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SERVING THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 90 YEARS
1918-2012
MARCH 28, 2012
VOLUME 94, ISSUE 8
Student Petition Protests Commencement Speaker Call to Unity By EMILY ARATA
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Controversy boils under the surface of Fordham University following the announcement of John Brennan, chief counterterrorism advisor to President Barack Obama, as the 2012 commencement speaker. Students Mike Pappas and Scott McDonald, both FCRH ’12, have penned a petition protesting Brennan’s presence on campus to supplement the petition already circulating through the Lincoln Center campus. “[It] outlines everything that this man has done and explicitly why he stands against the principles that we’re supposed to stand for here at Fordham,” Pappas said. “I feel like, if Fordham students don’t see that and see, actually, what he’s done, they’re just going to see, ‘Hey, CIA, government . . . great guy.’” The petition, entitled “John Brennan’s Selection as Fordham’s 167th Commencement Speaker: Stand Against This Outrage” is posted on the website Change.org. It outlines accusations against
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
Students petition against selection of John Brennan as this year’s graduation speaker.
Brennan. “By choosing John Brennan as the speaker for its 2012 commencement ceremonies,” it reads, “Fordham University is implicitly endorsing the ‘War on Terror,’ the use of rendition, the CIA’s heinous
drone campaign and the subversion of the rule of law in America, including the assassination of its own citizens.” One of the petition’s sponsors is Chris Brandt, adjunct professor in the communications and media
studies, and English departments. “Mike had already had the idea of a petition to the administration, which I encouraged as a first step,” Brandt said via email. “He and his roommate, Scott, wrote it, and Mike showed it to me. I think it is an excellent petition — calm, well reasoned, clear. Fordham should be proud of it.” The petition originated at Lincoln Center. Pappas, however, did not find the wording strong enough. “The [petition] from Lincoln Center — when I read it, I thought it was in no way, shape or form incriminating enough,” Pappas said. He and McDonald drafted their own version, including more precise details. They hope to start a grassroots campaign involving handing out flyers, using social media usage, and chalking blackboards in classrooms. The two hope to make Fordham students aware of Brennan’s ethical choices and his political history. “This choice by our administration — they’re hoping that nobody SEE PETITION ON PAGE 4
Broadway-Themed Commuter Week Takes Fordham By KAREN HILL ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
This week, Fordham is our school, and Broadway is our campus, as the Commuting Students’ Association (CSA) hosts the annual Commuter Week themed “CSA the Musical: A Broadway State of Mind.” This Broadway and New York City theme will be prevalent across campus in the form of posters, Broadway ticket giveaways and various activities. CSA has been working arduously since January to plan the events. The week spans from Monday to Friday, and two events will be hosted every day at commuterfriendly times. With one held in the afternoon and the other held in the evening, more commuters will able to participate in the various events being sponsored. Although it is called “Commuter Week,” all students including residents and Resimuters (off-campus residents) are more than welcome to participate in the events. One of the events inspired by the musical In the Heights includes salsa lessons, which took place Monday, March 26. CSA provided free food and free Broadway ticket vouchers were raffled, as they will be at every event. Other event titles include “Phantom of Fordham,” and “Road to Oz.” “Road to Oz” is inspired by Wicked and will consist of a Wizard of Oz carnival with a dunk
tank to melt the Wicked Witch of the West, and a Munchkin Land where tickets are redeemable for real prizes. The Broadway themes extend to “Off-Broadway events” as well. There will be a screening of Rent, followed by a discussion of the topics present in the film. Also planned is a large game of Sharks vs. Jets capture the flag, and even a murder mystery dinner, which will be a first for Commuter week. All of the events and locations can be found on the Commuter Week Facebook page. The goal of Commuter Week is to spread commuter awareness and appreciation. CSA works to integrate commuters into the campus life and with the residents. Becoming a part of the Rose Hill campus at Fordham can be a challenge for commuters. “It’s hard taking Metro North to get here, and it’s weird because I do not get to stay overnight that often, or even stay on campus that much,” Ella Baginski, GSB ’12, said. Even with programs such as Commuter Week, commuters are busy students traveling back and forth, who find it difficult to make time for such events. “Life as a commuter is what you put into it,” Artie De Los Santos, GSB ’12 and CSA executive president, said. “There is a lot of positive and negative [of being a commuter] and I think for the most part we really build a really strong community.”
COURTESY OF CSA
“CSA The Musical: A Broadway State of Mind”is this year’s Commuter Week theme.
Events such as Commuter Week are very important to some commuters, as they make them feel included on campus. “Commuters also usually get a lot of stigmas placed on them so our [CSA’s] goal is really to try and destroy those preconceptions and make sure people see a strong commuter presence on campus,” sophomore CSA president Sara Caro said. Bonds are not only formed among commuters, but also between all residents and commuters. “One thing I would like to emphasize is that a lot of students who live on campus are discouraged and assume ‘Oh that is for
commuters and not for us,’ but that is not the case. We encourage everyone to come,” Chris Cepeda, FCRH ’13, said. Caro described the community to be formed as “a Fordham family rather than a resident family or a commuter family.” Ultimately, CSA has high expectations for this year’s Commuter Week. “Although past Commuter Weeks have been phenomenal, I think this one is going to be the best because some of the ideas for the events are so out of the box and creative,” Caro said. “And a lot of the decor for the events we made ourselves, so a lot of love was put into each event.”
Encourages Community to Rebuild By CONNOR RYAN NEWS EDITOR
Many students, diverse in class year and background, and a solid number of campus administrators quietly shuffled into the University Church on Rose Hill’s campus last Thursday evening for A Call to Unity. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, led the “interfaith ecumenical service” on Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus last Wednesday before “[raising] awareness and [rejoining] the conversation” at Rose Hill, McShane said in an interview. The prayer service was in direct response to three cases of hateful vandalism, found on both campuses. The latest incident was reported to students via email on March 2. “My sisters and brothers, it is a great grace to be with you this afternoon,” McShane said as he welcomed the community to the service. “It is an especially great grace to see so many of you here, gathered together as a family of faith and a family of mutual love and respect.” McShane quickly grasped the attention of those gathered, as he set a serious tone for the rest of the service and outlined the purpose of the gathering. “We gather this afternoon to say to those who have those intentions [to hurt Fordham through ignorance] that we simply will not abide by it,” McShane said during the service. “[We] will not allow [ignorance] to damage or destroy or in any way undermine the community of mutual love and respect that we, together, have worked so hard to build and to nurture [at Rose Hill] and at Lincoln Center.” Rev. Erika Crawford, M.Div., coordinator of Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministries, offered a brief invocation prayer before Rachel Dougherty, FCRH ’15, Muhammad Sarwar, GSB ’14 and Ashley Davis, FCRH ’13, each delivered a reading. Following the “all are welcome” message of the opening hymn, the readings were diversely selected from Hebrew Scripture, the Holy Qur’an and Christian Scripture, respectively. Dr. Mark Chapman, associate professor of African and African American studies, was at the helm of what was perhaps the most moving part of the service, as he connected current events — namely the controversy that surrounds Rush Limbaugh’s encounter with SEE UNITY ON PAGE 4