bests and two new school records.

In the women’s 500m freestyle, Watson earned first place in the “B” final and ninth overall with a new season best of 4:55.61. Polaha was hoping to defend her 200m IM title from last year, but landed in fifth place in 2:01.35, a new season best for the senior. In the same event, senior Marie Feneron took the top spot in the “B” final with a finish of 2:02.65. Freshman Samantha McDonald posted a sixth place finish in the 50m freestyle with a season best of 23.53 seconds. To conclude the day, the team of Brunner, McDonald, Bullock and Mullen earned a bronze medal standing with a season best of 1:33.40 in the 200 free relay.

The men’s team did not disappoint. With a time of 4:26.02, Vizza also earned a bronze medal in the 500m freestyle event, demolishing the previous record of 4:26.27 set

by Steve Shouldra last season. Mercurio had an emotional first place tie with George Mason’s Zepher Begnell in the 50m freestyle, with both swimmers clocking in at 20.26; thus breaking the 2012 Fordham record of 20.26. Adding another medal around his neck, Mercurio joined Monahan, Berry and Vizza to celebrate a third place finish in the 200m free relay. With a combined effort, this squad was able to break a 2012 school record with a time of 1:21.23.

Friday’s events added two broken school records and three NCAA “B” cuts to the Rams pile.

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Aquatic Rams wrapped up their season with a strong showing at the A-10 Championships in Ohio.

Megan Polaha showed up with a 3rd place time of 4:18.30 in the 400 IM, earning a new season best, a bronze medal and an NCAA “B” cut time. In the 100m fly, Bullock pulled a season best of 54.44, landing herself a silver medal and Second Team All Atlantic 10 accolades. Watson and Fairclough also posted season bests of 1:51.44 and 55.71 in the 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke events.

Freshman Greg Lombana added to the men’s point tally with a second place finish and Second Team AllAtlantic 10 standings in the 400 IM, with a time of 3:56.35. Following up his success of the previous night, Mercurio posted a season best and fifth place time of 48.72 in the 100m fly. Landing in second place in the 200m freestyle, Vizza broke his own school record for the third time this season and posted an NCAA “B” cut time of 1:37.75. The Rams added another “B” cut time to their collection from Finlay, who finished fifth in the 100m breaststroke in 55.30 seconds and broke the 2013 school record of 55.56.

A fourth and final day of racing

closed out the conference championships for the Rams. The women landed in fourth place, one spot higher than last year. The men also finished fourth, marking their best finish since landing fourth in 2010.

Brunner and freshman Sammy McDonald topped the competition in the “B” final of the 100m freestyle, closing in at times of 51.10 and 51.44, respectively. In the 200m breaststroke, junior Nele Albers finished second in the “B” final, but overcame the 2010 school record of 2:18.33 with her time of 2:18.08. The Rams were well-represented on the podium from the 200m fly. For the third and final time of her career, Polaha dominated the lanes to win the event in 1:58.90, marking another NCAA “B” cut time and defending her First Team All-Atlantic 10 honor. Bullock followed Polaha closely into second place, with a time of 2:00.75. Closing out the conference meet for the women, the team of Brunner, McDonald, Bullock and Mullen finished fifth in the 400m freestyle relay with a time of 3:24.08 In the men’s 1650m freestyle, Semple raced for the first Atlantic

10 conference individual gold medal of his career and denoted an NCAA “B” cut time of 15:27.42. With a time of 1:47.87, Miguel Mattox won the “B” final of the 200m backstroke and shattered the long-standing 2001 school record of 1:48.99. Vizza found himself on the podium with a bronze medal in the 100 freestyle, also out touching a 2012 record, 44.89 to his 44.43 seconds. Finlay registered the last broken individual record for the week in the 200 breaststroke, breaking the 2014 of 2:02.17 with a time of 2:02.10. In the final event of the championship, the 400m freestyle relay, Monahan, Mercurio, Semple and Vizza teamed together to finish in sixth, denoting a time of 3:00.98, thus besting the 2009 school record of 3:00.98.

The Rams have now closed out their season schedule. Polaha, Bullock, Vizza, Finlay and Semple are the five Fordham swimmers who are in the lineup for the NCAA championships. However, there is one more order of business for the Rams – updating the Messmore Aquatic Center pool marquis to celebrate 13 new school records.